TessMore Finance Blog

If 2021 proved anything, it’s that the gig economy is alive and well. From ride-sharing to food delivery to at-home businesses and freelance gigs, Americans got creative in how they earned their income over the last year. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, 16% of Americans have earned income from an online gig platform at some point. Looking ahead, the gig economy will likely continue to grow in 2022 and employers will continue to look for more ways to collaborate with gig workers. So what are some of the ongoing gig economy trends to look out for in the coming year? Here’s what we’ll be watching. 4 Things Gig Workers Should Look For in 2022 1. Side Gigs are Becoming Permanent (For Now) Side gig jobs are becoming more like main gigs for many Americans. Forty-one percent of gig workers relied on their gig jobs to cover monthly expenses in 2021. That’s up from 27% in 2020, according to Dollar Sprout’s 2021 Side Hustle Report. The percentage of people spending more tha...

One of the most significant workplace changes that came from the pandemic has been the economy-spanning shift to remote work away from the traditional office environment. Many companies that never offered it now have a remote work option. Some companies that were thinking about going partially remote pulled the trigger and have moved their workforce into working remotely full time. And unless you work in an industry that really can’t do remote work ( e.g. restaurant server or retail associate) or are employed by a company stuck in 1998, then remote work may be your new reality. For many people, that’s awesome news. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be adjustments in your transition to remote work. If working remotely is or could be part of your new routine, we have some suggestions. 8 Things We’ve Learned about the Transition to Permanent Remote Work 1. Make Sure You Actually Want to Work Remotely It’s not for everyone. As much as it’s a growing trend, some people still aren’t ...

When I was a kid and our family would take a road trip, my dad would tell us to stay in the car while he checked us into a motel. That’s because, to save money, he would get a motel room with 2 single beds — for a family of 6. Then once he got the key, we would quietly go into the room, avoiding the lobby. When we got up there, my dad would make “the phone call.” “Hi, this is room 324,” he would say. “Could you bring some more towels to our room?” “Yes, sir. How many do you need? 1? 2?” “How about 4? And if you can send 2 cots, that would be great.” “Sir, this room is booked for double occupancy only. We cannot—” Dad: “Thank you!”  HAHA! WE THOUGHT THIS WAS NORMAL. Only later did we realize how hilarious it was to squeeze 6 people into a room for 2. But without things like this (and little Ramit sleeping on a couch), it gets pretty expensive to take a family on a trip.  So our family vacations were fun but simple: road trips to visit our family in LA. That was it! Fa...

The world wants you to be vanilla. It has a funny way of trying to make you conform, though. Nobody will come right out and say it.  Instead, they’ll say things like: “Are you really wearing THAT?” “Start a business? You should just be happy to have a job” “You need to buy a house. Why would you throw money away renting?” If you’re an IWT reader, you’re probably going to make some unconventional choices in your life. Maybe you’ll rent instead of buying. Maybe you’ll start a business. Maybe you’ll spend an extravagant amount on a personal trainer. As you build your Rich Life vision , there will be a number of obstacles that can delay, detour, and even dead-end it — like how other people think you should live your life.  Free mini course: Take control of your success with our new How to Design Your Rich Life mini-course . It’s a fast, fun, and free introduction to our Rich Life approach. Look out for these 8 Rich Life Traps so you can avoid the most common mistak...

Most people don’t want to pay more taxes than what the government requires. Having to unnecessarily hand over more money to the IRS or your state’s tax department makes it harder to achieve your financial goals. If you count on your annual tax refund to pay off debt or cover another significant expense, maximizing your tax credits and deductions will help to increase your payout. Figuring out how to get a bigger tax refund can be easy when you follow these suggestions. Table of Contents How To Calculate Your Tax Refund Check Your Filing Status Claim Above-the-Line Tax Deductions File an Itemized Return Claim Tax Credits Contribute to Retirement Accounts Health Savings Accounts Look for COVID Tax Breaks Summary How To Calculate Your Tax Refund Here is a quick refresher of some of the factors that can determine whether you get a tax refund or owe a tax liability: Filing status: Single; Head of Household; Married, Filing Jointly; Married, Filing Separately. W-4 Tax All...

Could you use some cash to recover from the holidays? Check out these class action settlements from brands like Neuriva, ShopKeep, and Walmart to see if you qualify to make a claim. Look through list carefully and note deadlines for claims. Earliest one on this list is Jan. 7, 2022, for students looking to recoup tuition from Rutgers University charged during the height of the pandemic. Huda Beauty Neon Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette Class Action Settlement Consumers who purchased a Huda Beauty Neon Obsessions Pressed Pigment Palette may be eligible to claim up to $30 without proof of purchase — or $87 with proof. The Class is made up of consumers who purchased any color of Huda Beauty Neon Obsessions Pressed Pigment Palettes in the United States on or before Aug. 15, 2021. A class action lawsuit alleged the product was falsely advertised as eyeshadow, when the fine print on the packages warns consumers not to use the product around the eyes. The plaintiffs allegedly suffered injur...

Let’s cut right to the chase – the average cost of homeowners insurance nationwide is $1,249 per year (see table under “Your State of Residence” below). But that’s just the average – you may pay more or less. Insurance companies consider several factors when determining insurance premiums: where you live, the type of home and its value, the coverage options you choose, etc. It means that the average cost of homeowners insurance will be slightly different for every homeowner. In this guide, we’ll explain the various factors that will impact your cost of homeowners insurance. Table of Contents What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover? What Does Homeowners Insurance Not Cover Is Homeowners Insurance Required? Homeowners Insurance Policy Provisions Optional Homeowners Insurance Provisions How Homeowners Insurance Premiums are Determined Your State of Residence The Specific Location of the Home The Characteristics of the Property The Value of Your Home The Deductible The C...