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How to Improve Your Credit Score in 2012
Tweet Share on Facebook December 29, 2011 CommentCredit scores might be widely feared for how they can derail a loan application (or even a job application), but for such a powerful number, they are widely misunderstood. Many people falsely believe that they have only one credit score, or that they share a credit score with their spouse, for example.
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7 Smart End-of-Year Money Moves
Tweet Share on Facebook December 22, 2011 Comment (2)As the New Year approaches, Jake Gibson, 30, has a few last-minute money moves to make. The co-founder of NerdWallet.com tries to give between 5 and 10 percent of his annual income to charity each year. A self-described procrastinator, he and his wife usually play catch-up in December to make sure they reach that goal.
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Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Savvy Shoppers
Tweet Share on Facebook December 19, 2011 Comment (3)Last-minute purchases might tend to cost more, but that doesn’t stop procrastinators: Four in 10 shoppers make purchases in the last three days before Christmas, according to a recent PriceGrabber survey. The good news for stragglers is that good deals are still available. Not only are retailers offering last-minute discounts, but some of the best gifts require no shipping at all. Here are eight ideas to help you cross off the rest of your shopping list:
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How to Earn Extra Money as a Pet Sitter
Tweet Share on Facebook December 16, 2011 Comment (1)After writing about ways to earn an extra $500 for the holidays, we heard from a lot of skeptics. Commenters noted how hard or even impossible it can be to find a paying side-gig; some argued that any activity would pay so poorly that it would not be worth the extra time and stress.
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6 Ways to Throw an Affordable Holiday Party
Tweet Share on Facebook December 13, 2011 Comment (3)Getting ready to host a big bash for family and friends this holiday season? You might have noticed that parties aren’t cheap. The invitations, food, and decorations quickly add up. The National Retail Federation estimates that while we spend about $400 on gifts for family, we spend close to $200 on decorations, food, flowers, and mailings this time of year.
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Why Smaller Can Be Better for Entrepreneurs
Tweet Share on Facebook December 7, 2011 CommentSome entrepreneurs dream of turning their company into the next Apple, or becoming a household name. Others just want to love their work and support themselves and their families. Adelaide Lancaster and Amy Abrams, coauthors of The Big Enough Company and cofounders of In Good Company, a shared workspace for female business owners in New York, say that’s okay—and in fact, staying small might be preferable to rapid growth.
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6 Celebrity Estate Planning Errors—and Tips
Tweet Share on Facebook December 6, 2011 Comment (3)At first glance, celebrities seem to navigate very different estate planning hurdles than the rest of us. After all, they often have immense wealth, personal brands worth millions or more, and intellectual property, such as popular songs or movies, that generates royalties even after death.
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Earn an Extra $500 for the Holidays
Tweet Share on Facebook December 1, 2011 Comment (4)Kelsey Freeman, 28, has a plan for covering her holiday expenses: She’s going to earn more money by selling photos online. The substitute teacher and freelance designer and photographer earns about $15,000 a year and her budget often gets even tighter around the holidays, since winter school breaks mean less substitute teaching. “I’d like to earn an extra $200 or so, because I had to delay buying gifts for some key friends and family last year, and it made me feel terrible,” says Freeman, who lives in Alexandria, Va.
