How long should you keep your student loan records & paperwork?
Written by: Andrew Pentis
Seeking, borrowing and repaying student loans seem to involve reams of paperwork with piles of forms and files, almost as if you were starting a new job. …
The US cities with the highest average household bills
Written by: Constance Brinkley-Badgett
There can be wide variance in your average monthly costs depending on where you live, and a new report analyzing what Americans pay each month in …
How to become a star at-home cook
Written by: Anna Francese Gass
With the hectic and activity-filled lives we all live, getting an inexpensive and healthy meal on the table every night can seem like a tall order. …
How to have hard money conversations
Written by: Cheryl Lock
When it comes to money, 61% of women would rather talk about their own death, according to a report by Merrill Lynch and Age Wave. Meanwhile, 43% …
This airline has a self-serve beer bar for passengers
Written by: Kathleen St. John
If you’ve ever taken a long-haul flight, you know the brief spark of excitement that flares when the food-and-drink carts come lumbering up the aisle. The …
How to get your finances ready for a new baby
Written by: Hanna Horvath
Preparing for a child can be a financially daunting task. It costs an estimated $233,610 to raise a child to age 17, according to the U.S. …
6 attention grabbing employee benefits
Written by: Danielle Braff
Happy worker bees make a workplace more productive, and plenty of employers are starting to show their appreciation by ramping up the perks. In fact, according …
Employee theft: Why it happens & how to deal with it
Written by: Ken Boyd
It’s deeply personal. Discovering employee theft can be infuriating. After all, you hired, trained, and trusted the worker to help you grow your business, and that …
15 ways you can get a free credit score
Written by: Shannon McNay Insler
You already know you can get a free credit report, or all of your credit reports for free, once per year. But what about your credit …
Is a home repair warranty worth it?
Written by: Kathryn Hauer
Say it’s the fifth day of temperatures over 98 degrees in South Carolina during a summer of record heat. Your air conditioning system has kept you …
5 top tips for getting flight upgrades
Written by: Linsey Knerl
I’m very tight with my travel budget. As a freelancer, I have no company that will cover my business-trip costs. Given that, many people assume that I’m …
The 5 worst things to say when someone dies (and what to say instead)
Written by: Kristen Sturt
The loss of a family member or friend, sad as it may be, is hardly unusual. Around 7,500 people die each day in the United States—one person every …
Aston Martin, Lotus and VW reveal new electric cars
Written by: Alistair Charlton
It has been a busy week for the electric car market, as new vehicles are revealed from Aston Martin, Lotus and Volkswagen at the Shanghai Auto …
Frank Mecum’s view from the auction block
Written by: Tom Trace
Frank Mecum, second-youngest of Dana Mecum’s four sons, started placing “Sold” stickers on cars when he was 8 years old. He officially joined the auction team …
These graduate degrees deliver more debt than income
Written by: Matt Carter
Becoming an optometrist or dentist might make mom proud, but engineers, nurses and computer scientists are typically in a better position to tackle graduate school student …
The tyranny of 10,000 steps: Why I threw away my Fitbit
Written by: Mickey Meece
I used to live in New York City, where most people walk everywhere. Or at least do more walking than people who live in what I …
Here’s how to make Alexa stop listening to your conversations
Written by: Lauren Barack
Alexa is designed to listen, and respond. But now comes news that Amazon workers are listening to recordings made when Alexa is on — and hearing personal details …
A pro’s guide to moving heavy furniture without hurting yourself
Written by: Kevin Kato
hances are, there are movers near you who can help you move that fridge, bed, or whatever else makes your back ache by the mere thought of picking it …
Make saving money fun with the 52-week savings challenge
Written by: Joni Sweet
Everyone should treat saving money as a serious effort to accomplish serious goals. Building an emergency fund, accumulating a down payment for a home or saving up …
How to avoid the 7 deadly sins of money
Written by: Hanna Horvath
Are you a savings saint or a spending sinner? Emotion plays a huge role in how we deal with money, and we tend to fall into …
5 states that don’t impose a sales tax
Written by: Kristin Korpos
This past year sales tax has been on every business owner’s radar. The recent Supreme Court case South Dakota v. Wayfair has gotten a lot of buzz and …
Am I responsible for my parents’ debt when they die?
Written by: Caroline Burke
If you’re like me, this is what happens to you when your parents die: After a few days of complete and utter collapse, you realize that …
The danger of risk-free trials
Written by: Hanna Horvath
You’ve probably seen it before: A photo of a celebrity online, touting an intriguing new product — a ‘miracle tea’ that helps you shed weight quickly, …
What it takes to get a credit score over 800
Written by: Kali McFadden
In practical terms, having a credit score over 800 probably won’t make much of a difference to people who have credit scores in the high 700s. …
Can your personal credit affect your business?
Written by: Shannon McNay Insler
Running a business is more than a full-time job, and that can make it hard to maintain a boundary between work life and personal life. Turns …
How to design a killer loyalty program
Written by: Cathie Ericson
When you think of a killer loyalty program, what comes to mind? Free coffee from a punch-card? Free airline tickets from a credit card company? Maybe. …
Getting married? How to talk about debt before you say ‘I do’
Written by: Cheryl Waity
You’re in love. You’re planning to get married. Ready to talk about money? Apparently 88% of Americans think that conversation is important, but only 51% ever …
A happiness guru’s guide to successful aging
Written by: Abby Ellin
Happiness guru Gretchen Rubin has been thinking about stuff. Specifically, what do with all of the stuff we amass over the course of a lifetime. Do you …
10 states with the worst property tax bills
Written by: Crissinda Ponder
When you’re calculating how much home you can afford, don’t forget to factor in property taxes. This annual bill is one of the most important expenses …
9 things to know about sorting out a loved one’s estate
Written by: Jennifer Luzzatto
When a loved one dies unexpectedly, handling their estate can be stressful, especially if their affairs weren’t in order. When my sister died, I was left …
