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Buying fresh fruits and vegetables shouldn’t have to take up half your grocery budget. But if you’ve been paying attention to produce prices lately, you know how quickly things add up. A few apples, a container of strawberries, some lettuce, and a couple of peppers can cost more than you expected. And it’s frustrating when you spend that money only to have some of your produce go bad before you get around to eating it. […]

Houseplants brought indoors for winter can carry hidden pests such as spider mites, aphids, and mealybugs. Inspecting and isolating returning plants for several weeks can help prevent infestations from spreading to your indoor collection. Fuss Sergey/Shutterstock Your houseplants have spent the summer thriving on the patio, growing lush leaves and enjoying the warm sunshine. Now that nighttime temperatures are dropping, you’re ready to bring them indoors before the first frost. You carry your favorite plants […]

You can work out how much Halloween candy you need before you buy a single bag. Count the trick-or-treaters you expect and plan one or two pieces for each. Then buy bulk or store-brand bags in the last week of October, so the candy is still there on Halloween night. Source

Free plants from neighbors can carry invasive jumping worms or their tiny cocoons in the soil around their roots. Inspecting donated plants and choosing clean, bare-root divisions can help reduce the risk of spreading these destructive earthworms. VH-studio/Shutterstock Free plants are one of the best perks of having gardening neighbors. Someone divides their hostas, thins out an overcrowded flower bed, or offers you a few extra perennials, and suddenly you’ve saved $50 or more at […]

I recently had the opportunity to join Christine Benz and Amy Arnott for Morningstar’s The Long View podcast. We discussed my new book and a variety of themes relating to cybersecurity, as well as how to keep ourselves (and our family members) safe as we age. Mike Piper: Scammers Are Getting Smarter. Is Your Financial Security Keeping Up? Other Recommended Reading Final Regulations Clear the Path for Debit/Credit Card Payments to IRS from Martha Waggoner […]

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic lawmakers approved an estimated $14.3 billion in annual tax and fee increases during the 2025-26 legislative session, according to a report from the California Tax Foundation. The changes include a tax on digital software sales, limits on business tax credits and a renewed tax on health plans, with some costs potentially passed on to consumers. Read the rest

By Charles Patterson, WCI Columnist

Christmas has a way of filling the house with stuff nobody asked for. Somewhere between the advent calendars, the themed socks and the matching napkins, a lot of money goes on things that are used once, ignored, or in the bin by Boxing Day. We’ve been cutting back for a while now in a move … Read more

One of the most impactful ideas I have heard came from Christopher Tan of Providend. He said that if you reduce a retirement plan to the irreducible minimum, you must have three things. That was back in 2017, a time when resources were scarce and tools were limited. Not anymore. We live in strange and […] The post Distilling Retirement Plans To The Irreducible Minimum: Turning Dreams Into Reality appeared first on Turtle Investor.

The Canadian Financial Summit kicks off this week. Kyle at the Summit puts it this way – This Virtual Summit will cut through the fog of confusing financial jargon and build the confidence needed to seize control of your personal finances. Each speaker will pull back the curtain on their unique area of expertise.  With their actionable advice and attention-grabbing speaking styles, these experienced Canadian gurus will help take your money game to the next level – […]

I love Christmas – only 67 days left, but honestly, have you seen how much some Christmas decorations cost these days? By the time you’ve bought a few baubles, some lights and a wreath for the front door, you’ve spent a small fortune, especially if you want to update The thing is, you really don’t need to spend loads to make your house look lovely for Christmas. There are so many places to pick up […]

One objective of tax planning is to limit income taxes paid during one’s lifetime.  To my mind, it is exceedingly difficult to present an entire adult lifetime tax arc in a single projection or spreadsheet. This is for many reasons, including the fact that we don’t know the date of death. What I think has […]

Firstly, thank you to everybody who purchased the new book Household Cybersecurity over this last week! If you have any questions about the material, feel free to ask, as you’re probably not the only person with that same question. If you found the book to be helpful, please consider leaving a review on Amazon (or Goodreads), as that’s the best way to help others find the book. Other Recommended Reading 4 Practical Uses of TIPS […]