Smart Money Links 4U

Dear Penny, I’m having trouble convincing my husband that we should start making investments. He thinks the stock market is a scam, but I’ve had several college classes that discussed Wall Street and several of my friends are doing OK with their portfolios.  It was a struggle to even convince him to move from a traditional savings account to a high-yielding one. I would never bet with money we could not afford. How do I convince my husband that building wealth is a risk but a worthy one? -K. Dear K., Some people don’t invest because they truly are risk-averse. They lose sleep when the stock market has a bad day, let alone when it has a complete meltdown like the one we saw last March. Your husband could fall into this camp, particularly if he’s ever seen someone close to him lose money on a bad investment. Sometimes it’s sheer laziness. That possibility crossed my mind for your husband. Not wanting to switch to a high-yield savings account seems less about risk and more abou...

The gig economy, supercharged by a pandemic, is breathing new life into some bygone hobbies, ones associated more with retirees than entrepreneurs. Life indoors drove many folks to experiment with tactile hobbies like bread baking and quilting. What started as a way to pass the time could blossom into a side hustle with a little know-how. Online platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Etsy and Instagram as well as the revival of flea markets – often with a trendy, indie twist – offer novel ways to make money on those age-old crafts and activities. Here’s a look at six trending hobbies that could make you serious money. These are not your grandma’s side gigs. 6 Throwback Hobbies That Make Money as Trendy Side Gigs 1. Antiquing Buy old furniture and/or tchotchkes, then resell them for a profit. The concept is straightforward, and it’s sometimes referred to as upscaling or upcycling when you work a little magic on the item to bump up the price tag. The Penny Hoarder spoke to Sara C...

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 . Living in a one-income household is like being a gymnast walking on a balance beam. You have absolutely no margin for error, and the slightest misstep can spell disaster. The tens of millions of jobs lost to the COVID-19 pandemic have left millions of families surviving as one-income households for the first time. That’s a really hard thing to do these days, especially if you’re not used to it. The cost of essential purchases, like groceries and rent keeps going up, making it harder than ever for families to get by on a single income. Does all this sound familiar? If you’re in this position, we’ve got seven money moves you can start making today: 1. Cut Your Food Budget by Planning Ahead Groceries are a huge part of everyone’s budget, so they’re a big target for savings. Try preparing for the w...

The possibility of student loan forgiveness is on the horizon, so should you stop making payments on your own loans? That depends, but let’s take a look at where we stand so far: On the campaign trail, then-candidate Joe Biden promised to wipe out at least $10,000 for student loan borrowers. Now that he’s president, Biden is getting pressure from some to increase that amount to $50,000 or more. But he’s also getting pushback from other groups who aren’t in favor of wiping out any student loan debt. (More on that later.) An administrative forbearance that freezes interest rates and payments for federally held student loans has been extended until Sept. 30, 2021 . So what does all this mean for you, the student loan borrower? Depending on your loans and financial situation, you might actually be better off making larger payments right now… or none at all. Don’t worry, we’ll explain. Is Student Loan Forgiveness Likely to Happen? During his campaign, Biden announced that part of...

Grocery delivery startup Dumpling is taking on Instacart and Shipt — and the whole gig economy — by offering grocery delivery drivers an entirely new moneymaking model. Thanks to a surge in demand as a result of the pandemic, grocery delivery apps are more popular than ever. Since last March, Instacart and Shipt have hired more than half a million gig workers to shop and deliver food to customers who’d rather stay at home and order online. Those hordes of gig workers, who are independent contractors, rely on grocery delivery to supplement their earnings or make up their income entirely. While this arrangement is a welcome and fast form of cash for some folks, others are finding that the income from Instacart and Shipt is unsustainable. That’s where Dumpling comes in: capitalizing on the growing trend of grocery delivery as well as the rising concerns of delivery workers who want more control over their income by allowing them to choose who to work with and how much to charge. Here...

When it comes to the state of our finances, the pandemic has not affected us all equally. Personal finance expert Suze Orman describes it as creating a situation of haves and have-nots. Some people have actually prospered over the past year with lowered spending and the bonus of stimulus money. Others are barely keeping their heads above water after becoming unemployed and depleting their savings. Orman shared her thoughts on what both groups should do to ride out the pandemic during a virtual event hosted by Visionary Women on Feb. 3. Visionary Women is a Los Angeles-based women empowerment nonprofit. What to Do if You’re Struggling, According to Suze Orman If the pandemic has put you in a situation where you’re struggling financially, Orman said your focus should be on holding tight to whatever money you can get. If you get stimulus money or unemployment checks, use that cash to meet your immediate needs and save any extra. “I do not want to see you take this money and pay down...

Most people go to college to land a good job, but because of skyrocketing tuition costs, several major employers are flipping the script by offering jobs that lead to college. Chipotle, Disney, Starbucks and Walmart all offer education programs that will not just reimburse a capped amount of tuition but directly pay for your degree at select universities. Part-time workers are eligible, too. In decades past, almost any part-time job would cover the costs of attending college. These days, stagnant wages and the soaring costs of education have made it nearly impossible to work your way through college without loads of debt. Several big employers are stepping in to make that college dream attainable again. Here’s a rundown on how the programs work. Jobs That Pay for College Before you go and quit your current gig to become a burrito roller or barista, you need to know the particulars of each program. [email widget] Chipotle – All Benefits-Eligible Workers Most part-timers and all...

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 . If you’ve ever searched for a home to buy, you know the first step is mortgage pre-approval — and in today’s competitive market, you likely need to have it before you even put in an offer. But if you’re like one-fifth of Americans, an error on your credit report could mean banks could be scared of lending to you and won’t give you a pre-approval. And even if they do, it could be for an absurd loan rate that can cost you tens of thousands of dollars or more by the time you pay off the house — yikes. So if you didn’t see that roadblock coming, your dream house could be someone else’s before you have a chance to fix it. That’s why you need to make sure your credit report card is free of errors and your score is in tip-top shape before you even start Zillow-ing. A free website called Credit Sesame makes it s...

You can buy shampoo for $3 and you can buy it for $30. They’ll both get the job done — so what’s the difference? Do you really need to spend a small fortune to get good results, or is it possible to find inexpensive shampoo that leaves your hair healthy and happy? We spoke to dermatologists and hair experts for their best tips on identifying quality shampoo that’ll keep your locks clean and healthy. Here’s What Shampoo Actually Is… Shampoo consists of two basic components: water and surfactants, which are responsible for the lathering and cleansing. Those two elements comprise between 50-80% of the contents, says Nikki Goddard, a certified hair stylist and shampoo expert from San Jose, and senior editor at The Right Hairstyles magazine . The rest includes silicone, thickening agents, perfume, natural oils and extracts. …and Here’s Why Some of Them Are So Expensive Both cheap and inexpensive products contain surfactants that remove oil and dirt almost equally well. So why are so...