Runaway inflation has been changing our behavior — how we shop, where we eat, what we buy. It’s also changing the way we’re using mobile payment apps like Venmo, PayPal, Cash App and Zelle. Thanks to inflation, many Americans are becoming more assertive when it comes to bill splitting and asking to be reimbursed by friends, family and acquaintances. That’s the main finding of a survey by Forbes, which learned that you’re more likely these days to be asked to split a tab on a popular peer-to-peer payment service like Venmo or Zelle. With things changing so quickly, how are you supposed to handl ..read more

Sorting through the best life insurance companies for your needs isn’t as easy as choosing the next Netflix series to binge watch. There are a lot of factors people should take into consideration when searching for the ideal policy. First of all, what type of life insurance do you need? (And if you’re thinking, “Holy moly, there are different types?!” don’t worry, you’re not alone.) Second, consider your specific conditions and lifestyle choices. Are you a smoker? Do you have a family history of a terminal illness? Different life insurance companies treat people with various habits, conditions ..read more

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners. Believe it or not, tax season has already begun. Amid the flurry of tax forms flooding inboxes and mailboxes, you might wonder about filing taxes early this year. If you’re expecting an IRS refund, it’s tempting to run out and try to get your return in now. Less enticing is rushing to submit tax documents if you owe money. However, early birds in a few states might catch some unappetizing worms this year when it comes ..read more

Working at 36,000 feet may not feel like living the dream, but if you’re traveling for work (or fun), every minute counts. Some U.S. airlines are making it easier than ever to stay connected whether you have your head in the clouds or on the ground. For the past decade, it was standard to require passengers to pay either by the minute or by the hour to access the airline’s Wi-Fi network on most domestic flights. And for those who were winging it by working through the flight, those Wi-Fi costs added up fast. Don’t toggle your phone into airplane mode just yet because many national and internat ..read more

Dear Penny, I will have been with my partner for 50 years in July, but we're not legally married. Can I receive his retirement when he dies? I'm very worried I'll be on the street after taking care of him all these years. What advice can you give me?  -Lost Dear Lost, Lots of people will tell you that marriage is just a piece of paper. But that’s simply not true. Even if a couple is perfectly happy without that marital contract, there’s no getting around the fact that spouses are afforded a lot of benefits that aren’t available to long-term unmarried partners. These protections often bec ..read more

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners. The siren song of the credit card is music to our ears lately. When it comes time to pay the bills, we Americans are reaching for the plastic more than ever. With more people using credit cards to pay for food and rent, Americans’ total credit card debt reached a record $930 billion at the end of 2022, according to a new report from TransUnion. That’s a whopping 18.5% increase from the year before. (We’ve seen headline ..read more

Advertising disclosure: Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners. When it’s time to search the web, approximately 85% of users turn to Google. It’s such a prevalent search engine that we’ve turned its usage into a verb — Googling. But other options are available, and some will pay you to use them. Microsoft’s search competitor, Bing, holds a bit under 10% of the market, but if you decide to switch, you’ll find fantastic benefits. Thanks to Microsoft Rewards, y ..read more

Now that America’s largest movie theater chain is going to start charging ticket prices based on where your seat is located, it’s time to think about ways you can save money at the movies. Seriously, folks, AMC Theatres’ new pricing policy has a lot of people riled up. Just for example, actor Elijah Wood says it’ll penalize moviegoers who have lower incomes. “The movie theater is and always has been a sacred democratic space for all,” Frodo tweeted. Still, by the end of the year at every AMC theater, seats in the front will be cheaper while the best seats in the middle will cost more. If you a ..read more

Many people approach budgeting in this fashion: Pay bills, spend a little, and any money that’s left goes in savings. But those leftover crumbs aren’t often enough. Not prioritizing saving may be the reason nearly a quarter (23%) of Americans don’t have any money in savings, according to a recent financial literacy survey conducted by The Penny Hoarder. Of those surveyed, about 40% reported having less than $1,000 saved up. One way to save more for the future is to prioritize saving over everything else when creating your budget. Some refer to this approach as reverse budgeting, while others c ..read more

Dear Penny, My sister left her husband and moved into the city I live in now, living a block away from me. Shortly after, her two sons (currently 28 and 25) moved here also and live with her.  The eldest hasn't worked since 2017 because my sister says he has anxiety issues. He's worked before, and it's my view he's manipulating her. He signed up for COVID unemployment in 2020 and received it until I brought attention to it. I've had anxiety and stutter my entire life and I've worked since I was 14. The youngest works off and on. He will work a job for a few weeks and then quit because it ..read more