You've likely seen a count-counting machine at the grocery store or near the sliding doors at Wal-Mart. They're the big green kiosks that take your loose coins and spits them out as crisp bills. Convenient? Sure. But is it worth the cost?

If you’re like most people, you’ve been working toward a financial goal. Maybe it’s a new car, maybe it's an Alaskan cruise, maybe it's a she-shed. Unfortunately, as unexpected expenses pop up, it's so easy to reach into your savings pot to cover the costs.

Hobbies give your kids a few precious moments away from glowing screens to flex their creative skills, get some exercise and learn about the world in a fun way.

But over the years, the cost of extracurricular activities has skyrocketed. Playing on a travel team, for instance, costs families an average of $2,292 every year, with some spending as much as $20,000 annually.

When looking at your credit report, have you ever noticed the "inquiries" section?

Inquiries are records that appear on your credit report every time the credit bureau receives a legal request from a company or person to view your credit information.

There are two types of inquiries: A hard inquiry and a soft inquiry. 

Can you guess which one hurts your credit score?

Check out the infographic below to see how each inquiry differs and what triggers them to occur. 

Every 10 years, the Census Bureau makes an effort to count every person living in the United States. The census helps to determine if our region is receiving adequate funding from the federal government. 

The process is important — but it's also invasive. Census questions range from "what's your household income" to "how many televisions do you own?".

Due to the sensitive nature of the survey, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a warning that scammers may exploit the process to steal your information.