5 Cash-Back Web Sites for Online Shoppers

Get a portion of the money you spend returned when you make qualifying purchases from eligible retailers.

By Cameron Huddleston, September 2, 2014

When you shop online, don't limit your money-saving efforts to coupon codes, deal alerts and price comparisons. You can also benefit from cash-back sites that let you earn back a percentage of the money you spend on qualifying purchases.
Here's how it works: You register with a cash-back site typically by providing an email address and creating a password. Any time you want to shop, sign in and then click on a store from the site’s list of retail partners. If you buy something, the cash-back site gets paid a commission by the retailer. The site then shares a percentage of that commission, in the form of cash back, with you.

Worst U.S. Airports for Wi-Fi

Don't plan on surfing the Web for free at these eight major hubs.

By Rebecca Dolan, September 15, 2014

As if you didn’t already hate flying enough, having to pay for wireless Internet access at the airport just makes it worse. You might think in this day and age when major airports feature everything from spa services to upscale restaurants, a basic amenity such as free Wi-Fi would be a given. Unfortunately, there are still a few holdouts.

Safeguards for Debit Card Users

Some debit-card users soon will benefit from zero liability for fraudulent purchases.By Lisa GerstnerSee my bio, plus links to all my recent stories., From Kiplinger's Personal Finance, October 2014 Follow @LGers

Until now, the best way to minimize the chances of fraud when you swiped your debit card was to sign your name rather than punch in your PIN. By signing, holders of cards backed by MasterCard or Visa—the two dominant networks among debit cards—were assured of the same zero-liability coverage for unauthorized purchases that the com­panies extend in case of credit card fraud.

What to Expect From Your Health Insurance in 2015

An annual survey estimates the increase in costs and cost-sharing next year.

By Kimberly Lankford, August 22, 2014

I get health insurance through my employer. What changes should I expect in my coverage for next year?
The National Business Group on Health’s survey of large employers usually provides the first glimpse of changes employers will be making to their health insurance plans for the coming year. The survey focuses on large employers, who tend to pay a bigger portion of the costs than small employers, but the same trends apply no matter where you get your insurance.

Best Buys During Labor Day Sales, 2014

You'll find great deals on appliances, bicycles, outdoor items and more over the long holiday weekend.

By Cameron Huddleston, August 25, 2014

Many retailers will be marking down items for Labor Day sales this weekend, but sometimes it’s hard to know whether you’re really getting a good deal. In fact, more than half of those surveyed recently by deal site Offers.com said they don't know which sales are best. Well, we can help.
Here are five items that retailers will mark down most during Labor Day sales -- as well as items you should hold off buying because you’ll find better deals on them later in the month or into fall.

How Much It Costs to Boost Life Insurance Coverage

With term life insurance rates relatively low, it’s a good time to add coverage.

By Kimberly Lankford, September 16, 2014

I just moved for a new job and bought a new house, and I’d like to increase the amount of my life insurance. I have a $500,000 20-year term policy. How much would it cost to boost it to $1 million?
If you’re pretty young and healthy, it costs a lot less than you’d expect. A 30-year-old woman could pay as little as $214 per year for a $500,000 20-year term insurance policy and $354 for $1 million, says Byron Udell, CEO of AccuQuote.com. A healthy 30-year-old man would pay $244 for $500,000 and $421 for $1 million.

10 Ways to Save Money at Target

Put these strategies to use when you're shopping at this popular big-box retailer.

By Cameron Huddleston, August 22, 2014

I’m convinced that many of the residents of the small city where I live go to Target when they have nothing better to do (which, in a small city, is most of the time). And I frequently see friends post on Facebook that they went to Target -- or Tar-zhay, as some like to say -- to buy one thing but left with 20. So even though the big-box retailer’s sales and profits were down last year, there still are plenty of people spending a lot of money at Target stores.
If you’re a fan of the chain’s inexpensive-but-trendy products or like being able to buy food, toiletries, clothing, electronics and furniture all in one spot, there are several strategies you can use to spend less and save more the next time you shop at Target. As a bonus, you'll have even more opportunities to save now that Target plans to keep its stores open later.

Bargain or Trap?

It happens all too often: What seems like a bargain turns out to be a bad deal in disguise. If you've ever shelled out money for something you didn't need, bought shoddy merchandise because it cost less, or overspent on something you could have gotten cheaper elsewhere, you've been lured into wasting your money.
Don't take the bait. Try our nine-question quiz to see if you can sniff out the true bargains and avoid the traps.

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New Reverse Mortgage Rules Protect Younger Spouses

If the older spouse dies, the younger spouse can stay in the home, but there is a cost.By Pat Mertz EssweinSee my bio, plus links to all my recent stories., From Kiplinger's Personal Finance, October 2014 Follow @PatEsswein

 

Poon Watchara-Amphaiwan
New rules are a relief for Wayne and Lynn Caudill.

Wayne Caudill took a reverse mortgage on the house he owns with his wife, Lynn, in 2012, after a job loss threatened the ability of the couple to keep their Roanoke, Va., home. Wayne, who was 62 then, met the minimum age to qualify, but Lynn, 55, was too young to be named a co-borrower; if he died or left the home permanently, she'd have to pay off the loan, most likely by selling the house. "It would be like being evicted from my own home," says Lynn.

How Credit Scores Can Boost Home Insurance Premiums

Got so-so credit? You are likely paying more in premiums than people with excellent credit.

By Kimberly Lankford, September 5, 2014

I know that your credit score can affect your car insurance premiums. Can it also affect your homeowners insurance rates?
Yes, in most states your credit score can make a big difference in your home insurance rates. A recent study by InsuranceQuotes.com, a Bankrate company, found that homeowners with poor credit pay 91% more for home insurance than people with excellent credit. Even people with median credit pay 29% more than those with excellent credit. “Insurers have found a direct correlation between a consumer’s credit and the likelihood that he or she will make a home (or auto) claim,” says Laura Adams, senior insurance analyst for InsuranceQuotes.com. The study defined “excellent” credit as the top 10% of credit-based insurance scores.