Personal Finance

What’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to summaries of five or fewer words. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question. 1. Free streaming services?2. Frugal spa alternatives3. Is moving furniture worth it?4. Overpriced used stuff?5. Frugal room painting strategies?6. …

Photo by Burlingham / Shutterstock.com Drug prices are continuing to climb, even amid the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting widespread unemployment. Drug manufacturers increase prices regularly, as often as twice each year, and the second round of 2020 price hikes on prescription medications landed this month. So far, at least …

Photo by Pra Chid / Shutterstock.com The coronavirus seems to be changing every aspect of life, even taxes. The pandemic prompted the IRS to push back the filing deadline for 2019 tax returns to July 15, and tax changes will continue into next year. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic …

All vehicles have a vehicle identification number — or VIN. This unique identifier helps in a number of ways, both before you purchase a car (particularly a used one) and during the time you own it. No two vehicles have the same VIN. Find out what information is included in …

Nearly one-third of car accident fatalities involve a driver impaired by a substance. To keep others safe, there are some serious consequences for driving while under the influence of a substance. If you drive impaired, you run the risk of getting cited with a DUI (driving under the influence) or …

Car insurance protects you and other people financially. Should you get into a car accident, your insurance will help pay for medical bills, personal property damage and legal fees. Because it’s financial protection, it can help protect your most valued assets from being seized in court. Because of how important …

The Covid-19 pandemic and resulting shutdown measures have resulted in a deep recession for the global economy. Despite this, we found the majority of Americans are either very or somewhat confident about their finances for the rest of 2020, according to a new survey conducted by The Simple Dollar. That …

Photo by Rido / Shutterstock.com As many people are facing financial hardships, finding ways to save money has become more important. If you are looking for ways to cut costs, you might want to take a look at your cellphone bill. You may be paying for services you don’t need. …

Photo by fizkes / Shutterstock.com With the economy in recession and the nation still in the grips of the coronavirus pandemic, now’s the time to make sure your credit and credit score are in tip-top shape. Your financial security might depend on it. Bad credit can lead to bad news: …