TessMore Finance Blog

The last few years have wrought havoc on people’s finances. First, there was COVID, which cost approximately 9.6 million Americans their jobs. And now there’s inflation, which is currently hovering at around 8.3% after falling from its June peak of 9.1% – the highest it had been for 40 years . Thankfully, the $5 trillion in stimulus packages helped people stay afloat throughout the pandemic. But that was in 2021. This year, most struggling households have received little to no support… until now. This time, 20 states are leaning on budget surpluses to issue one-time inflation relief checks to residents. Do you want to find out who’s getting what, when, and whether you can expect one of these payments too? By now, most of the checks and deposits have started to go out. If you received one, check your state below to see the details, how the payments work, and whether you’ll get more. Here is a quick summary of the 20 state stimulus checks issued in 2022: Table of Contents 1.

If you receive items or packages that you never ordered, you may be the victim of a brushing scam. Brushing scams are illegal in the United States and many other countries. While you may enjoy the surprise of receiving items that you weren’t expecting, brushing scams may be a symptom of identity theft. If you receive packages you aren’t expecting, there are a few steps that you might want to consider taking. What Is A Brushing Scam? A brushing scam is a term that refers to receiving parcels or packages that you did not order. There are a variety of reasons that bad actors set up brushing scams. One reason can be to artificially inflate product reviews on online marketplaces like Amazon or eBay. The seller ships their product to you (at their cost). Then, once you are a verified purchaser of the product, they use your account information to post a favorable review. Favorable reviews from verified purchasers can make a positive impact on future sales, so the seller may find that it’s

When you open an account with a new bank , one of the first things you want to know is your ATM withdrawal limits. Knowing how much you can spend with your debit card is also important. Understanding how your withdrawal limits work will make it much easier to manage your money, and it can help you avoid some embarrassment, too. After all, no one wants to discover that they’ve exceeded their debit card limit when standing at the checkout line, trying to pay for a cart full of groceries. In this article, I’ll share the daily ATM withdrawal and debit card purchase limits from several major banks, explain the factors involved in setting limits, and how to get them raised or lowered. Table of Contents How Are Daily ATM Limits Set? Where Can I Find My Daily ATM Withdrawal Limit? What Are Daily ATM Withdrawal Limits at My Bank? What Are Daily Debit Card Purchase Limits at My Bank? ATM Withdrawal/Debit Purchase Limits at Popular Banks Can I Avoid Daily ATM Withdrawal Limits an

If you’re looking to secure the financial future of your family, you may be considering a life insurance policy or an annuity. But you may have some lingering questions about which option to choose – and what makes them different in the first place. In this article, we’ll explain how annuities and life insurance differ, and leave you with some practical advice to help you choose the right option for your specific situation. What is an Annuity? An annuity is a type of contract between a policyholder and an insurance company. There are several types of annuities, but all of them seek to provide monthly income while the annuity owner is still alive. The cost of the annuity depends on the type and the provider. One downside to annuities is that they often charge fees, which can significantly drive up the cost. They can also be hard to get rid of, and you may have to pay a high surrender fee if you want to dissolve the annuity.  Customers often purchase annuities because they want the

I first learned about mph.bank through the SaveBetter platform because they were offering a high interest rate on their money market deposit account . They’re the online bank subsidiary of Liberty Savings Bank and while they’re relatively new, their parent bank has been around for quite some time. If you’ve been thinking about opening an mph.bank checking account, known as their “spend” account, you will want to learn about the bonus they are offering – get up to $365. Table of Contents How to get up to $365 from mph.bank Who is mph.bank? How does this compare? How to get up to $365 from mph.bank mph.bank has a multi-step bonus where you can get up to $365 in cash for satisfying a few conditions over the course of a year. The sticking part of this deal is the length of time, 12 consecutive months, but if you’re OK with that, the cash is yours. First, start by opening a new mph.bank “spend” account. Then: Get $100 for doing debit card purchases totaling $365 each mon

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) loans let you purchase items either in-person or online and pay for them in installments, usually from three months to one year. But what exactly is a buy now, pay later loan? And is it a good idea to use them when offered to you? One of the leading companies in the BNPL space is Affirm . They have become so popular that their name may have popped up during the checkout process when you shop. While BNPL loans like Affirm serve a purpose, they are fraught with potential pitfalls. In this article, we’ll cover exactly what Affirm is, some Affirm alternatives, and whether or not BNPL loans are a smart choice for you.  Table of Contents What Is Affirm?  How Does Affirm Work?  Is Affirm Safe? How Will Affirm Affect My Credit Score? Alternatives to Affirm Sezzle Afterpay Alternatives to Buy Now, Pay Later Loans Zero Percent Credit Cards Find Ways to Cut Your Costs on Purchases Consider Paying Cash Up Front Sell Some Stuff The Bottom Line Wh

Active and passive portfolio management styles are two contrasting investing strategies. One involves active participation and management of the portfolio while the other requires fewer movements. Let us discuss what active and passive portfolio management styles are and what are the key differences between them. What is Active Portfolio Management? Active portfolio management refers to an investing style where the portfolio manager actively makes investing decisions. Active managers rely on analytics, technical indicators, personal judgments, and market forecasts to make these active investing decisions. This type of investing style requires buying, selling, and holding financial assets in a portfolio. Active decisions mean the portfolio consistently changes. Active portfolios also follow an index as a benchmark and mimic their portfolio assets. However, active investing aims to beat the index rate of return by changing the portfolio balance consistently. Active managers utiliz

People use their credit cards to pay for many things, but you might be surprised to learn that you can pay your monthly rent with your credit card. Although paying the rent with a credit card isn’t always the wisest financial move, it can make sense in some situations, and sometimes it’s convenient and necessary.  In this article, I’ll share different ways to pay rent with your credit card. I’ll explain when it might be worthwhile and when it’s not. Table of Contents 8 Ways to Pay Rent With a Credit Card 1. Bilt Rewards 2. PlacePay 3. Plastiq 4. Venmo/PayPal 5. ClickPay 6. Rentler 7. RentMoola 8. Cash Advance When Should I Pay My Rent With a Credit Card? 8 Ways to Pay Rent With a Credit Card Most landlords and mortgage companies won’t accept credit card payments for rent or mortgage payments.  However, there are workarounds that will allow you to do so. The companies listed here act as third-party payment processors that will deposit your rent payments from your

Wealth management is one of the best financial advisory services a wealthy person can choose to manage their financial assets. Although the service is typically accessible for highly wealthy clients, those who have a significant sum of financial assets may also find it useful.   Wealth managers across the country help manage their client’s finances and possessions that contribute to their overall net worth , like real estate, stocks, art investments, and luxury vehicles. A wealth management firm can offer a variety of services including retirement planning, tax services, and estate planning. Even if you don’t consider yourself wealthy now, there’s a chance your wealth may grow as you age , and a wealth manager can make organizing your money easier. What Does Wealth Management Mean? The basic definition of wealth management is an advisory service that provides financial planning and management for wealthy figures. These could be individuals or families that want to manage their wea