NEW YORK—After three years, the pandemic-era freeze on student loan payments will end in late August. It might seem tempting to just keep not making payments, but the consequences can be severe, including a hit to your credit score and exclusion from future aid and benefits. More than 40 million Americans will have to start…
It’s Almost Time to Resume Student Loan Payments. Not Doing so Could Cost You
Tree Staking and Palm Trunks
Q: We planted some small trees last year and this spring. We tied stakes to them to hold them up. We tried untying some of last year’s trees and they seemed to be wiggly, so we tied them back up. How long should trees be staked after planting? A: You didn’t say how tight the…
The Miserly Social Security Death Benefit
About a month ago, I wrote a column explaining what family members need to do when a loved one who was getting Social Security benefits dies. I primarily discussed what might need to be done about returning the last Social Security check (depending on the timing of the death). I also used that column to…
Book Review: ‘Overrun: How Joe Biden Unleashed the Greatest Border Crisis in U.S. History’
“Immigration is tough. It always has been because, on the one hand, I think we are naturally a people that wants to help others. And we see tragedy and hardship and families that are desperately trying to get here so that their kids are safe. … At the same time, we’re a nation state. We…
Strawberry-Blueberry Strata Makes Fourth of July Sweeter
When I think of comfort food desserts, the first thing that comes to mind is bread pudding. And strata is a bread custard that has many creative adaptations. From chocolate to dulce de leche flavoring to a hint of caramelized peaches or pumpkin, strata is no one definitive recipe. Whether served in large souffle dishes…
Young Man Fills His One-Bedroom Home With 1,400 Plants: ‘It Takes My Mind Off Overthinking’
Since a spider plant cutting from his grandmother sparked a deep passion for collecting houseplants ten years ago, a young man from England has filled every nook and cranny of his one-bedroom home with a 1,400-strong plant collection. He now shares his green-fingered expertise on his website, hoping to spark the joy of plants in…
School Principal Quits Job to Homeschool Her 3 Kids on a 10-Acre Homestead: ‘I Wanted to Raise Thinkers’
A former school principal who grew frustrated with the school system quit her job and instead chose to homeschool her three kids on a 10-acre (4.05-hectare) homestead. Merging her children’s learning with their land and home, she has created an immersive “real world” educational experience based on her kids’ unique needs. Mandy Davis, 37, lives…
Ask Me Anything: Recycle Prescription Bottles, Help with Student Financial Aid
Dear Cheapskate: Do you know of any place where I can donate empty plastic prescription bottles? It seems such a waste to throw them away.— Susan H., Tennessee Dear Susan: Call your local veterinarian. Most vets are more than happy to receive cleaned prescription bottles with labels removed for dispensing medicines for animals. Humane societies…
The Education and Experiences That Shaped America’s First Founding Father
The midwife who ushered George into the world thought he had the largest bones of any baby she had ever seen. It was February 1732. George took after his father in size and strength and was the first of six children born to Mary and Augustine Washington Sr. The growing Washington family lived a simple…
Meet the All-American Coppersmith Reviving a Nearly-Lost Tradition
Wisconsin native Sara Dahmen blissfully recalls childhood excursions to attend Rendezvous. The annual historical reenactments brought the state’s Fur Trade era back to life, with 18th- and 19th-century settlers, traders, and Native Americans gathering to exchange furs and goods. “I remember seeing these girls and boys, a little bit older than me, in full pioneer,…
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