by Rachel Christian, CEPF®Senior WriterWhen it comes down to it, auto insurance can be one of the most important things you purchase all year. But finding the right policy can feel like a daunting task.Whether you’re buying your first car or trying to save money on your current policy, it’s important to explore your options.With a little preparation, you can get a good policy with the amount of financial protection
by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterWhat’s your next big purchase? What’s that one thing you really want?Is it a new phone? A new car? A used car? A fancy dress? Expensive shoes? A laptop?Or, wait, let us guess: You’re planning a big trip, aren’t you? After a year of COVID, you’re thinking about your next big vacation.Whatever your next major splurge is, you ought to start saving for it now. The more
by The Penny Hoarder Staff Tax season: It’s upon us. And just as the old idiom says, it’s about as pleasant a part of life in the U.S. as death. Which is why there’s a whole industry built around helping you file your tax return. And H&R Block is the veteran leader of the industry, around whose hearth we gather to hear tales of tax seasons of yore, when our
by Quinten PlummerStaff WriterA “to whom it may concern” letter greeting has never really been accepted as cordial in business correspondence, or even informal correspondence.It’s certainly formal, but definitely not personable. It sounds like you’re about to launch into a customer service complaint or an emphatic demand to speak to the manager.So what do you do when you want to apply for a job, but you don’t have a contact
by Timothy MooreContributorCiti will eliminate all overdraft fees, returned item fees and overdraft protection fees by summer 2022. Citi’s decision is significant because it’s the first of the top five U.S. banks to make the move.Gonzalo Luchetti, CEO of U.S. Personal Banking at Citi, said in a statement that the mega-bank now offers “the most consumer-friendly overdraft practices” in the banking business.Two bigger banks — Bank of America and Wells Fargo
by Rachel Christian, CEPF®Senior WriterFundrise is a crowdfunding platform for private real estate investing. Unlike traditional real estate investments, which require thousands of dollars in capital, Fundrise users can invest with as little as $10.Instead of buying a single piece of property by yourself, you and other investors buy shares in a fund that owns or finances multiple apartment buildings, office buildings, single-family homes, hotels, retail space and other properties.When
Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorMy husband and I have an age gap of 15 years between us. We have an 18-year-old daughter getting ready to head off to college come September 2022. My husband will be 63 in that same month and was hoping to retire at 65 like the rest of his siblings, but we just won’t be able to afford the expected family contribution
by Quinten PlummerStaff WriterIf you’ve got more experience in the field than in a cubicle, chances are you like to work with your hands and on your feet.For blue collar workers — like most everyone else in the labor force — classified ads in newspapers and billboard job postings have largely been replaced with online job boards and virtual recruiters.Here’s everything you need to know to navigate online job boards
by Kari FaberStaff WriterStarting your job search as a teenager can be an important stepping stone toward a financially sound future.Whether you want a job to start saving for college, buy a car or help your family out, making money when you’re in your teens is a smart move. Even though you’ll likely be making minimum wage, working only a few hours a week will kickstart your savings, build your
by Nicole DowSenior Writer Medicine is one of those expenses you usually can’t put off. But the cost of prescriptions can make you feel sicker than when you first walked into the pharmacy. According to a recent poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation, about 26% of Americans say they have difficulty paying for their prescriptions. The cost keeps some from taking their prescriptions as directed — cutting pills in half
