Personal Finance Advice and Commentary

Happy 7-Eleven! After you enjoy your free Slurpee, check out these five things to know today. 1. The fabled free Slurpee — a wonderful treat on July 11 in places like muggy South Florida — is not a secret. But other retailers work to keep some of their sinister practices from you. 2. What are

Remember how a your dad would advise, “Shop before you take the first loan you’re offered”? Bankrate remembers.

While the government explores new ways to rent foreclosures and jump-start loan modifications to solve the housing bust, a little-known and underused Federal Housing Administration program is quietly helping buyers purchase foreclosures by wrapping the cost of repairs into their mortgage loan. The FHA’s stealth program, known officially as the 203(k) Rehabilitation Home Mortgage Insurance

Following on the heels of its overhaul of credit card disclosures announced in March, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, last week launched its “Know Before You Owe” project, a similar attempt to streamline and clarify government-required mortgage disclosures. “Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions most Americans will ever make.

After seeing how the housing market has collapsed over recent years, you may wonder why anyone in their right mind would want to enter the tricky game of homeownership. Here is a compelling reason: It’s cheaper than renting — at least that is the case in nearly four of five major U.S. cities, according to