By Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach®
To get a handle on your finances, you must be able to distinguish between your needs and your wants. You need food, shelter and clothing. But you might want a juicy lobster and seafood dinner, a large upscale home and brand-name attire.
Fraudsters are always looking for ways to separate you from your hard-earned money. One place where you may be most vulnerable is at the gas station, especially during the upcoming travel season. That’s because thieves install skimming devices on gas pumps that steal your credit or debit card information. They then sell the data, make fraudulent cards to withdraw cash from ATMs, or buy merchandise that they can sell.
Mobile banking and shopping are on the rise, and now there are plenty of resources to help you become more mindful of your spending and saving habits, which can really help when you’re trying to create financial security.
By Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach®
I grew up in a household of five girls in Los Angeles, where each of us had nicknames and reputations within the family and among our friends. The five of us were all one or two years apart: Cheryl was the oldest; then Deborah; next was Denise; then came me; and my youngest sister, Hope, was the baby of the family. My older sister, Debby, was known as the Goody Two Shoes of the family.
It’s great to have the convenience of person-to-person (P2P) payment services, but any time there’s money involved, you can be sure fraudsters are not far behind. That’s why it’s important to know how to use them wisely.
If you use a cellphone or have an email account, you’ve almost certainly been exposed to an attempt at mass marketing fraud. 
It pays to stay on top of the latest ways fraudsters try to separate you from your hard-earned money. Here are some scams to steer clear of.
Now more than ever, it’s important to stay vigilant when it comes to keeping your finances secure. When Equifax recently had a data breach, 143 million people discovered that their personal information including birthdates, Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses and addresses had been compromised, leaving them vulnerable to identity theft. After the breach, experts recommended consumers combat this exposure by stepping up their security measures. Here are some options to consider if you’re worried about identity theft.
e are some tips to create lasting security at any age.