I’ve used both of these companies for years now and can wholeheartedly recommend both. In short, I currently use Betterment’s SmartDeposit feature as sort of a “top end” to my emergency fund, and I currently use Vanguard for all of my personal and business retirement investing. In terms of account types, right now at Vanguard I have (in order of creation): Roth IRA (my oldest account with Vanguard), Traditional Rollover IRA (old 401K money from when I left the … [Read more...]
PeerStreet Review: My $10,000 Real Estate Crowdfunding Experiment
re you an accredited investor looking for a way to get involved in real estate investing without actually owning and managing a piece of property yourself? I have my own rental property, but I can't imagine taking on another one at this point. And the turnkey stuff either seems shady or too involved. So I've been looking at all of the various options, and asking some friends. Coach Carson, author of Retire Early with Real Estate, suggested I look into PeerStreet. … [Read more...]
Protect Your Family and Enter to Win $50,000 with USAA Life Insurance
This post is brought to you by USAA. While this is a sponsored post, all content and opinions expressed here are my own. ife insurance can get a bit of a bad rap. It can feel like a major downer to think about the possibility of dying and leaving your family financially unprepared. Then there is the stereotype of hard-selling insurance agents (like Ned Ryerson who tries so hard to sell Bill Murray a policy in Groundhog Day--BING!). It can turn a lot of people off … [Read more...]
Earn Free Gifts Cards With Microsoft Rewards
s I mentioned in our Swagbucks review, your options to earn extra money has expanded to simply signing up for programs and getting paid for what you already do online: search. Microsoft Rewards is a program offered by Microsoft that enables you to earn rewards by simply searching with Bing and trying new Microsoft features and products. You earn credits when you search and those credits can be redeemed for gift cards as they accumulate. I’m sure it goes without … [Read more...]
Medi-Share Review: The Affordable Alternative to Expensive Health Insurance
Joining the Christian medical expense sharing community, Medi-Share, for around $250/month has been a fantastic financial move for my family. Prior to joining this healthcare expense-sharing community, I was paying $1,100 per month for a health insurance plan with Humana! Medi-Share is not insurance (nor is it charity as you'll see). But it's a great alternative for some, and it does count as coverage in regards to the Obamacare mandate (which officially ends as of … [Read more...]
Greenlight Can Help Your Kids Build Good Financial Habits
Did you ever wonder why personal finance was not taught in your K-12 years of school? I certainly did! Not once in my early education was I offered the opportunity to learn about personal finances. It was up to my parents to teach me. Parents are the ones ultimately responsible for providing every aspect of a financial education--from giving children an allowance to helping them start their own business. Unfortunately, not all parents are equipped to help their … [Read more...]
How Much Cash Should You Keep In Savings? (Plus Where to Keep It)
hey say everyone should have three-to-six months’ worth of expenses in an emergency fund. Unfortunately, if you follow this rule you probably have quite a bit of cash earning almost nothing in interest--and losing money to inflation. Where you save your money can be just as important as how much you have saved. Here’s what you need to know about where you should be stashing your rainy day money: Cash Savings at Home Anyone who has lived through a major natural … [Read more...]
A Fee-Free High-Interest Checking Account For Small Business Owners: Spark Business [Review]
![A Fee-Free High-Interest Checking Account For Small Business Owners: Spark Business [Review]](https://2gz00p44tlr52qejv22mr7p2-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/A-Fee-Free-High-Interest-Checking-Account-For-Small-Business-Owners_-Spark-Business-Review-1-150x225.png)
have been banking with Capital One for many years now—ever since Capital One purchased ING Direct in February of 2012. Though I have always been very pleased with Capital One’s higher APYs for savings accounts (at least compared to traditional brick-and-mortar banks), their ease-of-use, and their excellent customer service, I still only have those same personal savings accounts with Capital One that I started with so many years ago. With my long history with Capital … [Read more...]
Is AARP Worth it? Get These Awesome Benefits (Some Free) for People Under 50
t the YMCA where I used to work out, there was always a large stack of AARP magazines available for perusal during my 30 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill. Despite being in my 30s, it was always my favorite magazine to borrow for a workout—although I’d sometimes hide the cover like I was reading something illicit. I thought of AARP as an organization for...well, older people. It's called the American Association of Retired Persons, after all. It felt a … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Teach Your Kid Entrepreneurship (No Lemonade Stand Required)
PT's Note: I have three kids and teaching them to have the confidence to run their own business one day is definitely one of my life's goals. Here's my friend Amanda L. Grossman from MoneyProdigy.com to share some excellent advice for us on this subject... grew up on a dairy farm, in the middle of Amish country. There were cows. There was a heck of a lot of manure. And the work was relentless – small family dairy farms have that special combination of both working … [Read more...]
The Best Credit Cards in Canada for 2018 [By Card Type]
![The Best Credit Cards in Canada for 2018 [By Card Type]](https://2gz00p44tlr52qejv22mr7p2-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/The-Best-Credit-Cards-in-Canada-By-Card-Type-150x225.png)
here’s no universal answer to the question, "What is the best credit card?" Much in the same way the best convertible coupe would be ill-suited for a family of four, the best travel rewards credit card would make little sense for someone who rarely travels abroad. Simply put, categories matter and selecting the best credit card for you comes down to a number of factors - from your personal spending habits to what type of rewards add the most value to your life. … [Read more...]
Exit Your Timeshare Legally: Newton Group Transfers [Review]
![Exit Your Timeshare Legally: Newton Group Transfers [Review]](https://2gz00p44tlr52qejv22mr7p2-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/exit-your-timeshare-150x225.png)
imeshares always seem like such a good idea when you are in the midst of one of those infamous, hours-long presentations. Not only can you imagine the joys of vacationing every year in a fabulous resort for a low, low price, but the sales tactics of timeshare salespeople can do a whammy on your rational thought processes. Before you know it, you’ve signed on the dotted line, and you are the proud new owner of a timeshare in Florida. After a time, however, you will … [Read more...]
How I’m Using the QSEHRA [Managed by Take Command Health] to Deduct My Employees’ Healthcare Benefit
![How I’m Using the QSEHRA [Managed by Take Command Health] to Deduct My Employees’ Healthcare Benefit](https://2gz00p44tlr52qejv22mr7p2-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/SET-UP-QSEHRA-150x225.png)
n this article, I'll share how I set up a Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement (QSEHRA) to deduct the healthcare expense reimbursement benefit I offer my three full-time employees. In short, this is how I help my team with their health care needs (and get a tax deduction for it) without having to buy an expensive group health insurance policy. If you have a small team like me (or if you work on a small team) you should look into this. How I … [Read more...]
Beam (beta) Review: Is 4% Savings in a Gamified Banking App For Real?
've been using since April 25th, 2018 and I can report that yes, as part of the beta test they did pay a nice baseline 2% APY on up to $15,000. That's a top-tier rate as of June 2018, even if you compare it to other high-interest online accounts. I felt comfortable with my money there, despite concerns from other online reviewers. I spoke with the Beam team and I believe they're on an earnest mission to help people save more while pushing banking forward. Did I … [Read more...]
The Annuity You Can Start Funding When You’re Young (Blueprint Income’s Personal Pension)
This piece was sponsored by Blueprint Income. However, opinions expressed are our own. nlike many working in the personal finance sphere, I have no plans to retire. I love my work as a freelance writer, and I intend to keep at it even if my fingers my fall off and I have to type with my nose. However, I also know that retirement isn’t necessarily a choice, having seen friends and family members involuntarily retired from well-loved careers because of illness, … [Read more...]
