Home Authors Bethany Hickey
Bethany Hickey

Bethany Hickey

Writer, Banking and Loans

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

11 articles written by this author

Apps like SoLo Funds

Compare 7 Canadian alternatives that are very similar to the US-based cash advance app SoLo Funds.

Chelsey Hurst & Bethany Hickey 21 July 2023
Apps like SoLo Funds

How to make money with NFT games

Play, trade and earn with blockchain games. Here are 10 ways to make money with NFT gaming.

Bethany Hickey 13 April 2022
How to make money with NFT games

Top metaverse projects

Keep an eye out for the most promising metaverse projects. Here are the top general and game-focused metaverse projects to watch.

Bethany Hickey 29 March 2022
Top metaverse projects

NFT trading cards: What they are and how they work

NFT trading cards are similar to trading cards in real life. It's a large, profitable niche – especially in the gaming sphere.

Bethany Hickey 29 March 2022
NFT trading cards: What they are and how they work

NFT designs

Not everyone is an artist but anyone can mint an NFT. Here’s where to look for in NFT designers, what it may cost and what to watch out for.

Bethany Hickey 28 March 2022
NFT designs

NFT avatars

Avatars aren’t anything new, but NFT avatars are different. Here’s how they work, how and where to buy one, and what makes them valuable.

Bethany Hickey 28 March 2022
NFT avatars

How to join the metaverse

There are many metaverses and a variety of VR technology to enhance your experience in them. Learn what a metaverse is and how to join one.

Bethany Hickey 24 March 2022
How to join the metaverse

NFT music: What it is and how it works

Music NFTs are gaining popularity – here’s what they are and how to buy them.

Bethany Hickey 23 March 2022
NFT music: What it is and how it works

NFT art: What it is and how it works

NFTs take many forms, and NFT art makes up a large portion of the market. Find out what makes NFT art valuable plus how to create, buy and sell it.

Bethany Hickey 21 March 2022
NFT art: What it is and how it works

How to sell NFTs

We break down how to sell NFTs from evaluating the market, choosing a sale price, finding a place to sell it and looking for a buyer.

Bethany Hickey 18 March 2022
How to sell NFTs
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