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Back again, new expiration date 7/15/2026. Here’s another megabank bonus to pick up if you haven’t already. Chase Bank has a Total Checking + Savings account promotion offering up to $900 total for new customers that open both a checking and savings account with them along with additional specific requirements. This offer comes around regularly, but right now the bonus amount is higher than the standard amount. I recommend the e-mail option where you get […]
Image source: Unsplash.com A garden without labels turns into a guessing game fast, and not the fun kind. One week, everything looks neat and organized, and the next, mystery plants start popping up like uninvited guests at a party. Names blur, markers fade, and suddenly basil and mint play identity swap with impressive confidence. A good plant label doesn’t just sit there looking cute; it needs to survive rain, sun, wind, and the occasional curious […]
Not all frugal advice is created equal. For every genuinely useful money-saving tip, there’s another piece of advice floating around that sounds reasonable on the surface but can actually cost you more in the long run or just doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. Here are ten of the worst pieces of frugal advice people have actually received (yes, these are real and yes, you should ignore them) Rent Your Furniture Rent-A-Center and similar rent-to-own furniture stores are often recommended to people who don’t have money saved to buy outright. The pitch is that the payments are cheaper and more manageable. In reality, rent-to-own arrangements almost always end up costing significantly more than the item’s retail price over time. It might feel like a solution in the short term, but it’s one of the more expensive ways to furnish a home. Don’t Work Overtime — It’ll Push You Into a Higher Tax Bracket This one is remarkably common and remarkably wrong. The concern is that earning more through overtime will push you into the next tax bracket and leave you with less to take home. That’s not how tax brackets work. In the U.S., tax brackets are marginal, meaning only the income above a threshold is taxed at the higher rate, not all of your income. Working overtime will always result in more money in your pocket, not less. (But working overtime can push you over the benefits “cliff,” so if that is a concern, then you should definitely make sure you make the right choice when it comes to benefits.) Never Throw Anything Out — You Might Use It One Day Holding onto everything “just in case” sounds frugal in theory, but in practice, it creates a different kind of problem. Homes fill up with items that never get used, and when something is actually needed, it often can’t be found in the clutter, so a new one gets purchased anyway. The result is two identical items, neither of which can be located. A more practical approach: sell the things you don’t need and get cash for your clutter. Buy a New Car This one comes up in two different forms and both are worth addressing. The first is social pressure: friends or family insisting you should upgrade from an older car simply because you can afford to. The second, somehow worse, is the claim that buying a brand-new car is “the best investment one can make.” A new car depreciates the moment it leaves the lot. An older car that requires only basic maintenance, meanwhile, can run reliably for years at a fraction of the cost. New luxury vehicles, as many owners find out, come with their own expensive and frequent service visits. Cars are not an investment. Investments make you money and get more valuable over time. Cars do neither. Don’t Buy Secondhand The idea that secondhand shopping is only for people who have no other option is both outdated and inaccurate. Thrift stores and secondhand shops are
Image source: Pexels.com A garden may appear to be perfect on the surface and still fail spectacularly underneath. That rich, dark soil might promise thriving plants, but if water lingers too long or disappears too fast, roots will struggle, rot, or dry out before they ever get established. Soil drainage decides whether a garden becomes a lush paradise or a frustrating experiment in disappointment. Anyone serious about planting needs to understand what happens below the […]
Image source: Shutterstock.com A garden can look flawless one evening and completely ravaged by morning. Leaves that looked lush and healthy suddenly wear jagged holes, and tender seedlings vanish like they never existed. That kind of overnight destruction doesn’t happen by accident, and it doesn’t happen randomly either. Slugs don’t wander aimlessly through a garden. They make calculated choices based on scent, texture, moisture, and nutritional payoff, and those choices explain exactly why certain plants […]
With the rise in food costs, finding cheap, healthy snacks can be a struggle, but no less important. Having healthy snacks on hand can help you keep your food budget down and give you an extra boost of energy throughout the day. Still, coming up with ideas for healthy, affordable snacks can be time-consuming. Here are 28 cheap and healthy snacks to get you through the day. 1. Greek Yogurt Greek yogurt is a protein-rich dairy product that comes in a variety of flavors. At 20 grams of protein per 7 oz serving, this quick, nutritious snack is an excellent source of protein, and it pairs nicely with a serving of fruit or granola! 2. Hard Boiled Eggs Hard-boiled eggs are a cheap, healthy, nutrient-dense snack. You can prep these and have them ready to go in your fridge, making them a great option to take to the office or school. 3. Banana Bananas are very versatile and very inexpensive. You can throw them into a smoothie, serve it sliced on toast with peanut butter, dip them in dark chocolate, and freeze. 4. Watermelon Fresh fruit is always an excellent, healthy snack idea. And watermelon isn’t just a sweet and juicy treat; it’s packed with nutrients and not super expensive. You can slice it and serve it or throw it into a smoothie! 5. Apples Apples are an incredibly nutritious fruit that offers multiple health benefits. They’re rich in fiber and antioxidants. Apples are great on their own or paired with nut butter or cheese. 6. Grapes Grapes are rich in several powerful antioxidants and are an easy, cheap snack. You can eat grapes either on their own or pair them with cheese for an extra bit of protein for a more filling snack. 7. Toast A loaf of bread is inexpensive, and you can add your own twist with toppings like avocado, cream cheese, nut butter, seed butter & banana. There are so many delicious combinations available. 8. Nuts Almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts are all loaded with healthy fats and protein to help keep you full between meals. They’re also shelf-stable, making them an excellent choice for snacks to take to work or school. 9. Cheese Cheese is a protein-packed snack. You can grab a quick on-the-go string cheese, roll-up cheese, and sandwich meat together or have it with a piece of fruit. 10. Muffins Muffins are a sweet snack that is perfect for on-the-go. There are many recipe variations: banana muffins, chocolate chip muffins, and cinnamon muffins. There is something for everyone. Plus, you can make these ahead and freeze them until you are ready for a quick breakfast or snack on the go. 11. Cottage Cheese Cottage cheese is inexpensive and is a low-fat, protein snack. It’s an excellent high-protein snack to incorporate with fresh fruit, or can be enjoyed on its own. 12. Oatmeal Oatmeal is a filling, fiber-rich snack. Grabbing the instant oatmeal packets is great for shortening this snack into perfect portion sizes. 13.
The people who seem to have the most financial breathing room aren’t usually the ones making the most money. They’re the ones who have quietly stopped doing the things that drain a budget without anyone noticing. No dramatic gestures, no deprivation. Just a set of habits that compound over time into real financial stability. Some […] The post 18 things frugal people never do appeared first on Wealthysinglemommy.com.
Listen, food costs a lot of money. Groceries can take up a significant portion of your budget each month. But if you are careful about what you buy, you can actually find some pretty healthy, cheap food that will keep you full. Here are some great ideas for cheap foods to buy when you’re on a budget! Want to start meal planning? It’s easier than you think! Grab this free meal planner and shopping list and get your food budget under control! Please note: prices in this article are for illustrative purposes only and may not be accurate. Wholesome Cheap Food for Budget-Conscious Shoppers 1. Bananas Bananas should always be on your shopping list because they’re a great bargain. They usually cost around 58 cents per pound and are packed with essential nutrients like vitamin C, manganese, vitamin B6, and potassium. Additionally, bananas are a good source of quick energy and are relatively easy to incorporate into meals and snacks. You can upgrade a bowl of oatmeal with a few slices of banana. 2. Beans Another cheap food to add to your shopping list is beans. There are many bean varieties, each with its own nutritional value. Try dry or canned beans – they are usually the cheapest. The best thing about beans is that you don’t need cooking skills to include them in your daily meals. There are tons of simple recipes on the internet that feature beans. Experts say beans are a good source of essential nutrients and suggest we consume them every day. They contain protein, fiber, and other nutrients necessary to keep our gut healthy and fortify our immune system. For 60 to 70 cents per can, you’re surely getting more than your money’s worth. 3. Yogurt Yogurt is another hit with bargain shoppers since you can buy huge cups relatively cheaply. You’ll need to pay more for premium yogurt, but you can get standard yogurt for as little as $1 per 6 ounces. For a tasty breakfast snack, combine plain yogurt with frozen berries, oats, and cereal. You can substitute yogurt with other cheap alternatives if you’re allergic to it. 4. Canned Tuna or Salmon Lately, the prices of fresh tuna and salmon have been unstable. If you’re craving seafood but have a tight budget, switch to canned tuna or salmon to satiate your palate. Canned tuna is a cheaper alternative to fresh tuna, yet is still healthy and nutritious. It is a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients that can aid people suffering from metabolic syndrome. You will never run out of meal ideas for canned tuna. You can use it in sandwiches, noodle casseroles, tuna melts, and many more dishes. 5. Chicken Chicken is a good source of protein, and you’ll save more if you buy a whole chicken. You can buy a whole chicken for $5.61, equivalent to about $1.06 per pound of bone-in chicken. Buying a whole chicken is also best if you are feeding a big family,
Planning for healthcare in retirement is difficult because there is no clear answer. You are preparing for something that may never happen, could last a short time, or could become a significant expense later in life. That uncertainty is what makes long-term care difficult to plan for. It is not just about cost, but also timing, duration, and how those expenses interact with the rest of your retirement plan. What Long-Term Care Insurance is Trying to Solve Long-term […]
The Short Version: Real estate spreads vs. corporate credit are back to 20-year historical norms after 20-25% repricing from 2021 peak 2021 pricing was the anomaly (free money, 3% rates, ZIRP), not 2026 pricing meaning current valuations are normal Institutional investors (Morgan Stanley, Apollo) are actively deploying into multifamily, senior living, and industrial “Waiting for rates to drop” misses the point… entry pricing matters more than interest rates, and today’s pricing is the opportunity CNBC dropped an interesting piece this week. Family offices… the private investment firms that manage money for ultra-wealthy families… are “snapping up domestic real estate” while other investors sit on the sidelines. This caught my attention because family offices don’t chase trends. They don’t panic buy. They have teams of analysts, decades of experience, and time horizons that stretch 20 or 30 years. When they move aggressively into an asset class, it’s worth asking why. And right now, they’re moving into real estate while most retail investors are frozen, waiting for rates to drop or the economy to stabilize or some signal that it’s “safe” to invest again. What Family Offices Are Actually Doing Declaration Partners just closed their second real estate fund at $303 million. They signed a $50.1 million master lease for three storefronts in SoHo, New York… properties where the current tenants are paying below-market rents. The lease spans 25 years with an option to extend to 2091. That’s not a flip. That’s a generational hold. Elle Family Office is buying distressed office buildings in Atlanta. Chaz Lazarian, who runs it, acquired the former Home Depot headquarters building and its debt for about $21 million… roughly 18 cents on the dollar compared to what the previous private equity owner paid in 2019. (Eighteen cents. Let that sink in for a second.) These aren’t lottery tickets. These are calculated bets by people who’ve seen multiple cycles and know what distress looks like from the inside. Why They Can Move When Others Can’t Here’s the part that matters for the rest of us. One of the investors CNBC quoted explained the gap between family offices and institutional funds: “A lot of institutional funds look at opportunities like that and say, ‘If I can’t execute a business plan in a year and a half or two years or three years, that’s not quick enough.’ It required somebody who had the longer-term perspective to say, ‘I’m willing to hold longer term to wait out the expirations of those leases.’” That’s the whole game right there. Institutional funds have mandates, quarterly reports and impatient LPs who want returns on a schedule. When the math doesn’t work in an 18-month window, they pass. Family offices don’t have that constraint. They can buy an asset that looks ugly today because they’re underwriting it over a 10 or 15-year horizon… and over that timeframe, the math looks very different. Most individual investors also don’t have 18-month mandates. We don’t have quarterly reports
For years, the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement has been framed around one big, seductive idea: escaping the daily grind. “Retire from the 9-to-5.” “Retire from the soul-crushing meetings.” “Retire from the boss who doesn’t get it.” It’s easy to see why this “retire from” mindset catches fire. Work can feel exhausting, repetitive, or misaligned with our deeper values. Saving aggressively and investing wisely becomes a heroic battle against the clock—an escape plan from […]
Over the past 19 years of being a stay-at-home-mom, I’ve gathered quite a few tricks for saving money on groceries. We’ve had times where we needed to squeeze every last penny out of our grocery budget and other times when we had a more wiggle room and could even buy organic. I feel like we’veKeep Reading Coupon Tips for Beginners was originally published on WhatMommyDoes.com
Dreaming of your next adventure but worried about breaking the bank? Discover exactly where to travel on budget with our curated list of the 17 Best Places Where to Travel on Budget Now. Traveling doesn’t…