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.

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... Comprehensive Guide to Student Loan Forgiveness Programs Photo of Rebecca Lake Rebecca Lake Comprehensive Guide to Student Loan Forgiveness Programs Saving an emergency fund or buying a home can be tough when student loan payments... How to Pay Off $100,000 in Student Loans Learn how you can pay down your high amounts of student loan debt when you're struggling to make payments. Find out about other programs that can help you with loan forgiveness, consolidation, refinancing, forbearance, deferment, and more. What Are Interest-Only Repayment Plans for Student Loans? Learn how interest-only repayment plans work when it comes to student loan and find out if it is the right way for you to manage student loan debt. 5 Strategies How to Finance a Gap Year Before College Photo of Rebecca Lake Rebecca Lake 5 Strategies How to Finance a Gap Year Before College These days, a college degree is pretty much mandatory to gain entrance into the...