Spring Clean Your Finances Before Debt Gets Worse
Gas prices squeezing your budget? Steve Rhode and Damon Day cover the 14 percent bankruptcy spike, the hidden 400K cost of minimum payments, and smart money moves.
debt stress
Iran Ceasefire Extended but Gas Prices Still Rising — The Credit Card Trap Is Getting Worse (April 2026)
The Iran ceasefire was extended but the naval blockade stays, oil is above $100, and gas prices are not coming down. Every month you carry the extra cost on credit cards at 24% APR, the hole gets deeper. Here is what to do now.
100% Drug Tariffs Start July 31 — The Prescription Debt Trap Nobody Is Talking About
Trump signed 100 percent tariffs on patented drug imports starting July 31, 2026. Generics are exempt for now. If you put prescriptions on a credit card at 24 percent APR, the tariff could double charges you are already financing. Switch to generics before the deadline.
The Housing Trap for People Over 50: Why Your Home Equity Cannot Save You From Debt
Homeownership dropped 8 to 10 percent across all age groups since 2000. People over 50 face a three-way trap: cannot sell, cannot refinance, cannot tap equity without risk. Never convert unsecured credit card debt into secured HELOC debt against your home.
Is Your Debt Making You Depressed? What the Research Says — and a Free Way to Find Out
Is Your Debt Making You Depressed? What the Research Says — and a Free Way to Find Out Quick Answer: Research consistently shows that debt is strongly associated with depression. A screening my organization Myvesta ran in 2001 found that 49% of 136 debt counseling clients screened positive for depression symptoms on the CES-D — …
The Psychology of Debt Shame: What Neuroscience and Research Actually Show
Peer-reviewed research in neuroscience, psychology, and clinical psychiatry shows that debt shame is not a personal failing — it is a physiological response engineered by the collection industry since 1946 and documented to worsen debt outcomes.
Debt Equals Depression: The Research That Explains Why Debt Advice Fails
Quick Answer: Original Myvesta research found that 49.3% of 136 people in debt crisis screened positive for depression symptoms on the CES-D, and 39.7% scored in the severe range. This page long compared that to a 9.5% general-population figure and called it five times the rate; that comparison was wrong and I have corrected it …
Too Ashamed to Talk About Your Debt? Try This Instead
The Debt Confessional is a free, anonymous tool where you can write what you are really feeling about your debt. No email, no account, no judgment. Research shows putting financial stress into words reduces psychological distress. This is your first step.
Debt Shame: When It Helps and When It Hurts
Quick Answer: Debt shame helps motivate change initially but becomes destructive when it prevents people from seeking help or exploring available options. The post emphasizes that debt is “math wrapped in emotion” and that the 4 AM anxiety stems from fear and isolation rather than just financial numbers.It’s 4:03 AM.You’re staring at the ceiling, your …
Let’s Talk About Overcoming Financial Anxiety
Quick Answer: Steve Rhode and Damon Day explain that financial anxiety affects people at all income levels and stems from more than just poor budgeting habits. The hosts emphasize that recognizing debt problems early and implementing mindset shifts can help break the cycle of financial stress before it becomes overwhelming.Feeling like your finances are running …
