SoFi Blog

So you brought the cranberry sauce and Mom’s famous stuffing—but is it wrong to also bring your financial woes to the table?

Financial topics feel loaded. Revealing how much money you make or how much you have saved can feel a bit heavy to discuss at the dinner table. And being the first person to broach the subject is like playing a hypersensitive game of Operation. One wrong move and chaos erupts.

Despite the risks, talking about money with friends may be something worth considering. You talk to your friends about everything else, right? Before you dig into your debt alongside the pumpkin pie, let’s examine the pros and cons of talking money with friends.

If you’re on the job hunt, you know how real the hustle can be. Combing through online job boards to find the right fit, revamping your resume, interview after interview. The constant pressure to sell yourself and impress each interviewer can be exhausting.

When you finally get the offer for the new job you’ve had your eye on, it’s thrilling. You’re about to breathe a well-deserved sigh of relief, until you dig into the details, realizing that taking this job means taking a pay cut.

Deciding whether or not to take a job for less can be a complicated decision. There are a lot of factors to think about as you weigh the pros and cons of accepting a lower offer. It’s a personal choice and it’s worth noting that everyone’s situation is different.

If you’re in pursuit of your next job opportunity and are thinking about taking a lower paying job, it can help to review the situation from all sides. You’ll probably want to find out if there is any room for negotiation. If there isn’t, it might help to consider the following factors.

No one likes paying bills. And yet, for most of us, they are just a fact of life. There are bills for everything—from our cell phones to our electricity—and even though they are generally due every single month, sometimes it can be a challenge to stay on top of them.

Like most things that aren’t particularly pleasant to do, it can be tempting not to think about paying your bills. But avoidance is usually not the best way to get on top of things.

Sometimes, bills can be pretty regular. For instance, though your electrical bill may vary from month to month, chances are the amount will stay relatively reliable unless you buy some new appliance that suddenly starts driving up your costs.

The same goes for your phone bill. The amount you owe may stay stable unless you do something like take a one-hour phone call while roaming in another country.

Whether you’re about to graduate from college or you’ve been in the workforce for a while, chances are you’ve wondered how to choose a career. Most millennials think constantly changing jobs leads to career advancement, so it might help to be thoughtful about when and why you’re making choices and changes.

Bigger picture: We spend over 13 years of our lives at work, and more than 80% of U.S. workers say they’re unhappy with their jobs. When you put it that way, choosing a career takes on a lot more meaning than just the place where you get a paycheck—it’s an integral part of your entire life.

Why is planning your career important? If you’re the type of person who likes to take control of your situation, then you can view this as a way to take the reins and be more likely to get what you want. If your dream job exists, chances are it won’t just fall into your lap—you’ll have to make it happen.

In our efforts to bring you the latest updates on things that might impact your financial life, we may occasionally enter the political fray, covering candidates, bills, laws and more. Please note: SoFi does not endorse or take official positions on any candidates and the bills they may be sponsoring or proposing. We may occasionally support legislation that we believe would be beneficial to our members, and will make sure to call it out when we do. Our reporting otherwise is for informational purposes only, and shouldn’t be construed as an endorsement.

The field of Democratic hopefuls in the 2020 presidential race is large, but former Vice President Joe Biden is one of the most recognizable. Like other candidates, his platform is robust and complex, covering issues that range from ending gun violence to legalizing marijuana to international diplomacy.

And while those (decidedly divisive) topics are the ones that often make the headlines, Americans are also concerned about what the next four years could mean for their wallets. The candidates’ positions on finances, investing, and student loans are just as important—and maybe even deal-breakers.

So how could a Biden seat in the Oval Office affect your bottom line? Most political analysts seem to agree that Biden leans more to the center of left than his challengers on many issues, including the trending debate over student debt. Here’s where he stands on four key financial issues: minimum wage, taxes, health care, and student debt.