TessMore Finance Blog

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners . If you shop on eBay, you know it can be a great place to find a bargain. But if you’re like most eBay shoppers, you’re probably not getting any cash back on your eBay purchases. What’s that? you ask. I could be getting cash back on eBay? Yes, although it’s getting trickier now that eBay is shutting down its own cash-back program. “Enrollment in the eBay Bucks Rewards Program is currently closed,” eBay’s website says. “After careful and thorough consideration, we decided to retire the 1% earning as we look to continuously optimize our offerings.” That’s OK, though! Getting eBay cashback is still easier than you might think. Just make sure you’re using a reputable cash-back platform so you’re not getting ripped off. There are plenty of shady outfits out there that’ll promise you the moon while gouging you

Investors can choose between various investments in the market that can provide returns. Each of these assets comes with some risks as well. Usually, investors manage their portfolios themselves. However, some investors may also pool their funds together. This way, they can hire a manager to handle their investments. These investments may come in various forms, such as mutual or equity-traded funds. Investment management is the term used to describe professional services to manage investors’ assets. It may include various securities, including shares, bonds and other assets. Usually, each fund or pool comes with specific goals that benefit investors. These investors may consist of institutions or individuals. Another term used to describe investment funds is asset management. The process may differ between various pools. However, they usually have similar objectives. Investors can get returns from the typical asset investments. However, they can also make significant gains on alterna

Investors looking to invest in various securities can do so individually. Usually, they can identify a market or investment class and acquire assets within it. By doing so, they can control their investments and trade when they want.  Moreover, investors can use apps or software that help them in the process. This process is accessible to anyone. Therefore, anyone can become an investor and start investing in different asset classes. However, some investors may not have the time or knowledge to make investing decisions. That does not exclude them from the process, though. Instead of indulging themselves, investors can rely on firms that invest for them. They can receive professional services, although they may lose some control. In that regard, investors can choose between various options. Investors prefer to obtain services from asset management and private equity firms. While they work similarly on the outside, they differ significantly due to their operations. Investors must know

When choosing a career path, private equity firms are a great choice. Usually, these companies provide a clear and concise growth path that candidates can choose. On top of that, private equity firms can grow significantly in size over time. It allows most employees to grow with the company. On top of that, they can reach a higher position in their career than going for better options. However, cracking private equity interview questions can be critical to the process. In some cases, these questions may be more perplexing than those asked by public companies. Private equity interviews require technical knowledge, transaction experience, firm knowledge, and culture fit. On top of that, it can also include psychological questions that most candidates may find challenging to answer. A question asked during these interviews is why candidates want to work in private equity. This question is also common in other jobs for smaller and larger businesses. Usually, it confuses candidates into b

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners . The housing market is turbocharged these days because of a shortage of homes for sale is leading to heavy competition between home buyers. That keeps pushing home prices higher and higher. If you’re looking to buy a home, you better buckle up. The housing market remains hot, even though things might be starting to slow down just a little bit, according to news sources like CNBC and The Wall Street Journal, among others. Low mortgage rates continue to spur robust demand, and the number of houses for sale is well below normal. If you want to buy your own home, you’ll need to be smart and strategic about it. Consider these six tips: 1. Boost Your Credit Score Looking to buy a home? Then there’s something you need to start thinking about right now: Your credit score. We know that sounds boring, but it’s actu

Millions of people use 401(k) accounts to save for retirement each year. These tax-advantaged savings accounts invest your money in long-term mutual funds, stocks, bonds and other securities to grow your nest egg over time. But there’s a catch: You can only open a 401(k) at work — and not all employers offer them. In 2020, about 33% of private industry workers didn’t have access to any employer-sponsored retirement plan, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics . Part-time workers and those who earn the lowest wages are even less likely to work a job with access to a retirement plan. The truth is, you don’t need an employer to save for retirement. (Although 401(k)s are still great to have, especially if you get an employer match.) You can take control of your future and save for retirement on your own. And we promise — it’s not as difficult or scary as it sounds. 4 Ways to Save for Retirement Without a 401(k) 1. Individual Retirement Account Anyone who earns incom

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners . The only constant in our world is change, right? And the financial world is no exception. No, we’re not talking about a shake-up on the executive floor of the JP Morgan building in Manhattan — but there are day-to-day changes that you might not even notice happening. And those are the ones you’ve got to watch out for. We spoke to one of our own in-house financial planners, Robin Hartill (you may know her as Dear Penny), who gave us a heads up on what big financial issues could be on the horizon in 2022. And more importantly — she told us how to make sure you stay ahead of them. Here are some of the biggest changes that are happening in the world right now and what you can do to make sure your money is safe. 1. The Housing Bubble Could Burst Housing costs have skyrocketed since 2021 — but that’s not ne

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners . With rising rents and housing costs, people all over the United States are being priced out of the cities they once called home. In 2021, rents jumped up by 20 to 30% in cities ranging from Phoenix to Boise to Tampa, and more rent hikes are coming in 2022. Home prices have been rising at a record pace, too. It’s not just the notoriously expensive cities like New York and San Francisco, either. Middle-class people are increasingly being priced out of places like Denver and Dallas as well. If you want to live in a city that’s getting pricier and pricier, you’ll need to be smart and strategic about it. Consider these six tips: 1. Boost Your Credit Score Looking to buy a home? Then there’s something you need to start thinking about right now: Your credit score. We know that sounds boring, but it’s actually s

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners . 1. The Sting of Inflation Prices in 2021 rose at the fastest pace in nearly 40 years, and inflation looks like it’s going to be Americans’ biggest economic challenge in 2022. Consumer demand, supply chain problems and the spread of the Omicron variant threaten to keep prices rising sharply this year. A lot of us are feeling the effects at the grocery store, but there are things you can do to save money there. A free app called Fetch Rewards will reward you with gift cards just for buying toilet paper and more than 250 other items at the grocery store. Here’s how it works: After you’ve downloaded the app, just take a picture of your receipt showing you purchased an item from one of the brands listed in Fetch. For your efforts, you’ll earn gift cards to places like Amazon or Walmart. You can download the f

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners . Spending 10 more minutes at work probably won’t have a significant impact on your finances, but using that break-sized amount of time elsewhere just might. Sure, some of the tasks listed here are one-offs, while others may need to be repeated to realize real value. The thing these tasks all have in common is that they can have a lasting impact on your finances, if you capitalize on them. Here’s how you can take advantage of 10 minutes of your free time to add some extra room to your budget this month. 1. Get Money to Invest: This App Gives You Between $2.50 and $200 in Free Stock If you’re playing the short game and want money you can spend this month, consider one of the other tips here. But if you want to play the long game and grow your money, consider investing it — you don’t need that much. If you f

A major student loan servicing company has reached a settlement that will cancel $1.7 billion in student loan debt for around 66,000 borrowers, as well as provide $95 million in restitution – around $260 each – to 350,000 borrowers. “Today’s settlement corrects Navient’s past behavior . . . and puts in place safeguards to ensure this company never preys on student loan borrowers again,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro in a statement.  Navient’s settlement with attorneys general in 39 states is over two primary accusations: Redirecting borrowers into forbearance instead of pushing them toward more sensible income-based repayment options. Through its predecessor, Sallie Mae, directing borrowers to subprime loans that they knew would likely default. “Navient repeatedly and deliberately put profits ahead of its borrowers – it engaged in deceptive and abusive practices, targeted students who it knew would struggle to pay loans back, and placed an unfair burden on peop