Bethany Hickey is a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in banking, lending, insurance, and crypto.
Bethany’s expertise in personal finance has garnered recognition from esteemed media outlets, such as Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GOBankingRates, SuperMoney, AOL and Newsweek. Her articles offer practical financial strategies to Americans, empowering them to make decisions that meet their financial goals. Her past work includes articles on generational spending and saving habits, lending, budgeting and managing debt.
Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others.
Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine.
Expertise
- Personal finance
- Banking
- Auto loans
- Insurance
- Cryptocurrency and NFTs
Education
- Bachelor of Arts, English-Writing
Educational organizations
- University of Michigan-Flint
Featured publications
- Nasdaq
- MSN
- Auto Credit Express
- CarsDirect
- Drivers Lane
- The Car Connection
- SuperMoney
- GoBankingRates
- ValueWalk
- SuperMoney
Industry insights from Bethany Hickey
We asked Bethany Hickey for her thoughts on borrowing during a recession and how to choose the best loan.
Is it a good idea to take out a loan during a recession?
The answer isn’t so straightforward, unfortunately. In a recession, it may be harder to qualify for a loan, because lenders are known to tighten up stipulations to reduce risk. We occasionally see lower rates in business loans as a way to stimulate the economy, but that’s not always the case. It can be good before a full-out recession to prepare by sorting out your finances — such as consolidating your credit card debt or refinancing a home for a lower interest rate while the getting is good. But if rates are high and your credit isn’t great, it may be a better idea to hold off on taking on new loans to reduce your risk of default during a recession.
How do I choose the best personal loan when my credit isn’t great?
Personal loan rates can get high if you have poor credit. Most personal loans are unsecured, so they carry a little more risk and lenders tend to charge higher rates. And with short-term installment loans and payday loans, you could see a 200% APR or higher. My advice would be to avoid no-credit-check payday loans, if at all possible. And even with a credit score of around 580 to 670, there are plenty of personal loan providers that could work if you have steady income. Also consider a cosigner or coborrower to increase your approval odds. And adding someone else to the loan could get you a higher loan amount or lower interest rate (or both!).
Latest articles by Bethany Hickey
424 articles written by this author
Best Student Bank Accounts
SoFi, Fizz, Capital One, Chase, Discover and Revolut have some of the best student bank accounts for savings, checking and building credit.
7 Credit Cards without SSN Requirements
Credit cards like Firstcard, Capital One Quicksilver, Blue Cash Everyday and Fizz don't require a social security number to open.
Discover® Savings Account Bonuses in September 2024
Discover only offers a bonus on its savings account, and it has a high deposit requirement. See how to get it here.
Zelle for Business: Accounts that Support It
There isn’t a separate Zelle business account, but there are plenty of accounts compatible with this popular payment service.
What Happens When a CD Matures? 3 Places to Put Your Money
At CD maturity, you can roll over your money into a new CD or cash it out and move your money to a checking, savings or investing account.
Certificates of deposit: What is it and how it works
Compare, choose and apply for a certificate of deposit on finder.com. Competitive interest rates from leading financial institutions in the US.
Is Chime a Good Bank?
Chime provides legitimate banking services through partner banks, which also offer typical FDIC insurance up to $250,000. See our full review here.
7 Best CD rates in Texas in September 2024
The highest CD rates in Texas are from Ciera Bank, Quontic Bank, Susser Bank, Ally Bank and more. See the full list here.
6 Best CD Rates in Florida in September 2024
Some of the highest CD rates in Florida are from Quontic Bank, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, First Internet Bank and more. See the full list here.
7 Best CD Rates in Michigan in September 2024
Some of the highest CD rates in Michigan are from Flagstar Bank, Quontic Bank, First Internet Bank, Ally Bank and more. See our full list here.