6 Ways to Avoid Debit Card Fraud

You’ve heard of debit card fraud, but are you familiar with how it works and how to protect yourself from experiencing this financial headache? Debit card fraud represents a huge challenge to consumers because it means your money literally goes missing from your bank account. 

While banks do work to protect their customers when it comes to this kind of theft, protecting your own account is of the utmost importance. 

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The Financial Gym Team
How to Choose an Investment for Your Goals

At The Financial Gym, we believe money is a tool. It’s a tool to help live the life you want. When you have various goals, you want to put money aside to reach them. But your savings accounts, even a high-yield savings account, may not get you the returns you need. That’s where investing can help turbocharge your money and prepare for your financial goals. But knowing how to start investing is hard. You may wonder what is a bond or how to invest in stocks the right way. Read on to learn more about how to start investing in your goals. 

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7 Expert Tips to Book Cheap Holiday Flights

Peak travel season is just around the corner which means may be among the millions of Americans planning domestic flights for the holidays. With the high demand for plane seats this time of year, you’ll need to be extra vigilant about keeping airfare expenses within budget.

Top travel experts have a few secrets up their sleeves that help keep holiday fight costs down. Here are six ways to secure cheap flight tickets starting next week.

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Jennifer Calonia
9 Easy Ways to Make Money Fast This Labor Day

Every year on the first Monday of September, the United States Department of Labor celebrates the American worker by giving them the day off. Often celebrated with barbecues and weekend trips, Labor Day is a national holiday designed to give the public a chance to breathe and enjoy the fleeting days of summer.

That being said, when businesses close their doors on Labor Day, their workers can be left in need of some extra cash. If you’re looking for easy ways to make money this Labor Day, we’ve got you covered. Check out the ideas below to catch up on your finances while observing the national holiday. 

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The Financial Gym Team
How to Find the Best Car Loan This Labor Day

Labor Day is right around the corner and if you’re like most people, you might be looking for holiday sales. If you need a new set of wheels, this is a popular time to find Labor Day car sales. We’ve compiled tips on how to find the best car loans and lowest auto loan rates this long weekend. 

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The Financial Gym Team
4 Side Hustles You Can Do From Your Phone

Nowadays, starting a side hustle is easier than most people expect. You don’t even have to babysit the neighbor's kid, or create an Upwork account in the hopes that out of the thousands of freelancers on the platform, an employer will notice you.

Here are some of the best side hustle ideas you can do straight through your phone while you’re out and about.

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Olga Lurye, FinGym Intern
Women's Equality Day: How to Negotiate for the Pay You Deserve

A century ago, women still didn’t have the right to vote. But 99 years ago that all changed with the 19th amendment. The 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote was signed into law on August 26, 1920, allowing women to use their voice and vote. As of 1973, in honor of this, Congress marked August 26th as Women’s Equality Day. 

Though on this day, women achieved equality through having the right to vote, we know that there is still inequality that women face, especially when it comes to earning. 

According to Payscale’s report, The State of the Gender Pay Gap 2019, women make 79 cents to every dollar a man makes. That number is worse for women of color. Systemic changes need to happen to achieve equality but what can you do now to move the needle forward? 

Charge what you’re worth and ask for more. Read on to learn how to negotiate a salary and get salary negotiation tips. 

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The Financial Gym Team
How to Calculate Your Business' Quarterly Taxes

If you’re self-employed, there’s one major issue that can be a pain: taxes. You get to pay taxes not just once each year, but quarterly! This can be stressful whether you’re just starting out or just trying to stay on top of your taxes. 

How do you know how much to pay? How do you ensure you aren’t overpaying or underpaying? It can be a confusing process, to say the least. But we’ve compiled a quick guide on how to calculate business taxes and how to get started with filing business taxes. 

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The Financial Gym Team
9 Insider Secrets to Book an Affordable Hotel Stay

You might be wrapping up your summer travel, but before you know it you’ll be knee-deep in holiday travel planning. A 2018 Holiday Travel Report by Nerdwallet found that nearly half of Americans expected to put an average $1,456 on a credit card to cover holiday season travel.


This year, save money on travel expenses by cutting costs on your hotel stay. Here are a few tips to help you find cheap hotel rooms and have an affordable stay. 


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How to Use the Apple Stock App on Your iPhone

Apple’s iPhone stock app is an essential tool for iPhone and iPad users, especially those who have investments in the stock market that they want to keep tabs on. Like a lot of Apple products, the stock app has a lot of functionality brewing under the surface that you might not be aware of unless you dig a little deeper into what it can actually do.

Here’s what you should know about the iPhone stock app, including basics like how to change your dashboard, and deeper tips and tricks that can help you use it more effectively.


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The Financial Gym Team
5 Creative Savings Tips When Attending a Fall Wedding

Does it feel like your calendar in the next few months is inundated with wedding festivities? Don’t worry — you’re not alone. The 2019 Newlywed Report released by WeddingWire found that the fall season is the most popular time of year for couples to tie the knot.

Although the happy couple is paying a pretty penny to host their celebration, wedding guests also foot a hefty bill. How much does it cost to attend a wedding? According to a new report by Bankrate, wedding guests spend an average of $372 to $728 depending on how close you are to the couple.

If you have a handful of weddings to attend this fall, you might feel the financial pressure on your budget. Fortunately, there’s a way to celebrate these blissful unions without sacrificing your rent payment or savings. Here’s how to save money as a wedding guest this fall.

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Jennifer Calonia
5 Tips to Save Money in College

Every year in the United States, about 2.2 million people go to college. College for many people signifies the beginning of a journey of firsts: the first time living away from home and all the responsibilities that come with that, going on college spring break, joining Greek life, etc. 

For many people, all these experiences are what make up their college careers, however, all of these things come with a big price tag. Here are five tips to help you make the most of your college years without going broke.

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10 Items That Are Worth Buying in Bulk

Saving money at the store isn’t just restricted to holiday sales and the clearance bin. Shopping the aisles of bulk warehouse stores, like Sam’s Club, can save you a good amount of cash, too. When it comes to getting the best value, not everything in bulk is created equal. To avoid overspending on your next shopping trip, it’s important to know which bulk wholesale items are worth their volume and cost.


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Jennifer Calonia
5 Travel Hacks to Save Money on Your Next Trip

Although summer is coming to a close, the next big travel season is kicking back up again thanks to the holidays. It might feel too early to think about holiday travel, but let’s be honest, those Halloween decorations are already creeping onto store shelves.

According to Skyscanner, August is the best month to book flights domestically while September is ideal when booking international travel. If you’re looking for ways to save money on your next vacation, there are other travel hacks to keep in mind aside from good timing.

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Where to Find the Best Back-to-School Deals

Just like that, summer is coming to an end and it’s that time again — back to school. That means it’s time to prepare and buy clothes, school supplies, electronics and more. All of that can bust your budget quickly, but we’ve compiled a list of where to find the best back-to-school deals. 

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The Financial Gym Team
How to Practice Good Tipping Etiquette While on Vacation

Whether you’re en route on a two-week vacation or creating a budget for your next big trip, there’s one cost that’s commonly forgotten in the process: gratuity. Although you might’ve just spent hundreds or thousands of dollars booking your flight and accommodations, you’ll likely encounter staff throughout your vacation who merit a tip.

As you’re enjoying your relaxing getaway, consider expressing thanks to the people who’ve made your vacation an experience to remember. Here’s how to practice good tipping etiquette on your next trip.

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9 Ways to Maximize Your Savings at Target

Nothing feels better than a productive Target run. The red and white bullseye predated online shopping as the place to go for good products at reasonable prices. Even now, in the age of Amazon Prime, it’s not uncommon to walk out of Target spending way more than you planned on items you didn’t know you needed. 

If you’re wondering how to save money at Target, finding the right Target discount or Target coupon can help maximize your savings. This is especially important when spending more is inevitable, such as during back-to-school season. 

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3 Cards We Love for Travel Hacking

Traveling is a rewarding experience that refreshes your day-to-day routine. The cost of traveling, however, can put a strain on your budget. Whether your wanderlust is calling for a week-long vacation or you’re traveling for business, you’ll want to make sure you’re saving money as much as possible on travel purchases.

Fortunately, there are several popular travel rewards credit cards on the market that can help curb travel expenses along the way. Here are three cards that we recommend, if you’re looking to get more value when planning your travel.

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How Do Deactivated Checking Accounts and Debit Cards Affect Your Credit Score?

If you want to stay on top of your credit, it’s important to know how your actions affect your credit score. You might be thinking about ditching your current checking account or debit card for something better, and wonder how it affects your credit. Perhaps you’ve already closed your checking account and want to know if it’s had an impact at all on your credit score. 

Read on to learn what affects your credit score and how deactivated checking accounts factor into it. 

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The Financial Gym Team