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by The Penny Hoarder Staff We’ve all been there: You finally find an item you’ve been looking for online, and it’s on sale for $5! You add it to your cart, go to check out — and realize you have to pay $8 for shipping. It’s not such a good deal anymore. Here’s another common scenario: You add everything you need to your cart, and the total comes to $25.

by Robert BruceSenior Writer If you’ve had a sneaking suspicion that things you buy are getting smaller, you may be right. Angel Soft toilet paper used to be 425 sheets per roll. Now it’s 320 sheets per roll. A bag of Doritos used to be 9.75 ounces. It’s now 9.25 ounces. Dial soap was 21 ounces, and now it’s down to 16 ounces. Gatorade bottles were once 32 ounces, but

by Nicole Dow, Veronica Matthews Cruising down the open road is a great way to get away from it all. Taking a road trip can be a cost-effective way to travel too — that is, if you do it right. Even with gas prices on the rise, driving is still cheaper than flying in most cases and especially for families. If you’re planning a road trip, be sure to take

Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorI am 75, and my husband is 83. I have been paying on my student loans for 16 years and the balance has gone from $200,000 to $235,000. I am on an income-driven repayment plan and work primarily to pay my loans. My IDR payment is $1,056 as of today. I also draw on Social Security. In the event that I default,

by Lisa Rowan, Rachel Christian, CEPF®Amazon Prime Day is a trap.Since 2015, Amazon has lured millions of online shoppers to its site with the promise of hot deals during its self-made shopping holiday.The problem with Prime Day? Amazon has such a variety of goods that a wide-ranging celebration like Prime Day turns it into a wasteland.How do I know what’s a good deal? How do I know what I should

by Robert BruceSenior WriterA recession may be on the way.One tell-tale sign: The U.S. economy declined by an annualized rate of 1.4% in the first quarter of 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.While unemployment is historically low and job growth is strong, gas prices are historically high and inflation is at 8.6% — the highest it’s been in 40 years. If that’s not enough, the stock market fell