Saving Money4 min read
The Best 2023 Money Goal Shows Up On A Statement
Bill Hardekopf · December 26, 2022
A vague 2023 money goal will be easy to forget by February, but a statement-based goal is harder to ignore.
Year archive
2022 Articles
Browse the 2022 BillSaver archive for inflation-era money articles on groceries, fuel, credit, insurance, travel, taxes, and monthly bills.
Banking4 min read
After The December Fed Hike, Cash Flow Becomes The 2023 Resolution
John Oldshue · December 19, 2022
A household can have good goals and still struggle if cash arrives after the biggest bills leave.
Credit Cards4 min read
New York Fed Debt Data Gives Holiday Balances A Short Payoff Window
Bill Hardekopf · December 12, 2022
Holiday balances heading into 2023 faced higher rates than many households were used to seeing.
Saving Money4 min read
Emergency Savings Reprice The Bills That Rose In 2022
John Oldshue · December 5, 2022
Emergency savings targets should move when rent, food, insurance, utilities, and transportation costs move.
Banking4 min read
One Calendar Keeps Tax Forms, Loan Updates And Renewals From Colliding
Bill Hardekopf · November 28, 2022
The paperwork heading into 2023 included tax forms, insurance renewals, student loan updates, card due dates, and subscription renewals.
Saving Money4 min read
New York Fed Debt Data Puts Rates, Prices And Restart Dates In The 2023 Budget
John Oldshue · November 21, 2022
The final week of 2022 is the time to build a 2023 budget around current prices, higher rates, and payments that may restart.
Credit Cards4 min read
Year-End Credit Reports Get A Fraud And Freeze Sweep
Bill Hardekopf · November 14, 2022
After a year of account alerts, data breaches, scams, and new credit applications, credit reports deserved a careful year-end look.
Insurance4 min read
Changed Driving Habits Put Auto Insurance Mileage Back In View
John Oldshue · November 7, 2022
Changed commuting patterns and higher car costs made auto insurance assumptions worth checking in 2022.
Mortgages4 min read
Rate Moves Make Old Refinance Savings Worth Capturing Again
Bill Hardekopf · October 31, 2022
Homeowners who refinanced before rates rose needed to make sure monthly savings were still being used on purpose.
Saving Money4 min read
Family Cash Gifts Work Better With A High-Price-Year Limit
John Oldshue · October 24, 2022
Families often help each other during expensive years, but 2022 made generosity harder to separate from household risk.
Personal Loans4 min read
Borrowers Still Put A 2023 Payment Line In The Budget
Bill Hardekopf · October 17, 2022
Federal student loan payments remained a planning issue at the end of 2022 even as timing kept shifting.
Saving Money4 min read
Subscriptions Added During Inflation Have To Earn Their Place
John Oldshue · October 10, 2022
Streaming, delivery, apps, memberships, and cloud storage can survive in the budget long after they stop being useful.
Insurance4 min read
After Ian, Insurance Deductibles Get A Cash Reality Check
Bill Hardekopf · October 3, 2022
The end of 2022 is a useful time to compare insurance deductibles with actual emergency cash.
Credit Cards4 min read
Holiday Travel Cards Work Only If The Trip Has A Payoff Date
John Oldshue · September 26, 2022
Holiday travel planning in 2022 mixed higher prices, points, fees, and uncertainty before many trips were booked.
Banking4 min read
Inflation Reduction Act Credits Put Energy Receipts In The Tax Folder
Bill Hardekopf · September 19, 2022
Year-end 2022 tax planning had a new wrinkle for households considering energy upgrades and tax credits.
Credit Cards4 min read
September Rate Pressure Makes A 2023 Payoff List Urgent
John Oldshue · September 12, 2022
After months of 2022 rate increases, a 2023 payoff list was already urgent for card balances, home equity lines, and variable loans.
Insurance4 min read
Open Enrollment Puts Deductible Cash Ahead Of Plan Loyalty
Bill Hardekopf · September 5, 2022
Open enrollment for 2023 benefits asked households to compare premiums with deductible exposure and medical uncertainty.
Saving Money4 min read
Food Prices Turn The Grocery List Into A Budget Tool
John Oldshue · August 29, 2022
A grocery list became more important in 2022 because ordinary food purchases could move the monthly budget more than expected.
Credit Cards4 min read
Buy Now, Pay Later Belongs On One Household Calendar
Bill Hardekopf · August 22, 2022
Buy now, pay later offers made holiday purchases feel smaller by splitting payments across weeks.
Saving Money4 min read
Early Holiday Shopping Works Only With A Stop Date
John Oldshue · August 15, 2022
Holiday shopping in 2022 began early because of prices, shipping concerns, and promotions that stretched the season.
Insurance4 min read
Before Medicare Open Enrollment, Run The Pharmacy And Drug Check
Bill Hardekopf · August 8, 2022
Before Medicare open enrollment, households could start comparing drug coverage, pharmacy networks, premiums, and deductibles.
Personal Loans4 min read
FAFSA Season Starts With A Borrowing Limit, Not A School Wish List
John Oldshue · August 1, 2022
The fall FAFSA cycle is useful, but it should not let college excitement outrun the borrowing limit.
Insurance4 min read
Midseason Storm Claims Run Better With Receipts And Separate Cash
Bill Hardekopf · July 25, 2022
Before storm claims begin, households can plan for repairs, deductibles, temporary lodging, and claim delays.
Credit Cards4 min read
Hot Inflation Data Pulls 2023 Debt Planning Into July
John Oldshue · July 18, 2022
By mid-2022, repeated rate pressure already made 2023 debt planning more urgent.
Insurance4 min read
NOAA Hurricane Outlook Keeps Cash And Insurance Photos In The Kit
Bill Hardekopf · July 11, 2022
Midseason storm preparation in 2022 made household financial readiness matter alongside water, fuel, and evacuation plans.
Personal Loans4 min read
July Auto Shoppers Check The Trade-In Payoff Before The Loan
John Oldshue · July 4, 2022
July auto shoppers still faced high vehicle costs and fast-moving loan math before the late-summer car ads arrived.
Credit Cards4 min read
June Fed Hike Makes July Card Balances Harder To Ignore
Bill Hardekopf · June 27, 2022
Ahead of the July 2022 Fed decision, borrowers already had enough rate pressure to stop carrying lazy balances.
Saving Money4 min read
Summer Energy Prices Make Home-Upgrade Payback Worth Reading
John Oldshue · June 20, 2022
Summer energy prices made home upgrades tempting in 2022, but households still had to compare usage, rates, contractor costs, and payback timing before buying.
Banking4 min read
College Move-In Banking Starts With Alerts, Apps And Transfer Rules
Bill Hardekopf · June 13, 2022
College move-in puts cards, payment apps, student accounts, and parent transfers into heavy use.
Saving Money4 min read
Early Back-To-School Shopping Meets A Higher-Price Summer
John Oldshue · June 6, 2022
Back-to-school shopping in 2022 asked families to manage higher prices on clothing, supplies, electronics, fuel, and food.
Personal Loans4 min read
Payment Pause Extension Keeps Student Loans In The Budget
Bill Hardekopf · May 30, 2022
Student loan policy debates in 2022 gave borrowers plenty to watch, but the household budget still needed a restart plan.
Credit Cards4 min read
Summer Deal Events Start With A Cart Limit Before The Countdown
John Oldshue · May 23, 2022
Online deal events can turn saved cards, one-click checkout, and countdown clocks into a fast spending problem.
Credit Cards4 min read
Summer Travel Math Starts With Rental Fees, Holds And Refund Rules
John Oldshue · May 16, 2022
Summer travel in 2022 brought cleaning fees, service fees, deposits, and cancellation terms into ordinary vacation math.
Saving Money4 min read
Energy Prices Put Summer Utility Bills Under Review
Bill Hardekopf · May 9, 2022
Hot weather and higher prices can make summer utility bills feel surprising even when household habits have not changed much.
Credit Cards4 min read
March Fed Hike Sends Variable Debt Into The May Budget
John Oldshue · May 2, 2022
Spring 2022 rate pressure was already increasing the stakes for households carrying variable-rate debt.
Insurance4 min read
Before Hurricane Season, Flood Coverage Goes On The Preseason List
Bill Hardekopf · April 25, 2022
With hurricane season approaching, homeowners had a reminder that homeowners insurance and flood insurance are not the same thing.
Credit Cards4 min read
Fuel Prices Put Summer Travel Cards Under A Payoff Test
John Oldshue · April 18, 2022
Summer travel planning in 2022 mixed higher fuel costs, airfare changes, hotel prices, card rewards, and cancellation worries that could all hit the same statement.
Personal Loans4 min read
College Decision Day Turns Higher Prices Into Four-Year Debt Math
Bill Hardekopf · April 11, 2022
Families comparing college offers in 2022 had to account for tuition, housing, food, travel, and borrowing costs under higher-price pressure.
Saving Money4 min read
Earth Day Home Upgrades Start With Usage, Rates And Payback Math
John Oldshue · April 4, 2022
Earth Day can push households toward efficient purchases before they have checked usage, rates, and payback timing.
Credit Cards4 min read
A Tax Extension Still Leaves The Payment Decision On The Calendar
John Oldshue · March 28, 2022
Taxpayers who requested more time to file in 2022 still had to think about payment costs, card fees, and interest.
Banking4 min read
Tax Day Is April 18. Compare IRS Payment Plans Before Charging The Bill
Bill Hardekopf · March 21, 2022
The 2022 federal tax deadline arrived on April 18 for most taxpayers.
Saving Money4 min read
Gasoline Price Jump Turns Transportation Into A Full-Budget Line
John Oldshue · March 14, 2022
Higher fuel prices in 2022 pushed commuting, school runs, errands, and travel back into the household budget conversation.
Mortgages4 min read
Spring Buyers Ask The Rate-Lock Question Before The Offer
Bill Hardekopf · March 7, 2022
Spring buyers entering the 2022 market faced rising mortgage-rate pressure and fast-moving affordability math.
Credit Cards4 min read
Ahead Of The March Fed Meeting, Card Balances Move Up The List
John Oldshue · February 28, 2022
With the March 2022 Fed meeting approaching, variable-rate debt was getting harder for households to ignore.
Saving Money4 min read
IRS Refund Season Gives Debt Payoff A Cash-Flow Test
Bill Hardekopf · February 21, 2022
Tax refund season can help, but one deposit should not be the only debt strategy for the year.
Personal Loans4 min read
Used-Car Sticker Shock Enters Presidents Day Math
John Oldshue · February 14, 2022
Auto shoppers in early 2022 faced high used-car prices, limited inventory, and pressure to stretch loan terms.
Credit Cards4 min read
Shared Bills Get A Valentine Week No-Surprises Rule
Bill Hardekopf · February 7, 2022
Shared rent, subscriptions, cards, and travel plans can create financial confusion faster than couples expect.
Personal Loans4 min read
Borrowers Keep The Student Loan Pause On The 2022 Bill Calendar
John Oldshue · January 31, 2022
Federal student loan restart dates remained a moving target in 2022, but borrowers still needed to keep the payment visible.
Cell Phones4 min read
Inflation Pressure Puts January Wireless Device Charges Under Review
Bill Hardekopf · January 24, 2022
New-year wireless bills can hide device installment plans, insurance, add-ons, and promotions that expired quietly.
Banking4 min read
Child Tax Credit Letters Turn Tax Filing Into A Records Check
John Oldshue · January 17, 2022
Families filing 2021 returns in 2022 needed advance Child Tax Credit records to avoid tax-season confusion.
Banking4 min read
IRS Opens 2022 Filing Season January 24. Records Matter More Than Speed
Bill Hardekopf · January 10, 2022
The IRS opened the 2022 filing season on January 24 with taxpayers still dealing with pandemic-era records and refund concerns.
Saving Money4 min read
Late-2021 Inflation Puts The 2022 Budget On Current Prices
John Oldshue · January 3, 2022
The first week of 2022 called for a budget that admitted groceries, fuel, rent, insurance, and utilities were not behaving like last year's numbers.