Lifestyle & Trends - Money & Finance

Easy ways to take advantage of solar energy at home

While installing a complete residential solar energy system can be cost-prohibitive for many homeowners, recent technology that integrates solar power with individual household appliances is making it easier for homeowners to harness the power of the sun without breaking the bank.

Four smart home and auto insurance tips for seniors

Saving money is important, especial for senior citizens. And seniors may be going through some life changes. There are four simple insurance tips that can help ensure you're adequately covered and getting all eligible discounts.

Build up your savings account for the future

As the manager of your household's money, you're always trying to find the best ways to save for your family's future - maybe for retirement, college tuition, home remodeling, medical expenses or just a few fun trips you'd like to take.

The surprisingly affordable, culturally educational child care alternative: au pairs

If you're a working-parent family with school-aged children or younger, you know first-hand the price of child care. Child care costs are not only high, but are rising, according to a report released by the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies.

Six tips for buying life insurance

Buying life insurance for the first time can be a daunting task for anyone. Luckily, there are several time and money saving tips that a person can utilize while buying life insurance.

Identity theft prevention tips for college kids heading back to campus

Getting their dorm room organized, reconnecting with friends they met last year, making new friends, setting up a class schedule ... college students have a lot to look forward to as they head back to campus. Identity thieves eagerly anticipate back-to-school time too, because it often means more opportunity for them to purloin someone's private, personal information for their financial gain.

Smart ways to save money on summer home improvement projects

With summer in the air, you're just itching to get that home improvement project going. It's a great time to install a rain garden, improve storm-water runoff in your yard, redo your windows or siding, or even change the look of one of the rooms inside your house with new paint and furniture.

Five steps to ensure a health crisis doesn't mean financial ruin

A serious long-term illness or disability can have a devastating, often irreversible, affect on a family's financial well-being. In fact, health care expenses are among the most common cause of bankruptcies, according to findings published in the "American Journal of Medicine" last year.

Personal branding: A new focus in job searching

Career development professionals are creating new strategies to help clients increase the chances of getting noticed among the throngs of job applicants vying for positions. Personal branding is the process of distinguishing the essence of an individual's relevant career attributes and communicating them consistently throughout the resume and interview.

'Social savings' - Shoppers unite to find great deals

While the negative effects of the economic downturn continue to dominate the headlines, a silver lining has appeared in the midst of monetary misery - lower taxes, a decrease in personal spending and a slight increase in individual savings. And, because misery does indeed love company, we've witnessed the rise of a relatively new phenomenon - the era of "social savings."

Lifestyle Trends