Personal Finances

Healthy Spending Habits to Avoid Holiday Stress

By Sage Johnson | Personal Finances

Woman doing Christmas shopping

Whether you feel obligated to buy for every distant family member, or you can’t resist the pull of once-a-year-only sales, overspending is not uncommon during the holidays. The sights, smells, and overall jolliness come together in a chorus of, “Tis the season to splurge!” According to results from a 2017 poll by American Consumer Credit Counseling, 63 percent of people reported feeling “a lot” or “some” financial strain over holiday shopping.

This year, follow these tips to help curb the urge to overspend and instead enjoy the season without the stress. 

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10 Restaurant Apps to Download for Free Food

By Sage Johnson | Personal Finances

Iphone with doughnuts and computer

With all of the ways our mobile devices have made life easier, perhaps the best is the endless options of apps. Whether you’re hailing rides, sharing photos, playing games, managing your money, tracking miles, or managing your RAC account, there’s an app for that.

Although useful (like finding your car in the parking lot) and fun (scoring a personal best in Candy Crush), most apps don’t provide anything you can actually hold in your hands — until now. From ice cream and hamburgers to slushies and smoothies, the following apps (available for iOS and Android) prove there is such a thing as a free lunch.

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20 New Ways to Save Money This Year

By Sage Johnson | Personal Finances

Mom and girl with a piggy bank

How much money do you have in savings? Most of us would sleep better knowing we had some surplus we could rely on in case of an emergency — like a sick pet or a flat tire.

Most experts recommend having the equivalent of your salary saved by age 30, and 10 times your final salary in savings in order to retire by age 67. But finding extra cash to stash can be a challenge. Here are 20 ways to save money that you probably haven’t tried.

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Score Big: Why Having Good Credit Matters

By Laurie Wegman | Personal Finances

Woman checking off her credit score

If you own a credit card, chances are the interest rate attached to it is in the double digits. And if you have a balance, then you’re paying much more than the actual cost of the items. Over time, the balance grows, and if you miss payments or get behind, the impact can be harmful to your purchasing power.

Here are some of the most common ways your credit score affects your financial health, plus easy tips for improving that number.

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Get Peace of Mind with Payment Freeze Assurance

By Laurie Wegman | How RAC Works, Personal Finances

Payment Freeze Assurance

Life happens. Sometimes you have an unexpected expense or find you need to conserve funds for a while. When situations like this pop up, Rent-A-Center has your back. With Payment Freeze Assurance, you can pause your payments if and when you need to. Try that with a credit card company!

How It Works

Payment Freeze Assurance is a part of RAC’s Worry-Free Guarantee, our promise to do whatever we can to ensure you have the products you need without layaway or expensive interest. Payment Freeze Assurance guarantees that you can stop your payments at any time during your lease agreement. Simply return the item and pause your payments – then when you’re ready, you can either get it back or purchase a comparable item. As for the money you’ve already paid toward the item, it stays put. Those funds will still apply to the purchase price, even if you choose to upgrade to a newer or different item. At RAC, you’re never locked into a long-term commitment, and you never accrue debt because you can stop paying at any time.

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