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Kevin Mercadante

Kevin Mercadante

Since 2009, Kevin Mercadante has been sharing his journey from a washed-up mortgage loan officer emerging from the Financial Meltdown as a contract/self-employed “slash worker” – accountant/blogger/freelance web content writer – on Out of Your Rut.com. He offers career strategies, from dealing with under-employment to transitioning into self-employment, and provides “Alt-retirement strategies” for the vast majority who won’t retire to the beach as millionaires.

Kevin frequently discusses the big-picture trends that are putting the squeeze on the bottom 90%, offering work-arounds and expense cutting tips to help readers carve out more money to save in their budgets – a.k.a., breaking the “savings barrier” and transitioning from debtor to saver.

Best business savings accounts

Does your business frequently have high deposit balances? If so, you should be earning interest on those deposits at one of the best business savings accounts. Here are six of the top banks.
how to invest $100K

Best ways to invest $100K in June 2024

You can invest $100K in a variety of ways, but it’s important to consider your financial needs to make the best use of the money.
the best place to open a Roth IRA account

What is the best place to open a Roth IRA account in June 2024?

Here is the best place to open a Roth IRA account in 2024, plus no fewer than eight runners-up in case you don’t agree with our choice. You can choose the best match for your investment style and preferences.
M1 Finance review

M1 Finance review: A top-notch self-directed investing platform for all investors

If you like choosing your own investment securities, but don’t want to manage them, M1 Finance can help.
Masterworks investing review

Masterworks investing review: A novel way to invest in art

If you’ve been looking for a true alternative asset to invest in – one that isn’t correlated with the financial markets – art has great potential. Masterworks specializes in fine art investments. Learn how to invest in the platform here.
Robinhood investing review

Robinhood investing review 2024: Trade stocks and get an IRA match

Robinhood has expanded beyond being a commission-free stock and ETF trading platform. They now offer commission-free trading in options and crypto, access to IPOs and a very attractive IRA contribution match.
best money-making apps

10 best money-making apps for June 2024

With high prices brought on by inflation, finding ways to make extra money is one of the best strategies to fight back. To help you find a solution we’re drilling down on the nine best money-making apps of 2024.

What are the best dividend stocks?

Dividend stocks offer a combination of steady income and capital appreciation. They can be an excellent choice in a retirement portfolio, and dividends make the stocks less volatile. Here’s how to invest in dividend stocks.

APR vs. APY: What's the difference?

If you don’t know the difference between APR and APY, you’re in good company. The two abbreviations are similar, but one applies to loans and the other to savings products. Learn the difference here.
J.P. Morgan Chase sign

J.P. Morgan Investing review 2024: Self-directed investing with the world's largest bank

If you are a Chase Bank customer, you may be interested to know you can invest where you bank through J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing.

What is an index fund and how does it work?

Index funds hold securities according to an index that tracks the securities, like the S&P 500 or the Nasdaq. Index funds are a way for investors to participate in broad or specific markets at very low cost, and are lower risk than individual stocks.
Public review

Public review: An AI-powered investing app with community features

Public offers community participation with other investors on the platform, AI-driven security analysis and investing in alternative assets, like crypto and royalties.
investing review

Yieldstreet review 2024: Alternative investments online

Yieldstreet is an online investment platform providing investments in alternative assets. That includes art, short-term notes, private credit, crypto and more.
What are a bonds and how do they work?

What are a bonds and how do they work?

What are bonds, and how do they work? Knowing what a bond is and how it works will help get a better idea of why you should include them in your investment portfolio.
recovery rebate credit

What is the recovery rebate credit and how to claim it?

If you did not receive all the COVID-19 pandemic economic stimulus payments in 2020 or 2021, you may still be able to file for payments through the Recovery Rebate Credit.
What is a put option?

What is a put option?

A put option is a contract giving an investor the right to sell a security for a profit in the event the security drops in price during a specified window of time. Learn more about put options and how they work here.
TradeStation investing review

TradeStation investing review 2024

If you’re an advanced trader, participating in either active trading or options trading, TradeStation should be on your short list of brokers.
How to choose a financial advisor

How to choose a financial advisor: Five necessary steps

If you have a large amount of money, or you’d just like to learn how to manage your money better, it may be time to hire a financial advisor. But first, you’ll need to choose a financial advisor.
Stocks vs bonds

Bonds vs. stocks: What you need to know

Bonds versus stocks implies a competition between these two types of investments. This may be true sometimes, but the strengths of one can offset the weaknesses of the other, which is why it’s important to include both in your investment portfolio.
What is a stop-loss order?

What is a stop-loss order?

A stop-loss order is an investment tool used to limit downside risk in stock positions. Here’s how you can use it to better manage risk in your portfolio.
What is a call option?

What is a call option?

A call option is a financial contract that gives the holder of the contract the right to buy an asset at a specified price within a specific timeframe.

Best installment loans for 2024

If you’re not having much success getting your credit card debt under control, you should try an installment loan. You can consolidate your credit cards with a single monthly payment. Here are the best installment loans available.