Roman Samborskyi / Shutterstock.com Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Living on the Cheap. What should you do with old sweaters? You bought those sweaters for ski slopes you no longer visit, holiday and ugly-sweater parties at offices where you no longer work, or for fashions and sizes you no longer wear. Now, they … Read more
Social Security recipients got a big boost to their monthly checks this year, but it still likely was not enough for millions of seniors. The 5.9% cost of living adjustment (COLA) that was added to Social Security benefits in 2022 — which was the highest in four decades — fell short of the actual inflation … Read more
Prostock-studio / Shutterstock.com The Federal Reserve continues to steadily raise its target range for the federal funds rate, and that has motivated banks to offer rates on savings accounts that were unthinkable not so long ago. To be sure, the average savings account rate is a paltry 0.24%. But if you know where to look, … Read more
Prostock-studio / Shutterstock.com Driving a car comes with a lot of little annoyances that most people simply deal with. That’s just how things are, right? Not necessarily. Sometimes there’s an elegant solution to those things that vex you day after day, but you might never think of it on your own. And the best part? … Read more
The very thought of getting into real estate investing can be overwhelming. There’s a lot of work involved in finding the right property, not to mention the many expenses involved with purchasing real estate. On top of this, you have to worry about finding good tenants and being a landlord. You can avoid the hassle … Read more
Job security is always a concern when choosing a career, but some fields are more recession-proof than others. And while there’s no guarantee that any job will be immune to cutbacks or layoffs, some industries weather economic storms better than others. One industry that tends to be recession-resistant is finance. After all, people will always … Read more
NDAB Creativity / Shutterstock.com Turning 65 brings access to senior discounts galore, but there is no benefit of senior citizenship quite like Medicare. The federal program extends subsidized health insurance primarily to folks age 65 and older. But while Medicare coverage comes with numerous freebies, it is hardly free. Medicare beneficiaries pay into the system … Read more
Kristen Prahl / Shutterstock.com Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on The Penny Hoarder. Thanks mostly to Jack Sparrow, we have come to romanticize the idea of pirates. But pirates are thieves, and they do not work exclusively on sailing ships or in port towns. They operate in your neighborhood as porch pirates, who steal … Read more
A scammer’s best friend is a sense of urgency. If they can get you to do something before rousing suspicion, whether you eventually uncover the scam doesn’t really matter — it’s already too late to stop it. The danger can be in something as simple as clicking a link inside an email. And that email … Read more
What happens if your investments are down just as you’re heading into retirement? The nest egg you’ve been building for decades could have taken a major hit, and pulling it out now locks in that loss. The advice to delay taking Social Security as long as possible can be a good strategy for people without … Read more