Easy Credit Is Back -- at Least for Car Buyers
Auto loans are easier to get now than they have been in years. During the first quarter U.S. lenders gave car buyers some of the best terms since the financial crisis.
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Yo-Yo Financing: Don't Fall for This Car-Buying Speed Trap
When car buyers take possession of a vehicle before their financing arrangements are complete, they're risking a big money mess if the loan falls through. And some less scrupulous dealers will take advantage. Here's what you need to know to avoid the yo-yo financing trap.
US Consumers Upped Their Borrowing in March
U.S. consumers swiped their credit cards more often in March and took out more loans to attend school, driving overall borrowing up by the most in more than a decade. Total consumer borrowing rose $21.4 billion in March, the Federal Reserve said Monday. That's the seventh straight monthly increase and the largest since November 2001.
Car Loans Are Now Americans' No. 1 Bill-Paying Priority
The recession and its hangover have turned our bill-paying habits upside down. Cash-strapped Americans are paying off their car loans before they pay credit card bills and make mortgage payments, a TransUnion study finds.
What Today's Booming Auto Sales Mean for Car Shoppers
U.S. car sales just hit their highest level in four years, and that's good news for economy watchers. Falling unemployment, more cooperative lenders, and rising consumer confidence all contributed to the boom. So if you're looking to buy, what does this all mean for you?
Paying Off Our Plastic Is Killing the Economy
Here's the good news: American consumers are finally starting to reduce their reliance on credit and pay off their high-interest debt -- a positive development for their financial futures. The bad news: More money in people's pockets means less overall spending in the economy, which desperately needs the cash right now. How might the tension be resolved?
