Scams exploiting the coronavirus outbreak are popping up. Here’s how you can avoid them. Use the following tips to help avoid falling for a coronavirus scam.

1. Check email sender addresses
2. Don’t click through links in an email
3. Stay away from online vaccination offers
4. Avoid giving personal information
5. Be wary of ‘investment’ opportunities’ related to the coronavirus
6. Carefully research charities before donating
7. Stay away from those who use pressure tactics

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Many carriers are waiving fees or offering options.If you have travel plans, chances are good that the coronavirus pandemic has you reconsidering. Fortunately, many airlines are offering flexibility in rescheduling trips. For example, American Airlines travelers who purchase a Non-refundable Fare ticket March 1-31 will not have to pay a change fee if their travel plans change. They can make a one-time change before their original departure date.

At Delta Air Lines, any ticket that expires in March or April will be extended so you can rebook through the rest of the year. The airline also is waiving change fees for flights departing in March or April and for all tickets purchased in March.

United Airlines will waive change fees for tickets issued March 3 through March 31 if you rebook a flight up to 12 months from the original ticket issue date. If you simply cancel your flight, the value of the ticket can be applied to a new ticket without a fee., for travel up to 12 months from the original ticket issue date.

Those are just a few of the policies that have been rolled out. If you booked on a flight on another airline, odds are good that your have options as well. Contact your airline to find out.

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The coronavirus has turned the stock market and the economy upside down. Now, it’s doing the same thing to interest rates. With a negative-rate mortgage, instead of paying interest, you’d literally pay back less than you borrowed. What can a saver do? For one, use certificates of deposit to lock in rates now.

Things you can do:

1. Switch to a high-yield savings account

2. Invest in real estate with as little as $500

3. Invest effortlessly – sit back and let Acorns, a micro investing app help you save and invest your spare change automatically (no trade fees)

4. Earn 5% with Worthy bonds with as little as $10

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As the coronavirus threatens  the U.S. economy, this is no time to panic. But it is time to lock in today’s savings rates if you can.

The Federal Reserve recently cut its benchmark federal rate back to a range of 1-1.25% and more cuts are possible. So what should savers do? Lock in rates now, before they go lower. You can still lock in a 1.86% interest rate on a certificate of deposit (CD).

Don’t want to lock up all you money in a CD? There are also online savings accounts paying 1.85%. Note, however, that these rates can change any time.

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Downsizing can cut the bloat in your finances – and give you more free time and less stress. Downsizing – what exactly does ite mean? Smaller house, fewer bills, less stuff? Yes, yes, and yes. Many think of downsizing as moving to a more compact house after the kids have grown and gone. And it is. But let’s not stop there. Downsizing makes sense in other ways too. Following are other areas of life where downsizing can yield serious financial savings, not to mention save you time and stress.

1. Automate your finances
2. Downsize your home entertainment
3. Downsize your transportation

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Are you making this costly retirement plan blunder, too? Who would turn down free money? About 1 in 3 workers, as it turns out. About 33% of workers do not contribute enough money to their 4019(k) plan each year to get their full company match. In essence, one third of workers are turning down free money.

A 30-year-old worker who loses out on just one year $4,300 in matching contributions would lose out on more than $60,000 in retirement savings by age 70, assuming a 7% annual return. Thus, missing a few years of matching contributions can be a life-changing mistake.

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Here’s how to enjoy fresh healthy meals without having to step foot inside a grocery store. As more Americans are trying to stay home as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, using a meal kit delivery service like HelloFresh can help you limit your exposure to crowds at stores. HelloFresh is a meal subscription service that delivers to your door everything you need to cook fast, elegant and healthy meals. You don’t have to think, plan, or even step foot inside a grocery store.

As a HelloFresh customer, you choose the meals you want and then you receive easy-to-follow recipes and all the necessary pre-portioned in an insulated shipping container each week.

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Many people don’t even know how long they’ve been in credit card debt. When you carry a balance on your credit card, interest piles up and you end up paying much more for items than if you’d used case. Doing so can also bring down your credit rating. A big part of how much you owe is your credit utilization ratio – that is how much credit you’re using divided by how much you have available to you. People should keep their usage below 30 percent. If you have, let’s say $5,700 of credit card debt, even if you have a pretty generous credit limit of $10,000, you’re still at a 57 percent utilization rate, which is higher than recommended and would hurt your credit score. Many other moves can lower your score:

1. Paying off an old debt
2. Closing a line of credit
3. Sticking with one type of credit
4. Failing to check your credit report * you can freeze your credit report to protect against identity theft and other types of fraud.

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Young children – preschool & kindergarten about money

• Use a clear jar to save. The piggy bank is a great idea, but it doesn’t give kids a visual
• Show them that stuff costs money
• Set an example

Elementary students and middle schoolers about money

• Show opportunity cost
• Give commissions, not allowances
• Avoid impulse buys
• Stress the importance of giving

Teach teenagers about money

• Teach them contentment
• Give them responsibility of a bank account
• Get them saving for college
• Teach them to steer clear of student loans
• Teach them about the danger of credit cards
• Get them on a simple budget
• Introduce them to the magic of compound interest
• Help them figure our how to make money

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On any given street, some households are likely to be struggling as they live paycheck to paycheck, while others are comfortable, with ample savings and investments. If you want to be the savviest person on your block, financially speaking, and be able to sleep at night knowing that your financial life is in order, there are some key rules to know and follow. Here, then, are 15 vital personal financial rules to learn and act on. There’s a good chance you’re on top of some of them — but see which ones you could do better on or which ones you’ve been ignoring entirely.

1. Get and stay our of debt
2. Have an emergency fund
3. Get life insurance if you need it
4. Shop for cheaper insurance regularly
5. Have a budget
6. Save money wherever you can
7. Use tax-advantaged retirement accounts
8. Invest aggressively
9. Invest effectively
10. Pay attention to fees
11. Maintain a solid credit score
12. Teach your kids about money management
13. Let your retirement accounts grow
14. Make smart Social Security decisions
15. Get professional help if you need it (keep striving no matter what)

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