Once you've taken steps to ensure your family and home will stay as safe as possible, here's what you can do to protect your finances.
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Credit card debt is one of the leading causes of financial hardship and is a budget killer.
Here is cool infographic by Bankrate.com for 5 ways to dig yourself out of credit card debt.
Share your tips below.
Source: Bankrate.com
Saving and investing — they’re both critical to achieving your financial goals. They both require you to put money aside, but for very different purposes.
Saving is ideal for short term goals (vacations or a rainy day fund). Investing is for long-term goals (down payment on a house or retirement).
But if you’re confused by the difference, you’re not alone. Most people in the U.S. don’t save enough, according to think tank Economic Policy Institute. And only half invest, according to a recent report from polling organization Gallup.
Take a look at this video. It will help you understand the difference between saving and investing.
Originally appeared on Learn.Stash.com and written by Jeremy Quittner, the Stash financial writer.
If you’re not out enjoying the last bit of summer on Labor Day, you might want to take advantage of the long holiday weekend to get great deals on a variety of items. From summer merchandise to big-ticket items, you’ll find plenty of things deeply discounted during Labor Day sales.
In fact, you should see retailers starting their sales several days before Labor Day weekend, said John Park, CEO of Goodshop, a coupon and deal site that makes donations to charitable organizations when users make purchases through the site. And “if you don’t have a chance to shop during the big sale time, not to worry,” Park said. Some retailers will likely keep their sales going until the weekend after Labor Day.
Before you head to the store or online, though, it pays to know what to buy on Labor Day to snag the biggest discounts.
Major Appliances
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Labor Day sales are a great time to buy major appliances at a deep discount. “To clear stores for newer breeds, retailers discount previous years’ appliances by as much as 40 percent,” said Sarah Hollenbeck, shopping and savings expert at deal website Offers.com.
Look for Sears to have some of the best deals and free shipping on refrigerators, ranges, cooktops and washers and dryers from brands such as Kenmore and Whirlpool, Hollenbeck said.
Best Buy is also known for having great deals and should be knocking hundreds of dollars off the prices of major appliances from Samsung, Bosch and other popular brands. Also look for Best Buy to offer free delivery and haul-away of old appliances, she said.
Grills
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“The unofficial last day of summer, Labor Day, also marks the unofficial end of barbecue season,” Hollenbeck said. “To clear out their stores for fall merchandise, retailers offer grills at up to 80 percent off.”
So, Labor Day sales are a great time to get a new grill at a fraction of the cost that you’d pay if you waited until next spring or summer to buy one.
You’ll find some of the best sales on gas and charcoal grills at Home Depot, Lowe’s and Kmart, Hollenbeck said. And look for both Home Depot and Lowe’s to offer free shipping on select online orders.
Grilling Accessories
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If Labor Day doesn’t mean the end of grilling season for you, you can get the supplies you need to keep cooking outdoors at a discount.
“Labor Day tends to be a great time to stock up on grilling accessories,” said Regina Conway, a savings expert with deal site Slickdeals.
For the past three years, retailers such as Home Depot and Lowe’s have discounted bags of charcoal by 50 percent, she said. Even higher-end stores such as Williams Sonoma cut prices on grilling accessories to clear out their summer inventory.
Patio Furniture
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Labor Day weekend is a good time to get patio furniture at a discount, Park of Goodshop said. For example, home goods retailer Wayfair marked down outdoor furniture by 70 percent last year during its Labor Day sale, he said.
In addition to Wayfair, you can expect to see outdoor furniture sales at Kmart, Kohl’s, Pier 1 Imports, Pottery Barn, Sears and West Elm, Park said. Home Depot also marks down patio furniture, so make sure you check out the store’s deals this Labor Day.
Summer Clothing
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Like grills, patio furniture and other seasonal items, summer clothing gets deeply discounted during Labor Day sales.
“Labor Day weekend is an excellent time to stock up on summer season clothing, especially if you can find staples that transition well into other seasons, like T-shirts or cardigans,” said Lindsay Sakraida, director of content marketing with DealNews.
Stores slash prices on summer apparel by as much as 75 percent, she said. But you can score additional savings by stacking coupons on top of the sale price. Sakraida said you can find coupons for clothing that slash up to an extra 40 percent off. Check sites for online coupons such as DealNews, Slickdeals and Goodshop.
Sunglasses
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Sunglasses are among the summer clearance items that represent the best Labor Day deals.
“There are many online glasses stores that have sales up to 80 percent off on affordable name-brand and generic styles,” said Brent Shelton, online shopping expert for deal site FatWallet.
You’ll find discounts from online retailers such as Eyeconic, 6pm.com and GlassesUSA and from big-box retailers. Some of the best savings, though, will come from Oakley, Nike, Ray-Ban and Spy Optic, Shelton said. “Expect savings as much as $100 on these higher-quality styles that can also be fitted with prescription lenses,” he said.
Shoes
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You can find some great deals on shoes during Labor Day sales, Park said. Expect to see markdowns on both end-of-season summer shoes and back-to-school shoes.
In the past, retailers such as Shoes.com have offered 30 percent off during Labor Day sales. Some retailers cut prices by up to 50 percent, he said.
Mattresses
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“Every Labor Day has a big mattress sale,” Park said. “So, if you’ve been sleeping on an old uncomfortable mattress all year long, here is your chance to upgrade.” He expects Macy’s to have some of the best deals.
In general, you can expect department stores and mattress retailers to slash prices by up to 60 percent on a variety of styles, Sakraida of DealNews said. However, remember to “keep in mind that the base and mid-tier models are the most likely to be discounted,” she said. And if you find a great deal from an online mattress retailer such as Casper, don’t balk at the idea of making this purchase online. Mattresses are actually one of the best things to buy online now because many retailers offer free return shipping if you’re not happy with your purchase.
Laptop Computers
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If you missed the back-to-school sales on laptop computers, you still can find deals on them — last year’s models, in particular — during Labor Day weekend sales. Retailers and manufacturers such as Acer, Best Buy, Dell, HP and Lenovo will offer 15-inch PC laptops for as little as $300, and you’ll see $900 for a 13.3-inch MacBook Air.
You can get an even bigger discount if you’re a student. “You’ll save an additional $100 to $150 with a student ID at most computer stores,” Shelton said.
Cellphones
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If you’re in the market for a new cellphone, take advantage of Labor Day sales to get one for less. For example, Verizon usually offers great deals on cellphones, upgrades and data plans, Hollenbeck said.
You also can find cellphone accessories marked down during Labor Day sales. For example, Best Buy is offering 40 percent off three or more select cellphone accessories with a cellphone order through Sept. 4, she said.
Click here for more Things to Buy on Labor Day by GoBankingRates.com.
Originally appeared on GoBankingRates.com.
Love and money, the two things you can’t live without (well, that and pizza). Ameriprise Financial (AMP) just released a brand new survey about couples’ spending habits, how they jive when it comes to financials and what you and your significant other can do now to make the money situation a little greener.
“One surprising thing that we found is that couples talk about money a lot” Marcy Keckler, VP of Financial Planning and Advice Strategy at Ameriprise, told FOXBusiness.com.
Financial discussions take place “more than world events, more than politics!” she adds.
The study showed that 77% percent of couples feel that they are on the same page when it comes to finances and that the 33% who don’t, tend to argue at least once a month.
But it’s not all bad. Of those who tend to disagree, 82% say they can eventually work out their differences.
“Couples do agree on a spending limit; the average was $400 but that varied by generation” adds Keckler.
The spending limit of a Millennial shopper who made a purchase without talking to their partner was around $250-$300, whereas baby boomers spent roughly $500. Not to mention, 5% of respondents said they were hiding a secret bank account from their partner!
When it comes to retirement, the study showed 23% of the couples felt that they weren’t on the same page or just not sure if they were prepared to retire.
So what can couples do to sync up?
“One money strategy that can make sense for couples is a three-account approach,” says Keckler.
An “ours, yours and mine” arrangement allows couples to have a joint account for shared expenses as well as separate accounts to have some financial independence and still be able to surprise one another.
However, when you and your partner spend, be sure to invest responsibly and speak to an expert!
Originally appeared on Foxbusiness.com.
So, you have a copy of your credit reports. Now What? Meredith Simmons of Credit Info Center shares some easy tips about the Anatomy of a Credit Report.
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