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by Veronica MatthewsContributor The reality of the tampon shortage is sinking in at checkout counters and in bathrooms across the country. Supply chain issues and inflation have teamed up to make an already complicated time of the month increasingly stressful. You’ve probably noticed the roughly 10% price jump on your favorite tampons. Maybe your go-to brand is sold out all together and you’ve had to resort to a different variety.

by Rachel Christian, CEPF®, David Metzger, CFPStocks have fallen into a bear market this year and the Federal Reserve is aggressively raising interest rates in an effort to cool soaring inflation.Many experts believe an economic recession is right around the corner.So what’s the average investor to do?While there’s no such thing as a “recession-proof” investment, certain stocks, mutual funds and investment strategies can help your portfolio survive an economic downturn

by Brynne ConroyContributor A few years ago, I was invited to participate in a focus group. I visited in-person along with about 15 other people. For two hours, we vented all of our feelings about the ways a particular health insurance company interacts with its customer base. At the end, we each walked out with $125. The health insurance company wanted consumer feedback on their products and customer service, and

by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterTalk about sticker shock. All these rising prices are absolutely demolishing our bank accounts. With inflation at a 40-year high, the cost of groceries, gas and just about everything else is going through the roof.For years, inflation remained at or below 2%, but now prices are up a whopping 8.6% compared to the previous year — the biggest price spike since 1981.What can you do about it?

Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorMy mother is 47 and has been increasingly paranoid about her death. She’s not sickly or in bad shape. She’s been getting better about managing her sudden diagnosis of diabetes. I think she’s doing well for her age. She works a full-time job and has little to no complaints. Personally, I think she’s just paranoid, but she’s been asking me serious questions

by Michael ArchambaultSenior Writer Smartphones seem to be getting more and more expensive by the year. Even Apple’s middle-market iPhone 13 comes in at a starting price of $699. That’s not a budget phone. Prospects don’t get better on the Android side either, with the Samsung Galaxy S22 starting at $799. With prices like that, can you even find an affordable smartphone anymore? One that has solid, essential features but