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Top Ten Cities Where You Can Live Comfortably on Less than $60k

CNBC lists the top ten cities where you can live like a king for $60k as follows:

10. Louisville, Ky.
9. Kansas City, Mo.
8. Birmingham, Ala.
7. Cincinnati
6. St. Louis
5. Indianapolis
4. Cleveland
3. Pittsburgh
2. Memphis, Tenn.
1. Detroit

I've actually lived in three of these cities and two others which are close/similar.

Cities I lived in include:

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Star Money Articles for the Week of July 24

Welcome to this week's edition of Star Money Articles.

Chief Mom Officer hates her mortgage company.

Gen Y Finance Guy welcomes us to adulthood.

Millennial Money lists eight steps to financial freedom.

ESI Money offers more proof that financial journalists are not money experts.

Picky Pinchers tells us how to make cold brew coffee "as cold as your boss's heart". Ha!

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10 Benefits of Becoming a Dog-Sitter

The following is written by Nat Smith a Rover.com community member. Rover is the nation's largest network of 5-star pet sitters and dog walkers.

I've thought for a long time that pet sitting can be an awesome side hustle. After all, you get to play with a dog and people pay you for it!

My daughter made a small fortune when we lived in Michigan pet sitting for neighbors on vacation. I've thought about doing it even though I'm retired because I walk a lot each day -- why not get paid to walk? ;)

Anyway, for those reasons I thought you'd love this post...

Do you love dogs? When you sign up to be a pet sitter with Rover.com, you’ll be able to earn money and have a great time providing love, care, and playtime to pups of all ages. Here are 10 of the top benefits of dog-sitting with Rover:

#10: You’re not sitting in front of a computer screen.

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Ten Retirement Stats

USA Today shares ten retirement stats. Some of the notable findings:

  • Over 40% of single seniors 65 and over get at least 90% of their income from Social Security
  • Only 51% of Americans are confident they're saving enough
  • More than one-third of Americans expect to work in retirement
  • Almost 60% of retirees don't budget for leisure activities when planning for retirement
  • Close to 50% of retired households spend more money, not less, in retirement

Some thoughts on these:

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Do You Use Cash Rebate or Travel Points Credit Cards?

In the February issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine they asked their readers how they used their rewards credit cards. The results:

  • 62% use cash back cards
  • 38% use travel rewards cards

Of those who use cash back cards, here's how they use them:

  • 10% on gas
  • 4% on groceries
  • 86% on other

Some thoughts from me:

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Star Money Articles for the Week of July 10

Welcome to this week's edition of Star Money Articles.

ESI Money got a car for $10.

Wallet Hacks lists the best online high yield savings account banks. 

Physician on Fire tells us to declare our financial independence. 

Retire by 40 says to enjoy the journey to FI.

Big Law Investor welcomes us to the new rich.

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Buying a House You Can Afford will Save You Tons

Money magazine gives some interesting thoughts on buying a house you can afford and how much it will save you as follows:

The standard rule of thumb for how much house you can afford is 28% of gross monthly income.

But who says you have to spend all 28%? Using this rule, a person making $80,000 could afford a $1,900 mortgage. Based on a 30-year loan at 4.25%, that puts the price at around $375,000. But if you dialed that back to 23% of income, you’d lower your payment to $1,500. Invest the savings at a modest 5%, and you’d have an added $333,000 over the life of the loan.

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How to Maximize Your Tax Return

The following post is from FMF contributor Brad Richardson.

Two things in life are a given: death and taxes. No one looks forward to either, but there are ways to make the latter a little less painful. Obviously, seeking a professional opinion is necessary when considering your taxes, but here are some tips on how to maximize your tax return.

Jointly or Separately?

If you are married, you are most likely filing your taxes jointly. This may not be the best way. Calculate your taxes both ways, and see which method will give you biggest return.

Deductions

When it comes to figuring out what you can and can’t deduct from your taxes, many choose to err on the side of caution. While it is better than the alternative, it can also lead to you missing out on some returns.

Keep a record of your deductions, making sure you don’t forget any when the time comes. What you can deduct includes:

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