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Articles by Valencia Patrice Higuera

Valencia Higuera is based in Virginia and she covers budgeting, credit cards, and student loan debt, with expertise in frugal living, general banking, and mortgages. She is a self-proclaimed personal finance junkie. Valencia has contributed to publications and outlets including MSN, The Huffington Post, CBS News, Investopedia, and more. Education: B.A. in English from Old Dominion University.

What to Do With a Debt Collections Item You Didn’t Know About Photo of Valencia Patrice Higuera Valencia Patrice Higuera What to Do With a Debt Collections Item You Didn’t Know About After discovering an unknown debt collection item, request verification within 30... Job Loss Before Closing: How Your Mortgage is Affected? Find out how job loss affects the closing process of a pending home purchase that involves a pre-approved mortgage application. How to Handle Fraudulent Purchases Sent to Your Home Address Learn how you can get your money back when your credit card is used to make an unauthorized purchase that is shipped to your home address. The Best Business Checking Accounts of June 2025 Photo of Valencia Patrice Higuera Valencia Patrice Higuera The Best Business Checking Accounts of June 2025 Some small business owners start off using their personal checking accounts for... Certified Check vs. Cashier's Check: Which One Should You Use? Photo of Valencia Patrice Higuera Valencia Patrice Higuera Certified Check vs. Cashier's Check: Which One Should You Use? Cashier's checks offer stronger guarantees than certified checks. The funds for a... SoFi® Checking and Savings Account 2025 Review Our review of the SoFi Checking and Savings Account looks at the account's features and fees, including attractive interest rates and cash back opportunities. Series EE Savings Bonds: When to Redeem For the Maximum Return Learn how Series EE savings bonds from the government can help grow your savings and when you should cash them out for the maximum return. The Best Credit Cards to Fix Your Bad Credit Without a Security Deposit Photo of Valencia Patrice Higuera Valencia Patrice Higuera The Best Credit Cards to Fix Your Bad Credit Without a Security Deposit Bad credit (which is a credit score below 600) affects just about every aspect of your... The Best Credit Cards to Apply For With a 550-600 Credit Score Photo of Valencia Patrice Higuera Valencia Patrice Higuera The Best Credit Cards to Apply For With a 550-600 Credit Score With a credit score of 550 to 600, there is plenty of room for your credit to... How to Travel Internationally With More Than $10,000 in Cash Learn how to travel internationally with more than $10,000 in cash because you are required by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to report the money.