Valley Bank is not exactly a household name but despite a relatively small footprint, they are available nationwide. I first learned about them because of their Valleydirect high yield savings account, which boasts a competitive interest rate of 4.75% APY. Valley Bank and their online banking division, Valleydirect, have promotion offers that may be of … Read more
Instant loan apps are designed to get you small amounts of money (around $50 or more) in an instant — consider it an emergency loan to help get you to your next paycheck or cover a near-term expense. While credit cards are a better option for handling such a shortage, if you don’t have access … Read more
For ages, the American Dream was something everyone could achieve if they worked hard enough. If you dreamt big enough and gave it your all, you could get it. That was the promise of America. But is that still true? More importantly, is it still true if we don’t feel like it’s true? Several surveys … Read more
In what is probably the biggest data breach in the history of data breaches, National Public Data was hacked and a massive amount of personal data was taken. National Public Data is a personal data aggregator – they collect publicly available information about people and sell it to companies doing background checks, criminal checks, and … Read more
Index fund investing got its start in 1976, but in less than 50 years, these funds have grown to represent just over half of all fund investments. It’s clear that both financial experts and individual investors see the virtues of investing in index funds. What is an index fund, and should you invest in them? Why … Read more
Motley Fool Stock Advisor $99 / first year Product Name: Motley Fool Stock Advisor Product Description: Motley Fool Stock Advisor provides two monthly stock recommendations ideal for buy-and-hold investors. Summary Motley Fool Stock Advisor highlights two stocks monthly with the potential to outperform over the next three to five years. This entry-level service is ideal … Read more
For many years, Quicken was one of the best personal finance budgeting and bill management software programs. But these days, more modern budgeting tools exist. They connect seamlessly with your bank accounts, credit cards, and investment apps using the latest technology. I was once a big fan of Quicken, but let’s accept reality — it’s … Read more
Empower Personal Dashboard FREE Product Name: Empower Personal Dashboard Product Description: Empower Personal Dashboard tracks your net worth, monthly cash flow, retirement plan, and investment performance for free. About Empower Empower Personal Dashboard is a free personal finance tool that tracks your financial progress in one easy-to-read dashboard. It offers a rich set of features … Read more
Cash App is an app and debit card that allows you to spend, transfer money, and invest. You can even play online games that pay instantly to Cash App. However, one of people’s biggest questions before signing up for Cash App is how to reload their card. The good news is that there are several … Read more
It’s back to school season! Our kids start school on the 28th of August here in Howard County, Maryland (yep, the week before Labor Day!) and so these upcoming weeks are when all the back to school sales start popping up. One nice benefit of back to school is that during August is when we … Read more