Megan Elliott, Author at The Cheat Sheet

Author

Megan Elliott

Megan is a Money & Career, Health & Fitness, and Culture Writer at The Cheat Sheet. She has a bachelor's degree in cultural studies from Macalester College and a master's degree in media studies from the New School University. Her writing has appeared in the Journal of Financial Planning and other publications.

April 20, 2018

Protesting Trump and Other Surprising Reasons You Can Be Fired

Businesses have broad latitude to let people go for reasons that have little to do with their job performance. Here are six kinds of legal discrimination.
April 20, 2018

People on Food Stamps Buy These Items the Most at the Grocery Store

An analysis of a year’s worth of data from a major grocery chain finds food stamp recipients buy basically the same things as everyone else.
April 19, 2018

Retirees Moving to These States Can Get Some Great Tax Breaks

Seven U.S. states have no income tax, but they're not the only ones that offer some pretty sweet tax breaks to retired residents.
April 19, 2018

You Won’t Believe These Disgusting Things That Happen on Cruise Ships

Most cruise ships are pretty clean, but occasionally an inspection turns up something really gross.
April 19, 2018

Retire With a Smile: 10 Surprising Secrets to a Happy Retirement

Money isn’t the only thing that matters when it comes to a happy retirement. Even wealthy people can find themselves unhappy if they make planning mistakes.
April 18, 2018

The 15 Most Polluted Cities in the United States

Eight of the 15 most polluted cities in the United States are in California. Others are in Utah, Alaska, and Pennsylvania.
April 18, 2018

Last Days of Sears: What It’s Like to Shop at a Dying Store

What went wrong with this icon of American retail? I decided to head to a Sears store myself to try to find out.
April 18, 2018

15 Things You Should Never Buy at Walmart

Walmart touts its “everyday low prices” and broad selection, but that doesn’t mean the mega-retailer is always the best place to spend your paycheck.
April 17, 2018

Failing at Retirement: 11 Mistakes Baby Boomers Are Making

From a troubling sense of overconfidence to confusion about how long their savings will need to last, here are 11 retirement mistakes baby boomers make.
April 17, 2018

15 Secrets Costco Shoppers Need to Know

Whether you’re a loyal member or new to the popular warehouse club, here are some secrets all Costco shoppers need to know.
April 17, 2018

12 Surprising Tax Deductions You Didn’t Realize Existed

The taxman cometh, whether you want him to or not. But savvy taxpayers can reduce their tax bill by taking all their available tax deductions.
April 15, 2018

15 Things You Should Never Buy at Costco

Stocking up at the warehouse club doesn’t equal automatic savings. Check out this list things you should never buy at Costco.
April 12, 2018

6 Things You Should Never Buy at Aldi (and 6 Best Foods You Definitely Should)

Sure, the products on Aldi’s shelves are cheaper than those at your local grocery store, but does the quality measure up?
April 10, 2018

How Much Are Prince Harry and Other Royal Family Members Worth?

They may not be the richest royals in the world, but they're not exactly short of funds. Here’s what 15 members of the British royal family are worth.
April 10, 2018

United Airlines and 10 Other Times Companies Treated Customers Horribly

United is far from the only company to treat customers like crap and get away with it. Check out these 10 other examples of badly behaving businesses.
April 09, 2018

Banned Abroad: These Everyday Items Are Illegal to Bring Overseas

If you’re traveling internationally, you need to pay attention to what you pack. Some everyday items you might carry with you are actually banned abroad.
April 07, 2018

Amazon Is Completely Destroying These Iconic Stores

Amazon might not kill off all stores, but it does pose a big challenge to some retailers. These 17 businesses might be the next chains Amazon destroys.
April 04, 2018

I Finally Tried Aldi. Here’s What I Loved (and Hated) About the Store

Aldi plans to win you over with ultra-low prices on everything from milk to meat, but does it really deliver quality foods for less? We decided to find out.
April 03, 2018

10 Things You Should Never Buy at a Yard Sale

For every amazing garage or yard sale find, it seems that there are piles and piles of junk, like battered toys, threadbare sheets, and musty textbooks.
April 03, 2018

11 Dirty Secrets You Don’t Know About Pawn Shops

Everything you think you know about pawn shops is wrong. Most aren’t sketchy enterprises staffed by con artists dealing in stolen goods.
March 31, 2018

9 Lies You’ve Been Told About Social Security

Believing lies you hear about Social Security could cause you to make planning mistakes that jeopardize your future financial security.
March 31, 2018

Who Are the Dreamers? Most DACA Immigrants Come From These 15 Countries

Most Dreamers are originally from Mexico, but many DACA immigrants came from these other countries, including El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.
March 29, 2018

Rich Gone Broke: 14 Celebrities Who Went Bankrupt

From Oscar winners to reality T.V. stars, these hugely successful celebrities found themselves bankrupt and without a cent to their names.
March 27, 2018

Most Dangerous Cities? 13 Cities With Rising Crime Rates

Crime rates in 2016 are projected to be roughly the same as they were in 2015, but are up in 13 cities, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
March 27, 2018

These 15 States Have the Most Dangerous Bridges in America

Attention drivers: These 15 states have the greatest percentage of dangerous bridges in danger of collapse.
March 25, 2018

9 States With the Loosest Gun Laws

Though occasional efforts to change federal gun laws get a lot of attention, most of America’s gun-related legislation happens on a state-by-state basis.
March 25, 2018

Secession? These States Think They Could Survive Without the U.S.

While states like Texas and California might be able to make a serious go at independence, secession probably wouldn't work for some other states.