Home - American Pockets

5 DIY Home Upgrades I Did for Under $500

Olivia Davis

My First Property Flip on a Tight Budget—Here’s What Happened

Eric Jones

How I Tell the Difference Between Cheap and Quality Handmade Goods

Ethan White

Latest Articles

A map of the United States with varying colors representing different levels of healthcare insurance premium increases.

Shifts in Healthcare Premiums by Region This Year

Eric Jones

A map of the United States color-coded to show the different minimum wage rates in each state in 2025.

State-by-State Minimum Wage Changes to Track in 2025

Ava Thompson

New Tax Legislation Affecting Homeowners in 2025

Olivia Davis

A line graph comparing the year-over-year change in shelter costs, used car prices, and overall inflation.

Inflation Update: What Americans Should Know This Month

Ethan White

A couple sits at their kitchen table, surrounded by financial documents, looking thoughtfully at a computer screen showing a mortgage calculator.

Pros & Cons of Bi-Weekly Mortgage Payments

James Miller

A couple sits at a dining room table, reviewing financial documents, with a relaxed and happy expression.

Retirement Withdrawal Strategies for Couples

Ethan White

Deals & Discounts

A woman smiles broadly while looking at her niece in a graduation cap and gown at an outdoor stadium.

I Booked a Hotel at Half Price with a Deal-Hunting App

James Miller

A collection of gifts, including tools, a vacuum cleaner, and a tablet, neatly arranged next to a yellow legal pad and a laptop computer.

I Used Online Auction Sites for Holiday Present Deals

James Miller

A man smiles while holding a pair of khaki chinos he purchased at a discounted price from a clearance rack at an outlet store.

I Snagged Last-Season Clothes for Pennies at Outlet Stores

James Miller

A twilight blue sofa and a brown leather recliner sit in a cozy living room.

How I Saved $500 on My Furniture with Flash Sales

Ava Thompson

Personal Finance

How I Negotiated My Rent and Saved $1,800 a Year

Ethan White

A woman sits at a desk, reviewing documents and a laptop, with a determined expression on her face.

How I Negotiated a Raise (and Used It to Rebuild My Emergency Fund)

Eric Jones

A couple sits on their porch, enjoying coffee and conversation, with a lush garden visible in the background.

I Tried a No-Spend Weekend Challenge for 3 Months—Here’s What I Learned

Ava Thompson

A multigenerational family enjoys a relaxing vacation at a lake house, engaging in various activities like swimming, canoeing, and cooking together.

How I Took a Family Vacation Without Going Into Debt

Ava Thompson

A person cooks a meal in a well-lit kitchen, surrounded by organized pantry items.

12 Easy Ways to Save $100 This Month Without Stress

Emily Johnson

Smart Spending

Camere cu lumini LED

I Replaced Bulbs with LEDs—My Energy Bill Took a Hit

Ethan White

It all started with what I thought was a brilliant, almost foolproof idea. I was standing in the cavernous aisle of a big-box hardware store,

A man sits at a wooden desk reviewing papers and using a computer, highlighting sections of a document with a highlighter.

I Negotiated My Cell Phone Bill—And Got It Cut in Half

Eric Jones

A transformed robin's egg blue side table sits in a room with newly created large-scale abstract art above a floral sofa.

I DIYed Home Decor—Here’s What Pinterest Taught Me

Olivia Davis

A shopper stands in a well-lit store aisle, surrounded by products on shelves, with a partially filled shopping cart nearby.

10 Psychological Tricks Stores Use to Make You Spend More

Olivia Davis

A person sits at a kitchen table with a shopping list, coupons, cash, a laptop showing a price comparison website, and a calendar highlighting a date.

10 Smart Shopping Rules That Will Save You Thousands

Eric Jones

A collection of generic, unbranded everyday items arranged in a grid pattern, including cleaning solutions, canned goods, paper towels, tissues, and soaps.

7 Items You Should Always Buy Generic

Emily Johnson

A well-lit photograph showing a gently used car, vintage furniture, books, baby clothes, and hand tools arranged together.

9 Things You Should Never Buy New

James Miller

A golden key floating above a shopping cart filled with goods, symbolizing the exclusive rewards and benefits of store loyalty programs.

15 Store Loyalty Programs That Are Actually Worth It

Ethan White

A comparison of prices for a laptop from various online retailers, including Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Overstock, and Newegg.

8 Websites That Always Have Better Prices Than Amazon

Emily Johnson

Pocket Watch

A couple smiles while sitting in a clean, well-maintained used sedan parked in a well-lit driveway.

I Monitored the Auto Loan Market—Here’s How I Adjusted

Eric Jones

A series of interconnected, stylized icons representing different market sectors, including buildings, factories, shopping carts, and graphs.

Understanding Market Sectors: Who Wins and Loses During Inflation

Ethan White

A grand image of the Federal Reserve building at sunset, emphasizing its architectural details and conveying a sense of strength and stability.

7 Stocks That Reacted Big to the Fed’s Last Rate Hike

Eric Jones

A graphic depicting upward and downward trending lines representing bull and bear markets, superimposed on a background of stock market ticker data.

Bull vs. Bear Markets: What They Mean and How to Spot the Shift

Emily Johnson

A still life photograph showcasing a selection of high-quality linen napkins, durable kitchen utensils, and simple yet elegant home decor items arranged on a clean, neutral surface.

I Work in E-commerce—Here’s What People Are Buying Less Of

Emily Johnson

A person reviews financial papers at a table with groceries, a new appliance, and a travel brochure; a graph is visible in the background.

How Consumer Spending Drives the Market (and What Slows It Down)

Olivia Davis

A person sits at a desk in a home office, a laptop open displaying a project management tool, with various documents and a coffee cup nearby.

What I Learned Navigating the 2025 Job Market as a Freelancer

James Miller

A couple sits at a kitchen table reviewing financial documents and a budget spreadsheet.

What It’s Like Trying to Save While Prices Keep Going Up

James Miller

A close-up shot of a credit card statement showing an increased minimum payment and interest charged, alongside a newspaper headline about a Federal Reserve interest rate hike.

How a Fed Rate Hike Raised My Credit Card Payment Overnight

Ethan White

An older man and woman stand proudly beside a new blue SUV, smiling at the camera.

I Thought I Locked in a Good Auto Loan—Then Rates Spiked

Ethan White