First Alliance Blog

When you look at interest rates, you’ll see two abbreviations pop up over and over again—APR and APY. Some financial institutions will show both the APR and APY for their finances, while others may show only one value or the other. To make things more confusing, the rates may only vary by a fraction of a percent.

If you’ve ever opened up a savings account or taken out a loan, you’ve heard the term interest before. You also probably have a rough idea of what it means—if you have a loan, you have to pay more money back than what you borrowed. If you have a savings account, you get a bit of money back each month.

Credit cards can be very convenient and useful if you know how to use them properly. Being responsible with credit cards can help you avoid  a lot of financial heartache. Before charging everything on your credit card, it is helpful to learn how to manage the card. Many people get a credit card for easy access to spending money without realizing the negative effects it can have.

In a financial emergency a Pay Day loan may seem like a lifesaver, especially if you have poor credit, have no savings, or think a traditional loan is somehow out of your reach. Pay Day loans also seem more accessible, since you can find a Pay Day lender in a storefront or pawn shop. You can even find them online.

Do a quick search online about buying a car and you’ll find hundreds of articles talking about every aspect of buying a car from pre-shopping research to getting the best rate on an auto loan. However, there’s one major aspect of buying a new car that is relatively ignored—transferring the car’s title.

According to most financial gurus, one of the best ways to improve your financial situation is to get rid of debt. In general, this is good advice. Owing money you can’t afford to pay back can haunt you for a long time, and it could potentially wreck your credit if you’re not careful.

You went to apply for a loan, positive you would be approved, only to be told by the financial institution that you need a cosigner. That can feel like a blow to your confidence. You may even be wondering what a cosigner is exactly. How do you choose someone to be your cosigner, and more importantly, what can you do if you can’t find a cosigner? Here we layout the basics of needing a cosigner for your loan.

A personal loan can provide you with the funds that you need to buy equipment for your hobby. However, it is important to note that there are several things that you will need to know before taking out a loan. Learning all that you can about loans before you take one out will ensure that you will get the best deal on one.

More people are taking out auto loans than ever before. According to a 2017 report, over 107 million American adults have an auto loan. That’s 43 percent of American adults!

If your debt levels are becoming burdensome and you’re struggling to make monthly payments it might be time to consider either refinancing your debt or a debt consolidation loan. These two debt management options are both relatively quick and easy ways to bring your debt under control. We will explore their differences along with examples of when each option, debt consolidation vs refinancing, might make the most sense for your situation.