Santa gives Christmas gifts with a "Ho, ho, ho." However, people who don't have a legion of elves to help them often feel like "Ho, ho, NO!"
If the expectations of gift-giving have become too much for your budget, consider reducing your Christmas ...
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8 Ways to Keep Your Thanksgiving Meal as Inexpensive as Possible
Thanksgiving is filled with family, friends, good food and football. But it can also be filled with expenses -- especially if you're having Thanksgiving dinner at your house.
No need to worry, though. The Thanksgiving holiday also offers ample ...
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6 Costly Mistakes People Make with Their 401k Plans
If you're interested in saving for retirement, a 401k plan can't be beat. These employer-sponsored plans let employees save tax-free and choose from a range of investment options. The tax-free savings effectively lower your taxable income, which may ...
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Is Pet Insurance Really Worth It?
Pets enrich our lives by providing welcome companionship and loyalty through our toughest days, as well as our happiest ones. What would you do if yours got sick? Are you prepared to bear the financial burdens of veterinary visits and the associated ...
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4 Really Dumb Ways to Pay Down Your Debt
Debt may be a part of life, but that doesn't make it suck any less. If you've got lots of debt, you're probably always looking for ways to pay it down, either in its entirety or at least enough to make your credit report look better. Whatever the ...
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5 Frugal Tips for Family Fun During the Fall Season
Just because summer is over doesn't mean you have to stop having family fun. With the kids back at school, bills due and a chill in the air, it feels hard to find affordable activities the whole family will enjoy.
We all know that fall heralds a ...
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8 Things Employers Are Looking for Beyond a College Degree
You're about to graduate from college, or maybe you already have your degree and are looking for employment. Be proud of your degree -- you earned it through several years of hard work. Hopefully, that translates into a good job in your field of ...
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Comparing the Flat Tax, Fair Tax, and Progressive Tax Systems
If you dread filing your taxes every year, it's good to know there are multiple taxation systems besides the current progressive one here in the United States.
If you've heard the terms "flat tax" or "Fair Tax" then you may be wondering what they ...
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5 Chores That Today’s Kids Can Do to Earn Money
When did you learn the value of money? For many of us, it begins the day our parents dole out chores for the first time. A week's worth of completed chores meant we earned allowances that we could spend right away or save for something we really ...
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How to Get a Higher Credit Score No Matter How Bad Your Finances Are
Imagine being so rich you never had to borrow money!
If you're wealthy enough to pay cash for any car or home you like, then you have no need to read about how credit scores are determined -- but most of us have to borrow money from time to time. ...
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4 Ways Social Media Use Makes You Vulnerable to Identity Fraud
Most of us use at least one form of social media to stay in touch with friends and family we don't get to see every day. From Facebook to Snapchat, social media gives us the ability to share updates with all our friends and followers at once.
But ...
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How the ‘Pink Tax’ Ensures Women Pay More for Goods and Services
Ladies: Watch out for the Pink Tax.
You probably won't see any news about it in the papers, as it's nothing Congress has passed or proposed. If you're a woman, though, chances are you've experienced it or maybe even noticed it creeping up on your ...
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14 Things You Should Never Spend Money on While Traveling
Travel is often fun, but almost always expensive. That's especially true if your trip is for an extended amount of time. The good news is you may be surprised how far your holiday money can go by avoiding certain things travelers often buy. Here are ...
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Reverse Mortgage Pros and Cons That Every Homeowner Needs to Know
The reverse mortgage is a financial option that has been around for decades, but relatively few people ever use them. However, the truth is, many people in their sixties and older end up with a majority of their wealth tied up in their home, while ...
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An Introductory Guide to Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning
What happens when people die -- or are dying -- is a subject of intense debate. For you it might be a matter of faith or science. What's less debatable: if you prepare properly, the people you leave behind will have an easier transition.
Several ...
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What’s the Best Way to Give a Financial Gift?
When it comes to gifts, we all know it's the thought that counts -- which is why there are certain self-described gift-giving mentors who don't encourage financial gifts. Of course, those same folks have probably been on the receiving end of monetary ...
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Is It Better to Borrow From Your 401k or Take an Early Withdrawal?
In the case of a financial emergency, you might have to dip into your 401k plan to find the money you need. This is never an ideal scenario, as taking money out of such accounts can severely set back progress you've made in saving for ...
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6 Ways to Create a Stylish Home Office on a Budget
Flexible scheduling and the beauty of technology in the workplace has allowed for more opportunities than ever to work from home -- either part or full-time -- rather than hanging out in the office seven days a week.
That being said, just any ...
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How to Stop FOMO from Creating a Gaping Hole in Your Monthly Budget
FOMO -- the fear of missing out -- is a powerful feeling. It's defined as an anxiety that something exciting is happening somewhere that you're not. It may sound like a benign and harmless feeling, but FOMO controls us more than we like to ...
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5 Affordable Ways to Upgrade an Outdated Bathroom
A wise man once said, "You go to take a shower with the bathroom you have -- not the bathroom you might want or wish to have at a later time." Perhaps we're paraphrasing, but how happy are you with your current master bathroom? This should be your ...
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