If you're unsure of when and how much to tip, our partner Business Insider has the deets so you'll never have to worry about shortchanging someone again.

According to the rest of the world, Americans (more specifically, New Yorkers) are the most generous tippers out there.

RELATED: Manhattan Sushi Restaurant Bans Customers From Tipping

But even within the U.S., tipping etiquette changes in just about every region. It may be customary to leave an extra 20% for your waiter in Manhattan, but a waiter in Atlanta may be thrilled to get 15%. To help, here's a complete guide to gratuity etiquette, courtesy of Mint.com.

Brush up on your math and the next time you hire a mover or order room service, you and your wallet will be prepared.

Read on to see the tipping guide.

Don't be discouraged if your degree doesn't scream "high-roller," Business Insider shows us how even low-paying majors don't have to live paycheck to paycheck.

College graduates these days face an average debt of $25,000 and a shaky job market.
It may seem like a finance or medical degree is the only good option in this scenario, but we're a little more optimistic.
Even if you have a degree in one of PayScale's lowest-paying college majors, it is possible to find a career that pays surprisingly well. In most cases, these aren't careers that happen over night, and many will require years of experience and working your way up through the ranks. The point is that a low-starting salary alone shouldn't deter you from pursuing a certain degree or career path –– it's what you do with it that counts.

Note: Each job listed requires a bachelor’s degree. Salaries noted are mid-career estimates.

Journalism
Journalism graduates barely scrape by to begin with, earning a median salary of $35,600 and typically only reaching $64,700 halfway through their career, according to PayScale.
Here are three journalism jobs that pay more:

• VP, Communications: $139,000
• Corporate Communications Director: $103,000
• Public Relations Director: $80,000

Read on for more.

Although being conscious of your money is a good thing, going to the extreme can be pointless and even a waste of time. Business Insider share some examples of frugality gone wrong.

If you thought being cheap means always leaving a small tip or stealing packets of ketchup, you aren’t familiar with the extremely cheap.

RELATED: Money Secrets From The Amish

Extreme Cheapskates, one of TLC’s questionable “reality” shows, features penny pinchers who will amaze (and even disgust) you with how far they’ll go to save a few bucks.

Here are 10 money saving ideas from Extreme Cheapskates that I bet (and hope) you don’t try.

1. Drying and reusing paper towels

With great spills come great opportunity – to reuse paper towels, that is. Who said they were meant to be used just once?
paper-towels-in-trash

Trash to most. Money wasted to cheapskates.

The extremely cheap can use their paper towels, wash them, then hang them to before using them again, just like Roy Haynes does on the show!

Read on for more.

Growing up low-income doesn't mean you can't rise up. As Business Insider suggests, reaching the middle class has a lot to do with what you do as a teenager.

Poverty rates are soaring in the U.S. 

Between 2000 and 2011, the number of American residents living under the poverty line jumped by nearly 30%, according to a recent report by the Brookings Institute.

Many of the policies geared toward eradicating poverty have centered on providing greater financial and educational resources for poor children and teens. 

RELATED: What It Takes to Make It in NYC in Your 20s

In a frank blog post, Ron Haskins, co-director of the Brookings Center on Children and Families and Budgeting for National Priorities Project, explains exactly what it takes for poor teens to make it to the middle class: 

"Let politicians, schoolteachers and administrators, community leaders, ministers and parents drill into children the message that in a free society, they enter adulthood with three major responsibilities: at least finish high school, get a full-time job, and wait until age 21 to get married and have children."

Haskins has the facts to back himself up here. 

Of the American adults who followed these three rules, only 2% wound up in poverty and nearly 75% made it to the middle class ($55,000+), according to Brookings.

Of course, there's more involved in raising successful young adults than giving them a check list and sending them on their way. We need the people and policies in place to steer them in the direction of the kinds of choices that will lead them into the middle class, too. 

—Mandi Woodruff

Related links:

• Poverty Is Booming in America's Suburbs
• At 27, Kids Aren't Ashamed to Live Off Their Parents
• Millennials Are Turning Into a Generation of Fiscal Conservatives

Although it seems like winning the lottery would solve your problems, this isn't always the case. In fact, for a lot of previous winners, they ended up right back where they started from, or worse! Our partner site Business Insider has collected lottery horror stories about winners who didn't really win in the end:

As America salivates over the $590 million Powerball prize won by a Floridian, we're reminded that winning the lottery will not solve all problems.

In fact many people's lives became notably worse after they got super rich, and they managed to lose it all in no time.

RELATED: This Man Is A Shining Example Of What To Do If You Win The Lottery

• The Griffiths bought their dream home then life fell apart

Before they won a $2.76 million lottery jackpot, Lara and Robert Griffith hardly ever argued. They bought a million-dollar house and a Porsche.

But 18 months ago, six years after their win, Robert drove away in the Porsche after Lara confronted him over emails suggesting he was interested in another woman. Their 14-year marriage was over, a freak fire gutted their house, and every penny of their fortune was gone.

• Tirabassi is back in the working class after winning $10 million nine years ago

In 2004, Sharon Tirabassi, a single mother who had been on welfare, cashed a check from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. for $10,569,00.10 (Canadian). She subsequently spent her winnings on a "big house, fancy cars, designer clothes, lavish parties, exotic trips, handouts to family, loans to friends" and in less than a decade she's back riding the bus, working part-time, and living in a rented house. Luckily Tirabassi put some of her windfall in trusts for her six children, who can claim the money when they turn 26.

Read on for more.

If you're trying to sell your home, then Business Insider has some advice on things that may affect the pricing.

With the real estate market as shaky as it is, homeowners can't afford to deal with more problems. And yet there's always something that pops up — whether it's noisy neighbors or an unfortunately placed sinkhole.

Related: 17 Things You Should Always Buy New

We've rounded up some of the biggest threats to the value of a home.

Sinkhole damage sucks property values down a staggering 30 percent.

The prevalence of reports of sinkhole damage in the US this year has raised questions about the impact on property values.

It's not the threat of a sinkhole that damages property value — there's insurance coverage specifically for sinkhole damage. In fact, a 2007 study found no statistically significant difference in home values in areas prone to sinkholes. Like earthquakes, it's only after sinkholes hit your property that problems arise.

Rob Arnold, a Florida real estate investor and realtor who has bought and sold more than 30 sinkhole properties in the last five years, told CF13 News he tells owners of damaged homes to knock 30 percent off their asking price, plus the cost of any repairs.

Read on for more.

Did you know the Amish are actually incredible money savers? If you're wondering why, our friends over at Business Insider have all the secrets:

The number of Amish in the US has doubled since the 1990s.

Though they're typically known for for their traditional, family-based Christian values and austere lifestyles, there's one thing most people probably wouldn't guess about them — the Amish are a lot better at managing their money than the rest of us.

"Some Amish do quite well and have a lot of success in business," Erik Wesner, founder of AmishAmerica.com, told us. “An Amish millionaire is not something unheard of.”

Their business and financial savvy goes far beyond rebuking modern conveniences like electricity and technology.

Related: The Amish Might Be the Best Money Managers in the World

We asked Wesner, along with Lorilee Craker, author of Money Secrets of the Amish, to let us in on how the Amish have mastered their money.

Find out what made the list.

Find out which cities are best for starting your post-grad life thanks to this list from Business Insider.

With May right around the corner, this is just about the time when the college class of 2013 starts to sweat.

For seniors lucky enough to have already lined up a first job, kudos. The hard part is over.

For the other 99% of 20-somethings on the cusp of launching their career, there's just one question to answer: Where do you want to go next?

RELATED: After I dissed North Dakota, the State Flew Me Out to Prove Me Wrong

The ideal city should have a few things going for it: A strong youth job market (as of March, the unemployment rate for 18-29 year olds in December was 11.7% –– not pretty), a good vibe for young professionals, and a low cost of living.

Whether you're more interested in picking a town flush with jobs in your field of study or are looking for a place where you won't have to live hand to mouth, here's a list of 10 cities that appeal the most to post-graduates, with help from Rent.com.

*All labor stats are based on the Bureau of Labor Statistic's Feb. 2013 report on Unemployment Rates for Metropolitan Areas.

Read on to find out which cities made the list.

Be careful where your money goes. Business Insider shares how you can avoid getting scammed when trying to make financial donations for Boston.

There has been a outpouring of goodwill and charitable actions toward the people of Boston and those affected by last week's heinous terrorist attack. 

Unfortunately, not all good gestures make their way into the right hands. The IRS is already warning consumers against a slew of possible charity scams stemming from the Boston tragedy and, more recently, the devastating explosion at a West, TX, fertilizer plant. 

Related: The Massive Tax Break Behind Estée Lauder Heir's $1 Billion Art Donation

Scammers are no longer solely targeting victims by email or door-to-door visits. Social media is increasingly becoming one of the simplest ways to proliferate scams, and in the rush to Retweet or "Like" a page in support of a joint cause, consumers could unwittingly be putting their social networks in danger of fraud.

Here are the guidelines the IRS has issued to keep fraudsters at bay:

• Donate to qualified charities. Use the Exempt Organizations Select Check tool at IRS.gov to find qualified charities. Only donations to qualified charitable organizations are tax-deductible. You can also find legitimate charities on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website at FEMA.gov.
• Be wary of charities with similar names.  Some phony charities use names that are similar to familiar or nationally known organizations. They may use names or websites that sound or look like those of legitimate organizations.
• Don't give out personal financial information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card and bank account numbers, or passwords to anyone who solicits a contribution from you. Scam artists use this information to steal your identity and money.
• Don't give or send cash. For security and tax record purposes, contribute by check or credit card or another way that provides documentation of the donation.
• Report suspected fraud. Taxpayers suspecting tax- or charity-related fraud should visit IRS.gov and perform a search using the keywords "Report Phishing."

Check out these other smart stories from Business Insider:

Couple Paid Off $82,000 of Credit Debt in Four Years
IRS Gives Boston Marathon Victims a Welcome Tax Extension — With a Catch
Online Dating Scams Cost Victims More Than $50 Million Per Year
5 Ways to Pay the IRS Less Next April

Celebrity-sponsored prepaid debit cards are the new craze, but they tend to have a bad rep. Business Insider reviews the Justin Bieber card to find out if it's a dud.

Prepaid debit cards are the new celebrity fragrance.

In the past two years, we've seen stars like the Kardashian sisters, Suze Orman, Russell Simmons, and George Lopez all plaster their faces on plastic.

Related: These Are the Best and Worst Prepaid Cards Out There

For the most part, even their famous mugs weren't enough to win over personal finance critics, who have widely panned prepaid debit cards for their bevy of hidden usage fees.

Teen pop sensation Justin Bieber most recently tapped into the industry. He's earning $3.75 million to market the new SpendSmart Card, which targets tweens.

When we first reviewed the card in January, we were pleasantly surprised to find it wasn't as bad as we feared. In fact, for parents willing to take a gamble on prepaid debit cards to teach their kids how to manage money, it may have a lot to offer.

Here's the main reason why:

Yes, there are fees. But they actually pay for something.

Like all prepaid debit cards, Bieber's SpendSmart card comes with its fair share of fees — including a $3.95 monthly usage fee, a $1.50 ATM fee, and a $7.95 replacement fee, to name a few.

But unlike other cards, which are basically charging you for the privilege of letting them store your cash, parents are actually getting something in return here.

The card not only lets parents get text alerts every time their kid swipes the card, but they can also set up recurring deposits to the account, track their spending from their smartphone, lock and unlock the card whenever they want, and block the card from working at certain retailers (say, a liquor store or bar).

This card could certainly be a useful tool for parents looking to teach their kids to manage money, especially if they don't quite trust them to handle their own bank account yet.

That being said, it's always wise to exhaust all your other options first. Try a web tool like Tykoon, perhaps. For free, it lets you track your child's allowance and makes sure kids save and donate a portion of their earnings each month.

There are also cheaper prepaid debit cards on the market. Cardhub.com and Nerdwallet.com are great resources if you're looking to compare the benefits between different cards.

And, of course, there's always the safest route of all — opening an actual checking or savings account on your kid's behalf and coaching them on your own.

Check out these smart stories from Business Insider:

13 Money Lies You Should Stop Telling Yourself by Age 30

10 Ways Investors Can Wreck Their Portfolios

Finally, There's a Prepaid Card For Recovering Addicts

10 of the Ugliest Celebrity Bankruptcies in History

Buying stock from your own company seems like a no-brainer, but is it really a wise decision? Our friends over at Business Insider weigh in.

Buying stock in your company seems like a logical investment at face value. What better way is there to show the higher-ups not only your loyalty but also your willingness to take a bet on them?

The problem is that you're only making yourself more financially vulnerable in the process.

Read on for more.

Follow these easy steps from Business Insider and you could be saving tons of money!

These days, people are willing to go to any extreme to save a few bucks. But we're not going to tell you to eat beans and rice or wash your hair with eggs. There are ways to save that are sitting right under our noses –– and our roofs. Here are some simple household savings tips that could save you hundreds of dollars a year.

RELATED: Save Hundreds on Your Next Vacation

• Install low-flow water faucets and save up to 60 percent on your water bill. Do you really need a faucet with fire hydrant strength flow to do the dishes? Chances are the answer is no, and by simply replacing your faucets with low-flow models, you could cut your water bill by 25 to 60 percent. They cost around $10 to $20 a piece, which is well worth the investment.
• Update your light bulbs and save up to 75 percent on your electricity bill. Switching out old light bulbs for compact fluorescent could save up to 75 percent on your electric bill. Yes, they cost a bit more than traditional bulbs, but they last 10 to 25 times longer and use power more efficiently. Only 6 percent of the electricity sucked up by traditional bulbs (those older than 14 or 15 years) is turned into light –– the rest becomes very inefficiently used heat. 
• Unplug your electronics at night and save $100 per year. The typical American home has 40 electronics powered up at any given moment –– TV, cell phone chargers, blenders, etc. What people don't realize is they are using electricity even when they're powered off. U.S. households spend as much as $100 per year powering these "vampire" electronics. Simple fix: Plug your devices into power strips and switch them off at once at the end of the day.

Read on for more.

Ready to move in with someone? Find out how to take care of your own finances before the big decision from Business Insider.

Couples getting ready to move in together should enjoy the exciting time but also be prepared for the worse.

A recent study by Rent.com of 1,000 renters found that 38 percent of renters had ended a personal relationship with someone they were living with at some point in their lives. And the majority of those — more than 60 percent — continued to live with their significant other for another month or more after breaking up as they worked to split up their stuff and find new places that fit their single budget.

Respondents said that the most difficult part of moving out was splitting up possessions (not finances); and their No. 1 precaution (and lesson learned) is to save more money before moving in with someone else.

Related: 8 Ways to Save Money so You Can Finally Switch Jobs

To learn more, we reached out to life coach Dr. Michele Callahan, who has been featured on Oprah, Dr. Oz, and other media, and she sent us her most important financial advice for couples who live together:

You'd by surprised how many objects really do last a lifetime. Here are a couple that Business Insider rounded up into a list.

In an age when the Next Big iGadget is always around the corner and people go through cell phones like pairs of socks, it's nice to know there are some products that can never be replaced.

Related: 13 Things You're Better Off Buying Used

In a popular Reddit thread, more than 500 users shared the "trustiest" products they've relied on for years — and in some cases, a lifetime. 

We rounded up 22 of our favorites.

• "My Gameboy color is still going strong as well as my Pokemon games."
• "Samsung Blackjack II. Dropped it a million times, still works perfectly. I've had it for over five years."
• "2001 Honda Accord. Not a single problem in all my years of ownership."
• "Playstation 2 or Nintendo 64. Last forever and I still play them every day."
• "I've had one of those $12 Wahl beard trimmers from Walmart for 5 years now. Use (well, abuse) it almost daily. Coupled with 2 rechargeable AAs it's unstoppable."
• "KitchenAid mixers. My mother's KitchenAid is so reliable she actually named it in her will. Sorry, sis, I'm getting it."
• "My black north face jacket. it will never die. Almost 10 years and it looks like it did the day I bought it."
• "My Nalgene. 15 years old. Thing is bulletproof."

Read on for more.

Martha Stewart may be in the middle of another court battle, but she hasn't forgotten her influence on mainstream America. Our partners at Business Insider relayed that message from the mogul's recent court appearance.

Regardless of what you think of her, it's safe to say that it's her determination and ruthless perfectionism that have made Stewart so successful.

Home goddess Martha Stewart started a line with Kmart in 1997.

At the time, she says she was snubbed by her peers for going mass market.

But in court over a contract dispute with Macy's yesterday, Stewart explained how she changed American home decor forever.

"Before my line with K-Mart, towels were navy, maroon, brown," she said on the stand. "There was this false belief that poor people did their laundry less than rich people."

But Stewart insisted that everyone wanted beautiful things, she said.

"I released towels in pastels like pink, yellow, and sage green," Stewart said. "Our bestselling color towel that year was white, and I'm so proud of that."

Stewart's ideas were revolutionary at the time. Since then, everyone from Target to Ikea has promoted the idea of "everyday luxury."

"It's both incredibly flattering and frustrating," Stewart said on the stand. "The Martha Stewart Everyday collection started this all."

Check out these smart Business Insider stories:

JCPenney Made Martha Stewart an Offer She Couldn't Refuse

Here's What's at Stake in the Huge Trial Between Martha Stewart, JCPenney, and Macy's

Martha Stewart: The CEO of Macy's Hung Up on Me, and I Was "Flabbergasted"

JCPenney Could Suffer a "Fatal Blow" if Martha Stewart Deal Falls Through

The amount of errors made by the credit reporting industry is staggering. Business Insider tells us how to avoid becoming victims.

Credit scores are one of the most important numbers in consumers' lives. They can mean the difference between renting a home or owning one, and getting a great interest rate on your car loan or walking off the lot with a subprime contract.

And yet, the credit reporting industry is even more flawed than we thought.

A 2013 report by the Federal Trade Commission estimates one out of every five people has an inaccurate credit report. On a national scale, that translates to as many as 42 million mistakes.

Whether it's a misspelled last name or a line of credit you never remember opening, no mistake is too small to have corrected.

RELATED: 13 money lies to stop telling yourself by age 30

Spotting them is the easy part. Getting them fixed is a whole other story. Here's how to dispute credit errors on your report:

If you think you've got it hard, then try to stretch $14,000 among four people like this woman, featured in the Business Insider, is doing with her family.

In the years since the recession, the median household income in the US has dropped to just over $50,000, while fixed costs like health care, higher education, and housing have only soared. 

Now imagine trying to support a family of four on a fraction of that income. 

Related: 13 Things You're Better Off Buying Used

It's a reality that stay-at-home wife and mother of two Danielle Wagasky has lived for the last four years. 

 Wagasky, 28, lives with her her husband, Jason, 31, and their two young children in a three-bedroom family home in Las Vegas, NV. While Jason, a member of the US Army, completes his undergraduate studies, the family's only source of income is the $14,000 annual cost of living allowance he receives under the G.I. Bill. 

Despite all odds, the family has barely any credit debt, no car payment, and no mortgage speak of. 

She was kind enough to chat with BI and tell us how she makes it work.

Wagasky finds inspiration everywhere from the library to tips from readers on her blog.

The couple had a single savings goal in mind — scraping together $30,000 for a down payment on their home in their native Henderson, NV. 

The mindless spending was out, and Wagasky came up with a budget she could make work. 

"I changed the way I was grocery shopping and started working my way up," she said.

Read on for more.

I'm sure there has been a time when you lost money because of a canceled reservation. Business Insider gives sneaky tips on how to avoid some of the fees.
When you think about it, the travel industry is basically a booby trap just waiting for unwitting customers to screw up. From hidden insurance fees on rental cars to the unexpected housecleaning tip added to your hotel bill, the costs can quickly escalate.

But none are quite as annoying as reservation cancellations. Hotels, car rental agencies and even restaurants sometimes have certain cancellation windows, and once you've missed the deadline, you're basically stuck — unless you pay up. SmarterTravel's Dana Continenza has a trick up her sleeve for travelers sly enough to try it out.

RELATED: 10 Places You Never Thought You Could Afford to Travel to

"This is a no-brainer, but it's something that many travelers don't think to do. If you missed the cancellation window for your hotel, restaurant, or car booking but can still change the reservation date free of charge, move your reservation back by several weeks or months," she writes. "Then call back to cancel with a different representative. Sneaky? Sure. But it works, and you'll never get stuck with a lousy cancellation fee again."

Unless the customer service agent digs through your reservation history to check whether you've changed before (OpenTable is notorious for this), you'll be in the clear.

Canceling flights without getting slapped by a fee is much trickier. Your best bet is to either purchase trip insurance (covers death, illness, or cancellations due to weather), or pay with a credit card that comes with built-in trip protection. Be sure to review your policy.

Check out these smart stories from Business Insider:

Chart Your Travels With This Scratch-Off Map

The Rules For Traveling With Co-Workers

50 Cultural Experiences to Have in 2013

13 Most Bizarre Towns in the World

There are many ways to read the New York Times for free, but Business Insider reports the paywall is getting more strict

In the two years since the New York Times slapped a paywall between casual readers and its coveted content, finding weak links in its armor has become something of a sport for webgoers.

RELATED: How America's Credit Reporting System Gets Away With 40 Million Mistakes

Unfortunately, one of the most popular workarounds is no longer, NYMag's Joe Coscarelli reports:

The easiest little hack of all, for the Internet savvy, was right there on the page: Deleting the "?gwh=numbers" section of the URL removed the obtrusive "Pay for this!" banner blocking the words. Not anymore. Today we noticed the address-altering no longer cleared the in-house ad for non-subscribers. Times spokesperson Eileen Murphy confirmed as much in a statement:

"When we launched our digital subscription plan we knew there were loopholes to access our content beyond the allotted number of articles each month. We have made some adjustments and will continue to make adjustments to optimize the gateway by implementing technical security solutions to prohibit abuse and protect the value of our content."

We can't blame the Times for squirreling away as many subscriber dollars as they can, but fortunately for readers, there are still a few clever ways to get to the paper's content once you've surpassed the monthly limit.

Links from social media don't count, and opening posts in a different browser or deleting your cookies will work just as well.

Check out these smart stories from Business Insider:

The 10 Most Expensive Cities In The United States

Tech Workers Got Big Pay Raises Everywhere But The Valley, Survey Says

Kate Middleton's 'Duchess Effect' Is Making Brands Boatloads Of Money

9 Outrageous Hotel Packages For Valentine's Day

With a little help from Business Insider, be aware of how credit lenders can judge credit customers.

I was thrilled to pay off one of two credit cards last Fall, and as of last week, I hadn't touched the thing.

Then I got a letter from my bank, announcing a pretty incredible limited-time bonus — 5 percent back on travel-related purchases made by March 30.

The bonus just so happened to be for the card I hadn't used in months. And it was no coincidence either.

We all know that red flags like late payments, too many lines of open credit, and a mountain of student loan debt can knock dozens of points off credit scores.

But what about the little-known ways banks and lenders are judging us –– even those of us who are "low-risk" clients?

With help from Adrian Nazari, CEO of Credit Sesame, here are five ways every credit customer is judged, whether they like it or not.

Related: Money Habits to Drop by Age 30

Behavior Score. When lenders size up potential borrowers, they aren't just looking at how much they spend, but where they spend as well. If you've gotten a letter in the mail congratulating you on a freshly inflated credit limit (or a new cashback bonus like I did), chances are your lender has noticed you've been diligently paying off your card and selectively shopping where you can afford to.

"For example, if you normally shop at high-end stores and regularly pay off your card, and then suddenly start shopping at discount stores and carrying a balance, the lender could use this behavior data as an indicator that you have become higher risk and could take steps to minimize its exposure," says Nazari. "Alternatively, if your behavior data indicates you are a good risk but you aren't generating a profit, an issuer might determine how to incentivize spending."

• How to improve it: Since Behavior Scores are based on triggers like long-term credit card activity, late payments, limit breaches, and fees, if you can figure out how to improve these, you'll be able to beef up your score.

Read on for more.