by Robert BruceSenior WriterBrittany Cantu was in shock when she found out she was chosen for The Penny Hoarder’s “Dream Job” challenge in October.To earn her $5,000 paycheck, Cantu had to kick one of her most persistent spending habits and save money for 30 days — all in an effort to find new and healthier ways to manage her money.Cantu was up for the job: She saved an impressive $621
by Kristin Jenny It’s going to cost more to heat your home this winter, thanks to global price hikes for natural gas, heating oil and other fuels. How much more? The federal government is saying we could see spikes of 54% in our heating bills compared to last year. That’s a big jump and something that many of us will struggle to afford. For people lucky enough to use electricity
by Rachel Christian, CEPF®Senior WriterQuick NavigationYou’ve probably heard of Acorns. It’s a popular micro-investing app — even among people who don’t know a lot about investing — that helps you save money in a diversified portfolio.By using one of its most popular features, you invest money without even really thinking about it. We love that convenience.But investing is actually a serious endeavor. In this Acorns review, we’ll cover the app’s
by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterWe all have the same 24 hours in a day. But what we don’t all have is access to the same opportunities. This is especially true for investing. The high-and-mighty 1% have access to exclusive, lucrative real estate investments that you’d likely never be able to afford, even if you could get your hands on them.Until now, that is.Now you can invest in real estate, too. And
by Kari Faber If you’ve been trying to buy a house in this chaotic pandemic housing market, you know you could lose an opportunity from right under your feet in an instant.The market is as competitive as we’ve ever seen it, and cash buyers are snatching up houses left and right. Bidding wars start within hours of a house being listed, and it’s not uncommon to see people offering $50,000
by Nicole DowSenior WriterWhen you have a baby, you understand your life is going to change significantly.You’re responsible for another human being. You’ll lose tons of sleep. And, of course, you’ll have a bunch of new expenses.Diapers. Formula. Clothing. Toys. But one of the biggest expenses that hits parents is child care.The Penny Hoarder surveyed 2,000 parents in September 2021 asking about how child care costs affected their lives. Despite
by Quinten Plummer College can help unlock a world of possibilities. However, having to pay for college tuition can feel like a burden long before the acceptance letter even arrives. But by using a 529 plan as an investment vehicle, you can start saving for college tuition now to launch a college career affordably later.529 plans are tax-advantaged investment accounts that allow you to invest and grow your money to
by Quinten Plummer You know this classic dilemma: You want to build credit, but first you need to prove you can be trusted — that you’ll make your payments on time and keep your usage low. Of course you can, but how can you prove it if no one will extend you any credit?Luckily, we found a debit card with a credit builder feature that can help you get you
Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorI am going to be starting nursing school in January 2022 and have a question about potential future obligations to my boyfriend. He has offered to drive me to all of my school obligations until my license is restored in May 2022. My alternative would be to pay for a ride-share which could cost $2,000 or more per month. This is obviously
by Katherine Snow SmithContributor As simple as it sounds — and actually is — most people are overwhelmed by the thought of taking hundreds or even thousands of photos and organizing them into searchable, digital files. Then there are the videos filmed on various versions of clunky cameras over the decades. Perhaps the most daunting version of unorganized photographic memories are slides. Once the butt of so many jokes about
