Image Source: Shutterstock Many seniors are learning the hard way that their older home warranties no longer cover certain winter repairs they once relied on. Retirees who have held the same warranty for years say they were shocked when claims were denied this season. Winter is a time when furnaces fail, pipes freeze, and appliances work overtime, making coverage more important than ever. Unfortunately, many warranty companies have quietly updated their terms, leaving seniors with […]

If you’re trying to figure out where to buy Ulta gift cards, I assume there is no Ulta Beauty store near you. That’s fine, a lot of other stores sell Ulta gift cards, including some of the major retailers we all know and shop from. There are also some retailers that surprisingly don’t sell Ulta… Continue… The post Where to Buy Ulta Gift Cards: 10+ Stores (& #1 Place to Avoid!) appeared first on MoneyPantry.com.

When the holidays end, many people are left with tighter finances and lingering stress. Recovering financially isn’t about shame or extreme rules. It’s about steady, realistic adjustments that support real life. The post Recovering Financially After the Holidays appeared first on The Budget Mom.

Image Source: Shutterstock The woman who brought us Hogwarts, Horcruxes, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is one of the most successful authors in history. J.K. Rowling’s net worth is estimated at a staggering £945 million ($1.2 billion), yet she’s famously slipped on and off the billionaire list over the years. Her story is more than just rags-to-riches—it’s a masterclass in how intellectual property can become a global empire. But despite the billions her franchise has generated, Rowling’s personal […]

I enjoy budgeting because I love the peace that it brings. Knowing that our needs are covered and that we are working toward our goals greatly reduces my overall stress. While no one likes expensive budget curve balls, they’re so much less stressful to manage when you’re on top of the day-to-day money management. We had two of these unwelcome expenses come up this month. We’ve known that one of our bathrooms needed some repairs, […]

As I’m thinking about things like the possibility of an early retirement (or not – see my last blog post), it’s gotten me thinking more earnestly about where all of our assets are located and whether we’re adequately diversifying our portfolio. For most of my working life, my investments have been categorized as “aggressive” which can be great for rate of return, but also leaves me open to increased vulnerability from market dips. And with the goal of retiring early (in what….10ish years? 15?) it’s made me think about getting more conservative with our investments. So…I turned to AI. Image credit: Pixabay/Mohamed_hassan Incorporating AI into Financial Planning I asked ChatGPT to tell me a recommended breakdown of what percentages I should be targeting in various savings and investment vehicles. I gave it categories of: retirement account, home equity, high yield savings account (HYSA), taxable brokerage account, and cash/checking account. *I forgot to include my Health Savings Account, which is technically an asset, so that’s not included below* Here’s what it told me and how I matched up: Retirement – AI recommended 50-55%. I’m at 63%.  Home Equity – AI recommended 25-30%. I’m only at 12% HYSA – AI recommended 10-15%. I’m at 19% Taxable Brokerage – AI recommended 10-15%. I’m only at 4% Cash/Checking – AI recommended 1-2%. I’m at 2%. My Thoughts and Reflections I’m going to work from the assumption that AI gave me some pretty good recommended guidelines. It pulls from allllllll the internet, so it’s taking into consideration all kinds of financial experts’ opinions and advice. But that’s definitely an assumption and I’m genuinely curious how others feel about the recommended guidelines. Assuming these are good goals to shoot for, two things really stand out to me. First, I have way less in home equity than is recommended. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot I can do to change that percentage (except potentially purchasing additional real estate….which we’ve talked about in the past but have not made movements on yet). So let’s say that is relatively “fixed” and it is what it is. The second thing to jump out at me is that I am way under-funded in taxable brokerage accounts. This makes sense. I’ve always prioritized retirement funding (especially since I get a company match!) and have had less leftover for brokerage. ChatGPT explained to me that “taxable brokerage is your ‘bridge money’ during early retirement” since most people won’t dip into traditional retirement accounts until age 59.5 due to the possibility of early withdrawal penalties.  Chat also didn’t love that I have 21% of our entire assets in lower-yielding accounts (a checking account + HYSA). That doesn’t bother me too much though. I’m fiscally conservative. And I feel like the market is scary right now. I like the psychological safety of having a good sized cushion extremely liquid and safe from market volatility.   What do you think? Do you agree with the percentage breakdown from AI? What do you think about

It’s the end of the year! And yikes, what a year! 2025 was…a lot. For all of us. Regardless of your politics, regardless of which social media channels you follow, and regardless of which country you live in, I think we can all agree that the more online we were in 2025, the more stressed and anxious we all were. So, I would like to make a bold proposal. With the holidays upon us, let’s […]

12 Essential Solo Travel Moves for Adults Over 50 <img decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25831 size-full" title="Over 50 and Traveling Solo? 12 Smart Tips for Confident Adventures" src="https://www.ourdebtfreefamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/pexels-portrenk-10670515.jpg" alt=" Traveling solo can be incredibly liberating, especially for those over 50 who are eager to explore the world on their own terms. Solo travel offers the chance to rediscover yourself, meet new people, and experience the world in a deeply personal way. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or […]