<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>PlanPenny</title><link>https://planpenny.com/</link><description>Personal finance, insurance and budgeting — clear, unbiased, no hype.</description><language>en</language><item><title>Find Forgotten Subscriptions in Your Bank Statements Fast</title><link>https://planpenny.com/find-forgotten-subscriptions-in-your-bank-statements-fast-01c2f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/find-forgotten-subscriptions-in-your-bank-statements-fast-01c2f</guid><description>A step-by-step audit to spot hidden recurring charges, from app store bills to annual renewals, cancel what you don&#x27;t use, and keep them from coming back.</description><pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>9 Things Car Insurers Check Besides Your Driving Record</title><link>https://planpenny.com/9-things-car-insurers-check-besides-your-driving-record-870f3</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/9-things-car-insurers-check-besides-your-driving-record-870f3</guid><description>Clean record but high premium? Insurers also score your credit, ZIP code, car model, mileage, age, and gaps in coverage. See each factor and what you can change.</description><pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Retirement Savings Gap Before 40: The 4-Step Math to Check</title><link>https://planpenny.com/retirement-savings-gap-before-40-the-4-step-math-to-check-667ef</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/retirement-savings-gap-before-40-the-4-step-math-to-check-667ef</guid><description>Check in 20 minutes whether your retirement savings are on track before 40. Four steps, one example, and what to do if the gap is bigger than expected.</description><pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Quit Credit Cards Cold Turkey Without Tanking Your Score</title><link>https://planpenny.com/quit-credit-cards-cold-turkey-without-tanking-your-score-06c26</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/quit-credit-cards-cold-turkey-without-tanking-your-score-06c26</guid><description>Want to stop using credit cards completely? Don&#x27;t close them yet. Here&#x27;s how to quit spending on cards while keeping your credit score safe, step by step.</description><pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Got a Raise? Audit Your Budget Before Lifestyle Creep Hits</title><link>https://planpenny.com/got-a-raise-audit-your-budget-before-lifestyle-creep-hits-c3d10</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/got-a-raise-audit-your-budget-before-lifestyle-creep-hits-c3d10</guid><description>A raise only helps if you decide where it goes before you spend it. Use this 6-step budget audit to find your real take-home pay and assign every dollar.</description><pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Term Life Length: Match It to Your Youngest Child&#x27;s Age</title><link>https://planpenny.com/term-life-length-match-it-to-your-youngest-childs-age-14ea4</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/term-life-length-match-it-to-your-youngest-childs-age-14ea4</guid><description>Pick a term life length that lasts until your family no longer needs your paycheck. See how to count the years, sample terms, and laddering tips.</description><pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Debt-to-Income Ratio for a Consolidation Loan: Do the Math</title><link>https://planpenny.com/debt-to-income-ratio-for-a-consolidation-loan-do-the-math-fac10</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/debt-to-income-ratio-for-a-consolidation-loan-do-the-math-fac10</guid><description>Add your monthly debt payments, divide by gross monthly income, multiply by 100. See how a consolidation loan changes your DTI before you apply.</description><pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Savings Rate on Commission Income: The 12-Month Method</title><link>https://planpenny.com/savings-rate-on-commission-income-the-12-month-method-c104c</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/savings-rate-on-commission-income-the-12-month-method-c104c</guid><description>Commission pay jumps around, so a monthly savings rate lies. Use a 12-month rolling method, a base-pay budget and a simple table to see what you really save.</description><pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>First Brokerage Account: How to Open It and Skip Fees</title><link>https://planpenny.com/first-brokerage-account-how-to-open-it-and-skip-fees-e96c4</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/first-brokerage-account-how-to-open-it-and-skip-fees-e96c4</guid><description>Open your first brokerage account in about 20 minutes, fund it without fees, and avoid the transfer and account charges that catch beginners off guard.</description><pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Lower Utility Bills Without the Thermostat: 12 Fixes</title><link>https://planpenny.com/lower-utility-bills-without-the-thermostat-12-fixes-44651</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/lower-utility-bills-without-the-thermostat-12-fixes-44651</guid><description>12 practical ways to lower electric, gas and water bills without changing your thermostat: water heater setting, leaks, rate plans and free utility help.</description><pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Auto Insurance Declarations Page: Decode It Line by Line</title><link>https://planpenny.com/auto-insurance-declarations-page-decode-it-line-by-line-151fc</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/auto-insurance-declarations-page-decode-it-line-by-line-151fc</guid><description>What 50/100/25 means, where your deductible hides, and the 7 lines on your auto insurance declarations page to check before you renew or file a claim.</description><pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Build an Emergency Fund Fast Without a New Bank Account</title><link>https://planpenny.com/build-an-emergency-fund-fast-without-a-new-bank-account-46a4b</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/build-an-emergency-fund-fast-without-a-new-bank-account-46a4b</guid><description>Learn step‑by‑step how to create a solid emergency fund using your current accounts. Simple budgeting, automatic transfers, and smart tricks in plain language.</description><pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Index Funds in a Roth IRA: How It Works and How to Start</title><link>https://planpenny.com/index-funds-in-a-roth-ira-how-it-works-and-how-to-start-0b818</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/index-funds-in-a-roth-ira-how-it-works-and-how-to-start-0b818</guid><description>Yes, you can hold index funds in a Roth IRA. See how the account and the fund fit together, the steps to buy, contribution rules, and mistakes to avoid.</description><pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Grocery Budget for a Family Eating 3 Different Diets</title><link>https://planpenny.com/grocery-budget-for-a-family-eating-3-different-diets-be1d2</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/grocery-budget-for-a-family-eating-3-different-diets-be1d2</guid><description>Gluten-free kid, dairy-free spouse, low-carb you? Build one grocery budget that feeds everyone without cooking three dinners or paying specialty prices.</description><pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Pay Off Credit Card Debt and Protect Your Credit Score</title><link>https://planpenny.com/pay-off-credit-card-debt-and-protect-your-credit-score-c051c</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/pay-off-credit-card-debt-and-protect-your-credit-score-c051c</guid><description>Paying down cards should raise your score, but a few common moves backfire. Keep accounts open, pay on time, and pick the payoff order that fits you.</description><pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Car Insurance After a Lapse: How Insurers Price Your Risk</title><link>https://planpenny.com/car-insurance-after-a-lapse-how-insurers-price-your-risk-f9b12</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/car-insurance-after-a-lapse-how-insurers-price-your-risk-f9b12</guid><description>A gap in car insurance raises your rate. See how insurers weigh gap length, reason, driving record and credit, and 8 steps to get a lower quote again.</description><pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>What Your Index Funds Really Cost: Expense Ratio Math</title><link>https://planpenny.com/what-your-index-funds-really-cost-expense-ratio-math-5fc80</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/what-your-index-funds-really-cost-expense-ratio-math-5fc80</guid><description>Learn the simple formula to find the blended expense ratio across all your index funds, see what it costs in dollars, and spot the fund worth replacing.</description><pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Rent Increase? What to Cut, Shift, and Renegotiate First</title><link>https://planpenny.com/rent-increase-what-to-cut-shift-and-renegotiate-first-1dd0f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/rent-increase-what-to-cut-shift-and-renegotiate-first-1dd0f</guid><description>Your rent just jumped and the numbers don&#x27;t fit anymore. Here&#x27;s a step-by-step plan to cut, shift, and renegotiate so your budget works again.</description><pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Paying Off Debt? How Credit Utilization Moves Your Score</title><link>https://planpenny.com/paying-off-debt-how-credit-utilization-moves-your-score-62cd8</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/paying-off-debt-how-credit-utilization-moves-your-score-62cd8</guid><description>Paying down cards changes your utilization month by month. Learn the 30% and 10% lines, why balance transfers can backfire, and which card to pay first.</description><pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Will One Claim Raise Your Insurance Rates? What Changes</title><link>https://planpenny.com/will-one-claim-raise-your-insurance-rates-what-changes-3717d</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://planpenny.com/will-one-claim-raise-your-insurance-rates-what-changes-3717d</guid><description>How long a claim follows you, which claims hurt most, when insurers drop you, and a simple break-even test to decide whether filing is worth it.</description><pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item></channel></rss>