Lindsay VanSomeren

Shih Tzus are one of the most popular dog breeds in the U.S., ranking 20th according to the American Kennel Club (AKC).[1] The cost of a Shih Tzu ranges widely — from $200 to $2,400 — depending on whether you buy a show dog from champion lines or adopt a mixed breed from an animal shelter.[2] And your costs don’t stop there. Once you purchase your dog, you’ll have ongoing food, care, and pet insurance to think about.
These little dogs have been popular family companions in Asia for centuries,...

Founded in 2019, Mile Auto is a relatively new insurer in the increasingly popular pay-per-mile insurance market. It offers an attractive proposition: If you drive fewer than 10,000 miles per year, the company says you could save up to 40% off your current car insurance rates with its coverage.

But Mile Auto comes with some downsides. It’s only available in a few U.S. states, it doesn’t offer any discounts, and customer reviews are poor.

SafeAuto used to offer car insurance policies for drivers who couldn’t buy coverage from traditional insurers, including those with driving infractions on their record. But Allstate — the fourth-largest insurer in the country — purchased the company in June 2021.[1]
SafeAuto continued to operate under its original name until Allstate reshuffled things in August 2023 and combined it with Direct Auto, another of its subsidiary companies.[2] Today, the SafeAuto insurance company no longer exists...

Your home can be a powerful tool for building wealth. By tapping into your home equity—the portion of your home’s value you own outright—you can access affordable financing to grow your net worth.
Whether you want to invest in real estate, fund home improvements, or start a business, leveraging home equity can help you achieve your financial goals. In this guide, we’ll show you how to use your home equity strategically to build wealth and secure your financial future.
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When you need to borrow a larger sum and have a fair amount of equity built up in your home, a cash-out refinance can be an excellent option, particularly if you could get lower interest rates on a new mortgage compared to taking out a separate loan.
Qualifying for a cash-out refinance can be tricky, but an FHA cash-out refinance (refi) is a viable option. The requirements to qualify for an FHA cash-out refi are looser than conventional options, but you should consider the additional costs be...

Credit Genie is a cash advance app that can lend you extra money if you’re struggling until your next payday.

It sounds like a godsend, but we’ve researched how the company works and customer experiences from Credit Genie reviews to help you better understand whether it’s worth it. We don’t recommend Credit Genie, and we’ll show you why—along with better options when you need help.

Chime MyPay is an optional feature for people who use Chime’s online checking account. It works similarly to other cash advance apps, allowing you to get up to $500 to hold you over until your next payday, but without many of the burdensome hidden fees. (There is still one possible fee, but it’s minimal.)

Using Chime’s MyPay cash advance won’t solve all of your cash flow problems. Your next paycheck will be smaller, after all. But it’s a great start toward eliminating many problematic aspects of other cash advance apps, like high subscription fees and tips.

Aspire is a student loan servicer that handles customer service for federal and private student loans. A student loan servicer isn’t a lender offering student loans; rather, it approves forbearance requests and ensures your payments are applied correctly.

Aspire launched in 2001 as the for-profit division of the nonprofit lender ISL Education Lending, which it still operates under today. All profits are returned to its nonprofit parent company to benefit Iowa families. In 2012, it also began servicing federal student loans.

If you’re newly married to someone who already has a policy, you might wonder whether you should combine auto insurance, and in a lot of cases, it makes sense to do so. You might receive a discount by combining policies, and it simplifies your household finances.
Other times, one of you might pay much higher rates than the other — perhaps due to being a lot older or having a spotty driving record — making it worth considering separate policies.
Your coverage options depend on the insurer and ...

If you’re a baker, you know that creating the perfect Instagram-worthy product is actually the culmination of a lot of time and effort — and the right recipe, of course. The same is true of running a bakery business.
You’ll need to gather ingredients like your equipment and employees, mix them together in the right sequence and add just the right amount of resources in order to create something truly special. We’ll list out the exact method in our nine-part recipe for how to start a bakery.
1...

Navy Federal Credit Union helps current and former military members and defense contractors — and their families — get affordable mortgages. It specializes in VA loans, but it offers several unique VA loan alternatives.
Navy Federal Credit Union advertises below-average rates on VA loans. But as with any lender-advertised deals, the only people getting those rates are those with exceptional credit.
In fact, Navy Federal Credit Union charged the average borrower in 2023 an annual percentage ra...

Becoming your own boss means you’ll need to stay adaptable, learn new skills and make good business decisions — starting with what type of business to open. Starting a new business takes hard work and risk, but some industries are less risky than others.
We’ve rounded up the most profitable businesses with a reputation for generating strong and consistent cash flow right from the very start.
What are the most profitable businesses?
The most profitable industries in 2024 are banking, oil/gas p...

Starting a nonprofit organization is a worthwhile way to help others and make an impact in your community, but you’ll need more than passion and good intentions to face a maze of complex rules and regulations.
If you’ve got an idea that you’re determined to pursue, we’ll help you navigate the requirements for starting a nonprofit organization.
Key takeaways
It takes anywhere from two weeks to a year to start a nonprofit.
Running a nonprofit isn’t too different from running a business — writin...

Buying a home is a key part of the American dream, yet not everyone has the steady monthly income that most lenders require to qualify for a mortgage, even if they have other ways to repay the debt.

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Many small business owners and entrepreneurs earn a good income, for example, but that isn’t always reflected on their tax returns after taking deductions from business-savvy investments. Retirees or people who inherit significant sums of money may have more than enough to buy a home, but they don’t want to spend it all at once, in other cases.