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| Why Loneliness Is A Health – And Money – Problem |
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Our financial, physical and social health are deeply connected – and right now, our social health is struggling. The U.S. is in the middle of a loneliness epidemic, quietly chipping away at life expectancy, mental well-being and even our finances.
On the HerMoney Podcast, Ken Stern, longevity expert and author of the new book, "Healthy to 100: How Strong Social Ties Lead to Long Lives," unpacks why social connection is the missing link in America’s health and aging crisis – and what we can do about it.
His biggest takeaway? You don’t need to be an extrovert to be socially connected.
"Social connection is not about being the life of the party or buying rounds at a bar. It’s putting yourself in places where you can be next to people who share values, ideas, and commitments," Stern says.
"That could be work, but it could also be volunteering, it could be lifelong learning. It could be an intergenerational community and neighborhoods. Think about what brings value to you and put yourself in those places, and social connections will hopefully come as a happy result of that." |
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| Things That Save You Money |
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Spotted the winter clearance yellow tags at T.J. Maxx or Marshalls? One HerMoney staffer swears it’s like yard-sale shopping (the prices are that cheap), except everything is brand-new. And if past years are any indication, those yellow tags should start popping up this week. |
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About 1 in 5 U.S. adults skip filling a prescription once a year because of cost. Yikes. Here’s how to pay less, starting with tools like GoodRx, which can help you compare local pharmacy prices and find coupons that make prescriptions more affordable. |
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New year, new homeowners' insurance? You’re not alone if you’ve never shopped around (only 7% actually do). But that also means there’s real money on the table. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re overpaying, it’s time to find out. |
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| This Week In Your Wallet |
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Big changes at the U.S. Postal Service could trip you up – and maybe even cost you. They’re going to stop delivering mail in Denmark. In the U.S., we’re not quite there yet, but thanks to new operational shifts, your mail may no longer be postmarked the same day you drop it in the box. As CNBC reports, mail now travels farther to regional processing centers before getting stamped. That means delays between "sent" and "officially counted." If you’re mailing anything time-sensitive – tax returns, legal paperwork, yes, even old-school bill payments – you’ll want to pad your timeline. Or, to be extra safe, head to the counter and ask for a free "manual postmark." You can also send stuff via certified mail – it will cost a bit more, but you’ll have proof and peace of mind.
If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines waiting to refinance, this could be your moment. Mortgage rates are finally easing, opening the door for homeowners to lock in lower payments – and real savings. But before you start shopping for a better rate, you need to prepare financially. "Refinancing is not a simple edit to your existing mortgage," writes Melanie Brooks for HerMoney. "It’s a completely new mortgage that takes the place of your old one. You’ll get a new rate, new monthly payment, and, oftentimes, a new term. And it’s not for the faint of heart. There are a lot of steps, oodles of paperwork and associated costs in the thousands of dollars."
🏡 Once you are ready to take the leap and refinance, start your search for a better rate here.
It’s frustrating – and telling – but here we are…the latest networking strategy could be masquerading as a man on LinkedIn. The Washington Post is sharing the story of Megan Cornish, a mental health professional who used ChatGPT to make her profile more "male-coded." Within a week, her profile impressions quadrupled. "Since then, LinkedIn has been inundated with posts from women who said their visibility on the platform grew after they took measures to obscure their gender or appear masculine," reports The Post. "The episode is sparking questions about how bias — in humans or machines — dictates who must work harder to be heard in professional spaces, online and otherwise." LinkedIn, for its part, says it does not use demographic info to determine the "visibility of content, profile, or posts in the Feed." |
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| Ask Jean |
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Today’s question comes from Jess. She writes: My high-yield savings account (HYSA) has consistently lowered its rates and is now at 3.25%. What other HYSAs are actually providing decent annual percentage yields (APYs) these days? |
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You’re not imagining it. Rates have been drifting down. Many HYSAs offer eye-popping rates to new customers for a limited time. And, on top of that, banks have been trimming yields as the Fed cuts interest rates to cool inflation.
The good news? You still have options. Even after recent drops, top HYSAs are still paying far more than traditional savings accounts – you just have to shop around.
A couple worth a look right now:
• SoFi: Up to 4% APY, plus a $300 bonus when you set up direct deposit.
• Barclays: Up to 4% APY, with a bonus of up to $200 if you meet certain deposit requirements.
These are just two picks from HerMoney’s list of the five best HYSAs available right now. You can see the full lineup – and compare rates – right here. |
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| Submit your questions to Jean here. |
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