Is there a single resource that I can read to get an undertanding of the USian "money culture"? As a European, I am puzzled by many things I read aroung the Internets about the way personal finance appears to be handled in the US. [more inside]
posted by themel on Apr 9, 2009 - 46 answers

I was born in the US, lived in Canada for ten years, and moved back to the States last year. While I was in Canada, I built up a solid credit rating- I had two credit cards, an unsecured line of credit with low interest (7%) and overdraft protection on my checking account up to $3,500. At one point when I was underemployed I built up some credit card debt, but I payed it off. Last year, when I moved back to the US for grad school, I got into a bad pattern of leaning on my credit cards and low-interest line of credit to pay for moving and start up expenses. This June, the world financial collapse coincided with one of my own- I was employed super part time, was making around $750 a month and was struggling to pay rent and buy $20 worth of groceries a week. I just couldn't pay my debt, and I paid very minimally, then not at all. I know I probably should have called the bank and tried to work something out, but what can I say- I panicked and froze. Currently, my total debt load is $14,000 on the line of credit, $3,700 on the overdraft and $1,400 on my Visa. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jan 13, 2009 - 6 answers

FinancialOpinionFilter: I qualify for the new Federal Housing Tax Credit! Yay! But since I have to pay it back it hardly seem useful. Plus there's extra hassle with taxes for the next 15 years. Should I bother claiming it?
posted by GuyZero on Aug 7, 2008 - 5 answers

Paying US back-taxes: should I go for an installment plan or pay it all now, and pay off the credit card companies instead? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Feb 26, 2008 - 8 answers

Like a lot of Latinos, I have a huge name. I am afraid that, in the long run, it may get me in trouble in the US. Help me prevent it. [more inside]
posted by falameufilho on Jan 2, 2008 - 13 answers

Can offshore companies such as neteller, firepay, various online gambling sites and other such companies that operate outside of the US, but have us based customers, tarnish or submitt negative information to US credit reporting agencies (trans union, Equixfax, etc) ?
posted by crewshell on Dec 6, 2006 - 2 answers

I have a post-graduate diploma from England and want to finish my MA, but the requirements are unreal. Should I scrap and start over in the US? [more inside]
posted by parmanparman on Jul 6, 2006 - 8 answers