Sally Jones

While attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s graduate school for journalism and public relations, Sally began a long career researching and writing about hard-to-understand topics, such as insurance and finance. Her additional experience in marketing, fundraising, public relations and financial planning at various foundations and nonprofit organizations over the years has given her the practical tools to inform consumers about making the smartest business and personal financial decisions. Her work has appeared in many notable media outlets, including The Washington Post, Entrepreneur, People, Forbes, Huffington Post, and more. Speaking of smart living — growing up in the (at-the-time) per-capita murder capital of the U.S. (Richmond, VA) taught her a thing or two about the need for personal and home safety. Sally stays on top of all the latest gadgets and services to protect her and her teenage daughters from potential predators and thieves. And she brings this knowledge to every article she writes.

A man sitting in the driver's seat of a self driving car with hands off the steering wheel wearing suit with a blurry street scene

How Does A Self-Driving Car Work? Safety, Legality, Autopilot & More

The future is close at hand, or rather, out of your hands, when it comes to self-driving cars. It’s both an exciting and daunting prospect. You may be wondering, how does a self-driving car work? And can you trust a self-driving car (also referred to as an autonomous car) to get you to your destination accident-free? Read on to find out about self-driving technology, which companies are on the move, and where the state of autonomous cars stands today and down the road.

A man's hands typing on a Macbook air with WiFi symbol and map of hotspots and lock icons overlay

How To Secure Your Wi-Fi And Keep Out Prying Eyes

Do you often get online at your local coffee house, a hotel when traveling, or other public places (called WiFi hotspots)? If you’re not already aware — public WiFi access has the potential to severely compromise your online security. And hackers can get into your computer in no time (as in, 2 seconds!). So, what steps can you take to protect your online presence and your identity if hackers come calling? Keep reading to find the best ways to keep your private online self as secure as possible.

Three piggie banks on books with retirement on chalkboard

Best Retirement Plans: 401k vs 403b vs IRA vs Roth IRA

It’s never too early (or late) to start investing in your future. Retirement plans are a smart way to help ensure you’re financially secure when you need it. Saving a little can go a long way in the long term for your financial goals.

Hands forming roof over blue house icon

Choice Home Warranty Reviews: Plans, Customer Service, Claims, Coverage, & More

Choice Home Warranty has one of the worst reputations we have seen. There is a government write-up on the company’s Better Business Bureau page stating that the company allegedly sold a home warranty to consumers and then denied consumer claims. This is a big red flag in our opinion, so if you are seriously considering Choice Home Warranty we recommend you proceed with caution. Below is the review we initially wrote prior to learning about the government write-up.

Car accident on highway with support personnel and chopper

Which States Are The Most Dangerous For Drunk Driving In 2023?

Despite the increased use of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft and marketing efforts by alcohol brands to ensure you have a designated driver, fatal car crashes caused by drunk driving still occur at high rates. This is especially true during the holidays. But which states have the highest rates, and how can you lower your chance of getting hurt?

Masked burglar breaking into a home with crowbar

Home Break-In Statistics: What Are My Chances Of Becoming A Victim?

Does it seem like all your friends and neighbors have armed themselves with home and personal security devices? Is this because crime statistics are rising or because high-tech security devices are the latest trend? Let’s take a look at the latest crime and burglary statistics.

Two people discussing estate planning at a table with documents and a model house, only hands and arms are visible. Caption: Estate Planning Checklist: Basics & Costs

Free Estate Planning Checklist: Basics, Costs, Online Options, & More

Estate planning sounds like something only rich people should do, but that’s not the case at all. You don’t have to own a ton of assets to consider estate planning, and there are many other elements to a comprehensive estate plan other than just making sure your assets pass on to your beneficiaries. Our experts have compiled a beginner’s guide to help you determine everything you should be considering for you and your family’s future.

woman holding notebook with app vpn creation Internet protocols for protection private network

How To Fully Delete A VPN On iPhone, Android, iPad, Windows, Mac & More

Deleting a VPN is a pretty straightforward process like with any app or software, especially on smartphones and tablets. But completely removing a VPN from your PC or Mac can get a little more tricky because the uninstall process doesn’t always delete all the files associated with that VPN. It’s always a good idea to make sure there’s no trace left behind. Why?

man holding contactless credit card in a wallet with rfid protection

Definitive RFID Guide: Benefits, Risks, Cards, Skimmers, Wallets, And More

There’s been a lot of buzz over the last several years about a way thieves can potentially steal your credit or debit card information out of thin air when they’re in your vicinity, essentially electronically pickpocketing you without you ever knowing. What makes this possible is RFID (radio frequency identification) technology that’s embedded in some credit, debit, and other ID cards. The fear is that thieves can use what’s called an RFID reader or skimmer to steal your information from your card. But just how real is the threat?

House on river flanked by trees with American flag on deck

First American Home Warranty Reviews: Customer Service, Coverage, Plans, & More

First American Home Warranty (FAHW) offers budget-friendly plans that kick in 30 days after you sign the contract. They’ve been in business since 1984 and boast more than 500,000 customers. We were less than impressed with their bare bones website, which offers limited information pertaining to their benefits and other important details. But they do have some good online articles about home warranties in general. How did they fare in our review?

Scroll to Top