Personal Money Management Tips and Advice

Category: Money Management

a couple holding cell phones

Why I'm Changing Wireless Providers (Again)

Four years ago, I wrote a post sharing how I was saving money thanks to moving to T-Mobile (from AT&T) at the time. Well, now my wife and I have once again changed wireless providers. This time, we've landed at Verizon. But why? Well, let me explain how this came to be, how we'll be saving, and what I'll miss about being a T-Mobile customer. Why We've Switched from T-Mobile...
holding a magnifying glass to a rental contract

A Practical Renters Guide From a Lifelong Renter

For those of us who can’t afford to buy a home, just don’t want to buy a home, or who enjoy the freedom to move around as we please, renting can be a great option. According to Census Bureau data, 35% of U.S. households rent — including 61.5% of those living in apartments and 26.7% of those in houses.  This means that, for a huge portion of Americans, renting is...
man holding head starring at a laptop computer

My Biggest Personal Finance Flaw

Last month (actually just a couple of weeks ago) marked seven years since I started writing about personal finance. Over that time, a lot has changed for me personally, professionally, and — most relevant to this writing — financially. Namely, the more time I've spent covering money topics and apps, the greater understanding I've gained of financial topics while also discovering helpful tools. Thus, it's easy to say that I'm...
woman using the Aura app

Aura Review: Personal Finance, Privacy, & Online Protection Tools

A few months back, I got an Amex Offer for a service called Aura — so, naturally, I decided to check it out. Funny enough, not long after joining, I went through a period where it seemed as though all my favorite YouTubers were doing sponsorships for the platform. This leads me to believe that more people are probably wondering exactly what Aura has to offer. With that in mind,...
money with a red heart sitting on top

Should You Accept an Early Inheritance? What to Consider

In his book Die With Zero, one of the topics Bill Perkins explores is the idea of giving early inheritance. As he notes, giving your children funds when they're in their 20s or 30s may make more sense than making them wait until their in their 50s or 60s. After all, during those youthful years, they may want the money to buy a house, allow compound interest to work its...
minimalist living room

5 Biggest Barriers to Living a More Minimalistic Lifestyle

Over the past few years, my wife and I have strived to live a more minimalistic lifestyle. By this I mean that, while you'd be hard-pressed to call us "minimalists," we have adopted some of the principles and have worked to downsize in certain areas. And while we still have plenty of stuff that could be deemed unnecessary, we have managed to keep things much tidier than we did previously....
2023 Toyota Sienna

What's the Car-Buying Process Like in 2023?

When my wife and I purchased our most recent car in 2019, we opted for a "more modern" solution by buying online and retrieving our new (used) vehicle from a vending machine. Despite such platforms growing in popularity, believe it or not, there is still the old fashioned way: visiting a dealership. That's exactly what we did this week as we accompanied my mother-in-law on a test drive and, to...
money, diploma, and graduation cap

Do I Really Need a College Degree?

Looking back on my life so far, there are, of course, a few regrets I could name. Among the top things that I wish I did differently would be taking better care of my teeth and not having my dad get me a condo in Phoenix right before 1) the market sank and 2) I decided to move to California. In addition to that, I've often wondered how things might...
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A Guide to Building Credit and Increasing Your Credit Scores

When it comes to credit, there’s some good news. The average credit score in the United States has been steadily rising in recent years, coming in at 715 in 2023. That may be because, today, consumers not only have more ways to access their credit reports and scores than ever before but also because there are an increasing number of options that Americans have for building credit in the first...

2024 SoFi Checking and Savings Review

Ever since I started taking an interest in the FinTech sector, one company whose name I’ve seen pop up over and over again is SoFi. Lately it seems as though that theme has been sent into overdrive as the company has not only become a household name thanks to its stadium naming rights deal but also because of the company’s continued product expansions. The most interesting development in my mind...
Chase Freedom Flex card

Chase Reveals Q2 2024 Freedom 5%(+) Bonus Categories

Chase has announced its bonus category picks for the second quarter of 2024 — including some interesting twists. About the categories: As April approaches, Chase has revealed what categories Freedom and Freedom Flex cardholders can earn bonuses on. From April 1st through June 30th, customers can earn 5% (or more) in three categories: Amazon.com, Hotels, and Restaurants. Similar to how Chase embraced a "New Year, New Me" theme last quarter,...

FedEx Announces Winners of 11th Annual 2023 Small Business Grant Contest

Nearly three months after the entry period ended, FedEx has announced the winners of its 11th annual Small Business Grant Content. This year's event saw more than $300,000 in funds going to a variety of small businesses across the nation. Last month, the company revealed 100 finalists, with that list now being narrowed down to just 10 winners. This year's grand prize winners included KindVR, The Cupcake Collection, Up In...
H-E-B and Central Market  credit cards

Imprint Launches Credit Cards from H-E-B and Central Market 

The FinTech Imprint is partnering with the popular Texas-based grocery chain H-E-B for a pair of new rewards credit cards. This week saw the launch of the H-E-B Visa Signature Credit Card as well as the Central Market Visa Signature Credit Card. With these two (nearly identical) options, customers will be able to earn rewards on groceries and beyond. First, both versions of the card earn up to 5% back on select...