Personal Finance

Recently, I’ve written a few articles on gardening and the frugal value it provides, particularly this one on how how to start a garden without a backyard. While this advice works well for many situations, it doesn’t address small living quarters. What do you do if you don’t have any …

Photo by Robert Kneschke / Shutterstock.com Do you want great deals at the drugstore? No problem. If you have 60 seconds and a smartphone, you can find the best bargains at major chains like CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens. For starters, you can rack up cash back by using the …

nakaridore / Shutterstock.com If your phone is ringing off the hook with infuriating robocalls, you are not alone. Americans received 3 billion robocalls in May, according to the YouMail Robocall Index. That is down from a peak of 5.7 billion robocalls in October 2019, a trend that YouMail has attributed …

Erie is one of the best auto insurance providers on the market, despite the fact that it only serves 12 states. The company consistently earns top ratings from industry research organizations, is financially strong and has above-average customer service reviews. The company offers unique features and extensive add-on coverage, including …

Photo by Dragana Gordic / Shutterstock.com Summer’s the season we dream of all year — surely, those hazy, lazy, carefree days will allow us to somehow wring out more time to read. Whether it’s a frothy paperback smudged with Coppertone and savored on a sandy beach or an electronic thriller …

Claire L. graduated valedictorian of Queens University of Charlotte, a small private institution, in May of 2019 with two bachelor’s degrees, three completed internships and plans to “save the world.” She studied international studies and sociology to better understand how to help groups of people abroad, but she didn’t fully …

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. Escrow shortage question2. Reusing glass drink bottles3. Retirement savings in my 40s4. Frugal summer camp replacement ideas5. Home delivery …

Photo by rayjunk / Shutterstock.com Having Social Security taxes taken from your paycheck is bad enough. But for millions of Americans, the obligations don’t end there. Half of retirees say they paid income taxes on their Social Security benefit income during the 2019 tax year, according to a survey by …

Photo by Tinatin / Shutterstock.com Have you gone into a cleaning frenzy, hoping to kill the coronavirus in your home? If so, take note: Many people are misusing disinfectants and cleaners. A solid minority of Americans — 39% — use bleach and other disinfectants in a manner that can harm …