Go green, save green

Here’s when solar panels are worth it [ThePennyHoarder.com]( September 4th, 2018 It’s September — you know what that means? It means all our favorite TV shows are coming back with new seasons, and we’re just a liiiiittle bit (OK, a lot) excited. While we wait for the return of our favorite dramas, we’re talking about real life stuff like apartment rental scams and debt counseling. A Not-So-Fairy Tale Ending| Once upon a time, JetBlue was the ideal airline to fly because it shied away from nickel-and-diming passengers. Now, it’s leading the charge on checked bag fees and [just announced a $5 increase](. And *poof* — the magic is over. Go Green, Save Green| Solar panels can help people save money on electric bills while helping the planet stay green, but installing and maintaining them can be a pricy endeavor. It can be difficult to figure out if sun-powered energy is right for you and your home, [so we put together a guide to help you decide](. Calling All Paribus Users!| Have you had a good experience using the cash-back tool Paribus? Has it reimbursed you following a price adjustment on an online purchase? If so, let us know by emailing writer Carson Kohler at carson@thepennyhoarder.com. She’d like to feature you in an upcoming article! Scam, Sweet Scam| When you’re on the hunt for a new apartment, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s a good deal and what’s a too-good-to-be-true deal. And if you’re moving to a new city, it can be even worse. All of a sudden, a 300-square-foot studio apartment on the outskirts of town with a questionable bathroom/kitchen combo costs about the same as what you were paying for that two bedroom house on a double lot back home. You pass on a few of those guys — you’re not too big on the idea of prepping dinner within arm’s reach of a toilet — and you start to think you’ll never find anything in your price range. That’s when you see the Craigslist ad. Fifteen-hundred square feet. Huge windows that let in so much natural light. Hardwood floors. A fireplace. A gorgeous kitchen. And for less than the cost of the studio?! Nope. Nope nope nope. As much as you want it to be real, your scam detector should be going off — but not everybody’s does. A recent survey found that 6.4% of renters have lost money to an apartment-rental scam — and one in three of those people lost at least $1,000. But scams aren’t usually as straightforward as an underpriced palace. Most of the time, scammers use more sinister techniques, like: - Asking you to wire money for the security deposit - Asking for your social security number or financial information over the phone - Pressuring you to sign paperwork or pay an application fee before showing you the property Other common rental scams include listing properties that don’t exist, posting fake listings for real properties and collecting application fees or security deposits for unavailable units. If it looks too good to be true, you may be dealing with a rental scam. [Here are a few red flags to know for the next time you’re shopping around](. WORD OF THE DAY Debt counselor (n): A trained individual who will review your financial situation and make recommendations to improve it. They’ll probably help you do things like obtain and check your credit report, organize your credit accounts, make a plan for paying off debt or create a budget. If you’ve ever struggled with debt, you know how confusing it can be as you try to figure out how to get out of it — and how isolating the whole process can feel. A debt counselor (also known as a credit counselor) [can help you determine your priorities and can give you tips and advice]( as an impartial third-party — one that doesn’t feel like they’re in over their head. The Penny Hoarder | 490 1st Ave S, Suite 800 | Saint Petersburg, Florida 33701 | United States [Unsubscribe]( from all email from The Penny Hoarder. Questions? View our [Privacy Policy](. Having trouble reading this email? You can [view it online](.