Money.com

Why It Feels Like Everyone Suddenly Has a ‘Side Hustle’

January 27, 2026 MMN Editor Filed Under: Money.com, SUCCESS

If you have a side hustle, you’re not alone: 72% of workers in the U.S. have a side hustle or are considering pursuing one, according to SurveyMonkey’s 2025 study on workplace culture and trends.

Survey respondents listed saving for a specific goal and needing the extra income to survive as main drivers for finding a side gig. If you’ve headed to the grocery store recently, you’ve likely felt the sting of high prices — and probably see why extra income would be appealing. Read on why more people are turning to side hustles, and how to start your search for one.

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Why side hustles are the new normal

Rising living costs are a main driver for people finding side hustles. Especially for people not yet in their peak earning years, the extra money can help cover living costs, and allow for early saving and investing.

But older adults can also benefit from part-time side gigs amid rising costs. While most Americans plan to rely on Social Security as their main source of retirement income, side hustles are also among the top three expected sources of income across generations (39% for Gen Z, 41% for millennials, 42% for Gen X and 38% for baby boomers), according to a survey from Western & Southern Financial Group.

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Side hustles in retirement

Getting a side hustle isn’t just about making some extra cash. It can also provide a sense of purpose for retirees after they walk away from full-time work. Side hustles tend to offer flexible hours, which is why some retirees opt for semi-retirement in the form of part-time work. Low-stress part-time jobs for retirees to pursue could include tutoring, tour or museum guiding, proofreading or serving as a school crossing guard, bus monitor or driver.

Some retirees can also earn money via their hobbies, like by selling their crafts or petsitting.

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How to find a side hustle

Some side hustles are more profitable than others, and you don’t want to get stuck with an unenjoyable side gig, especially if you are a retiree finally free of your full-time work. That’s why you should start by listing professional skills that you can monetize for just five to 10 hours per week. Then, you can research side hustle opportunities that align with your skillset.

This approach allows you to work on side gigs that match up with your area of expertise, which will make it easier to raise your prices over time.

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Websites like Upwork, Fiverr and TaskRabbit can help you find jobs, depending on your skillsets. But you can also check local neighborhood Facebook groups and platforms like Nextdoor to see what people in your area are seeking and advertise your offerings.

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The Smartest Money Moves for People Who Hate Budgeting

January 26, 2026 MMN Editor Filed Under: Money.com, SUCCESS

Tracking your spending every day can help you stay on top of your finances and build long-term wealth, but it can also make budgeting feel overwhelming.

Here are four methods that simplify financial management, and let you focus on the essentials of budgeting instead of overanalyzing every little detail of your spending.

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1. Automate paying yourself first

Paying yourself first is a common personal finance strategy that entails allocating some of your paycheck to your savings in a similar way to how you allocate money to your essentials, like gas and groceries. You can’t spend what you don’t see, and automatic transfers are a form of forced savings.

Set up automatic transfers to your savings and retirement accounts so that you’re prioritizing your future goals. You can gradually increase how much you move to your savings and retirement accounts over time. Making this automatic also frees up headspace to focus on how you will use your remaining paycheck.

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2. The zero-based ‘fun’ envelope

Zero-based budgeting involves giving every dollar you earn a job. Allocating a specific amount of this money for “fun” — like dining out with friends, going to the movie theater or other hobbies — means you’ll have a set amount of money and will ideally keep you from spending more than that set amount.

Set aside a portion of each paycheck for this discretionary spending and use it for fun. But once your fun envelope is empty, you cannot spend any additional money on discretionary items. You have to wait until the next paycheck arrives.

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3. The ‘core four’ check

Your money is likely spread across many categories, and that may make it challenging to keep track of them all. While you can review monthly credit card statements and create detailed spreadsheets that track all your spending, focus on the “core four” categories to save time.

Housing, utilities, food and transportation are often the four biggest expenses. That means that when trying to cut costs, focusing cost reduction efforts in these four big categories can lead to the most savings.

For example, consider cooking at home instead of dining out or ordering from DoorDash, or using public transportation instead of calling an Uber when trying to save. Regularly check on your spending in these categories so you are aware of any surprises, like if your spending balloons one month to the next.

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4. Have a service downgrade day

There’s a good chance you subscribe to monthly plans for various products and services, like television streaming platforms. You may also have some that were once useful but now sit unused and are quietly eating away at your savings. Others could be chipping away at your bank balance while a less expensive tier of the same service could provide what you need.

Choose a certain day regularly, like the last day of each month or quarter, for a service downgrade day. Review your spending and see which subscription plans you can cut or downgrade.

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How Delaying Retirement by Just One Year Can Transform Your Social Security Payouts

January 25, 2026 MMN Editor Filed Under: Money.com, SUCCESS

Determining when to retire is an important decision, and even pushing it out one year can have a big impact on your finances.

Waiting a year can result in a bigger Social Security payout, in addition to allowing your wealth to compound for longer. Read on for how the decision can affect your money, and potentially make it easier to live your ideal retirement lifestyle.

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Higher lifetime earnings

The Social Security Administration bases your payments on your lifetime earnings, or “average indexed monthly earnings.” This is calculated by an average of up to 35 years of your earnings. If you didn’t work 35 years, any years you didn’t work will be counted as zeros. And each of your high-earning years replaces a lower one.

The Administration says that “higher lifetime earnings can mean higher benefits when you retire.”

If you’re earning more near retirement than you were during earlier years of your career — which is the case for most people — it can make sense to work an extra year to replace a lower-earning year.

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Higher payouts from delaying

While you’re allowed to start receiving your Social Security benefits when you hit age 62, waiting can pay off.

You can get your full benefit once you hit your full retirement age, which is between age 66 and 67, depending on when you were born. The Administration’s website has a tool for determining your exact retirement age. But for every year you delay receiving Social Security benefits beyond full retirement age up to age 70, your benefit grows by 8%.

Working even just one more year gives you at least an extra year that you don’t need to tap Social Security. Plus, if you have a higher income from still working, a larger portion of your benefits may be taxable.

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Other benefits to your savings

Social Security aside, an extra year of work gives you more time to build your 401(k) savings, pay off debt and give yourself a better financial buffer for health care and other costs. Working an extra year also means your nest egg doesn’t have to stretch as much, increasing the likelihood that you outlive your portfolio and won’t run out of money.

You should also consider the penalty of early withdrawals from your retirement savings accounts, like your 401(k) and individual retirement account (IRA). If you withdraw money before age 59 ½, there’s typically a 10% tax penalty in addition to federal ordinary income taxes. You may also face state taxes.

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6 Financial Regrets Retirees Face — and How to Avoid Them

January 24, 2026 MMN Editor Filed Under: Money.com, SUCCESS

It’s not uncommon to have financial regrets, from spending too much on an impulse buy to not saving enough for vacation. But when it comes to retirement planning, mistakes can be especially costly.

Here are six regrets you’ll want to avoid as you save for your golden years.

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1. Not saving early enough

It’s never too late to start saving money and building your nest egg, but starting earlier will give you an advantage. The best time to start is right now, even if retirement is decades away. It’s easy to disregard the need to save when you’re in your 20s and 30s and have ample working years ahead of you, but those are some of the most critical years to compound your wealth.

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2. Taking Social Security too soon

You can take out Social Security when you turn age 62, but your payments will be reduced compared to if you wait. Tapping Social Security as soon as you can may help cover costs in the short-term, but it may not make sense for your long-term financial picture.

Some people consider working a few more years so they can delay receiving Social Security.

3. Underestimating health care costs

Health care costs are on the rise, and in retirement, you may need to invest in more health care than you realize. In a 2025 report, Fidelity Investments estimated that a 65-year-old retiring can expect to spend $172,500 on average in health care and medical expenses throughout retirement — a more than 4% increase from 2024.

Saving money for health care, including in tax-advantaged accounts like health savings accounts (HSAs), can help.

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4. Failing to plan withdrawals strategically

Withdrawing from retirement plans lets you tap into all of the money you have saved over the years, but if you rush the process, you can end up with a much higher tax bill than you expect. Strategic withdrawals let you maximize how much of your nest egg you access each year while minimizing the tax burden.

Understanding required minimum distributions (RMDs) and tax planning are important parts of a withdrawal strategy.

5. Relying too heavily on one income stream

Social Security can be a major part of your financial picture, but assuming that you will be able to live off of those payments alone may be a mistake.

Leaning exclusively on one income source to fund your retirement lifestyle can result in a lot of hard decisions later down the road, and may require you to sell financial assets when their prices have dropped if you’re in a pinch. It’s better to diversify your income streams.

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6. Ignoring estate planning

Retirees who leave inheritances for their heirs should make sure the money will reach the right people. Setting up an estate plan eases those worries.

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My Mom ‘Didn’t Know What a 401(k) Was.’ She Is 58, Earns $28,000 and Has $0 Saved for Retirement. Will I Be Responsible for Her Bills?

January 23, 2026 MMN Editor Filed Under: Money.com, SUCCESS

The dilemma: A 23-year-old earning $94,000 discovers her mother lacks a retirement plan.

“My mom does not have any retirement savings at 58 years old,” a software engineer shared recently in a post to the subreddit r/PersonalFinance. “I asked my mom if she has a 401(k), and she didn’t know what a 401(k) was.”

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The daughter appears to be off to a strong start in her career, mentioning that she’s already saving for her future. But as her mother ages, she is reckoning with how her mom will pay for living expenses in retirement.

“What should I do?” she asks. “I love my mom and I want to support her, but retirement is unbelievably expensive, and if her health declines to where she can’t work, I will be solely responsible for all her bills.”

Her mother is divorced and earns $28,000 per year, which covers basic expenses — groceries, property taxes, insurance and loan payments. However, that leaves little room for savings.

How can this user help her mother prepare for retirement?

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Expert advice: It’s ‘not as dire as she thinks it is’

We spoke with Tyler End, a certified financial planner and co-founder of Retirable, who says he’s seen this type of situation before.

By the age of 58, someone considered “on track” for retirement would typically have several hundred thousand dollars saved. In fact, the median net worth for her age group is over $350,000, according to Federal Reserve survey data.

The good news: Even without retirement savings, he says, people often have more resources than they realize. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid can provide a cushion, helping ensure that an aging parent’s poor finances do not derail their children’s future.

“It’s never too late to start making better financial decisions, which is certainly what this woman can help her mother with,” End says. “First and foremost: it’s probably not as dire as she thinks it is.”

Despite the mother not knowing what a 401(k) is, it’s possible that at some point in her career she set money aside through a workplace plan or a pension. (Employers often have auto-enrollment policies thanks to recent federal policy changes.)

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To search for forgotten retirement accounts, she can contact her former employers or search online databases.

Another key step is to look at her estimated Social Security benefits. If the mother can work later into her 60s before claiming benefits, Social Security could replace a significant share of her pre-retirement income, End says. That’s because Social Security payments increase the longer a person waits to claim them.

With her late start to saving, frugal living will likely be required. Fortunately, her living expenses are on the lower side with a paid-off home, and they may drop further in retirement due to lower taxes and access to federal health insurance programs.

Downsizing to a more affordable house or a retirement living community can free up money. A few simple budgeting adjustments could help her establish an emergency fund.

But the bottom line is for the two to take this as a moment to plan, not to panic.

“We don’t have the best social infrastructure for seniors and finances, but we’re not bereft of benefits between Social Security, retirement communities and Medicare,” End says. “It won’t be as bad as it seems for this woman.”

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Warren Buffett’s No. 1 Rule Every Retiree Should Live By

January 22, 2026 MMN Editor Filed Under: Money.com, SUCCESS

Legendary investor Warren Buffett opts for simplicity when it comes to investing, and his strategy can be boiled down to one succinct point: don’t lose money.

That rule may sound obvious, but when faced with market volatility and trendy investment options, investors are often tempted to make moves that could cause them to lose money. But avoiding risky, speculative assets and focusing on the long term can help retirees make their money last.

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Understand risk and volatility

Risk and volatility are normal aspects of investing in the stock market — but they shouldn’t be confused. A low-risk stock or bond can endure periods of sharp volatility, while high-risk assets can have stretches of low volatility. A stock’s volatility simply refers to how sharply the price moves in either direction. If a stock moves from $20 to $25 and then drops to $18 within a week, it is volatile. However, if a stock hovers between $30 and $33 for an entire year, it’s not as volatile.

Risk, on the other hand, reflects the possibility of losing money from an investment. Utility companies are viewed as low-risk assets since they typically generate stable cash flow, and consumers buy utilities during all economic cycles. Unprofitable growth stocks are riskier since a failure to deliver profits can eventually translate into long-term losses.

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Don’t panic sell

Investing in stocks doesn’t guarantee that you will profit every day — in fact, you’re bound to see plenty of market downturns. But you can only realize losses in a position (as in, lose money) if you sell shares. Retirees can avoid losses by investing in companies with solid fundamentals and holding them through volatility.

It’s okay to sell a position if the fundamentals change significantly, or if you’re rebalancing and selling is part of your strategy. However, a declining stock price shouldn’t necessarily prompt investors to sell their shares if the fundamentals and long-term tailwinds remain intact.

Retirees can also reduce their risk of losing money by building a cash reserve that can cover their living expenses. Financial advisors typically recommend having enough cash to cover three to six months of living expenses, but retirees may want to bump this up to enough cash to cover one or two years. That way, investors can ride volatility and corrections without having to sell stocks at low prices.

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Avoid common mistakes

No investor is perfect, but avoiding some of the most common mistakes can keep you out of trouble and make it easier to recover from unrealized losses. Chasing high yields can be a common blunder for retirees, for instance.

While high yields look attractive on the surface, those yields may reflect poor fundamentals. High-yield stocks with declining fundamentals may not be able to keep paying out their dividends, and a single dividend cut or suspension may be enough to send investors rushing for the exit.

Another common mistake is overtrading, which can result in excessive fees and spreads that minimize your profits. All of the trading can also make investors more susceptible to their emotions, which can result in exiting positions too early. As the adage goes, it’s better to spend time in the market than to time the market. Patience typically pays off for long-term investors who pick stocks and funds with robust long-term fundamentals.

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The Hidden Power of Boring Stocks in Volatile Markets

January 21, 2026 MMN Editor Filed Under: Money.com, SUCCESS

Chasing stocks that are soaring can be tempting — but those gains can vanish quickly amid market volatility. While you may want to pour money into the latest hot investing trends, the best moves are typically more boring.

Utilities and consumer staples are often seen as essential portfolio anchors that can hold up during any economic cycle, and help minimize your losses during sharp corrections. Here’s what to know about sectors that may not seem as exciting as the skyrocketing areas of the market, but can help you reach your long-term financial goals.

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The pros of utilities and consumer staple stocks

Demand is constant for essential utilities, gas and water. That makes revenue and net earnings for these sectors more reliable and less subject to sharp price swings. People will need utilities in any economy — and they’re more likely to quit dining out or shopping at retailers then forego the essentials.

Utility stocks may not beat the S&P 500, but they are known for high dividend yields and low volatility. Some utility stocks function similarly to bonds with their limited upside and high cash flow, but dividends are taxed more favorably than bond interest.

While people can cut discretionary spending when finances get tight, it’s a different story for consumer staples like food, hygiene products and cleaning supplies. Not only do these products generate sales in any economy, but the businesses behind these products have pricing power.

A slight increase in the price of groceries won’t stop people from shopping. Consumer staples can turn into valuable inflation hedges that provide long-term cash flow. However, just like utility and infrastructure stocks, investments in the consumer staples industry aren’t known for beating the S&P 500.

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The power of consistent dividends

Sturdy, durable stocks tend to provide consistent dividends that are distributed quarterly. The corporations that give out their dividends also often raise their payouts each year, if they can. Regular dividend hikes indicate good financial health to shareholders (but any pauses in dividend hikes can cause investors to lose confidence).

These types of stocks may be even more valuable for people who are approaching retirement. Aspiring retirees and people who are already living out their golden years can benefit from these types of stocks since they combine low risk and high cash flow.

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Why you should add ‘boring’ stocks to your portfolio

Steady earnings and strong fundamentals can often do more for your portfolio than taking the time to try to find the next stock to take off, which is extremely hard to do, even for professionals on Wall Street.

Each investor should adjust their portfolios based on their financial goals and risk tolerances. Remember that while defensive stocks can help limit losses during downturns, they’re likely to trail some of their counterparts during market upswings.

Investors can choose to buy individual stocks in these defensive sectors or funds that contain these types of stocks. Both approaches minimize your risk while opening the door to some potential upside.

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Dave Ramsey Would Hate This Trick — but It May Work for You

January 20, 2026 MMN Editor Filed Under: Money.com, SUCCESS

Popular personal finance guru Dave Ramsey has a well-known aversion to debt. His stance is that all debt is bad debt.

It’s true that high-interest debt can do significant damage to your long-term financial plan. But while Ramsey’s philosophy would encourage working as hard as you can get rid of your debt quickly, that’s not always possible. It may make sense to consolidate the debt in a way that allows you to reduce the interest that you pay overall. One way to do this is with a 0% annual percentage rate (APR) balance transfer. Here’s what you need to know.

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What is a 0% APR balance transfer?

Credit cards have high APRs, often of 20% or more. That means if you have a large balance on a credit card, it’s going to take significant time and money to pay down the debt, including interest. A 0% APR balance transfer allows you to transfer the debt to another credit card — one that doesn’t charge interest. Depending on the card, you can also roll over other types of debt, like a personal loan.

Keep in mind that the 0% APR offer is usually promotional, and will only last for a set amount of time like 12-18 months.

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What to consider before using a balance transfer

While a balance transfer can help you pay less in interest, it certainly doesn’t make your debt go away — and that’s why it wouldn’t be a go-to strategy for Ramsey, who has long said that you should always avoid credit cards. But that doesn’t mean that a balance transfer doesn’t make sense for someone looking to eventually become debt-free.

Balance transfers make the most sense for people with high-interest debt, but balances that are small enough for them to pay off during the promotional period. Even the best balance transfer credit cards have regular APRs that go as high as around 30% once the initial promotional period is over.

It’s also important to remember that balance transfers come with fees, usually around 3-5%. The transfers can be worth that cost if you pay off the debt in a timely manner, but letting the debt linger can create additional problems, especially if you continue to spend money.

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Put a plan in place

A balance transfer probably only makes sense if you have a plan to pay off the entire balance before the intro rate expires. Setting up automatic payments can help keep you on track.

And make sure that if you get into debt due to spending more money than you earn, you adjust your spending habits. If you don’t, you risk racking up debt on another credit card.

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Over 50 and Still in Debt? Dave Ramsey Says to Do This Immediately

January 19, 2026 MMN Editor Filed Under: Money.com, SUCCESS

Leaving your job and heading into retirement is exciting. But it can also be scary — especially if you still have debt to pay off. Retirees are contending with rising costs of living and the need to make their money last, and monthly debt payments can take a significant bite out of your sayings.

But it’s not too late to aggressively pay off your debt, and it’s especially important to do so with high-interest debt, like from credit cards. Personal financial guru Dave Ramsey has offered tons of advice over the years about how to become debt-free, and people over 50 who are nearing retirement can use his playbook to prepare themselves for what’s next.

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1. Adjust your lifestyle

Freezing new borrowing is a top priority. That may mean adjusting your lifestyle so that you no longer rely on borrowing to fund your purchases. For example, if you tend to rack up a credit card bill that you can’t always pay off from dining out, it’s time to meal prep and cook at home.

You also need to pay off your existing debts — and doing so may mean making a few more lifestyle changes. Maybe you can swap a high-end vacation this year for a weekend stay at a nearby vacation spot during the offseason. That way, you can use the extra savings to help pay off your debt. Review all your non-essential spending and see what you can cut. Then, review what you spend on essentials (think groceries, gas and utilities) and see if there are ways to shop around or negotiate costs with providers so you can spend less.

Making lifestyle adjustments isn’t just about saying no to certain things. You can also consider picking up a side hustle or semi-retiring with a part-time job for a few years before you fully retire. People in their 50s don’t have as much time for wealth to compound as young adults do, so it’s more urgent for them to aggressively trim debt.

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2. Build a budget

Budgeting can help you track your expenses and make sure you aren’t overspending. You can use a budgeting app like Monarch or YNAB, or simply create a spreadsheet or write down your budget. This can allow you to designate a certain amount of money to your debt payments, and helps limit how much you spend on non-essentials.

Note that financial advisors tend to recommend having an emergency fund that can cover three to six months’ worth of your living expenses. That way, you don’t have to borrow money and fall back into that trap if you end up with a surprise expense.

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3. Choose a debt strategy

Next it’s time to choose how you’ll attack your debt. The debt avalanche strategy entails paying off high-interest balances first and minimizing how much interest you pay in the long run. People who follow this method usually prioritize credit card debt since it is more expensive than most debt balances. Then, you tackle the debt with the second-lowest interest rate, then the third-lowest, and so on.

Another option is the snowball method, which involves paying off your smallest balance first, regardless of the interest rate. This strategy lets you build momentum, which can motivate you to stick with your plan.

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The 5-Minute Habit That Could Save You Thousands

January 18, 2026 MMN Editor Filed Under: Money.com, SUCCESS

Keeping your finances organized is an important part of building wealth, and it doesn’t have to take much time.

Taking a quick five minutes to check in on your finances while you eat breakfast or commute to work could help you feel more in control of your money. While you’ll want to tweak your routine to fit your specific needs, here’s a five-step starting point. Each step shouldn’t take more than a minute.

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1. Check whether you got paid

Start by making sure you received all the income you’re expecting. The most obvious is your paycheck, and you don’t have to do this particular task every day if you work a job that comes with a regular payday. However, self-employed workers with multiple clients should monitor their balances more frequently.

If you’re expecting another type of income, like Social Security, it’s important to check your accounts on the day you’re expecting it. You can even take this minute to see if the friend who owes you money for a dinner out has paid you back yet.

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2. Look forward to due dates

The second minute of the five-minute morning routine involves looking at your calendar and seeing if you have any upcoming bill payments. Prioritize bills that are within the next few days.

This may involve moving some money around. For instance, if you have a credit card payment scheduled in three days but you don’t have enough money in your checking account to cover it, transfer some money from your savings.

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3. Review a goal

While you should regularly be checking in on your financial goals, limiting that to one goal a day can help relieve some of the stress that can come with saving for all your milestones.

Maybe you have a vacation coming up in a few months that you want to save a set amount of money for, or you’re planning to buy a car. Review how much you’ve saved and how much you’re saving regularly for the goal, and assess how you can make any changes if need be.

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4. Commit to one task

When it comes to bettering your financial life, even the smallest moves can make a big difference. Take the fourth minute in your routine to identify one task that will improve your finances. You don’t have to do this task right now, but you should make some time for it later in the day.

Some examples are sending an email to your financial advisor, filing an insurance claim, unsubscribing from a streaming service or increasing your 401(k) contribution amount.

5. Digitally declutter

The last minute is for a brief digital declutter, which can include deleting unnecessary files, emails, accounts and more that are taking up brain space, as well as space on your devices.

Unsubscribing to even one newsletter that tempts you to spend money but that no longer offers you value could make the difference between making an impulse purchase and not.