To the everyday person, the differences between national and even local banks and credit unions are subtle but important. The key difference, however, is that banks are for-profit and investor owned financial institutions, whereas credit unions are not-for-profit and member owned. As such, credit unions have different bottom-lines, loyalties and tax exemptions than banks. Here are some of the ways choosing a credit union could benefit you, as well as a few reasons why you might want to stick to banks:

Pro: Credit Unions Look After Their Members

How do money rules change when you get married later in life?

Get married in your 20s, and you probably dump all your finances, for better or worse, into one pot. Get married in your 50s, 60s or 70s, and you probably won’t. The later in life you marry or remarry, the more likely you are to keep at least some of your finances separate.

In fact, according to a 1997 Stepfamily Association study, less than 20 percent of remarried couples pool all their finances in joint accounts right away. How couples merge or don’t merge finances, and more importantly, how they communicate about money plays a big part in how their marriage succeeds.

Your free checking account is at risk. Financial institutions that once offered these perks for customers are beginning to shutter the practice and charge fees for even the most basic of banking services. With the financial crisis of 2007 hammering banks and increased regulations in the industry hampering their revenue streams, banks are readjusting their strategies and free checking accounts may soon come to an end.

Checking accounts have not always been free, however. The concept has been around only since the 1990s, but quickly became widely popular account option for most people. Even so, that isn’t to say all banks with free checking accounts are going the way of the dinosaur. If you do happen to be one of the unlucky people losing their banking perks, should you immediately begin shopping for a new checking account?

There are few holidays cherished more in America than Thanksgiving. It’s a time when we can get together with family, reflect on what we’re most thankful for and best of all, stuff ourselves full of a glorious combination of meat, potatoes, pie and other calorie-laden cuisine.

However, the first Thanksgiving was a celebration of making it through a tumultuous time on very little sustenance. The point was to show appreciation for what little food and resources the first Americans had to survive on. Now, the holiday has been distorted into a revelry of excess when many people cook more food than any human could possibly eat, then try to eat it all anyway.

What is it about Harry Potter that makes preteen girls and grown men alike squeal with delight when a new book or movie is released? Maybe it’s the adventurous plots or just a really aggressive marketing plan, but I think it has a lot to do with the powerful insight Rowling’s characters share through their dialogue, both in print and onscreen.

Take Dumbledore–he’s meant to be a source of wisdom and guidance for the Hogwarts kids, yet his words often transcend the realm of wizardry and magic to be just as applicable to our reality as well. Apparently, this character has some pretty good investment advice, too.

This infographic was provided by CreditScore.net. If you like what you see, you can also check out their Credit Score Blog.

Right now seems like the perfect time to buy a house, but is it really? Mortgage rates are lower than they have been in decades and home prices have been continually dropping for months, so one would assume home ownership should be more easily attained than ever. However, the rate of foreclosures so far this year has been hitting record numbers and new home sales have plunged to the lowest level in 50 years. Obviously, something is amiss.

[The infographic below gives a detailed look at the current state of the housing market and several indications as to why it's still suffering, as well as how you can best prepare to buy a home of your own during present market conditions:]

Changing career paths is a decision that should never be taken lightly. This is especially true today when jobs are scarce and employment opportunities are limited. The current state of the job market might give a person pause; however, it should not be the only factor taken into consideration when switching careers.

Before taking the plunge into an unpredictable job market, consider the following mistakes that are commonly made when switching careers:

Photo by benstein at Flikr

Anyone with a Facebook profile is probably all too aware of the thousands of applications available for use on the site. Even if you’re not one of the Farmville or Mafia Wars addicts who flood friend feeds with annoying updates, you are definitely friends with someone who is. Well, some of the most popular apps currently in use have not only been sucking up precious time and filling up feeds, but transmitting user IDs to outside companies unbeknownst to their users.

Obtaining a high credit score is an objective that was handed to consumers decades ago. In order to qualify for just about any kind of loan, including a credit card, car financing or mortgage, you need to show that you can handle the credit extended to you and pay it back on time.

The closer you are to the perfect score of 850, the better your chances are of qualifying for just about anything you want. But is it even possible obtain this score, or is the number like Big Foot–supposedly real but no one ever sees it? To get some answers, let’s explore the 850 credit score and just how possible it is to see it on your credit report.

By Casey Bond

There’s no doubt that the rising cost of college tuition and other expenses associated with higher education is making it harder and harder for people to attend college. Plus, those who are otherwise capable of obtaining affordable student loans tend to be doubtful that the current job market will supply them with the employment necessary to pay them back. It seems a college degree is something reserved for the affluent.