Erica Sandberg

About the Author

Erica Sandberg

Erica Sandberg is a consumer finance expert and journalist whose articles and insights are featured in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, MarketWatch, Forbes, and MSN Money. An experienced media host, she's led many financial programs, including her podcast, "Adventures With Money." She's appeared on Fox, CNN, "EconTalk" and "The Dr. Drew Podcast," and has been the resident money and credit authority for KRON-4 News in San Francisco for more than 10 years. Her book "Expecting Money: The Essential Financial Plan for New and Growing Families" was first released in 2008, and the 2017 edition is out now.

Latest Posts

50 posts written/edited to date

Guide

31,408 views

5 min read

A Guide to Home Equity Loans vs. HELOCs

A Guide to Home Equity Loans vs. HELOCs

If you are a homeowner, you may have accumulated equity that you can access. Depending on various factors, you can either borrow against the... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 12/26/23

Guide

49,374 views

5 min read

7 Common Loan Fees and How to Avoid Them

Common Loan Fees and How to Avoid Them

Loans can be helpful financial tools, enabling you to do things like pay for expensive items over time or efficiently reorganize debt. However,... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 11/7/23

Study

43,911 views

5 min read

Average Credit Score by Race (2024)

The Average Credit Score by Race

Although credit scores are neutral algorithms based on a person’s reported credit activity, there are indisputable variations between various... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 9/27/23

Study

43,776 views

9 min read

Average Credit Score by State (2024)

The Average Credit Score by State

Credit scores, such as those developed by the data analytics company FICO, do not rate you as a person, but rate your actions as a borrower.... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 9/27/23

Study

45,432 views

7 min read

Average Credit Score by Household Income (2024)

The Average Credit Score by Household Income

How people use credit products and repay debt has a direct effect on their credit scores, such as those developed by FICO. All of that... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 9/27/23

Guide

43,329 views

5 min read

What Should My Credit Score Be? 5 Scenarios

What Should My Credit Score Be?

If you’re like most people, you want to build and maintain a high credit score so you can borrow money at the best rates and terms. What that... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 7/20/23

Guide

100,000+ views

5 min read

Pawnshop Loans: Requirements & How They Work

Pawnshop Loans: Requirements & How They Work 

If you have valuables that you’re not currently using and you need some quick cash to tide you over, you may be able to borrow against their... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 6/5/23

Guide

90,015 views

7 min read

10 Common Credit Questions Answered by an Expert

10 Common Credit Questions Answered

On the surface, credit reports and credit scores are pretty straightforward. You can quickly find important and accurate information from widely... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 5/4/23

Guide

100,000+ views

7 min read

How to Get an Apartment With Bad Credit: 12 Action Items

How to Get an Apartment With Bad Credit

It’s time to go apartment hunting! You scour the neighborhood in search of “For Rent” signs in windows and check rental websites to identify... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 4/11/23

Guide

100,000+ views

5 min read

7 Ways to Raise Your Credit Score With a Credit Card (Feb. 2024)

7 Ways to Raise Your Credit Score With a Credit Card

Most adults have credit scores. Financial institutions rely on these three-digit numbers to quickly determine loan and credit qualification and... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 3/13/23

Guide

85,833 views

3 min read

7 Things Loan Origination Software Looks For

7 Things Loan Origination Software Looks For

There was a time — long, long ago — when loan officers reviewed all applicants’ paperwork by hand. They had to make decisions based on what they... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 2/16/23

Guide

100,000+ views

5 min read

Cash Envelope System: How to Budget & Take Control of Your Finances

How the Cash Envelope System Works

Credit cards, debit cards, and electronic payments are safe and convenient tools, but when you make transactions with them, you can lose touch... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 1/4/23

Guide

99,935 views

5 min read

12 Lucrative Side Gigs to Make Money

12 Lucrative Side Gigs to Make Money

You want to get ahead financially, but it’s not easy. There’s only so much you can do regarding your budget, and you may have already pared your... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 11/29/22

Guide

100,000+ views

5 min read

15 Bank Account Fees & How to Avoid Them

Bank Account Fees & How to Avoid Them

If you’re ready to open a deposit account so you can sock money away and make a variety of transactions, you have three options: a bank, which is... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 11/10/22

Guide

100,000+ views

5 min read

Credit Union Payday Alternative Loans: What They Are & How to Get One

Payday Alternative Loans: What They Are & How to Get One

When you are in a serious financial pinch, you may consider borrowing against your upcoming paycheck. Payday loans are available to people who... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 10/3/22

Guide

100,000+ views

5 min read

Should I File For Bankruptcy? 8 Signs

8 Signs You Should File For Bankruptcy

The U.S. Bankruptcy Code can help alleviate the pressure when you are in a desperate financial situation. Qualifying individuals are permitted to... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 9/6/22

Guide

100,000+ views

7 min read

12 Signs of Predatory Lending

12 Signs You're Dealing With a Predatory Lender

Doing business with an upstanding lender is important when you want to borrow money. The loan cost will be kept to a minimum, and you will have... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 8/1/22

Guide

100,000+ views

5 min read

How to Read the Fine Print of a Loan Agreement

How to Read the Fine Print of a Loan Agreement

If you’re eager to sign for a loan to get the money you need, hit the breaks and read everything involved with the loan first. Loan agreements... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 7/7/22

Guide

100,000+ views

7 min read

13 Pros & Cons of Credit Card Cash Advances (Feb. 2024)

13 Pros & Cons of Credit Card Cash Advances

One of the benefits of having a credit card is that you can withdraw cash from your available credit line. Called a cash advance (or cash... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 5/23/22

Guide

100,000+ views

7 min read

How Rate Shopping Affects Your Credit Scores

How Rate Shopping Affects Your Credit Scores

You’ll want to identify the best deal possible, which includes getting the lowest interest rate you can qualify for, when searching for a new... read more »

Erica Sandberg

By: Erica Sandberg • 4/26/22