Flipboard 2025 Finance Tips

Pranks Backfired Badly

I used my credit card to fund a YouTube prank channel. Now I’m in debt and banned from the mall. What can I do?

Starting a YouTube channel feels exciting at first. The camera is ready, ideas are flowing, and every purchase seems like an investment in future success. A fake police uniform here, a giant inflatable dinosaur there, maybe some smoke bombs for dramatic effect. The credit card makes it all feel possible. Each swipe promises that the next video will be the one that goes viral and pays everything back. Except the views don't always match the spending, and suddenly there's a balance that wasn't part of the original plan. Add a mall security guard who didn't find the latest prank as funny as the viewers might have, and now there's both a financial problem and a location ban to navigate. But there are practical steps that can fix both situations. It just requires shifting from chaos to strategy, and that shift begins with addressing what's already happened before planning what comes next.
January 29, 2026 Marlon Wright
Relative credit fraud

My mom opened a credit card in my name “to help my credit”. I found out when debt collectors called. How do I fix this?

The call doesn’t come with a warning. A stranger asks for a payment due, uses your full name, and recites numbers you don’t recognize as yours. At first, you assume it’s a mistake. When you finally investigate, the truth surfaces: a credit card was opened in your name by your mother, framed as help, justified as a shortcut to building credit. What you’re actually facing is a financial identity crisis. Debt collectors don’t care about family context, and credit bureaus don’t record intentions. They record liability. If you do nothing, the system assumes consent. This moment matters because the longer the debt sits unresolved, the more control it takes over your financial future.
January 30, 2026 Marlon Wright

My apartment burned down. Even though I have tenant's insurance, my landlord secretly wasn't insured. What now?

An apartment fire can be devastating—especially when you learn your landlord wasn’t insured. Here’s what happens next, what renter’s insurance really covers, and how tenants can protect themselves financially after a disaster.
January 28, 2026 Jack Hawkins

My ex-husband is using part of my own inheritance money to pay me child support. Is it too late to do anything?

There are many good reasons to not commingle your inheritance in a joint account.
January 29, 2026 Alex Summers

I went for a dentist appointment. They extracted the wrong tooth and still billed me $1,000! What can I do now?

A dentist pulled the wrong tooth and still charged $1,000. Learn your rights, how to dispute the bill, and what steps to take next.
January 29, 2026 Jack Hawkins
Where Debit Fails

Places You Should Absolutely Never Use Your Debit Card, According to Experts In Fraud Prevention

Using a debit card feels safe during ordinary errands, until a normal swipe sparks panic. Familiar places lower your guard while the balances freeze unexpectedly, and the shock isn’t just losing money, but realizing access can vanish instantly.
January 29, 2026 Marlon Wright
Money parked aimlessly

I have $900,000 in cash just sitting in my account. What do people like me do with “too much” liquidity?

Having $900,000 sitting in a bank account feels secure at first, but over time, it starts to feel strangely stagnant. The balance is big enough to matter but too idle to feel useful. Most people in this position eventually realize that the real risk is letting it sit still while prices climb and opportunities pass. That tension is usually what pushes them to ask a simple question: What do people with this kind of liquidity actually do to put their money to work without losing sleep? And that’s when the journey becomes less about chasing returns and more about building a clear, sensible structure.
January 29, 2026 Marlon Wright
concerned woman holding phone

I just found out about the $600 rule and I’ve been using Venmo and PayPal all year—am I about to owe a huge tax bill?

A growing number of people are suddenly hearing about a $600 rule connected to Venmo and other cash apps, usually in the form of warnings, screenshots, or half-explained posts. There’s rarely context—just the implication that a normal year of payments may have crossed an invisible line with real consequences.
January 28, 2026 Jesse Singer

After my wife passed away, her will stated that she wanted to be buried. Due to a mix-up, she was cremated. How can we still honor her life?

After a wife’s burial wishes weren’t followed due to a cremation mix-up, this compassionate article explores meaningful, heartfelt ways to honor her life, legacy, and love—proving that remembrance is about intention, not perfection.
January 28, 2026 Jack Hawkins

After my husband passed away, I was left everything. Suddenly, an adopted child is claiming half the inheritance. What do I do?

After her husband’s death, a widow faces an unexpected inheritance claim from an adopted child. This engaging advice article breaks down legal rights, emotional pitfalls, and smart next steps when grief and money collide.
January 28, 2026 Jack Hawkins
Concerned man and mother reviewing documents

My mother is writing her will and asked me to be the executor, but it sounds like a lot of work and I’m worried about messing up—what should I do?

At first, being named executor can sound like an honor. A sign of trust. Then reality kicks in. If your gut says “this feels like too much,” that reaction matters. But it's probably best to starts with understanding what an executor actually does.
January 27, 2026 Jesse Singer
Bride

My wedding venue went bankrupt two weeks before the event. They’re keeping our $8,000 deposit. Do I have any recourse?

Weddings already come with enough pressure. Budgets stretch, plans shift, and timelines feel tight even before problems appear. A venue bankruptcy close to the big day can feel devastating. Deposits vanish overnight while replacement options feel limited. Couples often learn the news late, after months of preparation and payment. Because venues require large deposits far in advance, financial loss hits quickly. Confusion follows just as fast. Legal language suddenly matters, even when emotions run high. This article explains why deposits often disappear during bankruptcies, outlines realistic options for recovering funds, and shows how couples can protect themselves before signing future contracts.
January 26, 2026 Miles Brucker