Yearly Archives: 2022

by Rachel Christian, CEPF®, David Metzger, CFPStocks have fallen into a bear market this year and the Federal Reserve is aggressively raising interest rates in an effort to cool soaring inflation.Many experts believe an economic recession is right around the corner.So what’s the average investor to do?While there’s no such thing as a “recession-proof” investment, certain stocks, mutual funds and investment strategies can help your portfolio survive an economic downturn

by Brynne ConroyContributor A few years ago, I was invited to participate in a focus group. I visited in-person along with about 15 other people. For two hours, we vented all of our feelings about the ways a particular health insurance company interacts with its customer base. At the end, we each walked out with $125. The health insurance company wanted consumer feedback on their products and customer service, and

by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterTalk about sticker shock. All these rising prices are absolutely demolishing our bank accounts. With inflation at a 40-year high, the cost of groceries, gas and just about everything else is going through the roof.For years, inflation remained at or below 2%, but now prices are up a whopping 8.6% compared to the previous year — the biggest price spike since 1981.What can you do about it?

Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorMy mother is 47 and has been increasingly paranoid about her death. She’s not sickly or in bad shape. She’s been getting better about managing her sudden diagnosis of diabetes. I think she’s doing well for her age. She works a full-time job and has little to no complaints. Personally, I think she’s just paranoid, but she’s been asking me serious questions

by Michael ArchambaultSenior Writer Smartphones seem to be getting more and more expensive by the year. Even Apple’s middle-market iPhone 13 comes in at a starting price of $699. That’s not a budget phone. Prospects don’t get better on the Android side either, with the Samsung Galaxy S22 starting at $799. With prices like that, can you even find an affordable smartphone anymore? One that has solid, essential features but

by Susan Jacobson, Rachel Christian, CEPF®Job interviews can be nerve wracking.How should you prepare? What should you know about the company? What should you say — and avoid saying?Prepping for a job interview is essential. It can calm your nerves and give you the confidence you need to have a successful interview and land your dream job.Not sure how to get started with interview preparation? Read on. It all starts

by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterMaybe you’ve thought about getting life insurance to protect your family in case something happens to you. But you haven’t gotten around to it because — let’s face it — figuring out what kind of policy you really need is complicated and a little intimidating.When you shop for life insurance, you get bombarded with weird jargon like “term life,” “cash value,” “universal life,” “death benefit,” “whole life,”

by Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorA payday loan is a type of short-term, high-interest personal loan that becomes due when you get your next paycheck. Payday loans may look appealing in a cash crunch, particularly for people with low credit scores. But the fees and interest are exorbitant, leading many borrowers to become trapped in a debt cycle where they take out loan after loan.In this article, we’ll explain how payday

by Nicole Dow, Veronica Matthews It’s probably not news to you, but the price of fresh produce is rising. Between March and April 2022, the price of food in general went up 9.4 percent. Add to that supply chain and food waste concerns and there are more price increases predicted for fresh fruits and vegetables this year — between 6.5 and 7.5 percent. With these stats, you need a strategy

by Katherine Snow SmithContributor Travelers who are excited about taking those long-awaited trips aren’t nearly as cheery about the rising cost of airfare thanks to fuel costs and inflation in general. Budget airlines, of course, are impacted too, but there are still many bargains to be had. For example, Avelo Airlines,  is charging $59 each way between Wilmington, North Carolina, and Orlando, Florida, this summer and the same price for