Tori Rubloff

2 weeks ago | bankrate.com | Lane Gillespie |Tori Rubloff

Tariffs will make it harder for many small businesses to afford imports, especially Chinese imports. To help mitigate rising costs, keep your business finances separate from your personal finances, rethink your income streams and look for local community assistance. When Mallory Hank-Johnson recently ordered ribbon as a supply for her alterations business, she was shocked to see the $10 ribbon she typically orders had gone up to anywhere from $60 to $80.

2 weeks ago | bankrate.com | Lane Gillespie |Tori Rubloff

To combat higher prices due to tariffs, consider shopping secondhand online or seeing what your community offers. Avoid panic-buying in reaction to rising prices. Instead, a better move may be to put that money toward your emergency savings. Don’t pull the trigger on a major purchase if you can’t afford it, even if you feel compelled to buy it in anticipation of rising prices.

1 month ago | bankrate.com | Lane Gillespie |Tori Rubloff

As Americans reckon with high prices, “no-buy” challenges, which swear off most discretionary spending, have become popular online. No-buy challenges are designed to help people re-examine their spending habits and save more money. To optimize your own no-buy challenge, it’s important to identify why you want to do the challenge, eliminate spending temptations and pick a savings account with a high annual percentage yield (APY).

1 month ago | bankrate.com | Lane Gillespie |Tori Rubloff

Experts say AI can help small businesses grow and operate for a fraction of the cost. Small business owners can use AI to increase productivity in marketing, customer service, human resources and many other areas. But be careful when using AI — it’s a good idea to have someone check the work before implementing it. From creating a business plan to screening job candidates, there are diverse ways to use artificial intelligence tools in your small business.

2 months ago | bankrate.com | Lane Gillespie |Tori Rubloff

Paige DeVriendt, a 32-year-old living in Columbus, Ohio, has spent most of her life associating money with shame and anxiety. Today, DeVriendt and her husband both work, bringing in a combined annual salary of around $225,000. With that, they’ve been able to pay their bills, save and invest, all while chipping away at six figures of combined student loan debt. Although she’s been able to comfortably afford her lifestyle, she’s felt shame about money for a long time.