It’s that time of year! Black Friday is on its way, and with it come some mega sales.

This year, when it comes to major appliances, there are some important things to consider before you pounce on those discounts. Ask yourself the following questions before you make this huge investment.

Can I get my free electric stove from the government  yet?

Remember the Inflation Reduction Act? It was the law that issued a whole bunch of money to states for their citizens to make green updates to their homes. One of the clickiest headlines was that the government would buy you an electric stove.

And in some instances, it will. Other home appliances that will be covered by IRA credits include:

• Heat pumps.
• Water heaters that use heat pumps.
• Clothes dryers that use heat pumps.
• It’s not just stoves — also covered are electric ranges, cooktops and ovens.

The credits are applied upfront, which means it reduces your price at checkout. Depending on the item, it can make your purchase 100% free. No waiting until tax time to get your money back. It’s money you don’t have to take out of your wallet in the first place.

But there are a few questions you’ll want to ask yourself first.

Is my state’s HOMES program live yet?

The oven and other appliance credits fall under the HOMES program as defined by the Inflation Reduction Act. In 2024, the first states started implementing these programs. But there’s not many of them that are live.

Some of them that are live are only initially covering a single item, like a heat pump. Most states that have live programs require you to make your purchase through or with the help of a state-approved contractor. So it’s not like you’ll be able to make your purchase online with Black Friday promo codes, though as more states open up their programs there is a potential for that option in the future.

The states that currently have the appliance program (or some abbreviated version of it) live are:

• New York
• Rhode Island
• Georgia
• New Mexico
• Arizona
• Colorado
• Michigan
• Wisconsin
• Maine
• Washington, D.C.
• California

Do you live in South Dakota?

South Dakota  has definitively decided not to participate in the Inflation Reduction Act rebates. So if that’s where you live, there’s no point in waiting to make your purchase. Go ahead and shop those Black Friday sales without hesitation.

Keep reading — we’re getting to the big deals in a minute!

What is your income level?

The appliance rebates only apply if you’re in the right income band.

If you make 80% or less of the median income in your area, these rebates could make your purchase completely free (depending on the initial sticker price.)

Look up your area median income (AMI) here.

If you make 150% or less of the median income in your area, the credit is good for up to 80% of the purchase price.

At least at the federal level. States are allowed to make the income thresholds lower, but they’re not allowed to make them higher.

What this means is that if you make 151% or more of the AMI, there’s no point in waiting for the appliance credits. You’re not going to qualify for them no matter where you live. Depending on your state, the tipping point may be even lower.

Is this a purchase that can wait until next year?

If your oven is broken, you need a new oven. In this economy, you can’t wait until 2025 to start cooking food in your own home again. Shop the Black Friday sales.

But if nothing’s broken and you can wait until next year to make the purchase, it might be worth holding off. We’re expecting a flood of states to open their IRA appliance programs next year.

See where your state is in the process here.

Plus, many of the states that already have their programs in operation will be expanding beyond the pilot phase, which will make the credits easier to access in 2025.

Maytag Black Friday Sales

Alright, so you’ve determined that one of these three scenarios applies to you:

• You live in South Dakota.
• You make 151% of the AMI or more.
• Your appliance is broken broken, and needs to be replaced NOW.

Let’s take a look at some of Maytag’s Black Friday sales to save you some money!

Maytag Black Friday promo codes

There are two promo codes you’ll want to know. The first is BF5. That code will save you 5% off your order through 11:59p EST on November 20, 2024 if you’re buying with a new account. But there is some fine print:

Excludes ground shipped products and express delivery. Only valid for select models. Discount taken off regular or sale price excluding taxes, delivery, install/uninstall and haul-away. Only valid for new orders on maytag.com. Offer subject to change. Promo code sent to new account holder email. No cash value. While supplies last. One-time use only.

The other one is more lucrative if you’re buying multiple appliances. You can use promo code BMSM to save $100 if you’re buying 2 major appliances, or $200 if you’re buying 3+ appliances. Your total basket has to be at least $1,000 for the promo code to apply. And again, it’s good through November 20, 2024 at 11:59p EST. Some more fine print for you:

Excludes ground shipped products and express delivery. Only valid for select models. Discount taken off regular or sale price orders above $1000 excluding taxes, delivery, install/uninstall and haul-away. Only valid for new orders on maytag.com. While supplies last.

Should I wait until closer to Black Friday to purchase?

The 20th is over a week before the real Black Friday, and you can expect Maytag to run some more sales in the time between. With this particular sale, I wouldn’t place too much urgency on things. If you get your order in by the 20th, great. But if you want to wait, I’m not predicting that the actual Black Friday promo codes will be all that different.

Black Friday free shipping

Shipping on major appliances can be EXPENSIVE. That’s why it’s super cool that you can get free shipping on orders of $399+ through November 20, 2024 if you place your order by 11:59p EST. No promo code needed. Here’s the fine print on this offer:

Delivered to a single U.S. address. Availability of delivery, install & haul-away services vary by location see checkout for services available to you. Excludes ground shipped products and express delivery. Dollar threshold based on sale price of in-home delivery products excluding taxes, delivery, install/uninstall, and haul away. Only valid for new orders on maytag.com. Major appliances limited to washers, dryers, refrigerators, ranges, cooktops, wall ovens, microwaves, dishwashers, hoods, ice makers and compactors.

Maytag Black Friday Sales Prices

Then, there are the base sale prices — before any promo codes or other offers are applied. There are some good ones this year! But you will have to keep in mind that these are starting prices. While you’ll see reductions all over Maytag’s site, even with the reduction some items are going to cost a little more.

Here’s what you can expect for starting prices across categories through November 20, 2024 at 11:59p Eastern. I’m putting an asterisk next to the items I’d prioritize now — the rest you might want to wait until the next round of Black Friday sales comes out to potentially save even more depending on the model you’re purchasing:

• Dishwashers as low as $499
• Washers as low as $549*
• Dryers as low as $549*
• Ranges as low as $679*
• Cooktops as low as $799*
• Wall Ovens as low as $1,599
• Refrigerators as low as $719*

Are there other ways to save money?

There sure are! Let’s take a look at two options.

Existing state rebates

Whether or not your state has their IRA rebate program up and running yet, it may have other, pre-existing rebate programs that could help you get some of your money back after you shop the Black Friday sales.

For example, in California you can get anywhere from $250 to $1,000 back when you purchase an electric range or induction oven. The amount depends on which type of oven you’re switching from and where you’re located in the state.

Let’s say you’re in the City of Healdsburg and you’ve got a gas stove. You replace it with a $679 electric range on sale from Maytag. Plus, you purchase with a new account and use the promo code BF5 to get 5% off, bringing the price down to $645.05.

Then, after your purchase, you apply for your rebate with the city. In this case, the rebate is $500. That brings the total price of your oven down to $145.05.

Not bad!

You will want to check with your state or city’s program to ensure the model you’re buying qualifies. But these programs can save you a lot of money if your state’s IRA rebate program isn’t up and running yet — or if you don’t qualify for your state’s IRA rebate program.

Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit

For select items, you can claim the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit on your taxes when you file in the Spring. If you can get the IRA credit, that’s better. The credit amount is larger and it’s applied at checkout.

But if you need to make your purchase now and your state’s IRA program isn’t up and running yet, the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit can still help with some purchases. It can help the most with:

• Heat pumps. Must meet specific CEE standards.
• Heat pump water heaters. Must meet specific CEE standards.
• Biomass stoves or hot water boilers. Thermal efficiency rating of at least 75%.

If you purchase one of these items, you’ll be able to claim a credit worth either 30% of the project price or $2,000 — whichever is less — on your federal tax return.

It’s important to note that this credit doesn’t put money back in your pocket. It can only reduce your tax burden down to $0. But if you’re making the purchase anyways, you might as well claim it!

Some friends and readers have asked me about my workout routine. Before I begin, please note that I’m an amateur. Before you take fitness advice from a nerd on the internet who plays with plastic dinosaurs, consult <insert one or more: your doctor, a personal trainer, other nerds on the internet, YouTube, your favorite plastic […]

The post My Workout Routine (Muscles at 50!?!!) appeared first on 1500 Days to Freedom.

Most people look forward to retirement. Even those who know they’ll be on a limited income look forward to the day when they no longer need to work. However, sometimes what looks like a great thing in the beginning can start to get old after a while.  Sometimes, tight finances weigh on you, and you … Read more

🎙️ Episode #370 – We break down how conventional and DSCR, financing can help you overcome loan caps and credit snags, so you can keep…

The post The Best Ways to Finance & Scale a Rental Portfolio (Even With No Job!) appeared first on Coach Carson.

Greenwashing has become a big problem in sustainable investing. Companies and funds often make false claims about being eco-friendly to attract investors. You need to be careful not to fall for these marketing tricks. Greenwashing happens when businesses exaggerate or lie about their sustainability. Some common signs include vague language, misleading images, or focusing on […]

No matter how smooth the process or how dreamy your new home, moving house ranks up there as one of life’s most stressful experiences, and things can get particularly worrying as moving day approaches. It’s just not that easy when you have so many things that can go wrong, while having to move the entire anchor of your life from one place to another.

Even after someone has made an offer and everything seems to be moving along well, little problems can pop up right at the last minute. Perhaps the person you’re buying the house from needs the signature from an estranged relative to do so, who decides to delay the process and suggests a legal threat if they don’t get a larger slice of the pie. This has nothing to do with you, but can potentially knock over the process of your sale and move.

Usually, most house sales go through without too much drama, especially with good conveyancing solicitors in London handling all the legal elements, yet it’s worth knowing what might crop up at the final hour. In this post, we’ll discuss a few measures that can go wrong, and how to prevent or deal with them:

Getting Your Paperwork Ready Early

If you have all the documents you need in one place, signed, and backed up stored in your cloud drives, you have access to it when you need. Houses come with surprising amounts of paperwork, and so trying to find missing documents at the last minute can feel like losing your passport minutes before you check onto flight. Getting all the certificates, guarantees, and permissions together nice and early, categorized, submitted to your solicitor on request, and ready to go is essential. A simple folder for keeping track of things like boiler service papers and window guarantees can save so much hassle later on, even if you don’t (but only might) need them.

Understanding Your Buyer’s Position

Of course, you can’t read the minds of your buyer or those selling to you. But money matters can change for buyers during the time it takes to sell a house. Their mortgage offer might expire, or their financial situation could shift unexpectedly. Staying in conversation with them is essential then, and hope they’re open about these problems. Estate agents usually keep an eye on these things, but sellers can watch for warning signs too. If a buyer keeps asking for more time or suddenly goes quiet, it might mean there’s a problem brewing or that alternatives may need to be suggested. A broad timeline is that mortgage offers usually last about six months, and if the sale takes longer, buyers might need to sort out a new one.

Get Into The Habit Of Updates

If you offer continual updates to the opposing party’s agent or solicitor, perhaps they’ll do the same for you. It also gives you a chance to ask without seeming like you’re pestering. That can help keep everyone feel more comfortable about how things are progressing. Sales often go more smoothly simply because everyone knows what’s happening, even if there are small delays or hiccups along the way, and if there is an issue you can begin to work on them in advance. In other words, despite the important assets and financial costs being thrown around, selling a house doesn’t have to feel like you’re walking on fragile eggshells.

With this advice, we hope you can avoid being stung by a house buyer at the last moment, or at the very least see that possibility coming.

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Have you ever felt like older folks just don’t get you? You’re not alone. Millennials and Gen Zers often wish boomers would stop saying certain things to them. Let’s explore the top-rated complaints straight from the younger crowd’s mouths.

1. “Don’t believe everything you see on the Internet”

When the twenty-somethings of today were growing up, there was a lot of discourse on the dangers of social media. As online networking was in its early stages, concerned parents assumed that their children were too gullible to be exposed to the Internet without guidance, so they were warned not to take information at face value.

The irony is that, now, youngsters are more likely to fact-check dubious headlines, while those who pegged them as “naive” tend to be susceptible to fake news. Someone shared how exasperated they felt every time an older relative would rely on Facebook as a primary news source.

2. “You kids and your darn phones”

Millennials may be characterized as phone addicts, but they actually have much in common with the older generation calling them out for their frequent phone usage.

In fact, a 40-year-old in the discussion said, “My generation was also always on our phones. It’s just that these phones were attached to the wall, but nonetheless, teenagers used to spend several hours every evening talking with their friends.” Although communication methods have drastically shifted, people have always found it essential to socialize and connect with others—that goes for all age groups.

3. “Back in my time, Things Were so much better”

If you’re someone who loves to reminisce about the “good old days,” you might want to think twice about what society was like back then. Before, social inequality was much more prominent. Certain groups of people were subjected to unfair treatment. It’s also worth noting that life is now easier and more convenient for the average person.

Modern home developments have provided us with comforts like indoor plumbing and insulation, which were not accessible to everyone who grew up in the 1950s. Holding on to precious memories is fine, but these can get clouded by nostalgia.

4. “You need to stop being so sensitive”

It’s evident that the current generation is deeply in touch with their emotional side—but that doesn’t mean things have changed for the worse. Rather, they have learned that it’s okay to show vulnerability.

Also, since it’s commonly accepted to speak up in uncomfortable situations, people have become mindful of respecting personal boundaries.

5. “How come nobody talks anymore?”

Back then, if you wanted to spend time with someone, you would have face-to-face conversations with them.

With the dawn of platforms like Twitter and Instagram, people can stay updated on what their friends are doing without having to meet in person.

6. “So, why aren’t you married?”

Millennials value independence and exploring life in holistic ways. They will deliberately choose self-improvement and growth in other areas (e.g., career goals) instead of rushing into high-stakes responsibilities, like building a family, just to fulfill some arbitrary expectation. 

So, to the worried parents out there, trust that your son or daughter knows what’s best for them; after all, anyone can manifest a loving relationship once they are fully ready for it.

7. “When I was your age, we never”

It may not be apparent on the surface, but young adults and those from previous generations have less of a cultural gap than you may think.

Someone said, “Trends change, but fundamentally teens are the same now as they were back then.”

8. “Just start saving! You’ll be able to buy a house in no time”

In past decades, we have seen financial crises worldwide, causing severe inflation in many industries.

Compared to yesteryears, the difference in housing market prices is outrageous. With all the rising expenses, frugal living is no easy feat.

9. “Why can’t you fix anything yourself?” *5 minutes later* “Can you fix my computer?”

Older people may treat millennials like bumbling fools when it comes to anything requiring a screwdriver, but once their web browser crashes, suddenly, the kids have all the answers.

One person said on behalf of their age group: “We can do plenty. We just have a different skill set!” While parents were replacing car tires and repairing appliances, their children were adapting to the technological advances of the 2010s.

10. “Young people nowadays only want to drink and go to parties”

Grandparents say this as if the current generation has taken an unfavorable turn, but they actually share similarities with today’s adolescents.

Sure, the nightlife scene may look different, but remember the hippie culture of the ’60s and ’70s?

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The 10 Biggest Lies Society Has Been Telling You For Years – Stop Believing It Now

Curious to know the common lies that people believe? I came across an interesting question on the internet: “What lie do people need to stop believing?” the responses were eye-opening.

Here are some of the top-voted ones that might surprise you.

Did You Fall for These 10 Commonly Believed Myths? Science Sets the Record Straight

I recently saw this question online, “What is a popular belief that is scientifically proven wrong?” 

Are you thinking of something you know now? Here are the responses that received the most upvotes.

Source: Reddit

[Editor’s Note: Want to make a huge impact in the lives of your medical school classmates while also earning some free gear? Become a WCI Champion today and be the financial hero your med school colleagues deserve by passing out free copies of The White Coat Investor’s Guide for Students book. If you’re a first-year student (whether you’re an MD, DO, DDS, Pharmacy, NP, PA, or CRNA), sign up here to get started. If you complete the mission, you’ll get a free WCI T-shirt, and if you take a photo of yourself and your classmates with the book, you’ll get even more merch. Register today to become a Champion and help generate millions of dollars for your classmates!]

By Dr. Jim Dahle, WCI Founder

Many a financial advisor will tell you that their new clients have gaping holes in their financial plans. However, that usually isn’t why they come to see the financial advisor. A client often comes in looking for help selecting investments. Investments are sexy. People love to think about having great returns and even more money than they already have. Investing can seem really complex—so complex that one must hire a professional to assist.

However, that is actually one of the largest misconceptions in the financial world (two others are that you get what you pay for in financial services and that the more active managing you do, the better your returns will be). An even bigger problem with a huge focus on a complex portfolio is that it sucks up all of your time and energy. Keeping investing simple will give you the bandwidth to focus on the things that will have a much bigger impact on your financial life.

Ahhh . . . the majesty of simplicity.

10 Biggest Gaps in Financial Plans

Today, let’s go over what people forget. What they ignore. What just doesn’t show up in their financial plan, if they have one at all.

#1 Disability Insurance

It’s amazing how many doctors are still running around without disability insurance. But you know what? Outside of medicine, it’s far worse at 14%. That’s right, only 14% of Americans are covered by a disability insurance policy. Want an even worse statistic? In 2012, it was 31%. No, I have no idea what happened. Fix this gap in your financial plan by purchasing a solid disability insurance policy. Protect your greatest financial asset (your ability to turn your time into money at a high rate).

#2 Life Insurance

Doctors can simultaneously buy too much of the wrong kind of life insurance (whole life because it seems more like an investment) and too little of the right kind of life insurance (term life). It might not be a huge gap in YOUR financial plan, but it sure will be a big part of your survivor’s financial plans!

#3 A Will

The most important function of a will is to designate someone to take care of your kids and their finances in the event of your death. So, you have kids but no will? Seems like kind of a big gap, right? Go get a will.

More information here:

My Financial Plan Calls for Me . . . Being Hung by My Fingernails????

With Our Expanding Family, We’ve Had to Break Our Financial Plan – Twice

#4 Beneficiary Designations

Remember when you opened that IRA, HSA, 401(k), or 529? They asked you to designate some beneficiaries. Guess what? Not everyone did. Or maybe they didn’t change the beneficiaries after getting a divorce or after some other life change. It doesn’t cost anything and it usually doesn’t take very long, but it’s a pretty important part of financial planning.

#5 Your Income

People don’t like talking about their income. The natural consequence of that is that there is a very wide range of incomes for the same or similar jobs. The intraspecialty pay variation dwarfs the average interspecialty pay variation. Knowing what you’re worth and getting it is a big part of financial planning. Better yet, figure out what the top 10% of those in your field are doing to have such a high income and borrow some of their techniques.

#6 Your Budget and Savings Rate

Budgeting seems like a pretty basic part of financial planning, right? You might be surprised how many of your peers, many of whom have a financial planner, can’t tell you what their savings rate is. Of all the numbers to keep track of early in your career, this one has to be near the top. It’s not even hard to calculate. Take all the money you put toward retirement this year and divide it by your gross income. That’s it.

More information here:

How to Write an Investment Policy Statement

#7 Goals

Want to have even less fun than you’ll have budgeting? How about setting goals? This one is apparently so hard and/or so painful that lots of people try to invest without doing it. Seems hard to me. I mean, what’s the point of investing without any sort of a goal? How does anyone even know what to invest in if you don’t know what the money is for or when it might be used?

#8 Credit Card Debt

Sixty-one percent of Americans have credit card debt. Sixty-one percent of Americans report that they own stocks, so presumably, something like 70%+ of Americans are investors. That means that at least 30% of Americans are investing despite having credit card debt. Credit card debt, typically at 15%-30% interest rates, is by far the best guaranteed return investment available to 61% of Americans. Investing in pretty much anything before paying off credit card debt is one of the dumbest things an investor can do.

#9 No Mortgage Plan

Many investment advisors don’t take into account the presence of a mortgage when they give advice. Perhaps the investment portfolio includes a bunch of bonds paying 3% while a 7% mortgage is sitting there. Or the mortgage should have been refinanced years ago. Or the mortgage is actually what is keeping someone from retiring. People always wonder, “What will I do for health insurance if I retire early?” Well, you could always use the money that was going toward the mortgage to pay for it if you had paid off that debt. The point is that a mortgage is a huge piece of most people’s financial lives, and ignoring it in a financial plan is a mistake.

More information here:

Should You Pay Off Debt or Invest?

#10 No Student Loan Plan

It’s really sad that student loan burdens are so high and that the student loan landscape is so complicated that this now must be a major part of the financial plan of many people, especially doctors. After we started StudentLoanAdvice.com, we found that just providing some education and a little help running the numbers saved doctors an average of $190,000 on their student loans. Like managing a mortgage well, managing the costs of education well goes a long way toward a sound financial plan.

Fill these gaps in your financial plan, and you and your finances will be a lot happier.

What do you think? Which of these gaps do you think is most common? Which ones do you still need to fill? Comment below!

The post The Big Holes in Your Financial Plan appeared first on The White Coat Investor – Investing & Personal Finance for Doctors.

TreasuryDirect.gov is the official site for individuals to directly purchase US savings bonds and US Treasury bonds, including new T-Bills and TIPS at auction. But is it still worth the hassle? Back in August 2024, TreasuryDirect sent me the following e-mail when converting my paper bonds to electronic:

Cases are worked in the order they are received in our office. Your request is important to us and will receive attention as soon as possible. Please be aware of our estimated processing times to process your case which are based on the case type:

Cases requesting to cash Series EE and/or Series I paper savings bonds held in your name, at least 4 weeks.
Cases requesting to cash Series HH savings bonds held in your name, at least 3 months.
Unlocking your TreasuryDirect account, updating bank information in that account, or converting your paper savings bonds into electronic bonds in TreasuryDirect, at least 4 weeks.
Claims for missing, lost, or stolen bonds, at least 6 months.
All other cases, at least 20 weeks.
If we require additional information to process your case, we will contact you. Thank you for your patience.

That’s at least a month for some pretty basic stuff like unlocking your account because you forgot what you said was your favorite movie. In October 2024, the WSJ published TreasuryDirect to Bond Buyers: Moving Your Money Could Take a Year regarding long delays transferring Treasury bonds to outside brokerages.

The resulting customer service backlog is straining the Treasury Department’s antiquated system, which can require verified signatures and paper forms sent through the mail. People transferring securities from TreasuryDirect to third-party brokerages face especially long waits because those requests are processed manually, according to people familiar with the matter.

TreasuryDirect tries to complete most of them within six weeks, but can take 12 months, depending on capacity. A notice on the TreasuryDirect website says some customer service requests “may require 12 months or more to process.” The notice had said the longest delays were about six months until the end of July.

Finally, there are multiple posts on the Bogleheads, Early Retirement, and Reddit forums about the difficulties of dealing with TreasuryDirect after the account owner passes away. Here’s one example from a user that was already familiar with the website, knew all the account information, and had the beneficiaries assigned correctly, but still encountered multiple forms, conflicting instructions, and months of delays – Treasury Direct – The Eternal Wait and No Way To Track Transfer:

I’m closing in on 3 months waiting for Treasury Direct to transfer several EE bonds and an I bond that were in my dad’s online Treasury Direct account to my online Treasury Direct account. My dad passed away at the end of December 2022 and I was registered as the beneficiary with POD on all of the bonds.

And the follow-up (emphasis mine):

My dad’s I bonds were transferred to me around the 4-5 month mark.

After that experience, I decided to liquidate all of my TD accounts, and will encourage my husband to do the same. I personally don’t want a repeat of this experience, or make my heirs go through such a lengthy process in resolving my estate.

What I learned from this experience is to not discount how much stress and mental bandwidth it takes to deal with TD when you’re also grieving the loss of a family member, and trying to settle the estate so you can move on financially.

Another similar estate horror story here.

Takeaway #1: Expect and prepare for slow service. It’s very clear that TreasuryDirect is an underfunded government program with very limited resources. Even most mega banks no longer cash in old paper savings bonds, so that has increased their workload as well. Any time there is a surge in demand, either due to relatively attractive rates on savings bonds or Treasury bills, they are going to get backed up. If you happen to lock yourself out of your account during one of these times, it may take months to fix it! Be very careful before you close that old bank account linked through TreasuryDirect. Use a reliable password manager, and be sure to add your answers to questions like “Who is your favorite child?”. Be sure to note your account information in multiple documents, in case someone needs to find it.

Takeaway #2: Never use TreasuryDirect for anything besides US savings bonds. TreasuryDirect.gov is the only place where you can purchase US savings bonds, but it is not the only place you can buy individual Treasury bonds and TIPS. Just open an account with a broker with better resources and a bond desk like Fidelity, Schwab, or Vanguard and go through them.

Takeaway #3: Consider your heirs and simplifying your accounts as you age. In my opinion, I would also avoid TreasuryDirect if you are older and you don’t want to burden your estate executors with dealing with TreasuryDirect. You can save them several months and many hours of calls and paperwork by liquidating your assets and consolidating them elsewhere. TreasuryDirect will likely take the longest to resolve out of all of your financial accounts.

Personally, I continue to gradually liquidate the savings bonds in my TreasuryDirect account and buying individual TIPS in an outside brokerage account instead. I will have to pay some taxes on the deferred interest, but since I am getting a 1% to 2% higher fixed rate via TIPS in many cases, it’s not that bad. I also worry that my survivors might completely overlook this account if something unexpected happens (there are no mailed paper statements, or even monthly e-mails of online statements.) I’d like to minimize any unnecessary headaches and consider this part of my overall portfolio simplification process.

If I was younger and still grinding for every small edge, I would probably still accept these shortcomings for the right interest rate and tax deferral properties, but nowadays the calculations are different.

Image source: Sitejabber

What? Thanksgiving already? If the holidays snuck up on you and you need a side gig to pay the bills, consider holiday hustles you can start tomorrow. These are gigs that people just like you (and me) would like someone else to do for them — right now.

“This is the season when money is flowing and people are willing to pay for help,” says Christine Schaub, author of Queen of the Side Hustle. That makes this the perfect time to ply a service-oriented side hustle, she adds.

What can you do?

Holiday hustles you can start tomorrow

If you want to come up with a full list of holiday hustles you could start tomorrow, just think about all the things you need to get done between now and Christmas, Schaub suggests.

Choose, order and address holiday cards? Hang lights? Wrap presents? Buy presents? Find someone to watch the kids for your office holiday party? Find someone to watch the dog for your trip to grandma’s house? Get someone to make the food for your holiday meal? Decorate your house? Clean your house? The list seems endless.

And, yet everyone reading this has some skill that could make doing at least one of those jobs simple, she adds. Why not market yourself as the go-to problem solver for the one item on this list that you don’t mind doing?

Social sites to get the word out

But how do you get the word out that you’re ready, willing and able to solve holiday headaches? That depends on what you want to do. With many holiday hustles, spreading the word is as easy as composing a social media post.

Both Nextdoor and Facebook are great places to announce things like: “I make holiday cookies. $20 per dozen.” Snap a photo. And, Voila, your baking business has launched!

This is also the perfect approach for people who make charcuterie trays and wrap gifts. Both sites allow users to post photos and personal messages without paying a dime for marketing. However, if you want your post to reach a larger audience, both also allow you to boost your message with advertising.

You might also use this approach to launch your light-hanging, house decorating, babysitting or dog-watching service, too. However, you can also use other online platforms to advertise these services.

Taskrabbit

If you want to clean, decorate houses, wrap packages, assemble gifts, provide personal shopping or personal assisting services, you can also advertise your availability on Taskrabbit. Taskrabbit is a highly-reviewed national marketplace for all types of in-person services, from painting and appliance repair to cleaning and running errands.

Those who want to offer a service through this site, simply sign up and create a profile that talks about their experience and the services they offer. Workers set their own rates and availability. And there is no cost to publish a profile or find work here. Taskrabbit adds a fee to your rate to pay the site’s expenses.

When a client wants a particular service, they’ll plug in what they need and their location. The site returns with a listing of freelancers who could provide that service. The profile listings say what each freelancer charges, how many similar projects they’ve accepted, their customer ratings, and, sometimes, photos of their work. (Photos are a great idea for those just getting started on the platform. It gives potential customers some assurance that you do good work, when you haven’t yet built up a lot of reviews to back that up.)

Typical rates for cleaning and decorating services range from $30 to $70 per hour. Personal shoppers and assistants typically charge $20 – $50 per hour.

Rover

Want to provide dog-sitting services? Create a profile on Rover. Like Taskrabbit, Rover encourages freelance pet-sitters, dog-walkers, groomers and house-sitters to sign up and post a profile stipulating what they do and what they charge. You’re invited to post copious photos of you and the pets you’ve cared for, too. There’s no cost to get started, but site charges a commission on your earnings to pay for marketing and collecting payments from your clients.

Notably, overnight pet-sitting rates typically range from $25 to $50 per animal, per night. But Rover also allows pet sitters to publish holiday rates. So, if you want to earn extra money for watching people’s animals on Christmas day or when the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, you can set your own premium prices for those high-demand dates.

Bambino and Care

Willing to watch kids while their parents attend holiday parties or go out for New Year’s Eve? You can advertise your willingness to babysit on social media sites like Facebook and Nextdoor. However, parents who want a vetted caregiver are more likely to search on sites where their babysitters are known to their friends and family — or have been background-checked by a site.

Two sites are worth mentioning for potential babysitters — Bambino and Care. Bambino charges nothing to sitters to sign up and create a profile. Sitters are expected to connect their social media accounts to give parents the ability to find sitters used by friends and friends of friends. When a parent books a sitter through this app, they pay the site a $5 sitter fee at the end of each sit.

Care is an all-purpose caregiving site, which enlists babysitters, pet-sitters, and people who work with older and disabled individuals, to sign up and post profiles. Signing up and creating a profile is free. However, if you want to communicate with potential clients, you’ll need to pay for a membership. Memberships for caregivers are relatively inexpensive — $9 a month or $24 for six months. However, clients also pay a membership fee that’s a bit steeper. So, this site isn’t your best choice if you only want occasional babysitting work. The site is best for those who want regular caregiving gigs.

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