Some life transitions, such as a career change, are planned. Others, like job loss or divorce, can be sudden and unexpected. These situations often create concerns about money and your changing lifestyle. One way of dealing with this insecurity is to determine your financial staying power, which projects how long your financial resources can last during times of transition.

With credit card interest rates ranging between 11 to 22%, it’s no wonder people are looking for alternative ways to handle and pay off their credit card debt. This is where a personal loan might come into play. Using a personal loan to pay off your credit card debt can help you manage your overall debt once and for all… if you know how to navigate the pitfalls.

Let’s state up front that you don’t need a credit monitoring service to stay on top of your credit status. For people who are diligent and deliberate in monitoring their own credit, they can do so by accessing a free credit report from each of the credit bureaus once per year.

The figures out last year show that the average amount of student loan debt a student graduates with is a little more than $35,000.  Most graduates are carrying multiple student loans from multiple sources, and the cost and complexity of managing them can become overwhelming, especially if they are unable to secure steady employment with sufficient cash flow to make the payments.

Perhaps the most encouraging outcome of the latest recession is the increasing emphasis on debt reduction by most Americans.  We are borrowing less and saving more, and, hopefully, developing some more frugal habits that can lead to healthier finances in the future.  Still, many people continue to struggle with their debt.  It takes a firm commitment and a lot of discipline, but