Posts

With so much attention paid to the skyrocketing cost of consumer goods, many Americans might not have noticed how expensive their employer-sponsored health insurance plans have gotten. But a new survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation spells it out: Premiums for family coverage have risen by more than one-fifth over the last five years and nearly one-half over the last 10. By Vance Cariaga See: Here’s How Much More Expensive Healthcare Is in the US Than 5 Other CountriesFind: How to Refinance a Mortgage...

The Federal Reserve addressed increasing inflation on Dec. 15, saying it would end its bond buying program earlier than planned and hike rates several times in 2022, as “supply and demand imbalances related to the pandemic and the reopening of the economy have continued to contribute to elevated levels of inflation.” By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy See: Stimulus Checks, Inflation and More of the Biggest Financial News Stories of the YearExplore: Wholesale Prices Rose Nearly 10% Since November 2020 — What’s Causing Record Inflation?...

While consumers dig deeper into their wallets to pay for record high gas prices, major oil and gas companies have been raking in massive profits. Instead of spending that money on more production to ease consumer prices, many are putting it toward shareholder dividends and stock buybacks. By Vance Cariaga See: BP’s Record Profits on Gas & Oil Prompt Calls for Windfall Tax — Would Anyone Truly Benefit?Find: Oil Prices Drop Below $100 — Will Gas Prices Decrease Too?...

A majority of U.S. shoppers report feeling dissatisfied with the lack of bargain-priced options at grocery stores. A survey conducted by Dunnhumby, a global customer data science company, found that 64% of U.S. consumers are unhappy with how grocery stores are handling the pandemic, compared to 50% in February, reports FoodNavigator-USA. By Josephine Nesbit Explore: Consumer Confidence Falls for Third Straight Month, Hits 7-Month LowGovernment Shutdown 2021: Will SNAP Benefits Be Impacted?...

The housing market has made headline news over the past two years, with countless buyers being priced out of the market. Not only have home prices exploded by as much as 50% in some areas, interest rates have more than doubled off their 2020 lows. This has made housing unaffordable for countless buyers, as the combination of rising prices and interest rates have made the average house payment jump by more than 30%....

Thanks to an increase in minimum wages in several states starting on Jan. 1, 2023, more than 8 million American workers will get pay raises. By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy See: Minimum Salary Workers Will Accept Hits Historic HighDissatisfied With Work? 7 Ways To Turn Things Around in the New Year At the start of the new year, 23 states and Washington, D.C. will increase their minimum wages, raising pay for 8.4 million workers across the country, totaling more than $5 billion in workers’ wages, according to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI)....

By Gabrielle Olya Explore: Best Cash Back Credit Cards for 2023Advice: If Your Credit Score is Under 740, Make These 4 Moves Now According to experts, there is no one-size-fits-all answer, but there are some general rules of thumb. If You Are Building Your Credit Back Up, Stick To One Lyle David Solomon, a bankruptcy attorney at Oak View Law Group, recommends that his clients cut back on their credit card use when they are recovering from a major blow to their credit score, such as a bankruptcy filing....

You’re a giving person, but that doesn’t mean you have to open your pocketbook every time you’re asked to contribute to a charitable cause — even when the solicitor is a child. While turning down a donation request from a sweet kid can be tough, doing so is perfectly acceptable. By Jennifer Taylor See Our List: 100 Most Influential Money ExpertsDiscover: 7 Surprisingly Easy Ways To Reach Your Retirement Goals...

Inflation is breaking the budget of Americans, with rising prices for food, fuel, shelter and more increasing the cost of living by 8.5% over the past year, according to the Department of Labor. By Jami Farkas In fact, families now are paying $327 a month more on daily expenses, CNBC reported, citing figures from Moody’s Analytics. Since that’s a large strain on the budget, many families could be looking for ways to bring in more income or reduce expenses....

There are many reasons to consider going meatless, or at least cutting back on the amount of meat you eat. If you’re not motivated by the health benefits or how meatless diets are more sustainable for the planet, you may be motivated by the fact that a meatless diet will save you money. By Jordan Rosenfeld Small Business Spotlight 2022: Nominate Your Favorite Small Biz by July 25Find: 11 Things You Should Never Buy at Walmart...

Scott Trench is the author of “Set for Life,” CEO of BiggerPockets and co-host of the “BiggerPockets Money” podcast. Trench has focused his career on helping ordinary people use real estate investing as one avenue for building wealth. By Gabrielle Olya What do most people not know about real estate investing that you wish they knew? I wish that people knew that real estate investing is a double-edged sword. It’s a powerful way to build wealth over the long term and accessible to most Americans earning a median or higher income....

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, is a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance for low- and no-income households. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees it, SNAP is administered at the state level. Each state also has its own SNAP deposit schedule. By Josephine Nesbit SNAP Benefits: How Is Eligibility Determined?Explore: How To Use SNAP Benefits for Purchases Benefits are deposited monthly into SNAP accounts, which are linked to EBT cards....

On Oct. 13, the Social Security Administration announced an 8.7% annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2023 — the biggest annual increase in more than four decades. But, according to an expert, this historical pay boost likely won’t be enough for most retirees to get by due to the high rates of inflation on everyday costs. By Gabrielle Olya See: 6 Types of Retirement Income That Aren’t TaxableDiscover: 5 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000...

It’s a near-certainty that the 2023 cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security recipients will be the biggest in decades to help offset skyrocketing inflation. The question is how big the COLA will be. According to one estimate, it could push into double digits for the first time in 41 years. By Vance Cariaga See: 6 Signs You Can’t Afford To RetireFind: 20 Best Places To Live on Only a Social Security Check...

Are you missing one or more advanced payments of the 2021 Child Tax Credit (CTC)? You may need to request a payment trace with the IRS, especially if your budget largely depends on the monthly check. By Josephine Nesbit Child Tax Credit: Will Monthly Payments Continue Into 2022?Discover: Child Tax Credit Payments Could Stop in 2022 — Replace Your Lost Income With These Budgeting Tips Before contacting the IRS, you can log in to the Child Tax Credit Update Portal to view your processed payment history....

If COVID and crowds weren’t considerations, travel expert Lauren Monitz would love to board a plane for Africa, Antarctica, or another big bucket list destination. But the Texas-based writer and social media strategist’s latest vacation was a modest road trip to the neighboring state of Oklahoma that cost less than $1,000. By Charlene Oldham “I personally feel a bit uncomfortable in crowds still, so I’m seeking out places I know won’t be packed and trying to find more off the grid, lesser known vacation spots,” said Monitz, who writes about travel at The Down Lo....

If you’re looking to save money by shopping for a used car instead of a new one, be prepared for a little sticker shock due to an unpredictable economy. By Vance Cariaga See: Top Used Cars To Consider Buying Right Now Find: Carvana vs. CarMax: Who’s Better for Buying and Selling Used Cars? In December, the average listing price for used vehicles rose above $28,000 for the first time ever, according to a Cox Automotive analysis of vAuto Available Inventory data....

One of the first rules of job hunting is that you should never take rejection personally. There could be any number of reasons you weren’t hired that have nothing to do with your qualifications. This applies to being ghosted by recruiters as well. By Vance Cariaga See: The Best Cities With Great Weather To Retire on $2,000 a MonthFind: 7 Things You Should Never Do When Planning For Retirement “Ghosting” is what happens when recruiters or hiring managers suddenly stop contacting job candidates....

Like pretty much all the years before it, 2022 has been a wild one — and with it has come a fleet of catchy neologisms. You may not find all of these words and phrases in the dictionary, but they’re now a crucial part of our vocabulary. By Nicole Spector The Future of Finances: Gen Z & How They Relate to MoneyExplore: Your Biggest Money Etiquette Questions Answered What are some of the top buzzwords of 2022 so far and what do they mean?...

As soon as we’ve learned a new workplace buzzword, a la “quiet quitting” and “quiet firing,” a new catchphrase becomes all the rage. The workplace term du jour is “career cushioning.” By Nicole Spector Here It Is: Our 2022 Small Business Spotlight Also See: States Whose Economies Are Failing vs. States Whose Economies Are Thriving What does the phrase mean and why is it picking up steam now? Should you do it, and if so, how might you go about it?...