More, Personal Finance, Retirement

Will the Social Security 2023 COLA Increase Be an All-Time Record?

Retirees and disabled people could see a record jump in the Social Security 2023 COLA increase (cost of living adjustment). That’s great news, right? However, benefits aren’t keeping up with rampant inflation and that, my friend, is a big problem.

Couple with binoculars looking forward to represent the 2023 COLA increase

It’s like I’ll give you a $20 bill from here in my left hand and then, I’ll take it back from you with my right. Oh, and then by the way, I’ll also take another one from your wallet, your bank account, and perhaps even charge you for that privilege too while I do it!

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More, Personal Finance

How Does Ongoing Inflation Rank Among America’s Problems Right Now?

There are many burning questions on the minds of Americans these days. With all the gut punches that we’ve been taking in the past few years, bad news is the norm and good news…well, try to find some.

Money with arrow pointing down representing ongoing inflation

When it comes to our health, the way we socialize, the kids and schooling, politics, human rights, women’s rights, civil rights, war, and yes, I have to say it, the terror we face every week from gun violence, inflation may seem like an unimportant back burner issue. But it’s not. So how does ongoing inflation rank among America’s biggest problems? And what can we do to prepare for it?

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Budgeting

Now Is the Time to Look at Your 2022 Financial Scorecard and Adjust

As we begin the month of June, it’s a great time to check out your financial scorecard for the year…so far. That is if you can stand the pain of looking at it. With five months now in the books, June is the perfect time to evaluate and re-evaluate what has happened to you financially this year and then to adjust where necessary so you can make 2022 the best possible year it can be. It’s a subject we all need to be on top of, but many of us never look at the numbers until it’s way too late to do anything about them.

Dartboard with bullseye representing a financial scorecard

Our Financial Scorecard Is Like a Business P&L

If you work for a business, you probably know what a P&L is (profit and loss statement) and what it means to the company. In simple terms, it’s the scorecard of their financial numbers and how the company is performing against the plan.

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Cars, Frugality, Health, Travel

Good News Headlines to Save You Money and Raise Your Spirits

If you’re like me, you can get depressed when you watch the news on TV or listen to it on the radio. If you’re brave enough to read about it on the net or in a newspaper or magazine, it can be even worse seeing it in black and white.

Newspapers representing good news headlines

While we are all waiting for life to return to normal after the past couple of years, patience may be running thin for the majority of us. That’s why when any good news surfaces, it’s worth shouting it out loud and trying to enjoy it and what it will bring. So today, here are some soon to be good news headlines that will make you just a little happier and able to deal with all the bad news headlines that are around these days!

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Retirement, Saving & Investing

In This Turbulent Market, Is It Too Late to Start Investing Now?

After sitting on the sidelines for even just a little while—say the past few years because you were just starting out in life, the pandemic had you sitting at home worried, your income was down or non-existent, or you just were afraid of the stock market in general, whatever the reason—you missed the boat. That great “boom” investment market has left the shore and maybe it is going to be sailing away for quite a long time, who really knows. Many in the financial world think it may have left for a good long time and if it has, does that mean that it’s too late to start investing now?

Dollar bills and pocket watch representing whether it is too late to start investing now

Investing Is a “Loooooooong” Game

Unlike an actual game, investing has no real timeline whereas a game has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The only meaningful timeline investing can have is for someone who needs their money in their hand right now for some real purpose like an emergency that requires all cash on deck. Hopefully that will never happen to you, but sometimes it does. If you are in a situation like that, investing money isn’t available to you right now.

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More

Celebrating Super Saving Tips’ Blogiversary #8 – Can You Believe It?

I know I don’t look it, but I’m now eight years old! That’s not really true, is it? My decorations here at Super Saving Tips don’t fit right in with hippest of the hip blogs and I don’t have a “craft beer” podcast or a YouTube channel interviewing celebrities, but I’m pretty proud to be hobbling along writing every week for you and for me, too. I really do love it and I’m happy to be celebrating another blogiversary!

Cupcakes with candles representing Super Saving Tips’ blogiversary

While I can say that I have a pretty loyal fan base and am so grateful to all of you for that, this year had a few surprise happenings. TV became a thing for Super Saving Tips and it wasn’t an idea that I ever really had thought about. Here’s what happened.

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Home

Ways to Save Money on Your Summer Energy Costs

It’s not quite summer yet, but that gives you the great opportunity to get ready and make sure that summer energy costs don’t bust your wallet. With oil and gas zooming to record cost levels, you can bet the home use of electricity and energy will be more expensive this summer than ever before. It’s time to get back to basics here at Super Saving Tips and talk about how you can save your money on your summer energy usage!

Electric fan blowing air representing saving on summer energy costs

Where Do You Begin? Fans?

Summer means warmer temperatures and although it’s welcomed, it also means that you’ll be turning on fans and air conditioners to try to keep cool. That should prompt you to take a good look at those items and make sure they are all working properly and performing at their max. In the case of fans, are they sized right for the rooms they are in?

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Personal Finance, Shopping

Why We Overspend and How to Stop Spending So Much

We see a slew of advertisements and sales all the time—on TV, in magazines, on radio and online, just to name a few. Stores use their best tricks to attract you, the shopper, and to persuade you to spend more freely with surprise sales, “rush” or “limited time” deals, and other enticing offers. They’re really good at what they do and I know because I was one of those guys doing it for decades when I worked for some giant retailers and helped accomplish those goals!

Woman on bench with shopping bags representing overspending and how to stop spending

So how is the average shopper ever supposed to push back and save their budget during all of the bargains they push at you?

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