Jamie Cattanach
As seen in:
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Covers:
personal finance, health, body image, disordered eating, travel
Freelance writer; good at oversharing. Tin House '22. Words at @HuffPost, @SELFmagazine, @HumanParts, @NashvilleReview and many more. Reader @The_Rumpus.
Articles by Jamie Cattanach
Car Insurance Guide for New Drivers
By Jamie Cattanach. April 09, 2025 · 7 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that may only be available through SoFi's affiliates and is intended to be educational in nature. Congrats, new driver: Hitting the open road on your own can mean freedom and just plain fun. But remember that safety comes first — and part of driving safely is having sufficient car insurance coverage.
Debt Consolidation Loan vs Personal Loan: How to Choose
Wondering about the difference between a debt consolidation loan vs. personal loan? It’s actually a bit of a trick question. Debt consolidation loans are, usually, simply personal loans that are used to pay off multiple existing debts. It may be marketed specifically toward debt consolidation, but it’s essentially the same type of unsecured installment loan as a personal loan. Key Points • Debt consolidation loans are personal loans specifically used to pay off existing debts.
How to Prequalify for a Personal Loan
Table of Contents FAQ When you get prequalified for a personal loan, you will learn the amount you may be able to get approved for if you submit an official application. The prequalification process uses a soft credit pull, which means it doesn’t impact your credit score. A prequalification isn’t a promise to lend.
What Does Contingent Mean in Real Estate?
By Jamie Cattanach. May 19, 2026 · 8 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. If a listing is “contingent,” it means that an offer has been accepted, but the sale will only go through if certain conditions are met. In other words, the offer is “contingent” on those conditions.
In “Rules For Mothers,” A Mom Stops Suffering In Silence
It’s August 1984 in Portland. The sun is shining high and bright; the roses are still in bloom. Elly Sparrow, wife and mother of four, is in a psych ward. Her attending nurse, Mary Ann, offers a “courteous but brief” smile, and asks, “And how are we today?” This use of the first-person plural at the very beginning of Julie Swendsen Young’s Rules for Mothers (Greenleaf Book Group Press, 256 pages, $16.95) is telling. Because there are rules for mothers, though in the ’80s, nobody talked about them.
The accountability era has arrived for autism care. Is the industry ready?
I still remember working as a home-based ABA therapist in college, sitting on the living room floor with a four-year-old boy and his mother as we worked through basic communication skills. He had limited language and would often become frustrated when he could not express what he needed. Much of our time together was spent helping him learn simple ways to communicate and reducing the behaviors that often followed.
The Rise of Silent Book Clubs
Although I am a writer—and thus, a reader—I’ve never stuck with a book club. I’m too excited by the potential energy of my pile of uncracked titles to bend to the whims of a group. Instead, I prefer the serendipity and intuition of taking a book into my hands and deciding, You’re next. As it turns out, there is a way to marry these impulses: Silent Book Club. The now-global organization was created by friends Guinevere de la Mare and Laura Gluhanich in 2015.
Home Insurance Rate Hikes Are Outpacing Both Inflation and Income Growth
How Does LendingTree Get Paid? LendingTree is compensated by companies whose listings appear on this site. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear (such as the order or which listings are featured). This site does not include all companies or products available. We are committed to providing accurate content that helps you make informed money decisions. Our partners have not commissioned or endorsed this content. Read our editorial guidelines here.
Is Debt Consolidation a Good Idea?
By Jamie Cattanach. February 18, 2026 · 9 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. Is consolidating debt a good idea? For many people, it can be, but the approach does have risks to consider, too.
Are Home Renovations Tax Deductible? What You Need to Know | SoFi
By Jamie Cattanach. February 12, 2026 · 9 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. Are home renovations tax deductible? Generally, the answer is no — but there are some exceptions.
Here's your complete guide to filing taxes in 2026
Our team of professional journalists has more than 100 years of combined experience writing articles like this. Help us continue producing award-winning content by clicking the follow button above. Getting your tax affairs in order is just a simple fact of life. But that doesnt mean its easy or pain free. There is a lot to know when it comes to filing taxes. Our complete guide to how to file taxes for the 2025 tax year (filing in 2026) should help. Ibuprofen sold separately.
Auto Loans by Generation: Balances, Payments, Interest Rates and More
How Does LendingTree Get Paid? LendingTree is compensated by companies whose listings appear on this site. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear (such as the order or which listings are featured). This site does not include all companies or products available. We are committed to providing accurate content that helps you make informed money decisions. Our partners have not commissioned or endorsed this content. Read our editorial guidelines here.
The Algorithm Convinced Me I Wasn’t Beautiful-Then I Paid an Artist $800 to Paint Me
I don’t consider myself a “beauty girlie.” I’m not subscribed to skin care-focused subReddits or YouTube channels. I never learned how to contour the first time it became popular in the 2010s, let alone new-wave techniques like underpainting. I can’t remember the last time I wore mascara or eyeliner—which, to be honest, are the only makeup I own. But I'm still a woman in my mid-30s on Instagram, and the algorithm is hellbent on convincing me that I should be doing more.
What Is a Guarantor Loan and How Do I Get One?
Share By Jamie Cattanach. December 07, 2025 · 11 minute read SoFi does not currently offer all the products and services in this article. Our content covers a variety of financial topics for educational purposes only. Maybe you’ve already tried to apply for a regular personal loan — only to be turned down. If so, a guarantor loan might be an option worth looking into. With this type of loan, the guarantor (often a close friend or family member) agrees to repay the loan if the borrower can’t.
Debt Settlement vs Credit Counseling: What’s the Difference?
By Jamie Cattanach. November 24, 2025 · 8 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. If you are struggling with debt, you have options about the kind of help you can access.
What is Credit Counseling?
By Jamie Cattanach. November 24, 2025 · 6 minute read SoFi does not currently offer all the products and services in this article. Our content covers a variety of financial topics for educational purposes only. Credit counseling services can be a smart way to access professional financial advice at a low cost — or, in some cases, even for free.
61% Support a Legal Driving Age Limit as Crash Rates Rise After 75
How Does LendingTree Get Paid? LendingTree is compensated by companies whose listings appear on this site. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear (such as the order or which listings are featured). This site does not include all companies or products available. LendingTree is compensated by companies whose listings appear on this site. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear (such as the order or which listings are featured).
Why Has This Year's Hurricane Season Been So Quiet?
By Jamie Cattanach Back in May, government forecasters predicted an "above-normal" hurricane season - but if anything, it's been much quieter than normal. The mid-September peak of the season didn't see a single named storm, and the Caribbean is only now seeing its first named system of the year. But those living in areas prone to hurricane damage may still wonder if this is just the calm before the storm. And if not, where did all the hurricanes go? Why is 2025's hurricane season so quiet?
By Jamie Cattanach. November 07, 2025 · 9 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. Both personal loans and credit cards provide access to extra funds and can be used to consolidate debt. However, these two lending products work in very different ways. A credit card credit is a type of revolving credit.
Nearly 1 in 10 US Adults Have Diabetes Diagnosis; Older People, Southerners Hardest Hit
Diabetes can be deadly — and it’s unfortunately a disease that's not uncommon. According to ValuePenguin research, 8.8% of Americans 18 and older have a diabetes diagnosis as of 2024. But the disease doesn't affect everyone equally, with Hispanic and Black Americans suffering higher rates of diabetes than average. Rates also vary by state, with Southern states disproportionally represented. While diabetes is treatable, required care can be costly, and is becoming more so.
A Trip Inside the Home of Artist Sam Wiener
Real estate agent and longtime creative Sam Wiener never predicted she would end up in Portland—let alone her entire family. “We’re from New York,” she says, “until the end of time.” But she’d always had an eye toward adventure, and the world was calling. After growing up on Long Island, “I moved to Buffalo, New York, then I moved to Brooklyn, then I moved to Manhattan,” she says as she hands me a mushroom-bedecked tumbler of water.
A Trip Inside the Home of Sports Marketer Terrelle Brown
At first, the stand of indoor mailboxes is the only sign that the Honeyman Hardware Company Building—a handsome brick edifice just off the North Park Blocks—is filled with apartments. Although I’ve been given good directions, I have to circumnavigate the entire block just to find the entrance.
These Metros Pay Highest Share of Property Insurance Costs
Methodology ValuePenguin analysts utilized U.S. Census Bureau 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) data and microdata hosted on IPUMS to determine monthly property insurance costs, monthly homeownership costs and monthly household income in the 50 largest U.S. metros. The percentage of property insurance as a share of monthly homeownership costs was determined by dividing a metro's average property insurance cost by its average homeownership cost. The same method was applied to household income.
36 Hours in Portland, Oregon
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Is a Computer Science (CS) Degree Worth It?
By Jamie Cattanach. September 06, 2025 · 7 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. If you enjoy and excel at math, problem solving, and all things computer-related, you may want to consider majoring in computer science (or CS).
36 Hours in Portland, Oregon
Portland's reputation for weirdness is warranted. Its annual can't-miss event is a naked bike ride, and local artists turned a dead mall's Department of Motor Vehicles office into a creative coworking space. But there's depth to Portland, Oregon, beyond its quirks. Its dining scene is one of the country's finest, and next year, offerings expand when the James Beard Public Market opens across 38,000 square feet downtown, championing Oregon food vendors.
Scholarships and Grants to Pay Off Student Loans
By Jamie Cattanach. August 29, 2025 · 9 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. If you’re grappling with monthly student loan payments, you may be wondering if there are any grants or scholarships to help you pay down your debt or even forgive some or all of it. The answer is yes.
36 Hours in Portland, Ore.
36 Hours Portland, Ore. Jump to: Recommendations Itinerary Google Map By Jamie Cattanach Photographs by Ruth Fremson Jamie Cattanach is a writer based in Portland, Ore. Aug. 28, 2025 Portland’s reputation for weirdness is warranted: Its annual can’t-miss event is a naked bike ride, and local artists turned a dead mall’s D.M.V. office into a creative co-working space. But there's depth to Portland beyond its quirks.
36 Hours in Portland, Oregon: Things to Do and See
By Jamie Cattanach Photographs by Ruth Fremson Jamie Cattanach is a writer based in Portland, Ore. Aug. 28, 2025 Portland’s reputation for weirdness is warranted: Its annual can’t-miss event is a naked bike ride, and local artists turned a dead mall’s D.M.V. office into a creative co-working space. But there's depth to Portland beyond its quirks.
How to Pay for College as an Adult Learner
By Jamie Cattanach. August 25, 2025 · 8 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. Adult learners — students who are age 25 or older — are an increasingly common sight on college campuses. Going back to school (or attending for the first time) at a later date, however, comes with some challenges.
By Jamie Cattanach. August 11, 2025 · 8 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. Owning a home — or another type of property — with another person comes with all sorts of complications attached. Along with figuring out who’s responsible for washing the dishes and what color to paint the bathroom, you also have to define who owns what. That’s where joint tenancy comes in.
Why Is It Risky to Invest in Commodities?
By Jamie Cattanach. August 08, 2025 · 14 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. Because commodities are raw materials — such as grain, oil, or precious metals — the price of commodities fluctuates constantly owing to changes in supply and demand, which are in turn influenced by climate and weather patterns, workforce issues, global economic trends, and more.
Interest Rates: Definition, How They Work, and Different Types | SoFi
Whether you’re borrowing money from a lender or depositing money in a savings account, interest rates will play into your financial picture. Understanding exactly how they work is crucial to making the best possible decisions for your money and hitting your financial goals. This guide provides the information you need to understand interest rates and how they work.
Data Deep Dive: Homeowners Insurance in North Carolina
How Does LendingTree Get Paid? LendingTree is compensated by companies whose listings appear on this site. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear (such as the order or which listings are featured). This site does not include all companies or products available. LendingTree is compensated by companies whose listings appear on this site. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear (such as the order or which listings are featured).
Nearly 1 in 3 Businesses Expect to Raise Prices in 6 Months — a State Ranking
Disclosure 1 Free LendingTree Services – Disclosure current as of 20-May-24 LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace. What portion of LendingTree’s services in connection with my loan request is free?
92% of Drivers Have Pet Peeves, but Fewer Admit to Committing Them
How Does LendingTree Get Paid? LendingTree is compensated by companies whose listings appear on this site. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear (such as the order or which listings are featured). This site does not include all companies or products available. LendingTree is compensated by companies whose listings appear on this site. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear (such as the order or which listings are featured).
66% of Parents Struggle to Afford Summer Activities, Spending Almost $900 per Child
How Does LendingTree Get Paid? LendingTree is compensated by companies whose listings appear on this site. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear (such as the order or which listings are featured). This site does not include all companies or products available. LendingTree is compensated by companies whose listings appear on this site. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear (such as the order or which listings are featured).
Most Americans Admit to Emotional Spending as 38% Cope With Economic Uncertainty
How Does LendingTree Get Paid? LendingTree is compensated by companies whose listings appear on this site. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear (such as the order or which listings are featured). This site does not include all companies or products available. LendingTree is compensated by companies whose listings appear on this site. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear (such as the order or which listings are featured).
Colleges That Offer Free College Tuition | SoFi
Share By Jamie Cattanach. September 15, 2023 · 14 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. Tuition-free college sounds like a fantasy. But at some colleges and universities, it is possible for students to qualify to attend without paying tuition costs.
By Jamie Cattanach. July 18, 2025 · 9 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. When a borrower stops making payments on student loans for a period of time, they could end up in default. And in some cases, lenders may send defaulted loans onto collections. If your student loans end up in collections, it can have serious financial consequences.
Guide To Understanding Layaway Plans | SoFi
By Jamie Cattanach. July 17, 2025 · 8 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. Layaway may sound like an old-fashioned concept, but it’s still offered by some retailers and can help people afford an item without running up credit card debt. Layaway allows you to buy an item over time via installment payments.
Different Types of Insurance Deductibles | SoFi
By Jamie Cattanach. July 15, 2025 · 7 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. Buying insurance coverage helps keep you protected from the full financial fallout of an accident or injury. But even with insurance, you’ll probably still be responsible for some costs when you file a claim.
The Basics of How Umbrella Insurance Works | SoFi
By Jamie Cattanach. September 21, 2023 · 7 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. Umbrella insurance is a type of insurance policy that extends the personal liability coverage you probably already have through your homeowners or auto insurance. In other words, it’s a policy that helps protect your assets if you ever get sued for a whole lot of money.
What Is a Preapproval for a Mortgage?
By Jamie Cattanach. July 14, 2025 · 9 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. As its name implies, a mortgage preapproval is a lender’s way of telling you that it has prospectively approved you for a home loan up to a certain estimated amount. Having preapproval can be a big boon in a competitive housing market.
Hike This, Not That: Crowd-Free Trails in Rocky Mountain National Park
There’s a reason John Denver talked about the “Colorado Rocky Mountain high.” Actually, probably more like 415 reasons, since the park is 415 square miles, or 265,807 acres, in size. Depending on the season you visit, Rocky Mountain National Park can be a snowy winter wonderland or a sunshiney, summery fairy tail. But one thing’s for sure: many of its most popular hikes and viewpoints, like Emerald Lake and Sky Pond, are often packed with visitors—especially during peak travel season.
Picking berries and eating as I go returned me to my body
We were her foster family for two and a half years. We had no claim to her, but she became part of us by Kelsey Day When my daughter was bullied, I decided to homeschool her. A chain reaction ensued by Lea Page Through mindful eating and a shift in mindset, you can alleviate unwarranted negative feelings and embrace the joy of food by Vivienne Lewis What are we really doing when we sit in a room with our patients and exchange some words?
There are moments when you may feel as if you are bad with money: You pay a bill late, don’t have extra cash to put toward retirement, or realize your savings account balance hasn’t budged in months. If you think you aren’t managing your money as well as you could in these instances, there are steps you can take to change things.
STUDY: ‘Climate Change May Increase Cancer Rates - And Mortality - For Women’ - Claims ‘a disturbing correlation between rising temps & cancer rates’
https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/climate-change-may-increase-cancer-rates-and-mortality-for-women/ By Jamie Cattanach Along with changing coastlines, crops and summer camp plans, climate change may wreak another form of havoc — on women’s health. According to a study published in May in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, a warming world could also increase women’s rates of cancer. Along with increasing rates of occurrence, the study pointed to mortality increases, too.
Rachel Wilkinson’s Mother Made Classes Combine Strength Training and Sisterhood
“This is the best thing I’ve ever done for myself,” says Roxana Nelson, mother of three, between sets of reverse lunges and inverted ring rows. Although I’ve identified myself as a token non-mom journalist, I feel confident she doesn’t say this for my benefit. I overhear her from across the room, where I’m struggling through one-legged hip thrusts. She is chatting with another mom in the weight rack beside her, both of them smiling as they sweat.
By Jamie Cattanach. June 22, 2025 · 7 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. If you’re a consumer in the United States who has a credit history, then you probably have a credit score. More than one, in fact. FICO® Scores are far and away the most widely used — 90% of lenders rely on them to assess a borrower’s creditworthiness.
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