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The letters “IRS” on top of a pile of cash – Shutterstock Sending money overseas suddenly got more expensive, and plenty of Americans have no idea the change even happened. The IRS’s new 1% remittance tax now applies to certain international money transfers, adding another fee to transactions that millions of families already depend on every month. For households sending support to relatives abroad, even a small percentage can snowball into a serious annual expense. […]
Want to live frugally? Need to save some money? Here are some great ways to live frugally that I always recommend people try. These are life-changing, powerful frugal living tips that you really should try. Be Extremely Picky Being extremely picky and scrutinizing potential purchases before buying can save a lot of money. It’s easy to settle for something that’s “close enough” or get swept up by a sale price and convince yourself it’s a good deal. Being more picky means stopping that kind of spending and saving money to buy exactly what you actually want instead. Get Rid of Quick Online Payment Methods Quick payment methods can make you spend unnecessarily. Removing saved payment methods from sites where impulse purchases happen most is a simple but effective fix. Having to physically pull out a card and type in the information is usually enough to talk most people out of it. The 48-Hour Rule Apply a 48-hour rule for any “extra purchases.” Anything that sparks a “I want that” moment should wait at least two days. If it’s still on the mind after that, wait another 24 hours. If the desire is still there after all that, then go ahead and get it. Stop Drinking Alcohol Stop drinking alcohol, and everything in life will be better and more affordable. For those who don’t want to stop completely, a useful guideline is to only drink at home. The markup on drinks at bars and restaurants is significant. Try switching to water when you eat out, and you might just save a lot of money. Look at Every Expenditure in Terms of Time Start looking at everything in terms of time. If you make $20 per hour and want to buy something that costs $100, it’s no longer $100. It’s roughly six and a half hours of your life (factoring in taxes) that you will never get back. That reframe alone changes how you see spending. Some things will still be worth it, having someone clean your car, for instance, while others, like an impulse rug purchase, may not be. Cook at Home Start cooking at home and plan meals around the discounts of the week and what’s on sale. A lot of money gets wasted on takeout and fast food. Cooking at home is almost always the better option unless it’s something very unique. Reserving dining out for special occasions, like birthdays and anniversaries, keeps the experience meaningful and the budget intact. 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! Foster a Pet For anyone who wants the companionship of a pet without the price and vet bills, fostering through an organization that covers all expenses is a smart alternative. Most local shelters have these programs and are always looking for fosters. It’s a way to do some community service while welcoming a furry friend into your life. Get a Cash-Back Credit Card
Old-fashioned frugal living is not about being cheap or missing out on life, but it is about using what you already have in a smarter and more thoughtful way. People in the past did not rely on constant shopping or quick fixes, they learned how to stretch every dollar and penny as far as possible. […]
Disclosure: I am a Live Oak Bank customer and affiliate partner. If you open an account through my link, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. 👉 Open a Live Oak Business Savings Account For a long time, I kept my business savings at a traditional brick-and-mortar bank earning 0.01% APY (Annual Percentage Yield). At the time, I thought I was doing the responsible thing. I had built up a healthy […]
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has dropped his controversial proposal to raise property taxes across the city, marking a major shift in how his administration plans to address New York’s growing budget deficit. The mayor had previously floated a nearly 10% increase in property taxes as leverage to secure more support from Albany. Read the rest
When your pet is in pain and needs medical attention, you want to get them to a veterinarian as soon as possible. You might ask yourself, “Where do I find cheap vets near me?” Here’s a guide for you. Who would want to see their furry friend unable to get treated because of high veterinary costs? If you love your little friend, you must include pet care in your monthly budget or emergency savings to […]
One of the biggest misconceptions about travel rewards is that they’re only for luxury travelers or people flying business class. Sure, I would love to travel business class but it’s pretty difficult to collect points for four people let alone two people in business class. … Read moreHow We Saved Over $15,000 on Our Family Asia Trip Using Points The post How We Saved Over $15,000 on Our Family Asia Trip Using Points appeared first […]
The post How Long Will Your Retirement Savings Last? A Practical Guide to Planning Smarter appeared first on Dividend Power. At some point, everyone asks the same question: how long will my retirement savings last? It’s a simple question with high stakes and no easy answer. With longer life expectancies, rising living costs, and fewer traditional pension plans, retirement today looks very different from what it did a generation ago. The good news? You’re not powerless. With […]
So here’s something you don’t hear every day. A bankrupt airline that most Americans loved to complain about shut down at 3 AM on May 2, 2026, and within hours, a 32-year-old TikTocker had rallied hundreds of millions of dollars in pledges to bring it back from the dead! What in the actual F! This is Wild. Look, I know Spirit Airlines was never exactly the Four Seasons at 35,000 feet. People totally dogged on […]
Learning how to budget and save money can feel confusing in the beginning, especially when you are trying to balance your needs with things you enjoy while also thinking about the future. Many people assume budgeting is about strict rules, but it can actually be a flexible way to understand your money and make better […]
It is easy to talk about tax-efficient retirement planning in theory. The framework makes sense. Spread income over time, use different account types, and avoid pushing yourself into higher brackets than necessary. On paper, it all feels manageable. The challenge is that the tax system retirees face is not smooth or predictable. It is layered, uneven, and full of pressure points where relatively small changes in income can lead to disproportionately large consequences. In practice, this is […]
I’ve mentioned before that I have ADHD. I seem to be managing at least a dozen completely different priorities at any time. Also, I can’t seem to say “No!” to adding new projects. I get bored with the current one, and the new ones are always more exciting. You’re probably thinking, “Cool story, about your brain, bro.” That’s okay, I’m guessing there are a few of you out there who are the same way. Our […]
I’ve been sharing our personal finances online since 2013. For those who haven’t been along for that whole ride, I will let you know that there have been very few times that we have used our emergency fund for anything. Using the emergency fund is the last option. Usually we are able to handle unexpected expenses without touching our emergency fund. In fact, I wrote a whole article about three ways that our budget handles […]