Shopping around for insurance is essential to finding the best deal and having the right coverage.
Kim Maxwell Vu, Star Tribune
Shopping around for insurance is essential to finding the best deal and having the right coverage.

No one likes shopping for home or auto insurance. Here are tips to make saving less onerous.

May 20
Shopping around for insurance has always been essential to finding the best deal and having the right coverage for unexpected emergencies. But as the costs to repair and replace possessions continue to rise — and the prevalence of extreme weather also increases — choosing an insurance carrier and coverage has become an even more important decision.
Rachel Hopper and her son Espen Hopper-Willams filled out the FAFSA form together on a laptop during the financial aid workshop at South High School i

How to make sense of a college financial aid package

May 13
With FAFSA woes delaying aid offers, these tips can help families make comparisons on a tight deadline.
Graduation season is a time of celebrating accomplishments and extending best wishes for life’s next chapter, but it can also be a time of stress wh

How to survive graduation season: What you need to know about parties, gifts and planning

May 6
Managing graduation parties, events and gifts Minneapolis
After the recent National Association of Realtors settlement about commissions, many buyers, sellers and their agents are left wondering what this mea

What commission changes mean for Minnesota homebuyers, sellers and agents

April 29
The National Association of Realtors' settlement, reached in March, is most likely to affect those looking to purchase a home.
Yasameen Sajady, left, Fatimah Sajady and Sheilla Sajady of Maazah.

How to avoid going broke soon after starting a business

April 22
From better money management to getting a second job, entrepreneurs share what they do when the business comes first.
FILE- In this July 10, 2018, file photo bottles of medicine ride on a belt at a mail-in pharmacy warehouse in Florence, N.J. Drug companies are still

How to save money at the pharmacy counter

April 15
Health insurance benefits are the first tool, but shopping around, paying cash and accessing coupons are strategies to consider, as well.
Real estate agents Nate Campion, Tricia Anderson, and Carrie Gibbs with Century 21 Moline Realty stand for a portrait outside a manufactured home Camp

Homeownership could cost you under $100,000 if you consider a manufactured home

April 8
Formerly called mobile homes, these types of dwellings could be a good bet for prospective buyers struggling with record home prices and rising rents.
Community supported agriculture, or CSA, is a way to receive fresh produce straight from a local farm.

Farm out your groceries this summer with a CSA subscription

April 1
Community supported agriculture offers big-time nutrition and local produce, as long as you're willing to cook — and eat — whatever your farmer provides.
Women pay more for everyday items they need, from period products to razors and shampoos.

Women's salaries are lower than men's, but the pink tax costs them more. Here's how to push back.

March 25
Women pay thousands of dollars more than men each year for necessary items.
An illustration of question mark cutouts overlaying FAFSA forms.

With the Better FAFSA still in limbo, here's what to do as college decisions loom

March 18
Delays and glitches with the simplified Free Application for Federal Student Aid has addled many students and their families.
Big state and federal infrastructure investments as well as the warmer winter weather have continued to drive a hiring push.

Here's how to start a construction career and make six figures within a few years

March 11
With many contractors saying they can't hire enough workers, establishing a career in carpentry, masonry, heating and the like can be lucrative work.
Business
March 4
Nanny Faith Black-Tschida (middle) played with Caleb, 3, Ella, 7, and Alice, 5 at their home in Edina on a recent day. Their mother, Sarah Wilson, fou

Finding a nanny can be time consuming. Here are three ways to find the right caregiver

From nanny agencies to a Facebook group, some options for finding a caregiver require more financial investment and others more time and effort.
Business
February 26
DeLonn Crosby, inventor of the ToyBot, spoke into the plush robot’s chest as his family helped assemble and box the various toys at their working sp

Have an idea for an invention but no formal training? Here's how to do it

Minnesota entrepreneurs share ways they turned an idea into a physical, commercial product.
Business
February 19
Santorini is among Greece's hot spots for travel.

Planning an international trip is complicated. These are the elements to consider.

There's a lot to weigh beyond just destination when you want to travel abroad for your next vacation.
Business
February 12
Hands are seen rolling a joint on an employee handbook.

What every business needs to know about Minnesota's marijuana laws

Even if you don't work in the cannabis industry, you still need to make sure your company's policies reflect the state's new legalization laws.
Business
February 5
With the pandemic canceling many programs, fewer college students took an internship in 2020. That has rebounded since, but many programs have changed

How to find an internship that meets your needs as a company or student

Interns can be more than cheap summer help with a little creativity.
Business
January 29
Luis Moreno, an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, has conducted training sessions in emotional intell

Being a boss isn't just about IQ. Developing emotional intelligence is a new necessity

Working on your EQ can not only make you a better leader, but it can also influence your business' bottom line.
Business
January 18
There are two levels of charger your electric vehicle can use at your home.

Charging your electric vehicle is half the battle. Take these steps to make your home EV ready.

What the experts say about the cost and logistics of readying your house with one of the two types of electric vehicle chargers.
Business
January 15
Cool waves wash up on South Maui beach at Wailea, Maui.

The year just started, but plan your time off now so you actually use all of it

Take a breather — actually, take several — by using up all your vacation time in 2024.
Business
January 8

You've built a business that's ready to sell. Here's how some Twin Cities entrepreneurs did it.

Whether it's an investor-backed startup looking for a substantial profit by selling the business or a person near retirement, having an exit strategy or succession plan is imperative.
Business
January 1
The average wedding guest spends $611 per wedding they attend, according to a 2023 Bankrate survey.

From borrowed attire to skipping showers: How to save money as a guest during wedding season

The average guest spends more than $600 for each wedding they attend.
Business
December 25, 2023
Greg Ladwig bought meat, bread and cheese at Conger Meat Market in Conger, Minn. on Dec. 11.

Bypass the grocery store meat counter and buy the quarter-beef (or half-hog) to save money

Since the pandemic's run on meat at grocery stores, the old-school lockers of rural Minnesota — purveyors of prime beef, steaks, even lutefisk and once destined for the chopping block — are enjoying a renaissance.
Business
December 18, 2023
Spend your FSA balance before it expires by stocking your medicine cabinet. Most plans cover over-the-counter medications and first-aid supplies, incl

How to use — and not lose — your FSA dollars as the end of year approaches

FSAs can be a great way to save money on certain medical expenses, but research suggests that roughly 50% of workers each year wind up forfeiting funds.
Business
December 11, 2023
A conference will look at whether scenes like this, all too familiar last winter, will make a return.

Winterization wonderland: Preparing your home and car for the season

Breaking down the basics to keep warm and safe for many winters to come.
Business
December 4, 2023
“More inclusive workplaces are also more productive workplaces,” said Eddy Rojas, the creator of St. Thomas’ master of arts in diversity leaders

How to make your workplace more inclusive and develop leadership around DEI

To address that need and accelerate progress on companies' diversity, equity and inclusion objectives, the University of St. Thomas created a master of arts degree in diversity leadership.
Business
November 27, 2023
The national median cost of a funeral with burial has risen to $8,300 this year, according to the National Funeral Directors Association.

It's your funeral: Here's how to plan so your loved ones don't have to

From burial to cremation to composting, what to know about options — and costs — when planning what to do with your or a loved one's remains.
Business
November 20, 2023
It’s the time of year when many are thinking about presents to exchange for holidays, hosting gifts for parties and end-of-year festivities at work.

The holiday gift puzzle: Who should get a gift, and what should it be?

From family to friend to coworkers, here's how to cope with the sometimes-stressful present-giving tradition.
Business
November 13, 2023
We need to learn how to interact with each other again.

We forgot our manners during work-from-home — how to relearn office etiquette

Pros offer Office Etiquette 101 lessons as workers return to their desks.
Business
November 6, 2023
Long-time shopper Sandy Solberg checked out the offerings at Resale Select thrift store Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023 Plymouth, Minn. ] GLEN STUBBE • glen.

How to thrift like a pro (even during the holidays)

Twin Cities thrift and vintage store managers offer tips on how to snag the best finds, and provide creative and bargain gifts for people on your list.
Business
October 30, 2023
Estate planning, whether as a will or trust, helps you plan for what happens to all your stuff when you die.

Let your dying wishes be known by estate planning — before it's too late

Estate planning involves taking inventory of your assets and liabilities and deciding how your survivors deal with those upon your death.