SoFi Blog

Tips and news—
for your financial moves.

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Who Is Satoshi Nakamoto?

It’s Halloween 2008.

One of the enduring mysteries of technology, cryptocurrency, and the internet is about to announce himself, herself, or themselves to the world by posting a white paper to an internet mailing list for cryptography geeks.

The subject of the post is “I’ve been working on a new electronic cash system that’s fully
peer-to-peer, with no trusted third party.”

That’s it.

What follows in the body of the post is a description of what’s in the white paper and the electronic cash system it lays out for the first time. Then there’s an abstract and a link to the full paper, which all this time later is still live, and then—a signature.

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7 Personal Finance Books to Add to Your Holiday Wishlist

The holidays are quickly approaching, and though you may already have some essentials in mind, (AirPods Pro®, anyone?) it’s never a bad idea to add some finance books to your list.

Whether you’re a recent grad who’s just getting on your feet and creating your first budget or a seasoned professional planning for retirement, trying to get your finances in order can be daunting.

While there are a number of resources like apps, podcasts, and websites that could be helpful in sorting your personal finances, reading or listening to a good ol’ fashioned book (or e-book!) can help to keep you free of other digital distractions and focused on getting your finances right.

So grab your favorite flannel, here are some popular personal finance books to curl up with next to a roaring winter fire.

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How to Track and Maximize Rebates on Holiday Purchases

Is there anything better than a bargain? Splurging can be fun and all, but scoring an amazing product at a fantastic price? Well, that sounds even better. For some holiday shoppers, holding out for a competitive price is worth it. According to one survey by RetailMeNot , Americans are willing to wait 57 days, on average, in order to find a good deal on a product.

So, if you’re on the hunt for a discount this season, the promise of getting money back on a purchase can be enticing. Retailers and manufacturers looking to make a sale may offer some sort of rebate in order to sweeten the deal.

Some are upfront discounts, others are more conditional like buy-one-get-one sales, while others may require a bit of work on the customer’s behalf. For some, the promise of 15% off a luxury purchase could be alluring enough to go through the process of submitting a mail-in rebate.

But success can sometimes be difficult to achieve when it comes to mail-in rebates. If you’re new to the whole idea, you may be googling “How to do a mail in rebate?” While the process may vary slightly depending on the manufacturer, here are a few guidelines that could help you navigate the mail-in rebate process this holiday season.

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Your November Monthly Market Commentary

As many of us began our annual tradition of eating, traveling, and spending time with the family, the stock market embraced the holiday season and reached all-time highs—yet again. November also included some major news in the financial services space along with some highly anticipated product launches and announcements in other sectors. As you watch your favorite holiday movies (my vote is for Elf), sit back and catch up on some highlights from November.

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Overhead laptop with Christmas lights

Should You Take Out a Personal Loan for the Holidays?

’Tis the season to maximize your holiday budget!

Perhaps your holiday plans including flying to somewhere special to meet with friends and family, or maybe you’re planning to host a party for those you love. No matter how and where you’ll celebrate the season, you’ll want to decorate, create memorable meals, and buy exactly the right presents.

The problem, as you know, is that this can get expensive.

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