Hot Today

Wise Bread articles that are hot today.

The Best (Inexpensive) Souvenirs

As a rule, we don’t buy souvenirs for their usefulness. A t-shirt from the Hard Rock Café or a shell sculpture from Hawaii isn’t going to increase your productivity — in fact, dust

Book review: Cash-Rich Retirement

Do you need a kick in the pants to get you saving for retirement?  Do you need someone to wave their arms and run around screaming that your whole future is at risk, in order to mo

Ask the Readers: Do You Shop at Thrift Stores?

Tell us whether you shop at thrift stores and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Is Social Security Just A Grand Ponzi Scheme?

I received my Social Security statement this week and it was a useless piece of paper to me since I do not qualify for retirement benefits yet. I always hear critics of Social Sec

Are Farmer's Markets Frugal or a Luxury?

Are farmer's markets a luxury or a cost-saving measure? Read how foodies from all over the country compared the costs, and how my visit to the early-season Chicago-area market shap

7 tips to avoid watching a crappy movie.

How many of you do your research before you rent a movie or go to the cinema? I usually read a bunch of reviews and ask friends. Sometimes I’ll see a movie without reading any revi

5 Ways to Strengthen Your Finances Before Retirement

Make the transition to retirement a little easier by taking care of few personal finance tasks before your income shrinks.

Ask the Readers: Do You Use an Online Bank?

Tell us whether you use an online bank and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Stop! Don't Cut Up Your Credit Cards

Put down the scissors, and step away from the plastic! You can catch up on credit card debt in much smarter ways than chopping up your cards.

You Can’t Save if You Don’t Try

There has been much discussion about whether certain money-saving strategies are worth your time. In a recent article in Parade Magazine, Tim Harford alerts us to “Bargains That A

Ask the Readers: What Do You Enjoy Most About the Olympics?

Tell us what you enjoy most about the Olympics and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

The 5 Things With the Biggest Impact on Your Credit Score

Perplexed by those three little numbers? Here's the breakdown of what exactly makes up your FICO score.

Are You and Your Spouse Planning the Same Retirement?

You expect to spend your retirement years living in Costa Rica. Your spouse expects to stay local and join the golf club. And you don’t figure this out until the day before you re

Join Us for a Live Google Hangout About College Finances This Wednesday at 1 p.m. EST

Our Senior Editor will be participating in a live video chat, discussing ways to save money in college — find out how you can watch and ask questions!

8 Ways to Save on Smartphone Costs While Traveling

A phone's a great — even necessary — travel companion, but the data costs can mount. Extend your trip by cutting the cost of smartphone roaming.

Knowing When to Walk Away: Financial Planning for an Unknown Ending

People have a notion that they must amass a certain amount of money, no matter how long it takes, before they can retire. But what if it took you 40 years of work to reach $1 milli

Coupon Coups

Nothing vindicates a cynic by being proven right and coupons can often be used as a marketing tool for the old bait and switch. Overcome misgivings about coupons by going from coup

5 Questions Couples Should Ask in the Money Talk

Once a couple decides to live together, it's crucial to be on the same page financially. Before you move in, sit down and ask yourselves these questions.

The Duel: ETFs vs. Mutual Funds

Which is the better investment? Know how ETFs and mutual funds work can help you decide which is best for your needs. Let's have them face off, and see how each performs.

Looking at Your Expenses with New Eyes

A lot of people think that banks have high security, but the most fortified brick-and-mortar institution in my town is the local Comcast office. This is where you have to go to dro