TessMore Finance Blog

It’s always the season to clean out closets, basements and attics and cash in on some of that stuff that doesn’t “spark joy” as organizing guru Marie Kondo would say. Believe it or not, your grandmother’s World War II antique china collections with the floral patterns may well spark joy for someone else even if you can’t get your kids to take it. Or it could mean money in your pocket — there are antique dishes worth something. Depending on the pattern, condition and current supply and demand, you can make a few hundred dollars when you sell Nana’s china plates collection. But, unless you have some of the more rare patterns that can fetch $1,000 a plate, don’t expect to get rich. What was sentimentally valuable china to your family may not be worth thousands of dollars. “The question I hear most often when I give somebody a quote for what we’ll pay is ‘is that for all of it?’ ” said Larry Weitkemper, one of the owners of China Finders in St. Petersburg, Florida. “The demand is less. ...

Marcus by Goldman Sachs is an online savings account offered by Goldman Sachs Bank USA. You're probably familiar with the Goldman Sachs, the investment bank, and Goldman Sachs Bank USA is their more “typical” banking services. They are FDIC insured ( FDIC #33124 ) like every other bank listed on this blog. From time to time, they offer bonuses and for a limited time, they have one available. The last time they had a bonus offer, it was also around this time of year, with these similar terms, and they only offered it once. So if you're interested, jump on it because it probably won't be back for the rest of the year (unless they change their minds on how they're going to run it). Marcus by Goldman Sachs – $100 Offer Marcus will give both new and existing customers a $100 bonus for depositing $10,000 or more into a new or existing Online Savings Account. You just need to enroll in the offer and then, within 10 days, make the deposit. Then maintain that $10,000 am...

The blistering 2022 real estate market has extended to apartment shopping and how to rent an apartment has now become a test of research and will. Oh, and also your credit score and employment history. Renting an apartment with all of the comforts and amenities you want, at a price you can afford, has become challenging, especially in the nation’s most popular urban areas. Yes, the usual markets of New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles remain pricey but joining the high rent district for a dream apartment are the Tampa Bay area and Jacksonville in Florida, plus Charlotte and Raleigh in North Carolina and San Antonio, Texas. House prices are soaring there along with the cost of a month’s rent. People — and Renters — Are on the Move More than a decade removed from the Great Recession, and two years into an historic life-altering pandemic, people are relocating at an astounding rate. Some are downsizing, some are moving out. Some are relocating for a particular job, and oth...

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’re selling a house, you’re probably pumped about how much money you could be making when the deal closes. But before you go all Scrooge McDuck and start diving into a pile of money, remember the costs that come with selling a home — like commission fees. And they can be significant. In Florida, for example, closing costs can be around 7% of the total selling price. That’s about 1% for taxes, fees, etc. that are mandatory, plus a whopping 6% in agent commissions (3% for each agent). Let’s say you sell your house for $600,000. The commission fees alone will be $36,000 (split between the listing agent and the buyer’s agent). That’s a huge chunk of equity you’re giving up. Real estate is way more efficient than it used to be, but brokerages haven’t passed their savings on to consumers. Until recently, ...

Today, I want to share a small victory. Like all humans, I have flaws. One of mine is that I hate confrontation. It's a family thing. I'm not sure why, but none of us like conflict. Sure, this trait has some upsides. My brothers and I don't get into a lot of arguments and fights with our family and friends. And when we do have conflict, we do our best to resolve things quickly. But this conflict avoidance has some enormous downsides. When trying to make peace, for instance, we're likely to give far too much in an effort to reach compromise quickly. Plus, we don't like to negotiate. Negotiation is, inherently, conflict. No thanks! In my life, this is especially problematic in circumstances where I need to stand up for myself. Let me give you an example. Recently, the roof of our home developed a small leak . After making an initial assessment, I decided it was too much for me to handle one my own. I called a local roofing contractor. “We can be out tomorrow,” sa...

We’re always looking for ways to save money, and one surefire way to do that is to buy products that last. You can also buy products from companies that will repair or replace them if they break. You may spend a bit more up front, but quality items — and ones with awesome lifetime warranties — can end up saving you money in the long run. From backpacks to knives, here’s a list of 18 brands that offer lifetime warranties with no strings attached — plus 32 that cover manufacturer’s defects forever. 18 Companies With Lifetime Warranties Yes, even for normal wear and tear. 1. Cutco Knife-maker Cutco was founded in Olean, New York, in 1949. It offers a “ forever guarantee ” that extends to knives given as gifts or hand-me-downs. “We want every Cutco owner to be satisfied forever, and when the product is passed along, we will continue to back that pledge,” says the company’s website.  “If at any time you are not satisfied with the performance of your product, we will correct the...

Did you know that you can send someone a text message via email? Yep – it’s a great way to reach someone if you don’t have your phone as long as you know their number! You probably get unlimited text messages so this tip won’t save you a lot of (or any) money, but it could save you time. There are a lot of cases where a business, or some other entity, is willing to notify you by email but not necessarily by text message. In those cases, you may want to get a text message instead. Now you can, just figure out your carrier’s email address configuration to route to text messages and you’re golden! Table of Contents Where to Send Your Text Messages by Email What is emailSMS? Difference Between SMS and MMS? Where to Send Your Text Messages by Email To send a text message by email, you just need to email the carrier’s SMS or MMS email address and email your message there. The format is the same for all of the carriers – [their phone number]@[domain] – the domain is the part tha...

Blackout Bingo is a popular mobile game that pays money and prizes . This app offers free and paid bingo games. You can play in single games and participate in tournaments with single or multiple cards. If you can quickly daub bingo cards with fast-paced rounds, this can be a fun way to pass your free time and potentially win some money. This Blackout Bingo review can help you decide if this game is a legit way to earn extra income. Table of Contents What is Blackout Bingo? Who Can Play? Blackout Bingo Fees What Are the Rules for Blackout Bingo? How Do You Win Money on Blackout Bingo? Cash Prizes Merchandise Best Blackout Bingo Features Boosts Free Practice Tournaments 24/7 Games Leagues Loyalty Tiers No In-Game Ads Is Blackout Bingo Easy to Play? Who is Blackout Bingo For? Blackout Bingo Pros and Cons Positives Cons Blackout Bingo FAQs Blackout Bingo Review: Final Thoughts What is Blackout Bingo? Blackout Bingo is a casino game app from Big Ru...