The holiday shopping season is here. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are no longer just one day. Many retailers, online and off, offer deals for several weeks leading up to Thanksgiving weekend and continue well into December. Before taking advantage of any “deals,” do your homework. Create a budget and stick with it. This will help you avoid going into …
How to Prepare Your Home for Winter
Keep your home warm and safe this winter by following our comprehensive to-do list before the real cold sets in. 1. Seal your home Give your home a quick run-through, checking for drafts. You can do this by holding a lit candle near the following areas: Windows Doors Vents and fans Plumbing areas Air conditioners Mail chutes Electrical and gas …
7 Halloween Hacks You Don’t Want To Miss!
Halloween is coming – and so is the fun! Everyone wants to win the prize for creepiest costume and the most frightening yard décor in the neighborhood. But all that spookiness comes with a scary price tag. The average American will spend $169 on Halloween costs this year. And, if that’s not enough to terrify you, consider this: Most people …
Five Must-Have Gadgets for College Students
You’ve already got your laptop, tablet and, of course, your smartphone. What more can you need for college? Check out our list of 5 super-convenient gadgets that every college student should know about. 1. Smartpen This is perhaps the most helpful gadget imaginable for students. Livescribe smartpens are incredible. You can use them to capture your notes digitally as you …
6 Times A Bargain Is Not
In the words of writer Franklin Jones, “A bargain is something you don’t need at a price you can’t resist.” And we couldn’t agree more. With the biggest spending season of the year looming ahead, it’s time to brush up on your shopping smarts. This year, give yourself the gift of an intact budget and a credit card balance that …
Ways To Save On Food Costs
With your mind so muddled with details like classes, exams and papers, who has time to think about food? You might be heading into the new semester with plans to survive solely on convenience food and packaged junk. We’re looking at you, ramen noodles! But as you’ll quickly discover, overdoing the processed foods will leave you feeling not quite full …
Don’t Get Caught In A Free Trial Scam!
There’s hardly a “free trial” that won’t cost you big. The FTC is warning of an uptick in free trial scams, which come in several shapes and sizes. Here are some of the most common free trial scams: Hidden fees In one such scam, a company aggressively advertised “free trials” for skin care products, dietary supplements and e-cigarettes on various …
What Can I Do About Robocalls?
If robocalls are getting to you, you’re not alone. Those super-annoying automatic calls have recently exploded, and it’s enough to make anyone go bonkers. More than 30 billion robocalls were made in the United States in 2017. The Federal Trade Commission answered a whopping 375,000 complaints about robocalls each month. Unfortunately, those numbers are only rising. If you feel like …
Beware of “Quick Cash for Your Home” Offers
We’ve all seen ads like these… “We Buy Ugly Houses” “We Pay Cash for Houses” “We’ll Buy Your House for Cash” “Sell Your Home Fast for Cash” They are on TV, on billboards, online, come in the mail, and even on telephone poles and fences. They seem to offer a simple way to sell your home no matter its current …
Pros and Cons of Paying Over Time
How often do you choose to pay for something over time? You have chosen to pay over time when you’ve used a loan or credit card to pay for something. While choosing to pay over time can be convenient, it can also be costly if you don’t consider interest, fees, and other charges. Keep more of your money by minimizing …