Smart Money Links 4U

When someone posted a blood type test kit on a local Buy Nothing Facebook group in Queens, NY, they may have wondered if anybody would want it. Someone did. “I think it was leftover from one of those food diet things where you find out what’s best to eat for your blood type,” says Sheri Sayles, who responded to the post and picked up the test kit from her neighbor. This transaction was part of the gift economy — a way to exchange random items you don’t want with your neighbors who might have a use for them. It’s all free. Buy Nothing groups on Facebook, the Nextdoor website and app, and other online platforms exist in neighborhoods across the country, helping people get free stuff online — sometimes stuff they never knew they needed. FROM THE SAVE MONEY FORUM Sinking Fund vs. Emergency Fund 10/27/20 @ 3:14 PM How to save money 10/30/20 @ 2:33 AM Q Aspiration Bank 10/26/20 @ 3:43 PM Credit Karma Savings Account 10/15/20 @ 12:02 PM See more in Save 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 . When someone claims “you can become a millionaire!” with just one trick, it might sound just like that — a trick.  But retiring with a million dollars — which would make you a millionaire — is actually a smart and totally attainable move. And it would keep earning you enough interest to cover your yearly expenses after your retirement party. A report from Merrill Lynch in 2017 noted that if you were to have $1M saved at age 65, you would earn about $40,000 in income every year just by keeping it there. The more you have saved, the more money you’ll make.  So, how do you get there? All it takes is a few hundred bucks every month.  Saving $300 Now Could Mean $1M In Your Account Later Yep, just putting $300 into a smart investment account (think: an employer 401(k) or IRA) starting in your 20s...

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 . Even as researchers race to find a COVID-19 vaccine, coronavirus is already changing our world in a permanent way. That’s because major historical events always leave a legacy. For example, 9/11 not only led to a 20-year war on terror, it permanently changed the experience of air travel, led to an overall rise in surveillance, and changed the language we use. Like 9/11, COVID is reshaping society. For instance, a surprising number of locked-down Americans are ready to permanently end their commutes and work from home forever. On the negative side, college enrollment is dropping as people put their educational plans on hold. Basically, they’re putting the future on hold. Here are four ways COVID is changing how we think about the future, along with strategies for making it work to your advantage: 1. More Y...

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 . Life is basically a giant obstacle course. It’s loaded with traps that’ll trip you up, if you’re not careful. The same goes for your financial life. On any given day, a random situation can appear out of nowhere and take some of your money. It’s like being mugged by reality. Something happens — BOOM — and suddenly you have to pull out your credit card or your debit card or your checkbook, ugh . These kinds of situations are all too common. Here are six of our least favorite ones, along with some smart tips for how to deal with them. 1. Traffic Accident  Every year in the U.S., there are more than 5 million traffic accidents. Hopefully you won’t be in any of them. But in case of an accident, it’s best to make sure you have reliable insurance.  However, that doesn’t mean you have to pay top dollar...

The pandemic has ruined a whole lot of plans this year, but hear this: It is NOT taking Halloween from us. In some ways, Oct. 31 will be a day like any other in the year 2020. We’re already wearing masks all the time and comforting ourselves with junk food. About that junk food… Maybe you’re tailoring your trick-or-treat routine to allow for less human (and goblin) contact. Or you’re not throwing a party and having your guests bob for apples (which was honestly kind of gross before coronavirus). But you still need snacks. Fun ones, spooky ones, sugary ones. Here are five inexpensive Halloween treats you can make in less time than it takes to figure out exactly how to do the Monster Mash. (Although that might be a bad example — does anyone actually know how to do the Monster Mash?!) Need a last-minute costume idea ? Here are 7 ensembles you probably already have in your closet. 5 Halloween Treats You Can Make for About $6 Here are five fun Halloween-themed treats you can make for...

Social Security has reached a major tipping point: It’s about to start paying out more benefits than workers are paying in. That means the next president faces big decisions about how to address its funding shortfall — yet it’s barely gotten a mention during the presidential debates. About half of older Americans rely on Social Security benefits for 50% of their income, making it a vital issue for the nation’s most reliable bloc of voters. Here’s what you should know about where President Donald Trump and his challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden, stand on Social Security. Trump’s Plans for Social Security: 3 Things We Know Trump hasn’t released a formal plan for Social Security, but here’s what we know based on his past statements and his actions in the Oval Office. 1. Trump wants a permanent payroll tax cut. In August, Trump ordered a payroll tax holiday , allowing workers who make less than $104,000 annually to keep the 6.2% of their paychecks that typically go toward So...

With students being sent home from college and other family members moving back after losing a job, American houses and apartments are bursting at the studs. Even households that don’t have extra residents are feeling a squeeze on space because more of us are staying home for work or school. There are also fewer nights away at the movies, restaurants or sporting events to allow more privacy for those remaining at home. Here are some ways to maximize space and carve out individual rooms for a lot less than adding on or leasing a bigger apartment. A cleaned-out closet becomes an office nook  If you empty out a closet it easily becomes a remote-learning classroom where all school materials can stay in one place and be easily accessed. Here’s how to quickly repurpose: Remove all the shelving, except for perhaps the top shelf for storage. Have your child pick out a color and paint the inside together. Measure the width and depth of the closet then get a piece of scrap counterto...

Costume parties in and of themselves seem like a great idea. That is, until you realize that you’re about to spend $50+ and countless hours putting together an outfit you’ll wear once before shoving it deep under the bed with the rest of your one-hit-wonder Halloween ensembles. And while I always try to be frugal (because despite my over-the-top holiday enthusiasm, I’m still a Penny Hoarder at heart), I’m also pretty lazy when it comes to Halloween costumes. I always think I’m going to go all out and DIY my costume, but then every year, without fail, I end up running to the store at the last minute and spending a lot of money. There has to be a better way to go about this whole costume business — a way that, ideally, won’t cost any money at all. 7 Last-Minute Halloween Costumes You Can Make at Home If your aim is to wear a completely free (we like free!) costume on Halloween, start with your closet. Chances are you already have a few costume pieces lurking in the dark recesses of...

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 . When you finally submit to adulthood and start a family, there are a few key decisions you need to make. You need to find a job with a stable income. You need to decide how much you want to save for retirement. And, if you have people you care about, you need to find the right life insurance.  If something were to happen to you, it can help ensure your family has enough money to pay their bills, send the kid through college and even get your aging parents the care they need. This isn’t meant to scare you — it’s just meant to show you how important this decision is! Thankfully, in this digital age, it’s never been easier — or more affordable — to get life insurance. A company called Sproutt can walk you through the process to find you and your family the right coverage in less than 30 minutes, if you ...