Miranda Marquit

Miranda is a freelance writer and professional blogger. She has her M.S. degree in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism from Syracuse University and has been writing professionally for more than five years. Her work has appeared in magazines and online, and she writes a column for her local newspaper.

Miranda is especially interested in personal finance topics. She writes the AllBusiness Personal Finance Corner, and is a contributor at MainStreet.com and several other financial web sites. Her writing on personal finance has been recognized by The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, NPR and CNN Money.

With a passion for making finances accessible to everyone, Miranda writes about everyday ways you can start building wealth.

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Posts by Miranda Marquit

How to Save for a Better Financial Future

By Miranda Marquit Monday, July 12, 2010, 06:00 AM Category: Money Matters

You know that you should be saving more money. However, it can be difficult to take those first steps. The task of setting up an emergency fund can seem daunting, and retirement seems a long way off. If you want financial freedom, though, it is important to make saving a priority. If you are having trouble finding the motivation to save, you might consider these tips, designed to help you get started...
Don't Be Fooled: You Probably Don't Need Overdraft "Protection"

By Miranda Marquit Monday, July 05, 2010, 08:12 AM Category: Money Matters

For years, banks have had standard overdraft protection policies that allow you to overdraw your account for the sake of convenience. It's why your debit card transaction goes through on that $19.99 Blu-ray when you only have $12.00 in your account. And why you can still get that $2.50 bagel when you are already $7.99 in the hole. Of course, this "generosity" comes with a price: Each...
3 Practically Useless Insurance Policies

By Miranda Marquit Monday, June 28, 2010, 06:06 AM Category: Money Matters

You know that some types of insurance, such as health insurance and auto insurance, are completely necessary. However, there are many types of insurance out there. In fact, there are so many different insurance policies for so many different things that you could spend all of your money on premiums! You can save money by realizing which insurance policies are practically useless. Here are three insurance...
Credit Card Fees Still on Tap

By Miranda Marquit Monday, June 21, 2010, 07:05 AM Category: Money Matters

Last year, the Credit CARD Act was passed. All of the rules are in effect, including some limits on fee amounts, and requirements that credit card companies be more transparent. However, just because some fees have disappeared and some credit card practices have been discontinued, it doesn't mean you can relax. There are still plenty of fees cropping up. Be aware of the following credit card fees...
3 Tips for Getting Ready to Buy a House

By Miranda Marquit Monday, June 14, 2010, 06:04 AM Category: Money Matters

With low prices and low mortgage interest rates, many are interested in buying a house. However, before you buy, it is important to be truly ready to buy a home . Here are three things you can do to get ready to buy a house: 1. Review your budget It is vital that you know how much you can afford in terms of buying a home. It is also important to make sure that your budget can handle the mortgage payment...
Savings Accounts: Getting More for Your Money

By Miranda Marquit Monday, June 07, 2010, 06:03 AM Category: Money Matters

One of the best things you can do is to open some sort of account that allows you to save money for the future. This includes retirement accounts, other investments to help you earn a high rate of return, and emergency funds that can provide you with a financial safety net. When you are setting up an emergency fund, you should generally consider an account that is easy to access, and that usually means...
Spend Less When You Eat Out

By Miranda Marquit Tuesday, June 01, 2010, 07:00 AM Category: Money Matters

Whether you are traveling, or just not in the mood to make something at home, eating out can be a fun and relaxing activity. I know -- I love to eat out. But eating out starts to get expensive. You might try to limit the amount of times you eat out in a month, but you can also save money by being smart about what you do when you eat out. Here are some of my favorite ways to spend less when I eat out...
4 Frugal Travel Tips

By Miranda Marquit Monday, May 24, 2010, 06:00 AM Category: Money Matters

As summer travel season approaches, many people wonder how they can save money on travel . You probably know that you can visit discount travel sites for savings, as well as be careful of currency exchange fees. But there are some other things you can do to save money that you might not have thought of. Here are four frugal travel tips: 1. Prepare Your Own Meals You can save money by preparing your...
5 Things Your Cell Phone Provider Won't Tell You

By Miranda Marquit Monday, May 17, 2010, 06:09 AM Category: Money Matters

You want to save money on your cell phone bill , but sometimes it can be hard -- especially since there is any amount of fine print whenever you sign a contract. And in many cases there is a contract to sign. Buried in all that fine print is important information that you need to pay attention, because your cell phone provider certainly won't tell you. Here are five things to look for in the fine...
3 Ways to Save Money Today

By Miranda Marquit Monday, May 10, 2010, 06:30 AM Category: Money Matters

It is true that many things in life require patience -- especially when it comes to saving money . Sometimes you need to be disciplined and wait to accumulate savings over time. This isn't always the case, though. It is actually possible for you to start saving money today, if you think about what you've been spending money on. Here are 3 things you can do to cut costs -- today! 1. Ask for...