With rising rents and housing costs, people all over the United States are being priced out of the cities they once called home.
In 2021, rents jumped up by 20 to 30% in cities ranging from Phoenix to Boise to Tampa, and more rent hikes are coming in 2022. Home prices have been rising at a record pace, too.
It’s not just the notoriously expensive cities like New York and San Francisco, either. Middle-class people are increasingly being priced out of places like Denver and Dallas as well.
If you want to live in a city that’s getting pricier and pricier, you’ll need to be smart and strategic about it. Consider these six tips:
1. Boost Your Credit Score
Looking to buy a home? Then there’s something you need to start thinking about right now: Your credit score. We know that sounds boring, but it’s actually super important, if you’re going to be signing up for a mortgage sometime in the future.
The higher your score is, the better deal you’ll likely get on your loan. So a good credit score can save you tens of thousands of dollars over the life of a 30-year mortgage.
2. Grow Your Money 16x Faster — Without Risking It
To buy a home, you’re going to need to start saving up money for a down payment.
A debit card called Aspiration lets you earn up to 5% cash back every time you swipe the card and up to 16 times the average interest on the money in your account. Plus, you’ll never pay a monthly account maintenance fee.
To see how much you could earn, enter your email address here, link your bank account and add at least $10 to your account. And don’t worry. Your money is FDIC insured and under a military-grade encryption. That’s nerd talk for “this is totally safe.”
3. Get Paid Every Time You Buy Toilet Paper
To save up that down payment, you’re going to want to find new ways to save money on everything else. For example, groceries account for a good chunk of your budget. Everybody’s got to eat. You may as well earn a little money back while your groceries are being bagged up.
A free app called Fetch Rewards will reward you with gift cards just for buying toilet paper and more than 250 other items at the grocery store.
Here’s how it works: After you’ve downloaded the app, just take a picture of your receipt showing you purchased an item from one of the brands listed in Fetch. For your efforts, you’ll earn gift cards to places like Amazon or Walmart.
Here’s another way to save money. Wouldn’t it be nice if you got an alert any time you’re shopping on Amazon or Walmart.com and you’re about to get ripped off?
Just add it to your browser for free, and before you check out, it’ll check other websites, including Walmart, eBay and others to see if your item is available for cheaper. Plus, you can get coupon codes, set up price-drop alerts and even see the item’s price history.
Let’s say you’re shopping for a new pair of shoes, and you assume you’ve found the best price. Here’s when you’ll get a pop up letting you know if that exact pair of shoes is available elsewhere for cheaper. If there are any available coupon codes, they’ll also automatically be applied to your order.
In the last year, this has saved people $160 million. You can get started in just a few clicks to see if you’re overpaying online.
5. Knock $540/Year From Your Car Insurance in Minutes
When it comes to saving up for a down payment, cutting your other bills can make a huge difference. So when’s the last time you checked car insurance prices?
You should shop your options every six months or so — it could save you some serious money. Let’s be real, though. It’s probably not the first thing you think about when you wake up. But it doesn’t have to be.
A website called Insure.com makes it super easy to compare car insurance prices. All you have to do is enter your ZIP code and your age, and it’ll show you your options.
Using Insure.com, people have saved an average of $540 a year. That could be money back in your pocket just for taking a few minutes to look at your options.
6. Stop Paying Your Credit Card Company
Getting a mortgage for a house is a form of debt. But credit card debt is the most expensive kind of debt there is, and your credit card company is just getting rich by ripping you off with high interest rates. However, a website called AmOne can help you fight back.
If you owe your credit card companies $50,000 or less, AmOne will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances.
The benefit? You’ll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmOne rates start at 3.49% APR), you’ll get out of debt that much faster. Plus: No credit card payment this month.
It takes two minutes to see if you qualify for up to $50,000 online. You do need to give AmOne a real phone number in order to qualify, but don’t worry — they won’t spam you with phone calls.
Buying a home is a major step in life. If you follow these strategies, you’ll get closer to your goal.
Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He’s a homeowner.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
Prices in 2021 rose at the fastest pace in nearly 40 years, and inflation looks like it’s going to be Americans’ biggest economic challenge in 2022. Consumer demand, supply chain problems and the spread of the Omicron variant threaten to keep prices rising sharply this year.
A lot of us are feeling the effects at the grocery store, but there are things you can do to save money there. A free app called Fetch Rewards will reward you with gift cards just for buying toilet paper and more than 250 other items at the grocery store.
Here’s how it works: After you’ve downloaded the app, just take a picture of your receipt showing you purchased an item from one of the brands listed in Fetch. For your efforts, you’ll earn gift cards to places like Amazon or Walmart.
Over a million people already have, so they must be onto something.
2. Rising Rent and Housing Costs
The rent is too high! Rents jumped up by 10, 20 or even 30% in some cities, while the cost of houses just keeps on rising.
Are you thinking about buying? Then there’s something you need to start thinking about right now: Your credit score. We know that sounds boring, but it’s actually super important, if you’re going to be signing up for a mortgage sometime in the future.
The higher your score is, the better deal you’ll likely get on your loan. So a good credit score can save you tens of thousands of dollars over the life of a 30-year mortgage.
If you have federal student loans, you’ve been getting a break on making payments — so far. Millions of those owing money have not paid on their loans in nearly two years, since the pandemic began in March 2020.
As of this writing, the Biden Administration has extended the student loan payment pause to May 1, 2022.
But what about after that? Will you be ready to start making payments again? It would be smart to put away money for when the moratorium on payments is finally lifted.
With an Aspiration account, you can earn up to 20 times the average interest on your savings balance. Not only that, but you can earn up to 5% cash back on your debit card purchases, helping you to save more.
It takes five minutes to sign up. And don’t worry. Your digital account is FDIC-insured and protected by military-grade encryption. That’s nerd talk for “this is totally safe.”
4. The Unpredictable Stock Market
What will the stock market do in 2022? Who knows? If we knew this kind of thing for certain, we’d already be rich.
The stock market did well in 2021 despite COVID-19. For instance, the S&P 500, Dow Jones and Nasdaq all posted double-digit returns. Basically, all that jargon means investors made a lot of money.
We don’t know what 2022 will bring, but we do know that analysts don’t expect the stock market to crash. Which means that if you haven’t started investing yet, you should consider starting.
Whether you’ve got $5, $100 or $800 to spare, you can start investing with Robinhood. Both investing beginners and pros love it because it doesn’t charge commission fees, and you can buy and sell stocks for free — no limits. Plus, it’s super easy to use.
What’s best? When you download the app and fund your account (it takes no more than a few minutes), Robinhood drops a share of free stock into your account. It’s random, though, so that stock could be worth anywhere from $2.50 to $200 — a nice boost to help you build your investments.
5. Higher Car Insurance Premiums
Car insurance rates are expected to go up in 2022, according to a number of industry sources who have been quoted in the media.
Why? It’s because the overall cost of doing business is increasing for practically every company in the U.S., and that includes insurance companies. They’ll be passing on that cost to customers like you in the form of higher premiums.
When it comes to car insurance, you should shop around every six months or so anyway. A website called Insure.com makes it super easy to compare car insurance prices. All you have to do is enter your ZIP code and your age, and it’ll show you your options.
Using Insure.com, people have saved an average of $540 a year.
Yup. That could be $500 back in your pocket just for taking a few minutes to look at your options.
Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
Millions of people use 401(k) accounts to save for retirement each year.
These tax-advantaged savings accounts invest your money in long-term mutual funds, stocks, bonds and other securities to grow your nest egg over time.
But there’s a catch: You can only open a 401(k) at work — and not all employers offer them.
In 2020, about 33% of private industry workers didn’t have access to any employer-sponsored retirement plan, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Part-time workers and those who earn the lowest wages are even less likely to work a job with access to a retirement plan.
The truth is, you don’t need an employer to save for retirement. (Although 401(k)s are still great to have, especially if you get an employer match.)
You can take control of your future and save for retirement on your own. And we promise — it’s not as difficult or scary as it sounds.
4 Ways to Save for Retirement Without a 401(k)
1. Individual Retirement Account
Anyone who earns income can open an individual retirement account, or IRA.
Unlike a 401(k), these retirement accounts aren’t tied to your employment. They give you more hands-on control and usually offer more investment options than 401(k)s.
Opening an IRA is easier than ever before, thanks to low-cost robo-advisors and convenient micro-investing apps. We’ll dive into those shortly.
But first, let’s discuss the two types of IRAs: Traditional and Roth. Both offer a sweet tax break but in different ways.
Generally, contributing to a Roth IRA makes sense if you plan to be in a higher tax bracket when you retire, while a traditional IRA can be a better choice if you expect to be in a lower tax bracket when you retire.
Another way to think about it: A traditional IRA can help you save money on your yearly tax bill while a Roth IRA helps you save money on taxes in retirement.
Pro Tip
You can always open and contribute to a traditional and a Roth IRA at the same time. This can help you take advantage of tax savings in different ways.
Traditional IRA
A traditional IRA lets you worry about taxes later. You put money in your account today and enjoy tax-free growth until you make a withdrawal.
You’ll pay income taxes when you pull money out. How much you owe is based on your tax bracket for the year in which you make the withdrawal.
If you withdraw money before the age of 59-½ the Internal Revenue Service will slap on a 10% penalty (unless you qualify for an exception). Money in your account is earmarked for retirement, so the government doesn’t take kindly to early withdrawals.
Traditional IRA Facts
In 2022, you can contribute up to $6,000 a year, or $7,000 if you’re 50 or older.
You have to take required minimum distributions (mandatory withdrawals) from your account starting at age 72.
Withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income.
Early withdrawals before age 59-½ come with a 10% tax penalty.
Contributions are generally tax deductible.
That last item is key. When tax time rolls around, any money you added to your account throughout the year reduces your taxable income, which can lower your tax bill or even boost your refund.
However, not everyone can claim this deduction.
If your employer offers a retirement account (even if you don’t participate in it: Your adjusted gross income must be less than $66,000 for single filers (or $105,000 for married couples filing jointly) in the 2021 tax year to claim a tax deduction on your traditional IRA contributions.
If your employer doesn’t offer a retirement account: You can claim a tax deduction on your contributions regardless of your income.
Roth IRA
Roth IRAs come with a tax bite today but allow you to make withdrawals tax-free down the road.
You fund your account with after-tax money. It grows tax-free and you won’t owe any income tax when you make withdrawals.
However, you won’t get a break at tax time: Contributions to a Roth IRA aren’t deductible.
Roth IRA Facts
You can contribute up to $6,000 a year, or $7,000 if you’re 50 or older.
You can withdraw contributions anytime, tax- and penalty-free.
Money grows tax-deferred.
Contributions aren’t tax deductible.
No required minimum distributions.
High-income earners can’t contribute to a Roth IRA. In 2022, single filers can open a Roth account if their modified adjusted gross income falls below $144,000, or $214,000 for married couples filing jointly.
A great perk of Roth retirement plans is you can withdraw contributions anytime, tax- and penalty-free. Any of your own original money that you put in, you can take out without owing income taxes.
However, you can only pull the earnings (new money generated by your investments) out of a Roth IRA after age 59-½ and after you’ve owned the account for at least five years.
Otherwise, withdrawing investment earnings can trigger taxes and a 10% early withdrawal penalty.
How Do You Open an IRA?
You can open an IRA online without ever speaking with a human. Isn’t technology great?
Robo-advisors and micro-investing apps make it super easy to get started. You can also open an IRA at most financial institutions and brokerage companies, like Charles Scwab, Fidelity or TD Ameritrade.
Robo-Advisors
IRAs give you way more investment choices than 401(k)s. That’s great if you have investing experience, not so great if you’re just starting out.
But robo-advisors can diversify your IRA portfolio for you, with exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and index funds based on your age, risk tolerance and goals. Most offer useful retirement planning and personal finance tools to visualize and easily manage your investments.
Many robos charge an affordable 0.25% annual account fee with low or no account minimums.
With most investment platforms, you’ll get your choice between a traditional or Roth IRA — or both. Some offer a SEP IRA for self-employed workers, too.
Interested in learning more? Here’s our roundup of the best robo-advisors on the market.
Micro-Investing Apps
Micro-investing apps like Stash and Acorns make it easy to set up small, recurring contributions to an IRA. Plus, you can start investing with as little as $5.
Like robo-advisors, they’re easy to use, convenient and automated.
However, you might end up paying higher fees over time due to an app’s monthly subscription model. Stash and Acorns, for example, charge $3 to access a Roth or traditional IRA.
Paying $36 a year for a retirement account is steep compared to discount brokers and robo-advisors, especially for users with small account balances.
We’ve reviewed and compared the Linkbest micro-investing apps. Check out our top 5 picks for 2022.
2. Health Savings Accounts
Using a health savings account (HSA) to save for retirement might seem like a strange idea.
But HSAs aren’t just a way to pay for expenses your high-deductible health insurance doesn’t won’t cover. They offer great tax advantages, making them a smart way to save for the future, too.
Think of it like a 401(k) for your health.
HSAs are said to hold a triple tax benefit because:
Contributions are tax-deductible.
Money within the account grows tax-free.
Distributions are always tax-free when used for qualified medical expenses.
An HSA lets you save on taxes when you contribute. Funds in your account roll over year after year, and you’ll get a tax break for any contributions you make.
You’ll never pay taxes or penalties if you withdraw money from your HSA to pay for qualified health care costs. And when you turn 65, you can use money in your HSA however you want.
Best of all: You can invest money inside your account, just like you would a 401(k) or IRA. This lets your money grow over time, instead of sitting idle like it would in a traditional savings account.
It’s important to keep in mind that some HSA providers offer more — and better — investment options than others.
Some impose minimum balance requirements, transaction fees or investment fees. Nearly all providers charge annual account fees.
Technically, you can open an HSA even if your employer doesn’t offer one. But you can’t make contributions to the account unless you’re covered by a high-deductible health plan.
You can’t add money if you’re enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid either. (However, you can take HSA money out of your account in retirement to pay for things Medicare doesn’t cover, like eyeglasses or hearing aids.)
With eligible high-deductible health plans, you can contribute up to $3,650 a year to an HSA in 2022, or up to $7,300 for families.
3. Traditional Brokerage Accounts
Traditional brokerage accounts give you the benefit of investing for your retirement goals, but lack the special tax breaks IRAs, 401(k) and similar plans offer.
Traditional brokerage accounts are also called taxable investment accounts. You generally owe taxes when you sell securities for a profit, even if you don’t withdraw the money from your account. You’ll also pay tax on any dividend income.
Realized gains are taxed at your normal income tax rate or a lower long-term capital gains tax rate, depending on how long you’ve owned the security.
But that’s not always a bad thing. Using a taxable investment account can actually make sense in some situations.
First, you can make withdrawals from a taxable account at any time, regardless of age. You won’t get pinged by a 10% penalty from the IRS. (Although you may face stiff capital gains tax on earnings.)
This can make a taxable investment account beneficial if you’re saving for other mid- to long-term goals, like buying a house.
Another benefit is you can add as much money as you want: There’s no contribution limits. So taxable accounts can be attractive if you’re already maxing out your IRA or HSA.
As a quick reminder: Traditional brokerage accounts let you buy and sell investments like stocks, bonds, ETFs and mutual funds. You can open an account at financial institutions, online brokers, robo-advisors and investment apps like Robinhood and E*TRADE.
4. Retirement Accounts for Self-Employed People
Small business owners and self-employed people get a few other retirement savings options.
SEP IRA
Most major brokerage firms offer Simplified Employee Pension IRAs (SEP IRAs) and they’re easy to set up.
A formal written agreement is required, but the brokerage usually takes care of that for you.
Any business with one or more employees can open a SEP IRA, including independent contractors, self-employed people, sole proprietorships, LLPs, C corporations and S corporations.
That makes these accounts ideal for freelancers, solo entrepreneurs and gig workers.
A SEP IRA offers much higher contribution limits than a traditional or Roth IRA.
In 2022, you can contribute up to 25% of adjusted net earnings or $61,000 — whichever is less.
Because you can add employees to a SEP IRA, these accounts are also attractive for solo business owners who plan to add workers to their payroll in the future.
Solo 401(k)
If you’re self-employed or own a business with no employees, you can open a self-employed 401(k), also known as a solo 401(k).
You get two opportunities to save — as an employee, and again as the employer.
As the employee, you can make tax-deductible or Roth retirement contributions up to 100% of your compensation, with a maximum of $20,500 in 2022 ($27,000 if you’re 50 or older).
On top of that, as the employer you can put in up to 25% of your earned income. However, total contributions (not including additional contributions for those 50 and over) can’t exceed $61,000 in 2022.
You’re eligible to open a solo 401(k) if you generate profit from a sole proprietorship, LLC or any other business organization so long as you don’t have any employees besides you and your spouse.
Unique Features of Self-Employed 401(k)s
People 50 and older can make annual catch-up contributions.
You can make Roth contributions.
You can’t add employees to the plan (besides your spouse).
Opening an account can be a little trickier and more time consuming than opening a SEP IRA.
Might offer higher annual contribution limits and bigger tax deductions than a SEP IRA.
Rachel Christian is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance and a senior writer for The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
The housing market is turbocharged these days because of a shortage of homes for sale is leading to heavy competition between home buyers. That keeps pushing home prices higher and higher.
If you’re looking to buy a home, you better buckle up.
The housing market remains hot, even though things might be starting to slow down just a little bit, according to news sources like CNBC and The Wall Street Journal, among others. Low mortgage rates continue to spur robust demand, and the number of houses for sale is well below normal.
If you want to buy your own home, you’ll need to be smart and strategic about it. Consider these six tips:
1. Boost Your Credit Score
Looking to buy a home? Then there’s something you need to start thinking about right now: Your credit score. We know that sounds boring, but it’s actually super important, if you’re going to be signing up for a mortgage sometime in the future.
The higher your score is, the better deal you’ll likely get on your loan. So a good credit score can save you tens of thousands of dollars over the life of a 30-year mortgage.
If you’re looking to get your credit score back on track — or if you just want to bump it up some more — try using a free platform called Credit Sesame.
Within a couple minutes, you’ll be able to see your credit score, as well as a breakdown of what factors are contributing to your score and personalized tips on how to manage your credit better. With a couple of strategic decisions, you can improve your credit, saving you thousands.
2. Grow Your Money 16x Faster — Without Risking It
To buy a home, you’re going to need to start saving up money for a down payment.
A debit card called Aspiration lets you earn up to 5% cash back every time you swipe the card and up to 16 times the average interest on the money in your account. Plus, you’ll never pay a monthly account maintenance fee.
To see how much you could earn, enter your email address here, link your bank account and add at least $10 to your account. And don’t worry. Your money is FDIC insured and under a military-grade encryption. That’s nerd talk for “this is totally safe.”
3. Get Paid Every Time You Buy Toilet Paper
To save up that down payment, you’re going to want to find new ways to save money on everything else. For example, groceries account for a good chunk of your budget. Everybody’s got to eat. You may as well earn a little money back while your groceries are being bagged up.
A free app called Fetch Rewards will reward you with gift cards just for buying toilet paper and more than 250 other items at the grocery store.
Here’s how it works: After you’ve downloaded the app, just take a picture of your receipt showing you purchased an item from one of the brands listed in Fetch. For your efforts, you’ll earn gift cards to places like Amazon or Walmart.
Here’s another way to save money. Wouldn’t it be nice if you got an alert any time you’re shopping on Amazon or Walmart.com and you’re about to get ripped off?
Just add it to your browser for free, and before you check out, it’ll check other websites, including Walmart, eBay and others to see if your item is available for cheaper. Plus, you can get coupon codes, set up price-drop alerts and even see the item’s price history.
Let’s say you’re shopping for a new pair of shoes, and you assume you’ve found the best price. Here’s when you’ll get a pop up letting you know if that exact pair of shoes is available elsewhere for cheaper. If there are any available coupon codes, they’ll also automatically be applied to your order.
In the last year, this has saved people $160 million. You can get started in just a few clicks to see if you’re overpaying online.
5. Knock $540/Year From Your Car Insurance in Minutes
When it comes to saving up for a down payment, cutting your other bills can make a huge difference. So when’s the last time you checked car insurance prices?
You should shop your options every six months or so — it could save you some serious money. Let’s be real, though. It’s probably not the first thing you think about when you wake up. But it doesn’t have to be.
A website called Insure.com makes it super easy to compare car insurance prices. All you have to do is enter your ZIP code and your age, and it’ll show you your options.
Using Insure.com, people have saved an average of $540 a year. That could be money back in your pocket just for taking a few minutes to look at your options.
6. Stop Paying Your Credit Card Company
Getting a mortgage for a house is a form of debt. But credit card debt is the most expensive kind of debt there is, and your credit card company is just getting rich by ripping you off with high interest rates. However, a website called AmOne can help you fight back.
If you owe your credit card companies $50,000 or less, AmOne will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances.
The benefit? You’ll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmOne rates start at 3.49% APR), you’ll get out of debt that much faster. Plus: No credit card payment this month.
It takes two minutes to see if you qualify for up to $50,000 online. You do need to give AmOne a real phone number in order to qualify, but don’t worry — they won’t spam you with phone calls.
Buying a home is a major step in life. If you follow these strategies, you’ll get closer to your goal.
Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He’s a homeowner.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
If you shop on eBay, you know it can be a great place to find a bargain. But if you’re like most eBay shoppers, you’re probably not getting any cash back on your eBay purchases.
What’s that? you ask. I could be getting cash back on eBay?
Yes, although it’s getting trickier now that eBay is shutting down its own cash-back program.
“Enrollment in the eBay Bucks Rewards Program is currently closed,” eBay’s website says. “After careful and thorough consideration, we decided to retire the 1% earning as we look to continuously optimize our offerings.”
That’s OK, though! Getting eBay cashback is still easier than you might think.
Just make sure you’re using a reputable cash-back platform so you’re not getting ripped off. There are plenty of shady outfits out there that’ll promise you the moon while gouging you with some kind of costly subscription service. You don’t want that.
To help out, we’ve got a list of cash-back websites that’ll get you rebates on eBay purchases:
1. Rebaid
Rebaid helps shoppers find freebies, rebates and discounts on scores of shopping sites, such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Etsy — and eBay cash back. In some cases, it offers up to 100% cash back!
It’s free to sign up, and it’s easy to use. You start at the Rebaid website, where you browse through offers or search for specific offers. Once you choose an available offer, it’ll take you to the retailer’s website to buy your item.
Once you’ve made your purchase, you copy your order number and go back to Rebaid to claim your rebate. Discounts typically vary from 25% to 100%. Most rebates arrive in your mailbox via a check, but some are done via direct deposit.
You can also get direct discounts where you enter a code at checkout and get savings right away.
It’s that simple. That’s all there is to it.
2. Swagbucks
If you use the free rewards website known as Swagbucks next time you shop online, you can save on purchases at some of your favorite sites like Amazon, Target and Old Navy. It also features eBay cashback offers and eBay coupons.
Swagbucks’ eBay rewards offers continually change, so you have to check. On any particular day, Swagbucks might offer something like a $10 off coupon on select jewelry purchases of $40 or more. Or 10% off Under Armour apparel. Just look at each coupon code and decide if it’s right for you.
It just varies from day to day.
3. MyPoints
MyPoints is another cash-back portal that lets you earn rewards by shopping online and printing coupons. It’s connected to thousands of stores, including favorites like Walmart, Amazon, Target — and eBay. You earn points by purchasing from stores through the MyPoints portal, and you can eventually convert the points into cash.
4. Ibotta
Ibotta is mostly known for grocery rebates. It’s best known for paying you cash back for buying hundreds of different brands at the supermarket.
In the past, the Ibotta platform offered cash back on various eBay purchases, but that’s not currently the case. Ibotta used to have an eBay page, but it no longer exists.
5. Rakuten
Rakuten is a browser extension that used to be known as Ebates. It helps you find coupons, cash back and other deals when you shop at thousands of stores including Target, Walmart, Macy’s and Kohl’s.
It offers eBay coupons, promo codes and up to 1% cash back on various purchases from eBay if you shop through Rakuten’s browser extension. Cash back is only available for certain departments on eBay, though.
First you have to install the browser extension. You can use it with Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Microsoft Edge.
6. RebatesMe
The RebatesMe Cash Back Button lets you earn money and score savings when shopping at your favorite online retailers, including Overstock and eBay. When you check out, this browser extension will show you coupon codes, and it’ll alert you if the site you’re visiting has any cash-back offers.
7. But Wait, There’s More!
There’s a whole slew of other cash-back websites, browser extensions and shopping portals out there, including BeFrugal, Better Sidebar, Extrabux, Giving Assistant, Kiindly, Slickdeals and Yazing.
You can also buy discounted eBay gift cards or eBay branded gift cards.
In other words, there’s no shortage of options available to you.
There’s a lot of public skepticism about rebate sites, because so many of them have gone out of business, or because they fail to actually pay the promised cash back.
Rebaid is an established, U.S.-based company, and its members consistently get their rebate checks.
That’s why it has a high rating of 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot, based on hundreds of positive customer reviews. It’s simply better than a lot of the other sites.
If you’re looking for eBay deals, don’t neglect this easy extra step to save money.
It may be one of the world’s largest online marketplaces, but a lot of eBay shoppers aren’t accustomed to getting cash back on their eBay purchases. But if you’re getting cash back at the gas pump or getting cash back from your credit card, there’s no reason you should have to pay full price on eBay.
Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
When banks advertise themselves as fee-free, you’ve got to question how truly fee-free they really are. For example, major banks that boast no monthly maintenance fees can still get you with overdraft fees, foreign transaction fees and even paper check fees.
ATM fees are a different breed. Your own personal bank isn’t benefiting from the ATM surcharges you pay when using out-of-network ATMs (the ATM operator is), but the best banks help you avoid ATM fees by offering vast networks of fee-free ATMs or, even better, reimbursements for ATM fees.
If you frequently use an ATM, whether to deposit cash or checks for an account with an online bank or to withdraw money for cash-only purchases, consider switching to a financial institution that helps you avoid ATM fees most easily.
In researching banks that offer ATM reimbursements or vast networks of in-network ATMs, we built out a list of the 10 best banks for avoiding ATM surcharges. Consider opening a checking account with one of these banks or credit union.
We’ve ordered these banks starting with our top choice for avoiding ATM fees, but remember that bank ATM fees are only part of the picture. Banks charge a lot of other fees, some of which can be hidden. Choose a financial institution from this list that not only meets your ATM needs but also any other banking needs.
Needham Bank is a regional financial institution based in Massachusetts, that specializes in construction loans. Needham ticks all the boxes for ATM regulars. It offers unlimited ATM fee reimbursements worldwide and doesn’t charge a monthly fee. It even bears interest on the checking balance and has a leading mobile app.
While Needham Bank offers a slightly higher APY than Charles Schwab, the additional earnings are negligible. Where Charles Scwab shines is in its lack of foreign transaction fees. Foreign travelers get double the benefit since all ATMs fees are fully reimbursable.
Axos Bank charges zero in overdraft and insufficient funds fees, plus it has no monthly fees. While ATM fee rebates are limited to domestic ATMs, Axos still shines with its 1.00% APY (Rewards Checking) or 1.00% cash back (Cashback Checking). It also has the standard Essential Checking.
Axos Bank Checking Accounts
APY/Cash Back
1.00%
ATM reimbursements
Unlimited nationwide
ATM network
N/A; unlimited nationwide
Check out our Axos Bank review for a full run-down of features and offerings.
LendingClub is another fee-free account with unlimited ATM surcharge reimbursements in the US. Debit card users will benefit from the 1.00% cash back, and if you keep more than $2,500 in your checking, you’ll even earn 0.10% APY (0.15% APY on $100,000+, but we don’t recommend keeping that much in checking).
LendingClub Rewards Checking
Cash bank
1.00%
ATM reimbursements
Unlimited nationwide
ATM network
N/A; unlimited nationwide
Check out our LendingClub review for a full run-down of features and offerings.
Alliant Credit Union is the best credit union to open a checking and savings account, hands down — and not just for avoiding ATM fees. The lack of overdraft fees, high-yield APY (even for the Teen Checking option), large network of ATMs (80,000 and counting) and $20 in monthly ATM fee reimbursements are hallmarks of the credit union.
Citibank offers a range of checking accounts. With the Access Account Package, you can bank without fear of overdraft fees, but with the Elevate Account Package, you’ll get unlimited ATM fee reimbursements. These accounts are not free; for example, Elevate is $15/month, but you can waive the fee by maintaining $5,000+ in the account. Without Elevate, you still have access to 65,000 fee-free ATMs.
Citibank Checking Options
APY
Up to 0.25%
ATM reimbursements
Unlimited for a waivable fee
ATM network
65,000 in network
Check out our CitiBank review for a full run-down of features and offerings.
USAA is the trusted name for insurance and banking for active duty military members, veterans and their families. No hidden fees, up to $15 a month reimbursement for out-of-network ATM fees and a network of over 60,000 ATMs are just a few reasons to consider USAA. Balances over $1,000 do earn interest—but it’s nominal at 0.01%.
Discover is one of our favorite banks for cash back, but it’s also great for frequent ATM users thanks to its network of 60,000+ ATMs. Zelle and a lack of fees (no debit card replacement fees, no bank check fees and no insufficient fund fees) are just two more reasons to consider banking with Discover. Unfortunately, Discover does not offer ATM fee rebates.
The Aspiration account is great for the environment. Deposited funds will never be used for fossil fuel research or production, and you earn cash back when spending responsibly. The linked Save account earns a decent APY, and the $7.99/month Aspiration Plus account comes with great features. While Aspiration only reimburses one out-of-network ATM surcharge a month, it does have 55,000 ATMs in network.
Aspiration Spend Account
APY
Up to 5.00% in linked Save account
ATM reimbursements
1 per month
ATM network
55,000 in network
Check out our Aspiration review for a full run-down of features and offerings.
Ally Bank continues to be one of our favorite online banks. Your checking account will earn 0.10% (0.25% if you have $15,000+ in checking), there’s no minimum balance requirement, Ally charges no monthly fees and the app is top-notch. While we wish Ally offered more in-network ATMs (43,000+ currently via Allpoint), the bank does reimburse out-of-network ATM fees up to $10/month.
Ally Bank Interest Checking
APY
Up to 0.25%
ATM reimbursements
$10 per month
ATM network
43,000 in network
Check out our Ally Review for a full run-down of features and offerings.
What Frequent ATM Users Should Look for in a Bank or Credit Union
If you visit an ATM for cash withdrawals or deposits multiple times a month, you should absolutely find a bank or credit union that allows you to do so at no cost to you. When scouring the fine print of potential financial institutions, look for one that offers unlimited out-of-network ATM fee reimbursements.
When the reimbursements are unlimited, you never have to worry about locating an ATM that is in your network. Simply locate the nearest ATM and, regardless of the advertised fee, rest assured your bank will reimburse you for whatever the machine charges.
If you travel outside the country and plan to use an ATM, you should specifically find a bank that offers global ATM surcharge reimbursements. This is especially important because ATM operators typically charge a higher international transaction fee. However, banks that simply offer unlimited nationwide rebates for bank ATM fees should suffice for most average customers.
Right now, only a handful of banks and credit unions offer unlimited reimbursement, and those that do might not have all the other offerings you’re looking for in a bank (like a competitive checking APY, a sign-up bonus, a leading mobile app or no overdraft fees). In that case, the next best thing is to look for banks that have a wide network of ATMs, specifically those that belong to interbank ATM networks like Allpoint, MoneyPass or STAR.
Some banks offer a hybrid scenario: large ATM networks plus some amount of ATM fee reimbursement (like one a month or up to $10 of fees reimbursed). Many of the financial institutions that make up our list above of the best banks for ATM fees offer some kind of hybrid solution.
The Best Strategies for Avoiding Bank ATM Fees
Banks charge a lot of fees, whether it’s a monthly maintenance fee, foreign transaction fee or overdraft fee (but hey, overdraft fees seem to be disappearing), but one thing your own bank has no control over is out-of-network ATM fees. Those are managed instead by an ATM owner.
So what are the best strategies for avoiding out-of-network ATM fees? We’ve got a few ideas:
1. Use Your Bank’s Mobile App to Locate In-Network ATMs
Your financial institution offers in-network ATMs that are free to use. Some banks just offer more than others.
Not sure where your bank’s own in-network ATMs are located? You should be able to launch your bank’s mobile app to find nearby locations. It might mean walking or driving a little farther out of your way to use your own bank’s ATM; determine if this added time is worth saving you the out-of-network ATM operator fee you’ll otherwise pay.
If you are unable to use your mobile app because of poor service, check the back of your ATM card. Many banks print the name of their network on the back of an ATM card. This can’t help you locate nearby ATMs but can at least show you which ATMs are in your network.
2. Use Grocery Store Cash Back
Many grocery stores and some gas stations offer cash back when you make a purchase with your debit card. Instead of spending $3 to $4 at an ATM just to withdraw cash, spend a buck on a pack of gum or buy something off your grocery list and select cash back at checkout. There should not be a fee for this.
3. Think Ahead During Your Next ATM Withdrawal
If you withdraw cash in small amounts every week or so, consider taking out a larger sum to reduce the amount of ATM fees you are paying. For example, instead of taking $60 out every week and paying $4 per ATM withdrawal, take $240 out at the start of every month and pay the $4 fee once. You’ll earn a little less interest that month for having less in the account, but it won’t come anywhere close to the money saved for reducing the ATM fees.
4. Pay with Card or Digital Wallet
The days of “cash is king” are numbered. As a result of the ongoing pandemic, many establishments have even stopped accepting cash. If your bank account offers a debit card or if you have a rewards credit card or digital wallet, consider making your purchases with those instead of cash.
5. Switch to a Bank or Credit Union That Helps You Avoid ATM Fees
Finally, and most importantly, if you regularly use an ATM and are tired of paying high ATM fees, switch to a bank that reimburses you or offers you more in-network ATM options. Frequent international travelers should prioritize banks that reimburse foreign ATM fees.
Timothy Moore covers banking and investing for The Penny Hoarder from his home base in Cincinnati. He has worked in editing and graphic design for a marketing agency, a global research firm and a major print publication. He covers a variety of other topics, including insurance, taxes, retirement and budgeting and has worked in the field since 2012.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
Wouldn’t it be great to be the first millionaire in your family? Think of the bragging rights!
None of your relatives would ever be able to question your judgment again. You could brush them off by asking, “I’m sorry, are YOU a millionaire?”
Also, as a millionaire, you’d be able to help the rest of your family, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Ah, but how to make your first million? A lucrative job and good investments would help. But we’ve got some other tips for how to improve your financial bottom line, both immediately and over the long run.
Try these:
1. Stop Putting It Off and Become an Investor
Ultimately, investing is how you really build wealth — including that first million.
If you feel like you don’t have enough money to start investing right now, you’re not alone. But guess what? You really don’t need that much — and you can even get free stocks (worth up to $200!) if you know where to look.
Whether you’ve got $5, $100 or $800 to spare, you can start investing with Robinhood.
Yeah, you’ve probably heard of Robinhood. Both investing beginners and pros love it because it doesn’t charge commission fees, and you can buy and sell stocks for free — no limits. Plus, it’s super easy to use.
What’s best? When you download the app and fund your account (it takes no more than a few minutes), Robinhood drops a share of free stock into your account. It’s random, though, so that stock could be worth anywhere from $2.50 to $200 — a nice boost to help you build your investments.
2. Stop Paying Your Credit Card Company
You’ll never become a millionaire if you’re stuck with credit card debt, which is the most expensive kind of debt there is. And your credit card company is just getting rich by ripping you off with high interest rates. But a website called AmOne can help you fight back.
If you owe your credit card companies $50,000 or less, AmOne will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances.
The benefit? You’ll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmOne rates start at 3.49% APR), you’ll get out of debt that much faster. Plus: No credit card payment this month.
After 20 years in business, AmOne has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. It takes two minutes to see if you qualify for up to $50,000 online. You do need to give AmOne a real phone number in order to qualify, but don’t worry — they won’t spam you with phone calls.
3. Get a Smarter Bank Account
Here’s the deal: If you’re not using Aspiration’s debit card, you’re missing out on extra cash. And who doesn’t want extra cash right now?
Yep. With a debit card called Aspiration, you could get up to 5% back when you swipe at certain stores, plus they give you up to 83 times the normal national interest rate on your savings balance.
It’s an easy way to get extra cash just for buying things that are already on your list.
Enter your email address here, and link your bank account to see how much extra cash you can get with your free Aspiration account. And don’t worry. Your money is FDIC insured and under a military-grade encryption. That’s nerd talk for “this is totally safe.”
4. Get Paid Every Time You Buy Groceries
Groceries are so expensive! But a free app called Fetch Rewards will reward you with gift cards just for buying toilet paper and more than 250 other items at the grocery store.
Here’s how it works: After you’ve downloaded the app, just take a picture of your receipt showing you purchased an item from one of the brands listed in Fetch. For your efforts, you’ll earn gift cards to places like Amazon or Walmart.
Just add it to your browser for free, and before you check out, it’ll check other websites, including Walmart, eBay and others to see if your item is available for cheaper. Plus, you can get coupon codes, set up price-drop alerts and even see the item’s price history.
Let’s say you’re shopping for a new pair of shoes, and you assume you’ve found the best price. Here’s when you’ll get a pop up letting you know if that exact pair of shoes is available elsewhere for cheaper.
In the last year, this has saved people $160 million. You can get started in just a few clicks to see if you’re overpaying online.
6. Knock $540/Year From Your Car Insurance in Minutes
Cutting necessary expenses can make a huge difference. So when’s the last time you checked car insurance prices?
You should shop your options every six months or so — it could save you some serious money. Let’s be real, though. It’s probably not the first thing you think about when you wake up. But it doesn’t have to be.
A website called Insure.com makes it super easy to compare car insurance prices. All you have to do is enter your ZIP code and your age, and it’ll show you your options.
Using Insure.com, people have saved an average of $540 a year.
Yup. That could be $500 back in your pocket just for taking a few minutes to look at your options.
7. Leave Your Family up to $1M
You could always make your family millionaires. There’s been a surge of interest in life insurance during the pandemic, as more Americans are realizing they probably need it.
Also, more people are seeking out no-exam life insurance because they don’t want to go to a doctor’s office for an in-person exam. Companies like Bestow use algorithms instead of medical exams to evaluate applicants.
Rates start at just $16 a month. You could leave your family up to $1 million. The peace of mind knowing your family is taken care of is priceless.
If you’re under the age of 54 and want to get a fast life insurance quote without leaving your home, get a free quote from Bestow.
Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He’s not a millionaire — not YET, anyway.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
You can now order four free at-home COVID tests from the federal government, regardless of whether you have health insurance. A new website, covidtests.gov, went live on Tuesday, Jan. 18, one day ahead of schedule.
The website allows every home in the U.S. to order four free rapid antigen tests that deliver results in 30 minutes. PCR tests aren’t available. Tests are expected to ship within seven to 12 days, according to the website.
How to Get 4 Free COVID Tests
Signing up for your free tests is incredibly simple. All you need to do is go to covidtests.gov and provide your name and address, plus an email address if you want shipping notifications. And that’s it.
The U.S. Postal Service will deliver the tests. Currently, the website limits you to four free tests for each residential address, no matter how many household members you have.
Technically as of Tuesday, the website was in beta mode, which means it’s being tested for possible hiccups. Though there have been concerns that the website could crash upon launch due to high demand for tests, the site appeared to be functioning early Tuesday afternoon. A staff writer for The Penny Hoarder placed an order for testing kits without issue.
What About the 8 Free Tests Insurers Have to Provide?
As of Jan. 15, health insurance companies are required to pay for eight home tests per month for each person covered by the plan. However, many people are still finding that they need to pay out of pocket for the tests and submit a receipt for reimbursement.
You can access four free tests for your household using the federal government’s website regardless of whether you have health insurance. The website doesn’t ask for insurance information, and no upfront payment is required. For now, the four free tests are a one-time only offer.
What if I Can’t Wait for My Test?
The earliest you can expect to receive your test through the federal website is late January. If you need a test before then and you have private insurance, you can pay for a home test and then get reimbursed for any upfront payment. The challenge, of course, is finding a home testing kit.
You can also access free and low-cost tests through a community testing center. To find a site, use HHS.gov’s testing center locator.
Robin Hartill is a certified financial planner and a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. She writes the Dear Penny personal finance advice column. Send your tricky money questions to AskPenny@thepennyhoarder.com.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
You go to the doctor for your annual physical to make sure your body’s healthy. But when’s the last time you had a checkup for your financial health?
It’s important to know how well you’re managing your money and where you can make changes for the better. Without a regular financial checkup, you might continue to repeat poor money moves, like giving into frivolous impulse buys or only paying the minimum on your credit cards.
11 Steps to Complete Your Own Financial Checkup
Here’s how to examine and improve your financial health.
1. Update Your Budget
Budgets should not be static. Jump in and adjust yours if it’s not working for you.
A 2021 survey conducted by The Penny Hoarder found that those who keep a budget are less likely to have splurged on something that inhibited their ability to pay bills.
Increase or decrease spending limits in your various budget categories so they fit your current priorities and desires. Test out a different budgeting method or combine a couple to create your own money management plan, like this woman did.
2. Track Your Spending
Do you often wonder where all your money goes? If so, logging every dollar you spend will give you some insight.
Practice tracking your spending for a month, but don’t just include dollar amounts and what you bought. Jot down notes on why you made the purchase and how it made you feel.
Pro Tip
Kakeibo is a budgeting method that incorporates mindfulness about spending.
If you’re overspending on take-out during the work week because you’re too tired to cook, that could be a sign to start meal prepping. If you love how you feel after taking a drop-in yoga class and realize you want to do that more frequently, you could save money with a monthly pass rather than paying per session.
3. Reduce Your Fixed Expenses
Your fixed costs — the unchanging amount you pay for things like rent, cell phone and auto insurance — may seem inflexible, but they don’t have to be. Research competitors’ rates to negotiate your bills with your current provider or switch to a new one.
When it comes to housing costs, getting a roommate can significantly reduce that fixed expense. Just make sure to screen all potential roommates so you don’t end up with a dud. Or if you’re cool with the nontraditional, these alternative housing options can help you save money.
4. Add to Your Emergency Fund
An unexpected crisis can pop up at any time. Having a robust emergency fund makes those situations a little less stressful.
During your financial checkup, review how much money you have set aside for emergencies. Many experts recommend having between three to six months worth of expenses saved, but you could shoot for having a 12-month emergency fund if you desire a bigger financial cushion.
If you have less than three to six months, make a plan to add to your savings in the year ahead.
5. Check Your Progress on Other Savings Goals
Even if you’ve automated your savings for, say, an upcoming vacation or a home down payment, your goals aren’t something to just set and forget. Use this financial checkup time to see how close — or far away — you are from meeting those goals.
Even though retirement may seem like a long way away, the best time to start saving for it is now. Retirement accounts grow the more time you give them to benefit from compound interest.
Are you meeting your employer’s 401(k) match? Did you up your retirement contributions the last time you got a raise? Could you free up a little more each paycheck to divert to your retirement account, even if it’s just an extra 25 bucks?
Every little bit helps.
7. Evaluate Your Debt Repayment Plan
There are different ways to tackle paying off debt. Use this financial checkup to determine if your current repayment plan is working for you.
If you want the gratification of clearing an entire credit card balance, the snowball method of debt repayment focuses on the smallest balances first. If you want to attack the debt with the monster-sized interest rate, try the avalanche method.
8. Improve Your Credit Score
Your credit score is important when it comes to things like taking out a loan or renting an apartment. A low credit score can mean getting denied — or paying significantly more in interest or for a security deposit.
Conversely, the higher your score, the less money you’ll have to pay.
You can raise your credit score by paying down the balance of your existing loans and credit cards, not incurring additional debt, requesting limit increases on your credit cards and paying your bills on time.
9. Pull Your Credit Report
Your credit report delves into the reasoning behind your three-digit credit score. It details who you owe, how much, recent credit inquiries and if you have any debts that have gone to collections.
You can get a free copy of your credit report from all three credit reporting bureaus — Experian, Equifax and Transunion — once a year at www.annualcreditreport.com.
Review your credit reports to check for any inaccuracies. If something is on your report in error, you can dispute it with the credit bureau and potentially raise your credit score.
10. Update Your Resume
Stay prepared to jump on a great job opportunity by keeping an up-to-date resume.
If you plan on applying for a new job, it’s also useful to know how to negotiate your salary so you get the pay you deserve.
11. Protect Your Assets
To maintain good financial health, it’s smart to have a contingency plan for if something goes wrong.
Disability insurance provides income when you’re sick or injured and can’t work. Home, renters and auto insurance pay to repair or replace your property after an accident or disaster. Life insurance takes care of your family in the event of your death.
Review your various policies to make sure you have the coverage you need.
Nicole Dow is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
My boyfriend and I have been together for seven years now. Unfortunately, we are not doing too well financially and are paying off debt with a debt relief company. Even with this, we still struggle to get by.
I make $40,000 a year. He barely makes $30,000 a year as a construction contractor who isn’t even on a W-2, so his taxes are very expensive come tax season. He also purchases cigarettes and weed on a weekly basis, which is a chunk of change as well. He claims he wants to get ahead, but he won’t budget or look for a better job.
What should I do? I've tried talking to him, but he gets defensive about this stuff and then walks away. Should I just end the relationship because he’s not willing to grow up?
-Stressed Girlfriend
Dear Stressed,
The problem with being in a relationship with someone who won’t grow up is that you feel more like a parent than a partner. It’s been seven years. Based on what you’ve told me, I’m not holding out hope that your boyfriend will change his ways.
Your boyfriend is detached from reality if he expects his financial situation to get better without making changes. But what bothers me most isn’t the cigarettes or the weed or the refusal to plan for the giant tax bill he gets every single year. It’s the fact that his response when you express concern is to walk away from the conversation. That suggests a problem that goes way beyond money.
I’m in favor of dumping this guy unless he’s given you some reason to think he’ll turn things around. But I get it: Breakups are hard, particularly when you’ve been together for years.
If you’re not willing to end things just yet, you could see if he’s willing to make a small change instead of asking for a complete overhaul. It’s understandable why you’d want him to look for better-paying work or stop wasting money on smoking. But switching jobs or giving up a long-term habit can be enormously stressful.
You could start with something that’s less likely to put him on the defense, like telling him how stressed you feel every year at tax time. Independent contractors are supposed to make tax payments each quarter instead of waiting until tax season to pay, but you can make payments as frequently as you want. Ask him if he could start paying his taxes each week or on paydays so that you won’t be panicked next year at tax time.
Compared to changing jobs or giving up a smoking habit, this is a relatively small ask. If your boyfriend still isn’t willing to budge, he’s sending you a clear message that things will never change. As long as this relationship continues, your odds of achieving financial stability are pretty much non-existent.
I think you should start prepping your finances now, assuming that you are going to end this relationship. If it’s possible to save a little extra, either by cutting back or working extra, do it. Be sure to keep the money in a bank account that’s in your name only. If you don’t think you’d be able to afford your current housing on your income alone, look around at alternatives in the area. You may want to ask around to see if anyone you know is looking for a roommate.
I’m not sure whether you’re enrolled in a joint debt management plan or if the debt is in one person’s name. If you’re jointly liable, you may want to ask the company you’re working with if it’s possible to separate your debts. Given your boyfriend’s poor track record for managing money, I wouldn’t trust him to make his share of payments should you split.
Sometimes people need an impetus to change. Your boyfriend is clearly comfortable with letting you absorb the stress of his decisions. Perhaps a breakup would give him a much-needed kick to grow up already.
Regardless, your boyfriend’s days of holding you back are numbered. Either he learns to act like an adult, or you’re gone.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
We’re always looking for ways to save money, and one surefire way to do that is to buy products that last.
You can also buy products from companies that will repair or replace them if they break.
You may spend a bit more up front, but quality items — and ones with awesome lifetime warranties — can end up saving you money in the long run.
From backpacks to knives, here’s a list of 18 brands that offer lifetime warranties with no strings attached — plus 32 that cover manufacturer’s defects forever.
18 Companies With Lifetime Warranties
Yes, even for normal wear and tear.
1. Cutco
Knife-maker Cutco was founded in Olean, New York, in 1949. It offers a “forever guarantee” that extends to knives given as gifts or hand-me-downs.
“We want every Cutco owner to be satisfied forever, and when the product is passed along, we will continue to back that pledge,” says the company’s website.
“If at any time you are not satisfied with the performance of your product, we will correct the problem or replace the product.”
2. JanSport
Parents sending their kids off to school have long recognized backpack-maker JanSport for its top-notch warranty. This company, founded in 1967, guarantees nearly all of its backpacks, messenger bags, fanny packs and hiking bags.
“JanSport branded products covered by this warranty are warranted to the original owner against manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of the product,” JanSport says on its website.
The lifetime warranty covers defects such as ripped seams, defective zippers or broken buckles. Damage due to normal wear and tear, such as fading or scuffing, is not covered.
3. Manduka
This California-based company guarantees many of its yoga mats for life, even if the product wears out from regular use. Manduka notes that their mats last around 10 years when cared for properly.
A Manduka PRO yoga mat will cost you $129 to $155, but the price tag may well be worth it if you practice regularly and your mat wears out.
4. Feetures
Feetures is a family-owned sock-maker in North Carolina. This company makes high-performance socks for runners and other athletes, and it’ll offer you a replacement pair or refund at any time through its lifetime warranty.
5. Eddie Bauer
This outdoor gear and clothing maker stands behind its products so much that it offers an unconditional lifetime guarantee.
“We design all our products to last, and we test and manufacture to the highest quality standards,” the company states on its website. “If your Eddie Bauer product has a defect in materials or workmanship, you may return it, with proof of purchase, within one year, for a replacement or refund back to the original form of payment.”
6. Craftsman
Talk to someone who uses tools on a regular basis and you’ve probably heard about Craftsman’s warranty.
Many of the company’s tools, including wrenches, hammers, screwdrivers, ratchets and sockets are eligible for replacement, free of charge, over the lifetime of the product.
Just return the product that has failed to perform “for any reason” to a retail partner, no proof of purchase required, according to the company’s website. Other products must be under warranty to be repaired or replaced. This page provides a full breakdown of how Craftsman handles repairs and replacements.
7. Osprey
Osprey’s “All Mighty Guarantee” ensures that if you buy one of the company’s bags or backpacks, it’s guaranteed for life.
The brand’s motto: Any reason, any product, any era.
“Osprey will repair any damage or defect for any reason free of charge — whether it was purchased in 1974 or yesterday,” Osprey’s website says.
“If we are unable to perform a functional repair on your pack, we will happily replace it.”
8. Vermont Teddy Bear
If you buy a stuffed bear from Vermont Teddy Bear, it’s backed by the company’s lifetime warranty.
VTB has some fun with it too, and encourages you to send your bear to its “Bear Hospital.”
“Every once in a while, a tragedy will strike — a dog attack, a chance meeting with a lawn mower,” the company says. “We are talkin’ FREE, full coverage health care for your Bear’s entire lifetime.”
9. Duluth Trading Company
Duluth Trading Company, which makes clothing, outerwear, footwear and other items, offers a “No Bull Guarantee” on its products.
The company has a one-year return policy, and after one year, it will “consider returns for items that are defective or don’t perform as designed.”
10. Davek
Invest in a sturdy Davek umbrella (prices range from $49 to $350) and it’s backed by the company’s unconditional lifetime guarantee.
“We want this to be the last umbrella you will ever need,” the company’s website states.
Owners must register their umbrellas to be eligible for the lifetime warranty.
11. Zippo
Zippo makes lighters, hand warmers and knives. Its warranty motto on its windproof lighter: “It works or we fix it free.”
“We don’t make that promise lightly,” Zippo says.
“We know that behind every Zippo Windproof Lighter sent for repair is an owner depending on our promise to get it back in working order. Whether a windproof lighter is five years, 25 years or 50 years old, it will serve as a dependable source of flame for years to come — we guarantee it!”
12. Leupold
Leupold is based in Beaverton, Oregon, and makes binoculars, scopes and rangefinders used by golfers, hunters, security personnel and police.
The company will replace its riflescopes, binoculars and spotting scopes — whether you’re the original owner or not — forever, thanks to its lifetime warranty.
“You don’t need proof of ownership or a warranty card, and there’s no time limit,” the company says.
“We do this because we believe in superior quality and craftsmanship, and we’re confident your Leupold won’t let you down.”
13. Red Oxx
Red Oxx travel bags are covered by the company’s “No Bull” Lifetime Warranty, which means it will repair or replace its products, no questions asked.
This unconditional lifetime warranty is completely transferrable and applies to any product made by Red Oxx at any time in history. The warranty also extends to bags you buy used.
14. Darn Tough Socks
Vermont sock-maker Darn Tough Socks offers a 100%, unconditional lifetime guarantee on its socks, which are, apparently, pretty darn tough.
“If these aren’t the longest lasting socks you’ve ever owned, you can return them to us for another pair. No receipt needed, just the pair in question,”the company’s website states.
It also says its warranty has no strings and no conditions.
15. L.L. Bean
If you’ve purchased something from L.L. Bean in the last century, you’ve probably heard of its legendary lifetime warranty. The Maine-based company makes clothing, shoes, outdoor gear, backpacks and other items.
You can send back an item purchased from L.L. Bean for any reason for up to one year from the time of purchase. After a year, the company will “consider any items for return that are defective due to materials or craftsmanship,” its website states.
16. XIKAR
XIKAR, which makes cigar accessories, offers a limited lifetime warranty on all products. Simply drop your lighter or cigar cutter in the mail, and the company will repair or replace it for free.
Note that the company might send you a “refurbished equivalent, depending on the age and condition of the return.”
17. Orvis
This outdoor gear and apparel company offers a Great Catch Guarantee, which promises to make things right if you are dissatisfied with any product or service for any reason.
18. Away
Away, a company that makes suitcases with high-capacity batteries for charging cell phones and other devices, offers a lifetime limited warranty for the non-electronic components of its luggage. If your bag’s shell, wheels, handles or zippers stop working, the company will fix them or replace the bag for free.
You must be the bag’s original owner and have used it for travel by “air, car, train, boat and foot” for damage to be covered. To qualify, the problem must “impair the functionality of the product.”
The company won’t hang you out to dry if the battery dies, either. Away guarantees the electronic components inside its suitcases for two years.
32 Brands With Warranties for Manufacturer’s Defects
They might not cover regular wear and tear, but these companies will fix or replace unsatisfactory items through limited lifetime warranties and other guarantees.
19. Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC)
Vancouver-based MEC has sold gear for snowsports, climbing, hiking, running, camping and other outdoor activities since 1971.
The company offers a “Rocksolid Guarantee” on all of its products and the advice its employees give you.
“If the quality of an item hasn’t met your expectations, you can bring it back,” according to the company’s website.
“We also guarantee the product selection advice we give. If something you purchased based on this advice turns out to be unsuitable, you can bring it back for an exchange, refund or credit.”
20. Columbia
On outerwear and equipment — think coats and backpacks — outdoor gear-maker Columbia offers a limited lifetime warranty.
Though the company won’t replace an item for normal wear and tear, Columbia will replace items with manufacturer defects.
If the zipper breaks, for example, you can send your jacket in to have it inspected. If the folks in the warranty department determine the defect is covered by the warranty, they’ll fix it and send it back, or send you a credit for the value of the item so you can buy a new one.
The company offers a one-year warranty on shoes and sportswear.
21. Patagonia
Outdoor gear-maker Patagonia calls its lifetime warranty an “Ironclad Guarantee.” If you buy Patagonia apparel and gear for climbing, skiing, snowboarding, surfing, fly fishing or trail running, and it doesn’t perform as expected, the company will replace it.
“We guarantee everything we make,” according to the company’s website. “If you are not satisfied with one of our products at the time you receive it, or if one of our products does not perform to your satisfaction, return it to the store you bought it from or to Patagonia for a repair, replacement or refund.”
Patagonia says it will repair damage due to normal wear and tear “at a reasonable charge.”
REI will also let you return an item for any reason for up to one year after you bought it.
23. Nordstrom
The department store Nordstrom has a famously generous return policy. Technically, it doesn’t actually have a return policy — but what the company means is that it’ll take back or exchange nearly any item, for any reason, at any time.
“We stand behind our goods and services and want customers to be satisfied with them,” explains the company’s website.
“We’ll always do our best to take care of customers — our philosophy is to deal with them fairly and reasonably.” There’s no time limit for returns or exchanges, so use your best judgment.
24. Vortex Optics
Vortex Optics makes an array of products, including binoculars, gun scopes, tripods and other gear.
The company has a “VIP warranty,” which says that it will repair or replace any Vortex product if it becomes damaged or defective. The warranty doesn’t cover theft, loss, deliberate damage or cosmetic damage.
The warranty is fully transferable and you don’t need to hang on to your receipt.
“You see, it doesn’t matter how it happened, whose fault it was, or where you purchased it. You can count on the VIP Warranty for all Vortex Optics riflescopes, prism scopes, red dots, rangefinders, binoculars, spotting scopes, tripods and monoculars,” according to the company’s website.
25. Adidas
Sportswear company Adidas will replace or repair any returned item that has a manufacturer defect or a “deviation from factory specifications.”
The company’s warranty does not cover normal wear and tear, however.
26. Jostens
Ring-maker Jostens offers a limited lifetime warranty on many of its rings, including high school class rings, college class rings and youth sports rings.
The company will resize, refinish, polish, clean and replace some types of stones for the life of the ring, as long as you’re the original owner.
27. Le Creuset
This maker of multicolored cookware products offers a limited lifetime warranty on cast iron, tri-ply stainless steel, metal bakeware and toughened nonstick items.
The Le Creuset warranty does not cover normal wear and tear, only defects in material and workmanship for products used in a normal household setting. To be eligible, you need to make sure you take care of your skillets and pans according to the company’s instructions.
The company offers five-year warranties on kettles and stockpots. It offers a limited 10-year warranty on stoneware.
28. Tervis
Tervis makes water bottles, cups and mugs with nifty decorations (hello, Harry Potter cup!). It stands behind its products with guarantees.
The classic insulated products come with a lifetime guarantee. If its staff determine, after an inspection, that an item has a material defect or a problem due to workmanship, the company will replace it for free.
Stainless steel items come with a limited 5-year guarantee.
However, the warranties do not cover normal wear and tear, improper care or abuse. They also do not cover accessories.
29. Wüsthof
Wüsthof has been making knives and other kitchen tools since 1814, and it offers a lifetime warranty for defects in workmanship and materials.
30. Rainbow Sandals
Jay “Sparky” Longley began making sandals in his Laguna Beach garage in 1972. Now, if you buy a pair of his flip-flops, they’re guaranteed “for the lifetime of the sole,” according to the company’s website.
“The sandals will be eligible for warranty until you have worn through anywhere on the top or bottom layer of the sole.”
The warranty covers manufacturing defects only. If the strap pulls out from the base of the sandal or if the sandal’s sole layers become unglued, the shoes are likely covered by the warranty and the company will repair or replace them at no charge.
31. Filson
This Seattle-based company has made luggage, watches, outdoor gear and other items since 1897.
Filson offers a lifetime guarantee that covers failure of workmanship and materials for the life of its products. Normal wear and tear is not covered by the warranty.
32. The North Face
Most North Face products are guaranteed for the lifetime of the item against defects in materials and workmanship, with the exception of shoes, which only have a one-year guarantee.
33. Skullcandy
Skullcandy makes colorful earbuds and headphones that range in price from $10 to $320.
The company offers a one-year limited warranty on most products for manufacturing defects. Products purchased prior to April 1, 2021, come with a two-year limited warranty.
34. Hydro Flask
Founded in 2009 in Bend, Oregon, Hydro Flask makes insulated bottles and food storage containers. The company offers the Hydro Flask Let’s Go! Promise: Product Warranty, which covers manufacturer defects, but not normal wear and tear.
The company will replace your flask or bottle if it has a broken or leaking cap, if it has lost its insulating properties or if it has been damaged during shipping. It will also replace your bottle or flask if it rattles.
35. Dakine
Dakine makes gear for playing in the snow, surfing, cycling and windsurfing. The company was founded in Hawaii in 1979 and is now located in Hood River, Oregon.
Dakine’s 10-year limited lifetime warranty protects its backpacks and bags against manufacturing defects, but does not cover normal wear and tear. It also offers a two-year limited warranty on gloves, accessories, windsurf and kite gear, outerwear and apparel.
According to the company’s website, manufacturer defects include things like a straight-edge tear along a seam, a stitching defect that makes it difficult to use the product and zipper malfunctions.
36. Chacos
Sandal-maker Chacos promises that its shoes will be free from defects in materials and workmanship. The company offers a limited lifetime warranty on its sandals, which have received high praise from devoted outdoorsmen and women.
The warranty does not cover normal wear and tear, problems with fit or sandals that have been worn past the point of repair.
37. Timbuk2
Timbuk2 makes messenger bags, backpacks, laptop bags and duffel bags. The company offers a lifetime warranty on all of its bags (but not its shirts and hoodies) that covers defects in materials or workmanship.
“Your Timbuk2 bag is sewn by hand and might contain some slight imperfections. Like Daniel Craig or Marilyn Monroe, the slight imperfections are what add character to an already awesome product,” according to the company’s website.
38. Camelbak
The “Got Your Bak” guarantee covers defects in workmanship and materials for all Camelbak reservoirs, backpacks, bottles and accessories.
“Our Got Your Bak warranty program covers CamelBak products that legitimately fail due to a manufacture defect,” the company’s website states.
39. Polar Bottle
If you buy one of its water bottles and it breaks or is somehow faulty due to “defects in materials and workmanship,” Polar Bottle will replace it for you.
The warranty does not cover regular wear and tear on the item. It also does not cover “accident, combat damage, improper care or cleaning, non-standard usage or negligence.”
40. Gibson
Founded in 1894 In Nashville, Tennessee, Gibson has been a favorite of guitar players for centuries. Gibson guarantees its instruments to be free from defaults due to workmanship or materials, promising to repair or replace any instrument that doesn’t meet this standard.
The warranty doesn’t cover instruments that have been modified, or damages that occur from “misuse, negligence, accident or improper operation,” according to its website.
41. Big Green Egg
A Big Green Egg ceramic cooker is an investment that costs between $400 and $2,000, depending on size. But every cooker comes with a limited lifetime warranty, which softens the blow slightly.
The warranty covers “materials and workmanship on all ceramic components (including dome, base, damper top, fire box and fire ring),” according to the manufacturer.
The lifetime guarantee is valid for the original owner, so if you buy one second-hand it won’t be eligible. You also need to make sure you register your product in order to make a claim on the warranty.
42. Tupperware
Tupperware is best known for its plasticware that’s perfect for storing leftovers, but the company also makes a wide range of other kitchen products.
Tupperware’s website states that its products are “warranted by Tupperware against chipping, cracking, breaking or peeling under normal non-commercial use for the lifetime of the product.”
Depending on the product, certain components may be excluded from the lifetime guarantee. For example, the Limited Lifetime Warranty does not cover the silicone parts from the Microwave Pressure Cooker.
As of January 2022, Tupperware’s website says that the company is currently upgrading its warranty system and is unable to process claims, but once the upgrade is complete you’ll be able to submit your warranty claim as per usual.
43. Calphalon
Calphalon makes kitchenware designed to withstand the test of time. Many of Calphalon’s items come with a lifetime warranty.
“Calphalon will replace any item found defective in material or workmanship when put to normal household use and cared for according to the instructions,” according to the company’s website.
Some older Calphalon items do not fall under the lifetime warranty and instead have a 10-year warranty.
44. Cross
Since 1846, Cross has made writing instruments and accessories like padfolios, wallets and journals. The company stands by its products by offering a lifetime guarantee for its writing instruments, and shorter guarantees for leather products and timepieces.
According to Cross’s website, “All Cross writing instruments and desk set penholder mechanisms are unquestionably guaranteed against mechanical failure, regardless of age.”
As of January 2022, the manufacturer is currently experiencing delays in processing returns due to COVID-19 and is unable to repair gold pens until further notice.
45. Lupine Pet
Quality pet products can be hard to find. Lupine Pet makes that a little easier thanks to its GUARANTEED (Even if Chewed) program.
“GUARANTEED (Even if Chewed) means we will replace any Lupine Pet brand dog collars, leashes or pet gear that has been accidentally damaged during normal pet-related activities, even chewing accidents!” Lupine Pet says on its website.
Lupine Pet will not replace an item that has been lost or outgrown, or one that has faded or has normal wear and tear.
46. Kryptonite Lock
Kryptonite makes secure locks for bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles. The company guarantees its products and will replace any lock that has a defect in material or workmanship.
All Kryptonite Lock products carry a lifetime limited warranty. Kryptonite also makes bike lights; those carry a two-year warranty.
47. Kingston Technology
As technology has progressed, so has Kingston. The company got its start in 1987 making surface mount memory chips; today it makes several varieties of memory cards, SSDs, USB flash drives and more.
Kingston offers a lifetime warranty for many of its products. Other products carry warranties that range from one year to five years, depending on the item. You can find a full list of what is covered on Kingston’s website.
48. Stanley Tools
Top-quality tools can serve you for many years. Stanley makes a wide variety of tools, and many of them are covered by a lifetime warranty.
Tools covered by this warranty include wrenches, sockets, ratchets, drive accessories, tape measures, hand tools and landscaping and garden tools. Other items may offer a shorter warranty.
49. Tilley
Tilley hats offers a lifetime guarantee on many of its hats.
“Most Tilley hats are guaranteed for life against normal wear and tear, poor workmanship or faulty material,” the company’s website states. “If something is not right, we’ll repair or replace your hat.”
50. Fiskars
Fiskars makes a wide range of products, from kitchen knives and craft blades to gardening shears and saws. The company stands by its products with its lifetime warranty.
According to the Fiskars website, “Fiskars products are warranted to the consumer purchaser to be free of defects in material and workmanship for as long as the consumer owns the product.”
This warranty doesn’t cover sharpening, wear and tear due to normal use or accidental damage.
Sarah Kuta and Catherine Hiles are contributors to The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
If you’re selling a house, you’re probably pumped about how much money you could be making when the deal closes.
But before you go all Scrooge McDuck and start diving into a pile of money, remember the costs that come with selling a home — like commission fees. And they can be significant.
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Let’s say you sell your house for $600,000. The commission fees alone will be $36,000 (split between the listing agent and the buyer’s agent). That’s a huge chunk of equity you’re giving up.
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How to Pocket Thousands More When Selling Your Home
Normally, real estate agents are hyper-focused on their commissions — they have to be, if they want to get paid. That means their priorities might not always be the same as yours.
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Let Technology Be Your Home-Selling Guide
Selling your house can be both exciting and stressful, but Houwzer has figured out how to simplify the whole process and put more money into your pocket. Whether you’re selling or buying a home, Houwzer has you covered with top-rated real estate agents who are local experts in your area. To make the home-buying process even less stressful, Houwzer has a one-stop-shop approach, bringing agents, a title company and mortgage advisors all under one roof.
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Kari Faber is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
