The holidays can push budgets past their limit as people do more entertaining, attend more events, dine out and participate in gift exchanges. Whether you’re gathering in person or celebrating at a distance this year, it will be tempting to overspend. Here are some tips to help you plan for a less financially hectic 2021 holiday season.
Create a holiday budget
The last month of the year offers many opportunities to splurge. Prevent unfettered spending by setting a “do-not-exceed” dollar amount for holiday-related expenses. Include all purchases tied to the season, from gift giving to refreshing your holiday wardrobe, buying decorations, entertaining and more.
Track your expenses
A budget is only useful when you track your expenses against it. Keep receipts for purchases and tally expenses at the end of each shopping excursion. Check your totals to make sure you’re not exceeding your budget — and are prepared to make returns if you have.
Manage your expectations
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect global supply chains, causing disruptions in many different and surprising product categories. Merchants of all sizes will have product shortages and may offer less merchandise choice overall. Prices will be higher too, driven by increased demand, inventory shortages and higher than normal inflation. And don’t expect fire sales as we get closer to the holidays. Retailers will be unlikely to discount product that’s flying off the shelves.
Shop early
More than ever, this year you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to do your holiday shopping. Both brick and mortar and online stores will be affected by the supply chain challenges. Be flexible. You might have to spend more time looking for what you want. You may need to switch gears if you can’t fulfill your initial wish list. And if you need to ship your gifts, keep in mind that the holidays always cause shipping delays, but this season the slowdown is predicted to be greater than usual.
Plan for increased shipping costs
In addition to inflated prices on general merchandise, shipping costs are spiking upward as well. The U.S. Postal Service has announced price hikes, and other major shipping carriers are also raising their prices to counteract higher oil prices and staffing shortages.
Give differently
If the gifts you want to buy are in short supply or “things” aren’t your thing, consider ticking off your gift list by giving experiences. Local restaurants are eager to make up for months of lost business. Likewise, theaters and sporting events are finally opening up and need to fill seats that have been empty too long. You could also consider giving financial gifts to your loved ones such as a partially funded savings account, Roth IRA, savings bond or an appointment with a financial advisor. And finally, charitable donations are becoming more popular as holiday gifts, particularly if the non-profit is meaningful to the recipient.
Bronwyn Martin is a financial advisor and chartered financial consultant with Martin’s Financial Consulting Group, a financial wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. in Kennett Square, and Havre de Grace, Md. She specializes in two fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for more than 21 years. To contact her visit www.ameripriseadvisors.com/bronwyn.x.martin
“Travel medical insurance is essential for snowbirds given their age, long-trip durations and the fact that many of them have pre-existing medical conditions or at risk for experiencing medical issues,” he says. “Most snowbirds have always been diligent about purchasing travel medical insurance, even before the pandemic. Having said that, the pandemic may have been a wakeup call for the minority of snowbirds who may not have purchased travel insurance in the past.”
What insurance providers are saying
Travelweek reached out to several Canadian travel insurance providers to corroborate Snowbird Advisor’s findings. Both Allianz Global Assistance Canada and TuGo are reporting a definite uptick in Canadians purchasing and inquiring about travel insurance since Nov. 8.
Brad Dance, Chief Customer Officer at TuGo, tells Travelweek that the Customer Service team has received an “unprecedented” amount of inquiries, with travellers ready to renew their annual policies as well as make new purchases. He also notes how the recent update to Canada’s testing requirements, which eliminates the need for a PCR test for trips 72 hours or less starting Nov. 30, will have an even bigger impact on travel insurance purchases.
“The pandemic has brought on great pent-up travel demand and cross-border trips have always been an important travel market for TuGo,” says Dance. “Canadians took over 11 million auto trips across the line in 2019, making this market the largest segment of Canadian international travel.”
A similar story is being shared by Allianz, which saw outbound sales in November reach nearly twice that of September. According to the company, while seasonality certainly plays a factor, the rapid growth is beyond what the company normally sees at this time of the year.
“Opening the U.S. border has created an increase in insurance sales with U.S. as the destination,” the company tells Travelweek. “It’s also offered a larger signal – that travel is resuming, for all Canadians. As a result, we’ve seen growth in travel to many destinations around the world, not just the U.S.”
What insurance products are best?
At Allianz, a service called Pre-Trip Assistance is available that allows customers to get a better understanding of what to expect in their destination country and connect to resources for travel requirements and government advisories. With travel rules and restrictions constantly changing, Allianz says this service is proving to be more valuable than ever.
“We always encourage customers to consider their specific and personal needs when travelling and recommend working with a trusted travel professional to ensure the right coverage for the right circumstances,” says Allianz.
TuGo recommends its Multi Trip Annual Emergency Medical Insurance, which is now available with a two-day trip length, making it an ideal option for short or spontaneous trips across the border. This two-day policy option is even easier to purchase at any age as there isn’t a medical questionnaire (otherwise required for travellers 60+).
Dance also notes that the Multi Trip Annual Emergency Medical Insurance is more economical than buying multiple single trip policies, and that travellers can leave at any time, without the hassle of re-applying each time. And with a family plan, family members can travel together or separately, and always be covered.
U.S. stocks plunged on Friday, with global markets rattled by a new coronavirus variant discovered in South Africa, which fanned concerns that new growth-crushing lockdowns could be imposed if the variant spreads widely.
Trading volumes were low due to the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., which may have exacerbated the volatility.
However, major benchmarks fell sharply during the holiday-shortened session, with the Dow (^DJI) diving by more than 900 points — logging its worst day of the year and its third worst Thanksgiving selloff ever. Meanwhile, S&P 500 (^GSPC) sank by over 2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, its biggest drop since February, and the Nasdaq (^IXIC) also fell sharply, but its losses were partly contained by a rally in stay-at-home stocks.
A new coronavirus variant has been discovered in South Africa, leading to an emergency session of the World Health Organization. Dubbed “Omicron,” scientists say the new B.1.1.529 strain is a concern, because it harbors a large number of mutations found in other variants — including the fast-spreading Delta variant that exploded over much of the summer — and it seems to be rapidly spreading.
While there’s no evidence yet, health officials are worried that the mutating variant could dilute or resist the efficacy of vaccines.
“It goes without saying that it’s still too early to say exactly how big a threat the new B.1.1.529 strain poses to the global economy,” Neil Shearing, Group Chief Economist at Capital Economics, said in a note.
Still, “the lesson from the past couple of years is that it’s the restrictions that are imposed in response to the virus – rather than the virus itself – that causes the bulk of the economic damage. So, the key question is how governments will respond in the event that the B.1.1.529 strain spreads,” Shearling wrote.
“That in turn will hinge on the extent to which it escapes the vaccines and, importantly, causes strains in national healthcare systems,” he added — underscoring that governments in the U.S. and U.K. had taken a “learn to live with the virus” approach, and thus are far less likely than other regions to impose new restrictions.
BioNTech (BNTX) said on Friday it expects more data on the new coronavirus variant in South Africa within two weeks to help its shots should be reworked, and that the company and Pfizer (PFE) — its vaccine partner — could redesign its vaccine within 6 weeks, with an aim to distribute it within 100 days.
Pfizer surged as much as 8{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to record, signaling that the new variant could create demand for the vaccine.
While fears of COVID-19 dominated investors’ attention for much of 2020 and 2021, Pfizer confirms it could make variant vaccine in 100 days with the ability to make four billion doses in the first 12 months, according to Citi analyst Andrew Baum.
Travel and leisure-related stocks were among those hit the hardest early Friday, with Carnival Corp (CCL) and Royal Caribbean (RCL) down by 10{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in premarket trading. United Airlines (UAL), Delta Air Lines (DAL) and American Airlines were down each 7{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} each. Boeing slipped 6{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}. Marriott International and Hilton Worldwide fell more than 5{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}.
Travel platform Expedia (EXPE) was the fifth-worst performer in the S&P 500, dropping by 11{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} during the shortened trading day, while home sharing site Airbnb (ABNB) was down more than 5{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}.
On the flip side, stay-at-home stocks gained Zoom (ZM) up 9{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, while Netflix (NFLX) bounded higher by 2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}.
Oil prices also swooned to the lowest levels in more than two months Friday sparking fears about a slowdown in demand.
U.S. oil dropped 10{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} its the worst day since April 2020, with U.S. crude futures down 6.2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to $73.57 per barrel on perceived fears of falling demand amid the new variant.
Bond yields have also fallen as the market’s inflation fears temporarily gave way to the desire for safe-haven assets. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note was down to 1.53{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} after closing at 1.63{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} on Wednesday.
“We’re still in a place where yields are so low that the safe haven of bonds isn’t as safe as it looks,” ProShares’ Simeon Hyman told Yahoo Finance Live on Friday. “You’re making not that much today on that little bit of rally in treasuries, so it’s a tough spot.”
Banks, which benefit from the higher interest rates, were broadly weaker as bond yields declined. Bank of America sinks 5.8{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, Wells Fargo drops 6.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, Citigroup loses 4.8{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, JPMorgan declines 4.7{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, Goldman Sachs sheds 3.9{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} and Morgan Stanley tumbled 4.9{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}
__
1:00 p.m. ET: Stocks slump on Black Friday, as new variant spooks investors
Here were the main moves in markets as of 1:00 p.m. ET:
S&P 500 (^GSPC): -106.65 (-2.27{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,594.81
Dow (^DJI): -903.59 (-2.52{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 34,900.79
Nasdaq (^IXIC): -353.57 (-2.23{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,491.66
Crude (CL=F): +$9.73 (-12.41{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $68.66 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): -$1.10 (-0.06{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,785.40 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): -1.4 bps to yield 1.54{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}
11:15 a.m. ET: Carnival, travel slumps on fears of South African Covid variant
Cruise lines stocks continues to retreat as covid fears swelled. Carnival Corp (CCL) shed more than 12{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, while Royal Caribbean (RCL) sunk more than 11{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}.
11:10 a.m. ET: Stocks slump midday
Here’s where markets were trading midday:
S&P 500 (^GSPC): -93.46 (-1.99{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,608.00
Dow (^DJI): -913.69 (-2.55{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 34,890.69
Nasdaq (^IXIC): -318.08 (-2.02{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,523.46
Crude (CL=F): -$9.24 (-11.79{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $69.15 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): $13.30 (0.75{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,797.60 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): -1.49 bps to yield 1.5{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}
10:30 a.m. ET: The end of the interest rate differential play?
Friday’s decidedly risk-off tone is calling into question the level of aggressiveness with which the Federal Reserve may pull back on its stimulus. Only a day ago, some thought the rapid surge in prices could prompt the Fed to speed up a taper — or even hike rates faster.
What a difference a day makes. Marc Chandler at Bannockburn Global FX, pointed out in a research note that the rise of a new variant is scrambling Fed expectations versus the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan:
The dollar’s rally has been fueled by the prospect of a divergence of monetary policy that favored the Fed over the ECB and BOJ. Indeed, since the November 10 surprise jump in the October CPI to above 6{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, we had emphasized the likelihood that the Fed would have to taper quicker to give it the flexibility to lift rates earlier if needed. Since then, 4-5 Fed officials and several large banks have also underscored this possibility. However, this scenario is being called into question today, which is evident in the swaps markets and the Fed funds futures.
9:30 a.m. ET: Stocks open sink
Here’s where markets were trading just before the opening bell:
S&P 500 (^GSPC): -66.85 (-1.42{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,634.61
Dow (^DJI): -848.78 (-2.37{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 34,955.60
Nasdaq (^IXIC): -133.91 (-0.83{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,708.01
Crude (CL=F): -$5.34 (-6.81{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $73.05 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): $21.20 (1.19{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,805.50 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): -1.52 bps to yield 1.5{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 30: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on September 30, 2021 in New York City. In afternoon trading the Dow was down over 250 points as investors continue to worry about inflation, wages and supply chain issues. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Almost three times more British MPs declared earnings from financial services companies than from manufacturing, FT analysis has revealed — one of many imbalances that may complicate Tory efforts to defend legislators’ right to pursue part-time careers.
MPs’ right to hold second jobs, which spurred a political row this month, has been defended by Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of the House of Commons. He told Parliament that it was “a historic strength . . . that MPs should have a wider focus than the Westminster bubble”.
The government has now proposed changes to the rules to bar MPs from doing too many hours of outside work or acting as political consultants — but to preserve their right to have other income. A report on how the new rules might operate is set to be published by a cross-party committee next week.
In declarations made since the last election in 2019, some of which relate to the year before the vote, 37 MPs have registered income of various kinds from financial services companies — the largest such bloc of corporate income. The sector accounts for 8.1 per cent of UK GDP.
These include longstanding contractual relationships as well as one-off payments — such as the £160,000 paid to Theresa May, the former prime minister, by JPMorgan Chase in April 2020. The sum was an “advance payment” for two speeches that were postponed by the pandemic; she has yet to give one of them.
It turns out to be only a small set of businesses that are most interested in paying and entertaining MPs
By contrast, just 13 MPs have received income from manufacturers, which contribute 9.9 per cent of GDP. Just 8 MPs have financial links to retailers, which contribute 4.9 per cent. Public relations or lobbying companies have employed 30 MPs.
Hannah White, deputy director of the Institute for Government who previously ran the independent Committee on Standards in Public Life, said: “If the point of second jobs is to ensure that MPs can bring real life experience to parliament, then it is deeply problematic that the experience MPs are actually getting is so unrepresentative of the UK economy”.
This has become a partisan issue because of an imbalance in who holds these posts: the positions listed above were held by 68 Tory MPs and just 18 legislators from all the other parties combined.
The issue was also brought to public attention by the actions of Owen Paterson, a Conservative former minister, who was found by a bipartisan committee to have “repeatedly used his position as a member to promote the companies by whom he was paid” in a manner not permitted by the rules. The government whipped its MPs to save him from proposed sanctions — only to be forced to retreat in the face of a public backlash.
Some forms of outside income are more bipartisan: 155 MPs received additional funds from filling in surveys for pollsters — receiving between £30 and £275 for each survey, which typically takes less than an hour.
Meanwhile 105 MPs declared earnings from the media, largely for writing articles (including for the FT Group) or TV appearances. Another 63 have held paid roles in local government. An additional 23 have declared income from book publishing.
Westminster MPs are allowed to lobby ministers on behalf of companies that have given them money or gifts, and to advocate for them in debates so long as they do not “initiate” conversations or debates. Clients must also not “exclusively” benefit from anything they propose. They also must not use parliamentary facilities for business.
These rules are weaker than in the UK’s devolved parliaments, and markedly weaker than those in the US House of Representatives — where there is a cap on some kinds of earned income and outright bans on others.
Members of the House of Representatives are banned from practising law to prevent them from having conflicting public and private duties.
In the UK, lawyer-MPs are allowed to practise and are not required to disclose their ultimate clients. The 30 MPs declaring income from law — mostly as barristers — include some of Parliament’s biggest earners, such as Sir Geoffrey Cox, the former attorney-general. Cox, whose large volume of outside work helped fuel the outrage over MPs’ second jobs, told the FT that barristers were hired “to advise and represent . . . on a specific issue or in litigation”, not for general representation.
Lawyers are heavily represented in parliament, but together with accountancy, from which 7 MPs declared earnings, the legal sector contributes just 2.7 per cent of GDP.
In the US, members of the House are banned from accepting most gifts — with a particular prohibition on gifts from lobbyists or anyone who also engages a lobbyist. No such bar exists in the UK, where 26 MPs have registered gifts from betting companies and their lobbying body. A total of 111 MPs have taken gifts or hospitality from sports businesses.
The largest gift went to Tracey Crouch, who has just completed a review of the regulation of English football on behalf of the UK government. She declared a £4,560 hospitality package from the Football Association, the sport’s English body, to watch a football match.
“It turns out to be only a small set of businesses that are most interested in paying and entertaining MPs,” said Duncan Hames, a former MP and director of policy at Transparency International UK. “That these companies are often heavily regulated suggests more interest in their parliamentary role than prior experience they might bring.”
MPs are allowed to hold up to £70,000 of shares in a company without registering the holding, so long as the stake constitutes less than 15 per cent of the equity. They are not required to list participation in any funds. In the US, members of the House of Representatives must declare shareholdings over $1,000, as well as any other investments.
One person involved in administering the current UK system told the FT they were “very sceptical” about comparisons to the US — “not least because of [US politicians’] need to raise campaign finance”. This, they said, led to US politicians being “more in hock to big business”.
Campaigners are calling for much more sweeping reforms than are currently being considered. Hames said: “There are still too many blind spots for mischief to hide . . . It could save a lot of trouble if, like in many other workplaces, those wanting to take on second jobs or other contractual relationships first sought authorisation from an independent body, just as former ministers are expected to do.”
Shannon Sears is cultivating something new on her family’s Middlefield farm.
Sears, 23, together with her boyfriend, Robert Dorrough, launched Valley View Farm Store at 3286 County Highway 35 in early November. The store began, Sears said, as a way to expand offerings to locals while supplementing the farm.
“My parents first started farming in Jefferson, and I was 2 when they moved, so I pretty much grew up on the farm,” she said. “It was my parents’, and they bought it in 2000, and now me and my boyfriend are in the process of taking it over.
“(The farm store) is all new,” Sears continued. “The store got started because, in dairy farming, it’s very tough to have a strong revenue stream, especially in Middlefield — there’s no stoplight and there’s no store, the closest one is in Cooperstown — so we wanted to give an opportunity for the local community to be able to have the convenience and be able to get it right up the road at the farm, and we offer only local products.”
The site, Sears said, showcases typical farm store fare along with some surprises.
“Our milk is from Lentsville Farm in Cherry Valley, and they have a Jersey farm there and cheese curds and yogurt that we have,” she said. “And the other (milk carried) is King Brothers, out of Saratoga.
“We have homegrown beef and pork, with different cuts available — hamburger, steaks, sausage, bacon and that’s all grown on the farm — then we have a wide variety of baked goods,” Sears continued, listing products from Brimstone Bakery in Sharon Springs and whoopie pies and assorted muffins from Udderly Sweet. “And we have, from MT Acres in Schenevus, all our health and beauty products, (such as) goat milk soap, aromatherapy, sugar scrubs, lotion, lip balm and grain-free dog treats,” she said.
Sears said, though the store is open for self-service daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., she’s committed to making face-to-face customer connections.
“It’s different, our farm store, because it is manned (during weekend hours),” she said. “We think it’s important to have conversations with our customers and find out what products they like and what products they’re looking for next; it just gives you an opportunity to actually communicate with your consumer and otherwise, you miss out on that.”
Customers, Sears said, are appreciating the venture. Though she said shoppers are primarily “locals,” Sears said that, in summer, “the (Cooperstown) tourist population will probably come over.”
“Our grand opening (in early November) was quite a few customers and people from the community that showed up, so that was good,” she said. “It’s definitely a start. They all really love that the store is right down the road. When I was handing out flyers before the opening, I was talking to one of my neighbors, and she was like, ‘Thank God (you’re opening), because I need a gallon of milk and thought I had to go the store.’ So, the main feedback that we’ve gotten is, it’s very convenient and they love the setup and that we offer products that are some essential household products, and different stuff like the health and beauty.”
And, Sears said, the farm store accepts cash, cards, checks, Venmo, PayPal and other electronic payment forms.
Sears said she’s planning to build on Valley View’s momentum in time for the holidays.
“We’re going to be working on Christmas baskets,” she said. “Those will be deals where the health and beauty can be a basket, with one soap, one sugar scrub, one lip balm at a set price, but it will make an easy gift. And we’ll have a meat special; we’re going to put a steak and some hamburger together.
“(Holiday baskets) are a good seller at a lot of farm stores I’ve been to, but also a thing for when you don’t know what to get that one family member,” Sears continued. “So, it can help check that person off and you’re helping the community and a small business.”
Valley View will host a Dec. 18 Christmas event, Sears said, featuring product specials and photos with Santa and farm animals.
Sears said she plans, too, to expand into farm-fresh to-go options.
“We just opened,” she said, “but we’re currently working with the health department to offer grab ‘n’ go meals — sandwiches, coffee, that kind of stuff.
“I set up our one-year goal and our five-year plan,” Sears continued, “and in five years, we’d like to set up a small cafe in the back part of the store and make it so you can see a viewing window of the cow pasture right there. (People will be able to) sit, have breakfast and watch the cows grazing and really bring that farm-to-table aspect.”
For more information, find “Valley View Farm” on Facebook or follow @valviewfarm on Instagram.
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There’s no shortage of great personal finance advice out there. The problem is figuring out whether or not it applies to you.
“Personal finance is personal before it’s financial,” Talaat McNeely told me during an interview earlier this year. McNeely is the co-founder of the site His and Her Money, which he runs with his wife, Tai. I’ve found this idea to be a helpful way to think about your finances and life in general.
There is no single tip or money hack that will instantly change your life. But some principles and concepts can put you on the path to achieving your goals. You’ll just need to figure out a way to apply them to your unique situation.
Here are the most impactful lessons I’ve learned during my time as a personal finance reporter, and how I’ve applied them to my life. These tools and concepts helped my wife and me set aside over $20,000 to pay off student loans (once interest resumes next year), build our emergency fund, and feel less stressed about our financial future.
A good budget should manage not only your expenses but also your emotional relationship with money.
5 Things I Learned as a Personal Finance Reporter
Since launching NextAdvisor in the middle of the pandemic, our biggest priority has been sharing actionable advice readers can use right away in their daily lives. In the course of fulfilling this mission, we’ve learned quite a lot about ourselves.
Here are four personal finance concepts my wife and I have incorporated into our everyday approach to finances, plus one strategy we plan to use when we are ready to buy a house.
1. Budgeting Is About More Than Just Managing Money
For years my budget was a homemade spreadsheet I updated sporadically in hopes of becoming a young Warren Buffet. It rarely worked as well as I wanted. In theory, my budget should have turned me into the ultimate saver. But what frequently happened was: I’d update it once a month only to find out I’d overspent on eating out. And it wasn’t helping me feel any less stressed about money.
One of the first stories I wrote for NextAdvisor was about creating a budget, and that is where I discovered zero-based budgeting (ZBB). Once my wife and I started using the zero-based budgeting method, we didn’t just start saving more but also began to feel less worried about money. In my experience, a good budget should manage not only your expenses but also your emotional relationship with money.
Piper after his surgery. He hated the cone of shame, so we put him in a baby onesie.Jason Stauffer/Getty Images
With ZBB, every dollar that comes in is given a purpose. We assign funds to pay for rent, cellphone, and other expenses. But we also assign money for more than just our current bills. This strategy helped us pay off student loans sooner than we expected.
ZBB also helped us build an emergency fund for the first time in my life. When the cat needed a $2,000 emergency surgery this past summer, we already had that money set aside. If we hadn’t had an emergency fund, this surprise cost would have been a setback for other goals. Since this money was already set aside, it didn’t negatively affect our other financial obligations.
We’ve been using the zero-based budgeting app You Need a Budget (YNAB) for almost a year and a half, and we absolutely love it. This app has effectively turned our credit cards into debit cards, which is important because I’m a full-blown travel credit card junkie. When I enter a credit card purchase into the YNAB app, the funds are immediately assigned to pay off that card. So even though I won’t actually pay the credit card bill for up to 30 days, the budget tells me that money is no longer available to spend.
How to Find a Budgeting Strategy That Works for You
If you want to try zero-based budgeting for yourself, I think YNAB is a great place to start. It’s important to note that it’s not free. But there are plenty of free or cheap ZBB templates available. And ZBB isn’t the only budgeting method that works. As you explore different approaches to budgeting, zero in on why you want a budget in the first place. A budget can help reduce financial stress, and get you closer to your goals without turning you into Ebenezer Scrooge.
2. Prioritize Income Over Expenses
There is a limited number of Starbucks lattes you can cut from your budget—but an unlimited number of ways to make money.
I’ve talked with people who’ve paid off their mortgage in under six years and conquered six-figure sums of debt. One common thread from these success stories is they find ways to make more money. They start side hustles, businesses, or find better paying jobs. Having a budget that works for you is still the first step. But if you don’t net enough income after expenses, then saving for anything else will be a struggle.
My wife and I are expecting our first child in 2022, and for us, it’s as important as ever to increase our household income. My wife is considering a move from freelance to full-time work, which would provide a more stable income. From there, we might explore other freelance or side hustle opportunities.
How to Increase Your Income
Starting a side hustle might not be as challenging as you think. Chances are you already have interests and talents you could use or develop to boost your income. One great bit of advice Marc Russell shared with me was to repurpose the skills from your current job into a side hustle. Russell is the creator of the personal finance Instagram account Betterwallet. “As long as there’s no conflict of interest with your current job, you can go off and create your own thing on the side and get paid for it,” he said in a previous NextAdvisor story.
3. Negotiating Can Be As Simple As Asking
The thought of negotiating has always terrified me. My idea of a good negotiator has always been a former Navy SEAL or pro athlete, someone who’s in control, confident, and used to winning. In reality, negotiating is often as simple as asking for what you want. Crafting a good offer sometimes includes offering something of value in return.
I’ve never asked for much of anything, much less a discount on my housing costs. Recently, I was looking to move into a new apartment on a short-term 3-month lease. I emailed my current property managers to ask about two units downstairs I knew were vacant. I asked if either unit would be available for a short-term lease and I gave them valuable information, reminding them the one apartment had been vacant for over a year. Then I offered to pay all three months upfront if they would reduce the rent.
Now I’m paying over $150 less a month and my landlord has $4,000 more than before I asked for what I wanted.
How to Negotiate More Frequently
Any negotiation is better than no negotiation. Find an approach that could help you ease into it and be more comfortable. Try making an indirect request and see if that’s easier for you. Instead of coming out and saying you want a pay raise, ask your manager something along the lines of, “what have people in my position done in the past to help increase their pay?” At the very least, it gets the conversation started. You’ll never get something if you don’t ask for it in the first place.
4. Be Patient and Consistent. Change Takes Time
Changing the trajectory of your finances takes time.
That can be disheartening to read. Everywhere you look it’s one headline after another highlighting the youngest millionaire or someone who went from insurmountable debt to financial freedom in less time than it took to read their bestselling book.
Life is a marathon, but we only see the last few hundred yards of other people’s victories. Almost all financial achievements are preceded by a long period of learning and building momentum. Whether it’s learning to code before becoming a tech entrepreneur or saving up for a down payment on a house, meaningful changes take time.
If you can only take small steps, just keep taking small steps. It can be tough seeing how fast everyone else seems to be moving. What’s not obvious is how much time it took them to develop the speed you’re seeing. Understanding how much time is involved in making meaningful improvements is the foundation for positive financial decisions.
How to Use Time to Your Advantage
The best way to get time working for you is to start now. Start small, start slow, start without it being perfect. Then your job is to continue what you started, however slowly you’d like, and to learn and make adjustments along the way.
5. Prospective homeowners: Ask about a zero-cost mortgage
While reporting on mortgages, the most overlooked strategy I’ve come across for reducing your mortgage cost is to ask for lender credits in exchange for a higher interest rate. In this situation, the credits would be used to cover the loan fee portion of your closing costs. A zero-cost mortgage means you’d be paying a lot less out of pocket every time you buy a home or refinance.
Here’s why I plan to get a zero-cost loan:
By reducing the upfront cost I’ll have more liquidity.
What I would have spent on upfront closing costs can be used to pay down the mortgage balance, invest in a retirement fund, or set it aside for unplanned home repairs.
If I move or refinance a combined six times in the next 30 years, I’d pay closing costs (3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}-6{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} of the loan) six times. So for me, taking the higher interest rate with a zero-cost loan is cheaper because our future plans aren’t set in stone.
When researching lenders, ask if they have a zero-cost loan option. Compare your options and see which one makes the most sense for you. In my experience, the zero-cost mortgage is not as common or widely advertised. Also, the zero-cost mortgage is different from a no-closing-cost mortgage. A no-closing cost mortgage is when the closing costs are rolled into the total loan balance.
How to Pick the Right Mortgage for You
Any time you take out a home loan, you’ll want to be sure that you understand all your options. Ask a lot of questions and work with a professional who will help you understand your options, rather than just someone who gives you “the answer.” In my experience, most borrowers are overly concerned with the mortgage rate and overlook the closing costs. Interest and closing costs can be easy to miss because they might be added to your loan balance, but you’re still paying even if you’re not paying out of pocket when you close.
Bottom Line
The above practices have given me the patience I needed to establish financial habits that will last a lifetime. They worked for me. But it doesn’t mean you should take the same approach. If nothing else, use these concepts to start thinking about how you can approach your finances differently or to start asking questions you hadn’t considered before.For more information, check out this library of resources on NextAdvisor’s savings page.
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