by Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior Editor Editor’s note: This article was originally published in June 2021. Getting your credit score above 800 earns you elite status. Just 21% of consumers have a credit score of 800 or above, according to Experian. An 800 credit score means you’ll qualify for the best lending terms. That can lead to serious savings over time.But just how hard is it to get an 800 credit
Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorI inherited a large amount of money and half of a house from a maternal relative. There are several bank accounts, which I intend to draw an income from until I fully retire and collect Social Security and my pensions. Another account will pay for medical insurance for my husband and myself once I leave my job. I told my husband that,
by Adam HardyContributor After all the hard work you’ve put into designing your resume, crafting your cover letter and acing your job interview, you might be tempted to cash in on the first job offer a company gives you. Most people do. But putting in a little extra time to negotiate a higher salary might be the easiest and quickest way to earn more money at your new job. Plus,
by Veronica MatthewsContributor Gone are the days of staid book-filled libraries. Sure, the book thing is still a theme, but public libraries are so much more than just books. Libraries aim to improve access to information and provide education for everyone in their community. Book learnin’ on how to become a carpenter or play the guitar can only take you so far. To truly master these crafts, you need tools
by Dana Miranda, CEPF®Contributor Rental car prices are at an all-time high, due to a number of compounding problems. People are still seeking travel at high rates after canceling their 2020 (and, for some, their 2021) vacations due to ongoing fallout from the pandemic. Because the automotive industry was hit so hard by the pandemic — and thanks to an ongoing chip shortage expected to last until 2023 and continued
by Dana Miranda, CEPF®ContributorHere’s one simple way to cut your grocery bill: Stop throwing away so much food.That may seem obvious, but you could actually be tossing perfectly good food without realizing it. If you’ve been following sell-by dates on labels in the name of food safety, you may be wasting a ton of food unnecessarily.Each year, Americans waste $161 billion in food at the retail and consumer levels, a
by Elizabeth Djinis We’re all looking for more ways to expand our repertoire and get educated without going back to school. The truth is, cognitive skills and self-management are two qualities employers look for in their new hires. If they see that you’ve chosen to take on additional self-edification on top of your regular work, that will certainly make you stand out. So what is this amazing school-but-not-quite-school that we
by Rachel Christian, CEPF®Senior WriterWhen you’re struggling with debt, it’s hard to know where to turn.High fees, finance charges and missed payments add up quickly.Before you know it, you’re drowning.If you’re afraid you can’t make your debt payments each month — or you feel like you’ll never get out of credit card debt — working with a nonprofit credit counseling agency can help. Most reputable credit counseling services are provided
by Timothy MooreContributorEvacuating is the safest way to guarantee your safety when a hurricane threatens, but it can also be expensive.And more than half of Americans can’t cover an emergency expense over $1,000, leaving millions of people stranded in the path of a hurricane when a mandatory evacuation order goes out. Estimates vary for the cost of hurricane evacuation, but most Americans in coastal states will spend anywhere between $1,200
by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterLet’s face it, life insurance is the opposite of a good time. It’s boring, it’s dreary and it’s no fun thinking about your inevitable death.Still, you should really do something to protect your family in case something unexpected happens to you. It’s important to make sure they’ll be taken care of. What if there was a way to make life insurance less of a downer and more
