Whether itâs fear of getting sick, worry for a loved oneâs health, job anxiety, the stress of juggling parenting and career in a pandemic, or all of the above, sky-high stress seems to be the new normal.
While free sleep apps wonât solve your big-picture problems, they could help you fall asleep faster, so you can tackle lifeâs stressors feeling refreshed. Here are the best ones weâve found.
1. White Noise
White noise free sleep apps are must-haves for travel, when you need a consistent noise to block out the sounds of other hotel guests, city noises, etc. The âliteâ version does the trick with free sleep sounds and nature sounds. For $4.99, you get 50 sounds plus the ability to create your own track that includes binaural beats, aka different frequencies that cue your brain to relax.
Find White Noise in the Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon.
2. Relax and Sleep Well Hypnosis
Hypnosis usually costs several hundred dollars, but youâll pay $0 for this hypnotherapy sleep app with four recordings of meditation and hypnosis. Additional hypnosis tracks are available as app purchases for $2.99 apiece. This one made Healthlineâs 2019 list of the best sleep apps, so if youâre skeptical of hypnosis, their stamp of approval may persuade you to download hypnotherapy sleep apps.
Find Relax and Sleep Well Hypnosis in the Apple App Store or Google Play.
3. Headspace
Headspaceâs guided meditation app is the perfect way to wind down for bed: Andyâs soothing British accent will lull you into a state of total relaxation where it seems like nothing could ever go wrong. While itâs $60 a year, Headspace often makes the best sleep apps lists. Students can pay $9.99 for annual access, and Netflix subscribers can watch the Headspace series for no extra cost. Each episode focuses on one style of meditation, so by the time you finish the season youâll have a whole arsenal of relaxation techniques to try before bed.
Sign up for a free trial of Headspace or watch on Netflix.
Are you turning more to apps for wellness? Try these cheap or free meditation apps.
4. Deep Sleep With AJ
Deep Sleep With AJ is a cheaper alternative to Headspace, with a one-time cost of $2.99 and similarly dreamy Scottish accent. Developed by a mindfulness expert and therapist, the sleep app includes mindfulness and inspirational talks, bedtime relaxation techniques to help you wake up feeling refreshed, meditations for anxiety and panic attacks and more. You can cue up meditations to repeat a set number of times, so it ideally plays through until youâve caught those Zs.
Find Deep Sleep With AJ on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
5. Relax Melodies
Combining relaxing sounds, free sleep stories and guided meditation for sleep, lucid dreaming, or relief from medical conditions like tinnitus (ringing in the ears that often gets worse before bed), free sleep app Relax Melodies has thousands of fans. It comes with 52 sounds including white noise, nature sounds, ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response, or that warm tingle associated with sounds like whispers) and binaural beats. Premium sounds are available as app purchases for $4.99.
Find Relax Melodies on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
6. Nothing Much Happens
Think of free podcast Nothing Much Happens as adult sleep stories designed to help you relax into a peaceful slumber. As the title suggests, the stories are fairly low-stakes. Podcast host Kathryn is a meditation and yoga teacher, so think of this as an extended savasana where itâs actually awesome if you end up snoring after five minutes.
Find Nothing Much Happens on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.
7. Endel
Perfect for the multitasker, Endel offers âpersonalized soundscapesâ for relaxation, better sleep and better focus. The app pulls data from your environment (like weather, location or time of day), then moderates sounds to match your mood: focus music for daytime work and chill sounds to help you sleep. The app comes with a 7-day free trial, after which point youâll need to buy a subscription ($5.99 per month or $49.99 per year, at present) or use the free, browser-based version.
Find Endel in the Apple App Store, Google Play, or on Twitch.
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8. Rise: Sleep & Energy Tracker
For those wanting a scientific approach to a good nightâs sleep, the Rise sleep tracker app is worth checking out. Itâs free to download with membership upgrades as app purchases beginning at $6.99 per month. Unlike sleep-tracking apps which just gauge your sleep cycle, Rise looks at âsleep debtââ aka how much sleep you should get but donât. The sleep app works backward from your sleep debt numbers, drawing from sleep data and health information to help you improve sleep quality and quantity. Rise fans include pro sports teams and Fortune 500 leaders who find the price worth it to sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed.
Find Rise in the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Most people experience sleep problems for a range of underlying causes, thus it can be helpful to have multiple free sleep apps on your phone. Armed with nature sounds, bedtime stories, guided meditation, science-backed sleep habits and hypnosis for lifeâs most pressing worries, you can stop counting sheep and cue up whatâs mostly likely to help you get a good nightâs sleep.
Lindsey Danis is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
Buying a house is a big decision, but it can feel especially overwhelming to place an offer on a home less than 24 hours after seeing it for the first time. Plus youâre under pressure to outbid several other buyers â or risk losing the house.
While these circumstances might sound extraordinary, theyâre not. With housing inventory nationwide at an all time-low â down 22% from last year according to the National Association of Realtors â itâs no wonder buyers are competing for the same few houses.
I was in this exact position last fall. Here are seven key takeaways from my experience buying in a sellerâs market.
Get a Pre-Approval Letter
In order to be competitive in a hot sellerâs market, you will need to line up your financing in advance.
Besides all the usual suspects, like saving up for a down payment and improving your credit score, youâll also want to get a pre-approval letter from your bank. It states that a bank would approve you for a mortgage of a certain amount, and acts as a guarantee to the seller that you can actually afford to buy their house.
This is where it helps to know your budget up front.
âItâs important to understand that the strength of financing is a key consideration a seller takes into account when selecting an offer,â said real estate developer Bill Samuel.
No seller wants to risk accepting an offer that might fall through. Aand since pre-approval letters can take some time to get, have one ready before you find your dream house.
Be Friendly With Neighbors
This might sound crazy, but making a good impression on your new neighbors can actually make a difference when it comes time for a seller to review offers.
Since youâll likely be visiting the home at least once before making an offer, be prepared to talk to any neighbors you might run into. In close-knit neighborhoods, or ones where people share resources (like an HOA), sellers might care a bit more about the type of person they sell the house to.
If you happen to meet a neighbor when visiting the home, introduce yourself and make a good impression. You never know how much their opinion of you might factor into any final decisions.
Submit an Offer Quickly
After youâve seen a house, and decided you love it, be prepared to submit an offer quicklyâ as in, ASAP.
Work with your real estate agent to determine how many other offers the seller already has (or expects to get) and then be prepared to draft something up that day. In our case, we toured our home for the very first time at 11 a.m. on a Monday â it came on the market the evening before â and made an offer by 4 p.m. that same day.
If that sounds fast, it is. But by the time we submitted our offer, the seller already had three others. This is where it helps to have a great real estate agent on your side.
âHaving a realtor who can get your offer submitted quickly is crucial,â said Erik Wright, owner of New Horizon Home Buyers. âYou want to get your offer in front of the seller first, and make it strong. Purchase price is the obvious factor and in a competitive market, houses often go for over asking price. However, a strong offer has several factors and it depends on whatâs most important to the seller.â
Work with your real estate agent to find out what matters most to the seller â is it money, closing quickly, something else entirely? Then make sure your offer addresses their needs.
Minimize Your Contingencies (Within Reason)
Another way to win over your seller (and prevail in any bidding wars) is by keeping your contingencies to a minimum.
Contingencies are the contractual stipulations buyers and sellers must meet before the deal can close. Unsurprisingly, sellers donât like to have too many of them to deal with. Contingencies can include such things as requesting a seller to make certain repairs, getting a home inspection, or even the fact that youâll need to sell your old house before being able to buy the new one.
âIn a really aggressive sellerâs market, a home buyer who has to sell a current property should do so before placing an offer on another home,â said Jason Gelios of Community Choice Realty. âDonât always assume that the seller will take the highest price. Other conveniences can play a factor in gaining the sellerâs attention, especially things like faster closing times and less restrictions.â
While my partner and I didnât make the highest offer on our house, we did have the fewest contingencies â mainly, we didnât ask too much of our seller in the way of repairs, or have another house to sell in order to afford the new one.
All that said, there are certain contingencies you should never forgo, and a home inspection is one of them. Getting your home inspected is hugely important, since inspectors will often find things even the sellers werenât aware of. No matter how much you love a house, donât be afraid of exercising your right to an inspection.
According to buyer protection laws in most states, sellers are required to report any findings in home inspections to subsequent buyers. In other words, if an inspector finds something wrong with the house, the seller will have to deal with it one way or anotherâ either with you, or the next buyer should you choose to drop out of the deal.
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Make a Generous Earnest Money Deposit
When trying to woo your seller in a competitive market, it helps to make a generous earnest money deposit. An earnest money deposit is a good-faith deposit requested by the seller when you enter into a contract to buy the house and typically run anywhere from 1% to 3% of the sale price of the home.
When deciding how much of an earnest money deposit to include in your offer, keep in mind that whatever amount you give comes off the price of the home (and is returned to you if the deal falls through). In other words, thereâs no reason to be cheap. If you can, go slightly above the sellerâs requested deposit amount. Even if itâs just a little more than what theyâre asking, that gesture of good faith might just be what gets you the house.
Offer Above Asking Price
Wait. Why would anyone make an offer thatâs above asking price? Because the competition did it first, and in a hot sellerâs market, offering above asking price is often what it takes to even be considered.
Upping your offer may not break the bank as much as youâre fearing. âWith interest rates so low these days, offering more than what the seller is asking may not make a drastic difference in your overall monthly payments,â real estate agent Pavel Khaykin of Pavel Buys Houses said.
Letâs say the listing price on your dream home is $320,000 and youâre able to put down a 6% down payment. That leaves you with a mortgage of roughly $301,000. For a 30-year fixed mortgage at an interest rate of 3%, that translates into $1,269 monthly payments. Now letâs say you decide to bid a little higher on the home and offer $10,000 over asking price. This would only bump up your monthly payment (assuming you qualify for that low interest rate) by $42.
Lace Up Your Running Shoes
In a hot sellerâs market, youâve got to be ready to move fast. Often this is more of a change in mindset than anything else. When my partner and I first started looking at homes, we considered ourselves casual buyers â that is, until our dream home came on the market late one Sunday night. From there, things moved quickly. We saw the home, made an offer, were under contract by morning, and spent the next month and a half going through the process of closing on the house.
If youâre serious about finding your dream home in the next few months, the best thing you can do is know what you want from the outset, and get your ducks in a row to make a compelling offer when you find it. Maybe this means making a list of your must-haves in a house, and working to improve your credit score. It might also mean reaching out to a real estate agent before you need one, and getting that pre-approval letter in place.
Although inventory is low, new houses come on the market all the time.
Larissa Runkle is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
Youâll have to purchase the report if youâre buying from a private seller, so wait until youâre seriously interested in a particular vehicle. If youâre buying from a dealership, the salesperson should provide a copy of the vehicle history report for free.
The older a car is, the cheaper itâll be â but the more itâs likely to have issues requiring repair. Everyone has a different comfort level when it comes to what theyâre willing to handle. A general rule of thumb is that a car is driven about 12,000 miles per year. A higher average could mean the car has more wear and tear.
âSome general things you can do on your own without being super knowledgeable about cars is [to] turn off the radio [and] listen for any strange noises,â Montoya said. âSee if the steering wheel stays straight when you drive down the road. Does it pull to one side? Look at the tires to see how old they are.â
Why Buying a Used Car Is a Smart Money Move
âIn the first year of ownership, depreciation can continue, and that same car could be worth up to 20% less than its original sale price,â he said.
Knowing the ins and outs of how to buy a used car will make the whole process less stressful and, most importantly, save you money.
Sharifi said to watch out for discrepancies with the odometer reading and if thereâs a branded title, which indicates that the car has been significantly compromised in some way.
Be wary of independent car lots that boast they can make you a deal regardless of your credit or circumstance.
Sometimes just looking at a car will give you some idea of its history. Rust, worn out pedals and a side panel painted in a different color are red flags.
Montoya said used car buyers must strike a balance between the age of the car, the amount of miles and what price theyâre willing to pay.
When youâre buying from a private party, you may be able to get more accurate information about how theyâve driven and maintained the vehicle and what particular issues it might have, said Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor at Edmunds.
The Best Time to Buy a Used Car
âThe end of the month (or the end of a quarter) can also be a good time to strike a deal, since dealerships may need to hit monthly or quarterly sales goals,â he said.
âYou want to make sure thereâs enough room for you,â Montoya said. âTake a look at the cargo area. Take a look at how easy it is to see out of the vehicle. Test out the entertainment system.â
Always, always, always take a car for a spin before buying it. If you can bring a mechanic with you, even better.
So that covers the why. Now letâs get into how to buy a used car.
You can also compare similar vehicles on the market to get an estimate of a carâs value, but keep in mind, no two used vehicles will be the same due to how they were driven and maintained. Use all this information when you sit down to negotiate â and donât be afraid to walk away if you donât think youâre getting a fair price.
New cars are sleek, shiny, full of impressive tech and smell amazing â mmm, new car smell. But they also come with price tags that can take your breath away â and not in a good way.
Knowing when and where to buy a used car is just half the battle. Figuring out how to vet a used car can be tough, especially if you have little to no car knowledge.
âTypically theyâll try to get you in with a low price, but you may not be getting the best quality car,â he said. âThe other thing is that if you get your financing through those types of dealers, they typically charge you a much higher interest rate.â
Montoya said plans sold by auto manufacturers or reputable dealerships are better options than those sold by third-party companies. Make sure you understand exactly what your plan covers.
Where to Shop for a Used Car â and Where to Avoid
For any dealer you visit, do some due diligence and check customer reviews online. If you know others whoâve recently purchased a car, ask for recommendations.
Of course, when you need a car might not align with a particular sale or time of month. Shopping for a vehicle before youâre in critical need of one will allow you time to search for the best deal rather than having to settle for something quick.
Outside of dealerships, look for cars online at trusted sites like Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, Carfax or Edmunds â or buy from a private seller.
If youâre in the market for a set of wheels thatâs more affordable, steer your sights over to the used car lot to save a little money. Or even a lot of money.
Pro Tip
If cost is your primary concern, a private seller is likely to offer a lower price. A dealer folds overhead, repairs and marketing into its price.
According to Kelley Blue Book, the average price of a new car in November 2020 was more than ,000. Yowser.
Unlike new car releases, used cars come on the market throughout the year. It all depends on when their previous owners end their leases, put them up for sale or decide to trade in their vehicles. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
When youâre budgeting for a car purchase, make sure youâre factoring in all the associated costs, like sales tax, insurance and getting the car registered.
DeLorenzo recommends pre-qualifying for a loan at a bank or credit union before visiting a dealership. You can compare the offer with the dealerâs financing terms for better negotiating leverage.
What to Look for When Buying a Used Car
However, there are certain times when youâre more likely to score a better deal.
If youâve ever heard someone refer to a car as a depreciating asset, itâs true. The longer you have a car, the less itâs worth. The first year of owning a new vehicle is when depreciation really packs a punch.
1. Find a Vehicle That Fits Your Needs
Think of the big sales that fall around holidays like Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day.
But donât just assume a carâs history. Getting the carâs history report, such as through Carfax, is a crucial step when buying a used car.
2. Determine How âUsedâ Youâre Willing to Go
Itâs best to avoid shopping for a car on the weekend when thereâs an influx of customers and sales staff is spread thin, Sharifi said. Youâll get more attention from the sales team by visiting on off hours, specifically on weekdays.
The end of a model year â around September or October â is another good time to shop, DeLorenzo noted, as salespeople are looking to make deals to clear out their used vehicle stock to make room for new inventory.
â[Dealerships] will have more used vehicle inventory as a result of those types of promotions,â he said.
Donât just look at the tiresâ tread. Each tire should include a four-digit number marking the month and year it was manufactured. Tires older than six years can be dried out and need replacing.
Just because youâre buying a car at a lower price point doesnât mean youâll be stuck with a clunker that was manufactured decades ago. Cars that are just two or three years old often hit dealership lots when their previous owners reach the end of their lease.
DeLorenzo recommends shopping at franchised car dealerships that have certified pre-owned cars â used vehicles that have been thoroughly inspected and typically come with some type of warranty coverage. Non-certified cars arenât bad â and theyâll typically cost less â but theyâre more likely to have higher mileage and more maintenance needs.
4. Check the History of the Car
âSevere accidents and instances where a car has been declared a total loss should signal the buyer to use caution,â he said. âThat said, a small fender bender shouldnât always mean that a buyer should walk away from a great deal.â
For any used car purchase, but especially if youâre buying from a private seller, have your mechanic inspect the vehicle before committing to buy.
Those vehicles often have low mileage and are in great condition, having had only one previous owner. Sometimes they even still retain a hint of that new car smell.
Before you accept a sales price, research the value of the car to make sure youâre not overpaying. Carfax, Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds all have price appraisal tools online.
Jim Sharifi, formerly a content editor at Carfax, said research shows a new vehicle can lose as much as 10% of its value within the first month.
5. Go for a Test Drive
Nicole Dow is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. Former staff writer Carson Kohler contributed to this post.
Where you shop for a used car matters so you can avoid purchasing a lemon.
Pro Tip
However, you also need to be OK with buying the vehicle as-is and securing your own financing. And be sure the owner has clear title to the car â in other words, donât let anyone sell you a car they donât legitimately own.
Matt DeLorenzo, senior managing editor for Kelley Blue Book, said when dealerships host big sales events for new models that can also benefit used car shoppers.
When you buy a used car, the original owner has already taken that initial hit on depreciation and the price you pay accounts for that, so you donât have to shell out as much cash.
Itâs easy to focus on the numbers â age of the car, mileage and cost â but you also want to make sure youâre buying a car thatâll fit your needs for however long you expect to have it. If you have a growing family, you might want to rethink that two-door coupe or compact vehicle.
These tips will give you some guidance to make a good choice. Buying an extended warranty or service plan can give you peace of mind that certain repairs or maintenance jobs will be covered.
If youâre like us, you have a drawer filled with lotions and creams that are doing nothing for your dry hands and feet. Itâs one of lifeâs mysteries.
But as much as we want some relief, weâre not interested in spending a ton on products that may or may not be worth the money.
We spoke to dermatologists to better understand what heals dry, cracked skin and identify the best cheap moisturizers. (Spoiler: You can find many of them in drugstores.)
Moisturizer, Lotion, Cream: Know the Difference
These actually arenât interchangeable terms, regardless of how people use them. A moisturizer is a mixture of water and oil-soluble components that tackle the outermost layer of your skin. Typically, petroleum jelly, mineral oil and waxes are used in moisturizers. Lotions are more watery and have many ingredients. The higher the water content, the easier it is for bacteria to get in, thus the greater the need for preservatives such as parabens, salicylic acid and benzyl alcohol. For that reason, lotion should be used on parts of the body that arenât very sensitive. (Never use it on your face.) Cream is simply a thick moisturizer designed for very flaky areas, such as elbows and heels.
Tips and Habits to Live By
Follow these good practices for keeping your skin moisturized.
Apply at the Correct Time
The lotion, cream or moisturizer you choose isnât going to do any good if itâs applied onto dry feet, says James Beckman, a board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of Therapon Skin Health. Beckman suggests applying after showering but before drying to allow an even spread while your skin is still damp.
Also make sure to apply moisturizer at least 20 minutes before going outside to allow maximum penetration, he says.
Avoid Vegetable Oils
Steer clear of moisturizers that contain mineral or vegetable oils, Beckman says.
âThese only coat the skin surface, and easily disappear as soon as the skin is washed,â he says.
Expensive Doesnât Mean Better
âI always say to my patients that the difference between an inexpensive and expensive moisturizer/ lotion/cream is not necessarily the ingredients included, but the branding and the marketing behind the product,â says Vikram Rajkomar, a dermatologist with Pall Mall Medical.
The key is to buy a formulation which agrees with your skin, as everyone reacts differently to each cream.
Look for These Ingredients
Susan Bard, a New York-based board-certified dermatologist, suggests looking for humectant-based moisturizers containing ingredients that pull water into the skin, such as hyaluronic acid or glycerin, without leaving behind a greasy residue.
âThick, emollient moisturizers tend to contain occlusive ingredients such as dimethicone, beeswax, lanolin, ect. That helps prevent moisture loss from the skin,â Bard says. âThey can feel sticky and also clog pores leading to folliculitis and miliaria on certain parts of the body.â
But humectants arenât all you need, says Fayne Frey, a dermatologist and founder of FryFace. Moisturizers that are formulated with humectants and occlusives are preferable, Frey says. Effective occlusives include petrolatum, mineral oil and silicone-based derivatives like simethicone. Effective humectants include glycerin, hyaluronic acid and propylene glycol, she says.
Best Cheap Moisturizers: Our Expertsâ Favorites
You can find many of these at drugstores.
Beckmanâs must-have moisturizers for winter use are Theraderm Extreme Dry Skin Therapy ($16.95 at Theraderm.net) and Theraderm Body Restoration Creme ($16.95 at Theraderm.net). âTheyâre designed to restore function as well as feel, replenishing deficient skin oils with natural lanolin, a true skin oil, from Sheepâs wool,â Beckman says.
Bard has similar favorites. For dry hands, she likes Neutrogena Norwegian formula hand cream ($3.99 at Target), OâKeeffeâs Working Hands ($6.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond) and Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm ($16.56 at VitaCost).Â
Petroleum jelly â aka Vaseline â is the gold standard occlusive, preventing 98 percent of water loss from the skin into the environment, Frey says. Many users find it to be too greasy. âBut it works,â she says.
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Relieve Dry Skin with These Habits
According to a report from Harvard Medical School that was updated in 2019, there are some free ways to deal with dry, winter skin. First, turn down your thermostat, as hot air tends to be drier than cool. Then, pop on your humidifier.
And while you may think that youâre helping your skin by taking the hottest shower possible, you should actually be taking a warm shower. Hot water removes the fatty substances in your skin that retain water. When youâre in the shower or bath, close the door, as this will get the humidity factor really going, but limit the time in the shower to 5 or 10 minutes. Blot your skin with a towel instead of rubbing it dry, and apply moisturizer immediately following the shower.
Wear loose clothing â binding clothing may rub and dry out your skin â and bundle up to protect from the cold, windy air outside. While we hate this advice, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, you really should stay away from the fireplace, as this can dry your skin.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
However you decide to watch the game, you can still enjoy some classic Super Bowl snacks. Source: thepennyhoarder.com Prep time: 15 minutes
6 Cheap Super Bowl Snacks to Enjoy With the Big Game
1. Chex Party Mix
Cook time: 15 minutes Prep time: 5 minutes Prep time: 5 minutes Prep time: 5 minutes
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Melt the butter in a large pan and stir in Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic salt and onion powder. Add everything else and toss thoroughly until well-coated. Bake for one hour, stirring the batch every 15 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
5. Crockpot Beer Cheese Dip
Prep time: 15 minutes
Combine the beer, Tabasco sauce and processed cheese spread in a slow cooker. Add more Tabasco sauce if you prefer a spicier treat. Cover and cook on high for 40 minutes. Once the cheese has melted, stir it to make it smooth. Keep it in the slow cooker on low and serve with the dippers.
Everyone knows that Super Bowl time is snack time.
1/2 cup beer
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 pound processed cheese spread loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes
Youâll also need food to dip into it; The Spruce Eats suggests not only tortilla chips and hard and soft pretzels but also apples, crackers, bread cubes and assorted vegetables.
It really is possible to enjoy restaurant-style buffalo chicken wings at home. This recipe from AllRecipes takes more time than others on the list, but thatâs only because you need to chill the chicken before cooking it.
Go with the classic childhood favorite: buttery dough enveloping tasty mini-sausages. Pillsbury has a great recipe for pigs in a blanket.Â
Mix flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt in a small bowl. Put the chicken wings in a nonporous glass dish or bowl and then sprinkle the flour mixture on top, evenly coating the wings. Cover the dish and refrigerate it for 60-90 minutes.
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
10 chicken wings
oil for deep frying
¼ cup butter
¼ cup hot sauce
1 dash ground black pepper
1 dash garlic powder
Enjoy the diner classic at home with The Spruce Eats recipe for baked mozzarella sticks.
This snack from The Spruce Eats just may be the most indulgent one on this list. Have it with pretzels or tortilla chips â or even try something fancier like apples and vegetables. Prep time: 15 minutes
But this year, given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, you may be staying home to watch the game rather than heading to a big bash or going to a bar or restaurant and plunking down big bucks.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Unroll all the dough and pull into 16 triangles. Cut each triangle into three narrow triangles. Roll a sausage link up in each triangle of dough. Place them on unlined baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown, rotating halfway through. Serve warm. Prep time: 60-90 minutes (includes time to chill ingredients before cooking)
Iâm a 34-year-old man who just started saving for retirement last year after getting married. My husband is 39 and has been saving for some time. My question is about Social Security. Should someone in our age group expect to receive it at all? Iâm always hearing about how Social Security is going broke.Â
Weâre both somewhat behind on where we should be on retirement. If we canât rely on getting Social Security checks when weâre older, how much more should we be saving? We donât want to live on rice and beans in retirement, but we also want to have enough money to enjoy life now.
-R.
Dear R.,
Of all the things that keep me up at night, Social Securityâs solvency isnât one of them. At 37, Iâm just a tad older than you. I expect to get benefits someday, and you and your husband should, too.
Thereâs a kernel of truth to the stories you hear about Social Security running dry. Itâs starting to pay out more than it takes in, thanks mostly to people living longer and having fewer children who eventually pay in. Widespread job losses due to the pandemic probably accelerated things a bit.
But weâre still funding Social Security with our payroll taxes. Itâs just that if Social Securityâs reserves were completely depleted, our payroll taxes would only fund about 79% of obligations through 2090. Thatâs in the event that Congress takes zero action to shore up more money, which is highly unlikely given that Social Security is the most sacred of all social programs.
My bigger worry for young-ish workers like us is that our benefits wonât go very far. Even for our parents and grandparents who currently receive benefits, Social Security by itself makes for a meager retirement. The average retiree benefit in January 2021 is just $1,543 per month, or $18,516 annually. Social Security estimates that current benefits cover about 40% of an average workerâs pre-retirement income.
Those benefits buy less and less every year. Health care costs, which eat up a huge chunk of retireesâ budgets, rise way faster than Social Security benefits.
The 2021 cost-of-living adjustment was just 1.3%. Ask any retiree whether thatâs adequate to cover their rising living costs. The younger you are, the less of your income you should expect your benefits to replace.
So while I think you should expect to receive Social Security someday, I donât think it should factor into how much you save today. Knowing nothing about your budget or spending, Iâll give you the standard recommendation: Aim to save 15% of your pre-tax income for retirement. If you get an employer 401(k) match, make sure you contribute to enough to get your companyâs full contribution. Once youâve done that, make sure you have at least three monthsâ worth of emergency savings before you invest more for retirement. That protects your retirement funds so you donât have to tap them when times are tough.
If you can comfortably save more, great. If 15% isnât doable right now, figure out whatâs manageable and work your way up. For example, you could commit to putting half of your next raise toward your retirement account.
Unfortunately, thereâs no level of savings that guarantees you wonât have a rice and beans retirement. The younger you are, the more guesswork goes into retirement planning.
My life plans, at least as told to my Roth IRA brokerage, are as follows: work until age 67, delay Social Security until 70, die at 92. If everything goes as planned, Iâll die with millions. But really all of the above is just wishful thinking on my part. The picture changes drastically if Iâm forced to retire early, take Social Security sooner and stretch my savings over more years than I expected. Or if a prolonged bear market hits right as Iâm starting to withdraw my retirement money.
All that certainly supports the argument that you should save as much as you can muster as early as possible. But too often in personal finance, we only focus on the retirement years, assuming that theyâre guaranteed. The truth is, life can be snatched from us at any moment. So I also want you to have enough room to spend so that you can enjoy life now.
That doesnât mean you get free rein to spend. But if you focus on what really matters to you, I think you can strike that balance.
Youâre 34. You donât have to figure out your entire retirement plan right now. Focus on making saving a regular habit, and you can figure out the specific pieces as retirement gets closer.
Robin Hartill is a certified financial planner and a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. Send your tricky money questions to AskPenny@thepennyhoarder.com.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
A couple years ago, I was invited to participate in a focus group. I visited in-person along with about 15 other people. For two hours, we vented all of our feelings about the ways a particular health insurance company interacts with its customer base.
At the end, we each walked out with $125. The health insurance company wanted consumer feedback on their products and customer service, and it compensated us for providing our insights.
Focus groups can be a lucrative side hustle when you break down per-hour pay. You get to be a part of a companyâs market research efforts, magnifying your opinion above those of other potential consumers.
These days, you donât have to participate in paid focus groups in person. During the pandemic and beyond, you can use online focus group platforms to earn anywhere from $20 to as much as $600 per hour.
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Online Focus Groups: a Viable Side Hustle
Focus groups can pay extremely well for the amount of time you actually âwork.â They can provide surges of side hustle income all at once.
However, theyâre not likely to sustain you in lieu of traditional income. Earnings can be extremely inconsistent. First of all, you wonât qualify for every survey, as each focus group has a specific demographic itâs targeting.
Often, though not always, the highest-paying surveys also have the most exclusive demographic requirements. The company may be looking to work with construction foremen who work with specific brands of equipment, for example, or with mobile app developers who use a specific type of programming.
In addition, some consumer research companies will only allow you to participate in one focus group every six months.
Just because work is sporadic doesnât make this a bad side hustle. When the money does come in, youâre getting paid so much per hour that itâs worth setting aside 30 to 90 minutes of your time.
What You Do in a Paid Focus Group
Most focus groups require between 30 minutes and 90 minutes of work. When youâre doing a focus group remotely, you may be asked to fill out a multiple choice survey. Most of the time, though, youâll complete a phone or Zoom interview with a live person.
Topics for focus groups are unlimited: You could find yourself answering questions about your favorite margarita recipe, how youâre coping with pandemic parenting or a survey related to your profession.
Some focus groups may require you to dedicate some time outside the interview itself. For example, you might have to give a specific product a test run or keep a journal of your experiences. This extra time is often accounted for in the compensation.
Where to Find Online Focus Group Jobs
All of the following focus group companies currently have online opportunities. In the past, many national opportunities could be completed remotely. But during the pandemic, even most of the city-specific assignments are virtual, too.
These market research companies pay well for your time and consistently update listings for more opportunities. We surveyed current listings for hourly pay and estimated average hourly pay given the jobs currently available.
Respondent
An overwhelming percentage of the focus group opportunities listed on Respondent are remote. The majority of the listings are not city-specific, allowing you to qualify regardless of where you live.
Current job listings range between $20 and $400 per hour, with the average focus group paying around $120 per hour.
WatchLAB
WatchLAB doesnât have as many opportunities listed, but it does regularly update its inventory on its Facebook page.
Jobs are often city specific, though there is a wide variety of cities with opportunities available. Even city-specific assignments have been primarily remote through the pandemic.
Pay for WatchLAB focus groups ranges from $60 to $150 per hour, with the average focus group paying around $100 per hour.
Focusscope
Focusscope is another smaller consumer research company. It updates its users regularly about new opportunities on its Facebook page, and most studies are now completed remotely.
Focusscope pays $75 to $250 per focus group, with an average payout of $100.
FindFocusGroups.com
FindFocusGroups.com isnât a consumer research company in and of itself. Instead, itâs a job listing board. It aggregates current opportunities available across the country, and allows consumer research companies to submit listings.
You can search these focus group listings by state. For example, the pay range for current listings in Pennsylvania is $65 to $160 per hour. The average focus group pays around $100 per hour.
User Interviews
If youâre looking for online or over-the-phone focus group opportunities, User Interviewsâ listings are plentiful. However, compared to the other companies on this list, more of these focus group opportunities are in-person. Use filters while you search to ensure youâre only being shown the remote opportunities.
A portion of the listings on User Interviews are medical studies rather than focus groups.
Participating in medical trials can be another lucrative way to hustle together some extra cash.
Listings on User Interviews pay between $25 and $600 per hour â though very few studies get close to the $600 mark. The average focus group pays $60 per hour.
Brynne Conroy is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
One of her favorite cheap meals to make is black bean soup, using a can of black beans along with onion, garlic and green pepper.
âIâll bulk up taco meat with onions and green peppers and tomatoes, so itâs a little bit of meat and a lot of vegetables,â Wesley said, as an example. âOr Iâll bulk it up with beans, so itâs a little bit of meat and a lot of beans.â Source: thepennyhoarder.com
Think food pantries only give out non-perishable canned foods? Think again. Many also distribute a good share of perishable ingredients like eggs, dairy products, bread, fresh produce and more.
How to Turn Cheap Pantry Staples Into Delicious Meals
Getting groceries from a food pantry and reducing food spending can be great on the wallet, but you may also need to adjust to cooking and preparing meals differently. We spoke to registered dietitian and nutritionist Wendy Wesley for advice on how to make nutritious, tasty meals using ingredients from food pantries.
Add beans and veggies to stretch meat dishes.
Spices, in particular, can be pretty pricey, so look for less expensive brands.
Wesley saves money by buying Badia brand spices. You can also try your storeâs generic option or shop at an ethnic grocery store.
Those extra ingredients also add fiber â something every American needs more of, she said.
Whether youâve got a family to feed or youâre just trying to make food last longer for yourself, making your ingredients stretch means more bang for your buck.
Economic concerns have caused countless others to become more conscious of their spending â resorting to cheap staples rather than more expensive options at the grocery store.
Pro Tip
âWe donât need very expensive ingredients to have delightful and tasty meals at home,â she said.
âI keep an arsenal of canned beans in my pantry at all times,â she said. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
According to Feeding America, about four out of every 10 people who visited a food bank from March through June of last year were first-time visitors. As the winter holidays approached, more than 80% of food pantries were serving more people than the year prior.
Pro Tip
âYou get rice and beans from a food pantry and then you doctor that up with your onion, your green pepper and your garlic and you use chili powder, garlic powder [and] onion powder,â Wesley said.
Nicole Dow is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.
How to Stretch Your Ingredients and Your Dollars
When it comes to keeping your kitchen stocked with those supplementary meal-enhancing ingredients, Wesley recommends picking up a few items here and there when you grocery shop.
Adding a grain â like rice, quinoa or barley â to a meal can also help make a dish stretch. Wesley likes cooking a bunch of one grain over the weekend so she has it ready to add to meals throughout the week.
Preparing servings in advance can also save you time on busy weekdays â and saving time can be so valuable. No more grabbing fast food on those days when you have no energy to cook. The food is already ready.
The key to making satisfying dishes from cheap ingredients is to incorporate kitchen staples like onion, garlic, peppers, spices, dried herbs, butter and eggs.
Pandemic-related layoffs and income loss have driven many people to community food pantries for the first time in their lives.
âThere is something magical about black beans,â Wesley said. âFor maybe a dollar or two in ingredients, you have this meal that is very hearty, very filling, full of fiber and is going to stay with you for a long time.â
âIf you went to the store and tried to buy it all in one day or one shopping trip it would be quite expensive,â she said.
Canned goods should not be overlooked when it comes to creating great meals, Wesley said. Another of her inexpensive meal ideas: Crack some eggs you pick up from your neighborhood food bank into a pan with onions, peppers and maybe tomatoes and mushrooms. You can make a big scramble for less than a dollar.
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Nobody is perfect when it comes to their finances â even millionaires slip up sometimes.
So when you start to think youâre worse off than your parents, or your nephew, or your friends, remember that all 20-somethings have made mistakes that can cost them big time.
But if youâre guilty of making some of these blunders, donât fret. You can still redeem yourself! Here are some of the worst blunders you can make, and tips to help dig you out of the hole.
Blunder No. 1: Not Getting Free Gift Cards When You Shop
What do you usually do with your receipts? You check out, they hand you a mile-long piece of paper, and you frantically stuff it to the bottom of a grocery bag. Pretty worthless.
But a free app called Fetch Rewards will turn them into gift cards. It partners with tons of brands to give you points for every grocery receipt you share. Then you can exchange them for gift cards to places like Amazon, Walmart, Chipotle and dozens of other retailers.
And itâs perfect for those of us who donât want to put a ton of work into this. All you have to do is send Fetch a photo of your receipt, and it does everything for you. No scanning barcodes or searching for offers â and you can use it with any grocery receipt.
When you download the app, use the code PENNY to automatically earn 2,000 points when you scan your first receipt. Then start snapping photos of your recent receipts to see how many points you can earn without a single trip to the store!
Not so bad for a useless receipt, right?
Blunder No. 2: Not Earning Anything On Your Savings
Youâve probably heard the best way to grow your money is to stick it in a savings account and leave it there for, well, ever. Thatâs bad advice.
But maybe youâre just looking for a place to safely stash it away â but still earn money. Under your mattress or in a safe will get you nothing. And a typical savings account wonât do you much better. (Ahem, 0.05% is nothing these days.)
But a debit card called Aspiration lets you earn up to 5% cash back and up to 20 times the average interest on the money in your account.
Not too shabby!
Enter your email address here to get a free Aspiration Spend and Save account. After you confirm your email, securely link your bank account so they can start helping you get extra cash. Your money is FDIC insured and they use a military-grade encryption which is nerd talk for âthis is totally safe.â
Blunder No. 3: Paying Too Much Interest To Credit Card Companies
If you have credit card debt, you know. The anxiety, the interest rates, the fear youâre never going to escapeâ¦
And the truth is, your credit card company doesnât really care. Itâs just getting rich by ripping you off with high interest rates. But a website called AmOne wants to help.
If you owe your credit card companies $50,000 or less, AmOne will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances.
The benefit? Youâll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmOne rates start at 3.49% APR), youâll get out of debt that much faster. Plus: No credit card payment this month.
AmOne keeps your information confidential and secure, which is probably why after 20 years in business, it still has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
It takes two minutes to see if you qualify for up to $50,000 online. You do need to give AmOne a real phone number in order to qualify, but donât worry â they wonât spam you with phone calls.
Blunder No. 4: Paying Too Much For Car Insurance
Whenâs the last time you checked car insurance prices?
You should shop your options every six months or so â it could save you some serious money. Letâs be real, though. Itâs probably not the first thing you think about when you wake up. But it doesnât have to be.
A website called Insure.com makes it super easy to compare car insurance prices. All you have to do is enter your ZIP code and your age, and itâll show you your options.
Using Insure.com, people have saved an average of $540 a year.
Yup. That could be $500 back in your pocket just for taking a few minutes to look at your options.
Blunder No. 5: Thinking You Donât Have Enough Money To Invest
Take a look at the Forbes Richest People list, and youâll notice almost all the billionaires have one thing in common â they own another company.
But if you work for a living and donât happen to have millions of dollars lying around, that can sound totally out of reach.
But with an app called Stash, it doesnât have to be. It lets you be a part of something thatâs normally exclusive to the richest of the rich â on Stash you can buy pieces of other companies for as little as $1.
Thatâs right â you can invest in pieces of well-known companies, such as Amazon, Google, Apple and more for as little as $1. The best part? If these companies profit, so can you. Some companies even send you a check every quarter for your share of the profits, called dividends.1
It takes two minutes to sign up, and itâs totally secure. With Stash, all your investments are protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) â thatâs industry talk for, âYour moneyâs safe.â2
Plus, when you use the link above, Stash will give you a $5 sign-up bonus once you deposit $5 into your account.*
Blunder No. 6: Assuming Life Insurance Is Expensive And Time Consuming
Have you thought about how your family would manage without your income after youâre gone? How theyâll pay the bills? Send the kids through school? Nowâs a good time to start planning for the future by looking into a term life insurance policy.
Youâre probably thinking: I donât have the time or money for that. But your application can take minutes â and you could leave your family up to $1 million with a company called Bestow.
Rates start at just $16 a month. The peace of mind knowing your family is taken care of is priceless.
If youâre under the age of 54 and want to get a fast life insurance quote without a medical exam or even getting up from the couch, get a free quote from Bestow.
1Not all stocks pay out dividends, and there is no guarantee that dividends will be paid each year.
2To note, SIPC coverage does not insure against the potential loss of market value.
For Securities priced over $1,000, purchase of fractional shares starts at $0.05.
*Offer is subject to Promotion Terms and Conditions. To be eligible to participate in this Promotion and receive the bonus, you must successfully open an individual brokerage account in good standing, link a funding account to your Invest account AND deposit $5.00 into your Invest account.
The Penny Hoarder is a Paid Affiliate/partner of Stash.Â
Investment advisory services offered by Stash Investments LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser. This material has been distributed for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended as investment, legal, accounting, or tax advice. Investing involves risk.Â
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
You probably donât need us to tell you that the earlier you start saving for retirement, the better. But letâs face it: For a lot of people, the problem isnât that they donât understand how compounding works. They start saving late because their paychecks will only stretch so far.
Whether youâre in your 20s or your golden years are fast-approaching, saving and investing whatever you can will help make your retirement more comfortable. Weâll discuss how to save for retirement during each decade, along with the hurdles you may face at different stages of life.
How Much Should You Save for Retirement?
A good rule of thumb is to save between 10% and 20% of pre-tax income for retirement. But the truth is, the actual amount you need to save for retirement depends on a lot of factors, including:
Your age. If you get a late start, youâll need to save more.
Whether your employer matches contributions. The 10% to 20% guideline includes your employerâs match. So if your employer matches your contributions dollar-for-dollar, you may be able to get away with less.
How aggressively you invest. Taking more risk usually leads to larger returns, but your losses will be steeper if the stock market tanks.
How long you plan to spend in retirement. Itâs impossible to predict how long youâll be able to work or how long youâll live. But if you plan to retire early or people in your family often live into their mid-90s, youâll want to save more.
How to Save for Retirement at Every Age
Now that youâre ready to start saving, hereâs a decade-by-decade breakdown of savings strategies and how to make your retirement a priority.
Saving for Retirement in Your 20s
A dollar invested in your 20s is worth more than a dollar invested in your 30s or 40s. The problem: When youâre living on an entry-level salary, you just donât have that many dollars to invest, particularly if you have student loan debt.
Prioritize Your 401(k) Match
If your company offers a 401(k) plan, a 403(b) plan or any retirement account with matching contributions, contribute enough to get the full match â unless of course you wouldnât be able to pay bills as a result. The stock market delivers annual returns of about 8% on average. But if your employer gives you a 50% match, youâre getting a 50% return on your contribution before your money is even invested. Thatâs free money no investor would ever pass up.
Pay off High-Interest Debt
After getting that employer match, focus on tackling any high-interest debt. Those 8% average annual stock market returns pale in comparison to the average 16% interest rate for people who have credit card debt. In a typical year, youâd expect a $100 investment could earn you $8. Put that $100 toward your balance? Youâre guaranteed to save $16.
Take More Risks
Look, weâre not telling you to throw your money into risky investments like bitcoin or the penny stock your cousin wonât shut up about. But when you start investing, youâll probably answer some questions to assess your risk tolerance. Take on as much risk as you can mentally handle, which means youâll invest mostly in stocks with a small percentage in bonds. Donât worry too much about a stock market crash. Missing out on growth is a bigger concern right now.
Build Your Emergency Fund
Building an emergency fund that could cover your expenses for three to six months is a great way to safeguard your retirement savings. That way you wonât need to tap your growing nest egg in a cash crunch. This isnât money you should have invested, though. Keep it in a high-yield savings account, a money market account or a certificate of deposit (CD).
Tame Lifestyle Inflation
We want you to enjoy those much-deserved raises ahead of you â but keep lifestyle inflation in check. Donât spend every dollar each time your paycheck gets higher. Commit to investing a certain percentage of each raise and then use the rest as you please.
Saving for Retirement in Your 30s
If youâre just starting to save in your 30s, the picture isnât too dire. You still have about three decades left until retirement, but itâs essential not to delay any further. Saving may be a challenge now, though, if youâve added kids and homeownership to the mix.
Invest in an IRA
Opening a Roth IRA is a great way to supplement your savings if youâve only been investing in your 401(k) thus far. A Roth IRA is a solid bet because youâll get tax-free money in retirement.
In both 2020 and 2021, you can contribute up to $6,000, or $7,000 if youâre over 50. The deadline to contribute isnât until tax day for any given year, so you can still make 2020 contributions until April 15, 2021. If you earn too much to fund a Roth IRA, or you want the tax break now (even though it means paying taxes in retirement), you can contribute to a traditional IRA.
Your investment options with a 401(k) are limited. But with an IRA, you can invest in whatever stocks, bonds, mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) you choose.
Pro Tip
If you or your spouse isnât working but you can afford to save for retirement, consider a spousal IRA. Itâs a regular IRA, but the working spouse funds it for the non-earning spouse.Â
Avoid Mixing Retirement Money With Other Savings
Youâre allowed to take a 401(k) loan for a home purchase. The Roth IRA rules give you the flexibility to use your investment money for a first-time home purchase or college tuition. Youâre also allowed to withdraw your contributions whenever you want. Wait, though. That doesnât mean you should.
The obvious drawback is that youâre taking money out of the market before itâs had time to compound. But thereâs another downside. Itâs hard to figure out if youâre on track for your retirement goals when your Roth IRA is doing double duty as a college savings account or down payment fund.
Start a 529 Plan While Your Kids Are Young
Saving for your own future takes higher priority than saving for your kidsâ college. But if your retirement funds are in shipshape, opening a 529 plan to save for your childrenâs education is a smart move. Not only will you keep the money separate from your nest egg, but by planning for their education early, youâll avoid having to tap your savings for their needs later on.
Keep Investing When the Stock Market Crashes
The stock market has a major meltdown like the March 2020 COVID-19 crash about once a decade. But when a crash happens in your 30s, itâs often the first time you have enough invested to see your net worth take a hit. Donât let panic take over. No cashing out. Commit to dollar-cost averaging and keep investing as usual, even when youâre terrified.
Saving for Retirement in Your 40s
If youâre in your 40s and started saving early, you may have a healthy nest egg by now. But if youâre behind on your retirement goals, now is the time to ramp things up. You still have plenty of time to save, but youâve missed out on those early years of compounding.
Continue Taking Enough Risk
You may feel like you can afford less investment risk in your 40s, but you still realistically have another two decades left until retirement. Your money still has â and needs â plenty of time to grow. Stay invested mostly in stocks, even if itâs more unnerving than ever when you see the stock market tank.
Put Your Retirement Above Your Kidsâ College Fund
You can only afford to pay for your kidsâ college if youâre on track for retirement. Talk to your kids early on about what you can afford, as well their options for avoiding massive student loan debt, including attending a cheaper school, getting financial aid, and working while going to school. Your options for funding your retirement are much more limited.
Keep Your Mortgage
Mortgage rates are historically low â well below 3% as of December 2020. Your potential returns are much higher for investing, so youâre better off putting extra money into your retirement accounts. If you havenât already done so, consider refinancing your mortgage to get the lowest rate.
Invest Even More
Now is the time to invest even more if you can afford to. Keep getting that full employer 401(k) match. Beyond that, try to max out your IRA contributions. If you have extra money to invest on top of that, consider allocating more to your 401(k). Or you could invest in a taxable brokerage account if you want more flexibility on how to invest.
Meet With a Financial Adviser
Youâre about halfway through your working years when youâre in your 40s. Now is a good time to meet with a financial adviser. If you canât afford one, a financial counselor is typically less expensive. Theyâll focus on fundamentals like budgeting and paying off debt, rather than giving investment advice.
Saving for Retirement in Your 50s
By your 50s, those retirement years that once seemed like they were an eternity away are getting closer. Maybe thatâs an exciting prospect â or perhaps it fills you with dread. Whether you want to keep working forever or retirement canât come soon enough, now is the perfect time to start setting goals for when you want to retire and what you want your retirement to look like.
Review Your Asset Allocation
In your 50s, you may want to start shifting more into safe assets, like bonds or CDs. Your money has less time to recover from a stock market crash. Be careful, though. You still want to be invested in stocks so you can earn returns that will keep your money growing. With interest rates likely to stay low through 2023, bonds and CDs probably wonât earn enough to keep pace with inflation.
Take Advantage of Catch-up Contributions
If youâre behind on retirement savings, give your funds a boost using catch-up contributions. In 2020 and 2021, you can contribute:
$1,000 extra to a Roth or traditional IRA (or split the money between the two) once youâre 50
$6,500 extra to your 401(k) once youâre 50
$1,000 extra to a health savings account (HSA) once youâre 55.
Work More if Youâre Behind
Your window for catching up on retirement savings is getting smaller now. So if youâre behind, consider your options for earning extra money to put into your nest egg. You could take on a side hustle, take on freelance work or work overtime if thatâs a possibility to bring in extra cash. Even if you intend to work for another decade or two, many people are forced to retire earlier than they planned. Itâs essential that you earn as much as possible while you can.
Pay off Your Remaining Debt
Since your 50s is often when you start shifting away from high-growth mode and into safer investments, now is a good time to use extra money to pay off lower-interest debt, including your mortgage. Retirement will be much more relaxing if you can enjoy it debt-free.
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Saving for Retirement in Your 60s
Hooray, youâve made it! Hopefully your retirement goals are looking attainable by now after working for decades to get here. But you still have some big decisions to make. Someone in their 60s in 2021 could easily spend another two to three decades in retirement. Your challenge now is to make that hard-earned money last as long as possible.
Make a Retirement Budget
Start planning your retirement budget at least a couple years before you actually retire. Financial planners generally recommend replacing about 70% to 80% of your pre-retirement income. Common income sources for seniors include:
Social Security benefits. Monthly benefits replace about 40% of pre-retirement income for the average senior.
Retirement account withdrawals. Money you take out from your retirement accounts, like your 401(k) and IRA.
Defined-benefit pensions. These are increasingly rare in the private sector, but still somewhat common for those retiring from a career in public service.
Annuities. Though controversial in the personal finance world, an annuity could make sense if youâre worried about outliving your savings.
Other investment income. Some seniors supplement their retirement and Social Security income with earnings from real estate investments or dividend stocks, for example.
Part-time work. A part-time job can help you delay dipping into your retirement savings account, giving your money more time to grow.
You can plan on some expenses going away. You wonât be paying payroll taxes or making retirement contributions, for example, and maybe your mortgage will be paid off. But you generally donât want to plan for any budget cuts that are too drastic.
Even though some of your expenses will decrease, health care costs eat up a large chunk of senior income, even once youâre eligible for Medicare coverage â and they usually increase much faster than inflation.
Develop Your Social Security Strategy
You can take your Social Security benefits as early as 62 or as late as age 70. But the earlier you take benefits, the lower your monthly benefits will be. If your retirement funds are lacking, delaying as long as you can is usually the best solution. Taking your benefit at 70 vs. 62 will result in monthly checks that are about 76% higher. However, if you have significant health problems, taking benefits earlier may pay off.
Pro Tip
Use Social Securityâs Retirement Estimator to estimate what your monthly benefit will be.
Figure Out How Much You Can Afford to Withdraw
Once youâve made your retirement budget and estimated how much Social Security youâll receive, you can estimate how much youâll be able to safely withdraw from your retirement accounts. A common retirement planning guideline is the 4% rule: You withdraw no more than 4% of your retirement savings in the first year, then adjust the amount for inflation.
If you have a Roth IRA, you can let that money grow as long as you want and then enjoy it tax-free. But youâll have to take required minimum distributions, or RMDs, beginning at age 72 if you have a 401(k) or a traditional IRA. These are mandatory distributions based on your life expectancy. The penalties for not taking them are stiff: Youâll owe the IRS 50% of the amount you were supposed to withdraw.
Keep Investing While Youâre Working
Avoid taking money out of your retirement accounts while youâre still working. Once youâre over age 59 ½, you wonât pay an early withdrawal penalty, but you want to avoid touching your retirement funds for as long as possible.
Instead, continue to invest in your retirement plans as long as youâre still earning money. But do so cautiously. Keep money out of the stock market if youâll need it in the next five years or so, since your money doesnât have much time to recover from a stock market crash in your 60s.
A Final Thought: Make Your Retirement About You
Whether youâre still working or youâre already enjoying your golden years, this part is essential: You need to prioritize you. That means your retirement savings goals need to come before bailing out family members, or paying for college for your children and grandchildren. After all, no one else is going to come to the rescue if you get to retirement with no savings.
If youâre like most people, youâll work for decades to get to retirement. The earlier you start planning for it, the more stress-free it will be.
Robin Hartill is a certified financial planner and a senior editor at The Penny Hoarder. She writes the Dear Penny personal finance advice column. Send your tricky money questions to DearPenny@thepennyhoarder.com.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
