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Mass Market Personal Finance Strategic Content

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I craft clear, accessible, and practical personal finance content that helps developing wealth builders—those in the mass market audience—take control of their financial futures. From savings strategies and debt management to early investing and financial wellness, my work makes complex topics easy to understand while meeting the rigorous standards of leading financial brands.

Explore the featured selection of my writing work below. Then, contact me about crafting strategic personal finance stories for your mass market audiences. We'll collaborate to design stories that seamlessly integrate into your content strategy and help you build trust in your brand.

Client Testimonial

"Dahna is a gifted writer, meticulous researcher, and a terrific communicator who has a keen knack for detail. She is an intuitive and skilled finance writer who can adapt to any brand voice while creating helpful and empowering content. I am happy to have Dahna on my contributing team!"

—Jordan Merimee Navidar, Senior Content Editor at Chime

Chime •

10 Credit Card Myths Debunked

Getting a credit card can be a rite of passage into adulthood. It’s a way to help build credit, earn rewards, and manage your financial life. Yet, given all the credit card myths floating around, it's confusing to understand how a card can impact your credit score. We’ve debunked ten credit card myths and misconceptions and answered your burning questions like: “Should I pay off my credit card?” or “Is carrying a balance a good idea?” Read on to learn the most common credit card score myths that can hurt your credit score and gain more knowledge of personal finance.
Chime •

Why Is Budgeting Important? 9 Reasons Explained

Budgeting is like a roadmap for your finances and can help inform your money moves. A money management strategy can guide you toward your financial goals while helping you avoid money pitfalls – it helps you clarify financial directions so you can be responsible with your money. A budget shapes both current and long-term financial decisions. By carefully tracking your income and expenses, you can spend and save responsibly, properly assess financial trade-offs, and stay focused on your goals. Here's why you need to create one now.
Chime •

How to Repair Your Credit in 12 Steps

A credit score is a vital number in your financial life. It’s a three-digit number between 350 and 850 that gives lenders an idea of how likely you are to repay debts. Your credit scores are calculated based on the information in your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This three-digit number determines whether you can get approved for credit cards, loans, mortgages, apartments, and more. Here's how to repair it and keep it good.
Westfield Insurance •

How to Avoid Distracted Driving

In 2020, 3,142 people were killed in motor vehicle collisions involving distracted drivers, according to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHTSA). Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show that nine people die daily in crashes reportedly involving distracted drivers. Most times, mobile phones are the source of distraction. If you cause an accident, your auto insurance rates may skyrocket and you may experience significant legal problems depending on the accident's severity. So, you want to avoid distracted driving at all costs. Here's how.
FinImpact •

Best Personal Loans for Bad Credit for 2024 Rated by Experts

According to myFICO, a credit score that’s lower than 580 is considered poor, and one between 580 and 669 is fair. Any credit score under 670 is below the average U.S. consumer credit score, and lenders will consider that borrower a higher risk. This "Best of" overviews loans available for borrowers with poor credit. •• About this Project: As an expert reviewer for this website, I substantially rewrote and updated this review, which was the equivalent of 13-15 pages of text. I used my expertise in SEO, personal finance, and U.S. politics and economics, and I provided editorial direction. A project like this takes substantial time to complete, especially when it requires multiple editor-requested revisions, and I charge by the hour to do the work. The editor was an SEO expert and said the end product met his high SEO standards for content. Click my name in the review to see why this website made me an expert. Image: Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com.
FinImpact •

Best Private Student Loans of 2024

A private student loan is a one that comes from a lender like a bank, credit union, or finance company. Since the government doesn’t issue these loans, they’re often called “non-federal student loans.” The "Best of" overviews 10 private student loan lenders who have special programs for different borrower types. •• About the Project: As an expert reviewer for this website, I substantially rewrote and updated this review, which was the equivalent of 13-15 pages of text. I used my expertise in SEO, personal finance, and U.S. politics and economics, and I provided editorial direction. A project like this takes substantial time to complete, especially when it requires multiple editor-requested revisions, and I charge by the hour to do the work. The editor was an SEO expert and said the end product met his high SEO standards for content. Click my name in the review to see why this website made me an expert. Image: Muhammadtaha Ibrahim Ma'aji on Pexels.com.
FinImpact •

Best Personal Loans for 2024: Reviewed and Ranked by Top Experts

A personal loan is unsecured debt offered to borrowers in a lump sum. Most personal loans come with fixed interest rates, fixed monthly payments, and fixed repayment terms. This makes personal loans a good option for borrowers who need cash but don't want t the high interest rates and unpredictable monthly payment amounts of credit cards. Choosing a personal loan can be challenging, so this "Best of" overviews 10 lenders who offer the best loan types for a borrower's situation. Image: Sarah Chai on Pexels
FinImpact •

Best Debt Consolidation Loans for 2024

A debt consolidation loan combines multiple debts, like credit cards, personal loans, medical and others, into one loan. I summarize the features of each loan covered here. They may be different in your state and are subject to change frequently. So, please check the lender’s site for the updated information. In this "Best of" lender list, I also provide significant education on what debt consolidation loans are, the application process, and alternatives to debit consolidation.
TrustedChoice.com •

Emergency Guide: Disaster Planning for College Students

Most of the time, college is safe and fun, but it's not always disaster-proof. What would you do if you faced a natural disaster, especially if your college locale isn’t your permanent residence? It’s good to know how to respond before it happens, so start your planning by gathering whatever information you can. As you would for any class, take advantage of readily available information already compiled, including information that your independent rental insurance agent provides.
The Mortgage Reports •

Housing Grants for People With Disabilities | 2024

Getting a mortgage with a disability may be easier than you think. Yet, some people mistakenly believe they can’t own a home or get a mortgage because of a disability. That’s an understandable misconception. Fortunately, it’s wrong. Qualifying for these mortgages can be easier than for traditional home loans, and they offer some of the lowest interest rates available. That empowers disabled persons to achieve homeownership or get into a better home loan than they are in now. Here's how.
The Mortgage Reports •

5 factors that make up your credit score

Credit scores surprise many people who assume that if they never miss a payment, theirs will steep. But your credit score isn't just about your payment history. There are five key factors that make it up, and improperly managing any of them can keep your credit score low even if your income and credit limits are high. Here's what you should know about how your credit score gets determined—and which factors matter most to creditors.
The Mortgage Reports •

Free credit scores: Where do these credit scores come from?

There are several sources of free credit scores but most won't offer you the score used by 90% of creditors in America to determine creditworthiness. Most don't know they have at least three of both types of scores commonly known to consumers and multiple others used in various circumstances. Here's what free scores you easily get access to, what they tell you about your credit and what they don't. Learn how not to get burned when getting a clear picture of your creditworthiness.
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