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Stat Of The Day
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78%
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That’s the share of women who will be leaning hard into value-seeking behaviors this holiday season, including hunting down Thanksgiving week deals, regifting (yes, it’s acceptable), reusing last year’s wrapping supplies, crafting homemade gifts and more.
Meanwhile, only 58% of men plan to do the same. Surprising? To this writer, whose husband groans every time she goes down a "wait, I can find it cheaper" rabbit hole, absolutely not.
And, speaking of deals, a quick programming note – HerMoney won’t be popping into your inbox on Thursday (Happy Thanksgiving!). Instead, we’ll swing by Friday with a roundup of our team’s most-anticipated Black Friday deals, savings hacks and more. See you then – coffee in one hand, promo codes in the other!
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‘Tis The Season…For Side Hustling
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Americans expect to spend $1,595 on the holidays this year. Even though that’s 10% less than in 2024, it’s still a serious chunk of change. And, with economic uncertainty in the mix, it’s no wonder people are looking for ideas on how to make extra money.
One easy way to ease the pressure? Dig into a side hustle that can pad your wallet during the holiday season and beyond.
FlexJobs, a platform that connects people with remote opportunities, rounded up ten in-demand remote roles that can pay $1,000 or more per month. Customer service, technical support and coordinator roles are especially popular as companies scramble to keep up with holiday demand.
If you want more permanent side hustles that could extend into the New Year, part-time, remote opportunities are strong in areas like accounting, therapy and content writing.
"Focusing on roles that match your skill set is critical so that you can facilitate an effective job search," says Toni Frana, FlexJobs' Career Expert Manager. "It’s also important to understand what your availability and time look like to determine what you can commit to a new part-time role."
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This Week In Your Wallet
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Bundle up, heating your home is about to get pricier. Experts say home heating expenses will jump 8% on average this winter, with the typical October - March bill hitting $976. One way to save? Tapping into federal tax credits for energy updates, like the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, which provides savings of 30% (up to $3,200) for eligible items, including insulation, replacement doors and windows and more, as The New York Times reports. If you’re thinking bigger, the Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit offers 30% off the cost of renewable energy upgrades, like solar-powered water heaters. Don’t wait, though – both credits expire at the end of the year.
Good news – you can save more in tax-advantaged accounts for retirement in 2026. The IRS has announced that next year, workers can contribute up to $24,500 to 401(k)s, a $1,000 increase from this year. For IRAs, maximum contributions will rise to $7,500 in 2026, up from $7,000, with higher limits (thank you, catch-up contributions!) for older workers. "The higher caps will further boost the nearly $50 trillion already sitting in workplace 401(k) accounts, IRAs and the like," reports The Washington Post.
Need a mental health day? Yeah, us too – especially now that the holidays are here. This week on HerMoney.com, we’re digging into why taking a mental health day is important and how to confidently ask your boss for one. "A lot of times we don’t realize that mentally and emotionally we need that type of maintenance just as we do physically," says Melody Wilding, Licensed Master Social Worker and a workplace performance coach for women "We go to the gym to work our bodies out and stay healthy, but we need to have that same mental and emotional fitness to keep ourselves in good condition."
🛋 And, if you want mental health support without leaving your couch, BetterHelp can match you with one of 32,000 licensed therapists nationwide. Click here to get started.
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The Money Advice We’re Thankful For
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We asked the HerMoney community for the advice they’re most grateful for – and wow, did you deliver! Here are a few of our favorites (and you can check out the full list here):
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Put your cash to work: "Don't let your cash be lazy!" shares Heather. "Put money you need to keep liquid in high-yield savings accounts."
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Save something every payday: "Put the money somewhere where it’s out of sight," says Carol. "Back in the 80s, I put $50 every other week into a money market fund. That was the beginning of my financial security journey."
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Never pay full price: "Always negotiate a discount – rarely is there not a coupon, rewards program, or another type of discount," says Beth. "You won’t get it if you don’t ask, sign up and use!"
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Build an emergency fund: "When I learned I would be losing my job, my emergency fund gave me peace of mind," says Kristin. "I strongly encourage anyone who doesn’t have an emergency fund to build one, so you have it when your rainy day comes, whether it be a job change, medical emergency, or something else."
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Don’t leave money on the table: "Always contribute enough to get the full 401(k) match," says Melissa. "Don’t pass up free money."
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Ask Jean
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Today’s question comes from Megan. She writes: I have a couple of trips scheduled over the holidays. Given the headlines, I'm nervous about my plans changing. I'm considering getting travel insurance. As I search, what should I be looking for?
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An estimated 82 million people are expected to travel this week for the Thanksgiving holiday – a record – and the holiday rush isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Even though things have mostly smoothed out after a recent wave of cancellations following the government shutdown, it’s totally normal to have jitters about your upcoming travels.
But here’s the big secret – you shouldn’t wait for worrisome headlines to think about travel insurance. "Regardless of what is happening, both domestic and international, I believe it's always important to have travel insurance," says Wendy Marley, a travel advisor with AAA Northeast. "There isn't a 'better time' to make sure you have it, you should always have it - to protect your investment as well as yourself."
In other words, travel insurance isn’t just for worst-case scenarios. The right policy can reimburse pre-paid costs, cover medical expenses abroad and even help when luggage decides to take its own vacation or your flight gets delayed.
So, how do you pick a policy without spiraling into a comparison-chart rabbit hole? Marley says to focus on two big pieces first – trip cancellation terms and coverage limits for emergency medical expenses. "I recommend a policy to my clients that covers them for a minimum of $50,000 in emergency medical expenses and $500,000 for emergency medical evacuation, depending on where they are traveling to in the world," she explains.
She also suggests getting answers to these key questions:
• Is your medical coverage primary or secondary?
• Do they offer a 24/7 worldwide emergency assistance number?
• Are you covered for travel delay, trip interruption, and baggage?
• And most importantly, what are you personally most worried about? "Some policies give you more coverage for particular circumstances than others," Marley adds.
If the hunt for the perfect plan feels overwhelming, don’t go it alone. A travel advisor can help match you with the right policy, or you can browse top-rated picks here.
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Submit your questions to Jean here.
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From Living In A Motel…To Working In The White House
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Dr. Kavita Patel has worn many hats – primary care physician, Stanford professor, venture partner, NBC news contributor and former health policy leader in both the Obama White House and for Senator Ted Kennedy. But, even with that resume, she says it took time to learn how to think bigger about earning and building wealth.
Raised in San Antonio in the "Patel Motel" immigrant community, Dr. Patel worked nonstop in her family’s business. Her mother pushed her toward a secure career, which led her to medicine – and eventually to health policy after she grew frustrated with the system’s red tape. Those roles introduced her to mentors who opened doors she never expected.
One of them, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, invited her into the world of venture capital with the memorable line: "Would you like to make some money?" Thanks to Dr. Gottlieb, Dr. Patel joined New Enterprise Associates as a venture partner, and a new chapter in her education began. She dove in, teaching herself about everything from term sheets to deal structures – and realizing it was okay to pursue real wealth, not just stability.
Today, she’s paying it forward. Dr. Patel encourages women founders to think bigger and tries to "RSVP" others into rooms she once needed help entering herself. "How do I RSVP one more person into a room that they wouldn’t have been able to get into?" she shares on How She Does It. "Someone RSVP’d me. Each time, I deserved it, which now takes me a while to admit. I had to start someplace, and now that’s what I do."
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