How to Budget for a Natural Disaster
I can’t even imagine what it feels like for people who have spent their whole lives living in New Orleans to first go through Hurricane Katrina, and now Hurricane Ida.(Read more)
How Do I F%*king Make A Budget?!
As I’ve said before, the first step to rehabbing your finances is admitting you have a problem. And I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, okay Nicole, I’ve admitted it,(Read more)
How To Make An Emergency Fund
The first question about the emergency fund is, what is it for? Well, think about it. If you lose your job… or, hey, I don’t know, maybe it’s a global(Read more)
How To Do A New Year Money Detox In Just 7 Days
Every January, people attempt to detox after the holidays. But usually by week two or three—and certainly by February—we’re back to our old ways: shopping, happy hours, eating ice cream(Read more)
New Year, New You Money Tips
The new year is all about resetting and getting your life back on track. After the year that was 2020, a lot of us are yearning for a restart. Being(Read more)
Five Ways Holiday Shopping Will Be Different This Year
The holidays, like everything else, look different this year. That means holiday shopping will be different too. Don’t expect to do a lot of in-store shopping as cities around the(Read more)
Where To Put That Mani Money
When you’re thinking about how to allocate your money, remember the 3 E’s—essentials, endgame, and extras. You should be putting the majority of your take-home pay (65%) into Essentials, 30(Read more)
How To Stretch Your Stimulus Check & Save Money
So, you received your stimulus check from the government. That’s great! You’ve gotten over the first hurdle. Now what to do with that $1,200? (if that’s how much you received).(Read more)
5 Ways To Stop Drunk Shopping
Drunk might be funny, but it’s not cool. According to a study of more than 2,000 alcohol-consuming American adults, drunk shopping is an estimated $45 billion per year industry with(Read more)
5 Money Tips To Navigate The Pandemic
I wrote three personal finance/business books and covered money news for more than a decade — but I can honestly say, this “new normal” is something I never expected. Sure,(Read more)
How Much Of Your Paycheck You Should Spend vs. Save
It may seem hard to figure out how to make the most of your monthly paycheck when for most of us, it’s not changing month-to-month. But, you can make sure(Read more)
5 Financial Resolutions That Are Almost Fun to Keep
You have to be honest with yourself if you want to take control of your finances. It’s like going to the gym to get in shape but lying about what(Read more)
The Top 5 Ways to Stick To A Budget For Holiday Shopping!
This post is sponsored by Zelle®. Time and money. We all need more of those two things all the time but most especially during this time of year. My mission:(Read more)
10 Retirement Tips
Finally starting to think about retirement, but no idea where to start? Or maybe you’re a bit closer to riding off into the retirement sunset, but aren’t sure you saved(Read more)
QUIZ: Should you buy or rent a home?
If you’re dead set on buying a home, here’s a quiz to see if you are considering everything. Remember that housing should make up about 35% of your overall monthly(Read more)
6 Things Early Tax Filers Need to Know
Early filing: The earlier you file your taxes, the earlier you can get your refund back. If you have your paperwork ready (W-2s from your employer to report any wage(Read more)
7 Steps to Recover from a Holiday Spending Hangover
It’s an easy thing to do: blow your entire month’s budget on holiday shopping, festive outfits, and dining out. Trust me: I’ve been there, too. It wasn’t until I graduated(Read more)
Shop Smarter, Not Harder
If I were to offer three little words of advice to all of the holiday shoppers out there, it would be: don’t. get. crazy. Trust me, it’s easy to do.(Read more)
The 5 Best Apps for Your Financial Health
There’s a ton of research out there about how your finances affect your health. In fact, I did a whole segment with my buddy Dr. Oz about how your shopping(Read more)
The Dirty Shopping Habit Many of Us Have (But No One Talks About!)
We’ve talked about shopping a lot here on NicoleLapin.com, and I’m usually the first to say that shopping is totally fine — as long as you build it into your(Read more)
5 Sneaky Hidden Holiday Expenses (and How to Avoid Them!)
You planned your holiday shopping well in advance; made a detailed list so you’re not tempted to buy extra items; and stashed a little extra dough every month to prepare(Read more)
5 Creative Ways to Save on Last-Minute Holiday Shopping
Down to the wire on your holiday shopping? That doesn’t mean you have to completely blow your budget, especially not when you’ve been on the financial “Nice List” all year!(Read more)
3 Tough Truths About Housing that Will Ultimately Make You Feel Happier in Your Home
When I moved from Atlanta to New York City to start my dream job at CNBC, and started looking for apartments, I almost hyperventilated at the prices. Keep in mind, this(Read more)
How to Car Shop Like a Pro
Need a new car? Sick of your old wheels? Repeat after me: always buy used. Relax, it’s not embarrassing at ALL. Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo, is worth an estimated(Read more)
How To: Organize Your Paper Trail STAT!
If you’re a cash-only person and you don’t hang on to old bills, stop it! Ask for receipts to help you track where the money is really going. And don’t crumple them and(Read more)
10 Holiday Savings Ideas You Haven’t Heard Of (But Should…)
I understand; this time of year is sentimental (and prices on everything from holiday decorations to food to gifts reflect that). But it’s just not worth it to derail your(Read more)
What’s the Deal With Those Banking Booths, Anyway?! (And How to Choose One That’s Right For You)
If you’ve been getting the feeling that those pop-up banking booths are everywhere on college and university campuses lately, you’re not seeing things. Banks prey upon college students. Why? Because(Read more)
3 Things You Should Know About Retirement…NOW
You know you should get going on saving for retirement, but you think “there’s time.” Well, maybe. But that depends on what kind of life you want to live when you retire.(Read more)
7 Bitches Who Are Always Broke
Are you one of these people, or know someone who is? Let me be clear. Being a Rich Bitch is good. (Rich Bitches are the good kinda bitches, like Glinda(Read more)
3 Personal Finance Myths…BUSTED
Myth: “Makeup is a ‘luxury’ item.Nicole says: Makeup is a work investmentGet this: a team of Harvard researchers found recently that wearing a moderate amount of makeup makes your colleagues(Read more)
The Case for Your Morning Pumpkin Spice Latte
If there is one investment I suggest over and over again, it’s this: invest in yourself. Of course, bonds and mutual funds can be great ways to grow your money(Read more)
4 Creative Ways to Go on a Spending Freeze with Your Besties!
I’m not going to hunt you down to make sure you’re keeping track of all of your expenses in your LBD (Little Budget Diary), conquering your debt once and for(Read more)
5 Things Never to Buy Used
I’m all about saving some dough at the local flea market, and there is a ton of stuff that you can score for cheap used. But buyer beware: purchasing some things(Read more)
6 Sneaky Ways to Save on Summer F-U-N
Summertime and the livin’s easy — but also, expensive. As we hit warmer temps and Summer Fridays give way to weekends out with friends, it’s easy to get sucked into overspending.(Read more)
How to Check In on the Best Deal on Hotel Rooms
Traveling is expensive: Americans spend $137 per night on average for hotel rooms alone, not to mention food, souvenirs, and the transportation to get there. But if you’re overpaying for(Read more)
3 Pieces of Unconventional Financial Advice You Can’t Live Without
It’s time to rethink convention and learn to think for yourself. Stop being brainwashed and start making financial decisions for you. Conventional Wisdom #1: Invest in a 401(k). Period. I’ve(Read more)
The Real Deal on the “R” Word: Refinancing
Refinancing is just a fancy word for negotiating a lower rate on your mortgage. The idea is to go to your bank and figure out a good give-and-take to make(Read more)
3 Smart Ways to Game Flash Sales
Online flash sales can offer some steep discounts on your favorite clothes, accessories, and electronics — but can also drain your wallet if you’re not careful. And as with everything in(Read more)
Why Leasing a Car is (Almost) ALWAYS a Terrible Idea
A recent Forbes survey found that purchasing a car is one of the most expensive—and most stressful—expenses in a typical person’s lifetime, right up there with a home, children, and(Read more)
The Pros and Cons of Buying a House
There comes a time in everyone’s life when the prospect of buying a house comes up. After all, it’s the American Dream! Whether it’s by relatives that (probably) have the(Read more)
Don’t Miss These 3 Common Tax Deductions!
YES YOU CAN – get a real tax refund this year. But you have to know how to play the game, and that means going for every possible deduction that(Read more)
The Best Time to Buy EVERYTHING
Buying new stuff is pretty much unavoidable, which is totally fine–because in the end, your money is there to enjoy! However, if you’re gonna spend, why not do it like(Read more)
You CAN and SHOULD Negotiate Your Medical Bills
If you’ve received a medical bill recently, then what I’m about to say likely won’t come as a surprise: in the United States, we spend A LOT on healthcare. In(Read more)
Spring Forward Your Moolah
It’s almost officially spring, and I’m just as excited as you about sunshine and…well, sunshine. Aside from that…who’s ready for a little spring cleaning?! We already changed our clocks, and now(Read more)
The Guide to Renting Like a Pro
When I first moved to Atlanta to start anchoring at CNN, I made a classic financial mistake: I took on more home than I could afford. On my own and(Read more)
3 Secrets of the Self-Employed
In 2011, I took a big risk: I left CNBC, a major network with all of the resources and big media perks in the world, to start my own production(Read more)
5 Corporate Scams You Should Slay Today
Even financial experts like myself can fall pray to scams. A few years ago, I was doing research on the best ways to rehab your credit score. I signed up(Read more)
7 Ways to Boost Your Finances for Under $7
It can feel daunting trying to tackle those financial New Years resolutions, and the last thing you want to do is blow a ton of money getting your budget organized(Read more)
