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I Had a Perfect Credit Score. Here’s How I Got It.
For a few precious weeks last year, I had perfect credit. Sometime over the summer, I clicked on one of those credit update links, signed in and beheld the magical digits: 850. I had never had perfect credit before, and I may never have it again. A month or two later, my score dropped back
Labor Day Weekend Food Deals at McDonald’s, Denny’s and More
The three-day Labor Day weekend is an occasion for many restaurants to have deals for dining out – it’s your day off, why cook, right? McDonald’s $2 breakfast sandwich deal can be redeemed over the holiday, but the fast-food giant also has travelers covered with a discount on gas at Shell stations…
8 Ways to Get Your Money Out While You Still Can
The U.S. Mint officially pulled the plug on the penny in late 2025. Since then, your loose change is getting harder to spend. Businesses are rounding purchases to the nearest nickel and flat-out refusing to hand back pennies. If you’re hauling around a heavy jar of copper and zinc, you’re probably…
Which Is Better for Your Home?
Vinyl and laminate are both manufactured types of flooring that are budget-friendly alternatives to more traditional hardwood flooring. Vinyl is generally considered a higher-end option that has greater durability and visual appeal, but the quality of each product can vary widely. Understanding the…
8 Ways to Lower Your Housing Costs in Retirement
Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com It’s not unusual for people to look for ways to cut housing costs, and it’s especially true of older adults who may be looking for ways to retire early or make living on a fixed income more comfortable. From the traditional approach of downsizing to the…
Walmart Is Giving You a New Way to Order Dunkin’
Walmart customers wanting to get both groceries and Dunkin’ delivered at the same time will soon have that chance. The retail and grocery giant announced this week that the company will soon allow customers to order Dunkin’ using the same Walmart app they use to buy groceries. Walmart is working…
Avoid Paying Taxes on Social Security
It is exceedingly difficult to evade the long arm of the taxman. Even though seniors have cause to celebrate thanks to the temporary senior income tax reduction (good through 2028), many retirees still owe taxes. That’s even true of income from Social Security benefits. Earn too much money — even…
6 Steps to Fix a Running Toilet — Before It Wastes Hundreds of Dollars
Listen to your bathroom for a second. Hear a faint hiss or the toilet suddenly flushing itself when nobody touched it? That’s not a ghost. That’s money — running straight down the drain, all day, every day. A running toilet is one of the most common problems in any home, and one of the easiest
This Simple Theory Explains Why Being a Cheapskate Can Cost You in the Long Run
You replace the toaster after it sparks. You buy another $15 umbrella because the last one inverted in a gentle breeze. You grab a pack of budget t-shirts that lose their shape after three trips through the washing machine. Buying cheap feels like a victory at the checkout counter, but it is…
I Am Waste-Conscious and Frugal — yet Still Manage to Throw Away $270 Worth of Food Every Few Months
I like to think I run a relatively intentional kitchen. Living with two working adult children means our schedules are constantly colliding, but we communicate. We share a grocery list. We plan our meals. Every three or four months, I do a full kitchen audit. I pull everything out of the fridge…