Want to take a family vacation, but worried about the costs? A stay-at-home vacation (“Staycation”) can be a fun and money-saving alternative to dealing with that thrilling extra security search at the airport, or packing everyone in the family roadster for a less-than-scenic drive to your destination. (“Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”)
Let’s begin by pointing out that this article is not a tutorial. Enterprising criminals are recommended to look elsewhere.
Counterfeiting costs the U.S. economy millions of dollars annually. According to the U.S. Secret Service, $75 million in counterfeit bills were seized by the Peruvian National Police between 2009 and 2017, yet a counterfeiter reported
Are you dealing with more credit cards than you can handle? You may have several cards for different purposes – perhaps a travel card to maximize travel benefits, a cash-back rewards card, and a low-interest rate card for large purchases that will require you to carry a balance. They were all good ideas at the
Does your credit score need help? Don‘t look for quick fixes. Set up a realistic budget that will help you repair your credit score over time.
Consider these six ways that a budget can raise your credit score and keep it high.
1. Paying Bills On Time – On-time payments are the most critical
Statewide restrictions are easing, and businesses are slowly reopening across the country, but consumers are still experiencing a lot of financial anxiety about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on their income and budgets. In fact, a survey by LendEDU found that 63% of poll participants were concerned about running out of money and 51%
With interest rates currently at a three-year low, it is clear that home values are on the rise. This makes it a great time to purchase a home — especially for first-time buyers. However, buying a home is no cakewalk; it must be handled with great care, and you must be prepared before applying. Here
For years, you have been dreaming about buying your first home and now you are debating taking action. Are you ready to enter the home buying market? Consider these seven signs before taking the plunge.
1. Having Job Security – Mortgage loan approvals require a steady regular income. Is your employment situation secure enough that
You have just closed on your home purchase and money is going to be tight for a while. Should you buy a home warranty to help you avoid out-of-pocket expenses or will it be a waste of money?
Before you decide if it will be worth it to you, you should understand what a home
By Andrea Woroch
The first round of stimulus checks was sent out to millions of Americans across the country, with $218.4 billion paid out so far in an effort to ease the financial strain caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Although these payments provide some relief, using the money wisely is crucial in creating more financial
Your bathroom can be functional without being boring, without spending thousands of dollars or hosting an HGTV makeover show to spruce it up. (Most of us are terrified at the thought of our friends spending significant time in our bathrooms, much less letting all of America critique it.)
Flea markets, dollar stores, and other discount
Cell phone bills form a large portion of one’s monthly budget. According to a study done by J.D. Power and Associates, the average family in the United States spent approximately $157 on their cell phone bill each month in 2017, or $1,884 throughout the year. That is a big chunk of change to spend, which
When it comes to financing your mortgage, trying to navigate the labyrinth of lenders can get confusing. Like any significant financial transaction, there are advantages and disadvantages that come with each type of lender.
Get started by asking your realtor for referrals. With a large commission at stake, realtors have the right sort of incentive
Does visualizing success help you achieve success? It certainly does in some cases. Successful athletes such as Tiger Woods and Muhammad Ali are known to have visualized their successes years in advance.
People in other fields have also used visualization as an important part of the path to their success, from cartoonist Scott Adams to
Is your credit card interest rate causing you financial pain? As of April 2020, the average annual percentage rate (APR) across all credit cards is 16.12%. Low-interest rate cards average 12.95% – a huge improvement when you’re struggling with debt.
If your card’s APR doesn’t measure up, how do you get a low-interest rate credit
Can you spot a credit score myth when you see one? Survey after survey, including a 2017 MoneyTips survey, finds that people continually believe the same credit score myths. Have you fallen for these examples?
1. Checking Your Own Credit Report Drops Your Score – This myth confuses the two types of pulls on your
Tax season is almost over. Have you filed your return yet, or are you still scrambling to beat the tax deadline for 2020? Don’t overlook these common tax deductions that could save you money.
When you hurry through your tax return, you may miss valuable deductions that could produce a lower tax bill – or
Selling a home can be a stress-inducing experience, especially if you are counting on the sale of your existing home to fund the purchase of a new home. It can seem like you are coordinating a million things at once. A simple checklist can help you to keep track during the chaos and prevent necessary
The old phrase “you get what you pay for” really does ring true in some cases. There are some cases where quality is far more important than price. Would you consider discount brain surgery? Probably not… and if you would, we suspect it might be repeat business.
Medicine warrants a whole category of areas where
You’ve set up a lame date for the upcoming weekend but you’re hoping a better offer comes along. If one does, you’re ready to accept it and cancel your earlier date. You’re hedging your bets, so you won’t be sitting home alone on Saturday night.
That logic applies to real estate transactions as well. Perhaps
By Andrea Woroch
More people than ever are feeling the pinch in their budget as the coronavirus threatens lives and our ability to earn a living. For many, however, now is the time to get creative and seek new opportunities to make money.
Even if you haven’t experienced any disruption in income, supplementing your income
Certificates of Deposit (CDs) can be a useful part of your investment portfolio – but did you know that opening a CD at some banks and credit unions can drop your credit score? It’s possible, depending on how your bank or credit union assesses risk.
When you apply for credit, lenders check your credit report
It’s a classic dilemma. You can’t build a credit history and get a credit score without a source of credit, but how do you get a source of credit without a credit history?
If you don’t have a credit score to assess, you’ll have to give lenders a different method of assurance that you won’t
A vacation home sounds delightful, doesn’t it? If you can’t afford one, you may be able to at least afford a part of one – by purchasing a timeshare.
You’ll have plenty of company if you do. The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) reports that timeshare sales have risen for eight consecutive years, reaching $9.6
You decide to participate in a government survey regarding your debt and credit card usage. Will you answer the survey questions honestly, or will you shade some of your answers when you’re not proud of the truthful response?
Researchers at the Federal Reserve decided to compare credit card data from different sources to answer that
Tax preparation software has improved significantly over the past several years, and more and more people are using it to file their own taxes. If you are debating whether doing your own taxes is right for you, consider the following factors:
Simplicity of your Tax Situation – If you have relatively few deductions, few sources
The Internal Revenue Service has plenty of ways to penalize you for mistakes on your tax return. Some of these potential penalties are so convoluted and complex that there may well be disagreement within the IRS on when they apply. However, most people accrue tax penalties for very simple mistakes. Below are some of the
Are you tired of working for others? Being your own boss can be very rewarding both financially and spiritually, but there are challenges associated with freelance work. Taxes are one of the most difficult aspects because self-employment brings a special set of tests.
Freelancers work as independent contractors and those who employ them are not
The Premium Tax Credit (PTC) may sound like it is a credit only available to top-tier incomes, but it is actually quite the opposite. “Premium” in this case refers to health care premiums, and the PTC is a way to help those with relatively low incomes to afford health insurance premiums and avoid the potential
Nature comes alive in springtime and we all want to take advantage of the warmer weather. However, some of our finances may still be recovering from our holiday spending, making a spring break seem like a pipe dream. Here are five ways to take a vacation without breaking the bank.
1. Take a road trip.
If you are over age 65 or are retired due to a disability, you may be eligible for a separate tax credit designed to help the nation’s seniors and disabled. Even better than a deduction, the Tax Credit for the Elderly or Disabled could take up to $7,500 directly off of your tax bill. (Deductions
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