Flat $10 New Member Bonus is back. TopCashBack has a bunch of rotating new member bonuses, but they are often for something like a big package of flushable wipes or laundry detergent. From now until February 14th, 2019, they have brought back the … [Read the rest]
TopCashBack: Shopping Portal With 100% Commission Payout – $10 New Member Bonus
Free State Income Tax E-File Options For All 50 States (Updated 2019)
Links checked and updated for 2019. With DIY tax prep software, it is always wise to note the cost of your state return and e-File as it may actually cost more than your federal return (especially if you wait until April to file). As such, you may … [Read the rest]
Best Interest Rates on Cash – February 2019
Here's my monthly roundup of the best interest rates on cash for February 2019, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Check out my Ultimate Rate-Chaser Calculator to get an idea of how much extra interest you'd earn if you are moving … [Read the rest]
Learning to Cook at Home: A Valuable Investment
Cooking at home can save a lot of money as opposed to eating out all the time. We all know that, right? If not, here's a big green chart to drill it in, taken from How Much Money Do You Save by Cooking at Home? by Wellio: Here's what that … [Read the rest]
Empower Banking App Review: 4.30% APY for 30 Days with Each Referral (But Be Careful)
Update April 2019: I have had trouble with Empower after opening an account, specifically getting them to credit my interest. I would not recommend Empower as a bank replacement at this time. They do not have have any phone number for customer … [Read the rest]
Historical IRA Contribution Limits 2009-2019
Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) are way to save money towards retirement that also saves on taxes. For 2019, the annual contribution limit for either Traditional or Roth IRAs increased to $6,000 (it is roughly indexed to inflation). The … [Read the rest]
401k, 403b, TSP Historical Contribution Limits 2009-2019
Employer-based retirement plans like the 401(k), 403(b), and Thrift Savings Plan are not perfect, but they are often the best available option to save money in a tax-advantaged manner. For 2019, the employee elective deferral (contribution) limit … [Read the rest]
Investing $10,000 Every Year For the Last 10 Years, 2009-2018
Instead of just looking at one year of returns, I prefer taking a longer view. Most successful savers invest money each year over a long period of time, these days often into a target-date fund (TDF). Don't get caught up in the daily news … [Read the rest]
Thank You, John C. Bogle
Vanguard announced on January 16, 2019 that its founder, John C. Bogle, passed away on at his home in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania at 89 years old. There will no doubt be many tributes; here are a few same-day articles from WSJ, Bloomberg, Reuters, and … [Read the rest]
Fidelity Rewards Visa Review: 2% Flat Cash Back
Updated. Fidelity has condensed their rewards credit card line-up to a single card, the Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card issued by Elan Financial Services (subsidiary of US Bank). It earns a flat 2% cash back when directed to an eligible … [Read the rest]
Chart: Stock Market Declines Are More Common Than You Think
If you invest in stocks, you know that they go up and down. Below is an S&P 500 histogram (source) showing the distribution of annual returns, which were negative 1/3rd of the time (and thus positive 2/3rd of the time). Not bad, you'll take those … [Read the rest]
Best Interest Rates on Cash – January 2019
Here's my monthly roundup of the best interest rates on cash for January 2019, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Check out my Ultimate Rate-Chaser Calculator to get an idea of how much extra interest you'd earn if you are moving … [Read the rest]