The year’s end is quickly approaching, and with it rests the spending deadline of flexible spending accounts (FSAs). What is an FSA? A flexible spending account is an account that employees can use to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses completely tax-free. FSAs are built as employees make equal, recurring contributions from their paychecks to the account.
Why [...]
End-of-Year Financial Checkup Checklist
At least once a year, if not more, you visit the dentist and doctor to make sure everything’s working properly – why not give your finances the same opportunity? As we approach the busy holiday season, it’s easy to let attention slip from personal finance. If you find yourself barreling toward the end of 2009 [...]
Getting the Most Out of Your Health Insurance Before 2010
It’s open enrollment time for many health insurance plans. And that means you are finding out that premiums, deductibles and co-pays are probably on the rise. In some cases, benefits are shrinking as well. Many new health insurance plans won’t kick in until the new year, though, so that leaves a little more than a [...]
Open Enrollment Time: A Guide to Your Benefits Package
It’s Open Enrollment time at most employers, the time when you get to choose your benefits coverage for next year. You will review your chosen options, and make changes to them as needed. It’s important to be familiar with last year’s benefits. You may get a summary, but can use your paystub to see what [...]
33 College Budget Calculators for Students: Budget Now to Reduce Your Debt
Since most colleges don’t have classes on budgeting and basic money management it’s up to students to educate themselves. This collection of 33 free student budget calculators, spreadsheets and worksheets will help students of all ages create a workable budget — plus learn some basic budgeting skills along the way!
Here’s what you’ll find:
9 Web-Based Budget [...]
College Savings and Investing With 529 Plan and ESA
As a new parent, I am sure you’re painfully aware of how expensive college is, and will be. You may wonder how in the world are you going to save that huge sum needed for your child’s college education. This article is design to help you walk through each step — e.g., getting your finances [...]
Following the success of previous Frugal of Cheap Test, I am going to throw another one out there for your enjoyment. I hope that you’ll like this Financial IQ Test as much as the last one and find it somewhat educational as well. Please note that I’ve included a link or two for some questions. [...]
I came home from work last night and my wife handed me the May issue of Parents magazine. She pointed out an articled called “25 Ways to Save Money on Health Care” by Teri Cettina. She thought I might like it, and she was right!
I am going to share the 25 ways here, but if [...]
Now that the benefits enrollment for my company is over, I can start thinking about things that I could do before the end of the year to make my money work harder for me. Here are 22 ideas that I want to share with you.
Photo from morgueFile
Boost 401k contribution – I think I will hit [...]
I found this great list on Wonders of the World so this week carnival will be based on wondrous things in the world. There are a lot of submissions this weekend but I did manage to read through them all, and could certify their high quality. I list these in the order in which they [...]
| High Interest Savings Accounts | 1.51% |
| High Yield CDs (1-year) | 1.60% |
| High Yield Checking Accounts | 1.46% |
| Best Credit Card | TrueEarnings® |
| 0% APR Balance Transfer | 12 mo |
| Lowest Interest Rate | 9.75% |
| Best Cash Back Reward | 5% |