Saving Money4 min read
Build The 2016 Budget From The Bills That Changed
John Oldshue · December 28, 2015
The last week of 2015 is a better budgeting window than the crowded first week of January.
Year archive
2015 Articles
Browse the 2015 BillSaver archive for practical credit, insurance, tax, banking, travel, and household-bill articles organized by date.
Saving Money4 min read
Year-End Money Checklist Gets Short Enough To Finish
John Oldshue · December 21, 2015
The week before Christmas is not the time for a heroic financial overhaul, but it is enough time for a short checklist.
Banking4 min read
December Fed Hike Puts Variable Debt Back In Focus
Bill Hardekopf · December 14, 2015
The December 2015 Fed meeting had households watching for the first rate hike in years, which made variable-rate debt worth reviewing before the decision.
Credit Cards4 min read
Holiday Balance Transfers Get A Payoff Date Before Relief
Bill Hardekopf · December 7, 2015
December balance transfer offers can look like relief, especially after a costly shopping weekend.
Saving Money4 min read
Giving Tuesday Donations Start With A Charity Check
John Oldshue · November 30, 2015
Giving Tuesday brings legitimate generosity and opportunistic fundraising into the same inbox.
Credit Cards4 min read
Black Friday Cards Protect Purchases, Not Overspending
Bill Hardekopf · November 23, 2015
Black Friday shoppers often use credit cards for fraud protection and rewards, but those benefits do not erase interest charges.
Saving Money4 min read
Lower Gas Prices Give Thanksgiving Travel A Savings Choice
John Oldshue · November 16, 2015
Lower fuel prices can make Thanksgiving travel feel cheaper than prior years.
Credit Cards4 min read
Veterans Day Brings Military Credit Protections Into View
John Oldshue · November 9, 2015
Veterans Day is a good moment for military households to review credit protections, deployment rules, and interest-rate rights.
Insurance4 min read
Open Enrollment Turns Benefits Forms Into Paycheck Math
Bill Hardekopf · November 2, 2015
Employer open enrollment can change take-home pay, medical risk, and tax savings for the next year.
Saving Money4 min read
Halloween Opens The Holiday Budget Creep
John Oldshue · October 26, 2015
By late October, costumes, candy, parties, travel plans, and gift lists are already competing for the same holiday budget.
Insurance4 min read
Medicare Open Enrollment Starts With A Prescription Check
Bill Hardekopf · October 19, 2015
Medicare open enrollment is a reminder that health coverage can change even when the household's needs do not.
Saving Money4 min read
Holiday Layaway Returns With Fees To Compare
John Oldshue · October 12, 2015
Layaway promotions are appearing before the holiday season is fully underway.
Mortgages4 min read
TRID Mortgage Disclosures Arrive For Fall Homebuyers
Bill Hardekopf · October 5, 2015
The new mortgage disclosure process is now in effect, giving buyers a clearer view of closing costs if they read the forms.
Credit Cards4 min read
EMV Liability Shift Arrives, But Online Fraud Still Matters
Bill Hardekopf · September 28, 2015
The October EMV liability shift is a major payment-security milestone, but fraud does not disappear when checkout terminals change.
Credit Cards4 min read
EMV Checkout Deadline Brings A Messy Transition Week
John Oldshue · September 21, 2015
With the EMV liability shift days away, shoppers should expect mixed instructions at the register.
Banking4 min read
September Fed Meeting Puts Savings And Debt Reviews On The Calendar
Bill Hardekopf · September 14, 2015
The September 2015 Fed meeting kept borrowers and savers focused on the first rate increase in years.
Insurance4 min read
Preparedness Month Starts With Cash, Insurance And Copies
John Oldshue · September 7, 2015
Preparedness Month is not only about flashlights and water; it is also about being able to function financially after a disruption.
Personal Loans4 min read
Labor Day Auto Discounts Still Run Through Loan Math
Bill Hardekopf · August 31, 2015
Labor Day auto ads can make the deal look urgent, but the financing terms determine whether the savings are real.
Banking4 min read
August Market Volatility Tests Emergency Cash, Not Nerve
John Oldshue · August 24, 2015
Late August market volatility reminded households that money needed soon should not be riding the stock market.
Credit Cards4 min read
Strong Dollar Travel Deals Still Get A Fee Check
Bill Hardekopf · August 17, 2015
The strong U.S. dollar in 2015 made some international travel feel cheaper, especially for families watching exchange rates.
Cell Phones4 min read
Back-To-School Phone Upgrades Carry A Two-Year Bill
John Oldshue · August 10, 2015
Student phone upgrades are easy to justify in August, but the device deal can reshape the family's monthly bill for years.
Mortgages4 min read
TRID Delay Gives Mortgage Buyers More Time To Read Costs
Bill Hardekopf · August 3, 2015
As mortgage paperwork rules move toward implementation, buyers should expect lenders to be more careful with timing and documents.
Personal Loans4 min read
Student Loan Grace Periods Turn Summer Into Repayment Practice
John Oldshue · July 27, 2015
For many 2015 graduates, the loan grace period has begun, but that does not mean repayment planning should wait until fall.
Credit Cards4 min read
Summer Travel Fraud Alerts Get Set Before The Trip
Bill Hardekopf · July 20, 2015
Summer travel puts cards in hotels, gas stations, restaurants, airport kiosks, and unfamiliar terminals.
Saving Money4 min read
Back-To-School Sales Start With A List, Not A Card
John Oldshue · July 13, 2015
Back-to-school promotions are starting earlier, and families can spend a lot before the school supply list is even final.
Credit Cards4 min read
Summer Rate Talk Moves Card Balances Up The Payoff List
Bill Hardekopf · July 6, 2015
Rate-hike talk in summer 2015 is a warning that variable credit card balances may not stay at today's cost forever.
Saving Money4 min read
Midyear Budget Check Rescues One 2015 Money Goal
John Oldshue · June 29, 2015
The halfway point of the year is when financial resolutions are either becoming habits or quietly disappearing.
Saving Money4 min read
King v. Burwell Shows Why Medical Cash Cushions Matter
Bill Hardekopf · June 22, 2015
The 2015 Supreme Court attention on health insurance subsidies showed how policy uncertainty can reach household budgets quickly.
Insurance4 min read
Father's Day Puts Term Life Coverage In Plain Numbers
John Oldshue · June 15, 2015
Father's Day is sentimental, but it is also a useful reminder that income protection is part of caring for a household.
Credit Cards4 min read
June Fed Watch Puts Variable-Rate Debt On The List
Bill Hardekopf · June 8, 2015
As markets watch the Federal Reserve in June 2015, consumers with variable-rate debt should know which balances could become more expensive.
Insurance4 min read
NOAA Hurricane Outlook Turns Deductibles Into A June Chore
Bill Hardekopf · June 1, 2015
The start of hurricane season is a poor time to discover that the deductible on a home policy is much larger than expected.
Personal Loans4 min read
Memorial Day Car Deals Can Hide A Longer Auto Loan
John Oldshue · May 25, 2015
Memorial Day sales put monthly payments in large type and loan terms in smaller type.
Credit Cards4 min read
Summer Travel Rewards Work Only With A Paid-Off Card
Bill Hardekopf · May 18, 2015
Travel cards look appealing as summer plans take shape, but the value disappears quickly when airfare or hotel spending becomes revolving debt.
Credit Cards4 min read
Graduation Season Puts First Credit Habits Ahead Of Rewards
John Oldshue · May 11, 2015
Graduation season brings new jobs, apartment applications, student loan grace periods, and the first real pressure to build credit carefully.
Mortgages4 min read
CFPB Mortgage Disclosure Changes Put Closing Costs In View
Bill Hardekopf · May 4, 2015
Mortgage disclosure changes scheduled for 2015 are a reminder that closing costs deserve as much attention as the advertised rate.
Personal Loans4 min read
College Decision Week Turns Award Letters Into Loan Offers
Bill Hardekopf · April 27, 2015
Late April is decision time for many college families, and award letters can make very different schools look confusingly similar.
Saving Money4 min read
Earth Day Savings Starts With The Utility Bill Already Arriving
John Oldshue · April 20, 2015
Earth Day can turn into a shopping holiday if families buy efficient gadgets before checking the waste already inside the monthly utility bill.
Personal Loans4 min read
Tax Deadline Pressure Starts With Filing, Then A Payment Plan
John Oldshue · April 13, 2015
The tax deadline creates panic for people who can file a return but cannot pay the full amount owed.
Saving Money4 min read
April Filing Season Turns Withholding Into A Paycheck Checkup
Bill Hardekopf · April 6, 2015
Early April is when many filers see whether last year's paycheck math worked or simply created a large delayed refund.
Banking4 min read
IRS Direct Deposit Push Makes Refund Fees Worth Checking
John Oldshue · March 30, 2015
Refund season is moving money into millions of households, and the way that refund arrives can affect how much of it is still available a month later.
Credit Cards4 min read
Anthem Breach Puts Credit Monitoring On The Household Checklist
Bill Hardekopf · March 23, 2015
The large health-insurer breach reported in early 2015 made identity theft feel less theoretical for families that had never lost a wallet or credit card.
Mortgages4 min read
Spring Buyers Check Credit Before Mortgage Shopping
John Oldshue · March 16, 2015
Spring homebuying season is beginning, and buyers who wait until the loan application to check credit can lose time, leverage, and sometimes the house they wanted.
Banking4 min read
March Fed Meeting Puts Savers And Card Borrowers On Alert
Bill Hardekopf · March 9, 2015
As markets watch the Federal Reserve in 2015, consumers should understand how higher short-term rates could affect savings, credit cards, mortgages, and loans.
Saving Money4 min read
Tax Refund Season Starts With A Debt And Savings List
John Oldshue · March 2, 2015
A tax refund can disappear quickly unless it is assigned to debt, savings, repairs, and goals before it reaches the checking account.
Personal Loans4 min read
Student Loan Refinancing Carries A Federal-Protection Tradeoff
Bill Hardekopf · February 23, 2015
New refinancing options are drawing attention from student loan borrowers in 2015, but a lower rate can come with lost federal loan benefits.
Cell Phones4 min read
Wireless Bill Competition Turns February Into A Plan Audit
John Oldshue · February 16, 2015
Wireless plans keep changing, and early 2015 is a good time to compare actual data usage with the plan sitting on your bill.
Credit Cards4 min read
Balance Transfer Offers Get A Fee And Payoff Test
Bill Hardekopf · February 9, 2015
A 0% balance transfer can help with credit card debt, but borrowers need to calculate the fee, payoff window, and post-promo APR before moving balances.
Saving Money4 min read
Cheap Gas Creates A February Savings Test
John Oldshue · February 2, 2015
Gas prices gave many households a break in early 2015, but the savings only matter if drivers capture them before they vanish into everyday spending.
Credit Cards4 min read
2015 EMV Deadline Puts Chip Cards In The Checkout Conversation
Bill Hardekopf · January 26, 2015
The October 2015 EMV liability shift is months away, but consumers should understand now what chip cards can and cannot do.
Credit Cards4 min read
IRS Opens 2015 Filing Season With Identity Theft In View
John Oldshue · January 19, 2015
As 2015 tax filing begins, refund fraud and identity theft should be treated as household finance issues, not just paperwork problems.
Mortgages4 min read
Early-2015 Mortgage Rates Reopen The Refinance Math
Bill Hardekopf · January 12, 2015
With mortgage rates still low in early 2015, homeowners who skipped refinancing in prior years have a fresh reason to run the numbers instead of relying on old assumptions.
Saving Money4 min read
EIA Gas Price Drop Turns January Bill Audits Into Real Savings
John Oldshue · January 5, 2015
The first week of 2015 is a useful moment to review monthly bills, because lower fuel costs and modest wage gains can disappear quickly if recurring charges keep climbing.