Mary Tomkins 
Growing a garden can be very rewarding, providing you with food, flowers, and a beautiful landscape all season long – but buying an instant garden at full retail can be very costly. Fortunately, it’s easy to cut your costs if you have patience and keep your eyes open for opportunities. Here are a few tips to get … Read more
The IRS estimates that approximately 10 million taxpayers wait until the last days before the deadline and millions more will request an extension. If you haven’t filed yet, you may be relieved to hear that this year tax returns are due on April 18th instead of the usual deadline of April 15th due to the … Read more
Cooler weather may be a welcome change from the summer’s heat, but it won’t be long before you’ll need to crank up your home’s heating system. Now is the time to get prepared and check that everything is working properly so you’ll be cozy at home when it turns cold outside. Maximize your heating system’s … Read more
As the holiday approaches, you may be thinking of how to spend your Labor Day weekend. Here are a few ideas on getting out on Labor Day without spending too much of the cash you’ve been laboring for. Have a potluck get-together. Good food and good people are a normal part of any holiday, but you … Read more
It’s important to have a plan for extra cash when you find a way to spend less or make more. No amount is too small to have a plan for – even an extra hundred dollars a month can make a big difference over the long run. With a good plan, you can be sure that extra … Read more
The federal government on Tuesday ordered Citibank and its subsidiaries to pay back consumers approximately $700 million harmed by the bank’s illegal practices conducted from 2003 through 2012. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) said that roughly 7 million of the bank’s customers were affected by Citibank and its vendor’s deceptive marketing, unfair billing practices, and … Read more
It’s not hard to find ways to save a few dollars here and there, and those few dollars can easily add up to $100 or more per month. Consider making changes to your routine to find the cash to put into your emergency fund, savings for a down payment on a home, your retirement account, a … Read more
Your credit card issuers gave you a Cardholder Agreement with their terms and conditions when you opened a new account, and it’s your responsibility as the card holder to abide by them, or be hit with fees and interest charges. But we’re all human and make the occasional mistake, or life happens beyond our control. While a … Read more
Your rights as taxpayer may not always be clear or easy to find answers to, but that should change with the newly released Taxpayer Bill of Rights that was announced on Tuesday by the IRS. Publication 1, “Your Rights as a Taxpayer” has been redesigned with the 10 rights and will be sent to millions … Read more
If you haven’t already done so, today’s the day to file your return and pay your 2013 taxes. If you need more time to complete your return, you can submit IRS Form 4868 to request a six-month extension. Taxpayers don’t need a special reason for an extension; they are granted to anyone who needs more … Read more
