Monthly Archives: May 2022

by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterThe Force will be with us — always. Over numerous movies and assorted iterations, “Star Wars” has taught us about overcoming obstacles, about dealing with family drama, about friendship, about patience, about beating the odds — and even about money. Because this is The Penny Hoarder, we’re especially interested in the part about money.Even though the epic saga of Luke Skywalker & Co. played out a long time ago

by Katherine Snow SmithContributorTeacher gifts are usually small tokens to represent big thanks, most often given during Teacher Appreciation Week at the beginning of May or at the end of the school year.The Penny Hoarder asked several educators to help create a list of teacher-approved gift ideas.“The best are the notes from the kids. Honestly, those are the things that you save in your desk drawer,” said Kate Brown, who

by Dave SchaferContributorAmerican Education Services (AES) is a private and federal student loan servicer that handles student loans from a wide variety of lenders. If you have a Federal Family Education Loan, there’s a good chance it’s serviced through AES.You don’t typically get to choose your loan servicers. However, if you ended up with AES and have questions, you’re in the right place. Let’s walk through everything there is to

by Kari FaberStaff WriterListen, not everyone has a job they love. And that’s totally OK — there’s more to life than your job, and not everyone has plans to ascend the corporate ladder until they’re 70.Sometimes, you just want to make enough to retire early and never have to work again. That kind of money has a name. To put it politely: “Forget You!” Money.It’s the amount of money you

Varo BankBest for Cash BackUp to 5.00%APYAxos Bank Essential Checking AccountBest for Unlimited ATM AccessUp to 1.25%APYChime SpendingBest for Digital Features0.50%APYAlly Interest CheckingBest for No Fee PerksUp to 0.25%APYby Kathleen GarvinContributorDo you remember why you chose your current checking account?If you got started early, your parents might have helped you open a kids’ checking or savings account at their bank’s branch. Or maybe you went with the credit union down

by Sam Levine, CFA, CMT Many investors only buy U.S.-based stocks or funds because it’s comfortable to stick with the companies we know. But there are good reasons why you should consider broadening your horizons to other developed markets and maybe even emerging markets.As investment advisor James Duronio of Covenant Capital Advisors points out, U.S. stocks represent roughly half the world’s equity markets. “Investors who only invest in the United

by Kathleen GarvinContributor Approximately 7.1 million Americans were “unbanked” in 2019, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). “Unbanked” refers to people who don’t have a savings or checking account at a bank, credit union or other financial institution. Depending on your needs and eligibility, there are plenty of free checking accounts available if you’re looking to get established with a financial institution.. However, if you’re looking to take

Best for Simple, Fee-Free BankingU.S. Bank$100 Minimum initial depositBest for Business Interest CheckingAxos Bank$1,000Minimum initial depositBest for Fee-Free, Online-Only BankingBlueVine$0Minimum initial depositBest for New Small Business Owners Wells Fargo$25Minimum initial depositby Kathleen GarvinContributor Starting a business is an opportunity to be your own boss, make money and grow your skill set. There are also the not-so-great, somewhat messy and complicated parts about operating a business. If you start off solo

by Quinten PlummerStaff WriterYou work hard for your money. That’s why every time you get your paycheck, you’re sure to stash it somewhere safe — like your savings account… where it may earn less than pennies on the dollar.Doesn’t seem so fair, does it? But the truth is, savings accounts may pay you next to nothing these days. That’s why we like the savings account from a digital bank called

by Brynne ConroyContributor Away from Mom this Mother’s Day? Whether you live across the country or state from dear old Mom and can’t treat her to brunch, you likely want to send more than a text. Whatever’s keeping you and Mom apart this Mother’s Day, May 8, there are plenty of ways you can show her you love and miss her. Not only that, but you can do it all