Money Tips Network

In 1887, Coca-Cola launched the first coupon. Ever since, coupons have been particularly popular during economic downturns like the Great Recession, when U.S. coupon redemptions surged by 27%. As we face a Covid-19 pandemic recession — one that prevents most people from shopping in brick-and-mortar stores — online coupons that are automatically sourced by your web browser is the easiest way to save money, whether you’re shopping on Amazon, Target, Walmart or somewhere else.

Editor’s Note: Wikibuy compensates The Simple Dollar when you get the Wikibuy extension using the links provided.

When you’ve raised your right hand to defend your country, you’ve earned the privilege of some unique benefits, including the Veterans Assistance (VA) loan. But before you head out to find a mortgage lender, you need to take the time to make sure you meet all of the VA loan eligibility requirements. Your DD-214 might get you some of your veteran benefits, but there are specific VA loan qualifications that not every active or past service member meets.

VA loan requirements

Once you’ve determined VA loan eligibility, you need to gather the necessary paperwork and requirements to apply for your loan. To get started, you will need to acquire a certificate of eligibility (COE) or a statement of service.

Saving money is crucial. Maybe you’re trying to buy a home or move to a new place. Maybe you have a big purchase in mind, or need extra cash for holiday gifts. For many people, it’s not that they don’t want to save money, but that they don’t know where to begin.

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Car insurance can be confusing, and shopping for the best auto insurance policy can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack — especially as the industry changes dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why we turned to some industry experts to help us demystify car insurance and answer our burning questions. We spoke with Mark Friedlander, the Director of Corporate Communications for the Insurance Information Institute, and P.J. Miller, Partner, Vice President and Chairman of the Board at Wallace & Turner.

The most popular mortgage in America — the 30-year fixed mortgage rate — has hit an all-time low of 2.98% according to Freddie Mac, making this month the best time (statistically speaking) to refinance or apply for a new mortgage since Freddie Mac started tracking mortgage rates in 1971. Other mortgage terms have also been consistently dropping since March thanks to COVID-19’s effects on the real estate market, including fewer houses on sale, fewer buyers and the current state of the Treasury.

Despite millions of Americans facing unemployment and financial uncertainty, mortgage applications have actually increased by 54% compared to a year ago. Many current homeowners are taking advantage of low rates to refinance their current mortgage, and new homebuyers are taking the leap.

A homeowners policy can provide peace of mind because you know your home and belongings are covered if a disaster strikes, but not all policies provide the maximum protection you might need, especially for your valuable personal property. Most standard policies only pay a percentage of what it would cost to replace the things you rely on every day. That’s where replacement cost coverage saves the day. With a replacement cost coverage policy, you won’t have to worry about draining your savings when you face a major loss.

Find the Best Home Insurance

Enter your ZIP code below and be sure to click at least 2-3 companies to find the very best rate.

There are a lot of books out there on personal finance topics, with more getting published each year. Many of them are quite good — for the most part, you won’t go wrong picking up a personal finance book from the bookstore or the library or Amazon (provided you avoid ones with outlandish claims, like quadrupling your wealth in a year or becoming a millionaire very quickly).

Over the years, though, a handful of personal finance books have really stood head and shoulders above the rest. These books do a spectacular job of addressing specific personal finance topics. These books remain in print and many often see regular revisions to keep some specifics updated, but the core information in each of these books is rock solid and timeless.

Flex loans are the get-rich-quick scheme of the lending industry. A flex loan can get you quick access to cash but proceed with caution — high APR rates can leave you further in the hole.  A flex loan works similarly to a credit card. Your lender will give you a credit limit and you can borrow as much as you need up to that amount. Flexible loans are often available without a credit check and to borrowers with poor credit.

Many lenders charge daily or weekly fees that can drive the effective APR for these loans well above 200% — making flex loans extremely expensive. Borrowers often get trapped, making minimum payments that barely cover the fees and interest. Since the loan has no set term, the payments could go on for many years.

One of the biggest struggles I had to overcome to live a more frugal life was getting jealous of the things other people were doing, particularly my friends. I’d see a coworker with a new car and I’d feel a twinge of jealousy. I’d visit a good friend and they’d talk endlessly about their trip to Thailand and I’d drive home feeling bitter about my life and my life choices. I’d see someone in the neighborhood with a much nicer phone than I had and jealousy would twist at me.

Those negative feelings might not have been rational or sensible, but they were most certainly real. They ate at me for years, leaving me often questioning my financial decisions even as I stuck to my financial path.

Eventually, I figured out how to deal with those feelings in a sensible way.

Here are 10 strategies that really helped me process those feelings of bitterness and jealousy when it comes to being more frugal.