The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has long been tracking the decline of paper checks over the past few years. In addition, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta recently came out with a statement saying people only write about three checks per month on average.  Checks are even rarer than cash these days, in a … Read more

For those old enough to remember, the sudden failure of Silicon Valley Bank in March 2023 dredged up uneasy memories of the late-2000s financial crisis. Back then, the world’s biggest banks teetered on the brink of implosion, and ordinary people worried — rightfully so — whether their money was safe, even in “too-big-to-fail” banks. Silicon … Read more

The Alliant Credit Union Teen Checking Account earns a spot on our list of the best bank accounts for kids for several reasons. For starters, it’s virtually fee-free. It can earn a decent yield on all balances. It has a big network of fee-free ATMs and a generous reimbursement fund for out-of-network ATM transactions. It’s … Read more

fizkes / Shutterstock.com Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Point2. Never has the dream of becoming a homeowner in Canada felt just like that — a dream — until now. Homeownership rates declined to a 20-year low in 2021, and potential buyers might still be inclined to postpone ownership plans due to ongoing inflation … Read more

bubutu / Shutterstock.com Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on LawnStarter. So, maybe you’re waffling over whether to invest a chunk of change in a pressure washer. Is it really useful? Is it worth the cost? The answer to both questions is yes. A pressure washer is one of the most versatile tools you can … Read more

Life moves quickly. It’s easy to get distracted. But that can be costly. Miss an important financial date or deadline, and you could be on the hook for a penalty or lose out on a limited-time opportunity to save money. Enter our “Money Calendar” series. In this edition, we’ve rounded up noteworthy money dates for … Read more

Pixel-Shot / Shutterstock.com Spring has finally sprung — and so have these fresh and fabulous freebies. From free fries and fishing to complimentary ice cream cones and gratis photos of your furbabies with the Easter Bunny, we’ve rounded up some of the very best deals April has to offer. We hope that these seasonal savings … Read more

Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on NewRetirement. We hear it all the time: Most people want to be debt-free when they retire. It is all about peace of mind and wanting to be free from financial obligations. However, mortgages are considered “good debt,” and, if you can afford the … Read more

John Roche / Shutterstock.com Happiness, of course, is relative. Health, financial comfort, career stability and secure relationships all help lift one’s happiness level. (Sorry, Bobby McFerrin, it’s not quite as easy as your song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” makes it sound.) But your location can have a lot to do with your happiness — and … Read more

Using hearing aids helps people listen to the world around them. But recent research also suggests these medical devices can stave off dementia. A review of more than two dozen studies, published in the American Medical Association journal JAMA Neurology, concluded that older adults who have hearing loss and use hearing aids were 19% less … Read more