The Investor’s Blog

After mass layoffs and millions of resignations, workers across the nation are hunting for jobs, accepting new offers and adjusting to new roles. That adjustment period should include more than just getting to know your coworkers and getting used to your new responsibilities. A career shift often has an impact on your financial life, and…
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Is there anything more appealing than making a quick buck through a smart stock pick? If you’ve had several great trades you might be thinking about quitting your job to become an independent day trader — maybe even working part-time from home in shorts and T-shirt. Day trading is exciting, and the rewards can appear…
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To build credit, you have to get approved for credit. But often, you’ll get rejected if you don’t have a solid credit history — which is incredibly frustrating if you’ve never had credit or you’re recovering from past mistakes. If you’ve been denied for credit too many times to count, you’ve come to the right…
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Dear Penny, Not wanting to freeload, I suggested that my mom charge me rent. She seemed surprised, and said she’d get back to me on that.  Sometime later, she appeared in a rather formal outfit, and said she was now my landlady. She spelled out my rental rate and terms; it was higher than I…
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Meal delivery services, or meal kits, have been around for more than a decade but have grown in number in recent years. You’ve seen the commercials and likely received the direct mailers to your door. And if you live in an apartment building, you might have almost tripped over the 30-plus-pound boxes in the hallway…
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One of the best ways to stop breast cancer in its tracks is early detection (it works). Though every woman should do breast self-exams each month, women over 40 should also consider getting a mammogram — an X-ray that examines breast tissue — every one to two years. (Here are specific guidelines.) If you’re younger…
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Whether or not the start of fall brings cooler temps to your neck of the woods, the season is marked universally with the annual rollout of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte. It’s back now for the 18th consecutive year with the ever-so-popular mix of espresso, steamed milk, real pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. While “skipping the…
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How much do you spend each month on your electricity bill? Between blasting the AC during the summer and cranking the heat during the winter, you’re likely spending more than a thousand dollars each year just to keep your lights on. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could skip that bill — for the whole…
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Dear Penny, I have been in a lawsuit against my former boss, who owns the company I was employed at, for sexual harassment and wrongful termination for being fired for reporting it. There was no human resources department. A colleague finally saw a physical incident and provided me with an affidavit and disclosed what he…
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Student loans aren’t just a young person’s problem. At the end of 2020, borrowers age 50 or older held about 22% of the nation’s $1.6 trillion student debt burden, the AARP reports. Most of the debt held by 50-plus borrowers is the result of the borrower’s education. But many people have student loans because they…
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Smooth and less bitter than drip coffee and iced coffee, cold brew is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. Sales have more than tripled since 2015, with sales expected to reach almost $372 million this year, and almost a billion dollars in 2025. That’s a lot of $4 coffee, the going…
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If you are organized, personable and creative, becoming a virtual assistant could be a viable next step in your career. As a virtual assistant, you get to work from home, often set your own schedule, and focus on clients that pique your interest. Plus, Indeed.com lists the average virtual assistant yearly salary as about $40K,…
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