Smart Money Links 4U

Dear Reader, Every week I seek out your tricky money questions — and boy oh boy, did you deliver in 2020. The year brought lots of questions about stimulus checks, unemployment benefits, hardship agreements and pretty much everything COVID-19-related. But just as in 2019 , family money spats, retirement worries and catching up when you’re behind on everything were among the common themes. Thanks for all the great questions in 2020, and please keep them coming in the new year. To ask a question, use this Dear Penny form or email DearPenny@thepennyhoarder.com . (And don’t worry: I’ll always keep your questions anonymous.) Cheers to a safe, healthy, happy and (hopefully) less tricky 2021! -Penny Your 10 Trickiest Questions for Dear Penny in 2020 Here are 10 of the trickiest money questions you asked in 2020. 1. Do I Need My Ex-Husband’s Permission to Get His Social Security? She married at 19 and divorced in her early 30s. As she prepares to retire next year, she’s thinking of...

We sure spent a lot of time in our homes in 2020. And the longer we spent confined within those walls, the more projects we noticed needing to be done. Home projects can be expensive, but we savvy penny hoarders know we can find ways to cut costs. Here are our top nine stories from this year on how to save money on home improvement projects. 1. Maximize Your Space Instead of Getting a Bigger Home It might feel like your home is bursting at the studs, but upgrading to a bigger apartment or adding on a new addition won’t exactly save you money. Get creative and find ways to maximize the space in your home instead. A closet can be converted to a small home office or remote-learning nook. Clearing away clutter can provide more living space. Room dividers are great ways to give household members a little needed privacy. 2. Make Downsizing a Breeze by Minimizing Your Belongings Moving to smaller living quarters is often a great way to save on monthly housing expenses. But when you t...

2020 was a real anomaly, and we definitely felt it in our financial lives. Many people lost work and had to learn to function with less. Some found themselves with a surplus of cash from stimulus checks and reduced spending due to shutdowns. Others used online shopping as a coping mechanism and watched their debt rise along with the number of Amazon boxes stacked in their garage. As we were all collectively thrown into new financial situations, we learned money-management lessons that we’ll take with us for years to come. Here are 11 notable things we learned about budgeting during a pandemic. 1. Adjust to Lean Times With a Bare-Bones Budget After experiencing a loss in income (whether it’s a layoff, furlough or reduction in hours), you’ve got to significantly adjust your spending. Enter: the bare-bones budget . A bare-bones budget prioritizes only your absolute essentials, such as your rent or mortgage, utilities and food. It’s designed to get your spending down to the lowest pos...

The money you spend on groceries may vary from month to month, but food is a necessity that has to be included in the budget. And no one wants to stress about food costs. As the coronavirus pandemic took a toll on the global economy and our individual financial lives, we had to find creative ways to reduce our grocery spending this year while still putting meals on the table each day. Here are our top stories about saving money on food in 2020 — with plenty of advice you can take with you into the new year. 1. The 9 Best Grocery Delivery Services More and more people turned to online shopping to get bread, eggs, milk and more delivered to their doorstep. We broke down the top grocery delivery services — outlining the fees, availability and coupon policies — so you can make a smart choice about where to shop for food without having to leave the house. 2. Here’s Where You Can Pay for Groceries Online With an EBT Card As online grocery shopping grew in popularity in 2020, more ret...

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 . Data breaches that give hackers access to our personal information happen all too often. The more we depend on digital passwords, the more Bad Guys want to steal them. Millions of people end up changing their passwords, disputing fraudulent charges and arguing with the IRS every year due to identity theft. And while data breaches are down in 2020, identity theft through other methods is up. There are scams happening around stimulus checks, Amazon and Apple purchases and fake IRS calls. A report from Wallethub found that Floridians are the most likely to be targeted for identity theft and fraud, while people in Wyoming are the least. But we’re all at risk of getting a scam call, so it’s important to be vigilant and protect yourself. How to Protect Yourself From Identity Theft and Fraud When someone steals ...

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 . Investing is a super important part of your financial health, since it can help you grow your money significantly more than the average savings account. It’s literally what makes it possible for normal people to retire with a million dollars. But for the average person, learning how to invest can be overwhelming. We all know we should be contributing to our 401(k)-type retirement accounts (yes, that’s investing!), but what else can you do to grow your money? There are so many different options that it can feel like we’re gambling. And to some extent, it is a gamble. Investing comes with varying levels of risk; it just depends on how much you’re willing to lose. So we rounded up some of the most fun-sounding investments that can be too high risk, plus one safe — but consistently rewarding — option for you t...

Delivery jobs are no longer limited to the Post Office and the boxy Pullman Brown trucks of UPS. Thousands of delivery gigs, which stem from a plethora of on-demand delivery apps, are available nationwide. Delivery services have been booming during the pandemic, creating a surge in demand for delivery workers. The vast majority of delivery app jobs are categorized as 1099, which means the workers are independent contractors. Requirements are overall very low. In many cases, all you need to start earning are a valid driver’s license and a functioning car with proper auto insurance. But the reality of delivery work is tough. In addition to the work itself, apps glitch, customers stiff on tips and cars deteriorate. Pay can vary based on a number of factors outside of your control. And, depending on location, you may earn less than minimum wage. Despite the downsides, many drivers love the work and find delivery apps a flexible source of extra money in the short-term. Each app works a ...