Mariah Ackary

Former Editor, credit cards

EDUCATION

University of South Carolina

About the author

Mariah Ackary is a personal finance writer specializing in small businesses and credit. Her work has been cited by media including Fortune, The New York Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. Mariah is a lifelong writer. She hopes to make personal finance education easier and more approachable through her research and advice.

Education

Mariah earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations with a minor in business administration from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of South Carolina in 2019.

Media mentions

Retailers Push Sales, and Normalcy, but Economic Uncertainty Looms — The New York Times
Stressed-Out Americans Plan to Buy Fewer Christmas Gifts, Donate Less to Charity — The Wall Street Journal
How marketers can win this holiday season — Forbes
Should you wait until closer to Christmas to get shopping done? — TODAY Show
Consumer Confidential: How to buy gifts while on a tight budget — TODAY Show
Almost 79% of 2022 travelers experienced problems during a trip, survey finds — CBS News
4 out of 5 travelers say they've hit snags like soaring prices, long waits, and cancellations in 2022 — Business Insider
Almost everything is getting more expensive, but these 3 things are getting cheaper — Fortune
More Americans are relying on side-hustle money to make ends meet — Fortune
Staycation, Again? — The New York Times
How to Make Your Staycation Feel Like a Getaway — WebMD
The pandemic ‘quickly eroded savings’ for Gen Z, millennials — CNBC
As Americans spend, credit card debt is ticking back up — Reuters
Small businesses using personal funds to stay afloat during coronavirus crisis, study finds — Fox Business
It’s Now Easier To Get A Credit Card; Consumer Borrowing Is Soaring — Forbes
40% of Americans with credit card debt don’t know their interest rate, survey shows — CNBC
This Week In Credit Card News: How Much Stimulus Money Will You Get? How To Earn 5% Cash Back On Groceries — Forbes
Small businesses relying more on credit cards to survive — Bloomberg
Consumers’ Debt Appears to Increase as Credit Purchases Grow — American Consumer Credit Counseling
Your Money Briefing podcast — The Wall Street Journal

Mariah's latest articles

If I make $130,000 a year, how much house can I afford?

An income of $130K can buy a home well above the national median price.

3 min read Oct 04, 2023
Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP): What it is and how it works

ESOPs are a defined contribution plan with benefits for both the employer and employee.

5 min read Jul 15, 2022
Homes that can withstand hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters

In a sobering trend for homeowners, natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires are becoming more frequent.

5 min read Jun 28, 2022
How Gen Z consumers are using their credit cards

Here’s how younger consumers, part of the Gen Z generation, feel about credit cards and how they’re using them compared to older generations.

3 min read Jun 02, 2022
CFPB alleges TransUnion lured consumers with dark patterns

Digital dark patterns, such as those the CFPB alleges TransUnion engaged in, seek to market to consumers by misleading them.

3 min read May 20, 2022
7 common identity theft scams

There are many ways scammers can steal identities and use them for gain, usually of a financial nature.

4 min read May 06, 2022
6 ways buyers can compete in an intense seller’s market

The inventory shortage has added difficulty and drama to the homebuying process.

5 min read Apr 05, 2022
Fed reports a dip in card balances outstanding for January 2022

Learn about the findings of the new Fed report for dips in credit card balances.

4 min read Mar 07, 2022