Healthcare in the U.S. is becoming increasingly expensive. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, healthcare spending grew nearly 6 percent in 2015, reaching $3.2 trillion or $9,990 per person. In the next year alone, health insurance premiums are increasing by 50 percent or more for many consumers. Deductibles and out-of-pocket annual maximums are also growing, leaving more patients footing the bill for the majority of their medical expenses in any given year.
Have you ever had to pay a fee to get your own money from an ATM? If so, you’re not alone. Nor are you in the minority if your bank has ever socked you with an unexpected overdraft fee. In fact, according to CNNMoney, in 2016, America’s three biggest banks alone raked in more than $6.4 billion dollars in these fees from their customers. Despite public outcry, there’s little anyone can do about it, either—except take their business to a more caring financial institution like Alliant Credit Union.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 82 percent of American adults take at least one medication and 29 percent take five or more. However, only 50 percent correctly follow their medication schedule, and 700,000 suffer an emergency due to medication mismanagement each year.
With the holidays around the corner, it’s a great time to give. While we’re all looking to save money, wouldn’t it be great to know that you can clean out your closet, make some money and restock it at the same time? That great deal is possible thanks to a company called Buffalo Exchange.
For more than 40 years, Buffalo Exchange has been providing quality clothing and helping people feel good about selling their old clothes and getting new ones. The company has 49 stores in 20 locations. RewardExpert spoke with Marketing Director, Stephanie Lew, about why it makes sense to save money, help the environment and get a new wardrobe at Buffalo Exchange. Lew said, “We give customers the chance to find current, like-new items for a fraction of the price.”
Many small business owners are accustomed to stressful financial challenges—whether they’re struggling to collect on unpaid invoices, scraping together the cash to repair equipment, or securing credit to fund their company’s expansion.
In fact, according to the Federal Reserve Bank’s Small Business Credit Survey, 61 percent of the small business respondents had faced financial challenges in the previous year, with accessing necessary credit (44 percent) and meeting operating expenses (36 percent) the most common.
It’s a seller’s market across much of the U.S. thanks to brisk growth in home prices and low for-sale inventory in many areas. While that’s great news for homeowners who want to enjoy the financial benefits of increasing equity—such as refinancing to lower mortgage payments or even take out cash—it’s bad news for buyers, many of whom are afraid to make the largest investment of their lives at what could be the apex of another real estate bubble.
Take a peek at the average U.S. household and you’re likely to find a beloved pet at its center. According to the most recent American Pet Products Association (APPA) National Pet Owners Survey, the nation was home to 84.6 million pet-owning families in 2016. Pet owners spent more than $66 billion dollars on their pets that year and the APPA forecasts they’ll spend even more ($69 billion to be exact) on furry family members by the end of 2017.
‘Tis the season for charitable giving, and Americans are increasingly donating. According to the Giving USA Foundation, individuals, estates, foundations, and corporations across the nation contributed an estimated $390.05 billion to U.S. charities in 2016, an increase of 2.7 percent in current dollars from the prior year. Giving by individuals increased nearly 4 percent, accounting for much of the rise in total donations.
When it comes to your money, who wouldn’t want to save more, spend less and get the very best deal when it comes to banking, investing, retirement and financial services? MoneyRates is a personal finance wonderland, offering reviews, comparison tools, advice and more, with the goal of maximizing a user’s financial potential.
With the holidays upon us, it’s time to not only think about food, fun and festivities, but finances, as well. And thanks to credit unions like GTE Financial, consumers have access to top-notch savings products, credit cards, financial information and more. The Tampa, Florida-based company has been putting personal prosperity over corporate profits since 1935.
According to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation, American consumers will shell out an average of $967.13 towards holiday gifts this year—an amount that can put a strain on any household budget. However, if they use the Ebates online shopping portal to spend those dollars at their favorite stores, they can earn some of that cash back in the form of a Big Fat Check.
Tired of the same old investment choices when it comes to your retirement? Consider a self-directed Individual Retirement Account (IRA), administered by The Entrust Group, the only national network of local branded offices providing account administration and education services for self-directed retirement plans.
It’s no secret that education is the key to a successful career and a solid financial future. So why not start early, making sure your children take advantage of every learning opportunity available to them?
Shmoop is a website that offers over 400 online courses and over a half million pieces of original content, designed to help students of all ages enhance their learning capabilities in every subject imaginable.
If you’re like most consumers, the biggest single investment you will make in your lifetime is the purchase of a home. According to Zillow, a leading real estate and rental marketplace, the median U.S. residential property was worth $202,700 in September—and values are likely to rise. U.S. home prices have increased nearly seven percent over the last year, and Zillow predicts they will gain another three percent or more in the next 12 months.
The goal of investing is to make money. But what if you could invest, make money and help improve the global community at the same time? That’s where sustainable investing and The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment (US SIF), a Washington, DC-based organization tasked with advancing sustainable, responsible and impact investing across all asset classes.
The organization’s mission is to rapidly shift investment practices toward sustainability, focusing on long-term investment and the generation of positive social and environmental impacts. Members include a wide range of organizations, including investment management and advisory firms, mutual fund companies, broker-dealers, non-profits and pension funds.
Planning for retirement is not an easy task. With jobs, bills, kids, mortgages and other financial commitments, the prospect of putting aside money for use years down the road can seem impractical.
With proper planning though and smart financial decisions, the road to securing a happy retirement does not have to be rocky, especially for working women who sometimes get lost in the financial shuffle.
When it comes to your money and finances, nobody wants to pay more taxes to Uncle Sam. That’s why now is a critical time to check up on your tax health, with the end of the year approaching and Congress considering an overhaul of the nation’s tax code.
One of the ways you can assess your tax situation is through the help of an agent. James Adelman is an agent in Tulsa and the president of the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA). He spoke to RewardExpert about how working with an enrolled agent can benefit you.
It’s no secret that holiday shopping can do some damage to your bottom line. Unless you create a gift-giving budget based on what you can reasonably afford—and commit to sticking to it—it’s all too easy to run up your credit card balances and end the year in unexpected debt. However, there’s a sneakier financial danger you may not have considered. It’s known as identity theft, and unless you take steps to protect yourself, you may be putting your financial future at risk with every online purchase.
Whether you’re shopping for a new television set, baby toys, a crockpot, or the perfect shade of lipstick, it’s always more fun when you can snag a great discount in the process. Thanks to DealsPlus, an online community of bargain hunters launched in 2006, racking up savings on everything from the products you buy every day to special gifts, travel, and event tickets can become a regular occurrence.
Nearly everyone these days is looking to save more money and earn more money, too. While staying on top of financial goals can be overwhelming, there are companies that offer critical data, information and guidance to help a consumer keep of track of their finances. That includes Money Dashboard. The Edinburgh, Scotland-based website was founded in 2010.
“The mission is to help UK consumers make their money go further by empowering them to make informed financial decisions,” said Sean MacNicol, engagement manager for Money Dashboard, who spoke to RewardExpert. Besides its desktop site, Money Dashboard is also available on mobile, iOS and Android apps.
