Father’s Day is coming up on June 17th. What can you get Dad to celebrate his special day without loading up the credit cards? Sometimes simpler gifts are the best. Simpler gifts may also be your only option if you are young and short on cash, or if your credit is not up to scratch
Budgeting
Father’s Day will be here soon. Have you picked up anything for Dad yet?
You probably will, if statistics count for anything. In 2017, spending on Father’s Day will account for an estimated $15.5 billion in sales, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). That’s a pretty impressive number – not in the league with
You’ve made some life decisions that you’ve regretted, and some of those decisions surely involve money. What sort of money mistakes have you made?
Don’t be shy about admitting your financial mistakes. According to the latest version of Finder.com’s annual America’s Biggest Money Mistakes survey, you have 192 million fellow Americans to keep you company.
It’s time to honor that special woman in your life. Mother’s Day is approaching, and whether you are buying for your mother, your wife, or both, consider some inexpensive alternatives or ways to save money on classic Mother’s Day gifts.
Flowers – Flowers are a popular Mother’s Day present, but you don’t necessarily have to
Have we bridged the gender gap when it comes to household roles, domestic duties, and career choices? Not entirely – but a new survey suggests that women are leading the way in closing the gap and preparing the next generation of men and women to continue the fight.
According to the YouGov survey Women’s Voices:
Your credit score may not be good enough to allow you to qualify for a home at a reasonable interest rate, but can a less-than-stellar credit score also keep you from finding a good place to rent?
“Credit scores aren’t just about mortgages,” says Rod Griffin, Director of Public Education at the credit bureau Experian.
By Roshni Chowdhry, innovation & product development lead at SafetyNet
The idea of being rich appeals to most of us. What’s not to like about a world where your only money trouble is how to spend it? Plus, in a world where money is plentiful, you’re free to do all kinds of exciting things most
You’ve been presented with a free trial offer for a product or service that you find interesting. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of it? The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns you to proceed with caution, because some free trial offers can be misleading and cost you significant money in the long run.
Legitimate free trials
Super Bowl LII (52 to you non-Romans) will take place at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, February 4. We could have had the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first Super Bowl appearance facing the Minnesota Vikings as the first team to ever play a Super Bowl in their home stadium – but neither team
Is this unusually cold winter putting a hurt on your heating bill? The bomb cyclone could be blowing a hole in your heating budget, for the colder it gets, the more costly it is to heat your home. The good news is that you can lessen the financial impact of cold weather by making a
Santa was not so kind to your friends and relatives this year, so you felt the need to fill the gap. You overspent on holiday gifts, and now you are stuck with a significant amount of holiday debt. Gratitude from gift recipients is a great feeling, but gratitude is not going to pay off your
What are your personal goals for 2018? How will your financial planning support you in achieving them? While you have your New Year’s cap on, take this chance to make the personal financial resolutions that will get you closer to the life you want.
Define your Objectives – The SMART model is an effective guide
Did you get what you wanted for Christmas? We hope so, but you probably have at least one gift that you cannot use or do not want.
You can usually return unwanted gifts, but what can you do with a gift card that you will never use? We have a few suggestions for your consideration.
Did you make financial resolutions last New Year’s Eve? Did they fall by the wayside, along with the gym membership and your pledge to cut back on coffee? You are not alone. However, you still have time to make some progress on your financial goals.
Think back to the beginning of the year and the
The holiday season and New Year’s Eve are known for excesses, and for the subsequent regrets. We cannot help you with the traditional form of holiday hangover, but we can help you avoid the “credit hangover” caused from excessive holiday spending. With some forethought and willpower, you can make it through the holidays unscathed (at
By Roshni Chowdhry, senior manager of innovation & product development at SafetyNet
Last year, the average American who took on new debt during the holidays came out an additional $1,003 in the red. Most of those who took on new debt didn’t plan to and weren’t able to pay it off for the next several
Does your Christmas season usually lead to the January blues due to excessive holiday spending? It doesn’t have to be that way. With a combination of planning and willpower, you can enjoy a festive holiday without starting the New Year in a big financial hole. Consider these nine ways to celebrate while staying fiscally responsible.
Airline fees are pervasive these days. Baggage fees are particularly obnoxious, because passengers are increasingly forced to check in bags thanks to the shrinking amount of carry-on space. We do not know where the space is going, but we are pretty sure it is not for extra legroom. Some airlines even charge for carry-on bags!
Billionaires and the impoverished have one thing in common – momentum. Once you achieve high levels of wealth or debt, it’s very easy for either one to continue to grow.
A recent report by the Institute for Policy Studies highlights this point. The study found that three billionaires – Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett, and Bill
For many people, the end of the year represents a hectic time, and the last thing anyone wants to do is add to an already full plate. However, building the following financial moves into your fourth- quarter routine can really pay off over the long run and give you greater peace of mind for the
Our 24-hour news cycle may seem to bring us nothing but an endless series of conflicts and depressing news – but it doesn’t have to be that way. Good news is available if you are willing to dig for it and look at things in a positive context. And we don’t mean “fake news”.
As
Black Friday, this year on November 24, offers some of the lowest prices of the year on many consumer goods including TVs, other electronics and toys. Savvy shoppers save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on this single day.
Shopping on Black Friday is extremely hectic and overwhelming due to so many amazing deals. Stores
Will your student loan debt put a dent in your holiday spending plans? A recent survey by Student Loan Hero suggests that while student loan debtors may try to save money during their holiday shopping runs, they will not let debt curtail their spending.
According to the survey, one-third of consumers with student loan debt
For some holiday shoppers, bargain hunting is a competition and Black Friday is the Super Bowl. All the preparation throughout the year goes into a few frenzied hours that determine winners and losers. Did you get that 50″ TV you were aiming for, or did you camp out all night only to be caught in
What’s the best time of the year to rent a home? That depends on what factors are important to you, and how much time you have to act.
People don’t always have the luxury of taking their time in renting a house or apartment. They often have to assess a market in a fairly short
Do daily finances give you daily heartburn? You aren’t alone. According to a new survey by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), 43% of Americans have trouble making ends meet. One-third of survey respondents reached the level of financial or material hardship during the past year, such as running out of food or being unable
Automatic payments from your bank account can be a great convenience, but they can also be a source of problems if you don’t pay attention. Do you check your payments on every bank statement? If not, you may be paying incorrect amounts or making automatic payments for a service or subscription that you don’t want
Earlier, we presented some money-saving tips for college students. Here are additional ways to save cash:
Car Pooling – if you go to school close enough to drive home every so often, be sure to establish a car pool. Considering the price of gas and tolls, this could result in substantial savings. Many students know
College can be a great adventure in scholarship and life for many young people. But when it comes to managing a budget, it can be a sobering learning experience in how quickly their money can disappear.
Even worse, six months after a student graduates, when he or she gets their loan payment schedule, they will
Money or sex: which topic causes the most trouble within a relationship? A recently released Money Habits and Confessions Survey, conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of LearnVest, suggests that the answer is… money.
Finances were a greater source of relationship tension than sex, according to 68% of survey respondents. Incompatibility with finances can even