Latest Personal finance News

Millennial Money: 3 signs you may need a credit card hiatus

May. 30, 2023 07:01 AM EDT

When your finances start to spiral and it becomes increasingly difficult to keep up with credit card payments or build toward financial goals, switching your payment method temporarily to cash or debit could help. Spending with credit cards can stimulate the brain’s reward center...

Liz Weston: 5 ways to simplify and reduce your money clutter

May. 29, 2023 08:06 AM EDT

Professional organizers might define household clutter as a pile of unmade decisions. Money clutter is much the same. Those credit cards you no longer use but haven’t closed? That’s money clutter. So is the retirement account you left behind three jobs ago and the financial...

3 ways to pay for your summer vacation

May. 24, 2023 09:28 AM EDT

A summer vacation can feel like a seasonal rite of passage — a sacred time to break away from the demands of everyday life in favor of fun and relaxation. But summer can also be an expensive time to travel, which makes it hard to budget enough money for your vacation. ...

Kimberly Palmer: How to set and vet money goals midyear

May. 22, 2023 08:55 AM EDT

If you set money goals for 2023 back in January, now can be a smart time to check in on your progress. And if you didn’t, it’s not too late to create goals for the next six months and beyond. “If you don’t have your goals, everyone is so busy with life that a year will whiz...

The average long-term US mortgage rate rose to 6.39% this week, Freddie Mac says

May. 18, 2023 13:07 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate edged higher this week after a two-week drop, a modest move in line with a mostly moderate shift in home-loan rates in recent weeks. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the benchmark 30-year...

5 tips to tackle a home remodel in an uncertain economy

May. 17, 2023 09:01 AM EDT

Spring is kickoff season for many kitchen remodels, bathroom updates and deck repairs, but recent economic turmoil may have homeowners questioning their home improvement plans. Spending on home renovations is expected to slow this year because of factors such as declining home sales...

Massachusetts Senate unveils nearly $56B state budget plan

May. 09, 2023 15:21 PM EDT

BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts Senate unveiled a $55.8 billion state budget proposal for the new fiscal year Tuesday even as tax collections for April fell more than $2 billion below collections for the same month last year. The Senate budget would let all Massachusetts students,...

Kimberly Palmer: How to make summer camp more affordable

May. 08, 2023 10:49 AM EDT

To create a fun but affordable summer for her daughters, ages 11 and 13, Flossie McCowald plans out camps well in advance. The Pennsylvania resident snags early bird discounts, takes advantage of a church-based sleepaway camp that offers scholarships and leverages sibling discounts. ...

How to have a fun summer when your finances fall short

May. 03, 2023 08:31 AM EDT

With layoffs, bank closures and inflation, financial tensions remain high for many Americans heading into the summer. In a fall 2022 survey conducted by The Harris Poll for the American Psychological Association, 83% of adults said inflation was a source of stress, and 56% said they and/or their...

Millennial Money: Trusts can aid those with mental illness

May. 02, 2023 10:22 AM EDT

More than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder during their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chances are, some of these individuals will be inheriting wealth at some point. If a family member’s mental health...