# PocketGuard | Your Personal Money & Bill Organizer > Welcome to the PocketGuard blog with tons of helpful information and practical tips on personal finance management. Read our blog to start budgeting smartly today! --- ## Pages - [For students and education](https://pocketguard.com/for-students-and-education/): Educate students about finances. Learn how to budget, check credit, save money, and more with PocketGuard. - [PocketGuard Reviews for 2025](https://pocketguard.com/reviews/): Read reviews from real PocketGuard users. Create a budget that works with this personal finance app—available on Web, Android, and iPhone. - [Cancel subscriptions](https://pocketguard.com/cancel-subscriptions/): Easily discover and cancel unwanted subscriptions with PocketGuard. Save money, reduce clutter, and stay in control of recurring charges—all from one convenient dashboard. - [Transactions](https://pocketguard.com/transactions/): Track your spending effortlessly with PocketGuard’s smart transaction tracker. Stay in control of your finances and identify where your money goes in real time. - [Recurring](https://pocketguard.com/recurring/): Take control of your subscription expenses with PocketGuard’s recurring payments tracker. See upcoming bills, cancel unused services, and avoid overspending—all at a glance. - [Net Worth](https://pocketguard.com/net-worth/): Track your financial journey with PocketGuard’s Net Worth feature. Sync bank accounts, investments, real estate, and more to see your net worth evolve over time. - [Leftover](https://pocketguard.com/leftover/): Maximize your money with PocketGuard’s Leftover feature—see exactly how much you can safely spend after bills, savings, and essentials, without overspending. - [Cash flow](https://pocketguard.com/cash-flow/): Get a clear overview of your finances with PocketGuard’s Cash Flow tool—track income, expenses, and trends in one dashboard to stay on top of your financial health. - [Affiliate program](https://pocketguard.com/affiliate-program/): Earn $25 for every new user you refer to PocketGuard. Join our affiliate program and promote one of the top budgeting apps in the US and Canada. Access creative assets, educational resources, and dedicated support to help you succeed. - [PocketGuard API](https://pocketguard.com/pocketguard-api/): Integrate PocketGuard's personal finance API to enhance your app or website. Access real-time transaction data, budgeting tools, and financial insights to boost user engagement and retention. - [Authors](https://pocketguard.com/blog/authors/): Explore articles by PocketGuard's team of editors and product managers, offering practical advice on budgeting, savings, and financial literacy. - [How to budget with PocketGuard](https://pocketguard.com/how-to-budget-with-pocketguard/): Take control of your money with PocketGuard. Track your spending, manage accounts, set budgets, and find savings effortlessly. Get PocketGuard for FREE now! - [How to keep a budget](https://pocketguard.com/how-to-keep-a-budget/): Learn how to keep your budget fresh and accurate. Review transactions, add custom categories, use hashtags, plan income and expenses, review reports, set goals, and more. Avoid common budgeting mistakes and stay realistic with your expectations. Get started with PocketGuard now! - [Money management short course](https://pocketguard.com/money-management-short-course/): A-Z training, covering savings strategies, budgeting, and spending control. Complete the PocketGuard personal finance quick course for free. - [White label](https://pocketguard.com/white-label/): Make your clients happy with PocketGuard white label software. Start your business with a budgeting white label app for Web, iOS and Android. - [For financial coaching](https://pocketguard.com/for-financial-coaching/): Help your clients to reach their financial goals. Build financial coaching programs together with PocketGuard. - [Debt payoff calculator](https://pocketguard.com/debt-payoff-calculator/): Do you need an effective strategy to pay off your debts with no stress? Use the PocketGuard debt payoff calculator and download your free schedule now. - [Budget calculator](https://pocketguard.com/budget-calculator/): Plan your finances with this free budget planner that breaks down expenses and debt-to-income ratios. - [California Privacy Rights](https://pocketguard.com/privacy/ccpa/): Here is what you need to know about the way PocketGuard collects your personal information in compliance with CCPA. Everything about your rights and choices is here. - [Security](https://pocketguard.com/security/): With PocketGuard's multilayered security features, you can track your money with confidence. - [Savings goals](https://pocketguard.com/savings-goals/): Use PocketGuard's savings goals to achieve financial health and manage money in an efficient way. Keep track of your money and save more. - [Debt payoff plan](https://pocketguard.com/debt-payoff-plan/): Make debt payoff easier with PocketGuard. Create a budget, track your expenses, track your progress and become debt free. - [How to get started right](https://pocketguard.com/how-to-get-started-right/): Do you want to manage your money easily? Check out our newbie guide and sign up for PocketGuard to use powerful tools for smart financial planning. - [Insights](https://pocketguard.com/insights/): Let's analyze your transactional records so we can figure out your spending habits. Check out your whole financial picture. - [Free antifraud](https://pocketguard.com/free-antifraud/): PocketGuard's free anti-fraud tool. We'll monitor suspicious transactions for free within minutes once you connect your bank accounts. - [Budget categorization](https://pocketguard.com/budget-categorization/): With the wide list of transaction categories it’s easy to rename or re-categorize your financial activities in a blink of an eye. - [Alerts](https://pocketguard.com/alerts/): When you get hit with fees, go over budget, or something seems suspicious, PocketGuard'll let you know. Get notified when there’s something you should know. - [Lower your bills](https://pocketguard.com/lower-your-bills/): Negotiate your bills with our partner Billshark. Lower your bills without a headache and save money for your personal goals. - [Budgeting](https://pocketguard.com/budgeting/): Are you looking for ways to better manage your spending? Discover how to budget with PocketGuard, and how you can succeed. - [Bill payment tracker](https://pocketguard.com/bill-payment-tracker/): Bill payment tracking is made easy with PocketGuard. Keep track of your spending and see which categories of spending your money goes. - [What is PocketGuard](https://pocketguard.com/what-is-pocketguard/): PocketGuard helps people stay on top of their budgets and improve their financial wellness by keeping them organized. - [Terms of Use](https://pocketguard.com/terms/): Here you will learn everything about PocketGuard Terms of Use including access to content, account registration, privacy, refunds, third-party services, etc. - [Pricing](https://pocketguard.com/pricing/): Discover advanced budgeting features with PocketGuard Plus subscription. - [Copyright & Content Policy](https://pocketguard.com/copyright/): Get to know the main points about the copyright and content policy of PocketGuard and what you should do to avoid copyright infringement. - [Blog](https://pocketguard.com/blog/): Welcome to the PocketGuard blog with tons of helpful information and practical tips on personal finance management. Read our blog to start budgeting smartly today! - [Privacy Policy](https://pocketguard.com/privacy/): Learn PocketGuard Privacy Policy to know how we collect, use, share, and protect personal information. All the key points about your privacy are listed here. - [Home](https://pocketguard.com/): Budgeting and bill organizer app categorizes your expenses, monthly bills, debts and subscriptions into clear, beautiful tabs and graphs. Be on top of your finances. --- ## Posts - [The 10 Best Online Financial Advisors in 2025](https://pocketguard.com/blog/best-financial-advisors/): Looking to invest in your long-term financial future? Take our free advice; start by getting in touch with online financial advisors. - [The 10 Best Investments in 2025 For Starting Your Investment Portfolio](https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-10-best-investments-for-starting-your-investment-portfolio/): Looking to start a long-term investment portfolio or invest in something for a specific purchase? We’ve researched the 10 best investments for your funds in 2025 - [Living Paycheck to Paycheck and How to Stop](https://pocketguard.com/blog/living-paycheck-to-paycheck-and-how-to-stop/): Living paycheck to paycheck is a serious challenge for many Americans. Follow these steps to help break the cycle holding you back financially. - [Average Credit Score By Age in the USA (Plus Everything Else You Need to Know)](https://pocketguard.com/blog/average-credit-score-by-age-in-the-usa-plus-everything-else-you-need-to-know/): Are you worried about your credit score, or do you want to boost your rating and improve your borrowing options? We’ll walk you through everything you need to do. - [PocketGuard vs EveryDollar - Everything You Need to Know](https://pocketguard.com/blog/pocketguard-vs-everydollar-everything-you-need-to-know/): How does EveryDollar stack up against the PocketGuard app? We’ve got all the information you need to know to make a decision on which to get. - [How Much Cash Can You Deposit at the Bank?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-much-cash-can-you-deposit-at-the-bank/): Ever wondered how much cash you can deposit at the bank, or what the maximum cash deposit limit is? Let us walk you through the whole process. - [How To Save $1,000 This Month - The PocketGuard Guide](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-save-1000-this-month-the-pocketguard-guide/): Discover practical strategies to save $1,000 this month with PocketGuard's actionable budgeting tips and financial insights. - [How Can I Borrow Money? Here’s Twelve Ways to Get Funds in Your Wallet Quickly](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-can-i-borrow-money-heres-twelve-ways-to-get-funds-in-your-wallet-quickly/): Found yourself in a place where you need to borrow money fast? A personal loan is one way to get the cash you need in an emergency. - [The Full Mint Review –  Why It Was So Popular and What PocketGuard Offers Instead](https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-full-mint-review-why-it-was-so-popular-and-what-pocketguard-offers-instead/): Mint has gone, but there’s a worthy successor to the budgeting app that reigned supreme, and that’s PocketGuard. - [How to Be Frugal - The PocketGuard Guide to Simpler Spending](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-be-frugal-the-pocketguard-guide-to-simpler-spending/): Ever wanted to learn how to be frugal? Our 10 tips for frugal living will help you establish a strong financial foundation you can use to budget better than ever. - [How Do Savings Bonds Work?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-do-savings-bonds-work/): Ever wondered how savings bonds work? They represent a stable investment that generates tax-free income on interest, making them ideal for first-time investors. - [Yes, We Can Do Better With Our Customer Support—We Apologize and Already Apply Solutions to Work on a Big Scale](https://pocketguard.com/blog/yes-we-can-do-better-with-our-customer-supportwe-apologize-and-already-apply-solutions-to-work-on-a-big-scale/): We're reaching out to you as we understand that some of you have experienced difficulty in contacting our customer support team recentl - [PocketGuard’s Guide to Investments for Beginners](https://pocketguard.com/blog/pocketguards-guide-to-investments-for-beginners/): Investing can seem challenging for beginners but it doesn’t have to be. You can use your money to create a stable future even if you’re new to finances. - [​​18 Ways To Make Money From Home](https://pocketguard.com/blog/18-ways-to-make-money-from-home/): Check effective ideas on how to make money from home by accomplishing easy tasks on your laptop or smartphone. - [Monthly Grocery Budget: Best Tips To Save Your Money](https://pocketguard.com/blog/monthly-grocery-budget-best-tips-to-save-your-money/): Are you looking for effective hacks for a nutritious grocery budget? Here is your guide on how to spend less and save more. - [Need a Mint Alternative? PocketGuard’s Got You and Your Change Covered](https://pocketguard.com/blog/need-a-mint-alternative-pocketguards-got-you-and-your-change-covered/): The news that the budgeting app Mint was being shut down by its parent company, Intuit, has been poorly received. Look at worthy successor in Pocketguard, an all-in-one budgeting app that already has a large number of enthusiastic users. - [Intuit is shutting Mint down. Mint users should consider switching to PocketGuard](https://pocketguard.com/blog/mint-shutting-down-what-should-mint-users-do-now/): If you are injured by Mint shutdown, explore PocketGuard, a free budgeting app with reliable functions, data safety, and adaptive support - [Managing Debt Wisely: Strategies to Pay Off Debt and Improve Financial Health](https://pocketguard.com/blog/managing-debt-wisely-strategies-to-pay-off-debt-and-improve-financial-health/): Explore effective strategies to pay off debt and improve financial health, including budgeting, debt repayment methods, and increasing income. - [<strong>Six tips to help you to start living frugally in 2023</strong>](https://pocketguard.com/blog/six-tips-to-help-you-to-start-living-frugally-in-2023/): Here are six best tips to help you plan your budget and save money. PocketGuard experts explain how to avoid unnecessary expenses and improve your spending habits. - [Is It Okay To Keep Paying Your Mortgage After You Retire?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/is-it-okay-to-keep-paying-your-mortgage-after-you-retire/): Can you benefit from paying off your mortgage in retirement? What drawbacks can you stumble upon? PocketGuard explains all the risks and offers solutions. - [Microfinancing and the Alleviation of Poverty](https://pocketguard.com/blog/microfinancing-and-the-alleviation-of-poverty/): Learn the ins and outs of microfinancing, discover how it works, and how it affects poverty reduction. This information might change your life for the better! - [Is Now A Good Time To Refinance Your Mortgage?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/is-now-a-good-time-to-refinance-your-mortgage/): How about refinancing your mortgage? Here is a useful article to help you understand whether you need refinancing and what advantages you might get if you do so. - [Best Resources for Student Financial Literacy](https://pocketguard.com/blog/best-resources-for-student-financial-literacy/): We have collected the best resources to help every student improve financial literacy. Here are proven websites, apps, books, and tools for smart budget decisions. - [Bankruptcy Myths You Should Know](https://pocketguard.com/blog/bankruptcy-myths-you-should-know/): These are the key points you need to know in case you want to file for bankruptcy. PocketGuard dispels popular myths and helps you deal with confusing statements. - [Black Friday Survival Tips](https://pocketguard.com/blog/black-friday-survival-tips/): Black Friday might be challenging but PocketGuard is here to help! Use these tips and tricks to benefit from Black Friday with no worries. - [Unique Budgeting Tips To Handle Financial Crunch While Having Low Funds](https://pocketguard.com/blog/unique-budgeting-tips-to-handle-financial-crunch-while-having-low-funds/): Saving money even with low funds is easy with PocketGuard! What you need are these useful tips that will help you settle your debts and budget wisely. - [Useful Financial Tips for College Graduates](https://pocketguard.com/blog/useful-financial-tips-for-college-graduates/): Here are effective tips for graduates who want to improve their finances with no stress. Start managing your money wisely today to be wealthy and happy in future. - [Five Ways to Avoid Debt You Don’t Need](https://pocketguard.com/blog/five-ways-to-avoid-debt-you-dont-need/): Avoiding debt can be simple if you follow professional advice from PocketGuard. Learn what you need to do to save your budget and how to take care of your finances. - [PocketGuard Partners with Bend Financial to Launch Budget Management Solutions for Healthcare Expenses](https://pocketguard.com/blog/pocketguard-partners-with-bend-financial-to-launch-budget-management-solutions-for-healthcare-expenses/): PocketGuard has entered into a partnership with Bend Financial to provide its customers with the best healthcare budgeting solutions. Learn all the details here. - [How to Manage Your Money Better](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-manage-your-money-better/): Learn these useful tips to manage your finances better, plan your budget, eliminate debts and even save money to be financially confident even after retirement - [How to Manage Your Money while Unemployed](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-manage-your-money-while-unemployed/): If you are unemployed you need to take special control over your budget. Here are tips for you to manage your money being unemployed and even stretch your budget. - [How to Find Financial Confidence as a Freelancer](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-find-financial-confidence-as-a-freelancer/): Being a freelancer means flexibility and control over your earnings. But how to succeed in it? Here is how to be financially confident if you are a freelancer. - [Could Real Estate Be a Perfect Second Job?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/could-real-estate-be-a-perfect-second-job/): You can earn extra money by working part-time as a real estate agent. Is this work for you? What should you do to start working in real estate? Find out now. - [How to Escape Payday Loan Debt in the Best Possible Ways?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-escape-payday-loan-debt-in-the-best-possible-ways/): If you are already trapped in payday loan debt, here is your lifesaver. Use these tips to escape such debt and continue living in financial freedom. - [How to budget: Your first step to financial security](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-budget-your-first-step-to-financial-security/): In this article, you will find out how to plan your budget and stay financially secure. Learn how to structure your finances and control your expenses now. - [Simple Steps Toward Financial Confidence](https://pocketguard.com/blog/simple-steps-toward-financial-confidence/): Do you want to be financially confident? PocketGuard professionals are here to help you. Learn how to change your money mindset and grow your financial confidence. - [A guide to conquering debts and taking back that happy life!](https://pocketguard.com/blog/a-guide-to-conquering-debts-and-taking-back-that-happy-life/): Get ready to forget about your debts and start living happily again! Here are effective ways to get financial freedom and never come back to debt. - [4 Tips for Filing Your Taxes](https://pocketguard.com/blog/4-tips-for-filing-your-taxes/): Filing taxes can be stressless if you follow simple rules. In this article, we share 4 tips for proper and easy taxes filing, so stick to them to do it right. - [What Makes Successful Traders?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-makes-successful-traders/): Find out the story of successful traders. If you want to be one, learn these useful tips as these are your perfect guidelines to become a successful trader. - [Top tips for beginner traders in shares](https://pocketguard.com/blog/top-tips-for-beginner-traders-in-shares/): Do you want to understand share trading better? Read this guide to know how to start making extra money even if you are a newbie in share trading. - [The Newbie’s Guide to PocketGuard](https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-newbies-guide-to-pocketguard/): This is a quick and easy guide to help you use PocketGuard effectively. Just a few clicks to start planning your budget, saving money, and living happily. - [How to go about finding an investment advisor that you can trust](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-go-about-finding-an-investment-advisor-that-you-can-trust/): Find out how to pick a trustworthy investment advisor. PocketGuard explains where to look for financial advisors, how to choose them, and how much it can cost. - [Finding the finances to start your first business](https://pocketguard.com/blog/finding-the-finances-to-start-your-first-business/): Personal business opens up new horizons and possibilities as well as promises extra revenue. Learn what you need to do to succeed in your business from the start. - [Tips For Understanding Bitcoin](https://pocketguard.com/blog/tips-for-understanding-bitcoin/): Bitcoin explained by the PocketGuard professionals. Discover the key points that will help you understand everything you wanted to know about Bitcoin. - [How to work on your credit as a young person](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-work-on-your-credit-as-a-young-person/): Learn how to deal with your credit being a young person. Check out these useful tips to know how to schedule your payments and keep your finances in order. - [Tips on how to invest in stocks wisely](https://pocketguard.com/blog/tips-on-how-to-invest-in-stocks-wisely/): Do you want to get extra revenue with less effort? Investing in stocks may become a winning way to reach your goals faster. Learn more about it in this article. - [How business professionals can help their local community](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-business-professionals-can-help-their-local-community/): How businesses can get involved in community efforts and why is it so important? Here are steps a business can take to benefit from collaboration with communities. - [Study: The Average Renter Household Needs $549 in Savings for the Holiday Shopping](https://pocketguard.com/blog/study-the-average-renter-household-needs-549-in-savings-for-the-holiday-shopping/): Holidays always mean more expenses. We’ve got an interesting study for you to check how much money an average renter family needs to spend on the winter holidays. - [Financial advice for people with bad credit](https://pocketguard.com/blog/financial-advice-for-people-with-bad-credit/): How to make major purchases even with a bad credit history? Check out these tips to know what you can do and what hacks can help you improve your financial state. - [Key Tips on How to Stop Yourself from Going Back into Debt When You’ve Paid Off Your Debts](https://pocketguard.com/blog/key-tips-on-how-to-stop-yourself-from-going-back-into-debt-when-youve-paid-off-your-debts/): Check out these useful tips not to go back into debt again! In this article, you will discover how to plan your budget smartly and avoid having debts in the future. - [Easy Ways To Invest In Your Child’s Future On A Small Income](https://pocketguard.com/blog/easy-ways-to-invest-in-your-childs-future-on-a-small-income/): Think about your child’s financial well-being today. Check out these tips for parents to start investing in your kid’s future even if you have a small income. - [Living On A Low Income? Here’s How To Stretch Your Money](https://pocketguard.com/blog/living-on-a-low-income-heres-how-to-stretch-your-money/): PocketGuard shares a bunch of money-stretching tips that really work. Learn how to improve your financial health even if you live on a low income. - [5 Benefits of a Car-Free Lifestyle](https://pocketguard.com/blog/5-benefits-of-a-car-free-lifestyle/): What are the benefits of not having a car? If you still doubt whether you need a vehicle or not, read this article to get to know all the benefits of car-free life. - [Is an Online Degree Worth It?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/is-an-online-degree-worth-it/): Find out whether getting an online degree is a good idea. Can you save money by studying online? Is an online degree as valuable as the traditional one? Learn here. - [Get Your Budget Back on Track After the Holidays](https://pocketguard.com/blog/get-your-budget-back-on-track-after-the-holidays/): Holidays always require more expenses. How to get back on track after festive purchases? PocketGuard professionals share valuable tips in this article. - [Eliminate Your Rent](https://pocketguard.com/blog/eliminate-your-rent/): Does housing require a lot of expenses from you? PocketGuard experts explain ways how you can eliminate your rent. Discover them now to find the best solution. - [What To Do If You Lose Your Wallet On Vacation](https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-to-do-if-you-lose-your-wallet-on-vacation/): Losing your wallet is always stressful. But don’t worry, we have described in detail what you should do in such a situation. Learn all the nuances here. - [Buying Refurbished Electronics: Is It Worth the Risk?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/buying-refurbished-electronics-is-it-worth-the-risk/): To buy refurbished items or not to buy? This article will help you understand whether it is worth it to buy refurbished electronics and why it can be beneficial. - [9 Home Improvements that Won’t Improve Your Home](https://pocketguard.com/blog/9-home-improvements-that-wont-improve-your-home/): If you want to increase your home value, think twice about what improvements are really worth it. In this article, we reveal 9 ideas that might be non-rational. - [The Smartest Financial Advice for Recent College Graduates](https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-smartest-financial-advice-for-recent-college-graduates/): Are you a college graduate striving for financial success? Here is significant money advice for you to achieve financial stability and plan your finances. - [Is There Such Thing as a Free Lunch?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/is-there-such-thing-as-a-free-lunch/): How can you have a free lunch? In this article. PocketGuard describes where you can have free meals and how to enjoy freebies to cut costs on food. - [Is Pursuing a Graduate Degree a Smart Choice?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/is-pursuing-a-graduate-degree-a-smart-choice/): Does graduation make sense? Read this article to understand what benefits you can get from getting a degree and consider whether you really need it or not. - [What To Do If You Lose Your Passport Abroad](https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-to-do-if-you-lose-your-passport-abroad/): Don’t worry if you lose your passport staying abroad. This is the guideline that will help you understand what to do if you lose your documents far away from home. - [How to Protect Yourself From Being Hacked](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-protect-yourself-from-being-hacked/): Learn how to protect your personal data from hackers. PocketGuard experts provide effective tips for you to prevent any hacking attacks on your computer. - [How to Take a Free Vacation](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-take-a-free-vacation/): Free vacation is real! We are happy to share the main secrets of how to travel free of charge and enjoy your vacation with no financial worries. - [How Drinking and Driving Can Ruin Your Financial Future](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-drinking-and-driving-can-ruin-your-financial-future/): Drinking and driving is not only dangerous but can lead to serious penalties as well. Read this article to be aware of all the possible fees and other consequences. - [The Financial Wisdom of Homer Simpson](https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-financial-wisdom-of-homer-simpson/): Homer Simpson is not just a silly man, some of his words are really thought-provoking. We’ve gathered the most prominent words of wisdom said by Homer. - [10 Biggest lottery winners and losers](https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-biggest-lottery-winners-and-losers/): A lottery is one of the ways to earn extra cash quickly. Here are some of the most prominent stories about the biggest winners and losers you’ll find interesting. - [How a Free Game Cost One Man $8000](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-a-free-game-cost-one-man-8000/): A simple game for kids can get you trapped in debt. What to do to save money and how to protect yourself if your kid makes unnecessary in-app purchases? Learn here. - [5 Negotiating Tips for the Non-Negotiator](https://pocketguard.com/blog/5-negotiating-tips-for-the-non-negotiator/): Negotiating is important, and you can do it quite persuasively even if you have never negotiated before. Here are useful techniques you can use to get more benefits. - [Business Ideas for Little or No Money](https://pocketguard.com/blog/business-ideas-for-little-or-no-money/): You can start a new business with low investment or no expenses. Here are the best ideas from PocketGuard that will help you earn more money saving your budget. - [Tips to Tune up Your Finances](https://pocketguard.com/blog/tips-to-tune-up-your-finances/): What do you need to do to stay thrifty but still enjoy your life? We list all the major points you should take into account to improve your financial health. - [The Six Steps to Financial Independence](https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-six-steps-to-financial-independence/): If you dream about financial freedom, you can’t miss out on this article. We have listed 6 major steps and important hacks for you to become financially independent. - [Budgets of the Rich and Famous](https://pocketguard.com/blog/budgets-of-the-rich-and-famous/): How much money do popular and wealthy people spend? Check out interesting facts about the ways they manage money and what they usually afford themselves. - [4 Mistakes We Make in Love and Money](https://pocketguard.com/blog/4-mistakes-we-make-in-love-and-money/): How to treat money rationally? We answer this question based on the TEDx talk featuring Daniel Crosby, a psychologist who talks about rational money management. - [7 Habits of Highly Thrifty People](https://pocketguard.com/blog/7-habits-of-highly-thrifty-people/): Do you want to know how thrifty people leave? Here are the main principles of their money management you can use as well to stretch your budget. - [A Students Guide to Saving Money on Vacations](https://pocketguard.com/blog/a-students-guide-to-saving-money-on-vacations/): Even if you are a student and your budget is tight you still can afford yourself a bit of traveling. Read this article to discover 6 proven ways to do it. - [What Happens When You Miss a Credit Card Payment](https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-happens-when-you-miss-a-credit-card-payment/): What can happen if you miss a credit payment? In this article, we explain what consequences it may lead to and how to cope with your credit payments easily. - [24 Horrible Ways To Deal With Debt](https://pocketguard.com/blog/24-horrible-ways-to-deal-with-debt/): PocketGuard is here to help you control your budget and deal with debts in a stress-free way. Here we describe 24 ways you should avoid paying off your debt. - [7 Ways to Blow Your Budget on Valentine’s Day](https://pocketguard.com/blog/7-ways-to-blow-your-budget-on-valentines-day/): You can’t but spend money on Valentine's Day. See here how to have an unforgettable celebration with your love not spending a fortune. - [10 Steps to Financial Independence: Step 7](https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-steps-to-financial-independence-step-7/): This step to your financial independence is about your ability to be prepared for things that happen unexpectedly, and we share a number of practical tips with you. - [7 Ways to Borrow Money](https://pocketguard.com/blog/7-ways-to-borrow-money/): Find out how to borrow money properly and discover what kind of loans you better avoid. Read this article to borrow money smartly and with no serious consequences. - [6 Ways to Cash in on Spring](https://pocketguard.com/blog/6-ways-to-cash-in-on-spring/): Spring decluttering can bring you extra cash with no extra effort. Follow these tips and get valuable insights about the ways you can get profit when spring comes. - [10 Steps to Financial Independence: Step 4](https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-steps-to-financial-independence-step-4/): This is a perfect opportunity to make the fourth step towards financial independence. This time we will tell you how to pay off your debts and forget about them. - [A Little History of The Big Short: Part Two](https://pocketguard.com/blog/a-little-history-of-the-big-short-part-two/): This is a second part of the story about the Big Short - a famous film about the US economic collapse. Find out some interesting insights from the financial world. - [How to Keep Track of Your Money When You Can’t See It](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-keep-track-of-your-money-when-you-cant-see-it/): PocketGuard helps you save money and track them with no extra effort. Here are more useful tips for you to be aware of all your spendings and have no worries. - [BEST JOBS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS](https://pocketguard.com/blog/best-jobs-for-college-students/): What job can a student get to improve their financial situation? Here is a detailed guide to help every student decide how to earn money with less stress. - [10 Steps to Financial Independence: Step 6](https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-steps-to-financial-independence-step-6/): Are you ready to take another step towards financial independence? This time we’ll talk about the ways you should manage your credit - from basics to practical tips. - [14 Times Spending Less Can Cost You More](https://pocketguard.com/blog/14-times-spending-less-can-cost-you-more/): Here are 14 ways you lose money when you think you save it. Read every point of this article carefully not to become a miser who pays twice. - [10 Steps to Financial Independence: Step 3](https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-steps-to-financial-independence-step-3/): Paying bills on time is important, and here is another step to your financial independence. Learn how to manage bill payments and even save on them in this article. - [10 Steps to Financial Independence: Step 2](https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-steps-to-financial-independence-step-2/): Why do you need a budget? How to create it and not exceed the limit? Here is one more step to your financial independence with PocketGuard. - [6 Certifications That Pay](https://pocketguard.com/blog/6-certifications-that-pay/): Do you want to develop professionally? You don’t have to spend much time and money to grow. We describe 6 certifications that will help you earn more. - [10 Steps to Financial Independence: Step 5](https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-steps-to-financial-independence-step-5/): Here is your fifth step to financial independence, and we’ll figure out whether you need to own something or rent it. Find out all the pros and cons of ownership. - [How Much Your Health Impacts Your Wealth](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-much-your-health-impacts-your-wealth/): The healthier you are the wealthier you’ll be. See how your health impacts your finances and how you can improve your life and financial well-being. - [Must love dogs: How to make extra money pet sitting](https://pocketguard.com/blog/must-love-dogs-how-to-make-extra-money-pet-sitting/): Pet sitting is another way to make extra cash. Use these practical tips if you want to become a pet sitter and improve your financial well-being in an enjoyable way. - [9 Must Hear Podcasts on Money Debt and Investing](https://pocketguard.com/blog/9-must-hear-podcasts-on-money-debt-and-investing/): Improve your financial literacy with PocketGuard even on the go. We have prepared a list of 9 podcasts about debts and investments you must hear. - [A Little History of The Big Short: Part One](https://pocketguard.com/blog/a-little-history-of-the-big-short-part-one/): Have you seen The Big Short? If you want to learn more about finances and the US economy, you are welcome to have a sneak peak at the history of the movie. - [7 Tips On Starting a Business With No Capital](https://pocketguard.com/blog/7-tips-on-starting-a-business-with-no-capital/): Small business is a good chance to get extra money and pay off your debts. In this article, we share 7 tips on how to start your business with zero investment. - [Is bitcoin the gold of the future? Find out here](https://pocketguard.com/blog/is-bitcoin-the-gold-of-the-future-find-out-here/): Bitcoin is the new gold: truth or not? Can its value outweigh the value of gold? Check out this article to find the answer and discover more interesting facts. - [Education-Related Tax Deductions and Credits for College Tuition & Expenses](https://pocketguard.com/blog/education-related-tax-deductions-and-credits-for-college-tuition-expenses/): Learn more about credits and tax deductions for education and find out whether you can claim them or not to save money on education expenses. - [Only One In Four Millennials Can Answer These 3 Financial Questions. Can You?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/only-one-in-four-millennials-can-answer-these-3-financial-questions-can-you/): Can you answer these financial questions? Are you financially literate and know how to manage money? Check it here and improve your knowledge. - [The Inside Scoop on 401k Fees](https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-inside-scoop-on-401k-fees/): Are you sure you don’t pay too much for 401K? Read this article to dig deeper in the 401k plan and understand whether the fees are not too high. - [Throw a New Years Bash, Without Bashing Your New Year Budget](https://pocketguard.com/blog/throw-a-new-years-bash-without-bashing-your-new-year-budget/): New Year is always a big celebration and a big expense. However, we have prepared a list of life hacks you can use to have a great party but still save your budget. - [5 Tricks that Retailers Use on Black Friday](https://pocketguard.com/blog/5-tricks-that-retailers-use-on-black-friday/): Do you think Black Friday offers are always exclusive? Truth is, marketers use a lot of tricky strategies to make you spend more money. Read more about it here. - [8 Ways to Save Money on Thanksgiving Dinner](https://pocketguard.com/blog/8-ways-to-save-money-on-thanksgiving-dinner/): Do you want to save expenses while preparing a tasty Thanksgiving dinner? We have listed 8 effective tips to help you celebrate with no worries about the budget. - [7 Ways to Keep Budget Alive Over Halloween](https://pocketguard.com/blog/7-ways-to-keep-budget-alive-over-halloween/): Halloween costumes, parties, and holiday meals can cost you a lot. But here are tips from the PocketGuard for you to save your budget and still have good fun. - [Ways to Save Money On Food While Travelling](https://pocketguard.com/blog/ways-to-save-money-on-food-while-travelling/): How to save money on food during your vacation? Find out in this article! PocketGuard shares the 10 best ways to eat cheaper while you travel. - [8 Edible Landscaping Ideas to Save You Money and Improve Your Diet](https://pocketguard.com/blog/8-edible-landscaping-ideas-to-save-you-money-and-improve-your-diet/): Do you know your lawn can not only be beautiful but provide you with food as well? Here are 8 ideas for edible landscapes you can implement and you’ll love for sure. - [8 Ways to Travel More and Spend Less](https://pocketguard.com/blog/8-ways-to-travel-more-and-spend-less/): If you love traveling, these tips are right for you. In this blog post, you’ll find 8 tips for traveling on a budget. Read now to travel more while spending less! - [4 Ways to Support Your Local Businesses](https://pocketguard.com/blog/4-ways-to-support-your-local-businesses/): If you want to know how to support local businesses, here are 4 ways for you to go. Read this article to know what you can do and what benefits it may bring you. - [Ways to get your security deposit back](https://pocketguard.com/blog/ways-to-get-your-security-deposit-back/): How to get your security deposit back from the landlord? We reveal all the ins and outs in this article for you not to lose your money, so do not miss it. - [How Title Insurance Can Save Your Financial Future](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-title-insurance-can-save-your-financial-future/): If you are about to purchase a new home, you definitely need to consider title insurance. What it is, why you need it, and how it can save your finances, read here. - [Have You Received Your EMV Credit Card?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/have-you-received-your-emv-credit-card/): What are EMV cards? Learn everything you need to know about chip-enabled credit cards, why you should get one, and other aspects in this article. - [Where Did The Money Go?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/where-did-the-money-go/): Learn how to control your finances and always know where your money goes. Here are helpful tips for you to rule your finances and don’t let them slip away. - [What Is The Rule of 72 and Compound Interest (CI)?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-is-the-rule-of-72-and-compound-interest-ci/): This is what you need to know about the rule of 72 and compound interest to identify investment opportunities and reach financial goals easily. - [Reduce And Eliminate Your Debt](https://pocketguard.com/blog/reduce-and-eliminate-your-debt/): Is there any chance to eliminate your debt? In this article, we share practical tips you can use to reduce your debts as well as describe ways of debt elimination. - [How Much Does a Latte Grande Cost?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-much-does-a-latte-grande-cost/): Do you ever count how much money you «drink» every day? Your latte grande is not just a coffee, it is hundreds of dollars you spend per year. See details here. - [Introduction to Hedge Fund](https://pocketguard.com/blog/introduction-to-hedge-fund/): Here’s everything you need to know about hedge funds, so go ahead and take your financial literacy to a new level with PocketGuard. - [Introduction to Mutual Funds](https://pocketguard.com/blog/introduction-to-mutual-funds/): Learn the basics of mutual funds. Discover the advantages of using them and important points to take into account if you want to invest in mutual funds. - [A Brief History of Wall Street](https://pocketguard.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-wall-street/): We have all heard about Wall Street, but do we know something about its history? If you want to expand your knowledge on this topic, this article is for you. - [Ashley Madison Data Breach — Are You at Risk?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/ashley-madison-data-breach-are-you-at-risk/): Can you feel safe about your data and be sure data leak won’t happen? Check out the story of Ashley Madison and pay attention to 7 ways your data may be breached. - [Introduction to Stock Markets](https://pocketguard.com/blog/introduction-to-stock-markets/): What are stock markets and how can they bring you money? If you are new to this topic, read this article to understand the basic principles. - [How to Continue Your Self-Education for Free](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-continue-your-self-education-for-free/): Education can be free, and we are happy to share some valuable resources with you. Check them out and make sure you can study anywhere, saving your budget. - [Why You Should Keep a Financial Blog](https://pocketguard.com/blog/why-you-should-keep-a-financial-blog/): Keeping track of your money is crucial to have full control of your finances. Learn what to do to know where your money goes and stick to your financial plan easily. - [Ways to Keep a Little Green in Your Planet](https://pocketguard.com/blog/ways-to-keep-a-little-green-in-your-planet/): The Earth is our home we must keep green and clear. If you think that you need huge investment to help Earth stay greener, you are wrong, and here is why. - [11 Ways to Save Money on Groceries](https://pocketguard.com/blog/11-ways-to-save-money-on-groceries/): You can cut spending on groceries easily if you stick to the tips we share in this article. You will learn to spend less and still enjoy your favorite products. - [6 Ways to Surprise a Spouse When You Share Finances](https://pocketguard.com/blog/6-ways-to-surprise-a-spouse-when-you-share-finances/): How to make a surprise for your spouse if you share accounts? Here are proven ways to make a gift without letting your significant other know about your purchase. - [How to Deal With Friends That Don’t Save Money](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-deal-with-friends-that-dont-save-money/): If your friends want to spend more money than you can afford, there are useful tips to follow not to exceed your budget limits. Read this article to know what to do. - [Micro-Vacation on Micro-Budget: Enjoy and Save Money](https://pocketguard.com/blog/micro-vacation-on-micro-budget-enjoy-and-save-money/): Find out more about micro-vacations that you can enjoy on a micro-budget. We’ve got 6 ideas for you to have a short but really enjoyable and low-cost vacation. - [12 Things to Consider Before Buying a New Car](https://pocketguard.com/blog/12-things-to-consider-before-buying-a-new-car/): If you are in doubt whether you need to buy a new car or not, read this article now. We have listed 12 main points for you to consider and make a smart decision. - [How to Live to The Full While Working](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-live-to-the-full-while-working/): Freedom is the future. If you don’t want a happy life to pass you by while you are working, follow these effective tips to find a true work-life balance. - [Financial Independence Guide: Controlling Expenses](https://pocketguard.com/blog/financial-independence-guide-controlling-expenses/): This is another part of our financial independence guide. We talk about the main principles you should follow to control your expenses, so go and check them out. - [3 Working Ways to Financial Independence](https://pocketguard.com/blog/3-working-ways-to-financial-independence/): If you need a few tips on how to achieve financial independence, they are here. Go ahead and get some valuable advice to manage your budget wisely. - [14 Easy Ways to Earn Extra Money](https://pocketguard.com/blog/14-easy-ways-to-earn-extra-money/): There are 14 ways you can make extra money using the skills you have. Choose the most suitable way to improve your financial situation and do things you like. - [Unique Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July](https://pocketguard.com/blog/unique-ways-to-celebrate-the-4th-of-july/): The 4th of July is a special day for every American. We have listed 11 exciting ways to celebrate this holiday brightly with no need to spend a fortune. - [How Millenials Will Affect The Economy](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-millenials-will-affect-the-economy/): In this article, we discuss the way millennials will have an impact on the economy. Check it out to learn interesting financial facts. - [Freelance Or Fixed-Time Job: What Option Will Benefit Your Pocket?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/freelance-or-fixed-time-job-what-option-will-benefit-your-pocket/): Can you earn more being employer-independent? Is a full-time job with a fixed workplace better? Here we talk about opportunities for freelancers and office workers. - [15 Money Traps People Fall Into on Their Vacation](https://pocketguard.com/blog/15-money-traps-people-fall-into-on-their-vacation/): How not to waste money during your vacation? You need to be aware of these 15 money traps and avoid them to relax and enjoy to the fullest. - [The Pros and Cons of Credit Cards](https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-credit-cards/): Learn about all the advantages and disadvantages of credit cards. Discover how using them can help you reach financial freedom in this article. - [How to Qualify for Student Loan Forgiveness](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-qualify-for-student-loan-forgiveness/): There are ways graduates can qualify for student loan forgiveness. We describe them in this article, so you can pick the solution that will fit you best. - [Save on Professional Development](https://pocketguard.com/blog/save-on-professional-development/): Professional development does not have to be expensive. In this article, we show you the best strategies you can use to grow and learn without spending a fortune. - [How to Save Half of Your Vacation Budget](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-save-half-of-your-vacation-budget/): We know how to make your vacation last longer or cost less. Choose the best option from the tips shared in this article not to worry about the finances. - [How to save money for vacation](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-save-money-for-vacation/): You can easily save money for your next vacation if you start doing it today. Check out proven tips and tricks that will help you gather money for travel. - [Bank or Credit Union For Your Money Pocket](https://pocketguard.com/blog/bank-or-credit-union-for-your-money-pocket/): Learn the advantages and disadvantages of banks and credit unions to make smart financial decisions and manage your money in the most comfortable way. - [What Do You Know About Credit Union?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-do-you-know-about-credit-union/): Have you ever tried the credit union? How does it work and what advantages can you experience? Consider pros and cons in this article. - [How To Lose All Your Money](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-lose-all-your-money/): Do you know you can lose your money without even understanding it? Here are things you can do unintentionally and thereby give someone access to your finances. - [USA Banking History](https://pocketguard.com/blog/usa-banking-history/): Here is everything you need to know about the banking history in the United States. Read now to learn lots of interesting facts about the US banking timeline. - [Long Story Short: First US Credit Card](https://pocketguard.com/blog/long-story-short-first-us-credit-card/): If you want to know more about the history of the first US credit card, here is the best quick overview. Deepen your financial knowledge with PocketGuard. - [How Financially Fit Are You?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-financially-fit-are-you/): Financial health is significant for your happy life. We share 5 effective exercises for you to stay financially fit and feel less stress about the money. - [Will Bitcoin Be The Gold of The Future?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/will-bitcoin-be-the-gold-of-the-future/): Do you believe Bitcoin can become the new gold? Check out our thoughts in this article where we describe all the pros and cons of popular cryptocurrency. - [Why Money Is Important: Demystifying The Economics Of Money And Banking](https://pocketguard.com/blog/why-money-is-important-demystifying-the-economics-of-money-and-banking/): Have you ever wondered why money has such a value? No second guessing, we have described everything in detail here, so you are welcome to learn something new. - [Origin of the Dollar. You May Be Surprised](https://pocketguard.com/blog/origin-of-the-dollar-you-may-be-surprised/): Do you know something about the origin of the dollar? This article may surprise you but you’ll definitely enjoy learning some new facts about a simple dollar. - [5 Pros And Cons of Keeping Cash in Your Pocket](https://pocketguard.com/blog/5-pros-and-cons-of-keeping-cash-in-your-pocket/): Should you keep cash in your pocket, use plastic cards or electronic wallets for payments? Learn 5 advantages and disadvantages of using cash in this article. - [Do You Still Believe These 12 Money Myths?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/do-you-still-believe-these-12-money-myths/): Do you know a lot of statements about money are only myths? We dispel 12 myths you might believe in, so learn something new you didn’t know about money before. - [5 or 6 Ways to Plan For Turning 60 or 65](https://pocketguard.com/blog/5-or-6-ways-to-plan-for-turning-60-or-65/): It’s important to start getting ready for your retirement today, particularly in the financial plan. Here are several ways you can do it with no stress. - [5 Must-Do’s Before You Say “I Do”](https://pocketguard.com/blog/5-must-dos-before-you-say-i-do/): Finances play an important role in marriage. Before you become spouses, consider these 5 things to avoid any misunderstandings related to money management issues. - [How to Put All Your Eggs in One Basket](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-put-all-your-eggs-in-one-basket/): In this article you will discover how to protect your financial information and your money while using various services and why using PocketGuard is always secure. - [4 Marketing Strategies That Cost You Thousands](https://pocketguard.com/blog/4-marketing-strategies-that-cost-you-thousands/): Marketing can be tricky making you spend a fortune on things you don’t actually need. Read this article not to get into marketing traps and save your budget. - [Should you rent, buy, or lease a phone?](https://pocketguard.com/blog/should-you-rent-buy-or-lease-a-phone/): Do you want to buy a new phone? In this blog post, we talk about installment payments and leasing compared to full purchase for you to choose the best option. - [50 Shades of Ownership: Financial Version](https://pocketguard.com/blog/50-shades-of-ownership-financial-version/): What would you choose - to own the content or just to have instant access to it? Let’s discuss this message from the financial point of view for you to decide. - [What to Do if Your Bank Account is Hacked](https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-to-do-if-your-bank-account-is-hacked/): If your bank account was hacked and your money was stolen, read this article by PocketGuard to find out what to do in case of hacking and how to protect yourself. - [How to Save Money on Cable While Getting More](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-save-money-on-cable-while-getting-more/): Do you know you can lower your cable bills? Or benefit from cutting the cable at all? Find out all the ins and outs in this article. - [8 Ways to Save Money on Food](https://pocketguard.com/blog/8-ways-to-save-money-on-food/): There are 8 proven ways you can save money on food and still enjoy delicious meals. We have described them in this article, so get some money-saving hacks now! - [How to Choose the Auto Insurance Company Right for You](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-auto-insurance-company-right-for-you/): Choosing the right auto insurance company may be a challenging task. PocketGuard experts explain all the significant terms you need to know to make the best choice. - [How to Pick a Bank That Lets You Earn While You Save](https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-pick-a-bank-that-lets-you-earn-while-you-save/): Use these helpful tips to choose the bank where your savings will work for you. By considering these key points you will be able to save money and get extra revenue. - [7 Simple Ways to Save Money Without Giving up the Things You Love](https://pocketguard.com/blog/7-simple-ways-to-save-money-without-giving-up-the-things-you-love/): PocketGuard is here to help you live happily and still save money. Check out these pieces of advice to learn how to save expenses while buying what you want. --- # # Detailed Content ## Pages ### California Privacy Rights > Here is what you need to know about the way PocketGuard collects your personal information in compliance with CCPA. Everything about your rights and choices is here. - Published: 2022-10-31 - Modified: 2025-05-12 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/privacy/ccpa/ Last updated: May 12, 2025 Legal Basis For Processing Personal Information PocketGuard collects personal information for business and commercial purposes including: enhancing PocketGuard’s products and services; fraud prevention; analytics; advertising enhancement; any other purpose not prohibited by applicable laws or privacy regulations, including the CCPA or other privacy laws. Categories of personal information the PocketGuard collects PocketGuard has collected the following categories of personal information from users within the last twelve (12) months: A. Identifiers. A name, alias, postal address, unique personal identifier, online identifier, Internet Protocol address, email address, account name, driver’s license number, passport number, or other similar identifiers. YES B. Personal information categories are listed in the California Customer Records statute (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798. 80(e)). A name, address, telephone number, passport number, driver’s license or state identification card number, credit card number, debit card number, or any other financial information. Some personal information included in this category may overlap with other categories. YES C. Protected classification characteristics under California or federal law. Age, gender, marital status and military status. YES D. Commercial information. Records of personal property, products or services purchased, obtained, or considered, or other purchasing or consuming histories or tendencies. YES E. Biometric information. Physiological, behavioral, and biological characteristics or activity patterns used to extract a template or other identifier or identifying information, such as fingerprints, faceprints, voiceprints, iris or retina scans, keystroke, gait, or other physical patterns, and sleep, health, or exercise data. NO F. Internet or other similar network activity. Browsing... --- ### Terms of Use > Here you will learn everything about PocketGuard Terms of Use including access to content, account registration, privacy, refunds, third-party services, etc. - Published: 2022-09-05 - Modified: 2025-05-30 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/terms/ Last updated: November 26, 2024 WELCOME TO WWW. POCKETGUARD. COM (TOGETHER WITH ITS SUBDOMAINS, CONTENT, AND MARKS, THE "Website"). PLEASE READ CAREFULLY THE FOLLOWING TERMS OF USE (THE "Terms") BEFORE USING THE SITE OR THE SERVICE (DEFINED BELOW) SO THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS TO PocketGuard, Inc. ("PocketGuard", "We", "Our" OR "Us"). BY USING THE SITE AND/OR SERVICE, OR IN ANY EVENT, BY REGISTERING AS A USER WITH THE SERVICE, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE TERMS, YOU MAY NOT USE THE SITE OR SERVICE. Unless the Site or Service is separately referred to in these Terms, all references herein to the "Services" shall include both the Site and the Service. Modification. PocketGuard may change these Terms at any time by posting the changes on the Website and will use reasonable efforts to notify you of the changes. Such change will be effective immediately following the posting of the revised Terms and your continued use of the Services after we have posted changes to these Terms means that you agree to be bound by the changes, so please check the Terms posted on our Website regularly for any changes. The Service. PocketGuard service is a personal finance information management service that allows you to consolidate and track your financial information (hereinafter the “Service”). The Service is available online through the Website (and also through our software mobile application). The Service performs periodic scans of statements for... --- ### Copyright & Content Policy > Get to know the main points about the copyright and content policy of PocketGuard and what you should do to avoid copyright infringement. - Published: 2022-09-05 - Modified: 2024-10-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/copyright/ Last updated: October 01, 2014 Removal of Content. It is the policy of PocketGuard, Inc. ("PocketGuard" to respect the legitimate rights of copyright owners, and we will respond to clear notices of alleged copyright infringement. Pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U. S. C. Section 512 (the "DMCA"), PocketGuard has designated a Copyright Agent (as specified below) to receive notifications of claimed copyright infringement in connection with: (i) the website www. pocketguard. com and other websites that we operate (each a "Site") and (ii) the PocketGuard App and other mobile software applications that we license (each an "App", and together with the App, the "Services"). Please be advised that we enforce a policy that provides for the termination in appropriate circumstances of Services users who are repeat infringers. If you believe that your work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please provide the Copyright Agent with the following information in accordance with the DMCA: An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright; A description of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed; A description of where the material that you claim is infringing is located on the Services, with enough detail that we may find it. Providing URLs in the body of an email is the best way to help us locate content quickly; Your address, telephone number, and email address; A statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you... --- ### Privacy Policy > Learn PocketGuard Privacy Policy to know how we collect, use, share, and protect personal information. All the key points about your privacy are listed here. - Published: 2022-08-29 - Modified: 2025-05-12 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/privacy/ Last updated: May 12, 2025 Welcome to PocketGuard, Inc. (collectively, “PocketGuard”, “we”, “us”, or “our”). This Privacy Policy explains our practices regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of information that we receive through our website located at https://pocketguard. com/ (the “Website”) and our services accessible via our downloadable applications (“App”) (together, the “Services”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, protect, use, and share information that identifies, relates to, or could be reasonably linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular identified or identifiable natural person or household (“Personal Information”). By using or submitting information through the Services, you are indicating that you agree to be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy does not apply to any third-party websites, services, or applications, even if they are accessible through our Services. Also, please note that, unless we define a term in this Privacy Policy, all capitalized terms used in this Privacy Policy have the same meanings as in our Terms of Use. So, please make sure that you have read and understand our Terms of Use. Revisions to this Privacy Policy Any information that is collected via our Services is covered by the Privacy Policy in effect at the time such information is collected. We may revise this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make any material changes to this Privacy Policy, we’ll notify you of those changes by posting them on the Services, and we’ll update the “Last Updated” date above to indicate when those changes will... --- --- ## Posts ### The 10 Best Online Financial Advisors in 2025 > Looking to invest in your long-term financial future? Take our free advice; start by getting in touch with online financial advisors. - Published: 2025-07-25 - Modified: 2025-07-25 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/best-financial-advisors/ - Categories: Financial literacy The new year is rapidly approaching so it’s time to start making resolutions for 2025. There are a lot of ideas to choose from depending on your personal circumstances, from learning a new skill or hobby, improving your health and fitness, traveling more, etc. Greater than all these, though, would be making a long-term investment in your financial stability. In 2025, make your New Year’s resolution to become more financially sound than ever before. The best way to achieve this is by securing the services of a financial adviser, someone who will provide you with the financial advice you need to make 2025 your year. To help you launch this process, we’ve researched the 10 best online financial advisers, all respected experts who can help transform your life. You can receive financial advice at every budget; let’s look at how. Ten Lost Cost or (Nearly) Free Financial Advisors 1. Zoe Financial This company is a good start if you’re not sure what you’re looking for as Zoe Financial offers a free initial consultation. All you need to do to get started with the process is answer a few simple questions about your finances, and Zoe Financial will set up a consultation for you. The company’s financial advisors cover everything from retirement and equity management to debt consolidation and college planning. Zoe Financial consistently scores highly on review sites, with most reporting scores of 4. 9 to 5 out of 5. However, while the initial consultation process is free, you will... --- ### The 10 Best Investments in 2025 For Starting Your Investment Portfolio > Looking to start a long-term investment portfolio or invest in something for a specific purchase? We’ve researched the 10 best investments for your funds in 2025 - Published: 2025-07-25 - Modified: 2025-07-25 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-10-best-investments-for-starting-your-investment-portfolio/ - Categories: Investing Being able to manage your finances and control your daily/monthly budgets is a crucial skill, allowing you to maintain your independence and solvency, and build a foundation for your future. When you’ve successfully mastered your daily funds and are able to save some cash aside for a rainy day, you can start considering how to make your money work for you, not the other way around.   Opening a standard savings account is a good idea, as is building up a good credit score. The next step to ensuring a stable financial future for you and your loved ones is to create investments for your funds to create financial bonds of stability. What is the Best Investment Right Now? If the word investing conjures up images of high-energy Wall Street executives wearing overpriced suits, backroom bonds deals. or sleazy business practices like those depicted in The Wolf of Wall Street, then don’t worry; there’s far more to it than that. Investments have become remarkably democratized, meaning that almost anyone with any budget can put their money and funds to work, to earn yields, profits, dividends, and more If you’re wondering; ‘What should I invest in right now? ’ then this is the article for you and your money. The international bonds markets look promising, the domestic economy is continuing to grow and with the new year just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start an investment portfolio.   There is always risk, and though this can be mitigated,... --- ### Living Paycheck to Paycheck and How to Stop > Living paycheck to paycheck is a serious challenge for many Americans. Follow these steps to help break the cycle holding you back financially. - Published: 2024-07-05 - Modified: 2024-07-05 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/living-paycheck-to-paycheck-and-how-to-stop/ - Categories: Personal finance You will probably have heard of the phrase ‘living paycheck to paycheck’ as it’s both a common expression and a reality for millions of Americans. The number of people in the United States who are living this way continues to increase every year, caused by various factors ranging from poor financial literacy to increased costs of living and other macro-economic problems. Living this way isn’t just uncomfortable; it locks people and their often descendants into living in poverty, causing many societal ills in the process.   To live paycheck to paycheck is to exist on the bottom rungs of the economic hierarchy in the United States and is one of the most common reasons we get contacted by our users looking for advice. Signing up for a free budgeting app like PocketGuard is a great start to climbing the ladder to a financially stable future, but it can be difficult to stop living paycheck to paycheck. In many ways, our economy punishes those who need help the most, so finding a way up can prove challenging.   Don’t feel ashamed if you need help; there are millions of other Americans in your position. You’re not alone.   That’s why we’ve consulted with our financial experts, and polled members of the PocketGuard team who were stuck living this way before joining us, to help you stop living paycheck to paycheck. By following the advice in this article, you should be able to take the first important steps towards getting out of... --- ### Average Credit Score By Age in the USA (Plus Everything Else You Need to Know) > Are you worried about your credit score, or do you want to boost your rating and improve your borrowing options? We’ll walk you through everything you need to do. - Published: 2024-07-05 - Modified: 2024-07-05 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/average-credit-score-by-age-in-the-usa-plus-everything-else-you-need-to-know/ - Categories: Financial literacy, Personal finance Most Americans know that their credit score is important, but many of us don’t know enough about how it's calculated, what it’s used for, or how to manage it. That’s understandable; after all, most of our schools didn’t provide us with the financial lessons we needed to do our taxes, so why would they teach us about our credit scores? The problem is that there are a lot of people who sign up for credit cards and take out loans, and they don’t appreciate the impact on or importance of their credit score. The negative fallout from this ranges from increased debt, to missed bills and mortgage payments, all the way up to bankruptcy. Obviously, these are things you want to avoid and as you’re already reading a PocketGuard blog article, we can infer that you’re interested in making smart financial decisions for yourself and your loved ones. If that’s the case, congratulations, on taking the first step to gaining control of your finances.   In this article, we’re going to cover everything you need to do about managing your credit score, why this is important, average credit ratings by location and age in the country, and much more. This will provide you with the knowledge required to manage your score and help you take on loans and debt with a sense of stability. Let’s start by reviewing the basics of these scores in the United States. What is Your Credit Score?  This score is a figure derived from an examination... --- ### PocketGuard vs EveryDollar - Everything You Need to Know > How does EveryDollar stack up against the PocketGuard app? We’ve got all the information you need to know to make a decision on which to get. - Published: 2024-06-07 - Modified: 2024-06-07 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/pocketguard-vs-everydollar-everything-you-need-to-know/ - Categories: Recommendations If you’re looking to get started with a budgeting app, you may feel overwhelmed by the options available to you. There’s so much on the market that it can be similar to standing at a convenience store wanting to buy some chocolate. If there are, say, five choices, then it’s pretty easy to make a decision, but when there are twenty or thirty, then it’s all the more difficult. Choice overload is a real problem, and if you’re feeling conflicted, don’t worry; you’re not alone.   Right now, the budgeting app market is still feeling the effects of the Mint app going the way of the dodo, and some of the programs that have aroused some interest include EveryDollar and PocketGuard, as they claim to be easy to use and offer quick glance insights into your budgets. Naturally, PocketGuard believes its own offering is the best available to you, but we want to be straightforward and give you a full overview of EveryDollar as well. In this article, we’ll cover the basics of the EveryDollar, its strengths and weaknesses, and why PocketGuard could well be an excellent choice.   The EveryDollar Budget App EveryDollar is owned and published by Ramsay Solutions, a financial services company founded by Dave Lawrence Ramsay III. He is a famous radio presenter familiar in the United States for offering financial advice, the author of the New York Times bestseller The Total Money Makeover, and a regular contributor to the Fox News Channel well known for... --- ### How Much Cash Can You Deposit at the Bank? > Ever wondered how much cash you can deposit at the bank, or what the maximum cash deposit limit is? Let us walk you through the whole process. - Published: 2024-06-07 - Modified: 2024-06-07 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-much-cash-can-you-deposit-at-the-bank/ - Categories: Debt repayment Did you know that most Americans still prefer to use cash, even though there have never been more cashless options available? According to a survey by YouGov at the start of this year, 67% of Americans still prefer to use old-fashioned notes and coins when making their usual transactions, and a quarter of consumers reported not using any mobile payment systems or apps. Cash is still king, and for it to retain its throne, consumers still have to work with conventional banks and make physical deposits. Some of you reading this article might be surprised that people still put cash into their accounts at banks, but as the survey highlights, there are millions upon millions of people out of three for whom this is a necessity. If you’re just going to your local neighborhood bank and depositing a couple of hundred dollars, then that’s easy enough, but larger amounts may well require greater scrutiny. Managing your money means that you’re aware of the various transactional requirements mandated by both banks and the government, so you’ve got to know America’s cash deposit rules. This guide will help you get up to speed on everything to do with how much cash you can t put into a bank account and how to do it. Why Would I Deposit Money at the Bank? You might be surprised that we get asked this question a lot, but bear in mind that many people using a budgeting app work entirely with cashless transactions. Sometimes, they... --- ### How To Save $1,000 This Month - The PocketGuard Guide > Discover practical strategies to save $1,000 this month with PocketGuard's actionable budgeting tips and financial insights. - Published: 2024-04-02 - Modified: 2025-07-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-save-1000-this-month-the-pocketguard-guide/ - Categories: Personal finance, Recommendations Are you struggling with your finances and living paycheck to paycheck without being able to put aside money for a savings account? Millions of Americans are experiencing this difficulty right now, as inflation has made the cost of living soar for many of us. While inflation has decreased somewhat over the last 12 months, it’s still a major problem. Being able to save money for a rainy day consistently is a crucial skill. Without an emergency budget, one event could leave you penniless. An ideal target to aim for is saving $1,000 a month. If that figure sounds like an insurmountable object for you, then don’t worry; being able to save $1,000 a month is a lot more realistic than you may realize. That’s why we’ve put together this guide on how to save money a month at a time, which will allow you to create increased financial stability for yourself. If you implement the advice included below and are willing to make some basic adjustments to your lifestyle, then within a relatively short period of time you’ll be able to save a thousand a month. Why You Should Save $1,000 a Month The first reason why you should be putting money away in a savings account every month is to ensure that you have an emergency budget should something go wrong in your life. If you don’t do this, your spending on dealing with emergencies like a vehicle breakdown, medical bills, etc. could be exceptionally high.   In the... --- ### How Can I Borrow Money? Here’s Twelve Ways to Get Funds in Your Wallet Quickly > Found yourself in a place where you need to borrow money fast? A personal loan is one way to get the cash you need in an emergency. - Published: 2024-03-20 - Modified: 2024-03-20 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-can-i-borrow-money-heres-twelve-ways-to-get-funds-in-your-wallet-quickly/ - Categories: Savings tips Almost all of us have been caught in a situation where we’ve suddenly needed to borrow money when we just don’t have enough, and the panic you can feel in that moment is never pleasant. You feel like a rabbit caught in headlights with nowhere to turn, and that’s when the panic sets in, the anxiety takes over, and all sorts of negative images come into your head about what could happen if you don’t get money. The possible causes are infinitive, ranging from unexpected medical bills, a car accident, someone robbing you, the list goes on. If that sounds like you right now, then, firstly, stop and take some deep breaths; you’re going to be OK, there’s almost always a way out. All you need is some creative thinking. If you’re stuck for cash and need a personal loan to get you out of your temporary misfortune, there are plenty of options available for almost anyone. People from all walks of life can find themselves in a place where they need to borrow money immediately. That’s why we asked some financial experts about the places to go to get money quickly. So take a deep breath, relax, and let us help you resolve your financial difficulty. Where Can I Borrow Money? When we think about needing to borrow money, most of us think of securing a personal loan, an agreement where you agree to borrow money for a predetermined period of time at a rate of interest. These loans... --- ### The Full Mint Review –  Why It Was So Popular and What PocketGuard Offers Instead > Mint has gone, but there’s a worthy successor to the budgeting app that reigned supreme, and that’s PocketGuard. - Published: 2024-03-20 - Modified: 2024-03-20 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-full-mint-review-why-it-was-so-popular-and-what-pocketguard-offers-instead/ - Categories: Recommendations All good things must come to an end, they say, but that common maxim was a small comfort to the millions of people who used the Mint app to budget their day-to-day expenses, but alas, no more. After going from an app with 3. 6 million users in 2021 (the last time usership figures were publicly available), on March 23, 2024, it’ll be gone the way of the dodo. While it had clearly enjoyed the support of a hardcore userbase, it had been on a steady decline since a decade ago, when it enjoyed a user base of 20 million. That’s left a lot of people without a budgeting app for their day-to-day financial transactions, a conundrum that is not easy to fix as people get very used to the apps they use on a routine basis, especially if they’ve done so for years. It doesn’t help that Mint’s parent company, Intuit, planned to migrate Mint’s users to Credit Karma, which was originally set up for credit card and loan management. For many of them, this was like trying to fit two jigsaw pieces together that didn’t match; they’ll be able to transfer their linked financial accounts, historical balances, and net worth graph; that’s all.   Mint’s former loyal users deserve better than that; they deserve to have next simple-to-use budgeting tool with customized features that they can use on a regular basis, just like before. PocketGuard is able to do everything that Mint could do plus more, but before... --- ### How to Be Frugal - The PocketGuard Guide to Simpler Spending > Ever wanted to learn how to be frugal? Our 10 tips for frugal living will help you establish a strong financial foundation you can use to budget better than ever. - Published: 2024-02-15 - Modified: 2024-02-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-be-frugal-the-pocketguard-guide-to-simpler-spending/ - Categories: Personal finance If you want to make sure you have more money in your pocket and increased financial stability, then there’s an important concept you should adopt. This isn’t something that only financial experts know about; it’s a traditional value that we can all learn from - Frugality. Frugality is not just about penny-pinching, it’s about making sure that your money works for your sustainability. Becoming frugal means using your money to the maximum effect possible by eliminating needless spending, making your personal items last for as long as they can, and being wise about the economic and financial choices you make. If you want to become frugal and exercise greater control over your day-to-day budget and your money in general, then you’ve come to the right place. By adopting the frugal mentality, you will be able to create a stable financial foundation, one that will ensure you’re able to make major financial decisions with greater certainty and success. The great thing about frugality is that it is remarkably simple to adopt for most people, and it won’t be long until your sound budgetary decisions pay off dividends with better financial security. What Does Being Frugal Mean? A simple definition of what it means to be frugal is aptly provided by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: ‘Someone characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources. ’ Frugal people make whatever they own last as long as they can, whether that be money, food produce, personal property, or whatever else you can think... --- ### How Do Savings Bonds Work? > Ever wondered how savings bonds work? They represent a stable investment that generates tax-free income on interest, making them ideal for first-time investors. - Published: 2024-01-31 - Modified: 2025-07-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-do-savings-bonds-work/ - Categories: Financial literacy When people start making financial investments with their money they usually want to find something that has a low-risk profile and a steady rate of return. After all, it’s a good idea to start with something stable that will provide guaranteed income over a long period of time. There are a lot of options out there for you to choose from, and you should consult with a financial planning adviser before beginning your investment journey. A popular option for a risk-averse investment opportunity for first-time investors that a good financial adviser will most likely provide you with is a savings bond. In the United States savings bonds are issued by the federal government. Other countries and governments may also issue this type of bond. Savings bonds are categorized as a safe investment as they are guaranteed by the government. If the government is stable, then your savings bond will also be safe. Savings bonds are a great option if you want to take that first step toward creating a better financial future for you and your loved ones. If that sounds like you, or you are interested in learning more about saving bonds generally, then this is the article for you. Let’s start by taking an overview of what exactly saving bonds are. What are Savings Bonds? Savings bonds are designed to help the government raise funds for its borrowing policies. As such, savings bonds act as a way for the state to borrow money from its citizens (and other... --- ### Yes, We Can Do Better With Our Customer Support—We Apologize and Already Apply Solutions to Work on a Big Scale > We're reaching out to you as we understand that some of you have experienced difficulty in contacting our customer support team recentl - Published: 2024-01-17 - Modified: 2024-01-17 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/yes-we-can-do-better-with-our-customer-supportwe-apologize-and-already-apply-solutions-to-work-on-a-big-scale/ - Categories: Recommendations To our valued customers: We're reaching out to you as we understand that some of you have experienced difficulty in contacting our customer support team recently. On behalf of the entire PocketGuard team, we would like to sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you may have experienced. We recognize that some of you, especially our premium members, have had to wait for over a week to hear from our customer support team, which is totally unacceptable. We are not here to only make excuses –we are going to explain why this has happened and inform you about what action we are taking to provide you with the high-quality customer support you deserve. The news that Mint was going to cease operations caught everyone in the budgeting app market off guard, customers and companies alike. We knew that we would likely receive new customers who wanted to continue using a service like Mint; however, we were unprepared for the sheer volume of people who went on to join PocketGuard. Please understand that we are a small startup; we are remarkably passionate about what we do, and we want to provide you with the best service possible. We are proud of the PocketGuard app and what it offers to consumers looking to manage their finances, but we fully recognize that without great customer service, all of that means nothing. We sincerely apologize for not providing you with the customer service you deserve and we're already working on solutions to the issue. Firstly, we... --- ### PocketGuard’s Guide to Investments for Beginners > Investing can seem challenging for beginners but it doesn’t have to be. You can use your money to create a stable future even if you’re new to finances. - Published: 2023-12-26 - Modified: 2023-12-26 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/pocketguards-guide-to-investments-for-beginners/ - Categories: Recommendations Being able to properly manage your finances comes down to two key directions: short-term and long-term. In the short term, creating financial stability requires you to exercise full control over your money, ensuring that you can pay your bills, expenses, etc. without difficulty each month. In the long term, you can help create a better future for yourself and your dependents by investing. There’s a common yet false perception that investing is only for the rich and that ordinary people shouldn’t concern themselves with using their funds as investments. Nothing could be further from the truth, as everyone can stand to benefit from investing. The good news is that there are plenty of investments for beginners; you just need to learn where to start. Investing is important, and if you’ve already taken the first step toward improving your financial situation by managing your money with a budgeting app like PocketGuard, you’re ready for the next stage. This article will help you start by covering the crucial aspects of what exactly investing is and how to approach it, along with some of the best investments you can make as a beginner. In no time at all, you’ll be able to create your very own investment portfolio. What is Investing? Investing involves using personal funds and money to acquire assets with the expectation that their value will appreciate over time. These assets can include tangible items like real estate, art, or gold coins, or they may take the form of financial assets... --- ### ​​18 Ways To Make Money From Home > Check effective ideas on how to make money from home by accomplishing easy tasks on your laptop or smartphone. - Published: 2023-11-24 - Modified: 2023-11-24 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/18-ways-to-make-money-from-home/ - Categories: Savings tips Working from home is a common way of making a living for many people all over the globe. This tendency started to gain momentum since COVID-19 when many businesses switched to remote working mode. In 2022, the number of people in the US choosing remote work rose by 24%. At the same time, 61% of people consider working from home a positive experience and 62% of remote employees state that they are more productive when they work remotely. There are many reasons people choose to work from home today, and the point is that they don’t just choose to work remotely, they strive to work more independently choosing their own pace and managing their schedule with no pressure. We must say that the range of possibilities to earn without leaving your home is truly enormous. Sometimes you don’t even have to possess any prior experience or specific knowledge to do the work, and at the same time, you can use your expertise to unlock your potential and earn more. What captivates those working from home is flexibility and freedom of choice. Doing your work whenever you want and choosing your own pace is a big benefit. And, of course, it’s up to you to choose among different types of projects or activities and select a job that will truly satisfy you. To help you decide, we will share a bunch of ideas on how to make money from home. So, if you want to work remotely full-time or are looking... --- ### Monthly Grocery Budget: Best Tips To Save Your Money > Are you looking for effective hacks for a nutritious grocery budget? Here is your guide on how to spend less and save more. - Published: 2023-11-24 - Modified: 2024-01-05 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/monthly-grocery-budget-best-tips-to-save-your-money/ - Categories: Savings tips Haven’t you ever thought that you spend too much money on grocery bills? You may think that expenses on food can’t be a great part of your budget but grocery bills really gobble your money and you may not even notice it.   Sometimes it’s really hard to control your spending when you are in the market. If you don’t have a precise shopping list, if you come to a grocery shop with an empty stomach, you may buy much more than you expected. If you don’t control your budget and spending, at the end of the month you’ll be shocked how much money you’ve spent just on groceries. Furthermore, it may be hard for you to believe but overspending on groceries may prevent you from reaching your financial goals. Fortunately, there is a way out. You can save on groceries without the necessity to cancel your favorite products or reduce your menu. Today we will share some practical tips for you to track your expenses on groceries and not exceed the limits. But first, let’s make it clear about the average monthly budget and how to calculate it properly. The average cost of groceries per month and how to calculate it What is a monthly grocery budget for the average family? It may be $150-300, depending on many factors, including age, food preferences, location, stores (because prices differ), and quality of the food you buy. According to USDA, a weekly nutritious grocery budget for one family member can reach... --- ### Need a Mint Alternative? PocketGuard’s Got You and Your Change Covered > The news that the budgeting app Mint was being shut down by its parent company, Intuit, has been poorly received. Look at worthy successor in Pocketguard, an all-in-one budgeting app that already has a large number of enthusiastic users. - Published: 2023-11-10 - Modified: 2024-01-30 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/need-a-mint-alternative-pocketguards-got-you-and-your-change-covered/ - Categories: Recommendations The news that the budgeting app Mint was being shut down by its parent company, Intuit, has been poorly received online, with many of its users taking to social media websites like Reddit to share their dismay. It should perhaps not come as much of a surprise as the app’s infrastructure has not received much support over the last few years. That is a small comfort however to the app’s loyal users, for whom it had become an essential part of their daily routine. According to an article published by Bloomberg Mint had a total of 3. 6 million users in 2021, a considerable fall from Mint’s own claim in 2016 that it had 20 million users. Despite that precipitous drop in its list of users, it's clear from the consternation on Reddit threads and forum posts that the app still has a hardcore group of users who now don’t know how they’ll manage their finances. The clock is ticking, as the app will be completely shut down by January 1, 2024; they need to find an alternative service by this point. The good news for those gnashing their teeth and tearing their clothes about the demise of Mint is that there is already an alternative available that doesn’t just match its capabilities but actually surpasses the app. This is not the successor to Mint as even its parent company Intuit admits that Credit Karma doesn’t have many of the key functions currently offered by Mint, making it a poor... --- ### Intuit is shutting Mint down. Mint users should consider switching to PocketGuard > If you are injured by Mint shutdown, explore PocketGuard, a free budgeting app with reliable functions, data safety, and adaptive support - Published: 2023-11-06 - Modified: 2024-01-19 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/mint-shutting-down-what-should-mint-users-do-now/ - Categories: Recommendations Intuit has made an announcement that Mint, an application for finance management, will stop existing by the 1st of January 2024. Therefore, all of the Mint customers should switch to Credit Karma which is also powered by Intuit. Such a decision provoked resentment on the part of Mint’s Reddit community. For 15 years of its existence, Mint has allowed users all over the globe to store their financial data within the app. Apart from that, Intuit’s help center published an article stating that some options, e. g. budgeting, won’t be available in the new app. So, it’s quite obvious why users got disappointed. What should Mint users do now? Unfortunately, Mint and Credit Karma are no longer personal finance companies, but advertising companies. If you’re an existing Mint user and wondering how you should best manage your finances going forward, we would strongly encourage you to consider PocketGuard - a budgeting app that has better budgeting functionality, does not sell your data, and shows no ads. Our mission is to simplify people’s financial lives by helping them take control of their finances and make the right decisions to accomplish their dreams. In case you would like to get the most out of PocketGuard and our premium functionality - you can upgrade your account to a Plus subscription. Why PocketGuard? We align company interests with your interests. It’s hard to overstate the importance of this. When you are paying for the service, you are the customer. You call the shots, and... --- ### Managing Debt Wisely: Strategies to Pay Off Debt and Improve Financial Health > Explore effective strategies to pay off debt and improve financial health, including budgeting, debt repayment methods, and increasing income. - Published: 2023-08-15 - Modified: 2025-07-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/managing-debt-wisely-strategies-to-pay-off-debt-and-improve-financial-health/ - Categories: Debt repayment Debt is a reality for many Americans. According to the Federal Reserve, total household debt in the U. S. reached over $16 trillion in the first quarter of 2022. While some debt like mortgages and student loans can be productive, high levels of consumer debt like credit cards or payday loans can become overwhelming and damaging to financial health. The key is learning how to manage debt wisely. With some practical strategies, you can effectively pay off debt and build stronger finances.   Assess Your Current Debt Situation The first step is to get a clear picture of your existing debts. Make a list of all debts you owe with the amount owed, interest rates, and minimum payments. This debt inventory allows you to see your total debt, understand how much you pay each month, and identify any high-interest debts that are costing you more in interest. You can use a spreadsheet or debt payoff calculator to track all of this information in one place.   Create a Budget A budget is essential for managing your income and expenses wisely. Track your net monthly income after taxes. Then list out all of your necessary living expenses like housing, utilities, food, transportation, and minimum debt payments. The goal is to find areas where you can cut back discretionary spending and free up money to pay off debts faster.   Look for places where you can reduce costs, like eating out less, canceling unused subscriptions, or finding cheaper insurance rates. Finding an... --- ### <strong>Six tips to help you to start living frugally in 2023</strong> > Here are six best tips to help you plan your budget and save money. PocketGuard experts explain how to avoid unnecessary expenses and improve your spending habits. - Published: 2023-02-07 - Modified: 2023-08-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/six-tips-to-help-you-to-start-living-frugally-in-2023/ - Categories: Financial literacy Did you also make a resolution that you'll start saving money in 2023? Well, the first step towards this goal is to figure out how to start living frugally. Here are six tips to help you get started: Make a budget and stick to it First of all, make a budget and stick to it. A budget will help you track your spending, see where you can cut back, and save money. To make a budget, start by tracking your income and expenses for a month. Then, create a list of all your expenses and categorize them. After that, you can start setting limits on your spending. Make sure to include savings in your budget. Finally, review your budget regularly and make adjustments as needed. Cut out unnecessary expenses Cutting out the things that don't truly make us happy or allow us to reach a financial goal will put us in a much better long-term position. When fuel costs rise, look for ways to cut back on gas usage, like carpooling with coworkers or reducing extra trips. Take opportunities to consolidate accounts that may have high monthly minimums so that long-term debt stays in check. Long term loans can cause stress, which is why it's crucial to know every detail about them. Doing it now will pay off down the road. Meal plan and cook at home Meal planning and cooking at home more often can be the perfect way to ensure you get all the nutrition your body needs... --- ### Is It Okay To Keep Paying Your Mortgage After You Retire? > Can you benefit from paying off your mortgage in retirement? What drawbacks can you stumble upon? PocketGuard explains all the risks and offers solutions. - Published: 2022-11-28 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/is-it-okay-to-keep-paying-your-mortgage-after-you-retire/ - Categories: Debt repayment Your financial life is affected by retirement in various ways. Since you won't receive a paycheck anymore, you'll have to rely on other income sources like savings and Social Security. Additionally, there's a significant probability that once you leave the workforce, you'll be living on a fixed salary with less money in your pocket. You should continue working when you still have a lot of debt because retiring requires you to stretch a smaller income further. If you have a mortgage debt, you should ask yourself these questions to determine whether retiring before you pay it off will make financial sense. 1. How will a mortgage change your monthly spending plan? What effect will your mortgage have on your capacity to make ends meet? This is the first important question to ask yourself while determining whether or not to retire with a mortgage. Consider your savings growing at a safe withdrawal rate and the money you will receive from Social Security. Consider delaying loan repayment until retirement if your mortgage consumes too much of it and leaves you short on cash. 2. Can you cover your mortgage even if something terrible happens? If you have a mortgage on your home, you must ensure you can still manage it even if things don't work out as you had hoped. When you are retired and unable to find employment again, facing foreclosure is terrible. You want to go through this as you attempt to recover from the harm that losing your home... --- ### Microfinancing and the Alleviation of Poverty > Learn the ins and outs of microfinancing, discover how it works, and how it affects poverty reduction. This information might change your life for the better! - Published: 2022-08-29 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/microfinancing-and-the-alleviation-of-poverty/ - Categories: Financial literacy Microfinancing and poverty alleviation are two important issues that deserve attention. The microfinancing gateway can give individuals a head start with their enterprise. In addition, microfinance can help people access essential services such as healthcare and education. These factors make micro financing a powerful tool for poverty alleviation. In the following, we’ll look at how microfinancing can assist in the alleviation of poverty. What is Microfinance? Microfinancing is a term used to describe the provision of financial services to low-income individuals or groups who do not have access to traditional banking services. It includes a wide range of services such as micro-savings, micro-insurance, and micro-credit. Microfinance has gained popularity in recent years as a tool for poverty alleviation. Why is microfinancing a good thing? This is because microfinance programs can help many with starting or expanding small businesses, which can create jobs and generate income. In addition, microfinance can help people gain access to essential services such as healthcare and education. There are several microfinance companies that provide financial services to low-income individuals and groups. These companies typically offer a range of products and services, including micro-savings, micro-insurance, and micro-credit. What is Poverty Alleviation? Poverty alleviation is the process of reducing poverty. We can define poverty in absolute or relative terms. Absolute poverty is a condition where citizens lack the necessities of life, such as food, shelter, and clothing. Relative poverty is a condition where citizens lack the means to participate fully in society. Poverty alleviation is an important goal for many... --- ### Is Now A Good Time To Refinance Your Mortgage? > How about refinancing your mortgage? Here is a useful article to help you understand whether you need refinancing and what advantages you might get if you do so. - Published: 2022-06-22 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/is-now-a-good-time-to-refinance-your-mortgage/ - Categories: Debt repayment With the many factors to consider in mortgage refinancing, many homeowners wonder if now is the right time to refinance their mortgage. Refinancing your mortgage has a lot of advantages, like helping you to manage your debt. However, one has to be sure that it is the right thing to do. There are several reasons why refinancing your mortgage might be the best thing to do or not. In my opinion, the advantages are more. Here are some reasons why it is an excellent time to refinance your mortgage. You can consider refinancing if you meet these conditions. If not, you should drop the idea for now. Refinancing your mortgage will earn you lower monthly payments With a mortgage, you know you will not be having the whole of your salary to yourself. However, if the chunk you have to take from it is too big to keep you living on the remainder, it is a good time to refinance your mortgage. With the number of responsibilities one has to cater to every day, any reduction in the salary means a lot. Having that reduction reduced is a reason why refinancing your mortgage now is a smart move. Refinancing your mortgage will earn you better loan policies If the policies under which you got your loan are getting too tedious for you, it is time for you to refinance your mortgage. Your mortgage might not be convenient to maintain, but it should not be too hard. If you find it... --- ### Best Resources for Student Financial Literacy > We have collected the best resources to help every student improve financial literacy. Here are proven websites, apps, books, and tools for smart budget decisions. - Published: 2021-12-15 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/best-resources-for-student-financial-literacy/ - Categories: Financial literacy Know the Score As a student, you need to focus on your financial literacy and on your academic performance. A recent survey found that only 65% of the students taking loans actually have a plan to return them on time and in full. Another assessment showed that 1 in 5 students does not have even the basic financial skills. These stats do not bode well for students’ mental health and educational attainments. Bad financial management leads to excessive debt, ensuing stress, and an inextricable link to poor grades. Simply put, you have to bump up against financial literacy lest you want to risk the quality of your education and long-term career aspirations. Recommended Resources Set aside time to search resources properly, and build in specific slots in your schedule dedicated to learning. There’s no shortage of guides, books, and online resources, and we’ve done some legwork for you so that you don’t have to start from scratch. Below, you’ll find a list of recommended resources well tested and used by thousands of students. Finance Course in College It would be a safe bet to start with what your college has to offer. Most likely, your school has finance classes available for students, so make appropriate inquiries. Talk to peers or tutors to find out more. Those classes are usually tailored to student needs and the types of services college students require most. Government Resources Don’t miss out on the government resources on financial management, budget planning, or financial literacy writ large. A lot of... --- ### Bankruptcy Myths You Should Know > These are the key points you need to know in case you want to file for bankruptcy. PocketGuard dispels popular myths and helps you deal with confusing statements. - Published: 2021-11-12 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/bankruptcy-myths-you-should-know/ - Categories: Financial literacy While considering filing for bankruptcy you have probably discovered some bankruptcy myths. They can be pretty confusing and some of the answers you search can even be confusing. Everyone Will Know I Filed Bankruptcy -Nope! - Unless you’re famous then there’s a pretty good chance the only people who will find out are your creditors and anyone you accidentally tell. There’s no list that goes out, except to your creditors, announcing that you have filed bankruptcy. I Will Never Be Able To Buy Anything Again -False! - Firstly, there’s no laws saying you can’t buy a house or a car or anything after you have received a discharge from bankruptcy. Secondly, depending on where your credit score was before you filed bankruptcy, in some cases bankruptcy can raise your credit score. While you may not want to go our trying to finance a house or a car the day after your bankruptcy was discharged you can definitely do these things after a bankruptcy. I Will Never Get Credit Again -Nah! - You will most likely start receiving credit card offers while you are still in your bankruptcy. We do not recommend applying for credit cards while you are still under bankruptcy protection. You Get To Choose Which Bills To List -No Way! - By law you have to list everyone you owe money to. And this is true even if your sister’s friend’s cousin told you they didn’t have to list all their bills in their bankruptcy. Filing Bankruptcy Will... --- ### Black Friday Survival Tips > Black Friday might be challenging but PocketGuard is here to help! Use these tips and tricks to benefit from Black Friday with no worries. - Published: 2021-11-05 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/black-friday-survival-tips/ - Categories: Recommendations Black Friday Survival Tips and Tricks Oh, Black Friday! The day you’re probably waiting for to get your hands on that cool TV, or perhaps that cozy bed at the lowest price ever. Whatever it is, you probably aren’t the only one eyeing it; there are millions of hungry eyes watching too, eagerly waiting to lay their hands on it come Black Friday. The shopping fever always hits its peak during this time, and you definitely can’t afford to miss Black Friday deals, right? This article will give you some Black Friday survival tips and tricks so you know how to survive Black Friday in 2021. How to survive Black Friday: 10 Black Friday survival tips and tricks! 1. Plan your shopping trip Planning your trip tops the Black Friday rules of survival. There are a few things you need to consider before you head out: which items do you need the most, and which stores are you going to buy from. Check your retailer’s website and social media platforms for updates and product availability. Make your shopping list and see where you’ll be buying each item, so you can map out your route effectively. Consider your method of payment, whether you’ll be using cash or a credit card. The earlier you plan your day, the more organized you will be when Black Friday finally sets in. 2. Get plenty of sleep Replenish your energy with a good night’s sleep. You’ll allow your body and mind to recharge, leaving you alert... --- ### Unique Budgeting Tips To Handle Financial Crunch While Having Low Funds > Saving money even with low funds is easy with PocketGuard! What you need are these useful tips that will help you settle your debts and budget wisely. - Published: 2021-09-20 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/unique-budgeting-tips-to-handle-financial-crunch-while-having-low-funds/ - Categories: Personal finance Saving money can be hard, even when you’re making a decent salary. Because the truth of the matter is, more money can rarely ever help you get out of a tight spot. The only way that “more money” can ever be helpful is if you are spending it responsibly. And one of the best ways that you can save money is by budgeting out your expenses. You may want to save money for various reasons. Chances are that you want to settle credit card debt or just want to save up for a rainy day. Regardless, budgeting can help. Here are a few tips to help you make a better budget. Include Expenses for Small Incidentals Smaller expenses throughout your day rarely ever make it to the budget. However, these small expenses can usually amount to major expenses at the end of the month. Even if it is only $2, spending it every day can make it balloon. These types of purchases are usually very discreet and are wants rather than needs. Therefore, you should be able to cut them out of the budget if you are looking to increase your cash flow. Have a Fixed Amount of Savings Every Month Most people try budgeting to save money, yet they don’t make it a fixed expense. Fixed expenses are parts of your budget that you cannot compromise on. So instead of allotting a specific amount, people just keep away whatever they have left at the end of the month. Instead of simply... --- ### Useful Financial Tips for College Graduates > Here are effective tips for graduates who want to improve their finances with no stress. Start managing your money wisely today to be wealthy and happy in future. - Published: 2021-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/useful-financial-tips-for-college-graduates/ - Categories: Savings tips While many graduates are excited to embark on their journey after college, some may be anxious about the financial difference between life as a student and a graduate. Although it’s a big milestone to complete college, it’s important to shift focus onto the next milestone as soon as possible: financial stability. Believe it or not, college expenses can be less stressful compared to expenses after graduating. Whether you have a full-time or part-time job, the expenses after graduation will likely increase dramatically, and it’s important to find productive ways to manage your finances. There are a number of factors to consider when entering into the real world after being a student. Not only do you have to worry about finding a job to sustain yourself, but you also might need to find a place to stay and begin your new lifestyle — which can be expensive. However, it is vital to stay focused and maintain a positive outlook when establishing your plan, because no matter what happens, there is always a way to overcome such major financial challenges. In the meantime, here are some useful financial tips to consider as you enter the real world after college. Create a budget Some college graduates make the mistake of not investing time into budgeting, and then struggle to find ways to improve financially. However, creating a budget is an essential tool to better your financial health. It helps you monitor your income, expenses, and debt when you aren’t sure where all your money is... --- ### Five Ways to Avoid Debt You Don’t Need > Avoiding debt can be simple if you follow professional advice from PocketGuard. Learn what you need to do to save your budget and how to take care of your finances. - Published: 2021-06-23 - Modified: 2025-07-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/five-ways-to-avoid-debt-you-dont-need/ - Categories: Debt repayment Many experts would say debt is the modern-day form of slavery. Always having an open balance with creditors is a sure way to continue working throughout life much longer than you’d expect. Only certain debt is viewed this way while others are used as leverage to get ahead. Consumer debt and debt from education are the main triggers to one’s financial struggles. Some debt that people typically accumulate can be avoided and alternative solutions are much better options. Substantial Debt for Secondary Education Isn’t Necessary Student loan debt in America is currently in the trillions of dollars and millions of Americans have no way to pay it back. Degrees are beginning to lose their value in the workplace, just ask Google. Employers are now valuing hands-on experience over book knowledge. Only some degrees still hold the value that they always have had. Degrees that are necessary to earn are: ● Medical degrees ● Law degrees ● Engineering degrees ● Science degrees ● Psychology degrees There are still other degrees that hold a requirement as well, but some companies or industries are beginning to look past it. The average student loan debt is $39,451 in the United States and some citizens don’t earn a salary that high. Americans are anxiously waiting on student loan debt to be at least partially canceled if Biden and Congress reach that conclusion. Secondary education is good to have for career development or building a business, but a more frugal approach should be considered. Opt for trade schools,... --- ### PocketGuard Partners with Bend Financial to Launch Budget Management Solutions for Healthcare Expenses > PocketGuard has entered into a partnership with Bend Financial to provide its customers with the best healthcare budgeting solutions. Learn all the details here. - Published: 2021-05-06 - Modified: 2024-01-05 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/pocketguard-partners-with-bend-financial-to-launch-budget-management-solutions-for-healthcare-expenses/ - Categories: Savings tips PocketGuard, an intuitive money management tool for income and expenditure monitoring, has announced a partnership with Bend Financial, an industry-leading health savings account (HSA) provider. This collaboration will provide PocketGuard customers with the opportunity to open Bend’s next-generation HSA designed to simplify health savings accounts and make maximizing their benefits easy. PocketGuard is committed to integrating new features and ensuring all-in-one access to budget tracking — now including healthcare. With this agreement, the company is not only upgrading its available features but also expanding to provide customers with a user-friendly HSA solution tailored to meet each user’s unique needs. PocketGuard and Bend work together to offer effective money management and create a comprehensive picture of each customer’s financial situation. “We’re glad to work with such a noted market innovator as Bend. With our longtime expertise in money management app creation and Bend’s vision of helping everyone achieve better financial health, we’re launching a multifunctional tool that empowers our clients to track and observe their budgets more effectively. This release will help our users monitor their spending, including healthcare expenses, and make the most of any savings opportunities,” PocketGuard’s COO Anna Kuzmenko stated. Through this strategic partnership, Bend will reach new audiences and help users optimize tax benefits and healthcare spending and saving through their HSA. The company will rely on the PocketGuard team’s expertise to guarantee their users the best approach to money management. “At Bend, we’re committed to helping our accountholders and partners improve their financial wellness, spanning beyond just health... --- ### How to Manage Your Money Better > Learn these useful tips to manage your finances better, plan your budget, eliminate debts and even save money to be financially confident even after retirement - Published: 2020-09-22 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-manage-your-money-better/ - Categories: Personal finance Money management is essential if you want to build a comfortable lifestyle for yourself and keep out of financial trouble. However, many Americans struggle with managing their money. Nearly 40% of American adults report that they wouldn’t be able to come up with $400 in case of an emergency. That’s shocking, considering unexpected expenses pop up from time to time. If you want to prepare for the worst and increase your financial well-being, check out this simple advice. Create a budget A budget is an essential money management tool. It enables you to keep track of your income and expenses, monitor your spending, and put aside money for future goals. With a budget, you’ll be able to know exactly where your money is going and it will be easier to find areas where you can cut back and save. Although some people may have a general idea of what their spending looks like each month, many fail to actually write down an actual budget. Why is this? It’s because people believe that coming up with a budget will be a tedious and boring process — they’ll have to tally up their expenses and do a bit of accounting. However, it’s one of the most important steps you can take if you want to manage your money better, so in the long run, the effort will likely be worth it. If adding up everything yourself is too much trouble, though, there are all kinds of budget templates and tools available for free online.... --- ### How to Manage Your Money while Unemployed > If you are unemployed you need to take special control over your budget. Here are tips for you to manage your money being unemployed and even stretch your budget. - Published: 2020-09-02 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-manage-your-money-while-unemployed/ - Categories: Personal finance After months of economic stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, experts estimate that 1 in 6 Americans are currently unemployed. And for most people, unemployment means financial uncertainty. For a few months, the government provided an extra $600 per week in benefits for eligible unemployed workers, which helped many folks stay afloat — but those checks stopped coming on July 31st. Now, if you’re unemployed, chances are you’re going to have to start looking for new ways to save money. No one knows for sure when the pandemic, or the resulting unemployment crisis, will come to an end. With that in mind, you should prepare to make some sustainable changes to your budget and lifestyle. Here are some tips on how to stretch your unemployment benefits, and manage your money while unemployed. File for unemployment ASAP. The first step of your unemployment budgeting journey is filing an unemployment insurance claim. Unemployment benefits will replace a portion of your income (but not all of it), to ensure that your cash flow isn’t entirely cut off after a layoff. The weekly benefit varies nationally between a low of $235/week in Mississippi to a high of $823. Calculate your unemployment benefits before you get them. Keep in mind that it might take a few weeks for your claim to be processed and your benefits to be issued. It’s best to start budgeting right away, but before you start planning your unemployment budget, it helps to get an idea of what kind of benefits you’re in... --- ### How to Find Financial Confidence as a Freelancer > Being a freelancer means flexibility and control over your earnings. But how to succeed in it? Here is how to be financially confident if you are a freelancer. - Published: 2020-04-16 - Modified: 2023-09-20 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-find-financial-confidence-as-a-freelancer/ - Categories: Recommendations Nearly 60 million individuals throughout the United States are freelancers, and that number is expected to continue climbing over the course of the next ten years. Freelancing has many benefits, including working when and where you want and choosing how much or how little time you want to put in. That said, being your own boss requires attentiveness to important financial details that you wouldn’t otherwise need to think about when working for someone else. Protect your hard-earned money and sustain your financial freedom by finding your financial confidence as a freelancer. Know Your Health Insurance Options Choosing health insurance can be challenging, but if you freelance, in addition to working a full-time job, you likely don’t need to worry about this. If you’re able to get health insurance through a spouse or parent’s plan, or you’re also in the clear. However, if you’re not on a spouse’s, parent’s or job’s health insurance plan, you need to find your own. Not only are you required to have health insurance, as of January 1, 2019, but depending on where you live, some states require you to have health insurance to avoid a tax penalty. Even more importantly, if you have an emergency or develop a serious illness, you risk being unable to afford the out of pocket costs. In fact, a 2019 health insurance survey of nearly 2,000 individuals in the United States found that more than 80 percent of uninsured respondents who had an emergency either could not afford the... --- ### Could Real Estate Be a Perfect Second Job? > You can earn extra money by working part-time as a real estate agent. Is this work for you? What should you do to start working in real estate? Find out now. - Published: 2020-03-19 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/could-real-estate-be-a-perfect-second-job/ - Categories: Financial literacy When most people think about a second or after-school job, they usually consider taking on a retail position at their local big-box store or picking up a few hours as a barista. Few people probably think of becoming a licensed real estate agent as a way to help make ends meet. But, the truth is that this unique profession is perfectly suited for the part-time worker. Flexible Hours & Low Startup Costs Getting started as a real estate agent doesn’t require a storefront and there aren’t any start-up costs associated with it. In fact, it requires very little at all. While some classes are required, you often do have the option to take them online to maximize your freedom and flexibility as you work toward your certification. Additionally, some courses required for your real estate license may even count toward your college degree. Questions to Ask Before You Begin A real estate job in college is a great option for some people, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. Before you hit the ground running, ask yourself these questions: Do I have the right work ethic? Exceptional time-management skills are a must in real estate. You’ll need to work hard with little supervision. Am I a self-starter? Do you need someone to outline your tasks before you begin, or are you able to prioritize your work and get started on your own? How fluent am I with social media? Today’s real estate market requires agents to know how to communicate, advertise... --- ### How to Escape Payday Loan Debt in the Best Possible Ways? > If you are already trapped in payday loan debt, here is your lifesaver. Use these tips to escape such debt and continue living in financial freedom. - Published: 2020-03-13 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-escape-payday-loan-debt-in-the-best-possible-ways/ - Categories: Debt repayment Payday loans are the most disastrous of all debts. If you have the means, then counter the line I just said. I am going to list you several reasons, as of why they are something, you should never really aim to borrow. Payday loans often times carry 300% interest rates! Isn’t that enough to keep you away from them? ? ! Payday loans have huge penalty fees, and many of these loans are traded by illegal and fraud companies. These lenders exist to loot your money. It is not our concern, in this post, to make you aware of the deadly characteristics of payday loans. Instead, we are taking it a bit further and will discuss how you can clear your payday loan debt, if you are already trapped in them for quite a long time. Hence, gear up and know in what ways you can escape payday loan debt. To clear the debt in full, you need a good income: It is a payday loan’s intrinsic nature to have sky-high interest rates. And, this is the sole reason that makes it so difficult to pay them off. A $500 payday loan can easily become $2000 in a couple of months’ time. Therefore, you should try to clear it in one blow. And, the only way to do so, is to have a nice income, that lets you accomplish the one-time heavy payment, while taking care of all your other monthly financial needs. But, is this the only criterion to... --- ### How to budget: Your first step to financial security > In this article, you will find out how to plan your budget and stay financially secure. Learn how to structure your finances and control your expenses now. - Published: 2019-12-19 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-budget-your-first-step-to-financial-security/ - Categories: Personal finance Most of us don’t feel the requirement of a fully structured out budget, when it comes to securing our finances. But, without a budget our finance can turn into a wasteland within a little time, independent of how much we earn. It’s not that you can’t work without a budget, it’s just that reducing the money mess, and tightening our financial security, is the concern. And, a well organized finance does require a budget to function. It’s like the Random Access Memory (RAM) of finances. More RAM means more power, it’s just that simple a fact. However, most of us remain ignorant of personal financial security, and can never realize how essential a budget is for protecting our finances. Money is all about calculations, and budget will give a nice infrastructure to hold enough room for fitting in all the numbers with proper detail and predictions. Welcome to the world of Budgeting. Here is a budget guide that will indulge you to go for at least one of the few budgeting strategies, discussed here. Make sure, you are not neglecting the little pain you might have to take, so as to reap real profits in the future. You deserve this little brain work and a slight struggle, if you are aiming to achieve financial happiness. Let’s get that slight sweat running then, to gain some huge benefits with the effects of budgeting, for financial protection. Your income influences your budget to a great extent-Form your budget accordingly: Your income restricts... --- ### Simple Steps Toward Financial Confidence > Do you want to be financially confident? PocketGuard professionals are here to help you. Learn how to change your money mindset and grow your financial confidence. - Published: 2019-10-22 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/simple-steps-toward-financial-confidence/ - Categories: Financial literacy Financial insecurity and the struggle to live according to a certain standard can erode your confidence in your financial situation. In financially vulnerable households and among young adults, low financial confidence is more prevalent. According to research by Bank of America, 51% of millennials feel behind in their overall financial situation and 33% believe their mates are better off financially, while 73% are not optimistic about their financial future. Maybe, your regular wages cannot help you overcome that financial anxiety. Or your situation may not be so dire, but you’re tired of the mundane and want to stay rich. Whatever your situation, we researched confident financial solutions geared towards helping you overcome your anxiety and grow your financial confidence. What is Financial Confidence? True financial confidence is not found in keeping your dream job, or earning a huge paycheck, or even stashing cash in your bank account. Simply, Financial Confidence can be defined as having whatever it takes to financially sustain your lifestyle despite economic downtimes. For instance, if you can handle your financial situation comfortably after losing your job or facing an economic meltdown, then you are financially confident. Of course, when it comes to financial confidence vs financial freedom, people often think that they have the same meaning. For instance, when your passive earnings have dropped drastically and money keeps rolling, you can say you have attained financial freedom. But having financial confidence means that you live comfortably on your earnings regardless of what happens externally. And yes,... --- ### A guide to conquering debts and taking back that happy life! > Get ready to forget about your debts and start living happily again! Here are effective ways to get financial freedom and never come back to debt. - Published: 2019-09-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/a-guide-to-conquering-debts-and-taking-back-that-happy-life/ - Categories: Debt repayment Debts are tedious, debts are frightening, and debts never want to leave your back. You may try to end it by just making the normal payments, but you might also just end up spending more money on them and never quite eradicate the debt amounts fully. The interest rate is the main factor that makes the debts so powerful. And for unsecured debts, the interest rates are bigger and more tough! So many things to keep in mind, before you incur debts, yet only a small percentage of the population actually consider those dark aspects and take on debts. This sweet post isn’t meant to scare you about debts. Rather it is making easier for you to conquer debts and take back that happy life again, which you so much deserve. You don’t want to forever remain in debts and deprive yourself of all the success stories this wonderful life has to offer you. Hence, you are required to know the methods and steps discussed down here, for easy debt pay off tricks to save money on the debt payments, and eventually get more wealth stacked in to enjoy the vibrant future, that awaits you. Knowing good debts and bad debts — unsecured debts and secured debts: Debts have a very interesting usage in building this society or human civilization. They are not existing just like that. It is a requirement, that they be made available to us, for taking this mankind further. Debt is a generosity, that you have... --- ### 4 Tips for Filing Your Taxes > Filing taxes can be stressless if you follow simple rules. In this article, we share 4 tips for proper and easy taxes filing, so stick to them to do it right. - Published: 2019-02-12 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/4-tips-for-filing-your-taxes/ - Categories: Recommendations Many Americans are familiar with the overwhelming struggle and stress that tax season brings. There’s paperwork to keep track of, numbers to crunch, and strategy involved in paying your contributions to the IRS. To help relieve some of the woes tax season brings, we have 4 tips to help you file your taxes properly this year. Don’t let another season of tariffs and turmoil go by until you’ve read this guide. 1. Early is On Time and On Time is Late You’ve probably heard this one before — and this motto definitely rings true when tax season rolls around. So follow these words of wisdom before the tax deadline passes you by. It’s easy to “forget” or avoid paying your taxes in a timely measure. But waiting until the last minute to file your taxes could end up being a costly mistake if you end up missing a deadline. The IRS is known for their appreciation for punctuality, and here are some of the penalties you may be hit with if you fail to file your taxes: A longer wait to receive your tax return Failure to File (FTF) penalty 5% per month or partial month up to 25% maximum Failure to File (FTF) penalty 0. 5% per month or partial month up to 25% maximum When dealing with the IRS or any other hard deadlines on your calendar, it’s best to use a time-management tool to help you keep track of your important dates and priorities. Set periodic reminders for yourself... --- ### What Makes Successful Traders? > Find out the story of successful traders. If you want to be one, learn these useful tips as these are your perfect guidelines to become a successful trader. - Published: 2019-01-22 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-makes-successful-traders/ - Categories: Investing Just like Warren Buffet says, “You can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant. ” Sadly, this is the mindset of most beginner traders. The majority believe trading is a quick fix — invest, profit, and before you know it, you’re the town’s next billionaire. Winning traders do not just happen overnight. For you to succeed, you must put in the time and effort to make it happen. They are risk-takers who are constantly on the move, searching for new opportunities in the trading market. The article discusses the principles that you should follow to ensure that your trading enterprise is a success. Mixing all of this can assist boost your chances of earning and put you on the list of rising stock market stars. Successful Traders The trading industry is teeming with skilled traders who have concentrated on beating all odds to profit from an unbalanced financial market. Paul Tudor Jones rose to prominence following a near-$100 million profit from stock shorting during the 1987 market meltdown. In 1992, George Soros became known as “The Man Who Broke the Bank of England” when he made a $1 billion profit by short-selling $10 billion worth of British pounds. When the subprime mortgage lending market collapsed in 2007, John Paulson of Paulson & Co. became one of the most efficacious dealers in the world after generating billions of dollars utilizing credit default swaps to short the market. How to Become a Successful Trader? Many people assume that being a... --- ### Top tips for beginner traders in shares > Do you want to understand share trading better? Read this guide to know how to start making extra money even if you are a newbie in share trading. - Published: 2018-07-24 - Modified: 2024-01-05 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/top-tips-for-beginner-traders-in-shares/ - Categories: Investing The world of shares and stocks can seem very intimidating to newcomers. The complicated terminology and frequent talk of risk is enough to put many people off. However, if you know what you’re doing, it is also a great way of making money for quite little effort. If you have managed to identify the amount of spending money you have using PocketGuard and are looking for a smart way of investing it, then share trading is a good option. This guide will give you an understanding of how you can get into share trading, as well as providing the confidence you will need to begin investing. Set your parameters of success Before doing anything else, you have to think about why you are looking to trade shares. It could be for any number of reasons, from saving money for your retirement to paying off your student loan, or for your kids’ college expenses. You then have to think about your overall objectives. How much money are you aiming to make from share trading and how quickly do you need it? Once you have identified your parameters for success, then you can venture into share trading with a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Ensure you have the spare capital for investment You have to set aside money for investment that you do not need for anything else. It is a very bad idea to use money that you need to pay your rent or to settle your utility... --- ### The Newbie’s Guide to PocketGuard > This is a quick and easy guide to help you use PocketGuard effectively. Just a few clicks to start planning your budget, saving money, and living happily. - Published: 2018-06-27 - Modified: 2024-04-04 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-newbies-guide-to-pocketguard/ - Categories: Recommendations How to use PocketGuard? Step 1: Connect accounts and set up recurring payments First of all, you need to connect your checking, credit, and savings accounts, as this is what makes your budgeting smarter. We can tell you what you're spending, where to save, and remind you when credit card bills are due. The more accounts you link, the smarter your budgeting will be. Afterward, double-check we detected your Recurring Bills and Income correctly. We do this automatically with the help of a sophisticated algorithm, but no one is perfect. This part of the set-up is crucial, as bills and paychecks are at the heart of every budget. To find out what should be added as Bills and Income, please read the following articles: Bills Income OR use PocketGuard without connecting bank accounts Our team understands that some people might feel unsafe entering their bank credentials to connect accounts to the app. Even though PocketGuard is completely secure and protected by numerous measures, we have manual tracking features that will help users use the app without connecting accounts. To use PocketGuard this way, you should add your transactions to our internal accounts - cash accounts. NOTE: you would still be able to connect your bank accounts anytime. Step 2: Check your monthly and daily budget with "IN MY POCKET" Now your "IN MY POCKET" is ready. This feature is the jewel of PocketGuard. Its unique algorithm makes calculations based on your bills, income, savings goals' contributions, and ongoing expenses and... --- ### How to go about finding an investment advisor that you can trust > Find out how to pick a trustworthy investment advisor. PocketGuard explains where to look for financial advisors, how to choose them, and how much it can cost. - Published: 2018-06-19 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-go-about-finding-an-investment-advisor-that-you-can-trust/ - Categories: Savings tips by Dakota Murphey With a competent financial advisor by your side, you can make informed decisions about your investment and wealth planning. But how do you go about finding someone who will give you professional advice that’s in your best interest, and find financial products that deliver the best return for you? Start by asking the right questions and do some research. Check professional qualifications and experience Before you instruct any financial advisor, be sure to check their qualifications and level of experience. By law, investment advisors must have Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) endorsed professional qualifications such as an FCA recognised Diploma in Financial Planning (DipPFS), a Transitional Qualification and gap-fill, and a valid Statement of Professional Standing (SPS). In addition, they must have at least 1 year’s supervised (or 3 years’ unsupervised) experience in Financial Planning and be on the FCA register. Ideally, you want someone who is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) as indication of their serious financial planning credentials. Choose an independent advisor An independent financial advisor (IFA) is a free agent able to work on your behalf offering impartial advice. This means that he has access to the whole of the financial market when selecting the most appropriate products for your requirements, rather than having to select products or investment vehicles from specific providers. Some IFAs are restricted advisors, meaning they specialise in a single area of personal finance, offering advice on a limited number of products... --- ### Finding the finances to start your first business > Personal business opens up new horizons and possibilities as well as promises extra revenue. Learn what you need to do to succeed in your business from the start. - Published: 2018-03-22 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/finding-the-finances-to-start-your-first-business/ - Categories: Recommendations The benefits of entrepreneurialism are tempting: freedom and flexibility, a chance to profit off your own hard work, and potential rewards far beyond those possible by way of a conventional career. But launching a new venture takes start-up capital and pulling together enough money to give yourself a practical runway can be a challenge. Here are five options that others have used to succeed: Go to the bank You need money; banks have money. It’s a match made in heaven .  .  . maybe. You can make an appointment with a bank or lender, but it’s going to take some work up front. You’ll also want to carefully weigh the pros and cons. Bank funding requires collateral and a convincing business plan. You have to convince the lender that you’ll be able to pay the money back, and your business is likely to make money in the first place. That means you have demonstrable expertise, you’ve invested in crafting a professional, detailed business plan that you can share, and you already own something of value (usually a house). It also means that you’re gambling against your future, and if your business fails, or fails to grow and produce a profit fast enough, you stand to lose a lot. There’s also the interest to consider. Credit and bank loans usually require regular payments against the loan, and the interest keeps accruing until the whole thing is paid off — meaning you’re paying extra for the privilege of having the money now. It works like... --- ### Tips For Understanding Bitcoin > Bitcoin explained by the PocketGuard professionals. Discover the key points that will help you understand everything you wanted to know about Bitcoin. - Published: 2018-02-28 - Modified: 2023-09-20 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/tips-for-understanding-bitcoin/ - Categories: Investing It’s hard to explore investment in 2018 without coming across talk of bitcoin. After some explosive growth throughout almost all of 2017, it has become a far more serious financial asset, and has been branded digital gold by many of its supporters. As any savvy investor knows though, rule number one is never to hop on board an investment just because it’s trendy, or making headlines. The key is to learn to really understand a given asset, so we’re aiming to help get you started with bitcoin. These are a few of the early keys to understanding bitcoin that we’d point to. Ignore Price Until You’re Investing The price of bitcoin is incredibly volatile, and accordingly can change by thousands of dollars in the span of a single week. That is to say, if you’re reading this article right now, checking the price, and considering getting involved when you get around to it, the landscape may have changed completely when that time comes. There are still ways to at least attempt to analyze larger patterns and longer trends, but the price fluctuation from day to day, or week to week, is dramatic. Because of this, it’s best to simply ignore the price until you’re actually ready to invest or buy cryptocurrency. Looking at it in advance will almost certainly show you different numbers than looking at it in the moment. Note The Alternatives If you’re going to understand bitcoin, either as a currency alternative or as an investment commodity, it... --- ### How to work on your credit as a young person > Learn how to deal with your credit being a young person. Check out these useful tips to know how to schedule your payments and keep your finances in order. - Published: 2018-01-19 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-work-on-your-credit-as-a-young-person/ - Categories: Personal finance The article is taken from FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM A MILLENNIAL blog started by Emily Johnson. I applied for my first credit card the summer after my 18th birthday, with the intent of building my credit. I went overboard within that first year, and nearly maxed it out several times, but from these experiences I’ve learned the do’s and don’ts of credit, especially for young people. Over the last year and a half, I’ve raised my credit score 100+ points and was approved for a house based solely on credit card payment history. These concepts and tips helped me immensely when I was trying to fix my credit. This is the basic credit tier breakdown, operating within the 300–850 range used by FICO: Excellent Credit: 750+ Good Credit: 700–749 Fair Credit: 650–699 Poor Credit: 600–649 Bad Credit: below 600 1. Don’t think of your credit card as extra money in your pocket. It isn’t. Plain and simple. It is money that you will HAVE to pay back. In my opinion and experience, the best way to utilize your credit card is to purchase items you planned on purchasing anyway, like gas or groceries. Set that money aside when you get paid to ensure that you’ll be able to pay off your credit card at the end of the billing cycle, so you won’t accrue any interest. 2. Manage your credit utilization. In order to keep your credit from being negatively affected, your credit utilization should be below 30%. Your utilization is... --- ### Tips on how to invest in stocks wisely > Do you want to get extra revenue with less effort? Investing in stocks may become a winning way to reach your goals faster. Learn more about it in this article. - Published: 2018-01-10 - Modified: 2023-09-19 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/tips-on-how-to-invest-in-stocks-wisely/ - Categories: Investing In this economic climate, it’s no surprise that many people are investing in stocks and shares to give themselves a chance of making some returns. Whether you’re hoping to earn a little extra cash while you wait for a healthier paycheck, planning to save to pay for a dream vacation, or you’re simply hoping to make some larger returns in order to fund buying a car or a house, investing in stocks can be an ideal way to do it. For many, the word “invest” conjures up images of people such as Warren Buffett moving millions of dollars around — but the reality is much different. There is no need for you to be fabulously wealthy in order to enjoy the benefits that investing can bring. In this article, we’ll take a look at how you can build your own investment portfolio. How much do I need to get started? While certain investment schemes and assets will perhaps stipulate minimum and maximum amounts, generally speaking, there’s no lower or upper limit on how much you need to invest. If you have a large asset or a pool of cash, your options may be larger as you’ll be able to access more asset classes. However, even those with less capital can get involved. Online services such as Betterment help people automate the process of investing, and the site does not have a minimum investment amount. Opt for safer stocks As GoBankingRates advises, there are certain stocks that work well if you’re buying stocks... --- ### How business professionals can help their local community > How businesses can get involved in community efforts and why is it so important? Here are steps a business can take to benefit from collaboration with communities. - Published: 2018-01-04 - Modified: 2023-09-19 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-business-professionals-can-help-their-local-community/ - Categories: Recommendations Community involvement is a growing concern for businesses. From the way business owners hire employees, manage money and source materials to where they build their facilities and how they handle growth, nearly everything is a reflection of a company’s relationship with its community. For many business owners, giving back to the people who support them is important, but knowing where and how to start can be tricky. Why get involved? Building a solid local reputation can reap many benefits for businesses of all sizes and across all industries. The benefits of community involvement for businesses include improved networking opportunities, expanded brand awareness among community members, a stronger base of potential clients and customers, better employee morale and retention, support for a company’s mission and opportunities for leadership training and skill development. Grand gestures for immediate impact Obviously, if your business is in a position to make a large charitable contribution to a local civic organization, school, university, park or other municipal facility, those kinds of gifts are always appreciated and can bring immediate recognition to your brand. Recently, Joey Horn, a former independent director at Thoresen Thai Agencies PCL, made a $10 million donation to Williams College, her alma mater. The funds were used to construct Horn Hall, a new residence hall on campus and the first new dormitory the college had built in more than 40 years. Other large-scale gestures include establishing grants or scholarship funds for local schools and students; sponsoring a youth sports team; organizing and financially... --- ### Study: The Average Renter Household Needs $549 in Savings for the Holiday Shopping > Holidays always mean more expenses. We’ve got an interesting study for you to check how much money an average renter family needs to spend on the winter holidays. - Published: 2017-12-21 - Modified: 2023-09-19 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/study-the-average-renter-household-needs-549-in-savings-for-the-holiday-shopping/ - Categories: Financial literacy Ideally, the holiday season should be all about giving. Realistically, however, — well, it’s still all about giving, just not exclusively in the merriest sense of the word... Buying gifts, decorations and festive dinners toward the end of the year is a painful addition to everyone’s budget, but these extra holiday expenses put a strain on renters in particular as they typically have much lower incomes — about half that of homeowners. Here’s what a quick reckoning of the average renter household’s holiday budget looks like The simple calculation above captures the pre-holiday season panic that many of the nation’s renters face. The numbers are based on the median renter household income according to the U. S. Census Bureau, November’s average rent according to Yardi Matrix, average cost of living data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation that reveals how much American consumers plan to spend on average this holiday season. Based on this data we’ve concluded that the average American family of four spends about 2. 8% of their annual income on winter expenses. We also wanted to see, however, how our hypothetical family of four would do in the 50 largest cities, based on the local incomes and rents. So How Will Your City’s Average Renter Family Close the Year? Let’s take the Vincents, who happen to be the embodiment of the average family in Virginia Beach, VA. This family of four lives in an average neighborhood, they get around in an average... --- ### Financial advice for people with bad credit > How to make major purchases even with a bad credit history? Check out these tips to know what you can do and what hacks can help you improve your financial state. - Published: 2017-12-13 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/financial-advice-for-people-with-bad-credit/ - Categories: Recommendations It’s difficult to plan for good financial management if you have a poor credit history. With this in mind, learning to budget properly brings great benefits — it encourages you to be honest about your outgoings and realistic about how far your income will actually stretch. Likewise, managing to save something every month, even if it’s just a little, will offer you some protection against unexpected expenditure — for example, as a result of an emergency. While you are working on improving your personal financial skills, you’ll soon learn that major purchases become particularly difficult when you have bad credit ratings. These include obtaining a mortgage or home loan to buy a property or finding the finance to purchase a new car. However, reputable financial experts can offer useful advice about strategies to handle major purchases, plus there are some good, well-known tips that you can follow. Improving your credit rating Most financial experts agree that to improve your chances of making major purchases, you should take steps to improve your credit rating. Different lenders take different approaches, so there are likely to be variations according to what you want to buy and which lenders you approach for finance. Here are some of the best ways to achieve a better credit rating: Use your credit card sparingly and regularly clear it as this shows that you are managing your money well — a lender will be impressed by such financial management skills. Reduce your personal credit limit to a level that suits you, and make sure... --- ### Key Tips on How to Stop Yourself from Going Back into Debt When You’ve Paid Off Your Debts > Check out these useful tips not to go back into debt again! In this article, you will discover how to plan your budget smartly and avoid having debts in the future. - Published: 2017-12-01 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/key-tips-on-how-to-stop-yourself-from-going-back-into-debt-when-youve-paid-off-your-debts/ - Categories: Debt repayment Having paid off all your debts, you are lucky and feel satisfied. You’re free from the financial burden and have started living life the way you truly wanted. However, it demands a lot of willpower and wisdom to never go back into the debt again you’ll basically have to be your own mobile bookkeeper. We have come up with some top-notch tips that will prevent you from ever going into debt in future. Drop lavish habits At the outset of NOT going back into debt, you have to drop all of your expensive habits right away. Evaluate all your luxurious expenditures by jotting them down. Once you have made a list, leave no stone unturned to wipe out each of the habits which you could live without. Eliminate your extravagant habits or replace them with anything less expensive. If you do lunch daily in a restaurant during your work hours then cut this habit down and bring your meal from home. Instead of soda or coffee, choose water. Save money and get healthy by biking instead of driving. Craft a monthly budget After cutting out your expensive habits, what you need to do next is create a monthly budget. It is significant as your monthly budget plan makes you capable of: Watching where your cash is going. Keeping track of your spending to help you discover problem areas and fix them. If your income is small, you need to pick up an additional job and put in extra hours with... --- ### Easy Ways To Invest In Your Child’s Future On A Small Income > Think about your child’s financial well-being today. Check out these tips for parents to start investing in your kid’s future even if you have a small income. - Published: 2017-11-17 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/easy-ways-to-invest-in-your-childs-future-on-a-small-income/ - Categories: Personal finance Having a child can be one of the most rewarding and unforgettable experiences in a person’s life. Being responsible for another human being sometimes means that you have to make certain adjustments, especially when it comes to finances. Some families even consider their current budget when planning to have children. Most parents will do anything to ensure that their child has a good life, and according to a worldwide survey, 82% of parents are ready to make personal sacrifices for their child to succeed. If you’ve always wondered how you can invest in your child’s future but are worried that your limited income won’t allow it, don’t worry. There are ways to stretch your income, invest in your child, and live a quality life at the same time. Follow these easy tips to invest in your child’s future on a small income. Put cash gifts in a separate savings account Children sometimes get cash as gifts for their birthdays or other special occasions. Rather than holding on to the cash for your child’s wants, consider placing cash gifts in a separate savings account for your kid. When making financial plans for your kids, keep in mind that the more you save while they’re young, the more they’ll have when the time comes to use it to further their education in the future. Plan on not having an ATM card connected to the savings account so you won’t be tempted to withdraw from it whenever you need funds. Use an app... --- ### Living On A Low Income? Here’s How To Stretch Your Money > PocketGuard shares a bunch of money-stretching tips that really work. Learn how to improve your financial health even if you live on a low income. - Published: 2017-10-11 - Modified: 2024-01-05 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/living-on-a-low-income-heres-how-to-stretch-your-money/ - Categories: Savings tips Did you know that 25 million American households are living paycheck to paycheck? If that sounds like you, now’s the time to get smarter about your money. It doesn’t matter how much you earn, but how you live. You can stretch your dollars and save money for the future. Here’s how. One of the biggest mistakes you might be guilty of when trying to improve your finances is looking at your bank account instead of your lifestyle. Chances are there are things you’re using money for that you really don’t need. An example is your morning coffee you buy on the way to work every day. It might not seem like a big expense, but it adds up. Just by making your own coffee in the mornings, you can save around $2. 50 per day, which adds up to almost $1,000 in a year. Here are other tips to help you get a better handle of your finances. Cut Corners At Home There are many ways you can cut costs on your home bills on a daily basis. Taking a shower instead of a bath saves water and energy. Hand-washing your clothing instead of using a washing machine is also a good idea. If you have to use a washing machine, set it to a cold temperature. Up to 90 percent of the energy in a washing machine is used to heat up the water, so you can save approximately $150 every year just by changing your temperature setting. Get... --- ### 5 Benefits of a Car-Free Lifestyle > What are the benefits of not having a car? If you still doubt whether you need a vehicle or not, read this article to get to know all the benefits of car-free life. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/5-benefits-of-a-car-free-lifestyle/ - Categories: Investing If you currently live in one of the larger cities in the U. S. , chances are you don’t need a car to go about your daily routine. New York City, Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco have public transit systems and bike trails that make life as a pedestrian simple. Museums, theaters, music venues, and other cultural programs dot not only the downtown core, but are reasonably close to just about any neighborhood. A variety of restaurants and shops await residents. These large cities also have professional sports teams, medical facilities and working districts that are available to anyone through public transportation. With all these services available, there really is no need to own a car. If the simple possibility isn’t enough to convince you, here are 5 benefits of living a car-free lifestyle. 1. Much Less Expensive The 2015 edition of AAA’s Your Driving Costs estimates the annual cost to own your own vehicle and drive it is about just shy of $9,000. This includes everything from fuel, maintenance, tires, to auto insurance, license and registration fees, taxes, depreciation and finance charges. It doesn’t, however include extra costs such as the cost to store or park a vehicle at home and at work and extra costs such as traffic fines. Since most people use their vehicle primarily as commuter transport, it means that the average person spends close to $10,000 just to travel to and from work! Even a small vehicle such as a Honda Civic can drain your... --- ### Is an Online Degree Worth It? > Find out whether getting an online degree is a good idea. Can you save money by studying online? Is an online degree as valuable as the traditional one? Learn here. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/is-an-online-degree-worth-it/ - Categories: Investing A recent Pew Research Report showed that Millennials, those born after 1980, are the most-educated generation ever in the United States. More than one-third or Millennials have bachelor’s degrees, compared to one-forth of their parents. In 1979 a graduate was estimated to spend less than $10,000 on their education in (in 2012 dollars), which includes room and board. According to COLLEGEdata, a graduate in 2013 spent closer to $120,000 for the same degree along with $33,000 in school debt. To try and lower costs for higher education, colleges, universities, and even for-profit institutions have started using technology. This allows them to offer classes, bachelor’s degrees, and even master’s degrees for which a portion, or all of the work is done online. Another Pew Research Report, reported that nearly 90% of public four-year colleges and universities offered courses over the internet. In 2011, one-third of all students were enrolled in at least one online course. The first question many people ask is whether online courses are as credible as a traditional classroom program. One 2013 study concluded that: • Employers generally perceive that an education which includes classroom instruction is more credible than an online education, • An employer’s attitude about online education is considerably more positive if the employer has had experience with online education, • Employers remain uncertain about hiring candidates with online degrees. Another study from the same year affirmed that 56% of employers valued a traditional classroom education over online courses, even when the online degree came... --- ### Get Your Budget Back on Track After the Holidays > Holidays always require more expenses. How to get back on track after festive purchases? PocketGuard professionals share valuable tips in this article. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/get-your-budget-back-on-track-after-the-holidays/ - Categories: Personal finance Now that the presents are all open, the eggnog is drunk or spilled, and the New Years confetti is ground firmly into the rug, it is time to start cleaning up. But if you are like most other Americans, it will take more than a broom and some Mr. Clean to tidy up after this year’s Holiday Season shopping spree. It might be scarier than Halloween to take a look at your bank account as realize how far off your budget you actually went this time. A survey from Coinstar, a coin-sorting kiosk provider, showed that 66 percent of consumers break their budgets over the holidays by an average of $116. If all this spending was guaranteed to make us happy, then it really would be a time to rejoice! But another study by BMO Harris Bank showed that by the beginning of January, 32 percent of Americans regret spending so much money and 11 percent will wind up in debt as a result. But, don’t let this bad news dampen your holiday spirit. Even if you do regret buying that extra tofu turkey or you realize that treating yourself to those extra shoes, there are plenty of ways to get yourself back on track. First Debts First Attacking the new debt is usually first on the list. Since your highest interest debt will likely be your credit card, that is a great place to start. “Many people piled new debt on top of old,” Gail Cunningham, spokeswoman for the National... --- ### Eliminate Your Rent > Does housing require a lot of expenses from you? PocketGuard experts explain ways how you can eliminate your rent. Discover them now to find the best solution. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/eliminate-your-rent/ - Categories: Savings tips Housing is the single biggest expense for most people. Whether you are a student or a recent graduate, you need a safe place to sleep. According to the BLS, the average American household spends more than $10,000 each year on “shelter. ” Eliminating this expense isn’t an easy task, but if you are flexible, there are are ways to do it — especially for young, single people. Move in with your Parents The easiest way to live rent-free is to move in with your parents or other relatives. It is common for recent college graduates to move back home until they can establish themselves financially, get married or start a family of their own. It is also common for people to move in with relatives when they are going through massive life changes such as a divorce or unexpected job loss. While this is usually considered a short-term solution, it can help you get your feet under yourself. House-Sitting There are several people who plan to travel for extended periods of time for work or vacation or they own two homes and hire a house-sitter to look after their place while they’re away. The person house sitting is usually required to cleaning, do yard work, and may have to care for pets. These arrangements can last anywhere from a few weeks to a full-year. Even though it is a temporary arrangement, some people do it year-round, moving from house-sitting position to house-sitting position throughout the year. Websites like TrustedHousesitters. com and HouseCarers... --- ### What To Do If You Lose Your Wallet On Vacation > Losing your wallet is always stressful. But don’t worry, we have described in detail what you should do in such a situation. Learn all the nuances here. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-to-do-if-you-lose-your-wallet-on-vacation/ - Categories: Recommendations When Adrian realized that her bank card was missing while she was traveling in Indonesia, she was devastated. She quickly ran through her mind and replayed the day, trying to remember the last time she had the card. She soon realized that she had simply forgotten it in the bank machine that last time she made a withdrawal. She returned to the bank, but they told her that they had a policy to immediately destroy any cards from the machine that did not belong to their customers. Losing a card can not only be a very time consuming and frustrating experience, it can also be very costly. Luckily for Adrian she was not planning to leave soon, so she had time to deal with getting the card replaced. She made arrangements to have a replacement sent to the local consulate and she was back shopping within a week. “It was a long process,” she said of dealing with the banks to get her card replaced. “I wasted a lot of time trying to figure out what to do. The bank said it was the credit cards responsibility. The credit card company said that it should be covered under my travel insurance and the travel insurance company said that I had to talk to my bank. No one was taking responsibility. ” She was lucky that her wallet was not stolen, but even if it had, the steps that she needed to take would be the same. The time to prepare... --- ### Buying Refurbished Electronics: Is It Worth the Risk? > To buy refurbished items or not to buy? This article will help you understand whether it is worth it to buy refurbished electronics and why it can be beneficial. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/buying-refurbished-electronics-is-it-worth-the-risk/ - Categories: Investing Whenever you are shopping on Amazon you are always presented with two prices for the same product: New or Used. These definitions are fairly simple to understand, but what if you are presented with a third option — refurbished? If you are looking for a new laptop, the price differences between the three types can be quite substantial, sometimes in the hundreds of dollars. Are they worth it? Like most questions in life, the answer isn’t obvious, but it is quite simple once you fully understand the question. Here then is a quick and dirty look at used vs. refurbished vs. new. Refurbished vs. Used “Refurbished” is not the same as just saying “used,” but there are some similarities. The first thing to note is that used goods, or secondhand, or pre-owned, or previously loved goods are products that someone else has purchased, used and then they have tried to sell again. Refurbished goods, which may also be called reconditioned or re-manufactured goods, are products someone else has purchased and then returned to the store for a refund. Before the item is sold again, it is supposed to be checked by the retailer or the manufacturer to ensure that nothing is wrong and it can be sold again with the same manufacturers warranty. This means that all even though all refurbished electronics are used, not all used electronics can be called refurbished. Refurbished electronics are usually in almost new condition. Products are returned for many reasons, not necessarily because the item doesn’t... --- ### 9 Home Improvements that Won’t Improve Your Home > If you want to increase your home value, think twice about what improvements are really worth it. In this article, we reveal 9 ideas that might be non-rational. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/9-home-improvements-that-wont-improve-your-home/ - Categories: Recommendations Home renovations can be very costly, both financially and emotionally. If you simply want to add a feature that you will enjoy, you are more able to follow your heart. But, if you are doing a renovation, hoping to increase the value of your home, you need to slow down and research your plan before you waste a lot of money on something that can cost you even more in the long run. Renovations should enhance your home, but need to be performed with the local market in mind. Trying to turn your home into a $300,000 asset in a neighborhood of $150,000 it totally unrealistic. Here are the 9 home improvements that can not be recouped at resale and should only be performed if you plan to use them yourself. 1. Luxury Bathroom A clean and tidy bathroom is one of the best selling features of a home, but waterfall showers, fireplaces, and imported tile cater to a specific clientele. According to Remodeling, bathroom additions only recoup a little more than half the expense. If there is already a bath in the house, replacing the whirlpool tub with a larger walk-in shower can be a good investment. The high maintenance costs and difficulty to clean whirlpools has dropped them out of favor. A large, modern shower is a much better investment. 2. Swimming Pool Unless you live a state that is permanently bathed in sunlight like Florida or Arizona, that in-ground pool should not be considered an investment. There... --- ### The Smartest Financial Advice for Recent College Graduates > Are you a college graduate striving for financial success? Here is significant money advice for you to achieve financial stability and plan your finances. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-smartest-financial-advice-for-recent-college-graduates/ - Categories: Personal finance The decisions you make soon after finishing college will determine your path to financial success. However, many new graduates know nothing about personal finance. Thus, the best gift to every recent college graduate is smart financial advice to prepare them for a better future. That is the goal of this article; to give you important money advice that nobody cared to give you in school. Discover 9 life-changing money tips that will help you secure a good future for yourself. An ultimate objective for every person is to achieve stability and freedom with money. And It all starts with great post college financial planning. Let’s get to it! 9 Golden tips: The Smartest Financial Advice for College Graduates 1. Learn the fundamentals of Finance You now have so much knowledge in a specific field; applied mathematics, literature, art history, or computer science, etc. Yet, like most students, you certainly know little about money management. That’s why an important first step after graduation is to learn the basics of personal finance. This is one of the most important financial tips for college students. Take time to learn and understand the important basics of ‘life and money. ’ You should learn about: Making a budget, the 50/30/20 rule. Savings; creating checkings and savings accounts. Dealing with loans and bank credit. Making investments; stocks, cryptocurrency, or real estate. Creating Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). This article is a good place to start. 2. Consider a Variety of Job Options Most people have one thing... --- ### Is There Such Thing as a Free Lunch? > How can you have a free lunch? In this article. PocketGuard describes where you can have free meals and how to enjoy freebies to cut costs on food. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/is-there-such-thing-as-a-free-lunch/ - Categories: Financial literacy Food is usually a families biggest expense. Any savings can be huge. The annual Consumer Expenditures Survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said that the average American household spent $6,759 on food in 2014 — more than 10% of its total income. While you might both be able to completely eliminate your food budget, there is a surprising amount of free food available in our country. Extreme Couponing Extreme couponing is to regular couponing what an iron-man marathon is to a walk around the block. It goes beyond saving 15 cents on a cup of yogurt by combining multiple discounts on a single item. Many masters of the trade get their groceries for nothing, or even get cash back on a purchase that can be applied to other items. The major drawback is that it take a great deal of time and organization. You need to get multiple copies of coupons and then keep track of them so that when you find sales that stack, you can pounce on the deal. This also means that you purchase (and eat) whatever is on sale that week. But if you enjoy a challenge and put in even a little effort, it is surprisingly easy to walk out of the store with a cart full of free Cheerios boxes that provide a sense of satisfaction as well as a full pantry. Free Dining Don’t believe the naysayers, sometimes there is actually such a thing as a free lunch. You just have to find... --- ### Is Pursuing a Graduate Degree a Smart Choice? > Does graduation make sense? Read this article to understand what benefits you can get from getting a degree and consider whether you really need it or not. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/is-pursuing-a-graduate-degree-a-smart-choice/ - Categories: Investing When Chris finished his undergrad degree in math, he hadn’t decided whether he would continue on to grad school. Like three-quarters of his classmates, when he was a freshman he planned to continue on, but now that the time was getting close mental burnout and concerns over mounting debt were weighing heavy on his mind. Before he started filling out the applications and getting letters of recommendation, he decided to put his education to work and weigh the pros and cons. The first thing to consider is that graduate tuition and fees at public institutions cost an average of $30,000 per year, and and extra $10,000 should be added for private institutions according to Petersons. That is not even considering degrees from elite institutions such as Harvard where you can expect to pay closer to $120,000 for the full course, according to estimates from TIME. Without significant financial support from fellowships, scholarships, or tuition reimbursement from an employer, Chris wasn’t sure if these extra costs would be offset by potential increase in earnings. The US economy no longer offers the opportunities it once did for college graduates. The National Center for Education Statistics at the Institute of Education Sciences, reported that In 2015, 44% of 18- to 24-year-olds were enrolled in college — 23% increase over 2000. When Grad School Makes Sense While you may hear stories about someone who gets all their schooling paid for and then land a job with a high salary as soon as they graduate, these scenarios... --- ### What To Do If You Lose Your Passport Abroad > Don’t worry if you lose your passport staying abroad. This is the guideline that will help you understand what to do if you lose your documents far away from home. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-to-do-if-you-lose-your-passport-abroad/ - Categories: Recommendations Christine had just finished eating her meal at a restaurant while on vacation in Vietnam. She went to open her backpack to get her wallet when she realized that the zipper was already open. She felt inside and her heart sank as she realized that her passport was missing. Her wallet was still there, but she was supposed to fly home in 3 days! Luckily the Seattle resident was a seasoned veteran and knew exactly what she was supposed to do. 1. File a Police Report The first thing Christine did was pay for her meal. Then she immediately went to the police station and filed a police report that her passport was stolen. Not only did this help her start the replace process, but it is necessary when she will go to her travel insurance company to claim the replacement cost of the passport. It also protected her in case someone tried to use her passport illegally. Because she travels often, Christine had also made extra copies of her passport that she used when speaking to the police. Despite the language barrier, she was able to communicate the necessary information using the copies of the passport. 2. Locate the Nearest U. S. Embassy or Consulate Christine then located the nearest US Embassy to her using this site. Since the embassy didn’t allow walk-ins, she scheduled an emergency appointment for the next business day. They were able to provide directions on how to get there and gave her an idea... --- ### How to Protect Yourself From Being Hacked > Learn how to protect your personal data from hackers. PocketGuard experts provide effective tips for you to prevent any hacking attacks on your computer. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-protect-yourself-from-being-hacked/ - Categories: Recommendations Maybe you think that you are too small to be targeted by a hacker, or you think that you have nothing to hide. Not too long ago that may have been true, but recent trends have shown shifts in the hacker world. A persons unprotected personal data can be low-hanging fruit with a small, but easily accessible payday for a small-time hacker. Compared to the sophisticated firewalls and complex security protocols they would find in larger corporate systems, accessing your personal computer can mean a quick lunch. If a hacker does get access to your home computer, they are free to do any number of nefarious deeds from holding your data hostage, stealing your identity, or using your computer to commit other attacks or crimes, leaving you with the bill. The best way to protect yourself from these attacks is to understand a little about how they work and what they may intend to do. How do they infect my computer? The first thing a hacker needs to do it get access to your computer. There are three basic technologies that hackers use to get access to your computer: 1. Trojans A Trojan is a virus or malware that looks like harmless software. The hacker asks you to install a program, but when you do install it, it also installs a second program that lets the hacker do anything from logging your keystrokes, to accessing your personal files. The most common way to infect your computer is a phishing attack.... --- ### How to Take a Free Vacation > Free vacation is real! We are happy to share the main secrets of how to travel free of charge and enjoy your vacation with no financial worries. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-take-a-free-vacation/ - Categories: Savings tips Sometime when the stress of a busy lifestyle becomes too much, it is nice to get away on a nice vacation. But, if your stress is caused by financial worries, spending $1000 to $2000 may not be the best solution, which is why when budgets get tight, travel is usually the first thing to go. However, even a luxury-like vacation can be enjoyed free of charge if you plan it right. With a little ingenuity and research, free flights, car rentals, accommodations and entertainment can be arranged free of charge, leaving you with little more than your meals to pay for. Free Flights The easiest way to fly for free is to cash in frequent-flyer miles. These miles can be collected by always flying with your favorite airline, using a rewards credit card, and using coupons or other promotions that give you free miles. If you don’t have a hidden stash of frequent-flyer miles to fall back on, you can earn a free ticket by asking to get bumped from an overbooked flight. It is common for many airlines to overbook their flights. They count on some people not showing up or canceling last minute so they book three or four extra seats. If everyone shows up, then they are forced to ask people to be bumped from the flight. When you arrive at the gate, simply tell the attendant that you are willing to be bumped to the next flight — which is often within a few hours anyway. They will... --- ### How Drinking and Driving Can Ruin Your Financial Future > Drinking and driving is not only dangerous but can lead to serious penalties as well. Read this article to be aware of all the possible fees and other consequences. - Published: 2017-08-08 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-drinking-and-driving-can-ruin-your-financial-future/ - Categories: Financial literacy It is Friday night and David has just enjoyed an evening out with his friends. They were at the bar and he is about to get into his car and head home. He puts his arms out and takes a couple of steps to test his dexterity and feels like he is okay to drive. After all, he only had a couple of drinks and there is no one on the road this late at night. I’ll be fine,” he says to himself. What should he do? Drinking and driving is not only a serious crime, it is also a very costly one. Even if he is lucky enough to not drive into a telephone pole or another car, if he is pulled over the charges can have deep reaching and long lasting financial consequences that can last a lifetime. Everyone knows that like homework and weekends, alcohol and cars don’t mix. But there is always one idiot that stays up a little too late, and has one too many drinks and thinks that he “feels fine. ” Or, someone who thinks that drive a short distance is okay. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 1 in 12 people admit to driving driving drunk in a given year. The FBI also reports that drunk driving results in more than one million arrests or criminal charges each year (and no, Charlie Sheen was not responsible for half of them). Before you get behind the wheel, it is important... --- ### The Financial Wisdom of Homer Simpson > Homer Simpson is not just a silly man, some of his words are really thought-provoking. We’ve gathered the most prominent words of wisdom said by Homer. - Published: 2017-08-08 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-financial-wisdom-of-homer-simpson/ - Categories: Recommendations Some of the best examples in life are the ones that show us how not to do something. Today we are taking a look at one of the worst examples in television to teach us some of the most important lessons about money, finance and the economy. Here then are Homer Simpsons words of wisdom. “America can’t collapse! We’re as powerful as ancient Rome! ” - It is great to be positive about the economy, but to think that anything is a “sure thing” or the economy can not fail, your are tricking yourself. It is always good to have something set aside for a rainy day. “Bart, with $10,000, we’d be millionaires! We could buy all kinds of useful things like... love! ” - I am amazed how many people are investing $20-$50 per month and expect to retire millionaires. Knowing your assets and being honest about where you really are and where you plan to be is always rule number one. “Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They’re about to announce the lottery numbers. ” - While a lottery ticket might be a fun stocking stuffer, it makes a terrible retirement plan. You are always better off putting $10 per week into a 401K than a Powerball Jackpot. “Lisa, if you don’t like your job you don’t strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That’s the American way. ” - However you... --- ### 10 Biggest lottery winners and losers > A lottery is one of the ways to earn extra cash quickly. Here are some of the most prominent stories about the biggest winners and losers you’ll find interesting. - Published: 2017-08-08 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-biggest-lottery-winners-and-losers/ - Categories: Financial literacy Winning the lottery is ideally the best thing that can happen to you, especially if you win the jackpot. You get more money than you know what to do with, and you can finally live your dream, no matter what it is. However, it’s not always merry for all players. In reality, the two-sided coin encompasses lottery winners and losers. In previous decades jackpots were smaller and a lot more people got lucky. Only one in 292 million people win the jackpot now. One lottery winner can emerge once in a few weeks or even months depending on if someone has chosen the numbers drawn. On good seasons, we even experience mass lottery winners sharing a jackpot. Lottery facts Here are some interesting facts to note: Major lottery games in the United States Big raffle games in the US are the Powerball and Big game mega millions. Powerball drawings hold three times each week while Megamillions are drawn twice each week. The Jackpot for both games increases every time there is no winner for the jackpot. More numbers have been added to the Powerball and mega millions game making it so that it is not as easily won. Lottery prices Lottery winners get prize money that runs into millions of dollars. Occasionally, it’s up to a billion dollars, and if two or more persons get the numbers right for a win, the mass lottery winners share the money. Other than the jackpot, you can win a million or more if... --- ### How a Free Game Cost One Man $8000 > A simple game for kids can get you trapped in debt. What to do to save money and how to protect yourself if your kid makes unnecessary in-app purchases? Learn here. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-a-free-game-cost-one-man-8000/ - Categories: Financial literacy There has been a lot of coverage recently about the father in Pembroke, Ont. , whose teenage son recently racked up nearly $8,000 in Xbox charges playing FIFA soccer games. And he is not alone. Thousands of people get enormous credit card bills every month for games and consoles that feature in-app purchases or charges to play games. It is common for developers to release games for free that have options to make purchases inside the game to skip difficult levels or purchase special items. When a bill like this comes in, the first thing that parents do (after they wake up on the floor and calmly ask their children what happened), is they contact the game developer for a little mercy on the obvious misunderstanding. As you might predict, developers are very reluctant to refund any money, as this is generally their business model. Credit card companies are equally strict and will require that criminal charges of fraud be pressed against the person who made the purchases. In many situations, this would mean parents pressing charges against their teen, or even preteen children — not an option for most parents. Some companies like Xbox say there is a setting that restricts minors from making any purchases, but it is often discovered too late for parents to do anything about it. “Purchases made using a parent’s payment account are legitimate transactions under the Microsoft Services Agreement, and we encourage parents to use the many platform and service features we make available to... --- ### 5 Negotiating Tips for the Non-Negotiator > Negotiating is important, and you can do it quite persuasively even if you have never negotiated before. Here are useful techniques you can use to get more benefits. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/5-negotiating-tips-for-the-non-negotiator/ - Categories: Recommendations “You miss every shot you don’t take. ” Maybe you are familiar with the phrase, but how often do we consider that it applies to shopping for deals? In a 2013 Consumer Reports study, less than half of people even ask try to get a deal on the products and services they use on a daily basis. And it’s not because we don’t know how. The same study showed that nearly 9 out of 10 people have haggled in the past and were able to land a discount at least once. Just the thought of haggling can feel intimidating to many people. Auther Ed Brodow says that “People are either afraid to ask for a better deal or are convinced it can’t happen. They become their own worst enemy if they don’t try. You have to have the ‘negotiation consciousness’: to challenge everything, be assertive and say, ‘This is too much,’ or ‘This is not reasonable,’ or ‘Can you help me out? ’ ” Looking at your money as points in a game, and negotiations as part of the playbook can take much of the stress out of the situation. Since PocketGuard is all about taking control of your finances in a fun way, we have put together five things that you can negotiate and some secret tips to help you take the shot! 1. Take a shot at ... Appliances and Electronics Did your washer or dryer conk out just after the big-box sale? Need a new TV for... --- ### Business Ideas for Little or No Money > You can start a new business with low investment or no expenses. Here are the best ideas from PocketGuard that will help you earn more money saving your budget. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/business-ideas-for-little-or-no-money/ - Categories: Recommendations Can you actually start a business with little money? As far-stretched as the possibility is, the simple answer is Yes. Financial challenges are the number one factor hindering intended entrepreneurs from realizing their business ideas and dreams of being CEOs. Huge capital injections are vital when starting a business. However, considering the increasing global inflation and limited funding options, aspiring entrepreneurs are left with minimal or no financial resources to start a business. The good news is, there is an alternative... Thanks to the internet, e-commerce, resources, and business relationships, building a start-up without the need to invest an obscene amount of money is easier. Without further ado, let’s discover how to start a business with no money. 1. Dropshipping Dropshipping describes a retail fulfillment technique where an entrepreneur doesn’t keep products in stock. When a consumer places an order, the business owner orders the product from another company (third party), having them ship directly to the buyer. That makes dropshipping one of the best business ideas. In this model, you don’t handle the products physically, meaning you don’t need a store. You only need limited resources. The primary difference between standard retail and dropshipping is that you do not own or stock inventory. Dropshipping is effective on eCommerce platforms such as Amazon and eBay. You can also use social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and others to market your products. 2. Photography Photography is one of the most lucrative business ideas that only needs a camera; a business... --- ### Tips to Tune up Your Finances > What do you need to do to stay thrifty but still enjoy your life? We list all the major points you should take into account to improve your financial health. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/tips-to-tune-up-your-finances/ - Categories: Personal finance The new year is a time for everyone to make resolutions and do things a little differently. If you are like most people, at least one of your resolutions included something to do with money. And like most people, you may have already forgotten what it was. Don’t worry, it’s not too late. You can still make some new New Year resolutions. Here are six things that you can do to make 2016 the year of the thrifty monkey. Start Tracking Your Spending Knowledge is power. If you don’t know where you are at, already, it can be incredibly hard to change it. Whatever your current financial situation is, it is the direct result of the financial decisions you have made in the past. If you want to change your financial future, you need to understand the decisions you are makeing. Keeping a journal is a great option if you have the time and discipline. Another simpler way to track your finances is to use a program like PocketGuard that tracks it all for you. However you want to do it, tracking your spending for one month can give you surprising insight into where your money is actually going. If you are struggling with credit card or other debt, you need to understand your spending habits before you can change them. Understand and Improve Your Credit Your credit report is like a university transcript of everyone you have done in the past. It keeps track of every missed payment, all your credit... --- ### The Six Steps to Financial Independence > If you dream about financial freedom, you can’t miss out on this article. We have listed 6 major steps and important hacks for you to become financially independent. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-six-steps-to-financial-independence/ - Categories: Personal finance Financial freedom is possible. Here are 6 steps to financial independence with hacks to get the most of every step. The National Finance Educators Council reports that financial illiteracy cost Americans roughly $415 billion in 2020 alone. Now, this is not to say that they simply lack financial education. Instead, it means that there is no financial planning. Proper financial planning inevitably leads to achieving financial independence. The absence of a financial plan precedes these conditions: Working during the stipulated retirement age (50+years, depending on the country) Struggling to pay off your mortgage And sitting on a massive pile of student debt and credit card payments Now, I use the word “proper” in describing how you plan your finances towards financial freedom. One reason for this is that while people seek financial independence, there is relatively accurate information on how they can work towards this status. Therefore, we will take a look at 6 PRACTICAL and proven steps towards financial independence. But first, before we dive into that pool, we must grasp what financial independence really is. Is it a point in your life where you have all the money to last you for years? Or when you can afford anything you desire? Let’s find out. Understanding Financial Independence Get this, while there are various definitions of financial independence, the fact remains that it is unique to every individual. Yes, the widely accepted meaning is that to be financially independent is to have time on your side. This means that... --- ### Budgets of the Rich and Famous > How much money do popular and wealthy people spend? Check out interesting facts about the ways they manage money and what they usually afford themselves. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/budgets-of-the-rich-and-famous/ - Categories: Financial literacy For many people in America, the goal for each paycheck is see if it can make it to the 30th. Unfortunately for many, there always seems to be too much month left at the money. But what if you happen to be an A-list celebrity living the high life? According to the business insider the average A-list celebrity earns over $13 million per year. You would think that this would be enough to bankroll any lifestyle. But, life can be tough at the top as well. After all, insurance on a new Ferrari isn’t cheap. It is not only the cars that are expensive. Many things are simply just more expensive when you are living in the public eye. Privacy isn’t cheap. A nanny that you can trust not to supplement their income by selling gossip to the tabloids can cost upwards of $130,000 according to writer Claude Brodesser-Akner. And, don’t forget that you may need to pay $100,000 for your 6-year old’s personal stylist. What will surprise most is what a small percentage of the budgets from the rich and famous goes to household expenses, just 3% according to Brodesser. Although that still adds up to nearly $500,000 per year. Your average Joe on mainstreet, America spends 25% of their income, $16,000 per year. That wouldn’t even pay to clean A-list celebrity’s pool for a year! They also spend a fortune on health care and beauty. Apparently it takes $40,000 per year just to stay alive with doctor bills.... --- ### 4 Mistakes We Make in Love and Money > How to treat money rationally? We answer this question based on the TEDx talk featuring Daniel Crosby, a psychologist who talks about rational money management. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/4-mistakes-we-make-in-love-and-money/ - Categories: Personal finance “The art is not in making money, but in keeping it. ” — Old Proverb Why is it that we have such a difficult time holding onto our money? Most Americans spend almost every penny they earn each year, and many are even better at spending money than they are at earning it! According to a recent TEDx talk, psychologist Daniel Crosby points out that we are not the logical rational being we like to think we are. Most of the decisions that we make with our money are irrational and purely emotional. Not only that but they are surprisingly similar to how we act in our romantic relationships as well. In his highly entertaining and informational video, he discusses four specific psychological biases that lead us to irrational behavior: 1) The “I Can Change Them” (or “Fixer Upper”) bias: “He is a great guy but... I just need to change this one thing. ” We tend to hope we can “fix” people, even though history has shown us over and over again that those “fixer uppers” will just keep acting the same way. It is the same with money, we hope that we will beat the odds and everything will turn out just fine if we stick it out. A classic example of this is ignoring the warning signs when we buy stocks or hope that the value of our home with bounce back in a slow economy. 2) “This Time It’s Different” Bias: Divorce rates for second and third marriages... --- ### 7 Habits of Highly Thrifty People > Do you want to know how thrifty people leave? Here are the main principles of their money management you can use as well to stretch your budget. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/7-habits-of-highly-thrifty-people/ - Categories: Personal finance There is almost no one on the planet that would say that they have too much money. But, some people are better at making each dollar go a little bit further. If you want to have a little more in your life, while spending a little less, check out these 7 habits of highly thrifty people. 1) Take responsibility for your finances. Whatever situation your finances are in, they got there because of the choices that you have made in your life up till now. Whether you are riding high and well on your way to retirement, or you are sinking deeper and deeper into debt, it is your spending and saving habits that will determine your finances. A quick look at the long list of lottery winners who go bankrupt with months or years of winning millions shows that money will not solve your financial problems, good habits will. If you focus on yourself and building the habits that will lead to financial independence, rather than the money, you will be further ahead in the long run. 2) Know Thyself Sun Tzu in the Art of War famously said, “If you know yourself and your enemy, you need not fear the result of 100 battles. ” How do you know yourself? The first step is to track your income and spending. Using a tool such as PocketGuard lets you effortlessly categorize both complete with charts and graphs. Until you know where your money is going, it is impossible to... --- ### A Students Guide to Saving Money on Vacations > Even if you are a student and your budget is tight you still can afford yourself a bit of traveling. Read this article to discover 6 proven ways to do it. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/a-students-guide-to-saving-money-on-vacations/ - Categories: Savings tips If you are a typical starving student, your idea of taking an affordable vacation might require pitching a tent in the university bio-dome! The possibility of travel and adventure might seem out of reach until your reach the holy grail of a steady paycheck after graduation. But there are ways to get out of the dorm without blowing your hard-borrowed tuition money. Here are six ways to travel a little and see the world outside your campus when you don’t have a lot of time and are on a tight budget: 1) Be a Local Tourist If you are attending college outside of your hometown, you can just pretend to be a tourist there. Take the free ferry to the Statue of Liberty; walk Boston’s Freedom Trail. It’s easy to put off acting like a tourist when you live somewhere for a while, but if you grab a few fellow students and a guidebook and hit the streets you are bound to have a great time. As a student you may already have passes for public transit, putting you a step ahead of the regular tourist! Stop putting off the big sites until tomorrow — make today your tomorrow! The easiest way to become a local tourist is to break your routine, especially where you live. Staying with a friend, or inviting someone to stay with you from couchsurfing. com, can let you see the city from different point of view, making it new and exciting. No matter how big or small your... --- ### What Happens When You Miss a Credit Card Payment > What can happen if you miss a credit payment? In this article, we explain what consequences it may lead to and how to cope with your credit payments easily. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-happens-when-you-miss-a-credit-card-payment/ - Categories: Debt repayment It’s approaching the end of the month and time again to check those bills. But what if there is a little too much month left at the end of the money? Is it okay to skip a bill payment? Just one won’t hurt, will it? Well, that depends. If it is the monthly check to repay the in-laws for the car repair, you likely aren’t going to end up killing your credit rating. But if you are thinking of taking a pass on your MasterCard bill, you might want to think again. The consequences can not only add up to extra fees and high-interest payments, it effects can last for years. Month one As the first due date goes whizzing by without a payment, you will get tagged with a late fee. This can be charged even if you are just a single day late, but it is capped at $27 for the first offence — much more than the Michael Jackson Tribute concert tickets that got you into this mess. This isn’t the end of it though. After just a single late payment, the issuing company can legally raise your rate up to a maximum of 29. 99 percent for future purchases. If you are the type that uses your card often and occasionally carry a balance, this single, innocent act, can end up costing you hundreds of dollars. It can also affect your credit score. When calculating your credit score, on-time payments are the most important factor in the mysterious... --- ### 24 Horrible Ways To Deal With Debt > PocketGuard is here to help you control your budget and deal with debts in a stress-free way. Here we describe 24 ways you should avoid paying off your debt. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/24-horrible-ways-to-deal-with-debt/ - Categories: Debt repayment Debt can take over your life and make you feel trapped like there are no solutions. Many tools, such as PocketGuard can help you take control of your finances and get your life back on track. But, it can be a long road sometimes and desperation may lead you to consider other ways of dealing with your financial woes. Here are 24 horrible ways to deal with debt that you should never consider. 1. Fake your own death — It can seem tempting to fake your death and skip the country. Thousands of people try it every year. Unfortunately, if you own a lot of money, creditors are often the ones who wind up digging up the dirt on the disappearing act. Dying is easy. It is trying to live your life afterwards that is tricky. 2. Marry a dying billionaire — While it might seem exciting to live the billionaire lifestyle for a few weeks before your dearest darling kicks the bucket, iron clad wills and the family of the departed can often leave your penniless and scrambling to get a red cent. Like the old saying goes, “Anyone who marries for money, usually ends up earning every cent. ” 3. Burn down your house for the insurance money — Anytime something burns down, the insurance company does an investigation. If you burn something down on purpose the police will investigate and you can be fairly sure that they will catch you leaving you out of the frying pan and into the fire. 4. Sell... --- ### 7 Ways to Blow Your Budget on Valentine’s Day > You can’t but spend money on Valentine's Day. See here how to have an unforgettable celebration with your love not spending a fortune. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/7-ways-to-blow-your-budget-on-valentines-day/ - Categories: Recommendations You have saved your pennies all year and you have been waiting for the perfect time to splurge. What better way than to surprise your loved one with a special something for Valentine’s Day. While it may be true that money can’t buy love, it can buy you a lovely evening. Here are 7 exotic ways to make this year’s day of love a day to truly remember! Adventure: Get out of the cold and escape to Costa Rica for the hot ballooning adventure of a lifetime. For a cool $1,200, you can charter your own hot air balloon that sails over beautiful sugarcane fields, fruit plantations, and some of the world’s most beautiful jungle rivers winding through the mountainside. If you were looking for a time to propose, this might be it. (Just tie and extra string on that engagement ring! ) Relaxation: If heights give you a headache, you might want to make your way to the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Bodrum, Turkey, for an unforgettable weekend. The $1,200 Spa Suite is known as the “ultimate private healing experience. ” It includes four and a half hours of wellness consultations, skin analysis, yoga, vitality pool soaking, exfoliation and the world-famous Oriental Bamboo Massage. Mystery: Nothing says romance like riding in busy traffic! Well, it does when the riding is done in a horse-drawn carriage and the traffic is in Rome! The Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Resort, has a romantic treasure hunt around the city available... --- ### 10 Steps to Financial Independence: Step 7 > This step to your financial independence is about your ability to be prepared for things that happen unexpectedly, and we share a number of practical tips with you. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-steps-to-financial-independence-step-7/ - Categories: Personal finance Life is full of unexpected situations. You lose your job without notice. Your car breaks down. You hurt yourself. Your roof starts leaking. Or maybe something terrible happens, like you dying. Thankfully, there are ways that you can provide a safety net for yourself and your family: savings and insurance. STEP 7: PREPARE FOR THE UNEXPECTED Save to pay for unexpected expenses To be sure you have the funds to pay for unexpected situations and take advantage of opportunities, like good deals on major purchases, you’ll want to set up an emergency reserve account. You will have peace of mind knowing that if something unforeseeable happens, you can pay for it. Financial advisors recommend that your emergency fund covers 3 to 6 months of your total living expenses, and be kept in a liquid account that is easily accessed and turned into cash when you need it. The best way to make sure you put money into your emergency reserve is to treat it like a bill. That way you will allocate money to that account every month. Decide between a savings account, a checking account, or a money market account a savings account is the most basic bank account. Your emergency fund will gain a bit of interest, and it will be safely waiting for the day you need it; a money market account is similar to a savings account, but it pays more interest. It does generally require a higher balance, but the higher the balance, the more... --- ### 7 Ways to Borrow Money > Find out how to borrow money properly and discover what kind of loans you better avoid. Read this article to borrow money smartly and with no serious consequences. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/7-ways-to-borrow-money/ - Categories: Recommendations It seems like every day we are bombarded by people who want us to enjoy doing something today and pay for it tomorrow. Saving up for a rainy day can be difficult when the lure of excitement is around every corner. But eventually, you have to pay the piper. If you really do need some money today, there are smart ways to get it, and terrible ways to get it. Here are 7 ways to borrow money. #1 Borrow money from family This can be the most awkward of the options, but it is also the safest kind of debt from a financial perspective. To feel more comfortable about the loan, draw up repayment terms like any other and stick to them. You can even use an app like billpin to track your personal loan if it makes you more comfortable. Working with friends and family allows you to avoid the fees and interest associated with high interest loans. These are the best if you need a loan for days or weeks, but long term loans from family can have a heavy toll on your relationships, so it is best not to use this option if you are looking for something that will span months or years. #2 Personal bank loan If you need money and don’t have anything to put up in collateral, it still may be possible to get an unsecured personal loan from a bank or credit union. These will require that you have a decent credit... --- ### 6 Ways to Cash in on Spring > Spring decluttering can bring you extra cash with no extra effort. Follow these tips and get valuable insights about the ways you can get profit when spring comes. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/6-ways-to-cash-in-on-spring/ - Categories: Recommendations Spring is a time of new life and rebirth. But it also is the time that most people start digging through all the things that they stored in winter and start asking, «Why on Earth did I keep this? » Whether you are just clearing some clutter or getting your pad ready for BBQ season, there may be a way to spring some extra money in your pocket. 1. Sell online If you have a computer, you know what craigslist and eBay are. But knowing what it is and actually listing your items with Craig are two completely different things. Start with the big ticket items that will be worth your effort like unused cell phones, power tools, yard equipment computers, furniture, appliances and exercise equipment. 2. Recycle electronics If you can’t sell your phone, printer or digital camera online, or you don’t have the patience to haggle with cheapskate buyer, there are other options — like recycling them. Just take in your stuff to just about any electronics store to earn a gift card for future electronics purchases. Best Buy has a convenient retail-collection program that give you credit and the piece of mind that your electronics will be responsibly disposed of by a certified recycling location. 3. Hold a garage sale Spring is a great time to come out of hibernation and meet your neighbors again. If you join in on a neighborhood garage sale, you will have more traffic and get to be part of a community event. This... --- ### 10 Steps to Financial Independence: Step 4 > This is a perfect opportunity to make the fourth step towards financial independence. This time we will tell you how to pay off your debts and forget about them. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2024-01-05 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-steps-to-financial-independence-step-4/ - Categories: Personal finance The majority of young adults often leaves college under a mountain of debt in the form of student loans, credit card debts, and other obligations. This debt can weigh you down and prevent you from investing, buying a home, and growing your finances in the next few years of your life. So, the key is to pay off become debt-free as quickly as possible. STEP 4: PAY OFF DEBT Pay off student loans Student loans are millennials’ principal debt. Most grads will have multiple loans, with different interest rates and repayment schedules. Here is what you can do to pay off student loans. Find out forgiveness options. For this, ask your lender or check for details online. Determine the grace period you have for each student loan. It is usually 6 months for Stafford loans and 9 months for Perkins loans. Grace periods for private loans will vary. Connect with the lender and figure out which is the best repayment option for you. Start making payments on your student loans as quickly as possible. Also, if you can pay more than the required monthly payment, do it. This will lower the overall interest on the loan. Pay the high-interest student loan first. If possible, look at debt consolidation. Speak to different lenders, if you can consolidate your student loans into one and enjoy a lower interest rate on it. Pay off credit cards You may have used your credit cards quite a bit as a student, but now as a... --- ### A Little History of The Big Short: Part Two > This is a second part of the story about the Big Short - a famous film about the US economic collapse. Find out some interesting insights from the financial world. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/a-little-history-of-the-big-short-part-two/ - Categories: Financial literacy Banks love leveraging because it allows them to earn more money. The downside is that if some of the mortgages default, they do not have the money to cover the losses or lend out any more money. Even though a mortgage is back by a house, defaults are a complex process for banks. If a borrower is more likely to default because they do not have a job or they have bad credit, the bank charges a higher interest rate for the loan. Loans to risky borrowers are known as sub-prime loans. Even after leveraging the mortgages and selling the high-interest sub-prime mortgages, banks were looking for ways to earn even more profit. The solution was to gather together a number of mortgages into a bundle and sell them as a single investment knows as a Mortgage-backed security (or MBS). The monthly payments that are made on an MBS were very attractive to investors. And when it included sub-prime mortgages, the higher interest rates made these products particularly attractive to investors. To make sure that these investments were safe, the rating agencies Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s were supposed to check the investments and confirm that there was no risk that enough mortgages would default to make the entire MBS fail. Because banks were able to choose which company they could go to have their products rated, the agencies were in the habit of simply rating them AAA, or effectively as secure as the US government. They were saying that... --- ### How to Keep Track of Your Money When You Can’t See It > PocketGuard helps you save money and track them with no extra effort. Here are more useful tips for you to be aware of all your spendings and have no worries. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-keep-track-of-your-money-when-you-cant-see-it/ - Categories: Personal finance The other night I found myself in a room full of friends discussing all of the taboo topics: politics, sex, religion and yes, the root of all evil, money. As I often do to spice up a conversation, I started tagging the phrase “and the zombie apocalypse” onto the end of every discussion topic. Before long a friend mentioned Elton John and I did my duty and asked how they thought the brave, British knight would fair in Deadwood, USA. One response really surprised me. A close friend, we will call her Christy so that you can’t troll her on Facebook, blurted out, “He will be fine because he’s rich. ” “How is money going help him? ” I honestly can’t remember if I asked the question or if it was one of my more astute companions. She stared blankly at us. I continued, “Where will he sleep if the end of the world comes? How will he find food? ” Her response was accurate but seemed wanting, “He can eat whatever he wants. He has millions of dollars. ” While her premise seemed to address the question, her conclusion demonstrated a certain lack of understanding of how some things work. At this point I should point out that she is actually one of the more intelligent people that I know. It just seems that she has some knowledge gaps, especially surrounding the concept of money and the specific mechanics of how the coming zombie apocalypse will play out. I... --- ### BEST JOBS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS > What job can a student get to improve their financial situation? Here is a detailed guide to help every student decide how to earn money with less stress. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/best-jobs-for-college-students/ - Categories: Recommendations 11 Best Jobs for College Students in 2021 Why are lots of college students broke and dependent on ramen noodles as their basic diet? Today, being a student is a hard knock life — the textbooks are expensive, tuition fees are always increasing, the cost of getting around is high, and let us not even get started on how vulnerable these budding scholars can be. Unless you have a better financial backup plan, like a well-off sponsor or a viable inheritance, your best option would be to get a job. And that brings us to the question, what are the best jobs for college students? How to choose the best job as a college student? As a college student, you do not want to earn a living at the expense of your studies. On that note, here are a few things to keep in mind while job hunting. Time factor: > A sensible guideline for full-time college students is to put in 12 to 15 hours of work per week, 20 hours at most. You can work more during the weekends, holidays, or any other free time you may have, but keep in mind that you should not put in so many hours at the expense of your studies. > If you are an international student with a work permit, be sure to keep to the rules and not exceed the number of hours you are allowed to work. If your studies are too time-consuming, you can consider working only during long school breaks.... --- ### 10 Steps to Financial Independence: Step 6 > Are you ready to take another step towards financial independence? This time we’ll talk about the ways you should manage your credit - from basics to practical tips. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-steps-to-financial-independence-step-6/ - Categories: Personal finance Having a good credit score is an essential part of life as an adult. Credit scores not only help lenders determine whether or not they will loan you money, but they also affect interest rates on important purchases such as a car or a house. Creating and maintaining a good credit score is crucial, because without one, or with a bad score, you run the risk of not qualifying for a loan. STEP 6: MANAGE YOUR CREDIT Understand basic credit report components You may be wondering what lenders are looking at when they review your credit report. One of the first things lenders look at is your credit score. Most people have scores ranging between 300 and 850. If your score is below 620, you are generally viewed as risky, while scores over 750 are seen as excellent and are safe bets to the lenders. Besides the score, credit reports show all of your personal information, such as your name, employment history, social security number, etc. This helps the creditors and lenders determine how authentic you are. Learn what affects your credit score and how Various elements are involved in the way your credit score is determined. A big one is your past payment history. Creditors look at how well you have kept up with your payments, even if it is just the minimum payment. Your credit/debt ratio is crucial in the creation of your credit score. That means that creditors look at how much money you owe compared to... --- ### 14 Times Spending Less Can Cost You More > Here are 14 ways you lose money when you think you save it. Read every point of this article carefully not to become a miser who pays twice. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/14-times-spending-less-can-cost-you-more/ - Categories: Recommendations We are all trying to stretch our dollars, but there are times when it is okay to spend a little extra can actually save your money. Many super-cheap items just won’t last as long, or won’t even work at all. So for the person who has a hard time parting from every penny, here are 14 times when opening your wallet is the right move. 1) Cosmetic surgery — Medical tourism is on the rise. The promise of comparable quality in Mexico or India can seem alluring, but before you book the ticket, there are several things to consider. The first is that you only have one body, so if you really do plan some major adjustments, you want to be sure that they will be done right. When done right, the results can be exactly what you hoped for and quite a low risk. If done wrong, you could end up paying for it for the rest of your life in multiple high-cost repair surgeries or even worse. 2) Laser eye surgery — It is no coincidence that the top two items are about your body. Your eyes are your most important sense. Protect them. If you can’t afford to get the best technology available, you are better off waiting that getting blinded by a great deal. 3) Tattoos — A well placed tattoo can be a work of art. But a poorly done tattoo can leave you scared for life. If you want to have something to remember for the rest of your life,... --- ### 10 Steps to Financial Independence: Step 3 > Paying bills on time is important, and here is another step to your financial independence. Learn how to manage bill payments and even save on them in this article. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-steps-to-financial-independence-step-3/ - Categories: Personal finance Not sure how to keep your bills under control? No problem! We’ve rounded up a few time-tested tips to help you stay on top of bills, avoid fees and sleep well at night knowing that you are building a great financial foundation. STEP 3: GET A HANDLE ON BILLS Set yourself up for success The two primary reasons bills get out of hand are the lack of organization and out-of-control spending. Once you develop a budget, it is a lot easier to manage your spending; so if you haven’t yet, take a step back and do it. You’ll thank yourself later. Once you have a budget in place, go through and confirm the dates your bills are due. Create fail proof reminders Most banks have bill pay. You can add all of your bills and due dates in bill pay settings. It doesn’t mean you will be automatically charged, but it does mean that you can manually pay bills via online banking and your bank will send the funds to the intended recipient. Alternatively, you can use a financial app to manage payments. If all else fails, enter a reminder for each bill in your electronic calendar. The goal is to get bill payment notifications monthly before each bill is due. Automate your bills Unless you make a lot of money, it’s not always practical to set up automatic bill payments. Let’s be honest, things happen and sometimes these automatic payments wreak havoc in our checking accounts. Multiple insufficient funds... --- ### 10 Steps to Financial Independence: Step 2 > Why do you need a budget? How to create it and not exceed the limit? Here is one more step to your financial independence with PocketGuard. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-steps-to-financial-independence-step-2/ - Categories: Personal finance If you never had a budget before — don’t be afraid. It’s easier than it looks! Budget is simply a document that shows your income and expenses. STEP 2: KEEP TRACK OF SPENDING WITH A BUDGET Understand why you need a budget There are a few good reasons to create a budget, like keeping track of your expenses, making adjustments to spending and helping you plan for the future. Without a complete listing of the money you have coming in and money you have going out, you’ll never know whether you have discretionary income at the end of the month or if you are in the negative and resort to going into debt to cover your expenses. The budget makes it easy to see if you need to cut spending, what percentage of your income goes to each expense category and whether you have enough left over to save for your goals. Create a budget You can create a budget in a notebook, in a Word document, in an Excel spreadsheet or in one of the numerous apps developed just for that. What tools you use is up to you, but make sure you follow these rules: 1. List all of your expenses. No matter how small an expense is, be sure to add it. 2. Pay attention to expense timeframes. If you spend money on something weekly, remember to calculate the total monthly cost. Alternatively, if you pay a bill quarterly, don’t forget to find its monthly value. 3. Don’t forget... --- ### 6 Certifications That Pay > Do you want to develop professionally? You don’t have to spend much time and money to grow. We describe 6 certifications that will help you earn more. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/6-certifications-that-pay/ - Categories: Financial literacy You finally did it — you went to college, got your degree, and found a job. No more studying for you, right? Not exactly. More and more, having a degree in a given field is the minimum requirement. Employers are looking for extra certifications and education that can strengthen your position and demonstrate flexibility. If you are already working, adding certifications to your resume can bump your salary significantly, often paying for themselves in a matter of weeks or months. If you can’t take time off work to attend a course, here are some certifications that you can get online to give your paycheck a kick. 1) Project management Almost every industry is in need of quality project managers. The Internation Project Leadership Academy reported that a staggering 60% of projects “fail to met schedule, budget and quality goals. ” If you are in IT, engineering, healthcare, or construction, you will likely be required to participate in or even lead projects. Being able to deliver a completed project on budget, and on time will make you an invaluable member of any team. Entry-level project managers demand an average $89,000. Getting a recognized certification if easy to do online for a reasonable investment. UC Berkeley is very reputable and lists their program at $5,600. Or, you can check out one of these programs. 2) Microsoft certified IT professional Computers are used for every industry and knowing how to use them makes you even more valuable to any employer. Even if you have a... --- ### 10 Steps to Financial Independence: Step 5 > Here is your fifth step to financial independence, and we’ll figure out whether you need to own something or rent it. Find out all the pros and cons of ownership. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/10-steps-to-financial-independence-step-5/ - Categories: Personal finance Oh, the American dream: owning a house with a white picket fence. But buying a house may not be for everyone. Renting and buying houses both come with their pros and cons, and while buying a house does appear to be the popular choice, many millennials prefer to rent for various reasons. These reasons include being able to travel more, exploring different areas to live, and being able to move quickly to take advantage of a job opportunity. STEP 5: DECIDE WHETHER TO RENT OR OWN Understand the pros and cons of renting Pros Being able to move quickly. If you have to, say, move for a job and your lease is almost up, great! Just move at the end of your lease. But even if it isn’t, you can still give notice, and after a short period you can leave anyway. You may be able to afford living in an area you wouldn’t if you were buying a house. If you encounter problems, such a pipes bursting, the roof leaking, or many of the other things that happen to houses, your landlord is responsible for it, which means that you won’t have unexpected expenses. Cons You may not be able to style your home the way you really want it. You won’t have the freedom to paint or renovate the way you would if you owned the home. There is the risk that at the end of your lease you may not be able to renew it or your... --- ### How Much Your Health Impacts Your Wealth > The healthier you are the wealthier you’ll be. See how your health impacts your finances and how you can improve your life and financial well-being. - Published: 2017-07-27 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-much-your-health-impacts-your-wealth/ - Categories: Recommendations Maintaining a healthy body takes work and effort. Often it requires some major lifestyle changes that many are unwilling to make. The motivation of improving quality of life simply doesn’t provide enough incentive. Too busy working and saving for retirement to take the time to make the changes needed to improve health. Many people don’t realize that your health also directly impacts your wealth. From smoking or eating out all the time, on down to the growing obesity epidemic this country faces, any of the above can impact an annual budget by potentially tens of thousands of dollars per year. Smoking alone can cost five figures a year. This comprises not only the obvious expenses of purchasing the cigarettes, but also increased life insurance and homeowner’s insurance premiums, increased healthcare expenses, and the interesting statistical fact that smokers earn several thousand dollars per year less than their nonsmoking counterparts. Obesity represents another huge hit to the annual budget, with secondary expenses like increased food budget, both for increased quantity of food purchased, and in the expense of frequent restaurant outings and junk food, and dramatically increased medical expenses, even without contracting one of dozens of major medical conditions linked to obesity. Such conditions can even reach into the six-figure medical bill range. Even minor lifestyle changes, like drinking more water and getting up from your desk for a few minutes each hour can bring about substantial improvements in both your fitness and your finances.  Investing those saved dollars each year can also... --- ### Must love dogs: How to make extra money pet sitting > Pet sitting is another way to make extra cash. Use these practical tips if you want to become a pet sitter and improve your financial well-being in an enjoyable way. - Published: 2017-07-26 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/must-love-dogs-how-to-make-extra-money-pet-sitting/ - Categories: Recommendations If you’re looking for a way to spend more time with your dog and make money as you go, searching for pet sitting jobs might be just what you need. You can save money by doing it from home and getting to spend as much time as you want with the animals that you care for. This article provides resources for those who want to find out how they can use their skills and free time to make money for the animal sitting. What is pet sitting? Put simply, it’s looking after a pet while the owner is away. It’s a lot like babysitting — only that you’re taking care of someone’s animal, and not their child. Depending on the job description, you may find yourself looking after it at its owner’s place, or at your own house. Many individuals prefer to have a pet sitter who can look after their furry little friend instead of caging it up in a kennel or cattery. This could be because diet and exercise routines are not interrupted, and they get to eliminate all travel trauma for both owner and the animal. Today, it’s now a billion-dollar industry and one of the most rewarding gigs you could ever sign up for. Pet sitters get paid for getting to watch over animals, play with them, give them their medicine on time, walk them — basically anything you can imagine! According to Statistica, the average pay for dog sitting is $13,75 per hour- more in your pocket! While there is... --- ### 9 Must Hear Podcasts on Money Debt and Investing > Improve your financial literacy with PocketGuard even on the go. We have prepared a list of 9 podcasts about debts and investments you must hear. - Published: 2016-04-05 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/9-must-hear-podcasts-on-money-debt-and-investing/ - Categories: Recommendations Trying to get a handle on your finances? Not sure where to invest your hard earned savings? If you don’t feel like you can afford a financial adviser there are plenty of excellent podcasts you can enjoy making your commute more useful: 1) Stacking Benjamins As a former financial planner Joe, the host, has a long list of people who he has helped get out of debt or who have built great wealth. As a working-class hero, those might seem out of reach, but after just a few episodes, you will realize that by taking consistent baby steps, you can take control of your life too. Target: Real personal finance success stories with practical advice. 2) You Need a Budget This practical podcast focuses on helping listeners stop the debt-cycle and start making every dollar count. It focuses on having a budget and sticking to it. It is a great way to motivate yourself by listening to what other families are doing in the real world to make things better. Target: Practical budgeting advice and motivation. 3) Entrepreneur On Fire This on-point podcast for budding entrepreneurs runs seven days a week with its host John Lee Dumas. Every episode features a successful entrepreneur who has been through the inevitable failures that create the necessary «aha! » moment. At the end of each episode is a lightning round of takeaway messages that can be applied to any venture. Target: Entrepreneurs on the path to success. 4) Money With Farnoosh Torabi Farnoosh... --- ### A Little History of The Big Short: Part One > Have you seen The Big Short? If you want to learn more about finances and the US economy, you are welcome to have a sneak peak at the history of the movie. - Published: 2016-03-24 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/a-little-history-of-the-big-short-part-one/ - Categories: Financial literacy The Oscar-nominated film The Big Short follows the lives of several American financial experts who predicted the collapse of the housing bubble in 2008. Many people saw felt that that collapse was completely unexpected by anyone. But, as the film shows, several people who were skeptical of the prevalent opinion that the financial system was too big to fail. While the film is primarily character driven, an understanding of the key financial terms and events can help keep the story flowing so you can focus on the moral struggle the characters face as they contemplate profiting from the collapse of the US economy. Here is what you need to know. In any investment, the way to make money is to buy low and sell high. Most of the time, we think about buying a stock and owning it for a long time before selling it for a higher price. This is known as going “long” on a stock. This works fine as long as you think the price of the stock will go up. But what if you think it will go down? In this case, investors will go “short” on a stock — rather than buying and then selling later on, they sell the stock and hope to buy it back later at a lower price. This is common practice for investors to short stocks. To do so, then simply borrow shares from a broker, sell them to a 3rd party and then promise to buy the stocks back to replace... --- ### 7 Tips On Starting a Business With No Capital > Small business is a good chance to get extra money and pay off your debts. In this article, we share 7 tips on how to start your business with zero investment. - Published: 2016-03-02 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/7-tips-on-starting-a-business-with-no-capital/ - Categories: Recommendations You may be considering starting a small business for many different reasons. Maybe you want to earn extra income to pay off some debt. Maybe you are tired of working for “the man”. Whatever their reasons, entrepreneurs come up with the most amazing business ideas. But there are even more businesses that never get started because of a lack of capital. Someone may have a winning idea, but they assume that it will never take off without major funding behind them. Even though it seems that every new startup receives millions of dollars from venture capital firms, we often don’t hear about all the startups that burn through those millions of dollars just to finally fizzle out and shut their doors forever. If you have a dynamite idea but no money, don’t let that stop you! Of course, you will have ridiculously long days and you are going to be stressed much of the time. But they will just make your success that much sweeter when it all comes together. Here are seven tips that can help you get your idea off the ground with limited funds. 1. Do what you know — Start with the familiar, rather than trying to start something new. Harnessing your existing skills and knowledge means that you can rely on them longer before turning to expensive outside help for answers and advice. Sometimes the only thing that you need to be successful is sitting right between your ears. 2. Play on your home turf — Don’t keep your... --- ### Is bitcoin the gold of the future? Find out here > Bitcoin is the new gold: truth or not? Can its value outweigh the value of gold? Check out this article to find the answer and discover more interesting facts. - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/is-bitcoin-the-gold-of-the-future-find-out-here/ - Categories: Investing Bitcoin is becoming the new gold of the future. The dawn of technology has further propelled Bitcoin’s dominance as an alternative currency. Today, it’s even recognized as a legal currency in several countries. But with the increasing volatility, will it endure the test of time and become the new gold of the future? The rise and fall of Bitcoin is now a common scenario. During its early emergence as digital currency, most people saw it as an alternative digital asset. The knowledgeable ones keyed into it, and right now, its value as an asset has skyrocketed. The unpredictability of digital assets has raised global concerns. Comparing cryptocurrency investments with traditional gold has sparked diverse controversies. Some investors are optimistic about bitcoin as the new gold, while some are pessimistic with lots of facts to justify their attestation. Gold is the standard asset that has birthed other currencies with time. But, according to Anthony Scaramucci of SkyBridge Capital, people have to embrace bitcoin’s trajectory and volatility as the popularity of this ‘new gold’ grows internationally. Specifically, before we can generally accept bitcoin as the new future gold, let’s quickly run the statement through some fundamental ideologies that will standardize the asset stores. The government’s regulation used gold to back the USD when the currency came into the limelight. That meant each dollar was worth a certain amount of gold, and you could take your dollar note to the mint and exchange it for its gold equivalent. Prior to 1971, when President... --- ### Education-Related Tax Deductions and Credits for College Tuition & Expenses > Learn more about credits and tax deductions for education and find out whether you can claim them or not to save money on education expenses. - Published: 2016-02-25 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/education-related-tax-deductions-and-credits-for-college-tuition-expenses/ - Categories: Financial literacy Qualified Expenses for Tax Deductions and credits You are among many American students looking for a means of cutting down on their college expenditure. Such conversations have been making rounds in media spaces and congressional houses with little to no success. Nonetheless, few gaps have been created in recent years to give you a chance to reduce your tax payments. Recently, Congress restored a mandate to enable learners and taxpayers who have student dependents to pay less. Such measures were created in collaboration with the IRS guidelines that provided four tax deductions and credits to qualified persons. The process of being eligible is filled with various conditions that you have to meet. To begin with, qualification depends on the nature of the expenses you are being taxed on. The term qualified expenses refer to all high costs of the education process, including tuition, fees, book, equipment, and supplies. Drawing from this, the IRS has offered Tax Benefits for Educations to students attending eligible institutions. Tax Perks for Education Whichever your perception of the IRA is, credit to their attempts in reducing the cost of getting a college education, IRA made this publication to help us understand what they meant by tax credits and tax deductions. How about we jump into it now? Tax Credit After every tax year, you are required to file your tax returns, and in those returns, there is an amount that the IRA will reduce from your earnings, referred to as tax liability. Therefore, a tax credit... --- ### Only One In Four Millennials Can Answer These 3 Financial Questions. Can You? > Can you answer these financial questions? Are you financially literate and know how to manage money? Check it here and improve your knowledge. - Published: 2016-02-23 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/only-one-in-four-millennials-can-answer-these-3-financial-questions-can-you/ - Categories: Financial literacy A new study has found that Millennials are lacking when it comes time to managing their money. While everyone knows how to spend money, a new San Diego State University study of young Americans has that now everyone knows how to manage it Just in time for financial literacy month, a new San Diego State University study of young Americans has found that they are lacking when it comes to financial knowledge and behavior. When these three questions were asked to measure basic financial knowledge, the average respondent was only able to answer 1. 8 correctly — and only a quarter got all three right. (The answers will be given later in this story. ) (1) Do you think that the following statement is true or false? Buying a single company stock usually provides a safer return than a stock mutual fund. (2) Suppose you had $100 in a savings account and the interest rate was 2% per year. After 5 years, how much do you think you would have in the account if you left the money to grow: More than $102, exactly $102, or less than $102? (3) Imagine that the interest rate on your savings account was 1% per year and inflation was 2% per year. After 1 year, would you be able to buy more than, exactly the same as, or less than today with the money in this account? The most troubling part of the research had to do with how the respondents were actually managing their... --- ### The Inside Scoop on 401k Fees > Are you sure you don’t pay too much for 401K? Read this article to dig deeper in the 401k plan and understand whether the fees are not too high. - Published: 2016-02-16 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-inside-scoop-on-401k-fees/ - Categories: Financial literacy How do you know if you are overpaying on your 401k fees? About one-third of Americans have no clue how much they pay for their employer-sponsored retirement plan, a situation that can affect the entire purpose of saving for retirement. When it comes to setting aside money for retirement, every little percentage can add up. In fact, one study conducted by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed that even small amounts could substantially lower retirement savings, much less high amounts. This is why it is important that you have a clear idea of how much your retirement savings plan will cost you before jumping in. Here’s a guide to understanding the cost associated with your 401(k) plan and identifying and avoiding high charges. What Is a 401k? This is a retirement plan that lets you save for your retirement. Employees get this plan as a part of their compensation package. Employers also are expected to match their contributions. There are two basic types of this retirement program, each with its unique set of tax advantages: The traditional 401(k) plan. In the traditional system, employee contributions are subtracted from their gross income before tax. Here, employees are not taxed on monies earned until the funds are withdrawn at retirement. The Roth plan. These are retirement plans to which employees contribute after being taxed on their income. As a result, employees are not taxed on monies earned when the funds are withdrawn at retirement. What Are 401k Fees? If you register... --- ### Throw a New Years Bash, Without Bashing Your New Year Budget > New Year is always a big celebration and a big expense. However, we have prepared a list of life hacks you can use to have a great party but still save your budget. - Published: 2015-12-28 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/throw-a-new-years-bash-without-bashing-your-new-year-budget/ - Categories: Recommendations For some people the most important time of the year is how this one ends and the next begins. It is a time of the year to reflect on everything that was accomplished and make the standard resolutions for next year. For others it is just another excuse to throw a party. Wherever you are on the spectrum, you don’t need to break the bank to break in the new year! By doing a few things on your own before you ring in the new year, you can great the perfect event. Choose a theme. Choosing a theme can get everyone excited about the evening an have something to focus on when they come. Make sure not to choose one that lets people share their creativity, but isn’t so restrictive that they feel they can’t join the party without following the theme. If you decide not to go with a theme, make sure you tell everyone what the dress code is (formal or casual) so that people don’t feel uncomfortable for dressing up or down too much. Funny Hats are a must! Don’t think you are ever too old to don a New Years hat. Rather than buy some generic ones, download and print out patterns from websites to create hats that fit your theme. This gives you something to hand out to people who didn’t prepare for the theme as they arrive. Printing out a few pieces for décor to set the mood can go a long way. Glitter... --- ### 5 Tricks that Retailers Use on Black Friday > Do you think Black Friday offers are always exclusive? Truth is, marketers use a lot of tricky strategies to make you spend more money. Read more about it here. - Published: 2015-11-26 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/5-tricks-that-retailers-use-on-black-friday/ - Categories: Financial literacy Black Friday is known as the best time to stock up on gifts for the holidays. Some reports say that 30% of holiday shopping is done on Thanksgiving weekend. While there are deals to be had, some shoppers are being duped into buying low quality products or spend more than they planned for. It is easy to get caught up in the hype and excitement of the weekend. Here are 5 tricks that retailers use to thank you for your hard earned cash. 1. Inferior products Just because the big screen television in the window looks similar to the one you have wanted all year, doesn’t mean that it is comparable in quality. More and more retailers are selling cheaper versions of TVs, laptops, tablets and other electronics that are specifically made for the holidays. The items can be the same brand and even look just like the higher-priced model, but have fewer features that you might not notice until you try to use it. As an example, Maybe the tablet has a smaller storage capacity, the TV will has a lower resolution, the camera doesn’t have a battery. It still might be a good deal, just not as good as you thought. Consumer Reports put out a warning that another way that retailers lower the prices is the offer shorter warranties. Even though it feels like you need to rush, make sure you come prepared with all the product specifications and the model number that you are looking for... --- ### 8 Ways to Save Money on Thanksgiving Dinner > Do you want to save expenses while preparing a tasty Thanksgiving dinner? We have listed 8 effective tips to help you celebrate with no worries about the budget. - Published: 2015-11-03 - Modified: 2023-09-19 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/8-ways-to-save-money-on-thanksgiving-dinner/ - Categories: Savings tips Whether you have decided to pay tribute to the Great Pumpkin or it is just your turn in the family rotation, it’s your turn to host Thanksgiving. Not to worry. You have everything under control, right? You’ve already made a seating plan to separate Aunt Kathy and mother; you know when to start thawing the turkey, you even made 5 frozen pie crusts in advance. What you didn’t plan for, is how you plan to pay for this bountiful family feast. Don’t worry! Take a moment and just breathe then follow the advice given by the Food Nework’s Melissa d’Arabian, and Kimberly Morales, creator of the Poor Girl Eats Well blog. Here are 8 ways they suggest you can serve up a low-cost, high-class Thanksgiving: 1. Go traditional One thing to be thankful for this is that traditional Turkey Day foods are relatively cheap! You can forgo the ham or steak dinner in this holiday. Poultry is the dish of the day and is generally the most inexpensive meat protein. When you add the potatoes carrots, you are hard pressed to find a lower cost meal. D’Arabian points out that most of the costs comes from the wow factor we go for in side dishes, drinks or a second meat. “It’s the bells and whistles that are expensive in a Thanksgiving dinner,” she says. 2. Stick with the classics Turkey, gravy and sides such as potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole and cranberry sauce. You can save time and money by... --- ### 7 Ways to Keep Budget Alive Over Halloween > Halloween costumes, parties, and holiday meals can cost you a lot. But here are tips from the PocketGuard for you to save your budget and still have good fun. - Published: 2015-10-27 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/7-ways-to-keep-budget-alive-over-halloween/ - Categories: Savings tips Many people enjoy celebrating Halloween oven any other holiday. Between dressing up, carving pumpkins and passing out candy, the average American spends $74 per year according to the National Retail Federation. Even if you don’t have little children ghosts that want to haunt your wallet, it’s the grown-ups who end up spending $1. 2 billion on their costumes. Children’s costumes top out at $950 million. Luckily, there are ways to kill it at a party without murdering you budget. Here are some of the best ideas on how to inject some life into the Halloween season and still have enough money left over for your thanksgiving turkey. 1. Retro game party Want something new? Just look far enough in the past! Rachel Jonat, founder of The Minimalist Mom blog, has decided to host her party for her 5-year-old son that will bring back the ghosts of games gone by. Some of these old classic games include bobbing for apples and musical chairs. These low-cost games require very little setup and are scary fun! She plans to decorate with pumpkins and make simple crafts from recycled material. Instead of handing out traditional gift bags, she plans to doing a science experiment that involves microwaving soap so that the kids can have something exciting to take home that “is cheap, fun — and not candy. ” 2. Take advantage of your community Teri had an idea to buy secondhand costumes for her six children from local thrift stores. Her family will also attend a... --- ### Ways to Save Money On Food While Travelling > How to save money on food during your vacation? Find out in this article! PocketGuard shares the 10 best ways to eat cheaper while you travel. - Published: 2015-10-15 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/ways-to-save-money-on-food-while-travelling/ - Categories: Savings tips 10 Ways to Save Money on Food While You Are on Vacation Description: Buying food while on vacation can be overly expensive. Find out the ten best ways to save money on food on your next trip out of town. 10 Foolproof ways to Save Money on Food While You are on Vacation The urge to try out local cuisines in a foreign land is often too tempting. For most travelers, it’s one of the must-do things on their travel list. Every culture has one too many signature dishes and trying them all may dent your wallet. Knowing how to save money on food is of paramount importance. As such, being wary of what you eat while on vacation is essential. It is one of the best ways you can cut back on unnecessary expenses. And while such costs are inevitable, spending more money on food without prior planning may ruin your vacation prematurely. In this article, we look at ways to save money on food while you’re on vacation and reveal pragmatic ways to eat cheap on vacation. 10 Best ways to save money while traveling 1. Travel Along With Some Packed Food This is perhaps one of the most ideal ways to save money on food while on vacation. Before leaving town, why not buy some non-perishable foods from the local food store and carry them with you? Foods such as nuts, fruits, chocolates, bread are easy to pack and carry in your car. Doing this prevents needless spending on snacks... --- ### 8 Edible Landscaping Ideas to Save You Money and Improve Your Diet > Do you know your lawn can not only be beautiful but provide you with food as well? Here are 8 ideas for edible landscapes you can implement and you’ll love for sure. - Published: 2015-10-13 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/8-edible-landscaping-ideas-to-save-you-money-and-improve-your-diet/ - Categories: Recommendations 8 edible landscaping ideas to save you money and a flat, manicured lawn. The plain sea of green is so ubiquitous that most people never consider that there is anything else to do with this space. For a country that is built on efficiency and results, it seems strange that we have universally chosen such a high maintenance solution that gives absolutely nothing back. Maybe this is why so many people are starting to buck the trend and plant berry bushes, herb borders, and even trellises covered in climbing peas or squash vines. Instead of wasting their yards on grass and shrubbery, they are growing food for their families. This is known as edible landscaping: making a decorative landscape from edible foods. This can include anything from planting fruit trees to ornamental lettuces. And you don’t need to fill your yard with fruits and vegetables. Even a small window box planter with radish can be a beautiful additional. Through edible gardening, you not only make your yard unique and beautiful, you can also put healthy food on your table as the same time. There are many benefits of growing your own produce. The first is in the farm fresh flavor. Many children have never even tasted what nature intended a tomato to taste like. Even strawberries and carrots seem to have lost their natural sweetness. Beside enjoying better tasting food, a typical garden can produce two to three pounds of fresh produce per square foot. Even at reasonable prices, a... --- ### 8 Ways to Travel More and Spend Less > If you love traveling, these tips are right for you. In this blog post, you’ll find 8 tips for traveling on a budget. Read now to travel more while spending less! - Published: 2015-10-09 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/8-ways-to-travel-more-and-spend-less/ - Categories: Personal finance 8 Budget Travel Tips 2021 Do you love traveling? In this article, we reveal some hidden tips and tricks that can show you how to travel on a budget, and save a lot more money. Read on! How to buy less and travel more Chances are you have either totally canceled or cut short a trip, due to expenses, at least once in your lifetime. People love to travel. According to statista. com, leisure travel is the largest sector of the tourism industry presently. What if we told you that there are ways to have more trips and visit more cities while spending less money? Do we have your attention? Good. Let’s get into it. Take Advantage of Your Destination’s Off-Peak Season Yes, you probably want to visit Malta at Christmas, to see the sights and immerse yourself in the Maltese culture. But do you really have to, especially when you are trying to travel on a low budget? Speaking of budget travel tips here is one for you; trips are more expensive during the peak seasons. In fact, all prices go up by almost 50%: hotel fees, airline fares, and the general lifestyle in the city during the peak seasons. So travel during off-seasons, and not tourist peaks, to make use of reductions in hotel prices, discounted flights, and more. Other things like flying during mid-week, flying on the actual event day (since most people should have booked by then), and taking cheap routes, can also help you. Researching public information published... --- ### 4 Ways to Support Your Local Businesses > If you want to know how to support local businesses, here are 4 ways for you to go. Read this article to know what you can do and what benefits it may bring you. - Published: 2015-10-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/4-ways-to-support-your-local-businesses/ - Categories: Recommendations Imagine that you are moving to a new city and you need to choose a place to live. It is down to two neighborhoods. One is in a suburb with large, beautiful houses and lawns. In the center is a commercial complex with large box stores and plenty of parking, but you need to drive to get to it. The second neighborhood is older and has smaller houses, but they are interspersed with small-locally owned supermarkets, a bookstore and a pharmacy. Most streets have a small conveniences store all withing walking distance. Which neighborhood would you choose? Most Americans say that they prefer the second neighborhood, unfortunately, it is getting harder and harder for these small businesses to stay afloat. Fortunately this is one problem that can be solved by not going the extra mile. Shopping locally can not only be good for your soul, it can be good for your pocketbook as well. Most small shops offer price matching guarantees and when you spend local, more money stays in your neighborhood. This not only creates local retail jobs, it also increases demand for local architects and contractors for building and remodeling, local accountants and insurance brokers to help them run the business, and local ad agencies to promote it. Locally owned stores are also more likely to offer goods that are produced locally. According to the American Independent Business Alliance, this can lead to a “multiplier effect,” which means that each dollar spent at a local store can bring... --- ### Ways to get your security deposit back > How to get your security deposit back from the landlord? We reveal all the ins and outs in this article for you not to lose your money, so do not miss it. - Published: 2015-09-29 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/ways-to-get-your-security-deposit-back/ - Categories: Recommendations Meta description Tenants often have trouble getting their deposit back. Here are sure-fire ways to ensure your landlord gives your security deposit back easily with no altercations. Getting security deposit back You are ready to move. Your new house is all set and you are excited to relocate to a better and more comfortable place. Life is good. Or rather, it was great until you called your almost ex-landlord, only to hear that you will not get your security deposit back. The sad fact is that you are not alone. Horror stories of renters having nasty disagreements with landlords over their security deposit return are not uncommon. Actually, if you are not part of the statistics, high chances are you know someone who has had a gruesome experience getting a security deposit back. Slumlords exist. However, even good landlords may withhold a tenant’s deposit for various reasons. Some of them include but are not limited to house damages, rent arrears, and breach of contract. How to get a security deposit back Moving from a rental apartment into a new house is nothing short of stressful. It is financially draining, but getting your deposit back can help alleviate a good deal of that stress. So how do you do that? In this article, we share tips on how to get security deposits back even after several years of tenancy. Let us delve into specifics. Be conscious of the terms in your lease Okay, everyone knows how long legal documents are hard to read.... --- ### How Title Insurance Can Save Your Financial Future > If you are about to purchase a new home, you definitely need to consider title insurance. What it is, why you need it, and how it can save your finances, read here. - Published: 2015-09-25 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-title-insurance-can-save-your-financial-future/ - Categories: Savings tips Matt and Jenny were excited they had been saving for years since they were married so they could buy their first home together. They found a great deal on a recently renovated house and put in an offer. While they were filling out the paperwork, they were overwhelmed by all the closing cost items. When their lawyer asked if they wanted the optional title insurance, they turned it down. After all, they already were paying for homeowners insurance, “Why do we need to pay for it twice? ” they thought. They closed the sale quickly and moved in. Everything seemed okay until 6 months later they got a call from their lawyer saying that there was a problem. The contractor that had renovated the house was not paid for the work he did and had put a lean on the home that did not show up when they did their original title search. This meant that there was an extra $40,000 lien on the home that they, as the current owners of the title, were now liable for. They were devastated. The lawyer explained that he was not responsible for the oversight and if they wanted to fight the lean in the courts, they would have to pay for the extra legal fees out of their own pockets. If they had purchased the title insurance, they would have been fully covered to deal with this problem. This may seem like an unrealistic scenario, but that is the reality for many... --- ### Have You Received Your EMV Credit Card? > What are EMV cards? Learn everything you need to know about chip-enabled credit cards, why you should get one, and other aspects in this article. - Published: 2015-09-22 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/have-you-received-your-emv-credit-card/ - Categories: Financial literacy Hopefully by now you have received your new chip-enabled credit card. Because of the number consumer data breaches, credit card companies has decided to step up security and adopt a new security standard. The magnetic strips and signature system that have been used up to now by major card issuers have proven to provide very little security, so several years ago Europay, MasterCard and Visa teamed up to develop a new system that allows cards to that provide improved security. If you notice that your new card still has the old style magnetic strip don’t worry. You can still use it at all your favorite places. The major difference is that starting in October, 2015 if the merchant does not use the chip and pin system to authenticate your transaction and your card is used to commit fraud, the credit card company will hold the merchant responsible. This does not affect you as a consumer in terms of liability, but it does mean that merchants will have to be more careful about the transactions that they allow. For example, they may ask for ID when you make a purchase if they suspect that the card may not be yours. The new cards represent a leap in technology in terms of security. Whereas magnetic cards only sent the credit card number and expiration date, the new technology uses cryptography to verify that it is valid. This means the transaction may take a few seconds longer than usual so complete, but that... --- ### Where Did The Money Go? > Learn how to control your finances and always know where your money goes. Here are helpful tips for you to rule your finances and don’t let them slip away. - Published: 2015-09-17 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/where-did-the-money-go/ - Categories: Personal finance The question ‘where did all the money go? ’ suggests a life devoid of a budget. The opposition to a budget is understandable because a lot of people don’t want too many boundaries in their lives. Some people just want to roam free and have their cash follow them where they go. However, it is impossible to be financially healthy without making some compromises with your funds. With a budget at hand, you can create the discipline required for attaining financial well-being. In other words, to know where your income goes, you have to control the direction it should go. If you do this regularly, whenever you evaluate your financial portfolio, your money will be exactly where you want it to be. Where is your money now? You can’t fix a problem if you don’t know what it is. You cannot change your financial status if you don’t know what your income is doing right now. If you know your financial status, you can influence your finances with data. You will use the knowledge of what is happening, based on current figures from an audit. Armed with this knowledge, you can understand your problem, know what to do to fix it, know why you need to do it, and where to start. You can start with a balance sheet. This age-old bookkeeping secret can help you start the journey to building financial wealth. Moreso, it can keep your credit score precisely where you want it to be. A balance sheet measures... --- ### What Is The Rule of 72 and Compound Interest (CI)? > This is what you need to know about the rule of 72 and compound interest to identify investment opportunities and reach financial goals easily. - Published: 2015-09-15 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-is-the-rule-of-72-and-compound-interest-ci/ - Categories: Investing If you have ever done any investing, you may have heard about the rule of 72. And, you may be asking “What is the rule of 72? ” Experts often use this rule to compute the period of time needed to save or invest twice as much as investment capital. According to the rule of 72, you can find out how fast you can twice increase the value of your capital when your interest rate is divided by 72. For example, if you get an offer of a 12% interest, this means that you can double your savings if you leave the invested capital alone and don’t touch it for 6 years at the same rate. Although it’s usually used to compute compound interest rates on savings accounts, it can also be used in many other ways. You can also use it to calculate the duration it takes to pay off a loan! The formula What is the rule of 72 and how is it calculated? It’s really quite simple. The formula is: t = 72/r Where: t = time {r} = % fixed interest rate How can you apply this mathematical formula in real-life situations? Check out the following use cases with varying interest rates. ROI is doubled in: 72 years if you have a 1% ROI (72 / 1 = 72) 24 years if you have a 3% ROI (72 / 3 = 24) 12 years if you have a 6% ROI (72 / 6 = 12) 8... --- ### Reduce And Eliminate Your Debt > Is there any chance to eliminate your debt? In this article, we share practical tips you can use to reduce your debts as well as describe ways of debt elimination. - Published: 2015-09-10 - Modified: 2024-01-05 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/reduce-and-eliminate-your-debt/ - Categories: Debt repayment Getting out of debt can be a difficult task. Sometimes, keeping up with consistent monthly bills and saving for a rainy day can be overwhelming while paying the minimum monthly credit card repayments. But, it is feasible to reduce and eliminate your bills, no matter the cause. According to the New York Federal Reserve, consumer debt hit $14. 56 trillion after the fourth quarter of 2020. The consumer debt for the fourth quarter of 2008 was up $414 billion over the previous year and nearly $1. 9 trillion higher than the previous high of $12. 68 trillion set in the third quarter of 2008. Each credit card holder has four cards on average, and a credit card holder’s household owes $8,398 in credit card debt. So, in this article, you’d learn practical ways you can reduce your debts, as well as effective debt elimination strategies. Ways to reduce or eliminate debt If you are neck-deep in personal bills and feel stuck, here we discuss some approaches on how to reduce debt quickly. #1 Understand debt reduction strategies A perfect understanding of the best debt reduction strategies can enable you to get your financial obligations under control. These are the common methods you leverage if you want to learn how to reduce your debt effectively. Arrange for a lower payback rate Bidding with your creditors to decrease how much you’d payback is one of the procedures you can use to reduce your debts. You’ll be amazed at how many creditors are... --- ### How Much Does a Latte Grande Cost? > Do you ever count how much money you «drink» every day? Your latte grande is not just a coffee, it is hundreds of dollars you spend per year. See details here. - Published: 2015-09-08 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-much-does-a-latte-grande-cost/ - Categories: Personal finance It is early on a Monday morning and you are dragging your body to work again to start off another work week. It is worth it, though. Just another 40 years of this and you will be able to live out your dream in your summer cottage on the lake. But at this point you are still too tired to enjoy it. At this point, you can’t even imagine making it until 10:00 without your morning latte Grande at Starbucks. You walk into the Starbucks that you always stop at on the way to work you start to wake up to the smell of the fresh brew. Change in hand, you are already set for your daily fix. A shot of excitement shoots through you as you read the sign above the counter, “Latte Grande, $3. 55. ” You drop the change on the counter, pick up your drink and take a quick sip. With the instant burst of energy, you start to believe you can make it through another day. But with the extra synapses firing, you also start to wonder how much that latte actually cost you. Sure the sign says $3. 55, but how many times have you done it? Every day last week. Every weekday for the past year actually. “Oh well,” you say to yourself taking another sip, “it’s only $3. 55. ” But, there is a nagging in your mind to figure out how much it will actually cost to keep up this innocent... --- ### Introduction to Hedge Fund > Here’s everything you need to know about hedge funds, so go ahead and take your financial literacy to a new level with PocketGuard. - Published: 2015-09-03 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/introduction-to-hedge-fund/ - Categories: Investing You may have read about hedge funds in the news but are unsure of what they are exactly. They are sometimes called the “mutual funds for the wealthy,” but that isn’t really accurate. While hedge funds and mutual funds both pool money from multiple investors, that is where their similarities stop. The major difference between mutual funds and hedge funds is that hedge funds are very loosely regulated — having some serious implications. They are generally set up as private investment limited partnerships. So, to become a part of the partnership, you have to be an accredited investor, including a relatively deep knowledge of the investment tools the fund managers could use as well as having a net-worth of at least $1 million. Since hedge funds are not available to the general public, hedge funds are restricted by law to advertise their services and have much looser regulations of reporting what they do with the money under management. This also means that they are not as flexible to buy in or liquidate as mutual funds. Most hedge funds operate for a set period of time, only allowing withdrawals at set intervals — such as quarterly or annually. Hedge funds were initially created in the 1940’s to allow fund managers who foresaw downturns in the market to short stock, thus hedging their investments against potential losses. Despite these origins, hedge funds today are far more focused on maximizing returns through high-risk investments and leveraging than they are interested in reducing risk. Compensation is also very... --- ### Introduction to Mutual Funds > Learn the basics of mutual funds. Discover the advantages of using them and important points to take into account if you want to invest in mutual funds. - Published: 2015-09-01 - Modified: 2023-09-19 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/introduction-to-mutual-funds/ - Categories: Investing More than half of the households in America today invests in mutual funds. They have become such an important part of our lives that when many people way that they are “investing their money, ” they mean that they have purchased mutual funds. But, unfortunately, that is where many people’s understanding of mutual funds ends. Mutual funds are simply a collection of stocks and bonds. Because the stock market is such a complex system, mutual funds were created as a way for the little guy to invest with the big dogs. Each investor in the fund owns shares that are valued at the proportion to which they invested into the fund. For example, if a fund is valued at $10 million and there are 10 million shares, each share would be worth $1. Since funds are made up of stock and bonds, investors can earn money from investing in the fund in one of two ways. Funds which own stocks that earn dividends pay out a dividend distribution to the fund owners. Or, Funds that realize a capital gain increase in value, making each share of the fund more valuable. These shares can then be sold off for as a capital gain for the shareholder. There are many advantages to using a mutual fund including: Having a professional manager to choose the stocks and bonds within the fund. Larger funds own hundreds of different stocks, diversifying the portfolio lowering the impact of poorly performing stocks by averaging out their losses.... --- ### A Brief History of Wall Street > We have all heard about Wall Street, but do we know something about its history? If you want to expand your knowledge on this topic, this article is for you. - Published: 2015-08-27 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-wall-street/ - Categories: Financial literacy When you talk about Wall Street, there are usually two images that pop into people’s heads: The first is an image of a mystical place where the wizards of the financial industry scheme up ways to take money from the average Joe. The second is a group of wealthy men, lighting pipes with $100 bills, deciding the fate of the world at a whim. In reality, Wall Street is a short, eight-block-long street in lower Manhattan where the original New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) was housed, along with the headquarters of several of the largest investment firms and brokerages in America. While the exchange and most of these businesses have relocated, this tiny little street has remained an iconic part of the world financial services industry and is usually used to refer to the elite, juxtaposing again the Main Street found in average, working-class cities and towns. The NYSE has established itself as the dominant exchange house in the world today, but it finds its roots across the pond in the coffeehouses of London. The new world, America, was the land of opportunity and everyone wanted a piece of the American pie. Wealthy businessmen would charter ships to the East Indies or Asia to buy cheap goods like coffee, cotton or hemp to bring them back to Europe for huge profits. While the opportunity to make massive profits were there, it was also very risky. Piracy was rampant, the weather threatened ships and inexperienced captains could easily end up on... --- ### Ashley Madison Data Breach — Are You at Risk? > Can you feel safe about your data and be sure data leak won’t happen? Check out the story of Ashley Madison and pay attention to 7 ways your data may be breached. - Published: 2015-08-25 - Modified: 2023-09-20 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/ashley-madison-data-breach-are-you-at-risk/ - Categories: Financial literacy When the details of an estimated 33–39 million users of the pro-adultery website Ashley Madison, the public was reminded once again that everyone’s data is vulnerable. But this breach represents a different type of data breach than we are used to — one where the financial data was not the most dangerous part of the breach. The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) has been tracking security breaches since 2005, and in the past 10 years has cataloged a total of 5,497 breaches of varying sizes for a total of 818,004,561 records that have been compromised. Most of these breaches expose data that puts the people at risk of financial or identity theft and includes “Social Security numbers, financial account information, medical information, or email addresses and passwords”, ITRC reports. Obviously the release of this data, either to an individual or to the public can have serious consequences, both financially and in terms of the time it takes to restore your good name. If someone steals your credit card information, they can make unauthorized purchases, costing you money. If your SSN falls into the wrong hands, it is possible that someone could apply for new credit in your name and put your entire credit rating at risk. The Ashley Madison data breach goes a step further than either of these. The credit card information that was released on the Ashley Madison data breach only included the last four digits or each card, just enough to confirm that is was your card that was... --- ### Introduction to Stock Markets > What are stock markets and how can they bring you money? If you are new to this topic, read this article to understand the basic principles. - Published: 2015-08-20 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/introduction-to-stock-markets/ - Categories: Investing For anyone who grew up playing the board game Stock Ticker, investing in the stock markets can feel a lot like gambling. You put all your chips on red or black and hope for the best. Or, maybe you think you need some inside information to get ahead, a hot stock tip from someone in-the-know. It is unfortunate that this investment vehicle has gotten this reputation with the public, but it is not surprising when you consider how complex the system really is. Even though it is complex, you can understand parts of it and get involved in the parts you feel you are comfortable working with. Before you start to throw money at the stock market, it is important to first understand how it can earn you money. You don’t need to view the stock market as a place to make bets and see if they pan out. There are just a few things that you need to know so that you can go from making bets to making investments. A share of stock is just a way of saying a part owner of a company. When you own a share of stock in a company, you literally own a small fraction of the total assets and earnings of the company. The assets of the company are everything the company owns, buildings, patents, equipment and intellectual property. The earnings are all of the money that the company brings in from selling products and services. A company will usually issue... --- ### How to Continue Your Self-Education for Free > Education can be free, and we are happy to share some valuable resources with you. Check them out and make sure you can study anywhere, saving your budget. - Published: 2015-08-18 - Modified: 2023-09-20 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-continue-your-self-education-for-free/ - Categories: Recommendations You likely spent the first 20-odd years of your life learning. Your first few years you were a self-learner — teaching yourself to stand, walk and talk. This is no easy feat — as anyone who has studied a new language as an adult can attest to. Then you started a more formal education processes and followed that path for another 12 or so years before you started university, which was even more expensive. Many people believe that when they throw their hats in the air at graduation, they are done learning and it is time to start earning. Maybe they just feel they can’t afford to continue their education, but there are plenty of low-cost alternatives to a paid learning path. Here are 6 ways you can get more from the glut of free educational opportunities that surround you: 1. Watch youtube — While it is true you can waste days watching funny cat videos, YouTube also a fabulous resource for anyone looking for education outside of school. Learn a foreign language, take math and science courses, study the humanities or train your memory. With just a few seconds of searching on a topic that interests you, you will have days worth of study material available to you. If you really enjoy watching them, you can even take the next step and start producing your own, allowing you to earn as you learn! 2. Khan Academy — One of the best tools for people looking for more in a more in-depth learning experience is Khan Academy. Sal... --- ### Why You Should Keep a Financial Blog > Keeping track of your money is crucial to have full control of your finances. Learn what to do to know where your money goes and stick to your financial plan easily. - Published: 2015-08-13 - Modified: 2024-01-05 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/why-you-should-keep-a-financial-blog/ - Categories: Recommendations Every month, or at least every quarter, businesses are required to create a status report. To some people, it seems like a waste of time, or even a little insulting to be forced prove that you are worth your paycheck. From the other side, it can also be a great opportunity to show how much you have done for the company and why you deserve that big raise. Keeping track and reporting back is key in any corporate situation, but what about your home finances? It is true that you can come up with complicated systems to track finances, but often the simple solution is the best. Simply writing down what you spend money on, and then reviewing it each day for a minute or two can bring a lot of clarity to your finances. If that is coupled with a short note about why you spent the money, it can be very effective. There are also many different ways to track your expenses. John Rockefeller kept a notebook on him and wrote everything that he purchased down. Today he likely would have used a financial app that automatically tracks expenses. Once per day in the evening, or even while you are riding the bus to work, you can go through your expenses and make a note about it. By simply seeing the day’s expenses at a glance, many people are able to understand what they are spending money on and feel more connected to the goals they are trying... --- ### Ways to Keep a Little Green in Your Planet > The Earth is our home we must keep green and clear. If you think that you need huge investment to help Earth stay greener, you are wrong, and here is why. - Published: 2015-08-11 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/ways-to-keep-a-little-green-in-your-planet/ - Categories: Recommendations One of the greatest scenes of going green is from Disney animation Moana. As Moana walks towards Te Kā and restores the heart of Te Fiti, we see the world turn from volcanic ash into green and abundance. Like little Moana defying the odds of sailing across the world, finding Maui, and restoring the heart of Te Feti, we can give more to our planet. Going green is often about giving the earth more than we take from it or returning to the earth every time we take from it. It is therefore important that we learn to make our planet green. Simple and deliberate actions we take daily contribute to making the earth greener. These actions may be as little as reusing things instead of throwing them into the garbage, turning off the lights, refusing to use plastic and other synthetic materials as well. Seeing as we consider planet earth home and we only have one home for now, why not spend a little more time showering it with love and care and learn how to make the earth clean and green? Here are some ways we can preserve and make the earth greener right from your home to your office without breaking the bank: How to Keep the Earth Green Going Green in the Office We spend so much time in the office carrying out productive activities and sometimes we also create wastes that are not eco-friendly. We can fix that in the following ways. More Digital Less Paper... --- ### 11 Ways to Save Money on Groceries > You can cut spending on groceries easily if you stick to the tips we share in this article. You will learn to spend less and still enjoy your favorite products. - Published: 2015-08-04 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/11-ways-to-save-money-on-groceries/ - Categories: Savings tips Does your current grocery bill leave you financially drained? Read on to learn tips that can help you cut your grocery cost by up to half! Tips on How to Save Money on Groceries There are various ways to save money. You can completely cut off cab fees, coffee, and a myriad of other unnecessary expenses, but the one thing you cannot eliminate from your budget is food; and food is pricey. According to PocketGuard, the average American family spends approximately $7,500 to $15,000 on groceries annually. As a result, grocery shopping can consume up to 34% of your household income, which is quite a significant figure. So, if you are wondering if there are hacks on how to save money on your grocery bill, a simple answer is Yes! Many people are oblivious to the fact that grocery shopping is one of the areas where we are in the most control, financially. Also, cutting your grocery expense doesn’t mean compromising your health. It involves making smart shopping decisions to make the most of your grocery budget. Whether a student on a small budget or a parent trying to keep your grocery budget in check, here are some tips that will help you reduce grocery bills and save more money. Know Where to Shop Easy ways to save money on groceries exist. Firstly, you need to know where to get the best deals. This alone can save you up to 50% on your grocery bill right off the bat. Shop... --- ### 6 Ways to Surprise a Spouse When You Share Finances > How to make a surprise for your spouse if you share accounts? Here are proven ways to make a gift without letting your significant other know about your purchase. - Published: 2015-07-30 - Modified: 2023-09-20 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/6-ways-to-surprise-a-spouse-when-you-share-finances/ - Categories: Personal finance Whether it is an anniversary or a birthday, we all look forward to opening a gift from our special someone. For couples that keep their finances separate, it is easy to buy presents for each other. Most couples, however, share accounts and make all financial decisions together, making presents a planned purchase. In this scenario, couples usually set aside present money in their budgets so that they can plan for them and track the expenses. But, what happens if you want to break the mold and give a real surprise? Something that makes them saying, “WOW! How did you get me this? ” With most purchases, gifts included, it is important to plan ahead. But, with surprise gifts, the further you plan ahead, the more difficult it is to keep the lucky recipient in the dark. A line item on a credit card bill can tip them off long before they stumble into your suspicious package in the attic. So, if you are planning to keep your surprise under the radar, here are 6 tricks you can use to land the big surprise: 1) Earn extra money on the side and have a friend make the purchase When Colleen Meeks wanted to surprise her husband with an iPad for his birthday, she struggled to find a way to keep it a secret. Not only was it hard to find money sneak out of the house to buy it, they shared all their finances, so she couldn’t make the purchase without... --- ### How to Deal With Friends That Don’t Save Money > If your friends want to spend more money than you can afford, there are useful tips to follow not to exceed your budget limits. Read this article to know what to do. - Published: 2015-07-28 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-deal-with-friends-that-dont-save-money/ - Categories: Recommendations For most people, it is a lot easier to plan a budget and stick to it in the winter months. There is something about a sunny day and warm evening that just begs us to get out and enjoy it. But, it is easy for one night to turn into a weekend and one fun weekend into another. Before you know it, your budget has started its own early migration out of your wallet. This is especially true if you have friends that can enjoy a beefier entertainment budget, or not as concerned about saving as you are. It can be hard to say, “no” when the alternative is pasta night at home alone. Especially when no one event seems to be that expensive, but in the summer months, the sheer number of activities can break any budget. If your budget is feeling the pressure, here are 8 ways to mind your friends while managing your budget: 1. Plan for it. First and foremost, accept that you should enjoy your life and that entertainment is going to be a part of your life, and budget, so plan for it! It doesn’t need to be as big as your mortgage payment, but you need to plan to spend enough that you will not feel guilty about going over and ruin your fun. 2. Make suggestions early. If you wait until the last minute or don’t have a plan at all, it is easy to end up at an expensive restaurant. Be... --- ### Micro-Vacation on Micro-Budget: Enjoy and Save Money > Find out more about micro-vacations that you can enjoy on a micro-budget. We’ve got 6 ideas for you to have a short but really enjoyable and low-cost vacation. - Published: 2015-07-23 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/micro-vacation-on-micro-budget-enjoy-and-save-money/ - Categories: Savings tips America has always been known around the world as the land of opportunity and one reason for that is that we work very hard! The land of freedom does not require employers to offer paid vacation to their employees and instead leaves it up to each company individually to offer these incentives to their employees as they see fit. If you are starting out at your job, you likely only get two weeks of vacation, half of the world average. It would be nice to jet-set off to Hawaii for a two-week vacation, but that is only for those who can afford to do it. On top of that, the next 50 weeks in the office can seem like a very long time. What are Micro-vacations Micro-vacations are short, low-cost trips to near-by places. If you have 2 days off over a week, don’t be afraid to use them to relax rather than work around the house. There are thousands of beautiful places to stay for under $50 per night on airbnb. com, VRBO or HomeAway. These places usually give you far more room than a hotel, they also help you meet locals who are more than happy to show you around and avoid the stressful tourist traps. If you leave for your trip a Friday evening after work and take the Monday off, you can enjoy a full 3-day vacation and only use up one of your days off. Just be careful not to pack too much into your... --- ### 12 Things to Consider Before Buying a New Car > If you are in doubt whether you need to buy a new car or not, read this article now. We have listed 12 main points for you to consider and make a smart decision. - Published: 2015-07-21 - Modified: 2023-09-19 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/12-things-to-consider-before-buying-a-new-car/ - Categories: Personal finance Over 91. 3% of US households have one or more cars. Everyone is in a rush to get easy transportation, especially in this COVID era. Cars are being imported in millions to cater to the growing population. And, buying a new car signifies some level of growth, both financially and personally. Getting a new car means that you can afford it. You are going to need fuel, and it will need servicing. Additionally, you must have an emergency fund or insurance for breakdowns or accidents. Therefore, you will need to make sure that you are investing and not paying for liability. Here are more detailed points on what to know before buying a car. 1. Why Are You Buying the Car? Over 5% of cars are being sold for luxury purposes in the US. Among the things to know before buying a car is asking yourself whether you need or want it. Some people buy cars for showcasing while others need them for day-to-day transportation. This will determine the type or model that you will buy. For example, farmers use utility vehicles, pickup trucks ok on a low budget need fuel savers. 2. Are You Leasing or Buying A lot of critics are against the idea of leasing. Leasing a vehicle is more expensive than buying. Firstly, you are going to be subjected to payments for a while. Additionally, there are other costs from interests, taxes, and you will need fuel and maintenance. Lease terms will differ according to the... --- ### How to Live to The Full While Working > Freedom is the future. If you don’t want a happy life to pass you by while you are working, follow these effective tips to find a true work-life balance. - Published: 2015-07-16 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-live-to-the-full-while-working/ - Categories: Recommendations More and more Millenials are breaking out of the traditional mold for work. With recent advances in technology, it is easier than ever to work remotely, run a remote business or simple travel while you work. Why do you need to drudge away in a small office when you can be just as productive at home, sitting on a beach in Hawaii or working from a monastery in Tibet? Millions of people have already made the switch and for various reasons. Some want to be able to earn a little extra money on the side; others want the flexibility to earn while they travel. So, if you are looking for a way to make a living off the beaten path, here are 3 options: 1) Work remotely — For most people that use a computer on a daily basis, you can find at least some time that you don’t need to be in the office. This category includes people at work for a mid to large sized companies but, work from home at least one day per week. They have regular working hours and stable salaries. There are several financial advantages of working from home. Not only can you save hundreds of dollars each month in commuting costs such as gas, parking and wear-and-tear on your car, you are also less likely to eat out for lunch, one of the biggest money drains. By taking this option, you are still able to enjoy the stability of a full-time job while taking advantage... --- ### Financial Independence Guide: Controlling Expenses > This is another part of our financial independence guide. We talk about the main principles you should follow to control your expenses, so go and check them out. - Published: 2015-07-14 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/financial-independence-guide-controlling-expenses/ - Categories: Personal finance Never in the history of the world has the dream of reaching financial independence been easier. America offers some of the highest earning opportunities and lowest costs of living in the world if you are willing to look for them. Even in cities that top the charts in the global index of them most expensive places to live, there are plenty of ways to cut costs without giving up your morning latte. Essentially, once your passive income from investments, low maintenance businesses, or hobbies that you have turned into a cash machine rises higher than your monthly expenses you are financially free. You can quit your job, write a best-selling novel or simply travel the world. We focused on the first part of the equation in this post, and in this post we are going to focus on the second half of the equation, how to control your expenses. Controlling your expenses is the most important part of this equation because every time you reduce your monthly spending by $1 two things happen: 1) Every month you add one more soldier to your army of workers that are building you empire 24/7. This is the fastest way to build your army and keeping enemy soldiers, ie. debt, away. 2) Each time you reduce your spending by a dollar, you also reduce the amount of passive income you need to reach financial independence. If you are using CD’s or equity investments to generate your passive income, reducing your spending by $1... --- ### 3 Working Ways to Financial Independence > If you need a few tips on how to achieve financial independence, they are here. Go ahead and get some valuable advice to manage your budget wisely. - Published: 2015-07-13 - Modified: 2023-09-19 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/3-working-ways-to-financial-independence/ - Categories: Financial literacy If you are like the majority of Americans, you wake up in the morning and go to work to earn money. We need the money to live, but wouldn’t it be nice if you could wake up in the morning and earn money without working at all? It is possible, but you need something that will work for you. Even with our recent market corrections, more and more people are becoming financially independent in their 30’s or even in their 20’s. It doesn’t require a lottery ticket and a bolt of lightning. Savvy investing, smart spending can be a sure fire way to pave the road to easy street. The first thing that you need to do is to understand what financial independence really is. Essentially, it is the point at which you no longer have to go to work because you passive income from investments, businesses or hobbies are earning more than you spend. Passive Income > Expenses = Financial Independence There are 2 sides to this formula: passive income and expenses. In this article, I will focus on what passive income is and discuss 3 ways to increase your passive income. Each dollar is like a little soldier that can be used in 2 ways: it can be invested and work for you day in and day out for the rest of your life, or it can be spent and leave your life forever. Usually when these little soldiers come into our lives, we send them away without... --- ### 14 Easy Ways to Earn Extra Money > There are 14 ways you can make extra money using the skills you have. Choose the most suitable way to improve your financial situation and do things you like. - Published: 2015-07-07 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/14-easy-ways-to-earn-extra-money/ - Categories: Recommendations A dwindling bank account, debt accumulation, the increased cost of living, and the desire to save money, are all circumstances that push the need for extra money. Particularly at this time when the Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on personal finances, many people are looking for ways to put a few extra dollars into their wallet. In this article, we answer the question ‘how to make extra money,’ whether or not you have a 9 to 5. Let’s take a look at the details. Explore the 14 ways how to make extra money 1. Freelancing Thanks to digitization, there are myriad freelance opportunities that can get you extra money on sites like Upwork, LinkedIn, and 99designs. You can easily apply for tasks in writing, content development, programming, accounting, and many more. The list is endless. In most cases, you only need the basic skills required in your desired field. To further hone your skills and get more competitive gigs, you can enroll in free online courses and follow influencers in your industry. Doing so will help you scale up as soon as possible and increase your rates with all confidence. And the best thing? Freelancing is a remote job, giving you the flexibility you need to do other things. 2. Blogging Do you ever find yourself writing about your experiences, everyday situations, and generally, things affecting society? Turns out, you can gain extra money by being a blogger. Conventionally, bloggers published on their websites as a hobby. Fast forward to... --- ### Unique Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July > The 4th of July is a special day for every American. We have listed 11 exciting ways to celebrate this holiday brightly with no need to spend a fortune. - Published: 2015-07-02 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/unique-ways-to-celebrate-the-4th-of-july/ - Categories: Recommendations Meta description: Wondering how to celebrate the fourth of July? Make your upcoming 4th of July a day to remember with these 11 unique ways to celebrate America’s independence in style. How to celebrate the 4th Of July While not as big as Thanksgiving or Christmas, the 4th of July is a unique day that deserves celebrations. Keeping in mind that the day falls on the summer holidays, there are endless possibilities to the festivities Americans can engage in. To make the day even more special, here is an exhaustive list revealing the best way to celebrate the 4th of July. 1. Firework Show If you are wondering how do we celebrate the 4th of July, attending a fireworks concert is our favorite way, and probably for most Americans, it wouldn’t be a successful independence day without the sky lighting up. Most of the cities in America host spectacular fireworks concerts ideal for the whole family. Keep in mind that many of these areas require local government permits. Thus, before lighting up the sky with color, ensure you acquire a permit from your local government. Also, be sure to follow all the fireworks safety tips to avoid exposing you and your family to danger. 2. Backyard Cookouts Are you a foodie who is looking for an ideal way to celebrate the 4th of July? Have you considered hosting a cookout? Backyard cookouts are popular, especially during the summer holidays. This is an activity that appeals to most Americans, as they get to enjoy... --- ### How Millenials Will Affect The Economy > In this article, we discuss the way millennials will have an impact on the economy. Check it out to learn interesting financial facts. - Published: 2015-06-30 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-millenials-will-affect-the-economy/ - Categories: Financial literacy As the baby boomer generation moves further into retirement, a new “Pig in the Python” is starting to make waves in American Culture. According to a new Standard & Poor report by Beth Ann Bovino, the world is hoping that Millennials, Americans who were born between 1981 and 1997, will become the driving force in the US economy over the next several decades. Not only are they expected to overtake Boomers as the largest living American generation, they also seem to have more in common with the Silent Generation of the 1920’s and 30’s. This makes them uniquely primed to take on this role — primed being the key word here, since like their counterparts from nearly a century ago, they themselves have been financially quiet. According to the report this 80-million-strong generation currently only spends $600 billion, but that number is expected to grow to $1. 4 trillion by 2020, or 30% of total retail sales. So what has been holding them back? While there are many factors, a significant one is the burden of student loan debt that has been piled on this generation, limiting access to full-time jobs and curtailing spending. Millennials have become known for putting off marriage and having children, renting instead of buying homes and living in cities where they have less need to own their own cars. “Two-thirds of GDP is consumption, so we rely on people spending money,” says Bovino. “Millennials are going to be making up half the workforce in just five years.... --- ### Freelance Or Fixed-Time Job: What Option Will Benefit Your Pocket? > Can you earn more being employer-independent? Is a full-time job with a fixed workplace better? Here we talk about opportunities for freelancers and office workers. - Published: 2015-06-25 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/freelance-or-fixed-time-job-what-option-will-benefit-your-pocket/ - Categories: Financial literacy Not long ago, recent graduates who wanted to enter the workforce expected they would go to school, learn a trade, find a job and work there until retirement. Recent shifts in the economy have created new opportunities for individuals and employees to tailor their working environments to maximize their returns. Along with full-time employment, an increase in contracting and freelancing positions have opened new doors for job-hoppers and career switchers, who are quickly becoming the norm. Employers and employees alike view the traditional employee-employer relationship differently. Employers are identifying tasks that they want be completed and are looking internally and externally for people with the right set of skills to get it done. According to the Freelancer’s Union, one-third of working Americans is now employer-independent, working in some capacity either on contract or as a freelancer. Contract vs Freelance vs Full-Time Technology, volatile economics and a fundamental shift in the culture of millennials have been driving changes to the new workplace. Most companies and employees don’t even make tenure or retirement plans a serious consideration when they are looking at new job positions. Your Employment Options Full-time employees work for one company and are paid either a monthly salary or an hourly wage. The major advantages of full-time employment are that the employer handles all the tax reporting and provides the employee with work benefits such as health insurance, 401K, paid vacation time and sick days. When an employee accepts a position at a company, they enter into an open-ended... --- ### 15 Money Traps People Fall Into on Their Vacation > How not to waste money during your vacation? You need to be aware of these 15 money traps and avoid them to relax and enjoy to the fullest. - Published: 2015-06-18 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/15-money-traps-people-fall-into-on-their-vacation/ - Categories: Savings tips Vacations are supposed to be your time to relax, let your guard down and stop worrying about the stresses of life. But if you are not careful you can end up wasting a lot of money and causing more stress when you get home and realize how much you spent, undoing all your hard work relaxing. Here are 15 money wasters that you can avoid while still enjoying everything yourself: 1. Currency exchange booths, often charging over 20% more than a bank or an exchange booth away from the transport hub. If you are staying at a hotel, check if they have a free shuttle so you don’t need to exchange money until you get settled in. Or bring small bills and exchange just enough at the airport to pay for transport to your hotel. 2. Unmetered taxis — You might not know the city you are visiting well, but a few minutes to get some information about the public transit system can save you hundreds of dollars. Even if you are taking a taxi, you can easily be taken the long way to where you need to go, so a little bit of knowledge goes a long way to saving your money. 3. Extra hotel taxes — Nothing is more annoying than paying for your hotel online and then finding out that there are hidden tourist taxes or hidden fees for linens or minibars that you weren’t told about. Check the fine print to be sure you don’t get burned at checkout. 4.... --- ### The Pros and Cons of Credit Cards > Learn about all the advantages and disadvantages of credit cards. Discover how using them can help you reach financial freedom in this article. - Published: 2015-06-16 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-credit-cards/ - Categories: Financial literacy According to Statista, credit cards are the highest utilized method of payment in the United States. In 2020 alone, they accounted for 38% of all POS payments. With financial institutions presenting newer credit card options to the financially independent, borrowing funds to purchase that shiny jewelry you have been eyeing for a while or supplementing your income in between paydays is done in one swipe. The truth is, a credit card can be a tool that propels you to financial freedom. But, unfortunately, it can also be the source of your downfall. According to research, the average American had a credit card debt of $5,313 in 2020. These high amounts result from misuse, with culprits incurring exorbitant interest on the money borrowed, facing lawsuits, and having their obligations sold to a collection agency. So, is it good to have a credit card? To help you make an informed decision, here are factors you need to consider. Let’s delve into specifics. Credit Card Advantages and Disadvantages Here are the pros of credit cards. Creates an opportunity to build a good credit record A credit score is a vital aspect that significantly determines your quality of life. For instance, it affects how much money lenders will be willing to give you, your housing options, and how potential employers perceive you. Having a credit card is an opportunity to build a good record. Early and on-time payments are a surefire way to get a high credit score, help you qualify for other loans,... --- ### How to Qualify for Student Loan Forgiveness > There are ways graduates can qualify for student loan forgiveness. We describe them in this article, so you can pick the solution that will fit you best. - Published: 2015-06-09 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-qualify-for-student-loan-forgiveness/ - Categories: Debt repayment Recent University graduates have enough to deal with as they try to enter the workforce. Lack of experience in their new field, starting out in a new city or town and low starting wages in many professions are bad enough, but with the average student now graduating with an average of $33,000 in loans is just too much for many young people today. Student-loan have been ballooning for years and have now overtaken credit card dept as the second-largest source of consumer debt. Once you graduate, or don’t graduate, you have to start repaying your debts immediately, even if you are not able to find a job using your new-found credentials. There are some plans that President Obama has pushed for to put off the financial albatross. Deferment is an option for those who have financial problems such as losing their job, student loan refinancing can help lower your payments initially, eventually the someone has to pay the piper... but does it have to be you? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced last year that people who are working for a public service employer “may be eligible for existing student loan repayment benefits. ” That is great news for the 25% of the population that falls into this category. When you consider the numbers involved, you can save $1000 of dollars in forgiveness, cancellations or discharges with just a few hours of research and form filing, it might be the most productive activity that young graduate can engage in. The... --- ### Save on Professional Development > Professional development does not have to be expensive. In this article, we show you the best strategies you can use to grow and learn without spending a fortune. - Published: 2015-06-04 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/save-on-professional-development/ - Categories: Recommendations When you finally graduated after 4 years of grinding away at the book in college, you might have promised that you would never open a book again. But, it doesn’t take long to realize that your education really just started with your appropriately named “commencement address” at your graduation. In many professional fields, the turnover of information is often over 50%. That means that if your don’t actively keep up your skills, in a few years you are guaranteed to be obsolete. On the job training is useful, but can lead you to be pigeon-holed into a single, narrow skill-set, so it is important to keep up your professional education after your graduate. It might be hard to imagine going back to school when you have just started paying back your student loans, but here are some ways to save some money without scrimping on your most important asset, your mind. 1) Read. Maybe it seems simple, but reading is still the fastest way to get information into your head. a) Read a book — whether it is self-help or non-fiction on a specific topic, find a type of book that interests you and will teach you something. Here is a list of Sinead Duffy’s favourite self-help books and every one of them will tell you to read more books and watch less TV (and YouTube videos). If you have an e-reader, you can read while riding public transportation, or just sitting on a lunch break, without any real effort. b) Read... --- ### How to Save Half of Your Vacation Budget > We know how to make your vacation last longer or cost less. Choose the best option from the tips shared in this article not to worry about the finances. - Published: 2015-06-02 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-save-half-of-your-vacation-budget/ - Categories: Savings tips It is time again to decide where you will make the best of the few weeks in the summer that makes all the work you do, worth it. You have 2 options, add up your saving and find a vacation package for that amount or try to spend as little as possible to make your money stretch. If you want to make every dollar count there are several things that you can do to half the cost or double the length of your vacation. Travel • Don’t hassle me, I’m local — The easiest way to save money on travel expenses is to vacation locally. People often fly across to the world to stay in a hotel and eat out at restaurants. Consider the advantages of visiting a place that is within driving distance and eliminate the cost of flights. • Stay flexible — Plane tickets are generally cheaper on Tuesday or Wednesday, so keep an eye out for deals that can save you hundreds of dollars. Or your destination may be expensive for reasons completely unrelated to your trip like a conference or a sporting event. Moving your trip ahead or back a week can make a huge difference. • Drive and fly — Check for flights that leave from alternative airports near your departure and destination. Many airports get swamped during peak days and times so you can cut your ticket price down by flying to another destination an hour or 2 away. Car rentals sometimes offer free drop-off between terminals so you can... --- ### How to save money for vacation > You can easily save money for your next vacation if you start doing it today. Check out proven tips and tricks that will help you gather money for travel. - Published: 2015-05-28 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-save-money-for-vacation/ - Categories: Savings tips Saving for vacation is much like rearranging your ‘money behavior’ to accommodate your desires. When a lot of people think about taking a holiday, they mostly don’t assume that they should save from what they have earned. Rather, the first line of thought when contemplating how to save money for travel lies in expanding their income exponentially, to fund their travel needs. It may be more strategic to first think about using a budget tool, before an increment technique. After the former option has been explored, then you can look into ways of growing your income portfolio to save up for your trip. It should be the applicable analogy used to complete the money that your current income can’t fill. Before you arrive at the point of gathering your money, you may want to guide your subconscious and conscious money behavior with a map. In practicing how to save money for travel, you should create a budget map that will double as a planning guide. This planning guide should contain clear estimates for: Your tentative or preferred holiday dates Your timeline or duration for vacation Your chosen holiday destination Your cumulative spending budget for the trip. Steps to take when saving for a vacation. Spending more time planning your holiday money and less time executing your holiday money. When saving for a vacation, you should aim to spend 70% of your time writing out what each dollar of your money will be spent on. In this way, you should target... --- ### Bank or Credit Union For Your Money Pocket > Learn the advantages and disadvantages of banks and credit unions to make smart financial decisions and manage your money in the most comfortable way. - Published: 2015-05-26 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/bank-or-credit-union-for-your-money-pocket/ - Categories: Financial literacy When you are looking for a financial institution, your basic options are a bank or a credit union. You can give you money to both and come back to get it with some interest. You can take out a loan, apply for a credit card and use an ATM in the middle of the night why you need to buy some pizza. On their surface, banks and credit unions function fairly similarly, but they are fundamentally different in purpose and in the way they view your money. There are advantages and disadvantages of using both, and it is important to find out which one is best for your needs. Banks Advantages - More services. Because banks are profit driven, they try to make every as convenient for you as possible. They want your businesses and they try to earn it by offering as many services as possible so you don’t notice the terrible interest rates. Online banking, telephone banking, bank cards and travel insurance. If you want it, there is a bank service for that. - More convenient locations. Economies of scale allow banks to become huge and span the country. Whether you travel to the other side of the city of the other side of the country, you will likely find an ATM close by. Disadvantages - Lower interest on checking and savings accounts. Banks are for-profit institutions, so their focus is to offer you as low of an interest rate on your savings account as the market will... --- ### What Do You Know About Credit Union? > Have you ever tried the credit union? How does it work and what advantages can you experience? Consider pros and cons in this article. - Published: 2015-05-21 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-do-you-know-about-credit-union/ - Categories: Financial literacy Many people have expressed outrage at the billion dollar bonuses paid to executives in the banking industry, but they continue to use their services and contribute to these bonuses without realizing that they can get a piece of that pie. There is a very real alternative to big banks that is available to anyone, the credit union. On their surface, credit unions function fairly similarly to banks, but they are fundamentally different in purpose and in the way they view your money. Credit unions are not-for-profit institutions. This allows them to offer better rates to their members, both on loans and on savings. The board of directors is also made up of volunteers, who are elected by the membership of the union, so you don’t have to pay extra fees for bigger bonuses. To become a member, you simply open “share account”, equivalent to a savings account at a traditional bank. As you deposit money into the union, you are actually purchasing shares. Because they’re overhead is reduced, credit unions usually have lower fees for typical banking interactions and at the end of the year, any profit that they do realize, is distributed to the membership of the union as dividends based on how many shares each person owns. Each credit union is very different than the next. If you want to find one that provides all the services of your bank, you should be able to. If, on the other hand, you don’t need all these services, you can... --- ### How To Lose All Your Money > Do you know you can lose your money without even understanding it? Here are things you can do unintentionally and thereby give someone access to your finances. - Published: 2015-05-19 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-lose-all-your-money/ - Categories: Financial literacy 1. Throw away your junk mail without looking at it. If you are like most Americans you will get invitations to apply for new credit every week. Some of these forms come filled out with all your personal information already, all you need to do is sign your name. If you don’t shred the form before you throw it away, you make sure that anyone who looks through the garbage can get a credit card in your name by simply signing the form and changing the mailing address. 2. Throw your banking and credit card statements in the garbage. Why waste time shredding your credit card information before you throw it in the garbage. You don’t need them anymore. That way you can ensure that the guy who steals your bag of garbage before the truck comes can see what all your credit cards are, where you shop, what the secret pin number is, your birthday and bank balances. Then it is easy to just log on and start buying things under your name. 3. Give your personal information to anyone who calls you. If someone calls you and the phone says they are from the bank, just believe them. It’s not like they could simply change the caller idea and pretend they are the bank, right? So the next time someone calls and says that you won a new car in a lottery and you just need to verify your identity with your credit card information, just tell them... --- ### USA Banking History > Here is everything you need to know about the banking history in the United States. Read now to learn lots of interesting facts about the US banking timeline. - Published: 2015-05-14 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/usa-banking-history/ - Categories: Financial literacy A History of Banking in the US The nature of this institution in the US has evolved. From the old skeleton meant to monitor American taxes and pay foreign debts rose the complex financial systems of today. The history of American banking begins with the ingenuity of Alexander Hamilton and is passed down history building the world’s most stable economy. However, while the US bank history might seem exceptional, the current system has numerous faults. Banking in the US is an old tradition, but it has turned into an unreliable institution. To understand this, we first need to look at the US banking timeline. The establishment of the Bank of the United States started the history of American banking. The Bank of New York was a later product following the initial establishment. Drawing from the fact that the latter is still under operation is enough proof of how far deep and rich the history goes. The Origin of Banking in the US Two names, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton appear prominently in the institution’s origin. The ideas of two economic prodigies with varying ideas about commerce and particularly banking led the institution’s evolution. Alexander Hamilton is known for his efforts in founding and chartering the Bank of New York. But why does Thomas Jefferson appear so eminently in the history of American banking? It is Jefferson’s ideas that shape the banking timeline from the 18th century to date. Lessons from the Bank of England lend to the chartering of the Bank of... --- ### Long Story Short: First US Credit Card > If you want to know more about the history of the first US credit card, here is the best quick overview. Deepen your financial knowledge with PocketGuard. - Published: 2015-05-12 - Modified: 2023-09-20 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/long-story-short-first-us-credit-card/ - Categories: Financial literacy Time for that monthly tradition of going through your credit cards and deciding which ones you can pay this month. The average family in America today owes about $8,000 across several credit cards. Not only does it make it difficult to keep track of, it earned more than $30 billion for the credit card industry last year alone. But did our grandparents have the same problems? Where did these little plastic money mints come from? Some claim that they have their origins in the 1900s when oil companies and department stores used to issue cards to help create customer loyalty and improve customer service. These were very specialized and could only be used to make purchases with the issuing company. The first card that was issued by a bank was named “Charg-It,” and was introduced by John Biggins, a banker in Brooklyn, in 1948. The idea was simple. You simply take your card with you and when you use it, the bill is sent to Biggins’ bank who would collect the payment. This was a convenient system but it was only used locally and you had to have an account at the bank that the card was linked to. The next year the Diners Club Card hit the stage. As the legend goes, a man named Frank McNamara was enjoying his dinner at New York’s Major’s Cabin Grill when he realized that he had forgotten his wallet. He talked with his partner, Ralph Schneider, and they decided that there should... --- ### How Financially Fit Are You? > Financial health is significant for your happy life. We share 5 effective exercises for you to stay financially fit and feel less stress about the money. - Published: 2015-05-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-financially-fit-are-you/ - Categories: Personal finance Fitness clubs are never more popular than December when determined hopefuls return again with dreams that this year will be the year that they get into shape. Most people want to lose some weight, build up some strength and increase their flexibility. But, by February most of those eager beavers, have already decided that, “Maybe next year would be better. ” The same thing tends to happen with our finances in April. As we start unboxing our receipts for tax season and we make promises that, “next year will be different. Next year I will be organized. ” We want to shed some of that unwanted debt, build up an extra cushion just in case, and increase our financial flexibility to weather the changes in our uncertain economy. But, by May many have already decided that, “maybe next year is the year I will get financially into shape. ” Not so fast! What’s stopping you from getting into shape this year? Maybe it is the fear of finding out just how you really are doing. Just like your fitness instructor will run you through a set of drills at the gym, here are a few exercises that you can do to find out how financially fit you really are. 1. Get a Budget Cash flow is the single most valuable resource you will likely have. It is your monetary food, your financial life blood. For most people, if there is any disruption in their income, they are quickly in serious... --- ### Will Bitcoin Be The Gold of The Future? > Do you believe Bitcoin can become the new gold? Check out our thoughts in this article where we describe all the pros and cons of popular cryptocurrency. - Published: 2015-04-30 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/will-bitcoin-be-the-gold-of-the-future/ - Categories: Savings tips You may have heard a lot of hype about crypto-currencies and about Bitcoin in particular. Essentially, a bitcoin is an encrypted number. A really, really big number. To us, it doesn’t mean anything, but when it is run through the bitcoin algorithm, it “fits” and the algorithm knows that it belongs there and that it is worth 1 bitcoin. This might not seem very important, but when you consider that each bitcoin is now worth $235 USD, it should make you take another look. But what makes a number, a series of 1’s and 0’s worth $235? To answer this, we need to look at money in general and ask what makes $235 worth $235. When the USD was first issued it was backed by gold. What this meant is that each dollar represented an amount of gold and any time you wanted to, you could have taken your dollar bill into the mint and ask to redeem it for the gold it represented. Gold had developed a history of being valuable because it was an element that was: 1. permanent, it would not rust, rot or die 2. scarce, demand for it always outweighed supply 3. impossible to counterfeit, much to the chagrin of alchemists for thousands of years Because of these reasons it was ubiquitously used as a store of value for centuries. But its high value meant that it was also difficult to use in everyday purchasing. It was hard to mint a coin small enough to... --- ### Why Money Is Important: Demystifying The Economics Of Money And Banking > Have you ever wondered why money has such a value? No second guessing, we have described everything in detail here, so you are welcome to learn something new. - Published: 2015-04-28 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/why-money-is-important-demystifying-the-economics-of-money-and-banking/ - Categories: Financial literacy Why does money have value? Why do different countries have different money systems valued at different rates? Also, what determines the exchange rate of a particular system, and why is cash scarce? Read on to get answers to these questions and more! Why does money have value?  — How Money Came to Be No one can say for sure, but one thing is certain; money has been around for as long as 40,000 years. The need for legal tender was born out of the practice of trading. The bartering system was the first system to be generally accepted for the exchange of goods and services. This system soon phased out with civilization and transitioned to currencies. The Bartering, Livestock, and Cowrie Systems: Barter is the exchange of goods and services for mutual advantage. Despite being marked as an important human activity, some schools of thought believe that it is not purely human-related. Bartering exists as a symbiotic relationship between plants and animals in nature. With the advent of agriculture, the bartering system took a different turn. People started placing more value on livestock and other farm produce which soon became the acceptable money standard. Farm produce was soon replaced by cowrie shells which were widely accepted in different continents. History has it that the legitimacy of cowries lasted more than any other form of legal tender. The Metal and Paper Money System: The Chinese have been credited as the first to use valuable money in the forms of bronze and copper... --- ### Origin of the Dollar. You May Be Surprised > Do you know something about the origin of the dollar? This article may surprise you but you’ll definitely enjoy learning some new facts about a simple dollar. - Published: 2015-04-23 - Modified: 2025-07-15 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/origin-of-the-dollar-you-may-be-surprised/ - Categories: Financial literacy The history of the US dollar sign has continued to baffle people. This article will go through everything you need to know about the dollar origin and why it’s the most powerful currency. What’s the dollar sign origin? The dollar sign has been used in money-mouth emojis, pop celebrity culture, and art masterpieces such as the one rendered by the visual artist- Andy Warhol. It also goes without saying that the currency symbol has always reminded you about the American Dream and hence, a symbol of inspiration. Despite its mark as a superpower, most people have always asked themselves the most important question of all: what is the origin of the dollar sign? To understand the history of the US currency sign, buckle up your seatbelt as this article will drive you from Spain, Britain, Dutch, and Bohemian ancient currency cultures. Be careful as we ride since no one really knows how the dollar sign came to be. Lovers of antique art will find it amazing that handwritten manuscripts showed that the Spanish peso was shortened to PS in making modern money. According to popular belief, PS was later stylized such that the S letter was superimposed on P, thereby mimicking the $ symbol. In 1875, the sign was used in the newly issued US paper currency as established by History. Since we have just scratched the surface of the dollar sign origin and found a convincing proposal to quench the thirst for currency knowledge, let’s dive deeper and come... --- ### 5 Pros And Cons of Keeping Cash in Your Pocket > Should you keep cash in your pocket, use plastic cards or electronic wallets for payments? Learn 5 advantages and disadvantages of using cash in this article. - Published: 2015-04-21 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/5-pros-and-cons-of-keeping-cash-in-your-pocket/ - Categories: Personal finance More and more people are using plastic to pay for everything. Physical cash has become more and more rare and many people have given up on carrying around money completely. While it is obvious that if you are renting a car or booking a hotel you need to use electronic money, there is still a place for cash in our modern lifestyle. Here are 5 good and bad aspects of padding your pocket with a bit of green. 1) Cash can be lost or stolen — Anyone who has lost their wallet knows the dread of feeling their pocket and not feeling the bulge that should be there. The next few seconds you are trying to think of where your wallet could be, and then after 30 seconds you are already starting to plan on how to cancel your credit cards and remember how much cash was inside. • The good news is that you can only lose as much cash as you had in your wallet, while credit cards can potentially add up to thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. • The bad news is that whatever cash you had, is now gone. If you cancel your credit cards immediately, you are not responsible for any further purchases made on those accounts. 2) Keep it real — Do you know how much money you actually spend eating out or on your morning coffee? • The good part of spending cash is that you have to think about each purchase as you see... --- ### Do You Still Believe These 12 Money Myths? > Do you know a lot of statements about money are only myths? We dispel 12 myths you might believe in, so learn something new you didn’t know about money before. - Published: 2015-04-16 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/do-you-still-believe-these-12-money-myths/ - Categories: Financial literacy Money, it affects almost every decision that we make throughout our day: what we do, where we go and how we do it. We all think that we understand what it is because we use it to buy everything from our morning coffee to the house we sleep in at night. But there are a lot of things that we don’t know about money. How many of these 12 common myths about money do you believe? 1. Myth: Money is made from paper and printing it kills trees. Truth: All money in the US is made from a cotton-linen blend that only the Bureau of Engraving and Printing can use. It is more like a cloth than a paper, but I wouldn’t suggest sleeping on it since most US bills are dirtier than your bathroom floor! 2. Myth: You have to order official checks from your bank. Truth: A Check is just a set of instructions to your bank and can be written on anything as long as it has the necessary information on it. Maybe you can write it on your bed sheets and sleep on a mattress of money after all. 3. Myth: Holding 4,530 metric tons of gold, Fort Knox is the largest store of gold on the earth. Truth: The New York Federal Reserve holds 7,000 metric tons of gold. Almost 1,500 more metric tons of gold than Fort Knox. 4. Myth: Money was born out of barter. Truth: Money started being used to keep track... --- ### 5 or 6 Ways to Plan For Turning 60 or 65 > It’s important to start getting ready for your retirement today, particularly in the financial plan. Here are several ways you can do it with no stress. - Published: 2015-04-14 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/5-or-6-ways-to-plan-for-turning-60-or-65/ - Categories: Personal finance I once worked with a school teacher, let’s call him Jack, in his early 60’s who was getting ready to retire. We were talking about retirement plans and he told me that he didn’t have to save any money now because when he turned 65 he would have a million dollars in the bank to live off, plus his teacher’s pension. He said that he planned to pay off his mortgage, and then put the money into bonds and travel off the interest. Obviously, I was impressed and, looking for a few nuggets of wisdom, I asked how he was able to do it. His answer shocked me. “When I was 23 and got my first teaching job and I met with a financial planner. He told me that if I put $50 per month into his investment plan it would earn enough interest that when I turned 65, I would have a million dollars. ” “And it worked? ” I asked surprised. “What do you mean? ” “Your investment is now worth almost a million dollars? ” “I don’t know, I haven’t checked it since I was 23. But he said that it would be a million dollars. ” I encouraged him to get a current statement of his account and to find out exactly where he was at. Since he was just 2 years out from retirement, it was getting to crunch time. I saw Jack a few days later and asked about the statement. He almost broke... --- ### 5 Must-Do’s Before You Say “I Do” > Finances play an important role in marriage. Before you become spouses, consider these 5 things to avoid any misunderstandings related to money management issues. - Published: 2015-04-09 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/5-must-dos-before-you-say-i-do/ - Categories: Personal finance So you finally did it. You popped the question, and she (or he) said yes. But, the real work of getting married is just beginning. In the middle of the excitement there are some details that need to be discuss that, in the long run, will prove to be far more important than the color of the brides maids dresses, or whether Uncle Frank should sit at the same table as Cousin Tom. Discussing money and finances can be stressful but it is much better to get the answers before take the plunge. A recent study showed that 1 in 5 couples didn’t discuss their finances before marriage and 1 in 6 still do not discuss their finances with each other even after getting married. With financial concerns still being the top cause of divorce, it is important to settle these questions long before day one. Here are 5 things that you must do BEFORE you say, “I do”. 1) Find out where you are. This is often the most difficult discussion to have. For most people, finances are a very personal affair. You have just spent the last 2 years showing her how great you are, and now you have to lay out all your dirty laundry. Remember that the purpose of this conversation is not to find out who has done a better job financially so far. It is not a competition. The purpose of the talk is to clearly and honestly lay out exactly where each of... --- ### How to Put All Your Eggs in One Basket > In this article you will discover how to protect your financial information and your money while using various services and why using PocketGuard is always secure. - Published: 2015-04-07 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-put-all-your-eggs-in-one-basket/ - Categories: Personal finance Whenever you access your online bank account, you pass your username and password for that account over the Internet. Banks are very careful to ensure the security of your account information so that no one else can find out what it is, but there is a way to go a step beyond banking level security to ensure that your pockets are even safer. PocketGuard and similar financial amalgamation solutions go beyond bank-level security in two ways: first they use the same level SSL encryption that banks use to ensure that your financial information is as secure as possible when it is flying digitally across the world, and second, they only allow read access to your banking information so that in the event of a security breach, your accounts and your money are still safe. For the first point, every online bank uses a secure SSL connection whenever you want to access your accounts. It is the industry standard for sensitive information. Movie and TV shows try to scare you into thinking that hackers can simply crack your password with a few tricky moves and some know-how, but in reality that is virtually impossible to do by simply accessing the bank website using a laptop. So what is SSL encryption? It is a protocol (a standardized way for computers to talk to each other) that essentially does 2 things for you: 1. It ensures that you are actually visiting your bank’s website. 2. It ensures that no one else can see... --- ### 4 Marketing Strategies That Cost You Thousands > Marketing can be tricky making you spend a fortune on things you don’t actually need. Read this article not to get into marketing traps and save your budget. - Published: 2015-04-02 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/4-marketing-strategies-that-cost-you-thousands/ - Categories: Savings tips Every day we are faced with spending decisions that may not seem very important but can add up, in the long run. It is important to take a step back and realize that there are people who dedicate their lives trying to figure out new and more effective ways of taking your money. Here are a few marketing tricks that businesses use and how to avoid falling into their traps. 1. Loss Leader The ‘Loss Leader’ tactic that tries to entice you to come to a store to buy an advertised item at a legitimately low price, maybe even less than cost. Why would the business want to lose money? They are betting on the fact that when they have you in their store that you will buy more items. This last Christmas Target had an insane deal on the game ‘Watch Dogs’ for PS3 or Xbox 360 — charging only $19. 95 when the MSRP was $59. 95. Target used this game as a loss leader to get you in the doors so you would buy other items at full price — an extra controller, some Lego, a new flat iron, then you also decide to do your grocery shopping at Target that day and so on. I think you get the idea. Loss Leaders are great buys, but just remember why you are at the store. Do not buy items you don’t need or make overpriced purchases just because you saved money on something else and you will be saving in no... --- ### Should you rent, buy, or lease a phone? > Do you want to buy a new phone? In this blog post, we talk about installment payments and leasing compared to full purchase for you to choose the best option. - Published: 2015-03-31 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/should-you-rent-buy-or-lease-a-phone/ - Categories: Financial literacy A few years ago, if you wanted a new phone, the only way to get one was to buy it. Now, there are other methods like leasing and renting, which give you more options. Lots of telephone companies, in trying to make mobile device ownership easier for their customers, are implementing these new methods that are more flexible. From allowing monthly installment payments to leasing the mobile device for a while, the options are increasing. Why pay so much money to buy a mobile device, when you might want to change it in a few months? On the other hand, why spend so much to lease a phone, when you could just buy and resell it? With this, let us look at leasing a phone vs buying one. Until recently, the go-to method for purchasing a phone was the free contract method. Here, users could get locked into a contract of about 24 months, where they gradually paid for the device, after which they completely owned it. This basically means that they buy the device on credit. However, with newer methods like leasing coming into the market, a lot of people are starting to drift to this option. Methods of acquiring a phone So, there are three main methods of acquiring a mobile device. They include: Full purchase; Installment payment; Leasing. Let us consider the pros and cons of these three methods: Full purchase: Pros: You do not have to worry about a hike in price subsequently. There is this peace... --- ### 50 Shades of Ownership: Financial Version > What would you choose - to own the content or just to have instant access to it? Let’s discuss this message from the financial point of view for you to decide. - Published: 2015-03-26 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/50-shades-of-ownership-financial-version/ - Categories: Financial literacy 20 years ago if you wanted to watch a movie at home, most people would buy a VHS tape and take it home with them. Even if you rented most of your movies, you still had a collection of physical films that you would take up shelf space beside your collection of books, CDs and Beanie Babies. With the rise of the Internet, the world is now making a dramatic shift from physical ownership of content to access to content. For example, how many people do you know that have a dusty $10,000 DVD collection that they haven’t touched since they bought their $8 Netflix subscription? Ownership gives way to access. Even this blog is based on the idea that you don’t need to buy a newspaper to get current information. You just want to read the words anyway, so why spend money on the paper. The black-or-white myth of ownership is starting to take a serious backseat to access on some big-ticket items as well. Here is a financial version of the 50 Shades of Ownership as it applies to getting what you want, now. Assess your true needs. Think about what you want the purchase to accomplish. Most people who go to a hardware store to buy a drill, don’t actually want a drill; they just want a hole. Do you just want a car to get from A to B? Or, do you want to turn heads when you pull up in your new sports car? Be... --- ### What to Do if Your Bank Account is Hacked > If your bank account was hacked and your money was stolen, read this article by PocketGuard to find out what to do in case of hacking and how to protect yourself. - Published: 2015-03-24 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/what-to-do-if-your-bank-account-is-hacked/ - Categories: Recommendations Most people have a looming fear in the back of their mind regarding the safety of their bank account. Every year more virus and malware programs are written with the intent of stealing bank and credit card information from honest people. In this article, I will be focusing on how to regain control of your bank account and get back any money that was stolen from you. Lost or Stolen Card Numbers If you notice strange activity on your credit card or in your bank account, notify your bank straight away. It should be noted that you are responsible for your account, not the bank, so make sure to check the account often to ensure everything is in order. The first thing that will happen is that the bank will put a freeze on your account so that whoever is stealing from you cannot access any more of your money. Federal law protects consumers from any charges made after a card has been reported stolen or lost, so report it as soon as possible. The bank will then issue you a new temporary card, immediately if you went to your local branch in person, and mail you a replacement permanent card. Most banks will refund you your lost money after you sign some forms saying that you had nothing to do with the theft. If it was just one card that you lost you could be in the clear, but if your wallet was stolen then you may want to... --- ### How to Save Money on Cable While Getting More > Do you know you can lower your cable bills? Or benefit from cutting the cable at all? Find out all the ins and outs in this article. - Published: 2015-03-19 - Modified: 2024-01-05 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-save-money-on-cable-while-getting-more/ - Categories: Savings tips As usual we here at PocketGuard are focusing on saving you money, and today is no exception. We are going to look at relatively easy ways to save anywhere from hundreds to over a thousand dollars yearly. 1. Triple Play The triple play is a term referring to combining your home phone, internet and cable television to one simple payment. Combining these services will not only save you money but time as well. Now you will only have one bill to look at, and it will be easier to spot pricing fluctuations and or errors easily and quickly. Call up your cable provider and ask them what kind of discount you can get if you add the other services and go from there. Once you have the triple play set up you will need to make sure they do not hike the price on you. This is a common tactic deployed by many subscription service providers and you will always need to be on the lookout for strange charges and rate increases. If your rate goes up there are several ways to go about bringing it back down. 2. Call and ask A surprisingly effective way in lowering your bill is by simply calling and asking. No excuses, threats of cancellation or stories. Just ask to be transferred to the customer retention department and ask the operator if you can have a discount. These people are constantly being yelled at so I think they will be more than happy to... --- ### 8 Ways to Save Money on Food > There are 8 proven ways you can save money on food and still enjoy delicious meals. We have described them in this article, so get some money-saving hacks now! - Published: 2015-03-17 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/8-ways-to-save-money-on-food/ - Categories: Savings tips For most of us, the desire to eat eventually outweighs all other options. The best way to save money on food is hands down to eat out less often, but with a little planning, the need for food won’t also leave you destitute. In this article, I am going to outline several ways to help you save money and increase your personal wellness by eating healthier and higher quality foods. 1. Make a weekly menu Before you go shopping think of what you would like to make for the week and write out the ingredients you will need on a list. If you find yourself putting items into your shopping cart that are not on the list ask yourself “Is this an impulse buy? ” and consider putting it back. Do not be afraid of making too much food! The cheapest meals are leftovers, so make a larger portion and take some with you to work the day after. Or freeze the leftovers in smaller containers for a quick meal next time you are hungry. 2. Sales Just about every market has sales on a weekly basis which they send out fliers for. It is worth a quick glance to see what the deals are and possibly switch up your grocery shopping routine to snag a good deal. If the market near me has a sale on meat I typically stock up and throw it in the freezer. Some types of meat can be good for up to a year — just... --- ### How to Choose the Auto Insurance Company Right for You > Choosing the right auto insurance company may be a challenging task. PocketGuard experts explain all the significant terms you need to know to make the best choice. - Published: 2015-03-12 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-auto-insurance-company-right-for-you/ - Categories: Recommendations When choosing an auto insurance company there are a few different terms you should familiarize yourself with and you should pay attention to how much coverage you are looking to buy in each area. For example, if you have an expensive car you may want to opt for more comprehensive coverage than if you have an old Celica. Liability The insurance that covers the damage caused by your vehicle. Note that this coverage does not cover damage to your vehicle, but covers anything that you hit. Most states have a minimum liability coverage requirement and I strongly suggest considering buying some even if your state does not require it. Collision Collision insurance covers damage caused by you to your own vehicle. This would be the coverage needed if you were to crash your car into a tree on the side of the road. Personal Injury Personal Injury covers medical expenses of you and your passengers, up to the coverage amount. Comprehensive Covers your car against vandalism, theft, sharknados and other natural disasters. Uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance This insurance covers you in the event of being hit by an uninsured motorist, or when you are hit by someone who does not have enough coverage for your medical bills. Let’s say you are sideswiped by a guy in a pickup truck and you break your back in the accident. Maybe this motorist has $300,000 of coverage but your medical bills pile up to $420,000. With this coverage, you are protected from... --- ### How to Pick a Bank That Lets You Earn While You Save > Use these helpful tips to choose the bank where your savings will work for you. By considering these key points you will be able to save money and get extra revenue. - Published: 2015-03-10 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/how-to-pick-a-bank-that-lets-you-earn-while-you-save/ - Categories: Savings tips No one enjoys opening a new bank account, but everyone is happy when they can save a few dollars. With the recent changes in the economic wind, the larger banks have gotten more competitive in trying to earn your business. Which make now a great time to shop around for a new account. A good friend of mine recently opened a bank account with Chase and received $150 for setting up direct deposit, and another $150 dollars for opening a line of credit and spending $1000 in the first 3 months. *In this article I will be exploring different ways to save money and avoid fees. Banks are in the business of making money, and they go about this in several ways. 1) One way is by charging hefty fees for the various services they offer on personal checking and savings accounts. These fees are typically associated with minimum balances, monthly balances, ATM usage, insufficient funds and overdraft protection. A quick look at Chases’ website shows you that the fees range from $2 for a balance inquiry from a non-Chase ATM all the way up to $34 for an Overdraft account and another $15 every 5 days thereafter. Remember to not be shy. The bankers are there to help you understand your account, so ask lots of questions if you are unsure about anything. And as always, read the fine print on Chase. com 2) Another way that banks make money is through debit and credit cards. Every time you... --- ### 7 Simple Ways to Save Money Without Giving up the Things You Love > PocketGuard is here to help you live happily and still save money. Check out these pieces of advice to learn how to save expenses while buying what you want. - Published: 2015-03-04 - Modified: 2023-08-14 - URL: https://pocketguard.com/blog/7-simple-ways-to-save-money-without-giving-up-the-things-you-love/ - Categories: Savings tips I was talking to my brother the other day while I was preparing to write this article and asked him if he had any advice on how to save money. He quickly responded, “Yes, spend less and earn more. ” While it was true, I thought I would be a little more specific in giving you some advice on how to spend a little less without make the big sacrifices or giving up what you want to buy. You don’t need to stop eating out to spend a little less. So here are a few tips that might splash a little more black ink in your pocketbook: 1. Select a bank that respects you, not just your money You worked for it, now you want it to work for you. The bank wants you to invest and save so that they can turn around and use your money to earn more for themselves. Having access to your money is their reward so why would you let them charge you for accessing your money. You are the prize so choose a bank that respects you for it. Banks like Chase and Bank of America have accounts with low or no fees and interest rates higher than 0%. Not all banks are created equal, so a little shopping around goes a long way. 2. Check your Auto Insurance Policy If you have a car, then you have insurance. But when was the last time you took the time to understand your policy.... --- ---