Money Tips Network

I’ll be the first to admit that this time of the year leaves me feeling overwhelmed, and this year more than most.

For starters, the holiday season is something that often leaves me with a sense of too much to do and a sense of relief when it’s over that overshadows the joy I feel during the season. I think of the holidays as stressful, not joyous, with an overstuffed calendar and an overstuffed to-do list.

I also am affected somewhat by seasonal affective disorder, which usually kicks in right around Thanksgiving. I can combat it through a handful of routines, but it still affects me even when I do everything right. I started to get it in my late twenties, culminating with a couple of really rough winters until I figured out how to at least somewhat control it. Basically, it causes me to be rather tired and lethargic in the winter and sometimes a bit grumpy.

That’s the normal December stuff. This year has been extra special.

You’re probably reading this during the “calm before the storm.” There’s a good chance that sometime in the next several days, there’s at least one big holiday event that you’re just utterly unprepared for with seemingly 80 things left to do.

You have to travel. You have to help prep a meal. You have to get a last-minute gift (or three). There’s probably a combination of things going on. You’re also probably stressed out about it. It’s probably very, very tempting to just throw money at the problem… but that’s not going to help in the long run, is it?

(I know this sounds like me right now. This has been the holiday season to end all holiday seasons.)

The passage of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 will have a variety of ramifications for the upcoming tax filing season, many of which are yet to be fully understood by taxpayers.

Among the changes that has remained somewhat under the radar is the impact the new tax law may have on charitable contributions made by individuals, particularly those who are seeking a deduction for such donations.

While the sweeping tax reform package left the charitable deduction itself intact, other tax law changes may reduce one’s incentive to claim the deduction moving forward.

Specifically, the standard deduction has been raised substantially — almost doubled — and is now $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for married couples filing jointly.

With such a significant increase in the standard deduction, far fewer taxpayers may find it worthwhile to go to the trouble of itemizing, which in turn may discourage charitable giving in the first place.

As I’ve mentioned before, one extremely helpful practice that I’ve been employing for years in terms of keeping my spending in a healthy place is something I call after action reporting and visualization. It’s simple and I do it all the time when I’ve got a few spare minutes, like when I’m in the car or waiting at the dentist’s office. I’ll write down more complicated ones in my journal.

All I do is reflect on a recent time when I spent money on something that wasn’t an obvious need. (I use it for other potential mis-steps in my life, too, but bad spending choices are a stellar example.) I’ll simply think back through the spending choice I recently made, ask myself whether or not it made sense, and look for potential alternatives that give me a better outcome, either in terms of spending less money or getting a better result. Then, I visualize myself doing it the “better” way the next time I’m in such a situation.

The holiday season is supposed to be merry and bright, but due to the high cost of the holidays and the interpersonal politics of things like gift-giving, shopping, and entertaining, it can also be filled with friction between friends and long-distance besties.

A 2018 Bankrate survey found that...

Editor's Note: Congratulations to Christie, Gina, and Mary for winning this week's contest!

The holidays are supposed to be joyful and fun, but it can easily get really stressful if you're in charge of the festivities or if you have multiple events lined up.

What are your tips for reducing...

In the world of personal finance, the subject of how couples share (or don't share) their money comes up time and time again. It's no surprise. After all, money problems are a leading cause of divorce.

But for some reason, the concept that “personal finance is personal” doesn't always factor into people's opinions about combining finances — especially within a marriage.

Often, people argue that in order to be a team, couples must combine finances fully. Or that separate accounts mean there's some lack of trust within the relationship. Or that you aren't truly committed to each other. Or that you must not be on the same page about long-term hopes and dreams.

None of these things are true. Plenty of committed couples keep separate finances. These couples are teams. They trust each other. They share the same hopes and dreams. But for a variety of reasons, separate finances work well for them.

Snowstorms, ice storms, freezing rain, or even just 43-degrees-and-drizzling days in Seattle. Iced-up windshields, slick-as-tofu roadways, drafts that stubbornly resist whatever the furnace throws at them. Week after week of leaving for work in the dark and coming home in the dark.

Winter can be pretty, but it isn’t always pleasant.

Even those who ski, snowshoe or skate can get fed up with some of the seasonal side effects. And those who don’t like walking in a winter wonderland often struggle to get through the coldest, darkest months of the year.

An obvious solution is to move to a warmer place. But if you can’t afford to do that, or if you’re place-bound for family- or job-related reasons, there’s no reason to dread four (or more) months of challenging weather. Instead, find ways to make your life more comfortable and nurturing.

While British banking giant Barclays is mostly known in the U.S. for their dynamic rewards and travel credit cards, they recently came out with a personal loan product aimed at American consumers. With Barclays personal loans, Americans are now able to borrow money for nearly any reason and secure a fixed interest rate and fixed monthly payment in the process. Better yet, Barclays personal loans come with affordable rates, flexibility, and absolutely no fees.

If you need to borrow money to remodel your home, consolidate high-interest debt, or make a major purchase, a personal loan from Barclays could be the answer you’re looking for. Keep reading to learn how we rate these personal loans, who they’re best for, and a few reasons you might want to consider a different lender.