SoFi Blog

On July 27, SoFi hosted one of its popular community member events in New York City. Held at Interface, an intimate creative space and lounge in North Chelsea, the evening featured Matt Bachmann, co-founder of Wandering Bear Coffee, and Ben LeBlanc, founder of Good Stock Soups. Ainsley O’Connell of Fast Company moderated the lively panel discussion titled “MBA to CEO.”

Editor’s Note: The following article on home renovation and budgeting originally appeared on our web partner Houzz’s website. Some of the content has been slightly edited from its original version, and is written from the perspective of a home designer.

Remodeling is a great way to stay in the house you have. Plus, making changes can improve the way you live. But everyone has heard the horror stories of going 50 percent or more over the remodeling budget. Truth be told, even contractors will admit that it’s hard to provide an exact price on the work, because there are often unforeseen circumstances that could cause the price to rise. I always recommend factoring in about 20 percent over what you think you should budget. But knowing what you want from the very beginning — and sticking to those goals — can greatly help your project stay on track. Even if it seems like it’s going off the rails.

Credit cards. They’re just small, rectangular pieces of plastic, yet have the ability to help people prosper—or cause unexpected financial damage. SoFi members Peter and Gloria Hoch of St. Louis, Missouri, know something about that. Together for 36 years, the couple racked up about $23,000 in credit card debt in just over five years.

Building a strong relationship with your boss is a critical part of your career success. And it’s not just because a boss you get along with might be more likely to offer you a raise or promotion, or write you a great recommendation.

When you’re on solid footing with your manager—when you trust and respect each other, work smoothly together, and communicate seamlessly—you’re more productive and motivated. And when you’ve got that going for you, you’re healthier and happier.

Got student loans? We’ve got you covered with our Student Loan Smarts blog series. Our expert tips and hacks will help you save money, pay off loans sooner, and stress less about student loan debt. Read the other posts in the series to get all the info you need to make intelligent decisions about your student loans.

Student loan debt can cause you to delay important life decisions, such as those around marriage and family, or postpone big savings goals like buying a house. But by refinancing, you won’t have to put your dreams on hold. All you need is a little guidance and a plan.