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 . Being a millionaire isn’t everything. Despite the glamour of it all, having seven figures in your bank account isn’t the source of all happiness — and it definitely isn’t the only way to have a comfortable retirement. So long as you put a few hundred dollars into a retirement account each month, you could retire with a cool million yourself (we did the math!). Currently being a millionaire? Not required. Even if you’re not in your 20’s anymore, and you haven’t started saving for retirement, it’s not too late. Start now with these smart financial moves that can grow your wealth and have you retiring in style. 1. Make Smart, Strategic Investments The stock market averages about 7% growth each year. And while it does have its ups and downs, over time, it tends to go up. Which is why investing is such an impo

Automatic student debt assistance is on the way for nearly half a million borrowers due to recent rule changes at the U.S. Department of Education. In a flurry of loan relief announcements, the Education Department outlined several groups of student loan borrowers who will receive automatic aid unless they choose to opt out. The groups include some current and former service members, borrowers with qualifying permanent disabilities that prevent them from working and attendees of the defunct ITT Tech who inadvertently took out “misleading” loans that the for-profit college chain allegedly disguised as grant money. In total, an estimated 485,000 borrowers qualify for automatic relief. The Education Department has identified these borrowers through data-matching agreements with several other federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense. All of the borrowers that the Education Department has identified

Demand for data entry jobs from home has seen an enormous increase since the start of the pandemic, and the trend has yet to reverse. If you are looking to pick up extra cash as a side gig or focus on data entry as a main source of income, you’ll want our tips for finding the best online data entry jobs. In this post, we cover: What is Data Entry Data Entry Skills Data Entry Education Requirements Data Entry Salaries Legitimate Companies vs. Data Entry Scams Best Job Sites for Finding Data Entry Jobs 15 Best Companies Offering Online Data Entry Jobs from Home Other Work-From-Home Jobs Similar to Data Entry What Is Data Entry? First things first, what does a data entry clerk do, and are you cut out for it? The job is pretty cut and dry; it’s exactly what it sounds like. As a data entry professional, you will input data into some kind of computerized database. That often means transcribing data from recorded phone calls or from electronic or physical documents. While

Most of us never see the first 6.2% of our paychecks. That money goes straight to Social Security, with the primary goal of giving you a monthly retirement benefit someday. But what if you suddenly died tomorrow? What happens to all that money you’ve paid into the system? Who Gets Your Social Security When You Die? First let’s address a common misconception: Social Security doesn’t set money aside in an account for you. Your payroll taxes fund the Social Security trust. Once you’re eligible, you receive benefits from the trust. But the Social Security Administration doesn’t have a pot of money with your name on it. When you die, your Social Security payments will stop. If you die before starting benefits, you won’t get the money you’ve paid in. But sometimes, someone else can receive Social Security based on your record. That’s the case with spousal benefits , ex-spouse benefits and survivor benefits . Another person may be able to receive a Social Security benefit based on your

Don’t you want to scream when you see Christmas displays in the stores before Halloween? Or when “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” is stuck in your head for two months because it starts playing in early November? The Christmas creep can be annoying, but there’s at least one good reason to start thinking about the holidays before the leaves start changing color: It gives you more time to save. With all the decorations, food, parties and gift giving, celebrating Christmas has become synonymous with spending money. The National Retail Federation found that consumers spent a collective $798.4 billion during the 2020 holiday season , up 8.3% from the year prior. Waiting until November or December to prepare for these expenses means you’ll often end up charging your purchases and paying them off — plus interest — well into the new year. Instead, establish a Christmas savings plan to avoid debt and overspending. Create Your Christmas Savings Plan To save enough money to cover

A crisis is no time to wonder if your car payment is due. But whether it’s a medical emergency, a job loss, a natural disaster or… let’s face it, some crisis we haven’t even imagined yet, it’s easy enough to lose track of the other priorities in our life — and that can add to our financial woes. Staying in control of your finances is essential, particularly during a crisis. An overdraft fee here, a late payment there and suddenly your initial problem is compounded by a financial hit that can haunt you for years. If knowledge is power, then setting yourself up to have all your financial information on hand could be the difference between a one-time disaster and a lasting financial catastrophe. One way to start protecting your money: Use the digital apps for your banks and lenders. How to Use Phone Apps to Protect Your Finances Downloading apps from your various financial institutions can help you during a crisis, but only if you have access to everything you need. Here’s how to ma

Buy-and-hold investing is recommended for most investors, especially beginners. But what if you’ve already built a firm foundation of passive index fund investments and you want to try your hand at active trading? Or what if you are already an active trader who is looking to up your game? One thing is for certain, you can lose a lot of money actively trading if you don’t know what you’re doing. But one sure-fire way to remove the risk from the learning curve that comes with trading is to work with a paper trading account. Table of Contents What is Paper Trading? How Long Should I Paper Trade? The Pros and Cons of Paper Trading Pros: Cons: Best Paper Trading Apps TD Ameritrade E*TRADE TradeStation Webull Fidelity  Interactive Brokers MarketWatch Investopedia  Bottom Line What is Paper Trading? Paper trading is an account that provides for simulated trades using virtual money. A broker will give you access to their trading platform where you can trade using a