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Image Source: Shutterstock If you think Medicaid will automatically step in to cover long-term care when you need it, you’re not alone, but that assumption can be dangerously expensive. Ohio’s Medicaid asset test rules will be stricter in how they’re enforced and more important than ever for adults over 50 planning ahead. Many families only find out about these rules after a health crisis, when it’s too late to protect savings or property. The Ohio […]
Image Source: Pexels The grocery run is almost over, and you successfully navigated the aisles while sticking to your list. However, the most dangerous zone for your wallet sits right before the exit doors. Retailers design the checkout lane specifically to break down your financial discipline during those final few minutes. You stand there, tired from shopping, while surrounded by brightly colored items strategically placed at eye level. This highly calculated psychological trap causes shoppers […]
In case you haven’t noticed, prices are still high and show no signs of going down anytime soon. Now more than ever, frugal people are being careful to spend less and make their paychecks go further. Here are 13 things frugal people won’t be spending their money on, and neither should you! Extended Warranties Every once in a while, these work out, but mostly, companies make pure profits on services people almost never use. Plus, you usually know if you have a clunker before the regular warranty runs out. Bottled Water More and more, we’re learning about how plastic waste is clogging waterways, ending up in our oceans, causing pollution, and harming wildlife. America has safe drinking water. Take advantage of it with reusable bottles and containers. New Cars Inflation didn’t spare cars, and while it affected both used and new cars, the sticker prices on most new cars are eye-popping. You get much better value with a later-model used car in good condition, and you avoid the huge loss in value that comes the second you drive a new car off the lot. Brand-Name Foods and Items In the grocery store, you can often buy generic brands that cost less and have the same quality as name brands. The same often applies to clothing, where even if the store doesn’t have its own line, you can still get better value by avoiding the biggest names. Cable Cable has been in decline for some time now, and for good reasons. It’s expensive, customer service is notoriously awful, and there’s so much junk. With streaming and other media content services widely available now, frugal people are cutting the cord, so to speak. Store-Made Coffee Coffee at places like Starbucks is expensive, and it usually isn’t any better than products you can brew yourself. It’s okay to treat yourself once in a while, but frugal people don’t make a habit of sipping away their paychecks with frequent trips to the barista. Fast Fashion Hot fashion trends sweep the nation and then flame out all the time. Don’t chase after these trends. But functional, reasonably priced, good-quality clothing that’s comfortable, looks good, and will last. Impulsive Purchases Buying on impulse is a classic budget-killer, as these purchases tend to be on things that catch our eye but which we don’t actually need. Frugal people avoid this by making lists and sticking to them. The Newest Phone Model Phone manufacturers are infamous for launching the latest, greatest version of a smartphone just a year or two after releasing the last latest, greatest version. Don’t fall for this; use your current phone until it’s obsolete or no longer works well. Books No, this is not an attempt to discourage reading! It’s a reminder that your local library has books you can borrow for free. If you like e-books, find online libraries or services that allow
A durable retirement income plan is not just about generating income. It is about making a series of interconnected decisions that must hold up over decades. It needs to provide reliable cash flow, manage risks such as market volatility and longevity risk, preserve flexibility as circumstances change, and support long-term goals like leaving a legacy. In practice, the difference between a plan that looks good on paper and one that actually holds up often comes down to […]
Stop. I know you read this title and attempted to turn and flee back out the door. I anticipated this and caught you by the back of your shirt. We need to talk about this now. If you’re reading this blog, you’re likely Millennial or Gen Z. They’re the largest pie slice of animal lovers—one in three owns a pet. And our attitudes about pets are really intense. Half of us describe loving them more than our own mothers. And all of those pets are doing the absolute worst thing any pet can do: getting old without us. You likely won’t have experience with being solely, directly responsible for managing a living being’s decline and death. So we’re going to explain what’s gonna happen, and give you our very best insights. I promise to make this discussion as brief, honest, and detached as possible. We’ve written maudlin tear-jerkers about pets before, and I swear this won’t be one of those. But this is a subject that’s sadly present for both of us right now. Life’s given us lemons recently; this guide will be the lemonade. We want to give some guidance to the people who will one day face the same challenge, so they can feel prepared. All of this advice comes straight from our hearts. At the end, there’s a handy checklist for your convenience. If you do everything on it, you’ll be as ready as you can be for the end of your pet’s life. Many of them are actions you can start taking long before your pet gets grey around the muzzle, so don’t put off reading it. This article was originally written when Jess and I were both navigating the end of a pet’s life. Life simultaneously gave us lemons; this guide was the lemonade we offered to you! Because this has remained one of our most shared articles of all time, we’ve decided to present it again in both audio and video formats, to make it as accessible as possible. It has been lightly expanded since its original publication, integrating some great comments and feedback we got from readers, including both pet owners and veterinary professionals. [embed]https://youtube.com/watch?v=7Hch8ga9xTk&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent[/embed] Why does this feel so hard? If you read this blog, you’re likely Gen Z or Millennial. They’re the largest pie slice of animal lovers—one in three owns a pet. And our attitudes about pets are really intense. Half of us describe loving them more than our own mothers! And all of those pets are doing the absolute worst thing any pet can do: getting older faster than us. A lot of our readers are too young to have experienced being solely, directly responsible for managing a living being’s decline and
Your budget doesn’t need perfection. It needs consistency that bends when life does. If you’ve ever felt like budgeting only works when everything else in life is calm and predictable—this article is for you. Here’s how to stay grounded in your money plan even in the chaos. The post How to Stay Consistent With Your Budget—Even When Life Gets Messy appeared first on The Budget Mom.
There are a lot of things wealth is good for, but one of the most underrated benefits is being able to buy peace and quiet. As I was sitting in the hot tub with my two children at Everline Resort in Lake Tahoe, I couldn’t help but feel a little frazzled by all the noise. […] The post One Of The Best Benefits Of Wealth: Buying Peace And Quiet appeared first on Financial Samurai.
New data released by the U.S. Department of Education shows that more than 643,000 student loan borrowers are still waiting on applications for repayment plans and loan forgiveness. While this represents an improvement from prior peaks, the backlog remains substantial and highlights persistent administrative challenges. The delays come at a critical moment, as millions of borrowers prepare to transition to new repayment options. Read the rest
If you’ve ever stood at a grocery checkout unsure what you can buy with EBT, you’re not alone. Quick answer MP What… The post Everything You Can Buy With EBT in 2026 (+ 10-Second Trick to Check Any Item!) appeared first on MoneyPantry.com.
Mother’s Day will be here before you know it. If you’re like most people, you probably wait until the last minute trying to figure out what to get. The good news is you don’t need to stress; there are plenty of great gift options out there, whether you’re trying to keep it simple or…
When I was younger, I had a simple budgeting strategy for making decisions. I called it my trifecta theory. If something checked three boxes… Financially smart, Personally beneficial, and Efficient …I was in. If it only checked two? Still good. That was a “duofecta.” At the time, I didn’t think of it as one of my budgeting strategies—but that’s exactly what it was. However, I found it doesn’t work the same now as it did […]
Today we’re going to continue sharing thoughts from the book How to Retire by Christine Benz. It’s a great book and I highly recommend it. And as with the last article, I’ll be giving away a copy of the book at the end of this post. We’ve already covered this book once in the post titled How to Retire. You may want to check that out if you missed it since this post builds on […]
If someone sounds certain about your finances without knowing your situation, that’s your first red flag.