Money Management

What a way to celebrate. 

Are you ready for the Oscars? The 95th Academy Awards will air on March 12, 2023. If you’re a movie lover and still have not seen some of the nominated films, you can do so without draining your checking account. Regal Cinemas will stream the Best Picture nominated movies in theaters through March 12 — and the best part is that tickets cost only $6. Don’t miss this deal!

Introducing the Regal Best Picture Film Festival

Regal Cinemas will host its Best Picture Film Festival from March 3, 2023, through March 12, 2023. Every Best Picture nominee will play on the big screen to celebrate the upcoming Academy Awards. Tickets will cost only $6 for each screening.

The following movies will be available during the film festival:

All Quiet on the Western FrontAvatar: The Way of WaterAvatar: The Way of Water 3DThe Banshees of InisherinElvisEverything Everywhere All at OnceThe FabelmansTarTop Gun: MaverickTriangle of SadnessWomen Talking

All movies will be available on a rotating schedule. Moviegoers who are part of Regal’s rewards program can save even more money. The Regal Crown Club is free to join, and members earn credits every time they spend money at Regal Cinemas.

Credits can be redeemed for free movie tickets and concession snacks. You can screen any of the above movies for $5 per ticket as a Regal Crown Club member. As a member, you can also save by purchasing the $7 small popcorn and drink combo deal.

Five other ways to save money at the movie theater

Many Americans are cutting back on their entertainment spending due to rising everyday prices. But if you’re strategic, you can take advantage of discounts that make going to the movies more affordable. Here are a few ways to save money on your next movie date:

Attend a matinee screening: Most theaters have higher ticket prices in the evenings. If your schedule allows you to see a show in the afternoon, matinee prices are often much more affordable and can allow you to stay on budget.Go on discount days: You can save money by going to your local theater on a discounted ticket day. Many theaters offer ticket deals on a set day of the week, which could provide significant savings — especially if you’re buying multiple tickets.Join free loyalty programs: Don’t forget about free loyalty programs if you visit the same theater frequently. Many theaters have these programs available at no extra cost, and you may be able to earn discounts on tickets or save on concession snacks by becoming a member.Support your independent theaters: You can also save money by seeing a movie at a local independent theater. Some smaller theaters host discounted or free movie events throughout the year. As a plus, you’ll be supporting a small business.Go to the drive-in: Many drive-in theaters have affordable admission prices and some offer two screenings for the price of one. If you’re looking for a low-cost, fun summertime activity, you may want to check out your local drive-in theater.

Yes, life gets more expensive each day. But going to the movies doesn’t have to break your budget. If you’re strategic, you can plan a fun movie outing without going racking up costly debt. For additional ways to save money, check out our personal finance resources.

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Want to avoid ever worrying about car repairs again? Read this Dave Ramsey advice.  

Car repairs are a fact of life at some point as no one’s vehicle runs perfectly forever.

Unfortunately, unexpected problems with your vehicle can be a major source of stress — especially if you aren’t sure how to pay for them. You don’t want to drain your checking account just to get your car back on the road. Putting repairs on a credit card could be even worse, since the interest charges can increase the cost above and beyond what you’re already being forced to pay.

The good news is, if you follow some basic advice from finance expert Dave Ramsey, you won’t ever have to stress about car repairs again. Specifically, Ramsey recommends taking two important steps — and you should listen to him on both of these issues.

1. Keep up with routine maintenance

The first thing you need to do to avoid expensive repair costs is make sure you’re taking good care of your vehicle in the first place.

“Keeping up with car maintenance is less expensive than paying for major repairs,” Ramsey explained. This includes doing things like:

Checking your tire air pressure monthlyFollowing your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations for oil changesInspecting your car battery for corrosion and testing it twice annuallyChecking the brake fluid with each oil change and changing out the brakes when it becomes dark in colorChanging the air filter in your vehicle cabin once every 12 monthsRotating your tires every 3,000 to 5,000 milesCheck your coolant twice annually and changing it when necessaryChanging your spark plugs around once every 30,000 milesReplacing your timing belt every 60,000 miles Replacing your serpentine belt around once every 40,000 milesCompleting your annual inspection, including your emissions inspection

By keeping on top of these tasks, you can catch little problems before they turn into bigger issues. You can also take care of repair and maintenance tasks on a regular schedule rather than being caught by surprise.

2. Create a sinking fund for car repairs

While Ramsey said maintenance is cheaper than big repairs, it still comes at a cost. And even a well-maintained car can develop problems if you keep it for long enough.

But, Ramsey has a solution for paying for these expenses without worries as well. He suggests “creating a sinking fund for car maintenance.” To do this, “put a little in the fund each month, and you’ll have cash on hand when you need it! Or if you know something big is coming (like you’ll need new tires soon), stash even more away in that fund so you can pay cash.”

If you take care of your vehicle so it doesn’t need a lot of expensive repairs, and you have money in a savings account for the repairs and maintenance tasks that are necessary, you shouldn’t ever have to worry about car repairs again. You’ll have the confidence of knowing you have these costs covered without having to stick them on your credit card when they creep up on you.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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You still have a chance to pay the IRS less this year. 

Many people who file a tax return wind up seeing a refund hit their bank accounts weeks later. But what if you’re part of that group of people who have underpaid their taxes and now owe the IRS money?

It’s a situation more people might encounter during this year’s filing season. In 2021, a number of key tax tax credits got a boost to provide aid earlier in the pandemic. But those enhancements went away in 2022, so this year, filers may be looking at lower refunds and, in some cases, underpayments.

If you come to realize that you owe the IRS money for 2022, don’t panic. You still have one great option for slashing your tax bill — provided you move quickly.

There’s still time to max out your IRA

The more money you put into your IRA account, up to the maximum allowable contribution by the IRS, the more income you can shield from taxes. In 2022, IRAs maxed out at $6,000 for workers under age 50 and $7,000 for those 50 and over. (This year, those limits are up by $500.)

Meanwhile, even though 2022 is long behind us, it’s not too late to put money into your 2022 IRA and have it count toward that tax year. In fact, you have up until the tax-filing deadline to finish funding your IRA, which means that as long as that extra money hits your account by April 18, you’re good to go.

So, let’s say you owe the IRS a few hundred dollars this year, but getting an additional $1,000 tax deduction will wipe out that liability. If you’re able to put another $1,000 into your 2022 IRA, you might achieve that goal while also setting yourself up with more income for retirement.

To be clear, though, you’ll only get an upfront tax break on your contributions if you put money into a traditional IRA — not a Roth. Roth IRAs offer many benefits, like tax-free withdrawals during retirement. But the money you contribute to a Roth won’t serve as a near-term tax break. So if you’re going to sneak more money into your IRA for the express purpose of lowering your 2022 tax bill, make sure it’s a traditional IRA.

Don’t wait until the last minute

For your IRA contribution to count for 2022 purposes, that money must be in your account by April 18. So don’t wait until the day before to make that transfer, in case something goes wrong. Instead, make an effort to get that money moved over as soon as you can.

If you don’t have the cash to make that transfer in full, put in whatever cash you have now. The more you contribute to your IRA if you haven’t yet maxed out, the more tax savings you stand to reap.

Along these lines, it really does pay to prioritize IRA contributions in your budget. And if you start making changes once you’re done funding your 2022 IRA, you may find that you’re able to more easily max out your 2023 IRA.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 Read More