Money

  • Brooklyn vs. Manhattan: Is the Outer Borough Still Cheaper?

    BATTLE OF THE BOROUGHS The cost of living in Manhattan tops that of Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn, and the Bronx — or so goes the traditional rap about New York City. But as Brooklyn continues drawing families and hip singles,…

  • 10 Ways to Make Sure You’re Seeing the Lowest Price Online

    Imagine that the price sticker on a store shelf could automatically change based on the price at another store, or who is walking by. That’s essentially what happens online: Retailers continually change their prices in response to market conditions —…

  • 20 Products and Services You Should Never Buy at Full Price

    Money is often tight in January, when the holidays finally end and the bills come due. But for a variety of products and services, discounts are so easy to find that there’s no reason to pay full price. Be sure…

  • How to Save Up to 20 Percent By Using Bitcoin

    By now, most people have heard of Bitcoin; the decentralized digital currency is all the rage among new-technology geeks. But anyone can use Bitcoin, and frugal consumers might want to pay special attention. Buying goods and services with this alternative…

  • 10 Small Businesses to Start for Less Than $10,000

    Ready to flex your entrepreneurial muscles and dive headfirst into your own small business? To identify a business opportunity with low start-up costs, look for a venture with minimal fixed overhead (i.e., one you can run from home) and one…

  • 10 Reasons an Annuity May Be Right for Your Retirement

    Annuities are part insurance product and part investment. In exchange for buying an annuity from an insurance company, the purchaser gets a guaranteed income stream or lump-sum payout later on. Annuities sometimes get a bad rap, because insurance companies or…

  • 10 Ways to Save $100 or More in 10 Minutes or Less

    Saving money often requires a lot of time and effort. In some cases, though, 10 minutes or less is all it takes to save $100 or more. Get a head…

  • 10 Steps to Paying Down Holiday Debt

    The holiday season can bring a continuing avalanche of unwanted gifts, weight, and debt. Unlike the first two, debt and the associated effects of spending on such things as holiday…

  • 7 Ways to Give to Charity and Get a Tax Break for 2015

    For many people, buying gifts for friends and family is just the start of holiday giving. The next step is to give to charities or individuals in need of aid.…

  • 10 Cheap Ways to Prep Your Home for a Winter Sale

    Winter is the hardest time of the year to sell a home in most U.S. locales. “The spring housing market is considered busier than the winter market, but sometimes sellers…

  • Hosting This Holiday? 18 Ways to Cut Stress and Spending

    Holiday entertaining can be stressful — and expensive. Instead of slipping down that rabbit hole, try these 18 tips for saving money, time, and sanity without detracting from the event.…

  • Can’t Get a Small Business Loan? Look Online

    Since the financial crisis of 2008, it’s been harder for small businesses to get the money they need to operate or grow from traditional lenders. There are several reasons —…

  • 7 Ways to Save on Health Insurance

    Health insurance costs are creeping ever higher. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that average premiums will rise 5.1 percent in 2016 for the lowest-cost marketplace silver plans available to a…

  • 10 Things You Should Never Buy Secondhand

    For many types of durable consumer goods, “shop secondhand” is a valuable money-saving tip. Books, cars, dishware, décor, and most clothes can often be bought for pennies on the dollar…

  • 4 Smart Places to Put Your Short-Term Savings

    Short-term savings often take the form of an emergency fund — the three to six months’ worth of living expenses everyone should have in case of a layoff, family crisis,…

  • Where to Find a Checking Account With No Fees

    When it comes to storing money and earning interest, banks are better than an envelope under the mattress. But checking accounts are rarely free. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found…

  • How Group Travel Can Save You Money

    Traveling solo or with a friend can be fun, but it can also be expensive. A budget-friendly solution to consider before hitting the road is traveling with a group. Affinity…

  • 13 Cities Where It Pays to Get in the Vacation Rental Game

    Generating passive income by renting out a house or apartment is a dream for many. Even people who can’t afford a rental property or vacation home are putting their places…