Several (well-meaning) people in my life have told me that writing personal finance content must be dry. It’s not, but it is a huge responsibility. That’s why I craft my words with care and intent. I know firsthand the power of financial advice. 

I grew up poor. Really poor. I didn’t learn much about money as a kid, other than we never had enough.

Fast forward.

With a combination of student loans, grants, scholarships and a full-time job at a gas station, I was the first in my family to go to college. I had just enough money to get by, but I was always in the red. Looking back, it was totally my ramen habit and NOT my affinity for beer pong…

That’s when my sister-in-law taught me something that changed my life: the envelope budgeting method. Just like that, my interest in personal finance was sparked.

Money isn’t everything, but it’s a lot of things. It’s freedom from freaking out about that next flat tire. It’s breaking the cycle of robbing Peter to pay Paul. It’s peace of mind.

Hi, I’m Carol. As a personal finance content writer for LendingTree, I want to teach you how to manage your debt. And for the times when debt is necessary, I’ll help you understand which financing options might save you the most money. My bread and butter is personal loans, auto loans, student loans and consumer debt. Sometimes, I dabble in investing.

I’m also a total dork for insurance. I was an agent in a past life and have held my property and casualty license for 13 years and counting. At one point, I was licensed for 36(!) states. It sounds crazy, but I sincerely enjoy helping others understand what the heck they’re paying for (and why). That’s what I did as an in-house insurance writer for Bankrate.

When I’m not writing or researching a new story, you’ll probably find me running, playing mediocre banjo, abstract painting or gardening.