The website, covidtests.gov, where Americans can order four free covid-19 tests is up and running Tuesday, one day early. To help ensure people have tests on hand if a need arises, the Biden administration is purchasing one billion at-home, rapid covid-19 tests. Read more →

Martin Luther King Jr. was such a transformational leader. Over the years, I’ve written more than a dozen articles for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. They included his most famous quotes, how a day to celebrate King was finally approved, and how it’s a day of service, not a day off. Read more →

Thirty percent of Americans overspent during the holidays, and it’s likely that many of them will be paying for the 2021 holiday season well into 2022, according to a survey by WalletHub, a personal finance website. However, 41 million Americans say the 2021 holiday season was worth going into debt for. Read more →

Consumers are continuing to face tremendous challenges in this, the second year of the coronavirus pandemic. I could probably write an article on 10 ways the pandemic affected people financially. I just hope it will end soon instead of continuing to drag on and on. Read more →

For me, my holiday celebration ended early. My daughters came for a Christmas celebration in early December, Lisa from Madrid and Mona from Sacramento. We had such a great time; a fabulous Christmas dinner Dec. 4 and opening presents Dec. 5. Read more →

Banks continue to rely heavily on overdraft revenue, which reached an estimated $15.47 billion in 2019, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Three banks – JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America – brought in 44 percent of the total in 2019 by banks with assets over $1 billion. Read more →

What are your plans for Labor Day this year? Americans are more confident about celebrating Labor Day in 2021, with 48 percent more people planning to travel and 24 percent more planning to go shopping, according to a survey conducted for WalletHub, a personal finance website. Read more →

As covid-19 restrictions were lifted and the economy continued to reopen over the past three months, most Americans say they’ve been impacted in the marketplace, according to survey for Consumer Reports, a consumer testing and advocacy organization. Read more →

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday on promoting competition in the American economy. It launches a government effort to combat growing market power in the U.S. economy by seeking to ensure that markets are competitive. Read more →

Credit card debt will likely increase by about $60 billion during 2021, even after a $56.5 billion first-quarter reduction in 2021. People trying to get rid of credit card debt should consider spending and repayment. A budget that cuts out luxuries and maximizes monthly debt payments will help. Read more →