Money Tips Network

Please Note: Information about the Citi® Secured Mastercard®, Discover it® Secured and Capital One® Secured Mastercard® have been collected independently by TheSimpleDollar.com. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy.

A great choice for those with little-to-no credit looking to establish their history.

Citi® Secured Mastercard® lets you get in the credit game by offering you a line of credit equal to your security deposit. The card reports to all three of the major credit bureaus each month, so you are actively building credit when you make purchases and pay the card on time. Citi® Secured Mastercard® functions the same way as an unsecured card; no one will know the difference. You can use it worldwide wherever you see the Mastercard logo, and it comes with some standard Citi features, like 0% liability for unauthorized purchases.

If you travel frequently and often stay at Holiday Inns or other hotels under the IHG umbrella, the is an option you’ll want to consider. Not only does this card offer huge point bonuses on stays at the branded locations, but you’ll also qualify for member status upgrades just by gaining approval for the card. While much of the value in the incentive program comes from hotel bookings, some other common spending categories, such as gas and groceries, will earn 2x points also.

You’ll enjoy complimentary room upgrades, priority check-in and extended check out privileges at the affiliated hotels, and just by hanging on to the card for more than a year, you’ll scoop up additional bonus points. All these perks and benefits come with an annual fee, but if you use the card wisely, you’ll quickly recoup any cost of being a member.

Whether it’s back to school, off to work or out to play, Target has become one of the favorite destinations for folks seeking everyday items. Like most other big-box retailers, the store offers consumers a way to bag some extra savings through its credit card offering, the Target RedCard.

If you count among the masses that patronize Target frequently, the card’s perks and benefits should hold appeal as you shop either online or in the brick-and-mortar store. Approval for the Target Redcard isn’t restrictive, as applicants with fair credit profiles often qualify. Let’s take a closer look at many of the pros and cons of the Target RedCard.

Over the past month, I've read a lot of articles about the virtues of investing in gold. Especially in Facebook forums, there's a lot of talk about how gold makes a great long-term investment. (Fortunately, I haven't seen any comments like this in the GRS community on Facebook.)

Whenever the economy gets turbulent, the goldbugs come out in force. They shout from the hilltops that the world is doomed and that the only safe haven is gold. And I'll admit, their arguments can sound pretty convincing.

When I started this site in 2006, I felt unqualified to comment on gold. I hadn't read much about it, and I didn't feel educated enough to offer an opinion. That's changed.

Over the last few weeks, one of the major areas of focus of The Simple Dollar has been on getting through this current era of social distancing and its consequences. Here are a few of those articles:

Lost Your Job? Take These Four Steps First offers immediate advice if you’ve suddenly lost your job.

8 Things To Do To Prepare for a Recession highlights strategies you should follow if you anticipate an economic recession coming in the near future, which is being predicted by most economists.

With the COVID-19 pandemic on everyone's minds, we give our mortality a bit more thought than usual.

I already know someone who knows someone who died after falling victim to COVID-19. It's likely that I'll eventually know someone personally who's died from it.

When death looms, it works on its own timeline. Sometimes there's time to tie things up, to get your affairs in order. Sometimes there's barely enough time to get the big rocks in place.

Other times, there no time at all. You have done what you have done.

Why a will is important

A will gives your surviving loved ones instructions as to what happens to your stuff, and who you entrust with particular roles. Some of the biggies:

Please Note: Information about the Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card has been collected independently by TheSimpleDollar.com. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy.

The Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card is a good option for business owners who would like to earn cash back on some of their most common business expenses.

Many business credit cards offer points or cash for travel expenses, however, the Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card offers rewards for purchases made on office supplies and cable, phone and internet services, differentiating it from the pack.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve read countless stories and had many conversations (online ones, to be clear) with readers, family, friends, members of my community and others about how this period of social distancing is affecting their life.

There’s a lot of hardship out there. Many people have lost their jobs. Many people are dealing with the loss of a loved one, or the serious illness of a loved one. People are dealing with anxiety and melancholy and with a lot of adjustments of all kinds.

Yet, along with those stories, I’ve heard some really good news, at least from a personal finance perspective.

Again and again, I’ve heard from people who are now practicing social distancing that this period has pulled them back from a financial precipice, sometimes one that they didn’t even realize they were on.

This is due to several things coming together at once.

Owning a home is one of the best ways to build personal wealth over time. When you’re putting money toward a mortgage, you’re building equity. When you’re paying rent, you’re not building an investment because you don’t get the money back and don’t own any part of the home. Homeownership delivers some perks, but it can also get pretty pricey. To help you avoid unexpected expenses as you manage your mortgage payments, you might consider home warranty coverage.

Do I need a home warranty? It’s a question worth considering. On the surface, a home warranty can look like an excellent, affordable way to buy yourself peace of mind. But it’s not always worth it, especially when you consider the protection your homeowners insurance policy already provides.

To help you compare a home warranty vs. homeowners insurance and to decide if you need one, the other or both, we’ve built this quick and easy guide.