REACH YOUR GOALS
Five Reasons to File Your Taxes Sooner
There are two types of tax filers: those of us who file as soon as possible, and those who put it off until mid-April. If you’re one of the millions who procrastinate, here are some reasons for filing early this year.
You’ll get your refund sooner. You can invest these funds, pay off debts, or shop for purchases that you’ve been planning to buy when your refund arrives. In addition, bills signed during 2025 may increase your refund from previous years.
It reduces identity theft risk. Filing your tax return early blocks scammers from possibly stealing your refund before you receive it. Here’s why: as soon as your Social Security number is used for a tax return, it can’t be used again for that tax year.
You’ll have more time to track down documents. If you’re claiming deductions, you may need to find receipts, mortgage interest statements, and details of charitable donations.
You can avoid an unpleasant surprise. If you’re unsure what your tax bill will look like, it’s best to find out sooner than later. Even if you don’t file early, calculating your bill in advance gives you time to decide how to pay or request an extension from your state’s tax office. (If you need more time to pay your federal tax bill, you may want to file a Form 4868.)
Tax prep could cost more if you wait. Accountants, tax preparation companies, and even some tax software companies raise their fees in April. And if you find yourself with a complex tax problem, it could be difficult to find professional help at short notice.
Source: money.com
MORTGAGE IQ
Housing Affordability and Purchasing Power Improves
Would-be home buyers may finally be able to make their move this year. Housing affordability has seen some big improvements, including rising incomes, falling mortgage interest rates, and cooling home prices. Together, these factors have boosted buyers’ power by nearly 10% year-over-year.
During 2025, median household incomes climbed by 3.5% year-over-year while house price growth stalled in many areas. Combined with lower interest rates for qualified buyers, this boosted purchasing power by around $36,600 when compared with November 2024.
Forty-seven of 50 major metropolitan areas (MSAs) registered year-over-year affordability improvements, underscoring that gains are broad rather than regionally confined. However, affordability is still well below pre-pandemic numbers, when falling rates and work-at-home growth caused housing inventory to fall more than 50% below historical norms.
Source: nationalmortgageprofessional.com
FINANCIAL NEWS
Flying Soon? Be Sure to Have a Real ID
If you’re planning to fly soon, you’ll want to check your driver’s license or state ID card to make sure it’s a Real ID card. These are marked with a star.
If you weren’t aware of the Real ID requirement which began earlier this month, you may be required to pay $45 or more for going through airport security without it.
The federal government began requiring travelers to have a Real ID — or another document like a U.S. passport or passport card — to board a domestic flight or enter certain federal facilities or nuclear power plants as of May 7, 2025. However, the TSA only began charging fees to travelers who can’t produce a Real ID or passport on February 1st. They’ll need to pay $45 to use TSA’s ConfirmID system before they can board their plane.
Once this is granted, the ConfirmID verification is valid for a 10-day travel period. So, if holidaymakers without Real IDs are headed for two weeks at their favorite beach or resort, they’ll have to pay a second time when headed home.
Travelers without an acceptable ID can complete the ConfirmID process before arriving at the airport by visiting the TSA’s ConfirmID web page. The site provides payers with a receipt that can be printed and presented to TSA staff.
Source: cnbc.com
DID YOU KNOW?
Streamflation Is Deflating Entertainment Budgets
Inflation has contributed to several additions to our vocabulary. Repackaging grocery items to disguise reduced content became shrinkflation, while higher beef prices turned into meatflation. Recent increases in streaming services are nicknamed streamflation.
If you haven’t recently checked your monthly or annual costs of your streaming services, it may be more than you think. Many big entertainment companies have recently hiked subscription prices.
During 2025, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Hulu, Peacock, Spotify and Apple TV either raised their prices or announced plans to do so. Paramount+ joined the list last November, saying their prices would increase during the first quarter of 2026.
Here are some ways to get streaming down to an affordable price.
Switch to cheaper, ad-supported versions. Last October, an analytics firm found that this strategy is becoming popular with frugal streamers. Viewing on ad-supported tiers jumped 16 percentage points year-over-year for Disney+, and 11 percentage points for Netflix.
Switch to free streaming services. Viewing time on these services, which include Tubi and Plex, has risen to 1.8 billion hours from 1.3 billion a year ago.
Look into bundling your favorite services. After you’ve made notes about which ones you watch the most, decide which services you want to keep and search for bundling discounts. It’s worth searching for these online, as these change frequently.
Check your cell phone provider for streaming perks. If you’re shopping for a new cell phone provider, be sure to check out any additional perks, such as free access to one or more streaming services. Upgrading your current cell service may also earn you free streaming subscriptions.
Begin the cancellation procedure. Some streaming services will automatically offer you a discount in the hopes that you won’t finalize your departure. Go ahead…hit Cancel My Subscription and call their bluff.
Source: investopedia.com
PERSONAL FINANCES
These Credit Cards Earn Points, Add Upgrades
Depending on your income and credit history, you may qualify for your choice of a variety of credit cards, including those considered premium or luxury cards. Their issuers often describe them as lifestyle enablers that do considerably more than just earn a free economy-class flight. Issuers of these cards are expanding their high-end travel, dining, and wellness benefits, reframing them as everyday savings tools rather than luxury add-ons.
The competition among premium card issuers is intensifying, creating a race to deliver richer perks. However, they often charge higher annual fees than other cards. One top contender: The American Express Platinum Card. Although the annual fee is $895, traveling cardholders enjoy access to thousands of airline lounges. They’ll also be entitled to receive statement credits for shopping at various retailers, Uber rides and Equinox gym memberships.
Considering how competition between luxury cards is resulting in changing perks, cardholders whose card-related benefits don’t justify the annual fees may want to switch to another card. For example, if a cardholder’s household frequently uses the food delivery app that’s included in the card’s rebate program, these can cover the card’s annual fee.
Source: empower.com
FOOD
Berry-Nutella Heart Pies
This romantic Valentine’s treat combines raspberries with chocolate-hazelnut spread for a decadent, heavenly dessert. Children love helping create these Berry-Nutella Heart Pies, especially when it comes to cutting out the heart-shaped dough.
AROUND THE HOUSE
Transform Your Surroundings by Upcycling
Whether you’re searching for low-cost decorating options or enjoy re-purposing older items, upcycling is something to consider. This can take you everywhere from flea markets to thrift stores, or your own attic or basement. Your decorating tastes can be anything from retro to eccentric to historic.
Here are some ideas to get you started.
Vintage frames can be your answer for displaying prints or photos that are in storage because of the high cost of a custom frame. Measure your prints before you go shopping, or take them with you — you may find a framed print at a yard sale or thrift store that will compliment your own art.
Wooden ladders have been mostly replaced with metal versions, which means you may spot these priced cheaply or gathering dust in a relative’s garage. They can be painted and used as a shelf for your plants, books or candles.
Marble offcuts may be discarded by flooring or cabinet manufacturers. These are often sold online, which means you can acquire what you need for decorative purposes. They can even make an attractive backsplash for your kitchen sink.
Metal and iron items can come back to life both indoors and in your garden. Old bathtubs and livestock feeders can hold outdoor plants or even a raised garden. An antique door knocker can live on a wall as decor, or on a door as a hanger. Old cabinet knobs may be just what you need to give a chest of drawers or cabinet a facelift.
Old jewelry, including single earrings that have lost their mates, can be repurposed all through your home. Wrap one or two old necklaces around a plain flower vase or stick brightly colored plastic earrings onto a hummingbird feeder (red, orange, pink and yellow attract the most birds). Single clip-on earrings also make great fridge magnets!
Source: bbc.com