Smart Money Links 4U

Brains. Braaaaaains. Sorry, just channeling my inner zombie. But if you’re in the mood to chop off something at the head, forget the fictional walkers and consider taking a whack at zombie debt. Zombie debt is way less fun than it sounds but potentially scarier than the undead. It’s the debt — maybe a medical bill or store credit card you never paid — that’s so old you can’t be sued to pay it. But debt collectors buy up the debt and then try to trick or convince you to make a payment on it, which restarts the clock on the debt, allowing them to start hounding you again. In the United States, 71 million adults — or about 31.6% — had debt in collections reported on their credit score in 2017, according to an Urban Institute study . Even at pennies on the dollar, that’s a lot of potential money for zombie debt collectors — aka debt scavengers — to scare out of unsuspecting victims. And it’s not just that zombie debt is annoying. Negative items, like unpaid debts, must be removed from...

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners . Who couldn’t use some extra money? Exactly. We all could. But instead of getting a second job, make extra money on your own time. Yup, be your own boss and set your own schedule. Plus, a few of these don’t even require you to leave home. Not only is it much more convenient (and comfortable), it’s also perfect for retirees, stay-at-home parents or people with disabilities.  The best part? You could earn up to $60 an hour. 1. Earn an Extra $600/Week Delivering Food App-based side gigs are all the rage. And they literally let you turn on and off your availability to work. But sometimes we don’t want to drive people around. Or invite them to rent a room in our homes. Instead, an app called Doordash will pay you to pick up and deliver food whenever you want. All you need to get started is your preferred...

Buying holiday gifts for all your loved ones can add a bunch of financial stress to what’s supposed to be a joyous time of year. The commercialism of the season encourages you to buy-buy-buy, meaning many of us overspend or even go into debt. Your gifts might put a smile on someone’s face — but at what cost? Rethink some of your holiday shopping plans if you’re trying to survive Christmas on a budget. Here are seven tactics you can use to spend less. 7 Gift-Giving Strategies to Celebrate Christmas on a Budget 1. Shop with cash. Embrace a cash envelope budget for holiday spending. Figure out how much you feel comfortable spending on gifts this year, and withdraw that amount from your bank account. Then pay for gifts only with that cash. Once the money’s gone, that’s it. Leave your debit and credit cards at home if you think you’ll be tempted to swipe. You’ll be forced to be strategic about what you buy but thankful that you don’t go over budget. 2. Limit your Christmas list. Be...

Dear R., Banks want you to pay attention to that dazzling low APR and ignore all the bank-speak. Consider that credit card agreements average nearly 5,000 words. They require a reading level about two grades above that of the average American. Banks make a lot of money because most people will focus on the 1.9% introductory APR and ignore the other 5,000 words. So I applaud your skepticism and urge you to look at any credit card offer through that “is this too good to be true?” lens. With a balance transfer credit card , you transfer your debt from one or more cards onto a card with a low introductory rate, sometimes zero percent. Lots of people successfully use balance transfer cards to get out of debt faster and save on interest. But by offering you a balance transfer card, your bank is trying to lure you away from your current card companies. You’re paying a lot of interest to those companies. Your bank wants the pleasure of charging you all that interest, and they’re willing...

You may be a veteran Black Friday shopper with the inside scoop on the greatest deals and strategies — but how much do you really know about the day itself?  For example, can you name which generation goes nuts on Black Friday? Or how Black Friday really got its name? Knowledge is power, so we’ve rounded up eight of the most interesting Black Friday facts and shared them below. 1. More Than 50% of Americans Shop on Black Friday Sure, you knew Black Friday was popular, but did you know it was this popular? Last year, 165 million people shopped during Black Friday weekend (which lasts from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday). That’s roughly half of all Americans.  Wondering how to stay sane amidst the hustle and bustle? Think ahead and develop a plan of attack — bonus: Strategizing can also help you avoid holiday debt .  2. Black Friday Can Be Deadly You may have joked about toy rage and trampling before, but the scary, sad fact of the matter is people actu...

Thanksgiving, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.  Actually, let me not — at least not entirely. There are far too many.  I love the crispness in the air (however subtle it may be down here in Florida) and the ubiquitous football games on every TV screen (even though I don’t care about, or even totally understand, the game). I love the way the house swells and bustles with family members I haven’t seen in far too long (even though after a day or two, I’m ready to stop explaining the current events of my professional and romantic lives to people who, essentially, remain strangers for most of the rest of the year).  And, of course, I love the food: the ridiculous, magnificent spread of food we make way too much of, year after year. It’s not like we don’t learn. We know there will be leftovers. In fact, they’re one of the best parts of Thanksgiving! But even the most avid turkey sandwich enthusiast gets a little tired of them after a few days. Of course, “I’m ...

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners . The concept of buying discounted gift cards is simple enough. You “stack” your savings by combining Black Friday sales with discounted gift cards as payment.  And most retailers let you use their cards in-store or online.  Here are five ways you can buy gift cards for less than face value. 1. Online Gift Card Vendors Sellers that specialize in gift cards normally sell them at face value, but they do have sales.  Typically, quantities are limited and the deals sell out fast, so check often. You can sign up on Doctor of Credit to receive phone notifications of these types of deals. 2. Discounted Gift Card Sites Many websites help you buy discounted gift cards with unused balances. Discounts vary according to demand, and from site to site.  Gift Card Granny currently shows that ...