Skip to content
Get Out of Debt Guy – Steve Rhode
  • Free Tools
    • 1099-C Calculator
    • Ask Steve
    • Benefits Finder
    • Brain on Debt Quiz
    • Collector Rights
    • Contract Decoder
    • Debt Confessional
    • Debt Stress Test
    • Find Your Path
    • Garnishment Calculator
    • Means Test Calculator
    • Money Quiz
    • Scam-O-Meter
    • SOL Checker
  • Learn
    • Bankruptcy Guide
    • CFPB Complaints
    • Company Reviews
    • Counseling Truth
    • Debt & Marriage
    • Debt & Mental Health
    • Foreclosure Help
    • FTC Actions
    • History of Debt
    • Reader Questions
    • Research
    • Scam Alerts
    • Settlement Truth
    • Snowball Alternatives
    • Student Loans
  • Podcast
    • Apple Podcasts
    • Show Archive
    • Spotify
  • About
    • About Steve
    • Contact
    • Media & Press
    • Testimonials
  • Subscribe

Debt Articles

Articles revolving around debt related issues. These are geared towards advice for consumers and general debt news.

Thinking of Dropping Your Medicare Advantage Plan When Open Enrollment Starts October 15, 2026? Get the Medigap Answer in Writing First

by Steve Rhode

Medicare open enrollment lets you leave Medicare Advantage, but a Medigap insurer may not have to take you. Here is the order that protects you.

Flood Damage From Isaias in Western North Carolina or Rachel in Southern California? What to Check Before You Put Repairs on a Credit Card (October 2026)

by Steve Rhode

Flooded by Isaias or Rachel? Homeowners policies usually exclude flood. What wind-driven rain may cover and where FEMA and SBA stand, as of October 12, 2026.

People Spent Less on Chips. Prices Fell. Now Some Are Going Back Up.

by Steve Rhode

PepsiCo cut some snack prices after sales fell, and now some are going back up. What that shows about buying less, and where you have a real swap.

Medicare’s 2027 Star Ratings Are Out — A 4-Star Plan Still Won’t Tell You What You’ll Pay (October 2026)

by Steve Rhode

Medicare Open Enrollment starts October 15, 2026, but a 4-star rating won’t tell you what you’ll pay. Here are the numbers that will.

Evacuating for Hurricane Isaias? Your Homeowners Policy May Not Pay for the Hotel, But Keep Every Receipt Anyway (October 2026)

by Steve Rhode

Evacuating for Hurricane Isaias? Your home policy may not pay the hotel bill. What can help, which receipts to keep, and what FEMA says, as of October 9, 2026.

Damon Day’s 27-Item Instacart Shop Took 45 Minutes. Here’s the Math.

by Steve Rhode

Damon Day’s 27-item Instacart shop took about 45 minutes. Here’s how to price time per item, miles and taxes before you accept a shop order.

Western Union Scam Victims: The Justice Department’s Final Compensation Phase Is Open. File by December 31, 2026

by Steve Rhode

Western Union scam refund: the Justice Department’s final phase is open for 2004 to March 2020 transfers. Filing is free. Deadline: December 31, 2026.

The FTC Is Sending Cleo AI Refund Payments (October 2026): Is Yours Real?

by Steve Rhode

Got an FTC email or PayPal payment about Cleo AI? How to tell if it’s real, the key dates, and the one thing a real FTC refund never asks you for.

Hurricane Isaias: Your Hurricane Deductible May Be a Percentage of Your Home’s Insured Value, Not a Flat Amount. The Money Calls I’d Make First (October 2026)

by Steve Rhode

Your hurricane deductible may be a percentage of your home’s insured value, not a flat amount. What to check before Hurricane Isaias, and what to do after.

Damon Day Turned Down Low Walmart Spark Offers. Here’s the Math.

by Steve Rhode

Damon Day passed on low Walmart Spark offers and waited for the pay to rise. Here’s the method, and the mileage and tax math that comes out first.

Older posts
Newer posts
← Previous Page1 Page2 Page3 … Page494 Next →
Steve Rhode

Have a Debt Question?

Ask Steve — free, anonymous, instant answers based on 30+ years of experience. No sales pitch.

Ask Steve Now →

Not sure where to start?

Find Your Path Out of Debt

5 quick questions · 2 minutes · personalized guidance for your situation

Take the Quiz →
Get Out of Debt Guy

Stay in the know — new posts and debt news as they happen.

Follow on Facebook
Get Out of Debt Guy Podcast - Steve Rhode

Get Out of Debt Guy Podcasts

  • The 10 Things You Must Do After Bankruptcy
  • Credit Card Debt, Hospital Bills & the “Just Get a Loan” Trap
  • Look Broke for a Year or Stay Broke for 10? The Credit Card Debt Trap
  • Budgets Suck: Debt Traps, Emergency Savings, and Keeping Up Appearances
  • Are You Helping Your Kids—or Hurting Your Retirement? – The Money Choices That Cost Millions

Free Debt Tools

No email. No cost. No upsell.
  • Scam-O-Meter
  • Contract Decoder
  • Bankruptcy Means Test
  • Debt Collector Rights Lookup
  • Statute of Limitations Checker
  • Wage Garnishment Calculator
  • Get Out of Debt Calculator
See all 11 free tools →

Series

  • The AI Investing Experiment
  • Crisis Guides
  • They Said What?
  • What They Told Wall Street

Debt Hubs

  • Bible & Bankruptcy Hub
  • Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Guide
  • Consumer Bankruptcy Research
  • Credit Cards Guide
  • Credit Counseling Guide
  • Crisis Guides
  • Debt Collection Rights
  • Debt Research Library
  • Financial Literacy Hub

Debt Types

  • Credit Card Debt
  • Debt & Marriage
  • Foreclosure Help
  • Student Loan Guide

Protect Yourself

  • CFPB Complaints
  • Company Reviews
  • Contract Decoder
  • Credit Repair
  • Debt Collection Rights
  • Debt Relief Lawsuits
  • FTC Actions
  • Scam Alerts

Support

  • Debt & Depression Research
  • Debt & Mental Health
  • Find Your Path Quiz
  • Podcast
  • Reader Questions

Free Tools

  • 1099-C Tax Calculator
  • Ask Steve
  • Bankruptcy Means Test
  • Benefits & Free Money Finder
  • Brain on Debt Quiz
  • Contract Decoder
  • Cost of Inaction Calculator
  • Debt Collector Rights
  • Debt Confessional
  • Debt Stress Test
  • Debt Validation Letter
  • Debt vs. Retirement
  • Find Your Path Quiz
  • Garnishment Calculator
  • I'm Being Sued Guide
  • Judgment Proof Checker
  • Money Personality Quiz
  • Scam-O-Meter
  • Statute of Limitations

About Steve

  • About Steve Rhode
  • Editorial Independence
  • Media & Press
  • Talk to Damon Day
© 2026 Get Out of Debt Guy - Steve Rhode
Ask Steve Ready to talk
🔒 Anonymous: no name needed

Did this conversation help?

Rate this conversation (optional):

Thank you. I'm glad you reached out.

You took an important step today. Come back any time.

Think of this as me — just in AI form. I've walked in your shoes. I filed bankruptcy myself in 1990, and in over 30 years of experience I haven't seen a situation that can't be worked through or a person who deserves judgment. Everything here is built on that experience, that research, and genuine care for you. I can't be there in person. But I can be here.

Conversations are saved anonymously. Personal details are automatically removed before storage. This is an AI — not a financial advisor, attorney, or therapist.

Not sure where to start?

Been here before?

Not legal or financial advice. Emergencies: 988.

Got a debt question?

Steve's here. Free, anonymous, no judgment — 24/7.

Talk to Steve →
Chat With Steve Now Free & anonymous →