by Nicole DowSenior WriterWhat difference can saving your pennies make? A lot, it turns out, if you’re doing the penny challenge.This money-saving challenge helps you put aside $667.95 in a year — or $671.61 in a leap year. To participate in the challenge, follow these steps:Start by saving one penny on the first day.Each day that follows, add one cent to the amount you saved the day before. For example,
by Timothy MooreContributorE*TRADE is one of the most popular online brokers and even has a physical footprint in the U.S., though branches remain closed because of the pandemic.New investors can learn the ropes quite easily with E*TRADE’s wealth of educational content, but experienced investors also have a home with E*TRADE via the more advanced Power E*TRADE platform.In addition to the core brokerage accounts, E*TRADE offers a Custodial Account, an Education
Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorI’m almost 68. My ex-wife has a spending “disease” and racked up well over $100,000 on credit cards. She refused to file for bankruptcy and would only agree if I took the money out of my 401(k) savings. Then she charged all the cards up again until they were at another $85,000 and there was no money to pay bills. We
by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterDo you need to fill a job opening? Are you looking to hire a qualified applicant with a minimum of hassles?In that case, you’ve no doubt considered using a popular jobs board like Careerbuilder or Monster. These are two of the best job search sites. But what’s the difference between the two? Which one would be best for what you need?A third website that competes with them
by Jenna Limbach Quick Navigation 50 Restaurant Rewards Programs to Join Now Coffee Breakfast Dessert Burgers Chicken Sandwiches Pizza General Restaurants If you find yourself indulging in your daily Starbucks coffee, meeting your friends for lunch every Friday at Chipotle and driving your kids to McDonald’s after every soccer game, it’s time to get rewarded. Starbucks, Chipotle and McDonald’s are part of a growing group of restaurants dishing up discounts,
by Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorIn the investment world, stocks are the life of the party. Bonds, quite frankly, are boring.Even if you’re a set-it-and-forget-it investor, just watching stocks can be thrilling. In the past year, the stock market has brought us wild stories about GameStop, Tesla and newly minted day traders. But who the heck starts a conversation by talking about what the bond market was doing today?Stocks are certainly
by Rachel Christian, CEPF®Senior WriterIf you’re feeling shaky about your retirement savings, you’re not alone.According to a February 2021 research report by the National Institute on Retirement Security, 56% of respondents said they’re worried about achieving a financially secure retirement.If your savings fell short in 2021, the new year is a great time to get back on track and reach your retirement goals.We’ve rounded up a few tips to help
by Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorWhen you see stocks like Amazon and Google parent Alphabet trading for thousands of dollars, investing can seem out of reach. Those high prices may tempt you to seek out a bargain. Enter penny stocks.Penny stocks seem like an opportunity to buy into an up-and-coming company for dirt cheap. At penny stock prices, you can afford to buy hundreds or even thousands of shares.But watch out:
by Kari Faber The job market is crazy right now — both for people looking for jobs and for employers looking for quality candidates. In the last quarter of 2021, there were 10.4 million job openings in the U.S., yet only about 6 million of them were filled.That means companies are still missing more than 4 million workers. If you’re one of these companies looking to hire, you may need
by Molly Moorhead, CFP®Senior EditorThe year is almost over, and you’re no doubt rushing to wrap up holiday shopping, get ready to travel or meet a final work deadline. The last thing you need is another item on your to-do list, but a little bit of financial reflection and planning is essential before the calendar turns to 2022. Making these end-of-year money moves will help you handle whatever comes your way next
