by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterIt’s not your imagination. Groceries really are getting more expensive.You’re seeing it at the checkout counter. Food prices just rose by 0.5% in a month, and they’ve gone up by nearly 2.5% over the past year, according to the most recent consumer price index. The price of beef is 3.3% higher than it was a year ago, according to the Washington Post.Blame it on a mix of
by The Penny Hoarder Staff If you could use a change of scenery, why not get free money to move somewhere?In the face of declining or slowing population growth, some cities have decided to get aggressive about their survival.Despite soaring real estate prices in some parts of the country, there are still cities giving away free land while others are literally handing out stacks of cash to folks who agree
by Kent McDillContributor As simple words go, “retirement’’ carries a lot of weight and a lot of baggage. Now that retirement is bouncing around in your mind, and you entertain the thought of giving up your day job, you ask yourself: Is my retirement income and Social Security going to be enough for my preferred lifestyle? What am I going to do with myself every day? One answer responds to
by Tiffany ConnorsEditor/WriterIf you need money for college, then you need to know about FAFSA deadlines.FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.The FAFSA the primary source the federal government uses, based on your specific financial information, to decide if you qualify for need-based financial aid, including federal student loans, scholarships, grants or work-study opportunities.Many states and colleges also use your FAFSA information to determine whether you are
Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorI am in a bit of a mess and have no idea what I should do. My boyfriend and I have been dating for about seven years. Last year we decided to buy a house and finally move in together. Unfortunately for personal reasons (not bad credit), he is not able to have anything in his name. Therefore, the house is under
by Kent McDillContributor For whatever reason, you do not yet qualify to receive Social Security benefits, but you are old enough to begin thinking about your retirement. What can you do about that? One of those reasons you haven’t paid enough into the system to qualify may be that you stayed home to raise children. That’s a big job for sure, but an unpaid one. Now that the children are
by Carson KohlerStaff WriterYou’ve been Googling ways to alleviate your debt. Many experts suggest refinancing or consolidating.In the next breath you ask: What’s the best company?Upon more research, you find there are something like one zillion options, but you keep hearing mentions of Upstart, a non-traditional lending platform.What’s so special about it? In addition to assessing your ability to pay back a loan based on your credit score, it takes
by Nicole DowSenior WriterRaising a child — or children — is an incredibly rewarding experience.It can also be a very expensive one — and doing it alone can be a major source of financial stress.Being a single parent means you have to become a pro at making your money stretch and establishing your own financial safety net.We spoke with three financial professionals — who have personally experienced life as a
by The Penny Hoarder Staff You buy a bunch of bananas with the best intentions, mostly to slice and eat on cereal or mix with yogurt for breakfast.Or maybe you plan to eat one every afternoon as a pick-me-up since bananas are loaded with natural sugars to give you a boost. Vitamin C and potassium provide more healthy benefits. Oh, and fiber.Then two or three of the bunch turn on
by Timothy MooreContributorWells Fargo landed in hot water several years ago when it was revealed that employees had created millions of fraudulent accounts in order to make their sales targets.Increased consumer acceptance of online banking, where customers can expect better interest rates and mobile apps, has also posed a problem for Wells Fargo, whose core checking account is not interest-bearing and whose savings account earns a meager 0.01% APY.On top
