The Penny Hoarder |
- 7 Financial Strategies for Padding Your Bank Account in Case 2021 Goes Sideways
- Policygenius Review: One-Stop Shop for Insurance Needs
- Here Are 8 Home Repairs You Can't Afford to Ignore
- How to Save the Most Money on Budget Airlines
- Rich or Wealthy? Why Wealthy is Better than Rich
| 7 Financial Strategies for Padding Your Bank Account in Case 2021 Goes Sideways Posted: 29 Apr 2021 01:00 PM PDT 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. So, you thought 2020 was bad? Just wait! OK, we're kidding. Obviously, 2021 should turn out way better than 2020 did, right? There's no way it could be worse, right? Right? Welllllllll… we hate to sound like pessimists, but if there's one thing life has taught us, it's that things can always get worse. Maybe COVID's sequel shows up. Maybe the economy crashes again. Maybe our weird politics get even weirder. Maybe aliens land in Times Square. Just in case, we've got some proactive moves you should make to protect your bank account in case things go south. Before the next crisis gets going, let's get started with the protective measures: 1. Save Up An Emergency FundThis past year has taught us the hard way that everyone should have an emergency fund. You need a place where you can safely stash your savings away — but still earn money on it. Under your mattress or in a safe will get you nothing. And a typical savings account won't do you much better. (Ahem, 0.06% is nothing these days.) But a debit card called Aspiration lets you earn up to 5% cash back and up to 16 times the average interest on the money in your account. Not too shabby! Enter your email address here to get a free Aspiration Spend and Save account. After you confirm your email, securely link your bank account so they can start helping you get extra cash. Your money is FDIC insured and they use a military-grade encryption which is nerd talk for "this is totally safe." 2. Stop Overpaying for StuffYour bank account will be in better shape in 2021 if you stop overpaying for things. For instance, wouldn't it be nice if you got an alert any time you're shopping on Walmart and are about to get ripped off? That's exactly what a free service called Capital One Shopping does. (No need to be a Capital One customer to use it!) Capital One Shopping's free alerts can be added to your browser. Before you check out, it'll check other websites, including Amazon, Target, eBay and others to see if your item is available for cheaper. It will also show you coupon codes, set up price-drop alerts and even let you see the item's price history. Let's say you're shopping for a new TV. You're ready to check out, and you assume you're getting the best price. Here's when Capital One Shopping will pop up and let you know if you're about to overpay. It will even automatically apply any known coupon codes to your order. So far, Capital One Shopping has saved users more than $70 million. You can get started with Capital One Shopping in just a few minutes to see if you're overpaying online. 3. Get Paid Every Time You Buy Toilet PaperGrocery shopping was never exactly pleasant. But these days, it's a downright struggle. Fighting crowds; keeping six feet of space — just buying toilet paper is a feat. Shouldn't you have something to show for it? A free app called Fetch Rewards will reward you with gift cards just for buying toilet paper and more than 250 other items at the grocery store. Here's how it works: After you've downloaded the app, just take a picture of your receipt showing you purchased an item from one of the brands listed in Fetch. For your efforts, you'll earn gift cards to places like Amazon or Walmart. You can download the free Fetch Rewards app here to start getting free gift cards. Over a million people already have, so they must be onto something… 4. Knock $489/Year From Your Car Insurance in MinutesCar insurance is another thing you shouldn't overpay for in 2021. When's the last time you checked car insurance prices? You should shop your options every six months or so — it could save you some serious money. Let's be real, though. It's probably not the first thing you think about when you wake up. But it doesn't have to be. A website called Insure.com makes it super easy to compare car insurance prices. All you have to do is enter your ZIP code and your age, and it'll show you your options. Using Insure.com, people have saved an average of $489 a year. Yup. That could be $500 back in your pocket just for taking a few minutes to look at your options. 5. Stop Paying Your Credit Card CompanyIf things go south financially, the last thing you want to be saddled with is credit card debt. And the truth is, your credit card company doesn't really care. It's just getting rich by ripping you off with high interest rates. But a website called AmOne wants to help. If you owe your credit card companies $50,000 or less, AmOne will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances. The benefit? You'll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmOne rates start at 3.49% APR), you'll get out of debt that much faster. Plus: No credit card payment this month. AmOne keeps your information confidential and secure, which is probably why after 20 years in business, it still has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. It takes two minutes to see if you qualify for up to $50,000 online. You do need to give AmOne a real phone number in order to qualify, but don't worry — they won't spam you with phone calls. 6. Cut Your Food Budget by Planning AheadEven if you're gainfully employed and not in imminent danger of being evicted, you're probably struggling with bills like most of us are. Groceries are a huge part of everyone's budget these days, so they're a big target for savings. Try preparing for the week ahead with some meal planning. This goes beyond just making a shopping list. Real meal planning helps you save money because it helps you use what you buy, preventing food and money waste. It also prevents you from spending extra cash on emergency lunches or late-night takeout. First, figure out how many meals you're responsible for making every week. If it's just you, your answer might be 21: seven breakfasts, lunches and dinners. If you have a family, count meals per person — a dinner for three people counts as three dinners, even if you all eat the same thing. Now figure out how much food you'll need to buy to make it until your next grocery trip. If you buy the same items repeatedly, you know which ones to stock up on when they go on sale. Stocking up on sale items also helps you freeze meals for the future. If there's a way to buy in bulk and prep the foods you eat the most often, do it! 7. Add $225 to Your Wallet Just for Watching the NewsIt's been a historic time for news, and we're all constantly refreshing for the latest updates. You probably know more than one news-junkie who fancies themselves an expert in respiratory illness or a political mastermind. And research companies want to pay you to keep watching. You could add up to $225 a month to your pocket by signing up for a free account with InboxDollars. They'll present you with short news clips to choose from every day, then ask you a few questions about them. You just have to answer honestly, and InboxDollars will continue to pay you every month. This might sound too good to be true, but it's already paid its users more than $56 million. It takes about one minute to sign up, and start getting paid to watch the news. Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He's got his game face on and is ready for 2021, come hell or high water. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Policygenius Review: One-Stop Shop for Insurance Needs Posted: 29 Apr 2021 09:00 AM PDT The market is saturated with insurance companies for all parts of your life: home insurance, auto insurance, life insurance—heck, even pet insurance (which I highly recommend, by the way). Shopping for all these insurance policies can be stressful, especially when you want to compare quotes from multiple insurance companies. That's where Policygenius comes in. In our Policygenius review, we'll discuss what this independent insurance broker offers and the pros and cons of using the comparison shopping platform. What Is Policygenius?Life insurance companies like State Farm and Pacific Life and auto insurance companies like Geico and Allstate offer insurance policies from their specific companies. But if you work directly with one of these car or life insurance companies, you miss out on quotes from competitors. Policygenius exists to make comparison shopping easier for you. The website platform is an independent insurance broker that is licensed in all 50 states and Washington, DC. Unlike similar insurance comparison sites, like Gabi and Insurify, which specialize in specific coverages like auto insurance and home insurance, Policygenius runs the gamut. That means you can use the Policygenius insurance marketplace to shop for:
Specifically, Policygenius specializes in term life insurance, home insurance and auto insurance. This Policygenius review focuses on these three core elements of the website. Policygenius has its headquarters in New York City (located at 50 West 23rd Street in the Flatiron district near Madison Square Park) and Durham, North Carolina (opened in 2019). According to the company, it has found insurance policies for more than 30 million people with over $75 billion (with a B!) in coverage since 2014, when two former McKinsey employees, Jennifer Fitzgerald and Francois de Lame, founded the company. In addition to offering quotes for auto, home and life insurance policies, Policygenius acts as a library of information to help consumers make smart decisions about insurance. The site includes extensive resources for learning about life insurance, car insurance, etc., as well as calculators for determining how much insurance coverage you need. How Much Does Policygenius Cost?Like other insurance comparison shopping sites, Policygenius is free. Instead, the site makes a commission when you purchase coverage from an insurer through the site. While Policygenius can't get you discounts on insurance, it does show you a broad spectrum of major insurance companies so that you can find the best deal. The cost of insurance will always vary based on the type of insurance, the amount of coverage, the deductible (if applicable), the risk factors (e.g., age and health for life insurance policies; driving habits for auto insurance policies; location for home insurance policies); and more. One caveat: Policygenius works with some of the larger, better-known insurance companies. That means you might not see more affordable policies from some lesser-known insurance companies. How Policygenius WorksPolicygenius is fast and easy to use. The information required and the processes vary depending on the type of insurance you are shopping for. This Policygenius review focuses on the big three (life, home, auto), but using Policygenius to shop for travel insurance, pet insurance and others should yield similar results. Here's what the application process is like for the big three insurance products on Policygenius: Shopping for Life Insurance with PolicygeniusFor many, life insurance is a foreign concept. But if you have children or share payments on a home with your spouse or domestic partner, you should start thinking about life insurance, just in case. The latter scenario describes me, and I've been putting off shopping for life insurance for too long, so I was eager to get started. I just had no idea what I needed. That's why I loved Policygenius' design. When you click the "Life" link at the top of the website to get started on the life insurance policy quotes, it doesn't immediately throw you in. Instead, it takes you to an educational page about what life insurance is, who needs a life insurance policy and how much coverage you likely need.  Side note: Policygenius recommends getting coverage for 10 to 15 times your annual salary, and the term should at least be the number of years until retirement. What I found to be most helpful using Policygenius for life insurance was the life insurance calculator. Just answer a few questions, and Policygenius will recommend ideal life insurance coverage for your needs.  When you are ready to get your life insurance quotes, just input a few values: age, gender, ZIP code, policy length and coverage amount. Policygenius will spit out monthly estimates for average, good and best health. (Be honest about your health: To finalize your life insurance, you will have to get a medical exam, so there's no sense in lying about your medical history.)  Policygenius offers policy lengths ranging from 10 years to 40 years and coverage amounts ranging from $100,000 to $10 million. After clicking the orange "Compare Quotes" button, you'll be taken to a "Let's get started" screen that asks you where you are in your search for life insurance. On this page, you can also see some of the major life insurance companies that Policygenius works with, including Pacific Life, Principal, Protective, AIG and Prudential.  Next, you'll provide a few more personal details, like marital status, employment status, whether you have kids, your retirement savings, etc. Then you'll add in basic info like gender, date of birth, ZIP code, citizenship status and annual income. Finally, you'll need to provide some health details, including height, weight, tobacco use and medical conditions. Still shopping for life insurance? Check out these other options: With this information, Policygenius will find quotes for you. But to see the quotes, you'll finally have to hand over your contact information, including your email address, phone number and address. By providing your phone number, you're giving a Policygenius life insurance agent permission to call and talk to you about next steps.  If you are selected for FastTrack, you don't have to wait for an insurance agent to call. Instead, you can call immediately to begin the process. At no point in this process was I shown any quotes. In looking at another Policygenius review, I noticed that the reviewer received quotes in her dashboard immediately after providing her info. I attempted multiple quotes for multiple scenarios, in multiple browsers, over multiple days. Still, no quote. Just a prompt to call for more information or wait to be called. I can only guess that Policygenius updated its process since her review. It makes sense that you might not immediately see quotes. Unlike car insurance and home insurance comparison shopping platforms, where you can see your quotes right away, term life insurance and whole life insurance can be a bit more complicated, hence the questions over the phone with a live insurance agent—and the eventual medical exam. Because I wasn't ready to commit to a life insurance company during this review, I didn't move forward with calling an agent through FastTrack. (I also used my handy fake 555-555-5555 phone number, so I never received a call from their end.) Shopping for Home Insurance with PolicygeniusShopping for home insurance using Policygenius is even easier. Policygenius promises the process takes just three minutes. My iPhone stopwatch clocked me in at a cool two minutes and 15 seconds. Don't own a home? Policygenius also offers renters insurance policies.  Shopping for Auto Insurance with PolicygeniusUnlike sites like Gabi, Insurify and The Zebra, which require an abundance of information (or potentially even your login info to your current auto insurance company), Policygenius kick-starts your search for auto insurance with just a few inputs: current insurance status, number of vehicles, homeownership status, age and ZIP code.  The downside? With such limited information, Policygenius doesn't actually provide you with ready-made quotes. Instead, it provides you top choices, but you'll have to do the legwork on each recommended insurer's site to get your actual quote.  While Policygenius makes the most sense for life insurance, I find Gabi and Insurify to be superior for car insurance. Shopping for Home and Auto Insurance at the Same TimeOne cool feature about Policygenius is that, when you go to shop for home or auto insurance, the site automatically recommends that you shop for them together, as you'll find better deals when bundling. If you're not interested, you have the option to bypass this — but with a graphic as cute as the one below, why would you?  Using Policygenius for Other NeedsIn addition to whole and term life insurance, home insurance and auto insurance, you can use Policygenius for travel insurance, pet insurance, renters insurance, health insurance and more. Outside of insurance, Policygenius provides wills and trusts for as little as $120. The site also features plenty of financial advice for taxes, retirement, mortgages, investing and more.    What We Like About PolicygeniusOverall, I had a very positive experience with Policygenius. Here's what I liked most about the site:
What We Don't Like About PolicygeniusOverwhelmingly, I loved the platform and service. However, there were a few things I discovered while conducting my Policygenius review that I'd love to see improved:
Customer ReviewsPolicygenius is very well liked in the market. The company currently has 4.66 stars out of 5 on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, based on 149 reviews. It's got a comparable 4.7 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot based on 1,921 customer reviews. Reviewers compliment Policygenius' customer service, ease of use and transparency. The Bottom LinePolicygenius is a great resource for learning about life insurance, car insurance, auto insurance and more. It's also a great place to actually start the process of shopping for life insurance. I recommend other sites over Policygenius for auto insurance, but for life insurance policies specifically, it may be the best in the business. Policygenius is known for its leading customer service, its easy-to-use platform and its online calculators. If you're starting the purchasing process for life insurance, I highly recommend giving Policygenius a shot. Timothy Moore is a market research editing and graphic design manager and a freelance writer and editor covering topics on personal finance, travel, careers, education, pet care and automotive. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Here Are 8 Home Repairs You Can't Afford to Ignore Posted: 29 Apr 2021 09:00 AM PDT During preparations for her nightly baths, Laura Starrett noticed the water pressure wasn't as strong as it once was. She had also received an alert from her utility company that she had used more water that month than she had before. "Then I realized I'd left my sprinklers on and they were running every day, so I thought that's why I got an alert that I was using a lot of water," said the recently retired homeowner in Jacksonville, Florida. So she turned the sprinklers off. Then Starrett got another alert saying her water bill was going to be $1,000. A plumber came out, listened to the pipes and heard water running. Turns out, a backyard pipe was leaking. "You just hope it will go away," Starrett said. "But I knew there had to be something because your water just doesn't just disappear." According to a survey by Travelers insurance company, 42% of homeowners put off a needed repair during 2020. Much of it was the concern about having someone in their house during the pandemic. Of those, 19% said they tried to fix the problem themselves and failed, and 22% just left it broken. That can lead to a bigger and often more expensive problem, says Angela Orbann, vice president of property and personal insurance at Travelers. "I typically think of this as what's cosmetic versus really critical, and sometimes that can be a fine line for a homeowner," she said. "You shouldn't delay things that can lead to bigger issues." 8 Home Repairs You Can't Afford to Put Off1. Anything Involving WaterA water spot on the wall or ceiling can mean a leaky roof or a leaky pipe. If not fixed, the leak will just get bigger and can destroy floors, walls, furniture and more. "Any time you notice a stain, those should be addressed immediately because that indicates you potentially have moisture entering your home. Moisture in small amounts will not turn into mold, but if left, mold and continued damage will occur so it is important to address these situations when they occur," said home inspector John Wanninger. He and his INSPECTIX team in Nebraska have inspected more than 30,000 homes.. The same goes for a leaky faucet, running toilet or dripping water heater. "The cost of allowing a running toilet to run will cost more over the course of a month or two than it would have cost to fix it up front," he said. Don't ignore higher-than-normal water bills. As Starrett realized, they were a sign something was wrong somewhere. 2. Anything Involving ElectricityDo you have lights that flicker? Switches or outlets that stopped working? Breakers tripping? GFI outlets that won't reset? These can be signs of electrical problems. "A flickering light can be something as easy as a loose light bulb or it could be something as severe as a loose wire," Wanninger said. "Any of those things when it comes to electricity should be considered important and time sensitive." In houses built between 1965 and 1974, connections in some older aluminum wiring may be failing. Older houses built in the 1950s and before had knob and tube wiring. The connections could be going bad. Circuits can be overloaded. Sometimes when people update their homes, they don't update the wiring. Electrical problems can lead to fires, and fires can lead to injury or property damage. 3. PestsBugs and rodents might be small, but they can cause big issues. "Termites can do an extensive amount of damage over a period of time. If they go undetected for three or four years, minor damage becomes pretty heavy damage," Wanninger said. There's no telling how long pests like termites and carpenter ants have been chewing before you noticed them, so taking immediate action is important. Be on the lookout for signs of termites and carpenter ants and what they leave behind:
As for furry pests, they can spread diseases with their droppings and can chew through insulation. "When you hear noises in your attic, it's often either mice, rats, squirrels, or raccoons. In any case, it's something that should be addressed immediately because left unattended they can all cause an extensive amount of damage," Wanninger said. Pro Tip Before you embark on a home improvement project, ask yourself when to DIY it vs. hire a pro. 4. Peeling Caulk and PaintSee #1: Water. If caulk comes loose and peels away, water gets in and you know what happens then and it isn't good. "We don't think about cracked joints in your tile bathroom. It doesn't look severe and it doesn't look like a big issue, but as time goes on, moisture gets in there and deteriorates the shower board and the material behind the wall. Before you know it, you get yourself a $2,000 or $3,000 repair," Wanninger said. The same for paint. Paint is like skin for the house. It protects it from water and pests. Removing that protection can cause problems. 5. Broken or Malfunctioning HVACHaving a lack of climate control isn't just an uncomfortable inconvenience, it can lead to bigger issues. "If the humidity is too high in the home, it will pass through the drywall and enter the attic area," Wanninger said. "If you get moisture on your windows in the wintertime on the inside of the glass in your house, it is an indication your humidity level is too high." In the winter, that moisture can freeze and eventually melt, causing a leak. In the summer, excess moisture can lead to mold and mildew. If you notice your HVAC isn't working as it should, taking care of it before it breaks can reduce stress on the system and possibly prevent a bigger issue.   6. CracksSome cracks in walls and foundations are harmless, but they aren't something to ignore. "One thing concrete does is crack, it's pretty standard," Wanninger said. "If you get cracks in foundation walls or floors that are considered expansive or starting to displace at a greater level, that may be the indication that you are having structural issues or movements that need to be reviewed before they become a bigger issue." Keep an eye on the size of the cracks. Measure the length and width periodically and note any changes. 7. Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide DetectorsIt sounds simple, but replacing batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors should happen immediately after they begin chirping, even if it happens in the middle of the night. "At two o'clock in the morning when the thing does start chirping, your mind says you'll fix it tomorrow and tomorrow never comes," Wanninger said. Better yet, replace your batteries annually when you change your clocks for Daylight Saving Time. 8. Darkening Ceilings Near FireplacesIf you notice darkening on your ceiling or a sooty smell in your house, it could mean your fireplace isn't drafting properly. That could bring deadly gasses into the house. "There's no second-guessing that. It would cause carbon monoxide poisoning," Wanninger warned. Tiffani Sherman is a Florida-based freelance reporter with more than 25 years of experience writing about finance, health, travel and other topics. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| How to Save the Most Money on Budget Airlines Posted: 29 Apr 2021 07:00 AM PDT After a year of barely leaving the driveway, the desire to fly the friendly skies is high. Bank account balances, however, are still low for a lot of folks so budget airlines can be a great way to travel. For example, the newest low-cost airline, Avelo Airlines, which launched in April, is charging $19 for one-way trips from Los Angeles to numerous western destinations such as Bend, Ore., and Bozeman, Mont. Frontier Airlines is touting $39 flights to Orlando from most domestic cities it serves, and $39 for a return ticket. "Budget airlines are one of my favorite ways to find cheap travel. I have been able to get really great deals. That's how I got my $99 flight to Iceland," said Jen Ruiz, author and blogger for Jen on aJetPlane.com. "People want to spend more money on the destination than how they get there." Budget airlines offer cheap flights, for sure. But you need to be aware of all the additional fees and other costs that come with flying in and out of the secondary airports they serve. "Things like checking your bags, buying your seat, getting your boarding pass — that shoots up the price," said Scott Keyes, founder of Scott's Cheap Flights, which hunts airline deals for more than 2 million free and paid subscribers. Flying on low-cost carriers "can be a very good deal for someone traveling light and if you don't care what seat you have," he said. Defining Budget AirlinesThe difference between budget airlines like Allegiant Airlines and legacy carriers such American Airlines has become harder to define in the past 15 years, Keyes said. Since around 2015, legacy airlines have been offering more and more discounted airline tickets and some are charging for preferable seats or checked bags in order to compete with the low-cost airlines. Here are three key differences: 1. Fees.While discount airlines consistently offer lower fares, they may charge for selecting a seat, extra legroom, food, checked bags, carry-on bags and printing boarding passes on your departure date. 2. Airports.Low-cost carriers tend to fly in and out of smaller, less busy airports where they pay less money for using the gates and save on other airport fees. For example, a low-cost airline is more likely to use the Hollywood Burbank Airport instead of Los Angeles International Airport in California, or Concord-Padgett Regional Airport, which is 17 miles from Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina. 3. Planes.Most discount airlines fly the same size jets used by legacy airlines. In fact, when the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically slashed flights, some traditional airlines sold their planes to discount airlines. But low-cost airlines do fly more smaller planes than major airlines. Their planes are safe, though, according to Keyes. "Flying has gotten remarkably safe. It's not something I'm personally concerned about with budget airlines," he said. "I would say the budget airlines' planes might be a bit older, maybe a little bit dingier and just a little bit more cramped. "For an hour or two there's not a huge difference. If you are flying 10 hours it can start to become pretty noticeable," he added. Again, these distinctions are not hard rules. There are exceptions. Southwest Airlines is considered a discount airline and serves many major airports. It also allows passengers to check two bags for free and there is no charge for carry-on bags. The Hidden Costs of Budget AirlinesCancelled Flights Burn Time and MoneyLow-cost airlines have fewer planes and fly fewer routes compared to major commercial airlines. So when a flight is cancelled for weather, mechanical or scheduling reasons, it's less likely you can be booked on the next flight in an hour or two. Some budget airlines only fly specific routes certain days of the week. So if your flight home from your vacation is cancelled, the airline may not have another one for four days. This disruption can add hundreds or thousands of dollars to your trip if it means more days in hotel rooms and extending rental cars. And, if you absolutely have to get home and book a flight on another airline on short notice that can cost hundreds as well.. Legacy airlines offer more options. "A cancellation isn't nearly as likely to upend your trip. (Major airlines) have partners…. and agreements. If your trip gets disrupted they can put you on another airline," Keyes said. " I might be less inclined to book a (discount airline) flight to Chicago in February when weather constantly disrupts flights. But I might be more likely to get on a (discount airline) flight to Las Vegas or Hawaii in June." Additional Fees Add UpHere's a look at the add-on fees for an $81 round-trip Allegiant Airlines flight from Boston to Sarasota, Fla. It costs $20 for carry-on bags and $30 to check a piece of luggage if you pay in advance. (It's $50 if you pay at the airport.) A seat with the most legroom costs $26, while the cheapest middle seat is $11. If you don't check in with the Allegiant app and need a boarding pass printed, that's $5. So, if you pay all the highest fees, that's an additional $101 each way, or $202, more than double the price of your ticket. If you get by with just a carry-on bag, don't need boarding passes and take the cheapest seat, you'll pay $31 each way or $62 in round-trip fees and $143 total for the trip. So read the fine print before you book. While most major airlines have recently followed the lead of Southwest Airlines and quit charging for flight changes or cancellations, discount airlines have more restrictions. JetBlue Airways, however, is discontinuing all change fees. Allegiant Airlines is allowing one free change while others like Frontier Airlines base fees on how far in advance of the departure date the flight is altered. Getting To and From Remote Airports for Those Cheap FlightsIf you aren't relying on friends or rental cars, the cost of an Uber or a Lyft from a remote airport to where you are staying can cut into your savings on the airline tickets. In Arizona, for example, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, which more discount airlines serve, is 32 miles from the main Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. An Uber from Phoenix-Mesa to downtown Phoenix will cost around $38, while a ride from Sky Harbor is about $7. Consider the $21 difference each way plus any surge pricing if you are taking Uber during a busy time of day. One perk of remote airports, however, is parking costs less. They are also less crowded, so cheap flights can save time if not always money. Tips for Flying Budget AirlinesSign Up for Deal Alerts"Allegiant, Southwest, JetBlue, Spirit, all those domestic budget airlines have different fare sales that happen every four to six weeks," Ruiz said. "Allegiant has a lot of $19 one-way fares and Southwest has $50 flights. That happens all the time when they are trying to sell unsold seats." Travelers can sign up with each low-cost airline and get email alerts about cheap flights, with the option to tailor them only to places they want to travel. Scott's Cheap Flights regularly searches for deals to your favorite destinations. Free subscribers get searches to a limited number of destinations, while those who pay $49 a year get unlimited destination searches. Try Budget Airlines in International Destinations"There are many (European) budget airlines, so once you get to your general vicinity you can easily access other areas. If I find a good deal anywhere in the vicinity of where I want to go, I take it," Ruiz said. For example, Instead of paying $700 to $1,400 to fly round-trip from New York to Paris, snag a $300 round-trip fare to Barcelona instead for half the price. "There's easy access from Barcelona to Paris and other major cities," she said. Try flying budget airlines within the same country, too. "I once flew from Athens, Greece to Santorini for $9," Ruiz said. Snag Deals Quickly to Save MoneyWhen Ruiz sees a great deal to international destinations, she doesn't take the time to map out the rest of her trip. She buys the flight that gets her across the ocean before it's sold out, then books the shorter flights to transport her throughout the region. Expect More Direct Flights to Fun PlacesBecause bigger airlines offer more flights, they tend to operate on a hub-and-spoke model with multiple legs and connections to get from point A to B to C to D. Discount airlines with fewer planes focus more on just getting from point A to point B, said Keyes. "They can be more direct and take less time, depending on where you are going," he said. "If I'm going to fly to Vegas for the weekend I would spend twice as long on a flight on American," he said. Also, since leisure travelers are more sensitive to price than people flying for business, budget airlines cater mostly to that audience, he said. "You're going to see more budget airlines flying to travel destinations like Las Vegas, Hawaii or Fort Lauderdale," he added. What to Bring on Low-Cost CarriersSome low-cost carriers charge for blankets, earphones and food. So bring your own snacks and earphones for in flight entertainment, Ruiz advised. It's also smart to wear an extra coat or sweater to use as a blanket. Don't pack it in your carry-on, though, because you need every ounce of space there for clothes to avoid checked baggage fees. Katherine Snow Smith is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Rich or Wealthy? Why Wealthy is Better than Rich Posted: 28 Apr 2021 02:01 PM PDT 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. There's a difference between being "rich" and being "wealthy." It's all in the mindset. It's the difference between the Rockefellers and Kid Rock. If you're rich, you have the money to buy what you want, right now. You want a Jet Ski? You're rich, go buy one, knock yourself out. If you're wealthy, though, it means you're building something sustainable that should endure for generations. Wealthy people know how to keep their money and make more money — and how to make their money work for them. Here are five ways to teach yourself to be wealthy: 1. Wealthy People InvestInvesting is how you build generational wealth. If you feel like you don't have enough money to start investing, you're not alone. But guess what? You really don't need that much — and you can even get free stocks (worth up to $200!) if you know where to look. Whether you've got $5, $100 or $800 to spare, you can start investing with Robinhood. Yeah, you've probably heard of Robinhood. Both investing beginners and pros love it because it doesn't charge commission fees, and you can buy and sell stocks for free — no limits. Plus, it's super easy to use. What's best? When you download the app and fund your account (it takes no more than a few minutes), Robinhood drops a share of free stock into your account. It's random, though, so that stock could be worth anywhere from $2.50 to $200 — a nice boost to help you build your investments. 2. Pass Wealth on to the Next GenerationHere's another way to pass wealth on to the next generation. Have you thought about how your family would manage without your income after you're gone? How they'll pay the bills? Send the kids through school? Now's a good time to start planning for the future by looking into a term life insurance policy. You're probably thinking: I don't have the time or money for that. But your application can take minutes — and you could leave your family up to $1 million with a company called Bestow. Rates start at just $16 a month. The peace of mind knowing your family is taken care of is priceless. If you're under the age of 54 and want to get a fast life insurance quote without a medical exam or even getting up from the couch, get a free quote from Bestow. 3. Protect Your Estate — the Smart WayYou're probably wasting money right now. And it's probably on something you'd never expect — your homeowners insurance policy. This isn't something you actively think about — you just know you're required to have it. The problem is, you're paying too much. Luckily, an insurance company called Policygenius makes it easy to find out how much you're overpaying. It finds you cheaper policies and special discounts in minutes. In fact, it saves users an average of $690 a year — or $57.50 a month. It'll even help you break up with your old insurance company. (You're allowed to cancel your policy at any time, and your company should issue you a refund.) And just because you're saving money doesn't mean you're skimping on coverage. Policygenius will make sure you have what you need. Just answer a few questions about your home to see how much money you're wasting. 4. Add up to 300 Points to Your Credit ScoreWhen it comes to your credit score, it's important to stay organized and keep tabs on it. After all, it'll play an essential role in any big purchase you want to make — whether that's a home or a car. So if you're looking to get your credit score back on track — or even if it is on track and you want to bump it up — try using a free website called Credit Sesame. Within two minutes, you'll get access to your credit score, any debt-carrying accounts and a handful of personalized tips to improve your score. You'll even be able to spot any errors holding you back (one in five reports have one). Want to check for yourself? It's free and only takes about 90 seconds to sign up. 5. Grow Your Money 16x Faster — Without Risking Any of ItYou've probably heard the best way to grow your money is to stick it in a savings account and leave it there for, well, ever. That's bad advice. But maybe you're just looking for a place to safely stash it away — but still earn money. Under your mattress or in a safe will get you nothing. And a typical savings account won't do you much better. (Ahem, 0.06% is nothing these days.) But a debit card called Aspiration lets you earn up to 5% cash back and up to 16 times the average interest on the money in your account. Not too shabby! Enter your email address here to get a free Aspiration Spend and Save account. After you confirm your email, securely link your bank account so they can start helping you get extra cash. Your money is FDIC insured and they use a military-grade encryption which is nerd talk for "this is totally safe." Being rich is great. But don't just be rich. Be wealthy. Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He is neither wealthy nor rich, but he's working on it. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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