Are guns paying for your retirement?

Plus: Getting a tax refund is bad, actually No Images? Click here       I don’t know about you, but 2018 has been wild so far on my end. The news cycle is a roller coaster, the issues of the day are complicated, and I’m trying to stick to some spending rules so I can pay off debt and buy a new car. Every day is a new adventure -- and a new lesson in life. A few of those lessons are in this week’s newsletter. If you want to put your money where your activism is on gun control, we break down how your retirement fund might be invested in the firearms lobby and what exactly you can do about it. On top of that, we’ve got a timely tool for calculating tax withholding, retirement advice for women, a list of apps that’ll terrify parents, tips for cutting down your cable bill without sacrificing your favorite shows, and more. Hang in there! Xx Janie   Take back your life   Socially conscious investing is on the rise, as some retirement savers don’t want to profit from companies doing business that might run counter to their personal values. And in the wake of the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, among others, people are wondering how they can check their accounts for gun stocks. Surprise, surprise: It often isn’t easy to determine, and gets even more complicated when you have to decide what a “gun stock” really is. Here’s everything you need to know about identifying and divesting from the firearms lobby — and where you can put your money instead.       Deal with it Who knew Home Depot could threaten Amazon in the low prices department? I usually can’t walk out of Home Depot without spending a fortune on impulse buys (I needed that dwarf lime tree I didn’t know existed). Apartment Therapy did a little comparison shopping, and Home Depot beat Amazon’s prices on wire shelving, storage bins, food storage containers, drain cleaner, stainless steel polish, a cordless drill, hardware set, plant food, potting soil, outdoor lights, and more. Check out the breakdown, then add Home Depot to your bargains list.   Pro Tip: Did you know it’s actually bad to get a tax refund? If you get a refund, it means you’ve essentially been giving the government too much money all year while you could have been investing it, earning interesting in a savings account or using it to pay down debt. Good thing there’s a free, easy-to-use IRS tool that can help you figure out how much to withhold, and it’s just been updated according to the new tax law. Use it to adjust your withholdings so that you’re paying yourself in 2018, not the IRS.   Want more practical magic? 5 apps that should terrify every parent [HuffPost] Why women need to put away more retirement than men [Yahoo Finance] 5 cord-cutting options to help you save money [HuffPost] The 20 best cities to retire in if you’re LGBTQ [HuffPost]    .     No moon dust. No B.S. Just a completely essential daily guide to achieving the good life. Subscribe here. Like what you see? Share it. Can't get enough? You'll also love: HuffPost Must Reads. ©2018 HuffPost | 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 You are receiving this email because you signed up for updates from HuffPost Feedback | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe    . - - Preferences  |  Unsubscribe