The holiday season is supposed to be about joy, giving and spending time with our favorite people. But just as you might pack on a few extra pounds over the holidays, you might pack on some extra debt, too. On…
If you’ve looked at Wal-Mart’s website lately, you might have noticed that the big-box retailer seems to have two different prices for some items: one higher price for online orders and then a lower price if you buy the item…
When your cable and internet goes down, even temporarily, it can be a major hassle. Imagine the scenario. You were just about to sit the kids down in front of their favorite cartoon and snag 30 minutes to yourself when…
What is the best way to control spending? No matter what I do to control spending and pay down my credit card, I always feel like I come back to the same place where I had started with the balance.…
The average American spent $10,345 on health care in 2016 and those costs are expected to continue rising. If you are seeking a convenient way to save for and pay for those pricey bills, an HSA account may be the…
There are plenty of reasons to skip Black Friday shopping. Maybe news footage made you decide not to brave the crowds. Or maybe you opted to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner instead. Whatever the reason, you’ve been absent from past installments of the shopping…
A high credit score can be like a healthy weight. You know you want it, but are you doing the right things to achieve it? Some information you thought might influence your credit score simply doesn’t. Let’s look at five things…
The internet lost its mind back in August when news broke that Amazon had bought the organic-foods mecca, Whole Foods. For any lover of healthy groceries, this was huge news. To put it in perspective, Amazon cut the grocer’s normally astronomical prices…
Millennials know student loan debt. Borrowers under 30 are carrying more than $376 billion in student loans and those ages 30 to 39 hold more than $408 billion, according to 2015 data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York…
Update 11/16/17: Bummer! It looks like this job has been filled. When I was a kid, my grandfather was always working on a massive 3D puzzle. I didn’t really understand what was so exciting about building a replica of the…
Amazon is giving Whole Foods shoppers an early gift for the holidays. The grocer announced Wednesday it’s slashing prices again, this time on several “holiday staples,” including sweet potatoes, canned pumpkin and turkey. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you’ll…
Filling out and submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is the key to getting financial aid to help pay for college if you or your family can’t foot the entire bill. The Education Department provides over…
Target has a really fun deal this week: When you spend $25 on Pokemon playing card items, you can get a free three-pack of Pikachu cards! This deal is good through Dec. 23, so you’ve got a few weeks to get…
To the Black Friday victors go the spoils. Use these hacks to guarantee yourself the deals you want, whether you decide to shop from your couch or at the store. Online Shopping 1. Think Outside The Box Some stores are synonymous…
Even if you diligently save for retirement, it can be easy to come up short. If you’re looking for the best bang for your buck while living out your golden years, geography can have a big impact. GoBankingRates.com analyzed monthly…
Jay-Z has amassed a fortune estimated at $810 million from his 13 platinum albums and multiple business ventures. From his debut album “Reasonable Doubt” in 1996 to his latest, “4:44,” released in June, the rapper, born Shawn Carter, has documented…
A morning bagel doesn’t feel complete without a cup of coffee to go along with it, but you might find that you’re spending a little too much money if you add a cup of joe to every bagel you order.…
If you’re looking to save money (and who isn’t?), you might want to try the “starve and stack method.” It sounds extreme, but Nick Vail, a financial adviser and author of the Remove The Guesswork blog, claims this savings strategy can net…
A healthy mouth is essential to your overall well-being, but if you are like many people, you avoid going to the dentist because of the cost. Essential treatments can certainly put a dent in your budget, but you could also…
Debt doesn’t have to be a way of life. Take it from those who’ve been there. Whether it was dealing with credit cards, student loans, car loans or other debt, the people profiled in NerdWallet’s How I Ditched Debt series…
It’s the hard sell at the car rental counter that everyone knows is coming but few know how to handle: rental car coverage. You might recall that your credit card provides some type of free protection for rental cars. That’s…
Many people, myself included, dread the end of daylight saving time (DST) in the fall. The days are way shorter, which means less sunshine. In many parts of the country, it also coincides with a dip in temperatures. Sure, you…
The products and services mentioned below were selected independent of sales and advertising. However, Don't Waste Your Money may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website.The world…
What with flights, lodging and food, traveling is often expensive. Add activities and even the shortest excursion can suddenly become a budget buster. To help you stay on track, here’s how you can find cheap — or even free —…
Why are money decisions so stressful? No, it’s not because you’re broke. It’s because your brain is fundamentally challenged when it comes to financial choices, according to neuroscience. And going it alone only makes it worse. “Our brains are really…
Almost one in four Americans are without dental insurance plans. Yet, brushing and flossing at home isn’t enough for oral health. Skipping out on dental cleanings can lead to some serious problems, including periodontal disease. Meet “Free Dentistry Day” Several…
Hosting Thanksgiving dinner can feel like a thankless job if you’ve destroyed your budget to do so. But it doesn’t have to be that way. By setting realistic expectations, shopping strategically and delegating tasks, this can be an affordable meal to…
Imagine losing everything in a disaster, then having to list all of your possessions to file an insurance claim — every plate, holiday decoration and piece of clothing, for starters. Without a home inventory, this would be the toughest memory…
Retiring early is a dream for a lot of people, but for Steve Adcock and his wife Courtney, it's a reality. Here's the budget that couple currently lives on.
Be sure to pass this deal along to any military members or veterans in your life: Great Clips is offering free haircuts on Nov. 11. Military members or veterans can visit a Great Clips salon for a free haircut on…
People who use rent-to-own stores often end up paying twice the retail price — or more — for anything they buy. So why do millions of people rent-to-own? Researchers say people who patronize rent-to-own outlets aren’t being stupid, necessarily. Instead,…
Passwords are the house keys to your online accounts, and when they’re hacked, intruders can break in and wreck havoc. To create strong passwords, you have to strike a balance between making them difficult for others to guess and making them easy…
One man says he's only paying $12 for cell phone service. The Xfinity Mobile plan can save current Xfinity customers a lot of money.
In an era of rampant breaches of credit card numbers, it can seem like it’s just a matter of time before you, too, will fall victim. More than half of U.S. consumers, or 53 percent, say their financial institution sent…
When you owe more than your vehicle is worth, you are upside-down, or underwater, on your car loan. This doesn’t immediately spell trouble, but it can result in less financial flexibility and security. You face two major risks: If you get…
Who: Ogechi Igbokwe How much: $26,000 in three years Ogechi Igbokwe didn’t want to be another student loan statistic. After graduating in 2014 from State University of New York, Old Westbury, with a master’s degree in accounting and $26,000 in student loan debt,…
As a first-time parent, you’ve probably been warned about sleepless nights, feeding struggles and the persistent fear that you have no idea what you’re doing. But did anyone mention the temptation to buy a $30 Thanksgiving onesie that your baby…
It’s probably no surprise that Mercedes convertibles dominate the list of the “most expensive” vehicles to insure. (The Mercedes S65 AMG is the most expensive, with annual premiums averaging $3,835. Oof!) But you might be surprised to learn which vehicles are…
Yes, buying that wide-eyed Shiba Inu puppy with your partner may bring loads of joy to your family. But this dog — we’ll call him Balto — may also come with a taste for pricey kibble and, down the road,…
We’ve all been there. You run into T.J. Maxx to pick up a few things. But you leave with a shopping cart full of who knows what stuff you found that was too cheap to pass up. What are you to…
Young people are saving money and planning ahead. About 60 percent of Millennials who are limiting their spending in some way are doing it to save money for the future, according to a new survey from Bankrate. That beat out…
Is it time to have “the talk”? Discussing finances with your parents can be as uncomfortable as the talk they gave you about the birds and the bees. But it still needs to happen. “This is a touchy topic, because…
It’s no secret that going out to eat can be expensive. And actually, there’s evidence that dining out is pricier than ever before. Still, who wants to give up going to restaurants? Besides chowing on tasty food, going out to eat…
Billionaire Mark Cuban has obviously made some savvy financial decisions. Besides being a brilliant businessman, are there any lessons you can take away from Cuban’s financial success? Yes, and one of Cuban’s suggestions on how to maximize your money might…
It’s a thought many new and soon-to-be parents have: How can something so tiny require so much stuff? While you might not need all the gear you’ve stocked up on, there’s no getting around the fact that having a baby…
On Friday, in a move that makes money transfers easier than ever, PayPal announced that customers will now be able to use PayPal to transfer money within Facebook Messenger. By connecting their PayPal accounts to their Facebook Messenger apps, users can…
Trader Joe’s is not like most regular grocery stores. In addition to their affordable produce and wide array of health-food options, they also carry their own line of unique products like their “Everything But The Bagel Seasoning” and their infamous…
There’s a lot of advice out there about planning for retirement. You’ve probably heard that you should be saving more and begin putting away money earlier. Whether you’re just getting started in your career, or you can hardly remember a…
For 18-year-old Liza Miezejeski, choosing the right college meant balancing her desire for adventure and her fear of debt. “I didn’t want to stay at home, in my hometown, just to save money,” says the Connecticut native, referring to community…
Identity theft and fraud affect millions of people in the United States each year. According to the Bureau of Justice, in 2014 17.6 million people experienced identity theft. Earlier this year, Equifax, one of the country’s top credit reporting agencies,…