by Kari FaberStaff WriterAre your friends and family tired of hearing your opinions on everything under the sun?It would be nice to have an outlet for your thoughts on today’s most important topics — like TikTok, internet privacy and the hottest of topics: politics. (Seriously, Uncle Mike, can we ever have a peaceful family dinner?)A website called YouGov America will do more than just listen to your opinions — it
by Tiffani ShermanContributorVending machines allow us to get what we need when we need it without having to interact with people.They also can be money makers for the machine’s owner.While the pandemic has changed the industry, owning and operating vending machines is big business, often providing passive income without any specialized skills. It’s also called automatic merchandising.Basically, all you need to get started is some startup money to buy a
by Kari FaberStaff WriterGenerational wealth. It sounds so fancy and out of reach, doesn’t it? Like a topic of conversation for the Vanderbilts to chat about over their afternoon tea, not a smart financial strategy for everyday people.But at its core, generational wealth is something we all can aspire to. It’s about building a more prosperous future and having something to pass on to your children. Whether that’s cash, stocks
by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterSo, you thought 2021 was bad? Just wait!OK, we’re kidding. Obviously, 2022 should turn out way better than 2021 did, right?There’s no way it could be worse, right?Right?Welllllllll… we hate to sound like pessimists, but if there’s one thing life has taught us, it’s that things can always get worse.Maybe yet another COVID mutation shows up. Maybe the economy crashes again. Maybe our weird politics get even
by Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorYou’ve paid your bills on time. You’ve avoided massive debt, or maybe you’ve paid it down. Now you have a healthy credit score to show for it.But tough times can happen, no matter how responsible you are. So if you’ve hit a financial rough patch, you’re probably wondering what that means for that score you worked so hard to build.The good news is that what’s tough
by Tyler Omoth The COVID-19 pandemic has likely had an impact on everything from your relationships to your eating habits. Your finances? Big time.Getting behind on a bill or two can have a lasting effect on your credit score. In response, the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — are offering free weekly credit reports through the end of April 2022.As a rule, everyone can get a
Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorMy boyfriend of almost two years has recently asked me to start paying the electric and water bills at his place. I live about an hour’s drive from him, so I really only spend the weekends with him. I’ve washed my clothes there three times max in the almost two years, and I washed his clothes with mine those times. I clean
by Dana Sitar, CEPF®Contributor By now, you probably know the gist of driving with ride-sharing services: You use an app to connect with people who need rides. You drive them somewhere in your own car, and they pay automatically through the app. The two biggest players in the space — Uber and Lyft — continue an intense rivalry, despite offering pretty much the same service and neither riders nor drivers usually knowing
by Timothy Moore, Kathleen GarvinDigital banking services have been around, and popular, for a while now. And since the pandemic, the number of users is expected to grow significantly, surpassing 200 million this year.While traditional brick-and-mortar banks expand their reach online, digital-only or e-banks have already been the way to go for millions of Americans. They offer online access to many of the account features and services consumers need and
by Nicole DowSenior WriterA lack of motivation can destroy the most well-intentioned plans to save money.You can have all the financial literacy and even the surplus funds to make a dent in your savings goals, but if you lack the motivation, you can easily fall victim to the paycheck to paycheck lifestyle.Saving money is often a marathon, not a sprint. Here are some helpful tips that’ll boost your motivation to
