Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorMy boyfriend of almost two years has recently asked me to start paying the electric and water bills at his place. I live about an hour’s drive from him, so I really only spend the weekends with him. I’ve washed my clothes there three times max in the almost two years, and I washed his clothes with mine those times. I clean
by Dana Sitar, CEPF®Contributor By now, you probably know the gist of driving with ride-sharing services: You use an app to connect with people who need rides. You drive them somewhere in your own car, and they pay automatically through the app. The two biggest players in the space — Uber and Lyft — continue an intense rivalry, despite offering pretty much the same service and neither riders nor drivers usually knowing
by Timothy Moore, Kathleen GarvinDigital banking services have been around, and popular, for a while now. And since the pandemic, the number of users is expected to grow significantly, surpassing 200 million this year.While traditional brick-and-mortar banks expand their reach online, digital-only or e-banks have already been the way to go for millions of Americans. They offer online access to many of the account features and services consumers need and
by Nicole DowSenior WriterA lack of motivation can destroy the most well-intentioned plans to save money.You can have all the financial literacy and even the surplus funds to make a dent in your savings goals, but if you lack the motivation, you can easily fall victim to the paycheck to paycheck lifestyle.Saving money is often a marathon, not a sprint. Here are some helpful tips that’ll boost your motivation to
by Grace SchweizerSocial Media and SMSYou’ve probably tossed more than a few avocados into the trash after missing that (very slim) window between being perfectly ripe and turning brown, mushy and gross. And avocados are expensive, so that’s good money you’re throwing away.Here’s a little secret, though: As long as there’s vibrant green meat somewhere inside (just scrape away the brown spots), that brown avocado can still be seriously yummy.Never
by Nicole DowSenior Writer Our time is valuable. That’s why we’re willing to pay for fast and reliable delivery. For over a decade, Amazon Prime has dominated the online shopping space, but retail giant Walmart introduced a competing service — Walmart Plus — in 2020. With both offering similar online shopping experiences and free shipping options, it can be difficult to decide which membership service to join. In this article,
by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterSaving money is never a bad thing, right? You take a percentage of your check every payday and tuck it away in a savings account. You’re doing what you’re supposed to, right?Wellllllllll, kind of. Unfortunately, saving alone will never get you to retirement. You’re on the right track, but the money you’re stashing away isn’t growing like it could be. Not even close.Let’s take a look at
by Jenna Limbach Did you vow to to read more books in 2022, possibly shamed into it by all those people on social media claiming to have read a book a week in 2021? Book lovers, you can always save your dollars by using your local library and apps like Libby, but there’s something satisfying about having a full bookshelf, even if that bookshelf of new and used books is
by Timothy Moore, Jamie CattanachQuick NavigationGetting your tax affairs in order is just a simple fact of life. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy or pain free.There is a lot to know when it comes to filing taxes. Our complete guide for the 2021 tax year should help. (Ibuprofen sold separately.) Making more money is, in almost every way, a good thing. But it’s also true that the more money
by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterEvery month, your car payment takes a big bite out of your bank account. The average payment these days is more than $600 a month for new cars and $400 a month for used cars.What if you could lower your monthly payment by $150 or so? Would that be worth a few minutes of your time?You should seriously consider refinancing your car loan. This means you replace
