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
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
352 articles written by this author
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SoFi and Capital One are both good picks for different reasons. SoFi is best for everyday banking, but Capital One has more account options and branches.
SoFi vs. Ally: Which bank is right for you?
Ally is best for its savings products, while SoFi is best for its convenient checking and savings hybrid account.
SoFi vs. Marcus: Which bank is right for you?
Marcus offers top savings options, but if you want a full-service bank, go with SoFi.
SoFi vs. Chime: Which bank is right for you?
We compare SoFi and Chime side-by-side to help you decide which popular online bank is best for you. See features, pros and cons and more.
Grow Credit Mastercard review
Grow Credit offers to build your credit history with subscription services for free.
Robinhood launching exclusive Gold Card with cashback rewards
Robinhood will be launching its first credit card, the Gold Card, available only to Gold members. Join the waitlist to apply for this no-fee card.
5 signs you’re just not a credit card person
Credit cards can do more harm than good if you’re not careful.
Methodology: Credit-building products
Here’s how we rate credit building accounts, covering what we look for in credit score requirements, fees, credit reporting practices, customer service APR and account features.
CreditStrong review
Credit Strong is a division of Austin Capital Bank and offers many credit-building loans to choose from, but they can be costly.
Experian Smart Money™ Digital Checking Account review
The credit bureau Experian has a free digital checking account that works with Experian Boost.
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