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With the cost of groceries soaring at a rate unseen since 1981, the pressure is on to save money at checkout. Alas, that is easier said than done. As of 2020, the average cost of grocery spending per month was $412, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and that was before the inflation spike that surged in 2021 and contributed to driving up the cost of food. By Nicole Spector Find Out: 11 Things You Should Never Buy at WalmartSee: 50 Ways You’re Throwing Money Away...

Despite a sixth straight monthly dip in the inflation rate and last month’s decrease in overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) — the first since April 2020 — Americans spent $371 more last December than they did the year previous. By David Nadelle See: How 2023 Recession Will Differ From 2008 and How You Should Prepare DifferentlyRead: With a Recession Looming, Make These 3 Retirement Moves To Stay On TrackFind: 10 Best New Items Coming to Dollar Tree in 2023...

By 2027, according to Statista, 86.5 million people in the U.S. will be earning a living as a freelancer, making up more than half of the U.S. workforce. The pandemic saw tremendous growth in freelance careers, with 59 million people participating in the gig economy in 2020 as compared to 53 million in 2014, according to a recent report from Tooltester.com. By Dawn Allcot Discover: Unplug These Appliances That Hike Up Your Electricity BillMore: 22 Side Gigs That Can Make You Richer Than a Full-Time Job...

By Andrew Lisa 2021 Small Business Spotlight: Check Out Our Small Business Stories, Plus the Nominated Businesses Near You See: This Is the Living Wage You Need in All 50 States Some big wigs stepped up for nurses and other healthcare workers. Others came through for front-line workers like grocery store employees and delivery drivers. But others focused their clout and cash on the entrepreneurs who didn’t have access to mountains of capital to see them through a disaster the way Jeff Bezos and company did....

With the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and rapid tests, Americans who shunned travel in 2020 and ’21 seemingly are more willing to hit the road in 2022. And with demand going up, online travel agency Priceline reports that in the first quarter of 2022 travelers can expect to find hotel rates that are 18% higher than this time last year, with the average flight tickets up 32%. By Jami Farkas But that doesn’t mean you won’t find vacation deals out there, whether you fly or drive, or travel domestically or internationally....

It’s never good to have credit card debt, but many consumers who have multiple cards might wonder whether they are able to pay off their credit card with another one. Well, the simple answer is yes, however you can’t pay your monthly bills with another credit card, but instead use a balance transfer or cash advance. Therefore it’s very important to understand how either option works if you’re working to pay down your credit card balance....

The U.S. Bureau of Statistics released the Consumer Price Index for June 2022 on Wednesday, July 13, with prices across the board rising 9.1% in the past 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The CPI increased 1.3% in June on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 1.0% in May. By Josephine Nesbit See: Consumer Price Index Reaches 9.1% With Gas, Rent & Cereal Seeing Highest IncreasesFind: What Happens When Inflation Surpasses Your Budget?...

Going into the 3rd year of the Coronavirus pandemic, many priorities have shifted. The landscape of the real estate market certainly looks different than it did at the end of 2019, causing both buyers and sellers to rethink their strategies. Many city dwellers fled their apartments to move back to their hometown, or at least somewhere less expensive. Now that there’s a vaccine, some of those same people are coming back to the city, only to find prices have changed, and the small town home prices are going up....

In the midst of The Great Resignation, Gen Z is the generation that is making a point about job satisfaction the most, a new survey suggests. A full 65% of those polled from Gen Z plan to quit their jobs this year — a figure well above the 40% of all employees polled, per a new report. By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy See: 13 Career Fields Where the Number of Remote Jobs Is Growing Rapidly Find: Amid Great Resignation, Taco Bell Launches Business School...

By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy Compare: Which Counties Across the US Grew and Fell the Most in GDP Last Year?Plan Ahead: No Child Tax Credit in January? Here’s How to Prepare for the Worst “BBB enactment had already looked like a close call, and in light of Manchin’s comments, we are adjusting our forecast to remove the assumption that BBB will become law ,” Hatzius said in the note. “While BBB in its current form looks unlikely, there is still a good chance that Congress enacts a much smaller set of fiscal proposals dealing with manufacturing incentives and supply chain issues....

The Fortiva credit card is an unsecured credit-building card for those with fair to poor credit. To help cardholders avoid late payments, Fortiva provides several ways for most cardholders to submit a payment — by mail, phone, online account access or using the Fortiva app. By Andrea Norris Creating a Login Making a Payment Customer Service Takeaway To pay online or through the app, you will need a Fortiva credit card login....

People used to view ticket reselling unfavorably. The mere mention of the word scalping brings to mind shady characters loitering on street corners, selling concert tickets for a higher price to people who could not get one for themselves before they sold out. By Lydia Kibet Ticket Reselling Defined Ticket Reselling Profitable? Types Of Events To Sell How To Sell Risk Indeed, scalping is illegal in many places. However, there are legal alternatives to scalping....

A point-earning credit card is a good choice for those looking to make the most out of their money. Chase offers its customers a few options to earn even more with eligible cards through its Ultimate Rewards program. One of these options is Shop Through Chase, a portal that lets cardholders rack up points fast and allows them to buy products and services from participating retailers, with the flexibility to choose how to use those points....

You’re interested in buying a home, but due to the crazy competitiveness of the current real estate market, you’re not sure if now is the right time. Since this is likely one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make, you’re taking the time to make an informed decision. By Jennifer Taylor Housing Market: Are We in a Housing Bubble? Helpful: These Are the 50 Best Cities for Renters As of June 30, the median sale price of a home in the U....

If you plan on hitting the road this July 4 weekend, expect to see plenty of traffic — and the highest gas prices the holiday has ever seen. By Vance Cariaga See: Stimulus Updates To Know for Summer 2022 Find: 8 Remote Jobs That Pay at Least $20 Per Hour AAA estimates that 42 million Americans will take a road trip of 50 miles or more this July 4, CNN reported....

The child tax credit program that was part of the American Rescue Plan could be considered a success, so far. It worked to reduce the child poverty rate by 25%, says a Columbia University analysis, lifting more than 3 million children out of poverty. According to the statistics, the first installment of the plan reduced the monthly child poverty rate from 15.8% to 11.9%. By Dawn Allcot See: Are You Actually Spending Your Child Tax Credit Payment?...

Mortgage rates have hit their highest point since 2001 amid the Federal Reserve’s months-long move to hike interest rates, contributing to more uncertainty in a U.S. housing market that is already in decline. By Vance Cariaga Historic Highs for Mortgage Rates: Believe It or Not, There’s a Silver LiningFind: Should You Still Buy a Home in Today’s Market? The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($647,200 or less) rose to 7....

Cheers! It’s National Package Protection Day! If you’re wondering why you should be celebrating, keeping your deliveries protected is actually a huge way to save money-especially during the holiday season. One in three Americans report having at least one package stolen. In 2020, 1.7 million packages were stolen or lost every day in the U.S., according to researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, resulting in $25 million of lost goods. So raise a glass and toast to these ways to keep all of your prized presents for yourself and others safe from package thieves....

For the small-business owners who managed to survive the pandemic, 2021 was supposed to be the light at the end of the tunnel. Instead, many have spent the year scrambling to find new solutions to old challenges as the Delta strain clogged supply chains and made both labor and materials scarce and expensive. Today, weary but wily business owners continue to adapt and survive. By Andrew Lisa Those Who Planned Early Earned Crucial Employee Trust and Loyalty The Delta variant arrived just as an already tight labor market was making good workers hard to find....

After months of speculation, the Social Security Administration released the exact numbers for the 2023 cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) today. The 8.7% increase reflects the percentage of funds that will be added to recipients’ monthly benefit payouts, starting in January 2023, affecting the 66 million Americans that are part of the program. By Selena Fragassi CPI: September’s Consumer Price Index Shows Inflation Higher Than Expected After Fed Rate HikesSocial Security: 2023 COLA to Rise 8....