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Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com Medicare’s fall open enrollment period offers a dizzying array of options, but there are shortcuts that can save you time. One is the star ratings that the federal government gives to Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Part D plans every fall. These ratings, out of five possible stars, are designed

Tada Images / Shutterstock.com Election Day is now just around the corner. For many, the end of the campaign season will come as a great relief. But how do members of the Democratic and Republican parties really feel about the elections as Nov. 5 looms? Recently, the CFP Board surveyed 1,005 adults and found that

Markus Mainka / Shutterstock.com If you want a great deal on a holiday flight, try to buy your ticket about 38 days before a domestic departure. That is when you are most likely to find rock-bottom pricing, according to four years of aggregated Google Flights data. Historically, domestic travelers get the best deals in a

Anne Czichos / Shutterstock.com Some of your favorite restaurants may be struggling to stay afloat. Several well-known chains have filed petitions for bankruptcy protection in 2024. That doesn’t necessarily mean that all of these companies are actually bankrupt or that they will be going out of business soon. But it does mean the future is

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com home sale prices were up 6.8% year-over-year in July, the smallest annual increase since January, according to an analysis of the 50 most populous metropolitan areas by real estate brokerage firm Redfin. Prices rose 0.2% from June to July, marking a second straight month of a gain of that size. Those

Desizned / Shutterstock.com In many parts of the U.S., it has been a scorching summer. Climate change is causing temperatures to rise, especially in many urban areas, according to a CNN report. Buildings, roads and concrete radiate heat, causing additional warming of up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit in those areas. Recently, the International Institute for

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com Extreme bargain hunters have just one big metro left if they want to buy a home for less than $100,000. Recently, real estate brokerage firm Redfin noted that among the 50 most populous metros in the U.S., only one offers starter homes with a median price that is less than six

AntGor / Shutterstock.com Which product brands are your favorites? From cereal to booze, your answer is likely to depend on your age. Recently, The Harris Poll used survey results and its own QuestBrand brand management software tool to name favorite grocery product brands by age group. Specific generations value each of the following brands more

MDV Edwards / Shutterstock.com Members of Generation Z may soon move to a town near you. This group of young Americans — the oldest of whom are now between the ages of 18 and 27 — are moving to more affordable cities and towns in hopes of scoring a good deal on a home, according

goodluz / Shutterstock.com Real estate is all about location. When home prices accelerate in one city, they might be in a sharp decline somewhere else. Recently, Fitch Ratings analyzed home prices in the third quarter of 2023 and determined that U.S. housing nationwide is overvalued by 11.1%. However, that nationwide average masks the fact that

spaxiax / Shutterstock.com Advertising Disclosure: When you buy something by clicking links on our site, we may earn a small commission, but it never affects the products or services we recommend. Don’t further inflate the expense of an already pricey car purchase. Car insurance is another bill that stacks up your financial responsibilities and takes

Pressmaster / Shutterstock.com Generation Z is on the move, often to places with a high cost of living. Americans born between the years 1996 and 2004 are choosing job opportunities and sunny skies over affordability when moving, according to a Zillow analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey. In a

bibiphoto / Shutterstock.com If you live in a cold-weather state — or if you plan to travel through one this winter — be sure to clear snow and ice from your car before taking to the road. Otherwise, your wallet might feel a big chill. Several states have laws that make it illegal to drive

fizkes / Shutterstock.com Homeowners across the nation have a reason to feel extra merry this holiday season. The average U.S. homeowner gained about $20,000 in home equity during the third quarter compared with one year prior, according to CoreLogic’s latest Homeowner Equity Insights report. In some places, the gain was much bigger — around three

Freeman / Money Talks News Every weekend, I recap “news you can use” from the week — a handful of quotes from major (and often expensive) news sources — so you can stay up to date on the news that affects your money without spending a dime and in less than a minute. Here’s an

Kekyalyaynen / Shutterstock.com As prices, staff and car availability returns to normal, customers are increasingly happy with their car rentals, a recent study says. Consumer opinion data company J.D. Power released its latest annual North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study, which gathered insights from more than 8,600 travelers who rented cars at airports between August

Prostock-studio / Shutterstock.com The Boy Scout motto “Be Prepared” doesn’t just apply to young men. We should all be ready for whatever life throws at us — whether that is another worldwide pandemic or a local power outage after a storm. Sure, you can often make a store trip on short notice, but don’t count