@thepennyhoarder

Mark your calendars! This Wednesday through Friday, Dear Penny (aka Senior Editor Robin Hartill, CFP®) will be LIVE in the online Penny Hoarder community answering your personal finance questions — especially those about all things credit. She’s teaming up with the folks at Credit Sesame to help you reboot and rebuild your credit, and you won’t want to miss out. The Q&A will start on Oct. 14, but you can head to the link in our bio to join the community today and start getting your questions ready!

Undead debts bringing you down? 🧟 [Tips on how to slay the horror that is zombie debt at the link in our bio!] Unfortunately, zombie debt is nowhere near as cute as those little zombie trick-or-treaters that will soon be roaming the neighborhoods. Instead, zombie debt is debt that gets “resurrected,” so to speak — and comes back to haunt you in a big way. See, a zombie debt happens when the clock is restarted on an old debt — usually one that’s so old you can’t technically be sued to pay it because it’s beyond the statute of limitations (anywhere from three to 10 years, depending on the state). But some sneaky debt collectors will buy up those old debts and then try to trick or convince you to make a payment on them, because they know if they can get you to do that, the clock restarts — which allows them to start hounding you again. So if scavenger debt collectors are terrorizing you, check out the link in our bio for our three-step approach to burying your zombie debt for good!

It’s fall, y’all! While that sentiment means more to those who live in places where the leaves change and the temps drop at night (unlike here in Florida, where The Penny Hoarder HQ is located!), we ALL stand to benefit from shopping for in-season produce. We know we don’t have to tell you twice that fresh produce can be pricy. But the smartest way to get more bang for your grocery buck? By shopping for the fruits and veggies that are at their peak as the weather starts to turn. Of course, there are some “staple” fruits and veggies that are pretty much always in season that can almost always be found for cheap. But if you’d rather not subsist on bananas and celery alone, you’re going to want to shop the in-season produce to get the best prices. As we head into the chillier months, you’ll score the best prices on fall favorites like pumpkins and sweet potatoes — but also on more surprising picks, like pineapples, spinach and bell peppers. Head to the link in our bio to see the full run-down on which produce is in season at what time of year — and then save this post to refer back to during your next grocery run!

Along with just about every other fun thing that’s gone out the window for your kids this year… field trips are the latest fatality. Or at least *in person* field trips are. But you can still take your kids on virtual adventures — and enjoy sites well beyond that crumbling statue of your town’s founder (which is great and all, but…). With class outings on hold for the foreseeable future, lots of museums, aquariums and zoos across the country (and around the world!) have turned on their virtual cams so you can safely visit from your sofa. So whether you want to learn about elephants in South Africa, admire art in Amsterdam or even take a trip to the moon, here’s a list of virtual field trips you and your kids can check out without ever having to leave home. Head to the link in our bio for more info on how to take advantage of these cool virtual field trips — and then tag your fellow parents in the comments so they can get in on this, too!

One more way for you to stay connected: Head to the link in our bio to sign up for SMS alerts! You’ll get our latest and greatest tips, info and news (and a whole lot more!) delivered right to your phone — before we share it everywhere else. That means you’ll be the first to hear about things like open work-from-home jobs, plus, you’ll stay up-to-date with the latest on all things personal finance. You’ll stay in the know, even when you’re on the go. Head to the link in our bio to sign up!

OK, be honest, did we have you there for a second? It’s true though — there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all when it comes to budgeting. Everyone’s financial situation is different, and every budgeting method has its fans. To find the right budgeting method for you, you first have to understand what roadblocks keep you from meeting your financial goals each month. Once you understand what’s NOT working, you can determine which budgeting method makes the most sense for your income and lifestyle. And after that? It’s all about adjusting that budget template to fit your needs (and adjusting your expectations to fit your budget). If you’re still struggling to stick to a budget — or create one in the first place — don’t worry: We have a few solutions for those line items you just can’t seem to conquer. At the link in our bio: Our step-by-step guide to finding the perfect budgeting method for you.

Backyard chickens are having a moment, but before you get your first chicks, make sure you've done your homework - including all of the costs associated with them.

Deadline to apply: 9/30/2020 [Link in bio for more info on how to apply!] Listen, if you like beer, the outdoors and making the big bucks, then this is the job opportunity for you. And no, your eyes do not deceive you: Landing this gig as Michelob Ultra’s “Chief Exploration Officer” would net you a cool $50,000 over just a six-month stint. Plus, it just sounds like a really sweet gig. You’d be tasked with living in a camper van, driving around to some of the coolest national parks and documenting your travels along the way. Now we know, you’ve probably seen this headline floating around the internet over the last week and thought, “yeah, right — what are the chances of actually landing a gig like that?!” Well, a quote about missing 100% of the shots you don’t take springs to mind — so we say go for it! The application is pretty short. Link in bio for more details on the job and how to apply! Then, tag someone below who might want to apply, too. (Nothing like a little friendly competition!)

Who else likes knocking their errands out on Saturday? Stop by Dollar General to get $5 off $25 (on anything!). Just use the Dollar General App to download the digital coupon to get started. Link in bio!

Meal prepping: So simple in theory. So frustrating in reality. In theory, you’re supposed to SAVE money when you meal prep. The idea is to make big batches of food ahead of time so you can skip the pricy takeout and actually use up the ingredients in your fridge. But all too often, meal prepping ends up costing MORE money than you were paying before. But that’s because there are a few major ways meal prepping can go wrong. Once you know how to avoid those missteps, meal prepping actually does become a money saver. If you’re ready to conquer meal prepping once and for all — and actually slash your food bill this week — save these tips for successful meal prepping. Then, head to the link in our bio for more info on these 7 budget-friendly meal prepping strategies — plus, pitfalls to avoid along the way. (Also, feel free to drop your meal prep horror stories below so we can all commiserate 😅)

Yep, unclaimed money is a real thing. [Link in bio for how to check to see if you have any unclaimed money out there!] Recently, one of our editors here at The Penny Hoarder found $81.13 in her name waiting to be claimed from an old water bill. But since it was from years ago and she had forgotten all about it… it was practically like finding free money! If you’ve ever done things like put down a deposit on an electric bill, close a bank account or even get a refund, you might have a nice chunk of change floating around out there too, just waiting for you to claim it. And the best thing about all this? (Aside from the whole “feels like free money” thing, that is.) It’s easy (like, almost weirdly easy) to check if you have any unclaimed money in the U.S. It takes all of 30 seconds to check to see if the money is out there — and if there is, it only takes another minute or two to officially claim it in most cases. Even a few bucks seems worth a couple of minutes, right? At the link in our bio: We’ve got everything you need to know about searching for unclaimed money in your name, and where to go to do it.

We know, we know: Halloween hasn’t even happened yet! But Christmas is just 13(ish) weeks away, which means we’ll be in the thick of the holiday season before we know it. (Seriously, think about how the rest of this year has flown by — at this point, we’re kind of afraid to blink.) Sure, this year’s holiday season is going to look a lot different than years past, but if you’re planning to celebrate with gifts, decorations, a big holiday dinner or maybe even a road trip to visit family, now is the time to start your holiday sinking fund. Just a little bit each week will add up in a big way — and you can avoid whipping out the credit card come December. So save this post, tag your savings buddy in the comments, share it with your partner, screenshot it and make it your wallpaper… whatever you need to do to help yourself stay on track toward your holiday savings goal! Then, head to the link in our bio to learn more about the importance of sinking funds and how to use them to reach your financial goals.