Amid rising tariffs, Dollar Tree starts selling items for more than $1

Dollar Tree is revising its playbook.The retailer known for selling everything for just $1 is now offering merchandise for than a buck at about 100 of its stores, according to Business Insider.The new Dollar Tree Plus! model is being rolled out at the [...]

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5 Ways to Save Money This Summer and Still Have Fun

Retiring, Sooner or Later

Marie wrote in with a really nice mailbag question:

Do you think it’s better to retire a few years early and have to live with a tight budget or keep working for a few more years which will probably be your healthiest years so you can have more money when you retire? I’m 57 and can retire now but things would be lean for me. If I work until 60 things will be much better as I will have a lot more in retirement savings and less time to wait until Social Security kicks in.

There are a ton of ways to look at this question. I’ll just walk through how I would look at it.

The big question I’d have in Marie’s shoes would be what does my downside plan look like? In other words, what exactly will I do if I get into retirement and realize that I need more income?

If I needed to, could I can easily return to the workforce, get a job of some kind that earns enough to really make a difference for my life, and start earning enough money so that I can at least reduce how much I’m drawing down my retirement?

For some, that might mean that they ned to easily return to their previous career path in some way or be able to utilize some skills they have in order to earn a relatively nice wage. For many others, that means that their health is sufficient to be able to do an entry level service job like working as a cashier at Target. It really depends on your situation.

For me, I’m not really sure what a return to the workplace would look like. When I “retire” from The Simple Dollar, I won’t give up writing, but it will change form and take up somewhat less of my time. I plan to write science fiction and/or fantasy. Ideally, I will earn some degree of income from that, even if it’s just a trickle of ebook sales. If I had to move to something that brought in more direct income, it would likely be some entry level position just to bring in cash in exchange for my hours.

Once you know what that downside plan is, how miserable would that downside plan make you? Would it be something that would completely demoralize you? Or would it be just another curve in life’s long road?

This depends a lot on the person and on their downside plan. Some people will be fine with whatever may come. Others would be devastated by any return to the workforce. Still others would find some types of work quite acceptable, while other forms might make them unhappy.

As for me, I’d probably not relish having to work at a service job in my fifties and sixties, but there are far worse outcomes in life. I could do it if I needed to and it wouldn’t be a devastating outcome. I know that, given what I have now, it would not be a permanent thing and would likely just happen as a bridge to Social Security.

Once you have those questions answered, it’s time to look at the numbers regarding retirement.

If you retire with just enough to live off of if you take a 3.5% or 4% annual withdrawal from your retirement savings, then there’s a decent chance that any significant life bump will send you right back to the workplace.

That’s fine if you don’t find your downside plan to be dreadful. After all, for most people in this situation, the downside plan is likely just a relatively temporary thing. Retiring early probably makes sense for you.

On the other hand, that’s a terrible outcome if you really dread having to return to work again after choosing to retire. If the idea of your downside plan fills you with horror, then you should probably make a choice to avoid it. Retiring later probably makes sense in this case.

There’s also the issue of contentment with your current life. If you’re happy with your life as it is now, with a career and a current position you enjoy, why not stick with it? Is there anything pressing that you want to do in retirement that you couldn’t delay for a few years if you’re pretty happy right now? If that’s the case, retiring later makes a lot of sense.

On the other hand, perhaps you loathe your current career or job or simply have big dreams regarding things you want to do in retirement (things you can afford, that is). In that case, retiring sooner is probably the better path.

Given these factors, I would probably make my decision using my feelings about my downside plan as my primary deciding factor, and my second factor would be my happiness with my current life. The interesting thing is that your feelings about your current career likely provide some shading as to your downside plan. If you dread your current career intensely, then your downside plan probably doesn’t seem too bad in comparison, and that nudges you toward retiring now rather than later. Of course, the reverse is true: if you’re pretty happy with where you are, your downside plan might seem quite bad by comparison, and that would nudge you toward sticking with work.

As for me, I’ll probably retire as soon as it makes financial sense for Sarah and myself. Some of my plans in retirement do involve bringing in a little additional income and my own downside plan doesn’t fill me with dread – if things go that way, it’s okay.

So, if this question is on your mind, here’s your step by step game plan.

First, sit down and really think about what your downside plan is if you retire and things don’t work out financially. What kind of work would you end up doing in that situation? Could you fill in using your current training, like a teacher or a pastor might be able to? Could you actually still find full-time work in your field after a few years of retirement? Or would it be a return to entry level work? Honest evaluation of your career and your skills is absolutely vital here.

Once you’ve figured out what the downside looks like, honestly assess how you feel about it, particularly in comparison to your current career situation. Does the downside plan seem a lot worse than your current job? Or does it seem like another turn in the road? It might even seem like an improvement over your current situation (which begs the question of why you’re not making the shift right now).

If the downside plan seems awful and far worse than your current job, then it’s probably a good choice to delay retirement and give yourself some padding so that there’s much less likelihood of having to execute that downside plan. Aim for 120% or 150% of your target.

If the downside plan seems palatable and you are ready to get out of your current job, then take that leap if you have enough money saved up to live on. The downside plan is significantly more likely to happen in this case, but if you’re equally happy or more happy with your downside plan than with your current career, it’s all good.

The challenge comes when you’re happy with your current job and your downside plan or you’re unhappy with both. In those cases, I would let the vision of the downside plan still guide you. I’d set it down side by side with your current situation, compare things like salaries and working conditions, and also consider the fact that you’re likely to be several years older when executing your downside plan. If you still can’t decide, I would stay put for now, because you are never, ever going to be harmed by having more in retirement savings.

Good luck!

The post Retiring, Sooner or Later appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Dear Penny: When Does It Make Sense to Use a 401(k) to Pay Off Debt?

Dear K.,

It’s so tempting to take a bite from the 401(k) apple when you have debt. And your 401(k) funds probably look especially appealing since you’re at or approaching that magical age of 59 ½ when the IRS will let you tap into those funds without paying a 10% penalty.

I’d urge you not to spend your 401(k) to repay your debt, but the tax implications you mentioned aren’t my primary concern.

Your 401(k) is an asset that’s almost always protected from creditors with just a few exceptions, such as if you owe child support or back taxes. The same goes for IRAs and pensions.

That means if you can’t make your debt payments and your student loan servicer or credit card company gets a court judgment against you, they won’t be able to touch your $17,000 in retirement savings. Your retirement accounts are also typically protected if you file for bankruptcy.

That $17,000 could be a lifeline in a crisis — say, if you have a medical emergency or lose your job before you’re eligible for Social Security.

OK, now let’s talk taxes: Your 401(k) withdrawals are taxed as what the IRS calls “ordinary income.” In other words, it’s taxed like a paycheck. So how much would you pay in taxes if you added $17,000 to your paycheck for the year? Without getting into the weeds of how tax brackets work, let’s just say that as a single filer in 2019, you’d need taxable income between $84,201 and $160,725 before any of it would be taxed at the 24% rate you mention.

Specifics aside, let’s just assume that when you start working again, your income will be higher than it will be when you retire. By holding off on 401(k) withdrawals until you’re no longer earning a paycheck, you’ll probably pay less in taxes.

But you’re wise to be focused on getting rid of that $28,000 in debt, especially since your retirement years are approaching.

The good news is, you’re starting a new chapter. You’re about to start a new job, so you’re in a better position to knock out what you owe so that you can be debt-free when you retire — and afford your rent in the meantime.

You don’t say whether the income you’ll earn at your new job will be enough to cover your basic necessities and make your debt payments. If you have extra money left over after bills and minimum payments, start by putting whatever you can toward paying off your credit cards, which probably have higher interest rates than your student loans.

Regardless of how much your new job pays, consider pursuing opportunities to make money on the side so you can tackle your debt quickly and start padding your retirement savings. Even earning an extra $200 or $300 a month through pet-sitting, delivering groceries or driving for a ride-hailing service could help you pay down your debt significantly faster.

By resisting the temptation to take money out of your 401(k) now, you’ll sleep better knowing you have money saved that no creditor can touch.

Robin Hartill is a senior editor at The Penny Hoarder and the voice behind Dear Penny. Write Dear Penny and you might see your question answered in an upcoming column.

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.

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Selling up? Don’t let knotweed ruin your chances

It’s all very well cleaning the windows and painting the walls, but if you have Japanese knotweed in your garden, you’ll find buyers could run a mile. Here’s how to beat this fast-growing weed

The presence of this invasive plant can threaten a property’s foundations, impact on its value – and in some cases make it almost impossible to sell.

It is not unusual for lenders to refuse to lend on a property if the weed has been found, while others will put strict conditions in place and force you to agree to a treatment plan and insurance.

Here we take a closer look at what the presence of Japanese knotweed means when you’re trying to sell up ­– and what you can do to improve the chances of your sale going through.

What is Japanese knotweed?

Japanese knotweed is a notorious non-native species that has been thriving in the UK since its introduction in the 1820s as an ornamental plant.

A fast-growing weed that chokes out other greenery, it has a root system considered to be strong enough to grow through asphalt, cracks in concrete, drains and cavity walls. If left to spread, it can potentially threaten the foundations of buildings.

Eradicating this troublesome weed is a far from simple task because cutting it down can simply cause it to grow back fast.

Issues if you are trying to sell

In the UK, Japanese knotweed is widely believed to pose a significant risk of damage to buildings that are within seven metres of the parts of the plant that are above ground.

Paula Higgins, chief executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, says: “Japanese knotweed is a huge headache for homeowners, and the impact it can have on your ability to sell can be much more serious than you might have thought.

"This invasive weed has a root system that can spread wide and, if it reaches a property, it can cause damage to the foundations.”

Lenders may refuse to lend

If your buyers carry out a survey that finds that the plant is less than seven metres from your home, their lenders may get jumpy.

Many lenders have policies that restrict their ability to lend against a property that has the weed growing in the garden. And those that are willing to lend will usually insist on seeing evidence that a full treatment plan from a knotweed contractor has been put in place, together with a 10-year insurance-backed guarantee against its return.

Lenders may stipulate that you use a contractor that is registered with an organisation such as the Property Care Association (PCA) or the Invasive Non-Native Specialists Association (INNSA).

Peter Mugleston, managing director of Onlinemortgageadvisor.co.uk, says: “Some lenders will refuse point blank to lend if a property has a knotweed issue.

"At the very least, most will want to know that treatment is being undertaken to control the knotweed before they’ll agree to lend.”

Take note, however, that while professional removal programmes may offer a solution, the treatment does not come cheap.

Findings from the Crop Protection Association (CPA) show the average cost for homeowners after knotweed appeared is £1,880, while one in 10 faced costs of more than £4,000.

knotweed-2.jpg

'My management plan saved the sale process'

Liz Betteridge was able to successfully sell her home despite having Japanese knotweed in the garden after she put a management plan in place that kept both her buyers – and their lender – happy.

The 53-year-old had lived in her three-bedroom property in Torquay, South Devon, for around 17 years before putting her home on the market in 2016.

“Japanese knotweed had been present in the garden the whole time I lived there, and gardeners who had come to do work for me had warned me about it,” says Liz. “But I wasn’t too worried as there were only a few shoots on one site located further down the garden and the plant wasn’t affecting my home in any way.”

When Liz was preparing to sell her home, she started doing a lot of research into Japanese knotweed on the internet.

“I read all the horror stories, but I was determined not to get sucked into all the panic and hype,” she says. “I’d read about the importance of having a management plan in place to make a property sellable, and got in touch with the Japanese knotweed removal specialist Environet.”

Liz instructed the firm to treat the knotweed using herbicide. “The first application happened that summer, and a second application took place the following year,” she says. “A third ‘check’ visit was scheduled for the third year to make sure there had been no regrowth.”

The site visit and treatment cost Liz around £5,000 in total and included a guarantee.

“This was quite expensive, but I saw it as a ‘treatable nuisance’ and a cost that I just had to pay as part of my moving costs,” she says. “Things went well, and I was able to market my home and find a buyer.”

Liz asked her estate agent to be upfront to the buyers about the Japanese knotweed in her garden, as she didn’t want the issue rearing its head further down the sale process – possibly causing the buyers to pull out.

“But I also asked my estate agent to explain to the buyers that I was dealing with the problem,” she adds. “And, with a management plan in place, the buyers weren’t deterred – and neither was their lender – and the sale went through without a problem. It was a big relief.”

Cutting down this invasive weed can simply cause it to grow back fast

Risk that buyers will pull out

In some cases, buyers will pull out at the mere mention of Japanese knotweed, while others will withdraw their offer further down the line owing to difficulties in getting a mortgage. Not only this, but the weed's presence can knock tens of thousands of pounds off the value of a property.

Further findings from the CPA show that one in seven people with knotweed saw a property deal fall through as a result, while one in five saw the value of their house drop.

In the worst cases, Japanese knotweed can render a property almost unsaleable.

Is the problem overhyped?

While this may make for gloomy reading, a recent study from global infrastructure services firm Aecom and the University of Leeds raised doubts over just how damaging Japanese knotweed is – and suggested that it may pose no more of a threat to property than many other plants.

Dr Mark Fennell, principal ecologist at Aecom, says: “We found nothing to suggest that Japanese knotweed causes significant damage to buildings – even when it is growing in close proximity – and certainly no more damage than other species that are not subject to such strict lending policies.”

The research goes on to say that automatically refusing mortgages on properties where the plant is found is “out of proportion to the risk posed by this invasive species”.

According to the findings, knotweed only causes problems where a property already has existing structural faults. In response to this, lenders are being encouraged to reassess their stance on knotweed.

However, you shouldn’t expect lenders to change their approach to knotweed any time soon.

Jane Erskine, deputy property ombudsman at The Property Ombudsman, says: “Despite this new report suggesting knotweed is relatively harmless to properties, its presence has – and probably still will – affect residential property sales.”

"If you do find the weed, take action before marketing your property”

What action should you take?

If you do find the dreaded weed on your property, you need to take action to tackle the problem before marketing your property. Nic Seal, managing director of Japanese knotweed removal specialist Environet, says: “Sellers have a legal obligation to disclose if their property is – or even has been – affected by knotweed, as a direct question is now part of the TA6 property information form.

"Those who are dishonest are leaving themselves wide open to legal action from the purchaser once they come to realise that the property is blighted by the weed.”

Crucially, you should never try to remove knotweed yourself, as you may inadvertently cause it to spread. Instead, you should instruct a professional firm to treat the plant, remove it, and dispose of it safely.

You should check that your chosen firm offers an insurance-backed guarantee lasting for at least 10 years, which transfers with the ownership of the property.

Japanese knotweed removal specialists include Environet (https://environetuk.com) and The Knotweed Experts (theknotweedexperts.co.uk); the latter recently launched a 35-year guarantee, which ensures that homeowners are now covered for the entire length of their mortgage.

Treatment options for knotweed include 'excavation', which is an instant fix, removing the plant within a matter of days; this involves the whole area being dug out. The alternative is herbicide, which is cheaper, but can take up to three years to complete.

Provided there is a planned eradication programme in place, lenders should be happy to proceed – and nervous buyers should be reassured.

Mr Seal adds: “While the knotweed will still need to be declared, this will keep most buyers and lenders happy – and will give you the best chance of a smooth, successful sale.”

knotweed-3.jpg

Cases at the Court of Appeal

In a recent landmark case, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of two householders whose properties had suffered from Japanese knotweed encroaching on their gardens from neighbouring land that is owned by Network Rail.

This court ruling has stimulated discussion as to whether landowners can claim damages if the plant has spread to their property.

Paula Higgins, chief executive of HomeOwners Alliance, says: “In future, homeowners may be able to sue their neighbours to cover the costs of removal and loss of value.”

ESTHER SHAW is a freelance journalist who writes about money and property for The Guardian, Observer and the Sunday Sun

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Be wary of ticking any boxes!

Buying online often requires vigilance to ensure you don’t buy extra things you don’t need.

Reader MB of London got in touch about his experience when he used international company Vistaprint to order some posters online to be printed.

He takes up the story: “All seemed well. But I was struck by an odd email I received from Vistaprint, which said ‘We’re sorry you’re leaving us’.”

MB was confused because in fact he had last used the company some 18 months previously to buy some T-shirts. So what was going on?

After some investigation and checking his bank statements, he noticed a regular £11 payment to the firm.

“It turned out that in my previous order I appeared to have been defaulted into some sort of website consultancy club,” he told me. “I don’t need and wouldn’t want such services as I have a website already.”

He worked out that he had been charged £164 for the service that he did not use.

MB contacted the company to complain and it instantly refunded his cash.

Its quick response made him wonder whether it had happened before. He asked: “Could you please look into this for me and my fellow consumers?”

I was glad to and I put MB’s story to Vistaprint. Its response was interesting.

“Read carefully boxes you’re asked to tick”

The company said that MB had selected its website builder “in a cross-sell placement” when he bought his T-shirts.

In other words, there had presumably been a box, which MB is likely to have ticked.

It can be easy to tick boxes or not untick boxes and end up signing up for things you don’t want.

Vistaprint denies that’s the case in this instance.

It said: “Customers are not defaulted into purchasing a website builder and need to expressly select to have it added to their basket.”

So how MB ended up subscribing we may never know, but it’s clear he ticked a box by mistake.

However, the company has promised to act positively after we shared this story.

It said: “We are exploring a new process whereby customers that try our website builder will not be charged until they publish it. Additionally, we’ve engaged our website team to test our checkout procedures and improve the customer experience during the ordering process.”

Two points rise out of this. First, read and re-read any boxes you’re asked to tick – or untick when buying online. Second, check bank or credit card statements, so you don’t get hit by months of rogue payments. It’s easy to miss small regular payments, so look at the destination of the payment as well as the amount.

OUTCOME: Vistaprint agrees to improve its procedures

SIMON READ is a a money writer and broadcaster. He was personal finance editor at The Independent and is an expert on BBC1’s Right On The Money

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Can I transfer part of my buy-to-let property to my daughter to reduce my tax bill?

Question

I wish to sell my buy-to-let property in the next few years. Can I transfer part of the property to my daughter each year to minimise capital gains tax by using my yearly allowance? While it would take about six tax years to transfer all of the property, it is likely we would do this for the next two years and sell up in year three.

From

TM/Chester

In law, you can dispose of your property in the way you envisage. However, a piecemeal transfer in the way you suggest is likely to be deemed a tax avoidance scheme under the ‘Ramsey’ principle. This says one should look at not only a transaction but the series of steps around it and their effect.

Clearly, this series of transactions would be to avoid tax and, in this way, the scheme would be disallowed under the anti-avoidance legislation and potentially taxed as if you had transferred the property to your daughter on the first transfer.

There is further anti-avoidance legislation that taxes in full on the initial transfer in a piecemeal transaction, where there is a commitment to transfer all the property from seller to buyer. In a similar fashion, the transaction would be taxed if you had transferred the property to your daughter on the first transfer.

In any event, a transaction that involves a related party would be valued at an arm’s length basis and therefore the disposal value for tax purposes would be the value of the property on the open market.

For inheritance tax purposes, the transaction would be deemed to be a potentially exempt transfer and would be free of tax seven years from the last transfer from you to your daughter, or taxed at up to 40% if you don’t survive seven years from the last transaction.

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This article was written in response to a reader’s question. If you have a financial or work/career question that has left you scratching your head ask our panel of experts who will aim to shine some light on the matter.

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Midwest farmers stuck

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Between the country's trade dispute with China and the seemingly endless storms that have drenched the central U.S., Iowa farmer Robb Ewoldt has had plenty of time to think about whether it's too late to plant this season, how much federal aid he might get if he does or whether to skip it altogether and opt for an insurance payment.Instead of driving his tractor, he's driving a truck these days to earn a living while wondering how long it will be before [...]

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Tips for Avoiding Credit Repair Scams

As someone who’s working to pay off significant credit card balances, as well as student loan debt, there’s rarely a week that goes by when I don’t receive some sort of debt relief marketing.

I often find myself flummoxed by the increasingly creative ways that these companies find to get their message in front of me. In addition to emails and filling my real mailbox with offers, I’ve even received robocalls and text messages.

While I’m sure I’m not alone in receiving this steady stream of advertising, I have become increasingly concerned with how one might actually attempt to sort through all of these offers to find truly legitimate assistance and not fall prey to scams designed to sink already vulnerable people further into debt.

Even more troubling is that perhaps none of them is legitimate. The Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker received more than 740 reports of debt relief and credit repair scams in 2018, costing consumers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

With these questions and concerns in mind, I reached out to several debt repair and personal finance experts and asked them to share the best ways to separate the con artists from legitimate debt relief companies.

Spotting Debt Relief Scams

Debt relief scams come in all forms. Perhaps the most common involve companies promising cash-strapped consumers who have significant credit card debt that they will negotiate with creditors on the consumers’ behalf and reduce repayment obligations.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, these predatory operations often charge consumers a large upfront fee, but then fail to help them settle or lower their debts – if they provide any service at all.

Some companies even promise to create “a new credit identity” for you, says the FTC, suggesting they can “hide” your bad credit history or bankruptcy for a fee.

Bogus auto loan modification offers are another take on the scam theme. This approach involves false promises to reduce a consumers’ monthly car loan or lease payments in order to help avoid repossession.

Step 1: Find out exactly what service is being offered.

When you’re contacted by companies offering debt relief, be sure to find out exactly what type of service they’re seeking to provide, says Leslie Tayne, a consumer debt resolution attorney with more than 20 years of experience.

Are they offering a consolidation loan? Are they going to have you declare bankruptcy (which you may not want to do), or perhaps offering credit counseling?

“If you aren’t sure exactly how the process works after the first phone call, then likely there’s a reason it’s convoluted,” Tayne explained.

It’s also a good idea to ask who will be doing the debt-relief work: Is it outsourced, or done in-house?

“Most of the companies that contact you are really lead generation companies who take your info and sell it to several other companies, which is why you may be inundated with mail and calls,” said Tayne. “You should consider asking if this is a lead generation, or are you the company that will be working with me?”

• Related: To Catch a Scammer: Here’s How Credit Hackers Try to Steal Your Money and Identity

Reputation and time in the industry are important.

Conduct thorough online research about a prospective debt relief company before signing on for any assistance. If you can’t find information about the company or there’s only scarce history available, there’s probably a reason for that.

“They likely just change names and move when they’re about to be pinched; you’re interviewing someone to do an important job for you, so make sure you ask questions and do some research,” Tayne continued.

While sifting through the information online, avoid putting too much stock in glowing testimonials about a company, which can easily be bought or made up, particularly if you see hundreds or thousands of these sorts of reviews.

“In our experience, most clients… don’t want to write reviews because they’re embarrassed and want to remain anonymous,” said Tayne.

Some of the ways to vet credit repair companies include reading reviews about the company on the Better Business Bureau‘s website and searching the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s complaint database, suggests Dana Marineau, vice president and financial advocate at Credit Karma.

“Be diligent in your research of companies to find one you trust and one that will help you reach your financial goals. It’s okay to be picky,” said Marineau.

Google Reviews and Trustpilot are still other places to find out if a company is on the up and up, says James Lambridis of DebtMD.com.

“If they have a bunch of disgruntled customers, you can rest assured you will find many negative reviews online,” said Lambridis. “If you see way too many negative reviews compared to positive ones, you should look elsewhere for credit repair or debt relief services.”

Big promises are red flags.

Scam artists in the debt relief and credit repair world prey on consumers who are stressed out and overwhelmed by their financial situation.

Such individuals are often “easily swayed by callers who assure them that they will resolve the debt for pennies on the dollar,” says Tayne. “That’s completely unrealistic in today’s debt world. The moment there are promises for time frames or settlement amounts, it’s a red flag that the company is trying just to sell you and won’t deliver. It’s impossible to predict what a creditor will do, and anyone who says they can doesn’t know this industry.”

What this means for you as the consumer is that you must do your homework, says Tayne. Don’t jump at any offer you get, particularly from a company making unrealistic claims about resolving your debt. Take the time to read the fine print.

Additional red flags include companies that:

• are pushy and unprofessional;
• claim they can stop all debt collections calls and lawsuits;
• refuse to send you any information about their services unless you provide personal/financial information;
• have no official name or address on their website, just a 1-800 number.

Mike Pearson, of Credit Takeoff, adds two more red flags to this list. A legitimate company, he says, must provide you with a written contract before they begin services, and give you at least three days to cancel.

In addition, while they can dispute items on your credit report and prove them to be erroneous, they shouldn’t promise to remove correct items.

There should be no upfront cost.

A reputable debt relief company will not make you pay for services before they do anything to help you and will be willing to send you free information about their program and services.

“A very common red flag is the company gets paid before your creditors do, or they charge monthly service fees,” explained Tayne. “No way is that legit, and no way is that necessary other than to make them money. Once they’re paid there’s no real incentive for them to work on your accounts.”

If a company asks you to pay them over the phone right away and won’t answer questions about the fees clearly, avoid working with them. The same goes for companies seeking a large sum of money upfront or monthly service fees.

In fact, Federal Trade Commission rules prohibit a debt relief company from collecting any fees until it has negotiated a settlement on a debt – and the customer has accepted the settlement, says Sean Fox, co-president of Freedom Debt Relief.

“Also watch for companies that claim they can settle all debts for a single interest rate reduction. The debt settlement process is more complex, involving negotiating with each creditor. Each settlement will likely be different, and will depend on the creditor, the amount of the debt and other factors,” said Fox.

• Related: Expose a Phony Debt Collector by Asking These Three Questions

There are legitimate debt relief offers.

The best arrangements with a debt relief agency or company are those in which expectations are managed and the company contacting you is the one you’ll deal with throughout the entire debt relief program.

“You can’t go into one of these scenarios with unrealistic expectations, and that’s another way to know if you’re dealing with the right people,” said Tayne. “Are they managing your expectations from the beginning, or are they just telling you, ‘Don’t worry, we do this and that and will save you lots of money,’ and tons of one-liners.”

In addition, all of the company’s practices should adhere to the Federal Trade Commission’s Credit Repair Organizations Act and you should be provided with a copy of those regulations, said Justin Lavelle, chief communications director for Been Verified, the online background check platform.

• Related: Best Debt Management Companies

No two debt cases are the same.

The company you’re working with should treat you as an individual, know your short- and long-term goals, and be able to lay out a clear road to recovery, said Tayne.

“If it doesn’t feel right, then it isn’t, and just move on. There are legitimate companies out there to help you,” said Tayne. “Go with your instincts.”

And one last point to keep in mind – there’s nothing a credit repair service can legally do that you can’t do on your own, said Lavelle.

For instance, it’s your legal right to request a credit report, yearly, free of charge. And once you obtain the reports, you can review them for negative items.

“Then, you can contact the credit bureaus and dispute any items you feel are inaccurate,” said Lavelle. “From there, you can contact the specific company who has your account, possibly a collection agency and negotiate a settlement agreement directly with them.”

Mia Taylor is an award-winning journalist with more than two decades of experience. She has worked for some of the nation’s best-known news organizations, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the San Diego Union-Tribune. 

Read more: 

• How to Get Out of Debt Without Credit Counseling
• The Credit Repair Manual
• Don’t Fall for These Credit Repair Scams
• A Secured Credit Card Might Be the Key to Rebuilding Your Credit

The post Tips for Avoiding Credit Repair Scams appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar http://bit.ly/2YV67sd

JCPenney closing 20 U.S. stores: Is yours on the list?

Add JCPenney to the list of retailers closing stores.The Texas-based department store chain said it will shutter 20 locations this summer, according to Country Living.JCPenney has about 800 stores nationwide. It joins a number [...]

Source Business - poconorecord.com http://bit.ly/2MlNJHE

10 Super Simple Ways to Save on Food While Traveling

Finding Grocery Store Value: 10 Inexpensive Food Items That Work in a Lot of Meals

One of the most transformative things you can do to alter your spending habits is to learn how to cook at home while using inexpensive staple foods as the backbone of your diet. In other articles – most of all, this one, which is one of my favorites I’ve ever written – I’ve identified six key staples that can make up the backbone of a healthy, tasty, and culinarily diverse diet: rice, beans, oatmeal, pasta, eggs, and on-sale fresh produce. Every single one of those items is incredibly inexpensive, at least reasonably healthy, and can be used in an absurd number of dishes in very different styles.

Still, you can’t just subsist on those items alone. While they’re the big leaders in terms of “bang for the buck” in the grocery store, there are many other items that I consider a tremendous bargain in terms of being healthy, tasty, and useful in a lot of different ways. I consider these items to be the “second tier” of value in the grocery store – if you’re filling your cart up with these items and the staples listed above, heading home, and making meals with all of this stuff, I’ll almost guarantee that you’re eating a healthy and low cost diet.

Let’s dig in!

Cottage Cheese

You can easily find a pound of cottage cheese for $1 or $1.25 in my area, which is an amazing deal. I enjoy eating three or four ounces of cottage cheese (about a quarter of the container) with some pepper on top for a snack that costs about $0.30, or using it as a really easy side dish for a lot of meals, but that’s just the start.

For starters, cottage cheese is a pretty solid low cost substitute for ricotta cheese in a lot of dishes that use ricotta, such as lasagna. You can puree it and add a few additional ingredients and it works as the foundation for a delicious and simple alternative to cheesecake (I’ve enjoyed these “cheesecake” bars and they’re tremendously tasty.). I love putting it on apple slices to make an apple have a little protein in it as a snack. You can puree it and use it as a spread for bagels or toast – it can be savory or sweet depending on what you add to it. You can use it to make a fantastic paneer, like this or this. You can even use cottage cheese to make scones!

It’s a really diverse ingredient in a lot of different dishes and different styles, it’s tasty on its own, and it can easily be remixed into sweet and savory items. Given that it’s also only a little more than a dollar a pound, it’s one of the better bargains on store shelves, and it’s a pretty healthy protein source to boot.

Carrots

Whole carrots are almost always inexpensive in our area. I can typically find a pound of whole carrots for less than a dollar, which is far less expensive than buying baby carrots (which are basically cut up whole carrots. Not only that, whole carrots are actually easier to use for most purposes that aren’t centered around convenience snacking, and you can easily cut up whole carrots into discs that work well for a convenience snack like baby carrots.

Carrots, as with everything else on this list, have a ton of different uses. They’re pretty good just cooked on their own with a simple glaze, like these bourbon-glazed carrots. They shred really well and work in a lot of salads. You can puree carrots and basically use them alongside chickpeas in hummus. They’re amazing in all kinds of different soups, even as an unusual ingredient in things like chili. I loved mashed carrots with a bit of maple syrup for just a hint of sweet – you basically cook them and mash them like mashed potatoes. And then there’s carrot cake…

The best part is that carrots are extremely healthy. They’re one of the best foods you can eat and are a great source for beta-carotene. The fact that they’re tasty as a finger food, can be used in so many different ways, and don’t ding you at the cash register should make carrots a part of almost everyone’s shopping list.

Potatoes

Potatoes are incredibly inexpensive. You can easily get a pound of potatoes for less than $0.50, depending on variety, and they have such incredibly varied uses.

You can bake them by simply wrapping them in foil, popping them in the oven, and then cutting them open and putting on some sour cream or butter. You can mash them by cutting them into cubes, boiling them, and then mashing those softened potatoes. You can cut them into strips and fry them in a deep fryer to get some delicious French fries. You can cut them into discs or wedges, wrap them in aluminum foil with a bit of olive oil and some herbs, and toss them on the grill for thirty minutes for amazing roasted potatoes. You can cut them into discs and cook them in a skillet with a bit of oil for fried potatoes. You can shred them, form them into discs, fry them in a skillet, and make amazing latkes. You can also just cook the shredded potatoes (or cut them into tiny cubes) for hash browns. You can take leftover mashed potatoes and make all kinds of things – I particularly love potato pancakes. You can cut them into thin discs and fry or bake them to make chips. All of these things have infinite variations and infinite flavor possibilities.

The fact that the humble potato can make a wonderful side dish for grilling, for a big family brunch, for a formal dinner, for a burger, for pretty much any meal and have it work in some variation is amazing, and the fact that you can pick pounds of them up for just a few bucks speaks to the value that potatoes can add to your diet. Naturally, you wouldn’t want a diet made entirely of potatoes, but they can definitely fill a role in a healthy, balanced diet.

Cabbage

Cabbage is one of my favorite unsung cheap foods. Not only is cabbage absurdly cheap, with a large head available for pocket change almost all year round, it’s got a ton of different uses for such a wide variety of foods.

When I was growing up, cabbage rolls were a frequent meal, consisting of small individual meatloaves wrapped in a large cabbage leaf and baked. There are infinite varieties on this – you can wrap almost anything in a cabbage leaf and bake it. Cabbage is also the backbone of a lot of great salads and slaws – shredded cabbage, a bit of shredded carrot, and some mayonnaise makes for a great quick side dish, for example, or you can get a little funky with it. Cabbage also cooks well in vegetable soups and stews and is an essential part of corned beef and cabbage which is incredibly popular around St. Patrick’s Day. You can slice it up for stir fry, roast it in the oven, or even use it for one pot pasta.

My favorite use, though, is sauerkraut. My father and grandfather both made homemade sauerkraut in crocks in their garages and sheds, shredding several heads of cabbage, adding salt, weighing it down, and covering it for several weeks until it was perfect – gently sour and salty and wonderful to eat as a side dish or on top of mashed potatoes or on a hot dog or bratwurst. I make mine like this, in individual wide mouth quart Mason jars with rings, these fermentation lids, and these glass weights to keep the cabbage below the brine. All you need beyond those things is cabbage, salt, and a little water, or maybe a few other ingredients if you’re experimenting with sauerkraut variants. I love sauerkraut and would eat it every day; kimchi is a similar fermented cabbage food that I also quite enjoy.

Cabbage is an item that’s easy to overlook in the grocery store, but don’t. There are many delicious uses for this humble vegetable.

Apples

Most apple varieties can be found for $1 per pound or so, making them a pretty inexpensive food. There are a few varieties that are more expensive – honeycrisps come to mind – but I like Galas and Granny Smiths and those are usually easily found for about $1 a pound or about $0.20 to $0.25 per apple. That’s a pretty sweet deal.

Apples are wonderful for the obvious reason – you can just grab one and start eating it for a sweet but still pretty healthy treat, and the core can simply be tossed. They also work as ingredients in tons of other dishes, from simple things like smoothies (just toss in a sliced apple) and apple cider (just cook apples into near-oblivion and strain out the big pieces with a cheesecloth) and apple butter to dishes like apple crisp and apple pancakes and apple pie and apple-cranberry chicken… it goes on and on.

One of my favorite uses for apples is to make apple cider vinegar, which is basically the liquid from fermented apple scraps. You basically just fill a jar mostly full with apple scraps, add some sugar to a cup of water, add water until they’re submerged, put a fermenting lid on top, and wait for three weeks. Strain it, put the liquid back in the jar, and let it sit for another three weeks with the fermenting lid on, and you’ll have apple cider vinegar. It’s actually very similar to making sauerkraut, as described earlier. Here’s a detailed recipe if you’re interested.

All of that for a buck a pound or so? That’s a pretty good food bargain if you ask me.

Bananas

I can buy bananas at the store for $0.20 a pound. Now, it’s worth noting that at least some of that weight is the skin itself, but that’s still an astoundingly low price for the deliciousness and versatility of bananas. Much like apples, their default use is wonderful – grab one, start eating, toss the peel when you’re done – but there are many, many more uses for them.

Banana pancakes. Banana splits. Smoothies. Banana bread. Baked bananas. It’s an amazing topping on French toast. Banana pie. Fruit salads. Banana chips. Even banana ketchup (seriously).

Bananas are quite sweet, so you’re usually limited to sweeter things with them, but their extremely low cost, ease with which they can be eaten raw, and the diversity of dishes that they can be used in is quite wide. (And you really should try banana ketchup.)

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is one of my favorite foods to have around the house. Often, when I want just a tiny snack, I’ll pull out a spoon, get a big spoonful of peanut butter straight from the jar, and pop it in my mouth, and from there the spoon goes right in the dishwasher and the jar right back in the cupboard. It’s such an easy and inexpensive little snack, since a one pound jar of peanut butter is just a little more than a dollar and it’s so filling.

Of course, peanut butter can be used in tons of other things, from the simple things like peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and banana sandwiches and as an ingredient in smoothies to other items like peanut butter cookies, peanut butter pancakes, and peanut butter and chocolate brownies. I like putting a spoonful of it right in my oatmeal or on top of waffles or French toast in the mornings.

Where it really stands out for me, though, is when it’s used with savory foods. I love making pad thai with peanut butter right in with the vegetables (often along with a few peanuts, too). One of my closest friends swears by the use of peanut butter as a burger topping. It actually makes a really good salad dressing. On top of that, one of my favorite condiments is Dutch peanut sauce, which makes for an amazing condiment and French fry dip.

Our pantry wouldn’t be complete without a big jar of peanut butter in there, and as soon as we run even a little low, it’s instantly added to our grocery list.

Canned Tomatoes

While I absolutely love fresh tomatoes, they can be somewhat expensive when they’re not in season. On the other hand, canned tomatoes in all of their varieties (diced, crushed, tomato sauce, tomato paste) are all incredibly inexpensive, incredibly useful, and quite tasty, too. They’re really the only canned vegetable we use, and we use them quite often.

I can’t even begin to list the uses of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. I use them in all kinds of things, from making my own quick pasta sauce to making any number of different soups, from making salsa to producing a quick pizza topping or sauce, from making sloppy Joe sandwiches to making a delicious liquid for cooking grains (I’ll often use tomato sauce right in the liquid when cooking rice to imbue the rice with extra flavor and color, for example). We’ll use them in goulash and as a taco topping and in lasagna and as a topping on margherita pizza. I love mixing diced tomatoes with macaroni and a little salt for an excellent side dish or a quick lunch, or just simmer tomatoes with beans and cheese for an easy and quick dinner.

The uses for canned tomatoes in all forms – whole, diced, crushed, sauce, paste – are nearly infinite. I pretty much always have a few cans of each type in the pantry and I will stock up hard every time they go on sale.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes might just be Sarah’s favorite food on the entire planet. She eats them constantly and in all kinds of different ways, and they’re generally not much more expensive than regular potatoes.

For the most part, Sarah likes to mimic the use of normal potatoes with them. She’ll bake them just like baked potatoes. She’ll make fries with them. She’ll mash them (except that she’ll often add a bit of maple syrup for just a bit of sweet). She’ll even grill them. She’ll also use them in things like stir fry, cutting them into little pieces and tossing them right in with the other vegetables.

However, what really makes sweet potatoes stand out is their use in sweeter dishes, things that don’t really click with normal potatoes. She’ll toss cooked sweet potatoes into smoothies. She’ll make sweet potato pie. She’ll put them in salads. I swear she’d sneak sweet potatoes into every meal we eat.

I’ll be the first to admit that sweet potatoes would not be my number one choice on this list, but given the low price and the love my wife has for them and the number of uses that they have, I have to give sweet potatoes a big mention.

Whole Chickens

With this last entry, it’s worth noting that I am on a pretty strict plant-based diet for health reasons, so this isn’t something I actually eat myself lately. Having said that, whole chickens are, in my opinion, the absolute best meat bargain in the grocery store and would be on my list constantly if I were eating them. To be clear, when I refer to whole chickens, I mean both raw whole chickens from the store as well as the somewhat more expensive precooked rotisserie chickens. They’re both bargains.

With a rotisserie chicken, you have a ton of meat that’s ready to eat almost immediately. At the prices for which they usually sell, that’s enough food for several meals if accompanied by other items.

It’s easy to cook a whole chicken at home on the grill or in a slow cooker. If you prefer, you can also cut it up into pieces and cook them separately in any number of ways – grilling, frying, roasting, whatever works. You can remove the meat – cooked or otherwise – from the bone and use it in countless dishes, from chicken noodle soup to chicken salad, from white chili to chicken sandwiches, from chicken pot pie to fettuccine alfredo with chicken. The uses are nearly infinite, and the dark meat is often just as useful as the white.

In any case, when you are left with the carcass and any unwanted meat and skin, it’s wonderful for making chicken stock. Just put the carcass in a slow cooker, cover it with water, add a few peppercorns and some salt, and let it cook on high for many hours. Strain it and save the liquid – it makes for the backbone of many wonderful soups that use other ingredients in this article.

Whole chickens are a tremendous bargain, not only in the meat they provide, but in the delicious broth that you can get out of the carcass.

Final Thoughts

If your grocery list looks something like this…

Rice
Beans
Eggs
Oatmeal
Pasta
Produce that’s on sale
Cottage cheese
Carrots
Cabbage
Potatoes
Apples
Bananas
Peanut butter
Canned tomatoes
Sweet potatoes
Whole chicken
Seasonings and spices

… you’re probably eating a pretty healthy and pretty low cost diet with a lot of day-to-day variety. It wouldn’t be hard to take the items on that list and make a pretty varied diet with just those items alone, nothing else. If you add a few items here and there for a few meals, you’ve got yourself a splendid low cost, nutritious, and healthy diet with a ton of variety.

Make yourself a meal plan and a grocery list with these essentials in mind and head out the door. You might just find the path to cheaper and healthier food is easier and tastier than you thought.

Good luck!

The post Finding Grocery Store Value: 10 Inexpensive Food Items That Work in a Lot of Meals appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar http://bit.ly/2Qz6qGd

How to Stay on Top of Your Finances Without a Budget

If you grumble at the thought of budgeting, you’re not alone.

The Penny Hoarder recently conducted a financial literacy survey of approximately 1,500 adults and found 40% do not budget their money.

Despite the resistance, creating a budget is what most financial professionals recommend, said Holly Peterson, financial consultant and owner of Elite Retirement Strategies in Pocatello, Idaho. But if you hate limiting your spending with a budget, you might want to take a few months off and focus instead on expense tracking.

“By tracking their spending, people can see where they’re overspending or where certain financial problems are,” Peterson said. “For instance, you might realize that you should probably start packing a lunch from home instead of buying every day. But if you’re not confronted with how much money you’re spending each week or month on takeout, you might never feel the need to change.”

Keep a small notebook with you and jot down whenever you make a purchase throughout the day. The day-to-day record keeping may seem tedious, but try your best to stay consistent.

“Everyone makes mistakes, and there might be days where you forget, but track every purchase, even if it’s an impulse buy, and keep up with your tracking,” Peterson said.

She said you may find yourself being less impulsive with your money now that you have to write everything down and hold yourself accountable for what you buy.

Pro Tip

Peterson recommends taking your tracking one step further and color-coding your purchases by spending category or designating between essentials and nonessentials.

If tracking your expenses manually isn’t your style, download a budgeting app that links to your bank and credit card accounts.

“Mint is a great example, because it automatically breaks down your spending into categories, like food and entertainment,” Peterson said.

At the end of the week, total everything up and review how you spent your money.

“Tracking your spending is a great way to make sure that your long-term priorities are matching up with your everyday actions,” Peterson said. “If you want to retire by a certain age, but you’re spending too much to add to your retirement fund, you have an issue.”

While expense tracking is a good first step to managing your money, you shouldn’t stop there. After a few months of recording and reviewing what you buy (and making necessary changes), it’s time to — hold the groans — create a budget. Instead of feeling restrictive, however, your new budget should mirror your actual spending while prioritizing what’s important to you.

Peterson said some people dislike budgeting because they aren’t starting with realistic budgets.

“If you’ve never tracked your expenses, you may have no idea how expensive your lifestyle really is, so suddenly cutting down on everything feels painful — when in reality, you could just take a month or two to track your average daily spending and then figure out where there’s room for improvement,” she said.

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.

source The Penny Hoarder http://bit.ly/2XlKocQ

Get Your Money Under Control: 7 Smart Ways to Organize Your Finances

MoneyTips Guide To College Savings: Ensuring your Kid Goes to a Good College

College costs are spiraling to the point of exceeding the cost of your house. Discover the best methods for saving for your children's education.  

Source CBNNews.com http://bit.ly/2HKOTYT

In new Gillette ad, transgender man gets help from dad as he shaves for first time

A new commercial for Gillette has quickly gone viral.In the ad, which debuted Thursday, a father helps his transgender son shave for the first time.By midday Wednesday, the commercial had been viewed more than 1.2 million times on Facebook alone. Samson Bonkeabantu Brown, a transgender Canadian actor, is featured in the ad, [...]

Source Business - poconorecord.com http://bit.ly/2I766dY

How to Apply for Student Loans

Scholarships are a beautiful thing, helping to turn your dreams of attending college into a reality.

But unless you’re a 5-star athlete or an exceptionally gifted scholar, your scholarships and grants aren’t likely to cover all of your college expenses.

The average student entering college will likely need to take out student loans to help with the cost of tuition, according to a recent national College Ave Student Loans survey of 5,416 parents of college students conducted by Barnes & Noble College Insights.

Around half (55%) of parents said their child took out federal and/or private student loans.

The student loan process starts with the application, which differs for private and federal loans.

In this guide, you’ll learn what steps you need to take to find the best student loans for your needs.

Federal and Private Loans

Before you sign on for the first student loan you see, you need to understand the types of loans available to you.

Here are a few key differences between federal and private student loans that can help you decide what loans are best for your needs.

Federal Loans

In case you need a quick refresher, federal student loans are those offered by the federal government to parents and students to help pay for college.

They come with fixed interest rates, flexible income-driven repayment plans, forgiveness, and subsidized and unsubsidized options.

These need-based loans also come with a 6-month grace period following your graduation, during which time you aren’t required to make payments.

You apply for federal student loans by submitting the FAFSA, which we’ll cover in depth below.

Private Loans

Private student loans, on the other hand, are those offered by banks, credit unions, and all lenders other than the federal government.

These loans come with both variable and fixed interest rates and are typically unsubsidized.

They also lack income-driven repayment plans, so you should pay close attention to the terms before getting the loan. You’ll be glad you did when it’s time to repay your student loans.

Unlike need-based federal loans, private student loans are based on your credit and income and come with higher borrowing limits, which is good news for some applicants.

While interest rates can be higher on private student loans, if you have a solid credit score, you can get interest rates which compete with federal loans.

With a better idea of how student loans work, here are some tips for choosing the best loans for your needs.

Which Type of Loan You Should Choose

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to student loans. If you’re a high-income individual with stellar credit, private student loans may be right up your alley.

If, however, you’re a lower-income individual with a subpar credit score, you may find that federal student loans are a more viable option.

You should let your financial situation help guide your decision on what loans to apply for.

In general, you’ll want to start with federal student loans, as they offer unique benefits, and pursue private loans once you’ve maxed out your federal resources to cover any remaining college costs.

Often, families find that a combination of private and federal loans meets their needs well.

If you find yourself in that situation, here are the steps you need to take to apply for federal and private funding.

How to Apply for Federal Student Loans

Your first step in the student loan application process is to fill out the FAFSA.

Short for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the FAFSA is the key to unlocking federal loans. Here’s how it works.

How to Complete the FAFSA

The FAFSA will factor in your tuition, income, and financial need to determine your eligibility for federal student loans, along with some scholarships and grants.

You should be able to complete the application in less than an hour if you have the documentation and info below on hand.

To complete the FAFSA, which is available October 1, you’ll need to provide yours and your parents’ Social Security Numbers and your driver’s license number.

You’ll also need to provide your parents’ tax returns (and yours if you have them), documentation of untaxed income, and data on your investments and bank accounts.

Once you’ve submitted the online application successfully, you’ll receive an email with a link to your Student Aid Report anywhere between a few days and few weeks.

Your report will tell you what type of aid you’re eligible for and what your borrowing limits will be.

How to Apply for Private Student Loans

Private student loans function a bit differently than federal student loans.

While federal student loans all come from the same place, private loans come from a number of lending sources.

What You Need to Apply for Private Student Loans

If you’re looking for additional funding beyond federal loans, or you or your parents have good credit and want to compare all of your options, your next step is to apply for private student loans.

To access the best interest rates and get the most out of your student loans, you need a strong credit score and a good debt-to-income ratio, a number which suggests you won’t have trouble keeping up with your loan payments.

If you don’t have either of those credit factors in check, as many young borrowers don’t, you can still access great rates on private loans with a cosigner.

In addition to the qualifying factors above, you’ll need to have some information on hand, like loan amount, college or university name, type of program, and whether or not you plan to use a cosigner.

Private student loans are offered by traditional and online-only banks and credit unions, as well as private lenders, many of whom are dedicated solely to providing student loans.

Where to Apply for Private Student Loans

One of the most popular private lenders on the market is College Ave Student Loans, a company dedicated to providing borrowers with a better student loan experience.

College Ave offers tailor-made loans and refinancing options for undergraduate and graduate students, building them around your unique financial needs and goals.

They also offer a variety of tools and educational resources, like student loan calculators, to help you plan out your college financing.

The application process is quick and easy, matching you with the best student loan offers you qualify for in a matter of minutes.

You can also use the pre-qualification tool that allows you to see what rates you may qualify for without a hard check on your credit.

Bottom Line

You have a whole world of student loan options at your disposal, and fortunately, applying for them is a quick and simple process.

Whether you envision yourself getting by with federal loans or think you might benefit from private loans, take a few minutes to apply for both and see what your best options are.

With a clear idea of the fees, rates, borrowing terms, and lenders available to you, you can lay out a doable financial plan and get your college education rolling.

The post How to Apply for Student Loans appeared first on Good Financial Cents®.

Source Good Financial Cents® http://bit.ly/2Kd5GW0

UnitedHealth Group Is Hosting a Virtual Job Fair June 6 to Fill Sales Gigs

Fortune 500 company UnitedHealth Group has a host of sales positions up for grabs.

The Minnesota-based health-care behemoth is holding a virtual job fair June 6 to find talented sales representatives. The fully online event will run noon to 3 p.m. Eastern.

Advanced registration is required to attend. The event can be accessed by a smartphone, tablet or computer with a reliable internet connection from anywhere in the U.S., though the open positions related to the hiring event are located in the following areas:

• Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
• Miami, Florida
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Roanoke, Virginia

Attendees will learn about the day-to-day of inside sales positions, general information about UnitedHealth Group, employee benefits and will get the opportunity to chat one-on-one with the hiring team.

Pro Tip

Don’t see your area? Don’t fret. Check the UHG job board for open positions nationwide. You can also visit The Penny Hoarder’s Work-From-Home Jobs Portal for 100% remote jobs in related fields.

The inside sales positions are entry-level, and primary responsibilities include fielding incoming calls related to Medicare supplements and health-care plans. Full-time employees get access to a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Health, dental, vision, life, short- and long-term disability insurance
• Paid time off and company holidays
• 401(k) retirement program
• Education reimbursement
• Employee stock options
• Access to UnitedHealth Group Credit Union and more

As the economy nears full employment, companies have to get creative to find talent to fill open positions. Virtual events are one such way employers connect with potential workers.

Never attended one before? We got you covered. Our guide teaches you everything you need to prepare for a virtual job fair.

Here are the takeaways:

1. Do your homework. — Just because the job fair is online doesn’t make it any less crucial that you make a good impression. Come to the fair prepared with tailored questions for the hiring manager.
2. Take care of tech beforehand. — Is your account properly registered? Are your web browser and flash player up to date? Documents organized and ready to go? Don’t forget the motherlode of all tech issues: WiFi. Hardwire your computer with an ethernet cable, if worse comes to worse.
3. Be interview-ready. — If all goes well, a hiring manager might ask to interview you on-the-spot. So be dressed to impress. Make sure you are in a well-lit, distraction-free area where you can chat. It’s OK if that’s not the case, too. Explain that you are not in the best environment for an interview, and offer alternative times when you are available.

Adam Hardy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. He specializes in ways to make money that don’t involve stuffy corporate offices. Read his ​latest articles here, or say hi on Twitter @hardyjournalism.

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.

source The Penny Hoarder https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/?p=115896?aff_id=178&aff_sub3=MainFeed__?p=115896

Use These Tips at GameStop to Say ‘Game Over’ to Your Money Woes

The Things Money Can’t Fix Are Often the Ones That Drain Our Finances

Whenever I find that I’ve made a spending mistake and spent money foolishly, I find that it was some kind of an attempt to use money to fix something that can’t really be fixed by money.

I’ll spend unplanned money on hobbies sometimes because I’m frustrated at not being able to give that hobby I care about the time I want to give to it, and a purchase feels like a substitute for that lack of time.

I’ll spend money on convenient food because I’m lazy, and sometimes because I lack dietary self-discipline.

I’ll spend money on things because I’m impatient, or because I’m lonely, or because I’m feeling sad at the moment.

What do you think happens in each of those situations when I spend that money?

I remain frustrated about my lack of hobby time. I’m still lazy. I’m still undisciplined. I’m still impatient, or lonely, or sad.

Spending money because of those feelings and impulses does absolutely nothing to curb those negative feelings and impulses. Over the very short term, it gives me this little boost of happiness that makes that negative feeling disappear for a very brief while, but that respite never lasts. Soon, that negative feeling returns, and it’s coupled with a sense of guilt over having spent money on something wastefully.

If you’re feeling negative in some way – lazy, undisciplined, sad, frustrated – and your reaction to that feeling is to want to “cure” it by spending money and buying something, you’re virtually always making a financial mistake and you’re likely not curing that negative feeling in any lasting way. Most likely, you’re just compounding the problem and making it worse.

If I spend unplanned money on an impulsive hobby buy, not only am I not getting the time I want to devote to that hobby, I’m probably not purchasing something I’ll actually be able to use any time soon, plus that money’s gone and can’t be used for other things that might bring me value. Nothing improves in terms of my hobby, but my bank account is emptier.

If I spend unplanned money on convenience food like a fast food drive-thru, I will probably sate my momentary hunger at least. However, that food that just went into my gut is almost guaranteed to be salty and unhealthy and greasy, not making me feel better in any lasting way, and it’s definitely doing me no favors in terms of long term health. My health probably gets worse rather than better and my bank account is emptier.

If I jump the gun and buy something I don’t need at full price or at a premium price just because I’m impatient, I’ve done nothing more than lose money. I didn’t shop around. I didn’t give it a little breathing room to make sure it wasn’t an impulse. My bank account gets emptier.

If I’m feeling lonely and I buy something to distract myself from the loneliness or sadness, like picking up a computer game on Steam or something like that, I might be distracted from the loneliness for a bit, but it’s going to come right back very soon. I still feel lonely, and my bank account is emptier.

If I’m feeling sad and I buy something to make myself feel better for a while, one of two things is virtually always true. Either the sadness is temporary and would have passed anyway, or I’m feeling some sort of deeper issue that I should talk to a professional about. In either case, the thing I bought isn’t doing a thing to help with that sad feeling, but it’s certainly emptying out my bank account.

Are you seeing the theme here? All of these situations are things that money can’t really fix, but it can feel like spending money will somehow help, especially in the short term. We buy into that feeling because we want a quick fix, but it doesn’t work.

There’s a much better approach to the problem, one that keeps money in your pocket and actually addresses what’s going on. Whenever you feel an impulse to buy something you don’t need, ask yourself “why,” then ask yourself “why” about that answer, then do it again, and again, and again. Keep asking “why” about each answer until you’ve dug right down to a raw issue in your life.

Then, start taking action to address that raw issue in your life in a way that doesn’t involve spending money on stuff.

Are you feeling as though you never have any free time? Put in some extra time today and tomorrow to complete some things that you know are coming down the pipe. Don’t wait until Saturday to buy groceries – fit it in this evening instead of watching television. Don’t wait until the weekend to clean out the car – do it this evening. That way, when Saturday comes, you can devote a few hours guilt-free to that hobby you feel like you’re missing out on. Maybe you’ll curl up with a book, for example.

Are you feeling lonely? Then get on your phone and start talking to your actual friends. They’re not available? Then find a community event of some kind that’s going on right now or in the very near future. Start by looking at Meetup, but also check out your community’s website and see what’s on the calendar of events.

Are you feeling lazy or undisciplined? The solution to that is either genuine rest or genuine action. Either actually go get some sleep or get up and do something. If you’re hungry and lazy, eat something healthy and convenient (like a banana or an apple or something) and go take a nap.

Are you feeling sad? Go do something fun that doesn’t involve spending money. I find that doing something that requires some physical exertion almost always helps with the blues, as does eating something really healthy if I’m feeling hungry and sad.

If you’re experiencing a lasting and deep sadness, loneliness, or some other deep negative feeling you can’t shake, schedule an appointment with your doctor and figure out what’s going on.

In any case, most of the negative feelings we have are ones that money can’t really fix, at least not with an immediate purchase. Rather, what fixes those negative feelings and long term problems is sustained action and effort.

If you want to change your life, the solution isn’t sold on a store shelf. The solution is in your behavior, choices, and actions.

You won’t find free time by buying something. You’ll find free time through better time management practices.

You won’t fix health and diet issues by buying fast food. You’ll fix them through making healthy dietary choices as easy as possible.

You won’t become more disciplined and less lazy by buying stuff, either. You’ll fix them by finding small habits and routines that work for you.

You won’t find friends by buying cool things that other people will ooh and ahh over. You’ll find friends by actually talking to people, starting conversations, and presenting yourself well in public with good hygiene and reasonable dress.

You won’t find energy in some product. Rather, you’ll find it by eating a consistently healthier diet, getting some exercise, and getting better sleep, and if that doesn’t work, visiting a doctor may help, too.

You won’t find happiness on a store shelf. You’ll find it by getting outside more, getting some more exercise, eating better, and getting better sleep. If those don’t work, visit a doctor.

There is no magic product that will make those things happen for you. You have to find answers for those things within your own life. In fact, spending money chasing an answer to your problems in the form of a product, or spending money to temporarily make problems go away, will almost always just make them come back with a vengeance, making things even worse by adding financial difficulty to the mix.

Fix your problems. Don’t patch over them with spending and little treats and temporary patches.

Good luck.

The post The Things Money Can’t Fix Are Often the Ones That Drain Our Finances appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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