Budgeting
Latest 6 min read
How to Budget for Kids’ Sports and Back-to-School Activities
If you’re supporting a household, it’s important to have a financial plan. In this guide, we help you to do just that by giving you the steps to build a family budget!
4 min read
Back-to-School Budgeting: 6 Ways Parents Can Keep Costs Under Control
Back-to-school season can bring a concentrated wave of expenses, including supplies, clothing, technology, transportation and activity fees. Deloitte's 2026 Back-to-School Survey found that parents plan to spend an average of $557 per K-12 student. Half of respondents said they plan to cut back on other expenses, including dining out and entertainment, to make room in […]
5 min read
How Families Are Cutting Back This Summer — And How to Manage the Financial Stress
When was the last time you made a spending decision based on stress rather than choice? Maybe you skipped dinner out, or booked a shorter trip than you originally planned, or reached for the cheaper version of something at the grocery store because you felt financially squeezed. If that sounds familiar, you're in good company […]
4 min read
Nearly 64% of CreditFresh Survey Respondents Expect Higher Summer Costs — Here’s Why
Summer is supposed to be the fun season. But it can also shape up to be an expensive one! According to a CreditFresh consumer survey, about 64% of people expect to spend more this summer than they did last year. Nearly half of those people are expecting the increase to be at least 10%. That's […]
5 min read
How to Lower Your Utility Bills Without Sacrificing Comfort This Summer
It’s no secret—things are more expensive these days. From groceries to gas, inflation is putting pressure on everyone’s wallet.
5 min read
The Hidden Cost of Summer – Why Americans Spend Nearly $2,000 More
Summer is traditionally seen as a season of vacations, family activities, and plenty of outdoor fun, but for many people, this period has now become one of the most expensive times of the year. To understand more, we wanted to investigate what consumers are spending each summer to manage the additional costs that summer brings. […]
4 min read
Preparing for Emergency Expenses During Times of Inflation
Unexpected expenses can do some serious harm to your finances, so we’ll go over some tips to help you handle them!
5 min read
How to Build a Grocery Budget to Tackle Grocery Inflation
CreditFresh explores how you can fight back against food inflation and keep your grocery store bill from getting out of hand.
6 min read
Why Tax Refunds May Be Higher in 2026 — and What Changed
If you’re filing your 2025 tax return this year, you might notice something unexpected: a bigger refund than usual. Several IRS tax law changes that took effect in 2025 are now showing up on returns filed in 2026. The Tax Foundation estimates that average refunds could be $300 to $1,000 higher than last year thanks […]
5 min read
Surviving the Holidays When Money is Tight: A Parent’s Guide
In this article: Start with an honest conversation Set a realistic holiday budget — and stick to it Get creative Plan ahead for travel Know your options for unexpected expenses The holidays are supposed to be magical.
4 min read
Holiday Budgeting Tips to Avoid January Debt
In this article: Budget for non-gift expenses Build a holiday fund throughout the year Make a holiday budget plan Before we know it, the holidays will be upon us.
4 min read
How to Deal with Rising Rent Costs
Let’s be real: if you feel like your rent is too high, you’re definitely not alone. It’s getting harder and harder for people across the U.S. to keep up with high rent.
6 min read
12 Tips to Prepare you for Tax Season
When the calendar turns over, it’s time to start turning your attention to the upcoming tax season.
6 min read
How Budgeting Apps can Help you Manage your Money during Inflation
Learn more about what budgeting apps are, what they offer, and if they can help you organize your finances!
4 min read
How to Prepare for Tax Season Like a Pro: 6 Tips
The 2025 tax filing deadline is April 15. If you’re curious how to prepare for tax season like a champ, we’ve got a handful of simple strategies to help you avoid common missteps.
5 min read
How to Pay Off Holiday Debt in the New Year
Any references to companies or products within this article are for informational purposes only. CreditFresh does not have any affiliations with these companies, nor does it endorse or recommend any specific products or services mentioned, as applicable. In this article: Reflect on your holiday spending Create a repayment plan Track your spending As the holiday […]
4 min read
How do Fixed and Variable Expenses Impact your Budget?
Learn more about the differences between fixed and variable expenses, and how to budget for each of them accordingly!
4 min read
How to Put Together a Financial Plan
Are you looking to accomplish some long-term financial goals? If so, you’ll need a plan. Here are some tips on how to put together a financial plan!
5 min read
Small Things you can do to Help you Pay Off Debt
Are you swimming in debt and don’t know how to get out of it? If so, you’re not alone. We’ve put together a list of 8 tips to help you pay off debt!
5 min read
Zero-Based Budgeting: How it Works
Looking for a budgeting system to help you gain control of your finances? Zero-based budgeting may be just what you need! Read on to learn more.
5 min read
10 Steps to Create a Debt Elimination Plan
Debt can be a big source of stress and financial strain for anyone dealing with it who doesn’t have a clear plan to pay it off.
7 min read
How To Get Help Paying Your Utility Bills
Learn more about your potential options to get help if you’re struggling to keep up with your utility bill payments!
6 min read
12 Tips to Help you Manage a Household on a Budget
Managing the budget of your entire household can be tough, which is why we put together a list of useful tips to help you do just that!
6 min read
4 Tips to Help you Live Debt Free
Dealing with a mountain of debt? Here are 4 tips to help you live debt free!
6 min read
10 Smart Financial Goals to Strive for
In order to improve your financial standing, it can be helpful to set smart financial goals. Here are 10 of them to consider!
7 min read
How to Create a Budget Through Budget Percentages
Looking to create a budget but don’t know where to start? We take a look at how budget percentages can be used to help manage your finances.
7 min read
A Beginner’s Guide to Budgeting
Learn more about budget percentages, family budgeting, zero based budgeting, and calendar budgeting in this budgeting guide for beginners!
7 min read
6 Personal Budgeting Tips for Beginners
Learn simple budgeting tips.
8 min read
How to Prepare for the Next Recession
We give you tips on what to do to help prepare your finances for a recession.
8 min read
4 Costly Financial Emergencies and How to Survive Them
Have you saved for a rainy day? How about for the rainy day where a piece of hail cracks your windshield?
6 min read
5 Smart Financial Goals to Strive For
Want to put your money to good use? Read on to learn more about 5 smart financial goals you may want to strive for.
6 min read
How to Create a Monthly Budget Calendar
Looking to stay on top of your finances and avoid missing bills? A budget calendar may be able to help! Learn more about how it can help and how to create one.