Want a clue on how your auto and homeowners insurance is determined? Any prior claims you have filed in the past 7 years for collision or comprehensive damage on your car or theft, fire, or storm damage to your home are reported to C.L.U.E. – which is the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange. Too many claims on your C.L.U.E. report could even lead to being dropped by your insurance company. Continue reading “Get a C.L.U.E.”
Some couples could benefit from a split strategy in retirement but I don’t mean breaking up with your loved one. The Wall Street Journal‘s MarketWatch blog recently highlighted a split strategy for couples when deciding on the best time to take Social Security benefits. One spouse (the lower income earner) takes benefits as early as possible, which is at age 62. The other spouse would wait until age 70 to take their own benefit but at their full retirement age (66 to 67 – depending on your year of birth) would claim the spousal benefit based on the lower income earning spouse. Continue reading “Should You Split Up With Your Spouse In Retirement?”
I’m lucky to be only a 20 minute drive from the Delaware line, which is known for tax-free shopping all year long. Whenever I need to make a big purchase, I head out of Pennsylvania to avoid the 6% sales tax. If you live in a state that has a high sales tax, you may not have that option. Continue reading “Does Your Summer Include a Sales Tax Holiday?”
As I walked through the airport a few weeks ago, the Travelex Currency Exchange booth caught my eye and gave me a great idea. For a bon voyage for my stepson’s upcoming trip to Austria, I decided to get him some euros for pocket money so I checked out the rates. At the airport, 1 USD=0.6610 EUR but I wondered whether there might be an extra cost for the convenience of travelers getting euros at the airport. Continue reading “Getting the Best Value for Foreign Currency Exchange”
My colleague, Rich, recently returned from a family road trip where he visited eight states from as far west as CO, as far south as NC, and as far north as upstate NY. He and his family went to four Six Flags parks, three beaches, and three tourist sites and still had time for visiting family both immediate and extended. The amazing part: he did all this in 18 days…with 10 children and for less than $400 each! Continue reading “Traveling with Kids – 10 to Be Exact”
As the saying goes, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” This comes from lyrics from a 1925 song by the Waring’s Pennsylvanians, an American band. With July being National Ice Cream month, you don’t even need to scream to get ice cream and in some cases, a cold scoop could even be free! If you are in Portland or New York City, be on the lookout for the Ben & Jerry’s CoreTour scoop truck this week, which is traveling the East and West coasts this summer giving away samples of their core flavors. Continue reading “Would You Scream for Free Ice Cream?”
I’m not warning you away from cereal, but from ChexSystems – a consumer reporting database used by 80% of financial institutions that determines whether you will be able to open a checking or savings account with a bank or credit union. Any past banking issues within the last 5 years can appear on the report, including overdrafts, unsatisfied negative balances, fraudulent check deposits, or suspicious account activity. Unfortunately, low income individuals who are more susceptible to overdrawing their accounts are often barred from the traditional banking system and forced to use high cost check cashing options or pre-paid debit cards. Continue reading “Stay Off the Chex”
Would you like the thrill of gambling without the out-of-pocket cost? Now you can combine the good habits of saving and paying down debt with the ability to win entries to prizes from SaveUp.com ranging from gift cards to the chance of winning the $2 million jackpot. I learned about this prize-linked savings incentive by reading an article in the July issue of Kiplinger’s and signed up a few weeks ago to check it out. So far, the only thing I have won is a 1 year subscription to Prevention Magazine, but it is fun and motivating to earn credits to play online card games to win prizes like a $5,000 savings deposit or your bills paid for a year. Credits can also be used towards entries to the $2 million drawing, called the SaveUp Super Jackpot. (Pick 6 numbers and the next jackpot numbers will be announced on August 1.) Continue reading “Here’s a $2 Million Jackpot Worth Playing For”
What is the risk to losing your most valuable resource – your ability to earn an income? That’s what the Personal Disability Quotient (PDQ) calculates based on your own chance of becoming sick or injured for an extended period of time and missing work (and your paycheck). The PDQ calculator, sponsored by the Council for Disability Awareness (CDA), only took me a minute to complete and mine came up with a PDQ of 18%. That means I have an 18% chance of becoming sick or injured and not being able to work for at least 3 months. What was really scary to me is if I did become disabled for more than 3 months, there is a 43% chance that I’d be out of work for over 5 years, with the estimated average of 86 months for a long-term disability for someone like me. Continue reading “What’s Your PDQ?”
With summer now here, is a road trip part of your vacation plans? AAA predicts almost 9 in 10 travelers will be driving to their destinations to kick off the summer driving season so don’t get caught on the side of the road as they pass you by. Adding insult to injury is the cost of roadside assistance, towing, car repair, a rental car, and possibly even lodging while your car is in the shop far away from home. Minimize the risk of a roadside breakdown by following these 5 tips: Continue reading “5 Tips Before Your Road Trip”
1979 – Happy Days was a popular TV show, disco clothes were in, and a top tune was Y.M.C.A. by the Village People. My husband recently relived all these memories at his 35th high school reunion for the Class of ’79. I got dragged along, but at least the classic rock and disco tunes were fun to listen to. Continue reading “Those Were the Days”
As much as I try, it is hard to avoid hearing or reading about the extravagant nuptials of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. the Kimye couple reportedly spent a cool $12 million on their Italian wedding. While this trend-setting couple had the cash to spend on a gorgeous Florence location and $500,000 JUST on her dress, most of us have a smaller budget. With summer as the most popular season for weddings, let’s talk about weddings and financing them. Continue reading “Kimye Coupling Do’s and Don’ts”
Are you a frugal boater? That may sound like an oxymoron since boating is a very expensive hobby. But if boating is in your blood, here are three ways to save money and still enjoy a nice day out on the water this summer. Continue reading “3 Tips to Be a Frugal Boater”
This Thursday is 529 College Savings Day, a day to raise awareness about the value of planning ahead for college expenses with 529 plans. The general theme is: Don’t panic, plan. Any amount saved in advance can lower amounts that may need to be borrowed for college, trade or technical school down the road. Continue reading “Celebrate 529 Day this Thursday, 5/29”
Have you ever cheated or lied to your spouse or significant other regarding a financial matter? Amazingly, 1/3rd of adults who combine their finances with a partner admit to committing financial infidelity, according to the June edition of Kiplinger’s Magazine. The article highlights a recent survey that found that of those who reported a financial deception, 3 in ten had hid cash, a purchase, a bill, or even a bank account from their significant other, while 13% reported more significant lies such as how much they earned or how much they owed. Continue reading “Are You Committing Financial Infidelity?”
I recently spoke to a young woman on the phone who was in tears due to a loan she had taken out to help bail out her (then) boyfriend from almost getting his pickup truck repo’ed. The couple had seen a late night commercial on tv for CashCall, promising quick cash for any need. Of course, the boyfriend convinced her to put the loan in her name since she had better credit than he did. Can you just imagine where this story is going? Continue reading “Don’t Make the Cash Call!”
My kitchen stove needed replacing last weekend, so I headed to my favorite home improvement store, Home Depot, to pick out a new smoothtop electric stove. This gave me the opportunity to upgrade from the basic builder’s white model to a stainless steel version, but of course that set me back several hundred dollars. “No worries,” said the sales rep, “you can take advantage of our 6 months deferred financing deal being offered!” Continue reading “Is Deferred Financing a Deal or a Dud?”
For my grandson’s upcoming first birthday, I mentioned to my daughter-in-law that we might invest in a Pennsylvania 529 college savings plan as our gift. She was a bit concerned since my stepson and his family are Maryland residents, not Pennsylvanians, and would that mean that he’d have to go to a PA school? The reality is that the 529 funds can be used at any college across the country and even accredited schools abroad so her fear was unfounded. My grandson will have the ability to use the money for any college of his choosing and by opening the PA 529 plan, we get the benefit of up to a $14,000 state income tax deduction and the advantage of Vanguard investment options. Continue reading “Common Myths About 529 Plans”
As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, get out and celebrate spring this weekend without even having to spring for your wallet. The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation are hosting Go Wild for National Park Week April 19 – April 27 and offering free admission this weekend to any of the 133 parks that normally charge an entrance fee. My favorite is Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, just an hour drive for me, where I can learn about the Civil War while enjoying the natural beauty of the Potomac River. It would typically cost $10 per car to enter the park, but this coming weekend the fee is waived. Continue reading “Spring Fever? Go Wild in the Park”
My Nandina shrubs, which had survived a dozen winters since being transplanted from my mother’s garden, were no match for this year’s polar vortex. Supposedly a hardy evergreen in zones 6 to 10, the snow, ice, and extreme cold were just too much. My daffodils haven’t even made an appearance yet, due to the extreme weather in the Northeast. Gardeners in the Western states weren’t spared either, having faced a severe drought followed by torrential rains. Hopefully this year April showers will still bring May flowers. Continue reading “Will April Showers Bring May Flowers?”
