Spring is near and with the April tax filing deadline approaching, it is a good time to do some financial spring cleaning. A good place to start is by checking your credit report and score.

Money Talks brief featuring Personal Finance expert Matt Bell.

Money Talks

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U.S. consumer credit surged much more in December than many expected and was the second consecutive month Americans took on more debt

Earnings outpaced spending in December, pushing the U.S. savings rate up to 4.0 percent from 3.5 percent in November. The question is, economists say, where do we go from here?

Americans are more concerned than ever about how to use and manage money and protect themselves from a rainy day. But what can we do to become more financially literate?

Mortgage rates have been declining consistently these last few months, and now have hit record lows. It may be an opportune time to refinance and take advantage of the unusually low rates.

Mexico is becoming an increasingly attractive location for foreign companies to do business and on the flipside, Mexican companies are becoming more interested in investment in the states.

Hong Kong has been experiencing some tumultuous times of its own: home prices have increased 13 percent this year on top of a 30 percent jump in 2009.

Do your homework before traveling overseas to get the best currency exchange rates and avoid add-on fees and commissions.

John Bogle’s The Battle for the Soul of Capitalism is a thorough rebuke of corporate America’s greed-stricken downfall during what he calls the “Great Bull Market” of 1997 to 2000.