Smart Money Links 4U

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 . With work-from-home policies in effect for several months already — and likely continuing through the end of the year or beyond — millions of people had their commutes disappear. Gone are the 10-mile carpools up the interstate, the 25-minute bike rides through downtown and the hour-and-a-half trains into the city. The new average commute time is the 30 seconds it takes to roll yourself out of bed and into your desk chair. Add two minutes if you stop for coffee in the kitchen. For those who primarily drove their own cars back-and-forth to work each day, the amount of miles they’ve put on their cars is a fraction of what it was last year. Even weekend-only drivers are wondering why they bothered to have a car this year. All the payments are the same — yet the usage is next to nothing. But although your car f...

High-yield savings accounts have traditionally been touted as a way to earn a little extra money while saving, but many account holders have noticed the “extra” is pretty skimpy these days. In 2020, the annual percentage yield (APY) has fallen twice so far. The reason? It has to do with the Federal Reserve. What Is a High-Yield Savings Account? A high-yield savings account is usually used as a savings vehicle for a particular goal, not necessarily as a way to grow your money. (That’s what investing is for .) Since you can access the money at any time and do not have to wait until a maturity date, many people use high-yield savings accounts for emergency funds, saving for down payments on a house or car, or paying for home repairs. “If you had gotten laid off in February or March and you needed a way to weather the storm until you got rehired again, you would want to have emergency cash in a high-yield savings account,” says Andrew Barnett, a certified financial planner and relati...

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 . Sometimes your pet needs special food. Maybe they’ve got an upset stomach, and they need something to soothe it. Or maybe they’re a little chunky ( shhh … don’t tell them) and could benefit from a veterinary diet. Sometimes they have weird allergies, so you’ve got to be choosy in what you feed them. Whatever it is, you’re happy to splurge because they’re part of the family, but this can get expensive pretty fast. (Why is Fido eating better than you?!) If this is your current situation, here are a few ways to treat Sparky like the king he is — and save money: 1. Don’t Automatically Assume the Vet Has the Best Price Chances are, you’ve already forked over a good amount of money for your pet’s vet exam, especially if he needed blood work. So now the vet gives you authorization for a veterinary diet. They 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 . Everyone loves getting presents, but most gifts can only be opened once. Want a way to keep the thrill alive? Try giving subscription gifts or a specialty membership. The subscriber — your giftee — will open a new package every month or two, extending their celebration all year. Plus, if funds are tight, you’ll benefit from spending a little bit over the course of multiple months. We found 14 reasonably priced subscription gifts we think just about anyone would love to get. 14 of the Best Subscription Gifts for Everyone on Your List We’ve compiled this list of 14 smart subscription boxes for any personality on your shopping list — even those who are hard to buy for. The Health Nut Know someone who’s really health conscious? The vegan, gluten-free, organic, no-GMO type? Your friend is probably spendin...

Attention beer lovers: How would you like to become the head meme creator for one of the largest beer companies in the world — and get paid for it? That’s right. Bud Light is hiring a chief meme officer to be in charge of meme-making activities for three months this fall, paying a sizable salary of $5,000 per month. The company announced the first-ever position on social media. We made a great-tasting hard seltzer but honestly our memes are terrible. Time to change that. Apply now to be our #ChiefMemeOfficer . It’s a real job with a salary. Tag someone who would be perfect for the position. Apply here: https://t.co/wLJU8cqWQm pic.twitter.com/7LXZOBm8mt — Bud Light Seltzer (@budlight) August 18, 2020 The gig was created to generate buzz for Bud Light’s foray into alcoholic seltzer water. Reception to the fizzy water fell a little flat. That’s where you come in. “We know a hard seltzer is only as good as its memes and, unfortunately, our memes are trash,” the job listing sta...

Online shopping has been on the rise for decades, but COVID-19 has dramatically changed the game. The rise of online shopping has led to the rise of retail arbitrage, which — with a bit of know-how and some start-up cash — can become a new revenue stream. In this article, we’ll discuss: What Is Retail Arbitrage? How Does Retail Arbitrage Work? How to Get Started Best Places to Find Products to Sell What Is Retail Arbitrage? Retail arbitrage is simple: You buy a product at a brick-and-mortar store at a low price, then turn around and sell it for a higher price, pocketing the profit. In theory, you could sell that product anywhere — at a yard sale, on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, at a flea market, etc. But given the advent of online shopping, the real way to be profitable (and turn retail arbitrage into a full-time gig) is to sell on e-commerce sites like Amazon and eBay. Online marketplaces, especially Amazon, are actually designed to support sellers who practice ret...

Applying to college and figuring out how to pay for it is a rite of passage for high school seniors. But what about students who have been out of school for a while? There’s no guidance counselor to show you the way, your parents may not be around to help you through the FAFSA, and Rodney Dangerfield is nowhere to be found to ensure you’re not the oldest person in all your classes. But there are scholarships to make going back to school as an adult easier on your budget. They have various requirements — some are for vocational school, while others can go toward any degree — but all show an appreciation for making an investment in your education. Here’s what you need to know. College Scholarships Available for Adult Students One tip before you read through these opportunities: Fill out the FAFSA ! There’s no age limit to receive federal financial aid, including Pell Grants, which you don’t have to pay back after graduation. The FAFSA doesn’t just help you get financial aid from yo...