Money

Have you ever wondered where your money disappears to each month? You work hard; you know you make it—yet it seems as though you never have any, or at least not as much as you think you should after you pay your bills (and Uncle Sam takes his portion). It’s like it goes into some giant universal dryer that only spits out part of what you put in—obviously stashing the rest of it away in that secret place where the matches to all of your socks are sent.

What’s not to love about CVS? Not only is it brimming with affordable beauty products and home essentials, it’s by far one of the easiest drug stores to save money at while shopping. Don’t believe us? We did our research and dug up nine awesome money-saving secrets for shopping at CVS that you probably didn’t know about. Read ahead to find out how to score even better deals next time you raid the local drugstore.

Reboots can either be the absolute worst, or they’re the best thing to happen to TV. It’s frustrating that some showrunners just won’t let a series end. But then there are instances where they know what’s best and bring back the show we really needed – thank god Trading Spaces is back! In a world where HGTV reigns supreme with 20 different house-flipping shows, the Trading Spaces reboot is a breath of fresh air on TLC.

Grocery shopping isn’t always easy. Along with the crowds, screaming kids, and long lines, you have to successfully secure a week’s worth of foodstuff, most likely while on a budget. That’s why it pays to plan for your trip to the grocery store ahead of time, so you can avoid draining searches and high prices as much as possible. Luckily, there are plenty of ways you can hack your grocery list to work for you.

Airbnb is awesome – until it’s not. Ten years in, face it, it’s still a leap of faith as a traveler to go stay in a stranger’s home. You roll the dice and could land in a place that makes all your dreams come true — I’ve found some absolute treasures like that. Or maybe it’s not horrible but it’s a boring corporate rental.

Some are long retired, but some are still there on the shelves for you to take them home right now. Make sure you're ready for the commitment!

Oh, the joys of online shopping. Not only can you bypass crazy long checkout lines and cramped dressing rooms, you get all the stuff you ordered delivered straight to your front door. The only drawback: Returning items that don’t work for you can be trickier when the post office gets involved. That’s why it pays to know ahead of time which stores have stellar return policies, so you can have a totally worry-free online shopping experience.

If you’ve ever considered going into business with family, look no further for role models than Jonathan and Drew Scott. Having found fame as hosts of the hit HGTV reality series Property Brothers, the pair really brings home the bacon. And by bacon, we mean money. And by money, we mean a combined net worth in the millions. Property Brothers Drew Scott and Jonathan Scott have flipped their way to a combined net worth of $20 million according to CelebrityNetWorth.com.

If you fly a lot, it makes sense to get a credit card with airline rewards. Now, if moderately priced Swedish furnishings are your thing, IKEA just released a card for you. The retailer announced back in January their plans to launch a branded credit card in the United States that will also provide additional financing options for “major home projects,” as initially reported by trade publication Chain Store Age.

Anyone who’s searched for a way to save more money has probably heard of the 52 Week Challenge. It’s a way to slowly build up your savings throughout the year—you start by putting aside $1 on week one, $2 on week 2, and so on until you reach week 52, putting aside $52 that week. In total, if you follow the 52 Week Challenge, you’ll save $1,378 by the end of the year. Easy enough, right? While it sounds like a great idea (and if it works for you, keep it up!

They may be HGTV tycoons these days, but that wasn’t always the case for Chip and Joanna Gaines. The duo, who recently announced that they’re ending their beloved home renovation show Fixer Upper, say they learned their best lesson about money over a decade ago, when Chip was tossed in the county jail after he was busted for having $2,500 racked up in tickets.

Decreasing the amount of energy you expend at home isn’t just good for the environment—it can be good for your bank account, too. According to a study from SaveOnEnergy, the average American spends a whopping $1,460 a year on electricity and $421 on natural gas; numbers that are expected to rise by 2 percent in 2018. Luckily, there are plenty of simple ways to reduce your daily energy use.

Emergency situations can really throw you—and your wallet—for a loop. Whether you’re hurt, you’ve lost your job or your car goes kaput, having a stash of do-not-touch money can keep a bad situation from getting worse. Here are some of the immeasurable benefits of keeping an emergency fund. They all add up to one thing: Irreplaceable peace of mind. As of July 2015, eight of every 10 Americans were in debt.

The news swept the internet last week that due to their acquisition by Amazon, Whole Foods was going to start dropping prices on a variety of items as of today. Several news outlets have visited different locations of the organic grocer and are reporting on just how much savings there is to be had.

Thrifty IKEA shoppers know the key to a good deal is to always check the As-Is section, where you can find items that have been returned or assembled and used for display for a discounted price. Even savvier shoppers know that you can negotiate prices for As-Is items, and that you can score better deals there at certain times of the year. But, the As-Is section, as glorious as it can be, isn’t the only way to save money at IKEA.

There are so many grocery delivery services available now, which makes it almost impossible to choose—especially if you’re totally new to them. I am for sure a procrastinator when it comes to physically going to the store, but I’m also big into planning my meals in advance, so switching to a delivery service seemed ideal to me.

Date night doesn't need to break the bank—with these ideas, you can spend quality time together without actually spending much of anything, and there's something for everyone.

This month we’ll be sharing solutions that are so simple and easy—and at times, automated—that they feel like magic. Hocus Pocus celebrates all the small ways you can trick yourself into living a better life. There are a lot of ways to spend less money at the grocery stores. Couponing or buying cheaper food are two that come to mind, though neither are always ideal for our sanity or our health.

Collecting your coins and spare bills is a great way to save money, because over time, all that change adds up. But emptying your pockets into a jar or a piggy bank when you walk in the door? Not exactly the most fun or inspired way to do things. If you need a little extra motivation to save—whether it’s to pay for something special, or to curb your bad money habits—try one of these takes on the traditional coin jar or piggy bank.

After you’ve tackled the big-picture savings tactics like canceling subscriptions, negotiating insurance premiums to lower rates, and reducing energy consumption, you’ll have to examine your micro-spending in order to squeeze any extra cash out of your budget. Even if you’re in good shape financially, there will come a week where you could use an extra hundred bucks—maybe before a big weekend?—to pad your budget with.

Not a couponer? Is that because you refuse to dedicate your Sundays to shuffling through the newspaper, literally clipping coupons to stash away in a tiny accordion file that you flip through as you’re walking down the aisles? Well, you’re living in the past. Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. When shopping online—or even in person with your phone in tow (and whose isn’t?) — it’s easier than ever to coupon and only takes a few minutes.

Most students and teachers can’t help but feel a little sad about the end of summer, at least until it’s time for back-to-school shopping. There’s something thrilling about starting a new school year and taking the opportunity to refresh your life a little. But loading up on new clothes, decor, technology and school supplies can get a little pricey. Actually, really pricey. The good news: Many retailers offer discounts for students and teachers with valid school IDs or .

Summer is slowly coming to an end, which means it’s time to get serious about crossing things off your summer bucket list. If you haven’t already taken a summer vacation, make that a top priority. Yes, sunshine-drenched days at the beach and lounging by the pool sipping margaritas are limited, but there’s still plenty of time to plan an epic end-of-summer getaway. Here are seven reasons why now is actually the perfect time to indulge in a delicious summer vacation.

When you’re trying something new, often your first instinct is to rush out and buy all the things you need for whatever activity you’ve taken on, be it camping or traveling or hosting overnight guests. But often these things, bought with the best of intentions, end up getting used only very infrequently — and taking up a lot space in your home in the meantime.

Sometimes, saving means spending money. Most of the time, this is because buying a quality product will greatly reduce or even eliminate the need for replacement. Other times, we spend money but save on other valuable assets, such as our health or sanity. Here are nine items or categories that you should splurge on, not because you’re reckless with money, but because you’re wise, purchases that underscore that beloved aphorism: you get what you pay for.

I have a friend who swears that, when she was in college, she saved money by only going to the bathroom at work. Never fear—there is nothing that crazy here. Just simple, creative ways in which to save a few dollars here and there, which, as we all know, will surely add up over time. How many of these could you implement in your life starting today? And how much will you save by the end of the year? 1. Limit your trips to the ATM to one a week.

You paid your dues to Uncle Sam all year long, plus maybe a little extra that you’ll get back as a refund soon. Financial experts recommend making sure your refund is as small as possible each year (after all, a big refund means the government’s been borrowing your money), but the average tax refund last year was $2,800, and that’s no small chunk of change. So it’s smart to think about what you want to do with your refund when it comes.

It’s hard to ignore the stigma of what’s cheap. We’ve been trained over the years to equate price with value. When faced with two options–for a chair or maybe a picture frame–our minds are hard-wired to think of the more expensive option as being of better quality or more beautifully designed. That is, of course, not always the case.

Craigslist is great. When it comes to selling your old gear, it’s never been so easy to connect with strangers. But that’s kind of the trouble, too, yeah? It’s really easy to connect with unsavory stranger-danger types on Craigslist, especially if you’re unsavvy about how to use it safely.

A party can be equally intimidating to guests (wear the right outfit, provide sparkling conversation, know somebody beyond the host) as it is for the host (play the right music, serve the right food/drinks, invite the right mix of people), but nothing says “come as you are” like an invitation to a sleepover party! Why should you host a slumber party immediately, and why should you accept an invitation to a slumber party immediately? Let’s count the ways.

Summer’s outdoor entertaining calls for keeping drinks cool, but budget options aren’t all that attractive. Ashley from Shanty 2 Chic turned a basic styrofoam cooler into a stylish solution that doesn’t diminish your décor. Looking for a weekend project that will up the ante on your patio parties? Check out this after:Ashley put together this country chic cooler stand with $50 in supplies and some power tool basics.