Stanley Adventure 30-Quart Cooler Only $66 With Code (reg. $125)

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Pop on over to Stanley where the Stanley Adventure Cold For Days 30-Quart Cooler on sale for $82.50 (reg. $165), plus save an extra 20% with code.

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Stanley Adventure Cold For Days Outdoor 30-Quart Cooler – $82.50 (reg. $165)
-Use code TFG20
Makes it $66!

Offer valid thru 6/1. Shipping adds $6.95.

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Pop on over to Stanley where the Stanley Adventure Cold For Days 30-Quart Cooler on sale for $82.50 (reg. $165), plus save an extra 20% with code. Use code TFG20 at checkout to get the extra discount. Get in blue or orange. Here’s the deal: Stanley Adventure Cold For Days Outdoor 30-Quart Cooler – $82.50 (reg. $165) -Use codeRead More

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Is Now a Good Time to Refinance Your Car Loan?

miniseries / Getty Images Deciding whether or not to refinance depends on your credit situation and the broader economy.Car loan rates have dropped recently, but that doesn't necessarily mean you should run to the closest bank and refinance your car loan. Compared to pandemic-era lows, rates remain high. The potential upsides of refinancing vary by your original deal, loan type, and financial health. Key TakeawaysAuto loan rates typically move alongside the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy.If the fed funds rate has decreased since you took out an auto loan, it could be a good time to refinance.You could also benefit from refinancing if you took out a car loan when interest rates were at their highest or your financial circumstances were poor.Determine whether to refinance by checking your credit, determining eligibility, and comparing top offers against your current auto loan.Have Auto Loan Interest Rates Gone Up or Down?Auto loan rates are influenced by the federal funds rate, the target interest rate range banks use to trade with one another overnight. The Federal Reserve sets this rate to influence economic conditions. It lowers the rate to stimulate growth and raises it to cool an overheated economy. Following over two years of steady increases meant to curb inflation, the Fed cut the federal funds rate three times in the back half of 2024. Auto loan rates largely moved in tandem. Per Experian, the average auto loan rate on a new car was 6.35% in Q4 2024, down from a recent high of 7.18% one year earlier. The average auto loan rate on a used car dipped from 11.97% to 11.62% in the same timeframe.Where Are Auto Loan Rates Headed Next?The Fed has kept the federal funds range the same through 2025, a trend analysts expect to continue in the short term. The CME Group publishes a tool that shows the probability of fed rate changes at upcoming meetings, as given by interest rate traders. You can check this tool anytime to see the current likelihood of a rate increase or decrease in the near future, which can help you decide if now is a good time to refinance. If rates are expected to go down, it might make sense to wait; if rates are expected to go up, you might want to refinance sooner rather than later. Don’t take those odds as guarantees; they’re subject to changing quickly in response to economic conditions.When it comes to 2025 rate changes, at the beginning of the year, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the central bank is adopting a wait-and-see approach to rate cuts, given uncertainty over how the Trump administration’s trade policies will affect the economy. Even if the Fed starts lowering rates, there’s no guarantee car loan rates will immediately follow suit. “Auto loan rates tend to be sticky on the downside, while not as sticky on the upside,” said Robert R. Johnson, chartered financial analyst (CFA) and professor of finance at Heider College of Business, Creighton University. Current auto loan rates remain high relative to pandemic-era lows. According to Experian data, the average auto loan rates on new cars and used cars were 3.95% and 8.84%, respectively, in Q2 2020.Should You Refinance? Here's How to KnowSome borrowers can likely benefit from refinancing right now. “If you got stuck with something in the double digits when rates were still climbing, now could be a window to shop around for something a little less impactful to your finances,” said Christopher M. Naghibi, executive vice president and chief operating officer at First Foundation Bank. You can also benefit by refinancing if your financial situation has improved since getting your auto loan, as lenders factor your credit history, credit score, debt, and income level into their offers.Start by checking your current loan amount, your APR, the amount you’ll pay in interest, and your payoff timeline. Then, compare those details to the best auto refinance loan offers you can get.These additional steps can help your decision-making process.Determine Eligibility Some auto lenders have waiting periods (related to title transfers), mileage requirements, or vehicle age caps for borrowers looking to refinance. They also might impose minimum and maximum loan amounts to qualify.Shop for and Compare OffersExplore the top auto refinancing loans on the market. Look at current annual percentage rates (APRs) from lenders as opposed to pre-qualification or application offers, which are sometimes outdated and not guaranteed. “The bottom line is that you must be able to beat your current interest rate for it to be worthwhile,” said Brian Moody, executive editor for AutoTrader.Evaluate the Full PackageIf you want to refinance to lower your monthly payment, understand what you’ll pay in the long term.“Don’t get blinded by ‘lower payments’ if it means stretching the loan out another five to seven years,” Naghibi said. “That interest can more than double the real cost of your purchase price.”Investopedia’s auto loan calculator can help you understand the trade-offs. Prepayment penalties, origination fees, and title transfer and re-registration fees can also sour a refinancing deal. Be sure to include these in your cost comparison.The Bottom Line Auto loan rates dipped a bit in 2024. However, in Q2 of 2025, they were still high relative to pandemic-level lows. It’s difficult to say how auto loan rates will move in the future, given the degree of economic uncertainty. In general, the decision-making process always remains the same. Borrowers can benefit from refinancing now if they took out a loan when rates were elevated or their financial situation was poor. It’s worth checking to see where rates are headed in the coming months, because if they’re expected to drop it may make sense to wait before refinancing. Compare top offers to what you're paying currently to determine the best move for you.
You Can Dramatically Lower Your Credit Card Bills With This Trick — Do This Before Your Next Due Date

Ippei Naoi / Getty Images You don't have to pay credit card interest in most cases if you follow this simple rule.Credit card balances can accumulate interest at extremely high rates, compared to other forms of debt. This makes it crucial to manage your credit cards wisely if you’d like to enjoy their many benefits.The good news? Credit cards generally offer a grace period, giving you time to pay off your purchases without interest if you follow certain rules. Here, we’ll dive into credit card grace period basics, plus common but avoidable pitfalls that may lead you to accumulate interest.Key TakeawaysYou can avoid paying credit card interest completely if you understand how grace periods work. This is wise because credit cards tend to have higher rates than personal loans and other debts.Each billing cycle, you’re given a few weeks to pay off your statement balance before interest is charged—this is the grace period.If you pay your statement balance in full by the due date, you won’t be charged interest.If you don’t pay it in full, you’ll incur interest charges on that balance (with some exceptions), plus on any other purchases you make afterward.How to Avoid Paying Credit Card Interest: The Grace PeriodYou can avoid paying credit card interest completely if you take advantage of your card’s grace period.Here, we’ll explore how the grace period works by walking through a typical credit card billing cycle.Your billing cycle begins soon after you open a credit card. Your card issuer will provide you with a “closing date,” which you should be able to find after logging in to your issuer’s mobile app or online portal.When your closing date arrives, your “statement balance” is generated. This combines all transactions from the first day of the billing cycle until the closing date, including any purchases, fees, credits, and adjustments that have fully processed. Transactions that are still pending will be applied to your next statement balance.Once your statement balance is generated, you should see a “payment due date” for that statement period. It’s usually one billing cyclen away, a few weeks in the future. Those weeks, starting with your closing date and leading up to your payment due date, are your grace period.Pay your statement balance in full by the payment due date, and you won’t be charged interest. Fail to do so, and you’ll be charged interest on the part of your statement balance you didn’t pay, plus on any new purchases you make after that.Most issuers let you set up automatic payments. Consider using autopay to pay your statement balance by the due date. Just be sure to check that the payment goes through every month.Losing Your Grace Period (and Getting It Back)If you don’t pay your full statement balance by the closing date, you’ll likely lose your grace period. And you won’t just be charged interest on the rest of your statement balance. Interest will begin to accumulate on any other purchases you make, too, starting the day you make them.You can often get your grace period back, though. Pay your statement balance by the due date for consecutive months, and it may be reinstated. Policies vary, so check your card terms or contact your issuer if you’re curious about their rules.ImportantSome credit cards offer 0% purchase APR for a limited promotional period. You won’t be charged interest on purchases during this period, although you’ll still have a minimum monthly payment to make. And if you carry a month-to-month balance, you’ll still lose your grace period. This means interest will begin to accumulate at the standard rate as soon as the promotional period ends, so be sure to pay off your balance before that.Other Situations Where You Might Pay InterestLosing your grace period isn’t the only situation where you might be hit with credit card finance charges. Other things to look out for include:Cash advances: Cash advances have no grace period. Interest accrues starting the day of the transaction, and often at a higher rate than normal. You may also be charged a fee.Deferred interest offers: Some zero percent offers use deferred interest. Rather than charging you interest on any remaining balance when the promotional period ends, you’re charged interest on the full initial balance retroactively if you miss a payment or don’t abide by the terms. Balance transfers: Interest is usually charged separately on balance transfers, so even if you have a 0% APR for new purchases, you may be charged interest on a transferred balance (some balance transfer offers provide a “low” interest rate, rather than 0%). The common theme? Most of these nuances should be spelled out clearly in your card's terms and conditions. Always read them thoroughly before you proceed.Use Your Credit Cards—Don't Be Used By ThemCredit card interest can, understandably, feel intimidating. At such high rates, charges can quickly spiral out of control. But if you’re mindful, you’ll never have to pay a penny of it. Pay your statement balance on time and in full, and you’ll steer clear of interest charges while enjoying the vast array of perks that credit cards bring to the table. And you’ll be building your credit in the process—a bonus with long-term benefits.
Tax Bill Shock? Realign Your Budget With 6 Simple Tips This Year

FRAME STUDIO / Getty Images Follow these simple steps to adjust your budget and get back on track.Tax season doesn’t always end on a boon. In fact, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data suggest the number of Americans receiving a refund is decreasing. Consider these strategies to reset your budget if a surprisingly large tax bill has tampered with your financial health. Key TakeawaysAddress short-term cash flow issues by trimming unnecessary expenses, pausing investments, and postponing large purchases for 30 to 60 days.Replenish your emergency fund, draft a new budget, and test new money management techniques to set yourself up for long-term success.Avoid repeating last year’s missteps by understanding why you received the bill. Common issues include missed write-offs and unaddressed income changes. Adjust your tax withholding or plan for quarterly estimated payments to avoid a big year-end tax bill in 2026.Tip 1: Pause and ResetIf a big tax bill has caught you completely off-guard, “don’t panic,” said Karla Dennis, enrolled tax agent and founder of KDA, Inc. Instead, review your cash flow and commit to making some challenging, but critical cutbacks, at least in the short term.“Start trimming non-essential expenses for the next few months to free up funds,” Dennis said. Other ways to avoid cash flow shortages include pausing new investments and postponing large purchases, said Cindy Kumar, Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and owner of Elevated Accounting.Tip 2: Replenish Your Emergency FundExperts generally recommend having at least three to six months of expenses banked in emergency savings. If your nest egg is now below that level, set up or increase direct deposits from your paychecks to a dedicated savings account. Alternatively, consider upping automatic recurring transfers between your checking and savings accounts. “Even saving $200 to $300 a week adds up quickly when it’s consistent,” Kumar said. That’s true for smaller amounts, too.Tip 3: Determine Why You Owed Understanding why you received a big tax bill is critical if you hope to avoid one in the future. “A big issue I see is when both spouses are working, or someone has multiple jobs, and their withholdings just don’t line up,” Young said. “Bonuses are another common culprit.”Large income jumps, missed write-offs, insufficient estimated quarterly payments, and lifestyle changes, such as marriage or divorce, are also factors.“I always do a full review with clients so we can course-correct fast,” Kumar said.Tip 4: Adjust Tax Withholdings or AllocationsA hefty tax bill usually means you’re underpaying state and federal taxes throughout the year. Adjust your tax withholdings to correct this.W-2 employees can use the IRS’s Tax Withholding Estimator to determine how much money should come out of their paychecks. If necessary, you can adjust your tax withholding by completing and filing a new W-4 with your employer.Self-employed individuals must make quarterly payments if they expect to owe $1,000 or more when they file their return. Otherwise, they face a penalty. “I suggest setting aside money monthly, so they’re ready when those quarterly deadlines hit,” said Mai Young, certified financial planner (CFP) and founder of Heartworth Financial. Tip 5: Draft Your Budget Changes to tax withholding or tax planning and reallocation will likely affect your cash flow, so updating your budget is crucial. Top budgeting apps like You Need a Budget (YNAB), PocketGuard, or Monarch Money sync with your financial accounts, track your spending, and identify where you can improve.They can also introduce you to new money management techniques. For instance, YNAB uses zero-based budgeting. This system forces you to justify all spending by allocating each and every dollar of your take-home pay, giving every dollar a job.Tip 6: Incorporate Your Payment PlanThe IRS offers payment plans that allow individuals to pay outstanding taxes over 180 days to 72 months. If you’ve set up a payment plan, account for what you owe each month in your new budget.Similarly, “if the tax bill was paid using a credit card or loan, prioritize a debt repayment strategy with a focus on paying down high-interest debt first,” Hunter Lord, CFP and investment advisor representative with Essential Planning, said. That describes a common debt payoff strategy called the debt avalanche method, which has you make all your minimum payments while putting extra funds towards the highest interest rate first. This helps you save the most money over time. Other common debt repayment strategies include the debt snowball method, where you put extra funds toward the lowest balance first. Breathe Easier Next Tax SeasonA surprise tax bill is unpleasant, but it doesn’t have to derail your finances long term. Get back on track by cutting non-essential spending, rebuilding your emergency fund, and committing to a better budget. Prepare for next year by reviewing tax obligations, understanding why you received a bill, setting extra funds aside, and adjusting tax withholding as needed. “Make it part of your financial routine to project out your tax mid-way into the year to get a sense [whether] you are paying enough,” Lord said.We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.