4 Steps to Boost Your Credit Score Before 2025
Image source: Getty Images In the coming months, the Federal Reserve will likely continue on its path of interest rate cuts. That’s good news, because it could set the stage for cheaper borrowing. But to save money on any type of loan or financing option, you need to have good credit. And if you’re eager […]
Save $100+ on Dining in 2025 With These Costco Gift Card Deals
Image source: Getty Images Sharing a meal while out at a restaurant with friends and family can be fun. But it can quickly become an expensive affair. If you have a limited budget for dining expenses, you may be looking for ways to make dining out more affordable. One way to save on this cost […]
3 Major 401(k) Changes Coming in 2025
The 401(k) is a go-to account for workers to build their retirement savings, and the IRS has just announced updates that could shake things up in 2025. On Nov. 1, the 2025 contribution limits were unveiled — and they are bigger than ever. Plus, there are a few other significant changes on the horizon that […]
3 Signs You Should Avoid Shopping at Amazon at All Costs
Image source: Getty Images While this article covers some of the reasons to stop ordering from Amazon, I feel a confession is in order. The subject only came up because I’m working on this issue myself. My Amazon shopping has become so habitual that I recently decided to dedicate the month of January to making […]
Here’s What Finally Paying Off My Car Did to My Credit Score
Image source: Getty Images I never thought I’d drive a minivan. But in 2014, when I found out I was having twins and already had a toddler underfoot, I realized I needed a vehicle with a third row to fit all of those car seats. I technically had enough money to buy my minivan outright, […]
7 Social Security Changes Retirees Need to Know About in 2025
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changesTurn and face the strangeCh-ch-changesDon’t want to be a richer man— David Bowie David Bowie might not want to be a richer man, but most of us would like to be richer, and annual Social Security-related changes can help, to a modest degree. Here are some important things to know about Social Security changes for […]
3 Reasons to Cancel Your Costco Membership in 2025
Image source: Getty Images I’ve been gobbling Costco rotisserie chicken since I was 10 years old and young enough to demand bananas from Mom. Even so, I’ve gone for prolonged periods sans Costco. It’s an on-and-off affair, one I’m forced to admit is contingent upon convenience and refrigerator size. Even if you’re a Costco fan […]
Why I’ve Stopped Buying These 3 Things From Costco
Image source: Getty Images There are many benefits to having a Costco membership, and saving money on groceries is definitely one of them. By my estimates, I bank hundreds of dollars in the course of a year by purchasing essential grocery items in bulk instead of paying a higher price per ounce or unit at […]
Is Your Credit Score Higher or Lower Than the Average American’s?
Image source: Getty Images Your credit score is a number you may not give much thought to until you’re ready to borrow money, whether in the form of a mortgage, auto loan, or home equity line of credit. But it’s a number you should be paying attention to, since it could dictate whether you qualify […]
Here’s Why Social Security’s 2.5% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2025 Just Became Even More of a Problem
When the Social Security Administration announced in October that benefits would be rising by just 2.5% in the new year, many seniors were disappointed but not particularly shocked. For months, experts had been projecting that 2025’s Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) would land somewhere in that ballpark. So seeing the actual number become official wasn’t […]
