Articles by Rebecca Lake

Rebecca is a writer for MyBankTracker.com. She is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF) and an expert in consumer banking products, saving and money psychology. She has contributed to numerous online outlets, including U.S. News & World Report, and more. Education: B.A. in Political Science and Government from University of South Carolina; MS. in Criminal Justice and Corrections from Charles Southern University.

How to Invest $100 a Month Wisely If you have an extra $100 in your budget, deciding where to put it can be tough. Fortunately, we've got the inside scoop on how to invest $100 a month. The True Cost of Lying On Your Mortgage Application (Even the 'White Lies') Photo of Rebecca Lake Rebecca Lake The True Cost of Lying On Your Mortgage Application (Even the 'White Lies') While banks do pay the price when homebuyers are untruthful about their finances... Mortgage Closing Costs and Fees Explained Photo of Rebecca Lake Rebecca Lake Mortgage Closing Costs and Fees Explained What are closing costs? In a nutshell, closing costs are the fees that have to... How to Pay For Study Abroad and Avoid Debt Going to school overseas can be an invaluable experience but if you're planning on taking out loans, you have to understand what the true cost of borrowing is. 3 Lies the Media Uses to Try to Scare You Into Saving More News headlines are always full of stories about how people just aren't saving money but media scare tactics alone aren't enough to drive up the savings rate. Should You Contribute to Your 401(k) or Pay Down Your Mortgage? Photo of Rebecca Lake Rebecca Lake Should You Contribute to Your 401(k) or Pay Down Your Mortgage? If you own a home, your mortgage is probably your largest debt and the biggest... What I’ve Learned So Far About Buying a Home Photo of Rebecca Lake Rebecca Lake What I’ve Learned So Far About Buying a Home Buying a home is the major financial step, and it’s not something you can go into... Why Defaulting on Student Loans is a Bad Idea? Defaulting on your student loans can hurt you on an individual level but it has some costly financial implications for taxpayers as a whole. 6 Private Student Loan Facts Lenders Avoid to Emphasize Financing a degree can be a wise investment but if you're in the dark about these private student loan facts, you could be setting yourself up for trouble. What You Should Do During Your Student Loan Grace Period Photo of Rebecca Lake Rebecca Lake What You Should Do During Your Student Loan Grace Period The student loan grace period is meant to give grads some time to adjust during...