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Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

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common-retirement-mistakesToday’s top story: How to make the 10 years before retirement count. Also in the news: Tips on reining in holiday spending, which generation has the best credit score, and which insurance most car renters can say no to.

5 Ways to Make the 10 Years Before Retirement Count
Fattening your nest egg.

5 Frugality Pros Help You Rein In Holiday Spending
Avoiding the after-holidays sticker shock.

Average U.S. Credit Score Rises; ‘Silent Generation’ Wins Bragging Rights
The older you are, the better your score likely is.

Which insurance most car renters can just say no to
Deciding which insurance you need.

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

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shutterstock_102945899Today’s top story: With a new Education Secretary on the horizon, the outlook for student loan debt relief is unclear. Also in the news: The 5 best ways to invest $10,000, where people are banking off the grid, and 5 apps to make donating easier on this Giving Tuesday.

Outlook for Student Loan Debt Relief Unclear With Education Secretary Pick
What student loan holders need to know about Betsy DeVos.

The 5 Best Ways to Invest $10,000
What to do with your windfall.

Here’s Where People Are Off the Banking Grid
In 2015, 7% of American households were unbanked.

These 5 apps will make donating easy this Giving Tuesday
Help is just an app away.

Monday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Is student loan debt really ‘Good Debt’? Also in the news: Banking moves to make next year’s holidays brighter, how to save big money when buying a used car, and how to find your Social Security earnings online.

Is Student Loan Debt Really ‘Good Debt’?
How to keep your good debt from going bad.

Banking Moves to Make Next Year’s Holidays Brighter
Getting a head start on 2017.

To save big money, find the used-car-buying sweet spot
How to get the most value for your money.

You Can Find Your Social Security Earnings Online
A look into the future.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

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imagesToday’s top story: How President Trump could affect your student loans. Also in the news: Why your student loan interest rates are so high, costly mistakes when sending money online, and money tips for new parents.

5 Ways President Trump Could Affect Your Student Loans
With a new administration comes new rules.

Why Are Your Student Loan Interest Rates So High?
Why you’re paying so much in interest.

3 Costly Mistakes When Sending Money Online
Don’t spend more than you have to.

New Parents: Save Money (and Sleep Better) with These 5 Tips
You do remember sleep, don’t you?

8 steps to financial security

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Financial security isn’t a number or a threshold. It has to do with what you spend, and save, relative to your income.

Nothing proves that quite like research on millionaires by wealth management firm UBS. Sixty percent of those with more than $5 million defined themselves as wealthy, compared with 28 percent of those worth $1 million to $5 million. Yet what millionaires mean by “wealthy” is not necessarily financial independence: Only 10 percent defined wealthy as not having to work. It’s not even a number; only 16 percent said surpassing a certain asset threshold automatically made you rich.

In my latest for the Associated Press, eight steps you can take to ensure your financial security.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

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Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: Probate, and how to avoid it. Also in the news: A Class of 2016 Postgrad student loan checklist, how to haggle down your rent by offering to do your own maintenance, and a few things to consider before moving to Canada.

Probate, and How to Avoid It
Learn the three common ways.

Class of 2016 Postgrad Student Loan Checklist
Get ready to start paying back those loans.

Haggle Down Your Rent By Offering to Do Your Own Maintenance
All they can say is no.

6 reasons to think twice before moving to Canada
Some things to consider.