In any normal year, getting $600 just for being alive in this country would beawesome. These are some of the best ways to use your stimulus check to improve your financial footing. If You Need It For Essentials, Do That First. Getty Images First and more importantly take care of yourself and your family. The tips below can help you turn the $600 into more, but they arent immediate pay-offs....

The ancient dessert, called Loukoumades, is similar to a doughnut but is a breed all its own. The treats are round balls made with yeast that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Tammy Levent of Palm Harbor, Fla., calls her creations Heavenly Puffs. Lorena Telez, left, and Guadeloupe Nandho mix ingredients for Loukoumades at Heavenly Puffs headquarters in Palm Harbor, Fla., on Feb. 17, 2021. The company now has nine employees who make about 4,200 treats a day....

What do you really want? What are your actual financial goals? A post-pandemic dream vacation? A healthy college fund for the kid? To reach your goals, youre probably going to need to invest. Thats because just sticking your cash in a savings account wont do much for you anymore. These days, youll likely earn practically zero interest on your savings that way. Now, whats the best way for you to get started investing?...

We all have our favorite ways to kill time. A good book, a good conversation, a hockey game. Heres another good time-killer: Playing games on your iPhone. And what if you could play for money?Realmoney? Theres a free iPhone and iPad app calledBubble Cashthat lets Canadians play for money. you might get paid up to $105 ($83 USD) per win. But theres really not. Bubble Cash is free to download and is completely skill-based....

Need a reason to celebrate this weekend? How about 1,400 of them? The first payments will go to taxpayers whose direct deposit information is on file with the IRS. This post refers to stimulus checks issued in March 2021. For the most up-to-date info, check out ourrecent tax articles. Who Qualifies for the Stimulus Check? Those with incomes above these limits will have their payments gradually phased out. The $1,400 payments for dependents have the same phaseout rules....

We can totally handle it. Even so, the ever-rising cost of everyday purchases is getting to be a real drag. Heres the real kicker: Youre probably overpaying. Our team has compiled alist of creative waysyou can fatten your bank account this week. This is a long list, so dont get overwhelmed. Go ahead and start now, but be sure to bookmark this post so you could easily return later. Well keep it updated as offers changes or expire....

1. Who qualifies for the expanded child tax credit? Have the rules changed for people making over these amounts who normally qualify for the $2,000 tax credit? Parents who are single receive the full $2,000 per child if their income is less than $200,000. This post refers to child tax credit payments issued in 2021. For the most up-to-date info, check out ourrecent tax articles. For incomes above these limits, the credit gradually phases out....

If you died tomorrow, who would get your money and property? Who would you want to care for your children? What about your pets? But creating an estate plan with an attorney can be expensive, sometimes costing thousands of dollars. Thats a lot of money at a time when so many people are strapped for cash. But your estate is simply everything you own. What Is Probate and Why Do I Want to Avoid It?...

Here are five things it’s crucial that you know if youre receiving unemployment compensation. Extra jobless benefits will continue through Sept. 6. 7 Ways to Make Money if You Hate People Do you avoid people too? This post refers to the American Relief Plan passed in March 2021. For the most up-to-date info, check out ourrecent tax articles. Enough small talk.Here are some waysto earn extra cash, without all of the social stuff....

Even in the best of times, meeting strangers to select an affordable place to live can be difficult. (Its also difficult to truly socially distance when someone is giving you a tour of a tiny apartment. For now, Zoom and Facetime tours will have to suffice.) I am very happy with my current place in Washington, DC, which I share with two roommates. I found it through the Facebook groupDC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland Housing, Sublets, and Roommates....

A $1,400 stimulus check could be hitting your bank account or mailbox soon. Well update this post as more information becomes available. What are the income limits for the $1,400 payments? This post refers to stimulus checks issued in March 2021. For the most up-to-date info, check out ourrecent tax articles. Is there a credit for children? Yes, youll receive an additional $1,400 for each dependent, regardless of their age....

I love greeting cards. Heres how to get in on the gig. 7 Ways to Make Money if You Hate People Do you avoid people too? Photo courtesy of Calypso Enough small talk.Here are some waysto earn extra cash, without all of the social stuff. Blue Mountain Arts Poet-artist duo Susan Polis Schutz and Stephen Schutz foundedBlue Mountain Arts50 years ago. Help people express their thoughts in, well, thoughtful ways....

Five years ago, the stock market was crashing, and who can honestly say they werent panicked? The 2020 market meltdown began March 9. The bloodbath continued for an agonizing two weeks. Some economists predicted the stock market would take three years to recover. Instead, stocks took 181 days to return to their pre-pandemic highs. The stock market doesnt reflect the economy. The stock market fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels by August 2020....