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Sarah Sharkey

Sarah Sharkey is a personal finance writer who covers banking, credit, student loans, and insurance for The College Investor. She has written for leading financial outlets including Bankrate, Business Insider, and more, helping readers make confident choices about borrowing, saving, and building wealth.

Sarah holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Florida, and her background in management and research informs her clear, practical approach to complex financial topics. 

Sarah’s latest articles

Investing in farmland
January 5, 2023

Why Farmland Is So Valuable And Why You Might Want To Invest

Farmland is an often overlooked investment opportunity that can be worthwhile to include in your portfolio. Here’s what you need to know.

Blue Federal Credit Union Review
December 29, 2022

Blue Federal Credit Union Review

Blue Federal Credit Union (FCU) offers products to set you up for financial success, including their fee-free interest bearing checking. Join with a $10 deposit.

best piggy banks
December 14, 2022

Best Piggy Banks For Kids (+ Alternatives To Save)

A practical and hands-on way for kids to start saving is with a fun piggy bank, one with special tools and features. Here are our top picks.

Pay for college part-time
November 23, 2022

How To Pay For College As A Part-Time Student

If you’re a part-time student there are ways to potentially get a scholarship, grant, and work study programs to pay for the cost of school.

Crescent Bank Review
November 18, 2022

Crescent Bank Review: High-Yield CDs, Savings, And More

Crescent Bank provides a suite of products including high-yield savings, CDs, and interest-bearing checking accounts.

ava review
October 29, 2022

Ava Review: Build And Monitor Your Credit

Ava is a mobile platform to help you build credit and monitor your credit-building progress along the way. See what Ava has to offer.

This graphic for The College Investor website features a stylized illustration of a classical bank building with four prominent red columns and a dark gray triangular roof, symbolizing the stability and traditional banking services offered by U.S. Bank. Above the bank, a red inverted triangle with "us" in white text represents the U.S. Bank logo, reinforcing the article's focus on this large national bank. The background is a light gray with a minimalist pattern of red and black geometric shapes, including dots, circles, and plus signs, creating a modern and clean aesthetic. This image accompanies an article discussing U.S. Bank's offerings, such as checking accounts like the Bank Smartly® account, and highlights its extensive network of branches, providing visual context for readers researching banking options.
October 25, 2022

U.S. Bank Review: Pros, Cons, And Alternatives

U.S. Bank offers personal and business checking and savings accounts that can work for your banking needs.

freecash
October 21, 2022

Freecash Review: Pros, Cons, And Alternatives

Freecash offers a way to earn extra funds for completing simple tasks online. Although you won’t replace your day job with this income, you have the chance to pad your bottom line.

This illustrative image, featured in an article about credit builder loans, depicts a teal-colored construction crane carefully lowering a white credit card into place against a light gray background. The credit card features a prominent blue square on the left, possibly indicating a chip, along with lines representing account numbers and a signature panel. To the far left, partially visible, is another outline of a rectangular card shape. Scattered across the background are small plus signs and a pattern of teal dots, adding to the graphic, clean aesthetic. At the top left, the logo for "The College Investor" is displayed, featuring a graduation cap icon. The image visually represents the concept of building or rebuilding credit, like with services from Cheers, by showing a credit card being constructed or put into position, emphasizing the foundational aspect of these financial tools for improving credit scores.
October 11, 2022

What Is A Credit Building Loan (And How Does It Work)?

If you can’t open a credit card or get a loan, a credit builder loan may be a useful tool for you. Here’s what you need to know.

buy this, not that book review
October 11, 2022

‘Buy This, Not That’ By The Financial Samurai Book Review

“Buy This, Not That” by Sam Dogen is a realistic take on maximizing your earning potential to help you achieve your financial goals.

Cash Freely and Travel Freely
October 4, 2022

Cash Freely And Travel Freely Review: Track Your Credit Card Rewards

Use Cash Freely and Travel Freely to maximize your different credit card rewards without manually tracking them.

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  • University of Florida, Bachelor of Science in Biology
  • University of Florida, Master of Science in Management

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