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Friday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Don’t let lifestyle creep sneak up on you. Also in the news: 7 steps to buying a house, do you need a tax ID number, and how to make sure you don’t lose your credit card rewards when closing the card.

Don’t Let Lifestyle Creep Sneak Up on You
Living within your means.

What Is a Tax ID Number, and Do I Need One?
Going beyond your Social Security number.

Home Buying Checklist: 7 Steps to Buying a House
Making an important list.

How to Make Sure You Don’t Lose Your Credit Card Rewards When You Close the Card
Reading the fine print.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Don’t be duped by these phone and email scams. Also in the news: Help with checking your finances, how a single mom paid off nearly $80K in debt in eight months, and 1 in 5 Americans are hiding this financial secret from their spouses.

Don’t Be Duped by These Phone and Email Scams
Watching out for scammers.

Can’t Bear to Check Your Finances? Here’s Help
Ignorance isn’t bliss.

This single mom paid off $77,281 of debt in eight months—here are 5 steps she followed
Time to track everything.

1 In 5 Americans Are Hiding This Financial Secret from Their Spouses
Transparency is key.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Regretting your Equifax settlement choice? You can change it. Also in the news: What to buy (and skip) in August, considering CDs as savings interest rates fall, and how to wean your adult child off your credit cards.

Regrets About Your Equifax Settlement Choice? You Can Change It
You might want that credit monitoring after all.

What to Buy (and Skip) in August
Let the back-to-school shopping begin.

When Savings Rates Fall, CDs Might Appeal
Interest on savings is about to take a dive.

How to Wean Your Adult Child Off Your Credit Cards
Setting an expiration date.

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: How to protect yourself after the Capital One data breach. Also in the news: Things to watch out for in the Equifax data breach settlement, why you need a midyear budget check-in, and how much you’ll need to invest each month in order to retire with a million dollars.

How to Protect Yourself After the Capital One Data Breach
Over 100,000,000 U.S. customers affected.

Equifax Data Breach Settlement: Scammers, Site Glitches, and Why You Won’t Get $125
Watch out for scammers.

Why You Need a Midyear Budget Check-In
Assessing where you’re at before the holidays.

How much you’ll need to invest each month to retire with a million dollars at age 20, 30, 40 and beyond
Charting your progress.

Don’t be duped by these phone and email scams

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Some of us in the personal finance realm have a weird little hobby: We try to scam the scam artists.

We’re not out to steal their money — just their time. When fraudsters call to say we’re about to be arrested for tax debt, our Social Security number has been “suspended,” or a loved one is in trouble, we play along.

This gives us valuable insight into how the scams operate while wasting the time these jerks could spend victimizing more vulnerable people. In my latest for the Associated Press, how to protect yourself from these scam artists

Monday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Is your debt good or bad? Also in the news: How to get a copy of your tax returns or an IRS transcript, why you might not get $125 in Equifax settlement money, and 13 tips for throwing a budget-friendly kid’s birthday party.

Is Your Debt ‘Good’ or ‘Bad’? It Depends
How to determine what you’re dealing with.

How to Get an IRS Transcript or Copy of Your Tax Return
Keep a copy handy.

Why You Might Not Get $125 in Equifax Settlement Money
Don’t spend that money just yet.

13 Tips for Throwing a Budget-Friendly Kid’s Birthday Party
Cut costs without cutting the fun.