After graduating in $50k with student loans in May 2008 from Virginia Military Institute with a B.A. International Studies and Political Science with a minor in Spanish (I studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain for 3 months), Josh decided to sell his soul for seven years by working in the transportation industry to get out of debt ASAP and focus on doing something else with a better work-life balance.
He is a father of three and has been writing about (almost) everything personal finance since 2015. You can also find him at his own blog Money Buffalo where he shares his personal experience of becoming debt-free (twice) and taking a 50%+ pay cut when he changed careers.
Today, Josh relishes the flexibility of being self-employed and debt-free and encourages others to pursue their dreams. Josh enjoys spending his free time reading books and spending time with his wife and three children.
H&R Block has been doing taxes since 1955 and has 60,000 tax pros with an average of 10 years of experience. With their many service levels from complete DIY to online assist to fully in-person with a tax pro, you can be sure you are getting exactly what you need without overpaying.
Mvelopes takes the envelope budgeting system digital. If you like the idea of the envelope budget but don't want to carry so much cash Mvelopes may be the answer. With three pricing tiers, you get unlimited envelopes and account syncing, online courses, and a dedicated financial coach.
With Simple Bank closing many are looking for an alternative. Each of these Simple Bank alternatives offer free checking account options and many accounts pay interest on deposits.
CDs are very safe investments that usually earn a higher interest rate than savings accounts but they require your money to be tied up for a set amount of time. When researching CDs you'll want to know the term, interest rate, and withdrawal penalty.
With the merger of BBVA and PNC bank, Azlo Bank ceased to exist - leaving Azlo customers searching for alternatives. Novo, Wise, Radius, and others all have similar products that will keep previous Azlo customers happy.
While TaxAct doesn't have all the bells and whistles of other tax software out there it is generally cheaper to file with them. If you don't need extras, such as one on one support or audit assistance you may want to consider TaxAct. They offer a free version for simple returns and several other levels of service depending on how complicated your taxes are.
Which tax software to choose depends on your specific situation. If you have a simple return in only one state you can likely get your taxes done for free with TurboTax or Credit Karma. But if things are more complicated or you want live help from a tax expert then you'll want an upgraded package as you can find with H&R Block.
Lively offers an HSA worth considering. It has no fees, offers investment options through TD Ameritrade, and makes getting reimbursed for medical expenses easy.
Experian Boost can track the payments you make to everyday regular bills, such as your electric or Netflix bills. It will then report any on-time payments to your Experian credit report which may increase your credit score.
Tally is an app that simplifies your credit card payments. If you qualify for the line of credit, Tally will make all of your minimum payments on your behalf and then send you one monthly statement. If the line of credit has a lower interest rate than your credit cards you can also consolidate them to Tally.
To send money you simply search for the email address or phone number of the person you want to pay. Select the recipient, enter the payment amount, and send. If you use the "sending to a friend" feature and use your PayPal balance or linked bank account neither you nor the recipient will pay a fee (if sending in the US).
Prize-linked savings accounts can be a free and exciting way to save money each month. Each deposit earns an entry into a drawing for a chance to win money. Even if you don’t win the grand prize, your deposits earn interest and you have more cash for a rainy day. But be sure to know the rules before you commit, there are likely restrictions on withdrawals to avoid abuse of the program.
