Laurie Blank is a blogger, freelance writer, and mother of four. She’s psyched about teaching others how to manage their money in a way that aligns with their values and has been quoted in Bankrate.
She’s a licensed Realtor with Edina Realty in Minneapolis, Minnesota (also licensed in Wisconsin too) and has been freelance writing for over six years.
She shares powerful insights on her blog, Great Passive Income Ideas, that will show you how you can create passive income sources of your own.
The Honey app automatically finds you the lowest prices and best coupon codes when you shop online. You can also earn free gift cards and it has a price drop watch list to help you find future sales. It's free and works on many of your favorite retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and Target.
If you are an adult without a criminal background you likely qualify to become a Notary in your state. Here’s what you need to know about becoming a Notary and how you can use the designation to serve the public and earn some extra cash at the same time.
HealthyWage allows you to place a bet that you will lose a certain amount of weight over a set time frame. You choose the parameters of the challenge and then place your bet. If you win, you'll get your money back plus some.
When making an offer on a house you'll want to be preapproved for your mortgage. This shows the sellers you are a serious buyer. You'll also want to include contingencies so you can back out if something major happens - like you don't get financing. Finally, be flexible and don't low ball.
The best business checking accounts have low or no fees, high transaction limits, and plenty of customer service. To meet these requirements, most banks operate completely online. However, there are a few that have in-person branches so you can deposit cash, or talk to someone in person.
Which place is best to sell your used furniture depends on what you want to sell and if you are willing to ship it. If you are selling large household furniture, such as your old couch, local marketplaces like Facebook or OfferUp are probably your best bet. However, if you have high-end specialty items you'll likely need a broader market and have to ship it to the buyer. In this case, you'll want to look into places like Sotheby’s or Chairish.
Whether or not you give your kids an allowance will depend on several factors, such as your family values, budget, and the child's responsibilities. How much you give will likely depend on age and other household responsibilities. Also, do they need to do chores or do they get the money "just because"?
Credit card fraud is rampant. Almost half of American's have been a victim of credit card fraud in the past 5 years. But there are things you can do to protect yourself.
Reaching a live person at the IRS can be tough, but it can be done. If you are having trouble, try calling your local office. The wait times might be shorter and you can make an appointment to meet with an advocate. Also, calling after 5 pm on Friday may be your shortest wait time.
If you have kids you probably have some old toys you'd like to donate. There are lots of places where you can donate used toys including hospitals, charities, and even the free section of Craigslist.
If you have a medical bill that has gone to collections the first thing to do is make sure the bill legit and has been through the proper processes before being reported on your credit. To do this ask for a copy of the bill and talk to your insurance company about why they didn't pay. If the bill is correct and insurance can't help then try to work out a payment plan with the collection agency.