On Sunday, I attended the Olympia Harbor Days celebration. After I enjoyed walking along the boardwalk and taking photos, I participated in another Labor Day typical activity – shopping. Although I didn’t find any bargains, it was fun to get out and walk along the waterfront, an area local activists... Read more →

Today, I hope you’re having a great celebration with your mom or are remembering her if she is no longer with us. My mom, Ruth L. Slingsby, photo at left, was a hard-working, supportive mom. I miss her every day. She passed away in 2005 at the age of 89. Here are some facts and figures for Mother’s Day 2024: Read more →

Millions of workers who are saving for retirement and rely on advice from professionals on how to invest their savings will be better protected under a new rule finalized Monday by the U.S. Department of Labor. The Retirement Security Rule, also called the Fiduciary Rule, updates the definition of an investment advice provider. Read more →

A friend on Facebook tricked me with with a tale of a move across the country, a new line of work, and a rural lifestyle. I thought, wow, that’s an interesting thing to do. Then, it dawned on me, April fools. I don’t know how I feel about being tricked on social media. I usually write about a few of my favorite April Fools’ Day jokes on April 1. Read more →

Winter is far from over with heavy rains causing extensive damage in California and Nevada this week. At least three people died from fallen tree incidents in northern California on Sunday and more than 200,000 households remained without power Monday night. Dealing with the aftermath of flooding, wind damage, or other storm destruction isn’t easy. Read more →

Giving Tuesday is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Founded in 2012, it’s a global generosity movement that inspires people to give back. Every morning I get out of bed and check the news for the latest on what will help people in their financial and consumer lives. Since 2008, I’ve written more than 9,000 blog articles and offer a weekly newsletter, too. Read more →

It’s heartbreaking. I’ve seen young people sign up for for-profit colleges and they use their laptops to complete the courses. They expect great things from the programs they choose. However, the results are usually poor, despite what the advertising says. Most colleges will give you a valuable education that can help you achieve your career goals. Read more →

Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – the three national credit reporting agencies – are permanently extending a program that lets you check your credit report at the agencies once a week for no cost. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com to request free copies of your credit reports, the Federal Trade Commission advises. Other sites may charge you or be fraudulent. Read more →

Students can get into trouble when entering into agreements with colleges to spread the cost of tuition into several, interest-free loan payments. Many plans have conflicting disclosures and confusing repayment terms, which put students at risk of missing payments, getting late fees, and piling up debt, a report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found. Read more →

Inflation in the United States reached a 40-year high last year, but it’s slowing down due to factors such as the Federal Reserve rate hikes. The yearly inflation rate was 3.7 percent in August 2023. This relatively high inflation is driven by a variety of factors, such as the war in Ukraine and labor shortages. The government may continue its interest rate hikes. Read more →