Dawn Papandrea

Dawn Papandrea is a long-time freelance writer and a regular contributor to LendingTree. She enjoys covering personal finance topics that demystify money matters and help consumers save more, improve their credit, and make smarter financial decisions.

Her work has appeared in major financial websites and publications including U.S. News & World Report, Investopedia, BankRate, and others, and she provides editorial services for banks and other financial brands.

When she’s not writing, Dawn is applying what she’s learned from her expert sources over the years to her own family finances, from figuring out the best credit card to use for groceries (it’s the American Express Blue Cash Preferred, hands down!), to helping her young adult sons navigate student loans and Roth IRAs.

Specialties

• Credit cards
• Saving money
• Consumer issues
• Managing debt

Achievements

• Two decades of professional writing experience
• 10+ years covering personal finance
• Frequent panelist on Experian’s #CreditChat series on X
• American Society of Journalists and Authors Writing Award Winner

Education

• MA in journalism, New York University
• BA in English, St. John’s University

Dawn’s thoughts on navigating the cash crunch

“You shouldn’t feel like you have to give up all of life’s pleasures in the name of being financially responsible. The key is finding the right balance between enjoying life and safeguarding your financial future, and it’s all about progress over perfection. Educating yourself, using the financial tools available to you, and keeping tabs on your finances can help you make incremental improvements that stack up over time while also leaving room for the occasional splurge.”