Maintaining a healthy lawn is a year-round endeavor. karamysh / Shutterstock.com
While you may think winter is a time to take a break from all lawn care, there are still some tasks you need to do to keep your grass healthy. From cleaning leaves to weeding to watering, learn how to care for your lawn in winter. Discover what you should and shouldn’t do this winter. Keep reading to be ready to tackle the cold season like a lawn care pro. Read on for winter lawn care tips.
Florida residents should see lower property tax increases in the future thanks to a vote on Election Day. Mark Winfrey / Shutterstock.com
Retirees have flocked to Florida for many generations. Now, it has become an even more attractive place to spend your golden years. In the Nov. 5 election, Florida voters passed Amendment No. 5, which adds an inflation adjustment to the Sunshine State’s existing homestead exemption, a property tax break for primary homes. The change takes effect Jan. 1, 2025. Currently…
Image source: The Motley Fool/Upsplash
You have a lot of choices about where to keep your money, but not every option is ideal for every situation. For example, a great checking account is perfect for everyday spending, but it’s not the best place for your savings.
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.
Indeed, when it comes to your emergency fund and other short-term savings, there are few places as good to stash it as a high-yield savings account. Here are just a few of the reasons why.
The No. 1 reason to keep your money in a savings account over a checking account is the interest rate. Most checking accounts have pitifully low interest rates — if they offer interest at all (which many don’t).
In fact, the national average interest rate for an interest-bearing checking account is a paltry 0.07%. A regular savings account won’t do it, either; the national average for those is better, but still not great at 0.45%.
Instead, look for a high-yield savings account with a rate over 4%. To see the difference your APY makes, here’s how $10,000 would grow in one year at different rates:
Sure, higher rates are always a win, but the main reason I’ve opened my last three bank accounts was for the welcome bonus. Many banks will offer a bonus for new customers who can meet the requirements, and these bonuses can be worth hundreds of dollars.
One popular option for letting your savings grow is to put it into a certificate of deposit (CD). The best CDs earn over 4% APY and lock in your rate for the life of the CD.
The downside of CDs is that they impose high fees for early withdrawals. A good high-yield savings account, on the other hand, gives you access to your money whenever you need it through easy transfers to your checking accounts, no fees involved.
Pro tip: If you want the interest-earning capacity of a high-yield savings account, but you also want a debit card and check-writing abilities, check out our top-rated money market accounts.
An easy trick I like to use to keep my savings safe from, well, myself, is to keep it at a different bank from my checking account.
You see, I log into my checking accounts very regularly, and seeing a big lump of money just sitting there…well, let’s just say I know my own willpower (or lack thereof) well enough not to tempt myself like that. So my savings account sits elsewhere, and while I do check on it periodically, I let that temptor shout into the void most of the time.
If you’re anything like me in that regard, then I highly suggest opening a new high-yield savings account at a bank you don’t use for anything else. Because even the best interest rates aren’t going to help if you don’t let your money sit and grow.
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.
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.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money 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
Image source: Getty Images
For the second time this year, Bitcoin bulls have reason to celebrate. Early this morning, Bitcoin’s price reached $75,359 — smashing March’s previous all-time high, per CoinGecko data. Bitcoin’s recent rise was fueled by an influx of institutional money into spot crypto ETFs and increasing economic optimism. The election result pushed it to break new ground.
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.
If you’re thinking of buying Bitcoin, you might be wondering what this means for investors.
Positive price action is certainly reassuring, but the true test of whether Bitcoin is here to stay will be long-term adoption. There’s a lot we don’t know about how cryptocurrency will develop. It’s a relatively new and unregulated industry, and it’s still unclear what people will use Bitcoin for in the long term.
That said, Bitcoin does appear to be maturing. Don’t get me wrong, it continues to be a volatile and high-risk asset. But the price swings have become less drastic. Its price has barely sunk below $55,000 since March’s high of $73,738. That’s a very different picture from previous years.
Indeed, research by Fidelity shows that the top cryptocurrency was less volatile than several popular S&P 500 stocks. For example, its analysis shows that Netflix was more volatile over the two-year period ending March 2024.
Even so, Netflix is still a totally different asset class. The stock market has existed for hundreds of years, which is plenty of time for various regulations and investor protections to evolve. In contrast, Bitcoin is less than two decades old and still has the sword of changing regulation hanging over it.
Before you buy any investment, it’s important to be clear on why you’re buying. Think about your tolerance for risk and how cryptocurrency fits with your overall investment strategy. Here are some questions to consider.
Cryptocurrency assets do not have the same protections against institution failure or theft as money in the bank or stocks in a brokerage account. As an investor, that means being conscious of security when buying and storing digital assets.
Here’s how that looks with some of the most common ways you can add Bitcoin to your portfolio:
Top cryptocurrency exchange: Cryptocurrency exchanges have a broad mix of cryptos and crypto-related products. It is easy to move your assets to a crypto wallet you control, which gives you extra protection against platform failure.Crypto broker: A couple of popular brokerages offer cryptocurrencies. They don’t have as much functionality or as many cryptos as exchanges, but the fact that they’re registered with the SEC to trade other assets makes them feel more secure.Spot Bitcoin ETF: The SEC greenlighted spot Bitcoin ETFs at the start of the year. This means many investors can buy them from a brokerage account, just as they would other ETFs and stocks. One big advantage is that the fund managers are responsible for storing the Bitcoin safely.
Robinhood has broken the mold in terms of crypto offerings. You can buy several cryptocurrencies directly, as well as spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. Plus, it’s the only brokerage with a crypto wallet that lets you deposit and withdraw crypto. Click here to learn more about Robinhood’s crypto offer and open an account.
Think about why you’re buying cryptocurrency. If it’s because you see the price rising and worry about missing out, pause and do a bit more digging. Look at the different arguments on how Bitcoin will develop — both critical and optimistic.
Some argue that Bitcoin has value as a type of digital gold or the future currency of the internet. Others see it as taking a chunk out of the global money transfer market. On the other hand, critics say it’s a speculative asset with no intrinsic value.
Risky assets like cryptocurrency should only make up a small percentage of your wider portfolio. Think about what level of risk you’re comfortable with and how to balance your investments accordingly.
Building a diversified portfolio can be a great way to safeguard your funds. If one sector or asset performs badly, you’re insulated against losses. If it does well, you’ll still reap the rewards.
Not only has Bitcoin more than erased the losses of recent years, it’s also becoming less volatile. However, it’s still a high-risk asset that could fall to zero.
Only invest money you can afford to lose, and do your own research into the blockchain and Bitcoin. Positive short-term price action is one thing, but if you’re a buy-and-hold investor, long-term value is a lot more important.
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.
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.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Emma Newbery has positions in Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Netflix. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
“}]] Read More
These risks worry financial professionals as a new year approaches. Kmpzzz / Shutterstock.com
Life is full of uncertainty, and those shifting winds can impact your finances. Although there is no way to know for sure what the future might bring, you can still take steps to prepare for whatever changes might be on the horizon. Recently, Natixis Investment Managers asked 2,700 financial professionals in 20 countries — including 300 in the U.S. — to peer into their crystal balls and identify…
Everybody makes mistakes. Just try not to make the expensive kind when you’re using that plastic. Johnson / Money Talks News
Advertising Disclosure: When you buy something by clicking links within this article, we may earn a small commission, but it never affects the products or services we recommend. Credit cards are a convenient way to buy things and get perks while you build your credit profile. But mistakes can result in perks for your credit card company, and problems for you. If you’re going to use plastic…
© 2026 Madam Money®. All Rights Reserved. | Designed by SRJWebsites.com
