Mike Brassfield
The Penny Hoarder
Florida, United States
Contact Mike
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
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Past articles by Mike:
Which Gas Station Has the Best Cheap Coffee? We Tried 10 and Ranked Them
Whether you’re on a road trip or picking up a cup while filling your tank on the way to work, make sure you’re getting the best cheap coffee for your money. → Read More
The Cost of Living Keeps Rising — How Are We Supposed to Live? 8 Tips to Get Ahead –
Let’s face it: The cost of living is kicking our butts. If you’re wondering why you’re having trouble getting ahead, it’s because the game is rigged against you. While wages have gone up over the past couple of decades, they haven’t kept up with inflation. To add insult to injury, the cost of big-ticket purchases, like houses, cars and college degrees has increased faster than the pace of… → Read More
5 Things We Don’t Buy Anymore (and 1 Surprising Thing We’re Buying More of) –
Everything has changed over the past year, and we’ve changed, too. We’ve learned some hard lessons. We’ve adopted some new habits and dropped some old ones — especially when it comes to our spending. There are things we simply don’t buy anymore. We just don’t see the point — we’ve officially parted ways with these products. Here are some things we’re just not buying anymore — and one surprising… → Read More
The 7 Best Online Jobs You Can Do with No Experience –
Looking for a new remote job? Remote work has become more common than ever. And luckily, not all work-from-home jobs require a lot of experience. In a number of fields, you can break in right now. For these remote jobs, a willingness to learn tends to matter more than having years of experience. 1. Earn up to $69/Hour Working From Home We get it. There are kids to drop off at school, errands to… → Read More
Fly All You Want on Frontier Airlines With This $399 Summer Pass
Frontier Airlines just unveiled a new summer pass that gets you unlimited flights from May to September for only $399. It’s called the GoWild! Summer Pass. But if you want one, you’ll need to act quickly. There are a limited number of passes available at the $399 introductory rate, and they’re available only for a... → Read More
I’m an Idiot. Don’t Fall for the Phishing Scam I Just Fell for
Don’t be like me. Don’t be dumb. I feel like a fool. After years of occasionally writing articles about scams and fraud, I fell for a simple phishing scam on my cell phone. I gave up my debit card information to a scammer — possibly one based in the tiny European nation of Montenegro. It... → Read More
Drugs to Your Doorstep: Get 50 Generic Medications for $5/Month From Amazon
Striving to compete with America’s biggest pharmacy chains, Amazon is launching a $5-a-month prescription plan in which Amazon Prime members get as many drugs as they need from a roster of 50 generic medications. The medications in question are used to treat more than 80 chronic medical conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, anxiety,... → Read More
Your Car Insurance Is Going Up — Again. Here Are 12 Ways to Lower Your Bill
Wondering how to lower your car insurance bill when it keeps increasing each year? Here are a few simple and practical tips to help you find some savings. → Read More
6 Ways to Make Extra Money if You’re Struggling to Make Ends Meet — From Someone Who’s Been There –
So many of us are in financial survival mode right now. Grocery prices have soared 13% in a year, the worst increase since 1979; gas prices surged above $5 per gallon last summer; inflation hit a 40-year high over the summer and rent prices are up 25% nationwide since 2019. We could all use some extra money right about now. Me, I’m old enough to have lived through a couple of financial crashes.… → Read More
5 Money Habits We’ve Normalized (And How to Break Them) –
We all pick up bad habits. If we keep those bad habits long enough, they become normalized. It feels normal to drink too much, eat too much, spend too much. Over time, a lot of us have normalized some bad financial habits. And they’re costing us money. So much money. Here’s how you can break some of the worst money habits so many of us have normalized. 1. Stop Paying Your Credit Card Company So… → Read More
11 Ways To Make Money Without a Job –
Wondering how to make money without a job? A real job? Well, by “real” job, we mean your classic 9-to-5, Monday-through-Friday desk job. Unless you win the lottery or strike inheritance gold, you can’t really live without an income. But you might be able to replace your day-to-day with more flexible side gigs and forms of passive income. Whether you’re unemployed, disabled, a stay-at-home… → Read More
Should You Leave More Than $1,500 in a Checking Account? –
You’ve done it. You’ve built up a little cushion in your bank account — $1,500! It feels good, right? Those days of checking your account balance in a panic are behind you. Congrats! You’re on the right path, but should you keep that money in your checking account? Frankly, now it’s time to think about some longer-term goals. What do you want to accomplish next with your money? Do you need to… → Read More
6 Easy Ways to Make Extra Money and Cut Bills in a One-Income Household –
Living in a one-income household is like walking a tightrope. You have absolutely no margin for error, and the slightest misstep can spell disaster. That’s a really hard thing to do these days, especially if you’re not used to it. If you’re in this position, we’ve got a list of ways you can start making extra money and cutting bills today: 1. Let This App Pay You up to $83 When You Win Solitaire… → Read More
8 Ways to Survive Being Stranded at the Airport — Without Going Broke
Stuck at the airport because your flight’s delayed or canceled? Here’s how to find out A) if you’re entitled to compensation and B) how to not go broke. → Read More
Watch Out for Misleading College Financial Aid Letters, Feds Warn
Colleges will send you financial aid letters. But the vast majority of those offers are misleading about the true cost of college, the feds are saying. → Read More
Discount War: Sam’s Club Makes Its Hot Dog Combo Even Cheaper Than Costo’s
It’s a hot dog war! Sam’s Club is slashing the price of its hot dog and soda combo, making it cheaper than Costo’s version, which has cost $1.50 since 1985. → Read More
Why December Is the Most Wonderful Time of Year to Buy a Car
When’s the best time of year to buy a car? Let’s see what all the experts say. Edmunds: “Data shows that December is the best time of the year to buy.” Autotrader: “The best time to buy a car is in late December when yearly, quarterly, and monthly sales goals converge.” Cars.com: “Shoppers looking for... → Read More
Lovin’ It: Win a Fabled McGold Card and Get Free McDonald’s for Life
Picture a never-ending river of McNuggets, all for you. A vast lake of Shamrock shakes. A bottomless supply of Big Macs, Quarter Pounders and Egg McMuffins. What’s that? Free McDonald’s for life, you say? Sign us up. Our arteries won’t mind, honest! The fast-food giant just announced it’s making its fabled McGold Card the grand... → Read More
Airlines Got Fined $7M for Cheating Passengers — How to Get Your Money
Six airlines got fined $7 million for not paying canceled flight compensation. Here’s how to get a refund, plus your other rights as an airplane passenger. → Read More
Worried About the Cost of College? We Found 3 Ways to Go for Free
Want to get a degree — but can’t afford the cost? We found nine schools that actually offer a free college education. → Read More