Financial News Features

“They’re not usually the type to download the latest hot app, but they have become more comfortable with online budgeting programs that safely do the heavy lifting for you,” said Dvorkin. “Many banks and credit unions are also getting in on the act, offering many budgeting tools on their websites. There’s literally no excuse for not budgeting — because a computer will do the math for you.”

“If you're forced to take a loan out right now, it probably should be a variable, in my opinion,” says Howard Dvorkin, founder of Debt.com.

"If you have less than $5,000 in debt and a steady income, you should consider whether you can try to pay that off with a little discipline and mild sacrifice," says Howard Dvorkin, chairman of Debt.com. "Debt relief programs aren't free, because those experts you're consulting need to earn a salary, too. So, it only makes sense if you have significant debt, you just can't pay down on your own."

"Debt relief is a broad term, encompassing a number of solutions," says Howard Dvorkin, chairman of Debt.com. "It's kind of like asking, 'What is a diet?' There are as many ways to shed debt as there are to shed weight."

“If you have access to a 401(k),” said Howard Dvorkin, chairman at Debt.com, “then that’s easily the most lucrative safe space for your hard-earned cash.”

"Start with the check’s issuing bank — the name of the bank printed on the check — if you need to cash a check without a bank account. For example, a check from someone who banks at Chase could be cashed at your local Chase branch, if one is available," “The account needs to have enough money in the payer’s account to cover it, and the payee will need to show a government-issued ID to cash the check,”