If you’re wondering which mortgage company originated the most home loans last year, stop wondering and take a look.
Most people know Wells Fargo is king when it comes to mortgages, and 2015 was no different. But what about the other top 39 lenders?
Well, thanks to some great visualization software from Tableau and some generosity from Richey May and Co., we can see who the major (and slightly less major) players are.
The graphs below are based on Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data, which covers about 95% of all residential mortgages. The raw data was made readable thanks to the pair mentioned above.
Wells Fargo Remained Mortgage King in 2015
Unsurprisingly, San Francisco-based Wells Fargo retained its crown as the top residential mortgage originator in 2015, registering volume of $119.2 billion.
That gave it about 7.3% of the total market share in the United States. While it might not seem like a lot, its closest competitor had nearly half that share.
For the record, its market share has fallen for the past couple years, from 10.5% in 2013 to 7.8% in 2014.
Before we talk about the others, let me add that Wells’s production was 88% conventional and just 5% FHA. There was a sliver of USDA lending in there too.
As far as transaction type, 52% was for a home purchase and 48% was for a refinance.
Quicken Grabbed the Second Spot
Coming in a relatively close second was Quicken Loans, with $74.6 billion in total volume representing a 4.6% market share.
The nonbank mortgage lender saw its market share rise just slightly from a year earlier, but volume was way up from the $55.8 billion seen in 2014.
While conventional loans made up the lion’s share of its production (70%), FHA accounted for a decent chunk (19%) and VA home loans accounted for 11%.
After their very public lawsuit with the Department of Justice over alleged faulty FHA underwriting, my guess is FHA lending will be a lot lower in 2016.
More interestingly, 80% of their total production was refis, with just 20% of volume involving a home purchase. We’ll see if Rocket Mortgage can eventually propel them to the top.
Chase took the third position overall with $62.7 billion in total production, representing a 3.8% market share. That was up from $42.2 billion and 3.5% a year earlier, respectively.
The big New York City-based bank doesn’t seem to like FHA lending seeing that 98% of their production was conventional. It was split fairly evenly between refi (56%) and purchase (44%).
Bank of America came in fourth with $51.9 billion and 3.2% market share. Production was actually up from 2014 but market share still slipped slightly.
They too eschewed FHA, with 96% of production coming via the conventional route. Refis accounted for 59% of production with 41% purchases.
Rounding out the top five was Loan Depot, a nonbank that managed to grab about 1.6% of total market share on a healthy $25.8 billion in production.
The company exhibited a solid mix of lending, with 68% conventional, 18% FHA, 14% VA, and a bit of USDA as well.
They too had a heavy share of refis (67%) versus purchases (33%), which is common with the nonbanks.
People tend to get purchase mortgages from the big banks they already do business with, though it’s not always the case.
The lower half of the top 10 included the likes of US Bank, Flagstar, Citi, Freedom Mortgage, and Caliber Home Loans.
You can see the rest of the names in the graphic above.
Independent Mortgage Lenders Saw Gains in 2015
As you can see from this graph, independent mortgage lenders have been chalking gains over the past few years as the big boys lose market share.
The indie group saw its market share rise from 36% in 2013 to 45% last year. Part of that had to do with the rising number of independent mortgage companies. Perhaps they’ll surpass 50% in 2016.
Meanwhile, the large commercial banks saw their market share fall from 54% in 2013 to just 45% in 2015. The number of commercial banks has also dwindled, which could explain some of the decline.
Credit unions have held a fairly steady ~5% share for the past several years and mortgage companies owned or affiliated with a depository have held a similar share.
And now a few more interesting tidbits:
Top conventional mortgage lender in 2015: Wells Fargo Top FHA mortgage lender in 2015: Quicken Loans Top USDA mortgage lender in 2015: PrimeLending Top VA mortgage lender in 2015: Freedom Mortgage Top purchase mortgage lender in 2015: Wells Fargo Top refinance mortgage lender in 2015: Quicken Loans
In an effort to get a pulse on the industry and learn more about the tools available to help real estate agents grow their businesses, I sat down with Robert (Bob) Burns, Real Estate Coach, Trainer and Consultant with Leader’s Edge Training, to discuss the resources they offer for real estate professionals.
While there’s no shortage of training available in the marketplace for agents, I quickly learned that for those real estate agents who want to take their career to the next level there is a vacuum in the real estate training space that few – besides Leader’s Edge – are addressing.
In our discussion, Bob shared the fact that “there’s a whole other side of this conversation [i.e. agent training] that’s not talked about nearly enough, and that’s management…the management side of the real estate business. There’s little to no training available.”
Why is this important?
As an agent, maybe you’re thinking that’s no big deal…I’m great at selling, how hard can it be to manage a brokerage?
Ask anyone who’s done it though, and you’ll quickly realize that it’s a lot tougher. For example, how do you know if your commission plan is truly competitive in the marketplace?
Or if you have the right financial reports with the key information you need to manage the brokerage well? Are things slipping through the cracks, or are you on top of every little thing that needs done?
Maybe you were in management before you got into real estate. That’s great, but were you managing employees or independent contractors?
It’s different, you know…the dynamics are definitely not the same.
For example, if you were a sales manager in the retail industry the methods and processes you used to manage employees will not be the same as the ones you need as the manager of a brokerage firm.
“It becomes not about telling people what to do and having, you know, all of that discipline and structure,” said Bob, “it really is an exercise in leadership in generating followership, and building relationships and trust so that these independent contractors that are like, herding cats, will actually follow you to where you want to bring your organization. And that’s a whole other skillset for most people to develop.
“So I love working with managers to help them with their leadership skills, to build followership and also with the nuts and bolts of actually managing their service delivery, their financials, their process…all the stuff that’s required as kind of foundational to their business so they can do the fun leadership stuff and getting people to follow them and recruit agents to their firm and retain them so they stay and help their agents build their business.”
Interested in learning what makes him tick, I asked Bob about how he got into the business.
“I have basically only ever worked in the real estate business. I came out of college with an education background that I didn’t want to use. I found out that education wasn’t for me and I went in an interview with a local real estate company in South Minneapolis – Coldwell Banker Burnett.
“They walked me through the process to get licensed. I became licensed and started my career as a 20 year old kid trying to live in an apartment, trying to help people with their most valuable asset – their home – so I had to learn fast.
“What I love the most about it [real estate] is that your output is pretty much in proportion to the input. In other words, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. The harder you work, the more you earn and the better you do.”
[PULL QUOTE HERE] “It’s really a meritocracy, and I love that about real estate.”
“Anyone with the right drive, and the right work ethic can come into real estate and make a respectable living for themselves and their family.”
But what should real estate agents expect from the training offered by Leader’s Edge Training?
There are four components to the training; learning, practice, implementation and accountability.
“With adult learners,” said Bob, “especially in a professional environment, we’ll tend not to just learn something for the sake of learning…it needs to be applicable.”
Agents who enroll in the training offered by Leader’s Edge will not only learn something new, they’ll have the opportunity to learn in a very specific way that will help them really retain what they learn.
They’ll learn through implementation and practice, in an environment where it’s safe to practice the skill before the stakes get high.
Also, agents will experience accountability.
Unlike other training programs there’s no “here’s what you need to know, go do it and have a nice day,” agents receive true accountability that will help them implement what they’ve learned in a practical way.
Their coach will question them…“did you do what you said you would? How did it go? What worked? What didn’t work?”, etc.
Bob noted that continuing education for most agents is thought of as “more of a passive, ‘getting my hours in’ type of learning.” Highlighting what makes him different, he notes that, “The training that I provide is more about making a behavioral change in your business, so you can run a more successful practice.”
If you’re an agent who wants to “create change and growth in your business, that leads to making more money and helping more people,” you’re just the kind of agent who would benefit from Leader’s Edge Training.
“The core program that I deliver with Leader’s Edge Training is a “six week, one day a week in-person course,” said Bob. “It’s an advanced course in real estate; everything you need to know and then some to run a successful business. We do before and after measurements; we’re very big on measurement.
“The average participant increases their business 217% versus what they were doing before they took the class,” continued Bob.
“The other component to it, is that while they’re with me during that six week period of high accountability, high motivation – and this really positive environment – the average participant in the class that I deliver will close six transactions that can be traced back to the activities they did with me in the course. It’s very, very measurable.”
In addition to the training, Leader’s Edge offers agents two other resources that can help them grow their business; an app and a podcast.
“The ‘Agent Success’ app that we developed allows you to put in your business goals as a real estate agent,” said Bob. “And it breaks those goals down into quarterly, monthly and weekly activities that you need to complete on a regular basis to reach those goals.
“So if you want to make a certain amount of money in real estate, you put in those goals; you put in how many weeks a year you want to work, and then every day when you wake up the app tells you exactly what to do, how many calls you need to make, how many mailers you need to do, how many doors you need to knock on, how many social media posts you need to make…it spells it all out for you.
“And you can keep track of your activities as you do them, much like a fitness app such as My Fitness Pal or Fitbit or whatever…you can track your activities. And it will kind of assign you points based on the activities that you’ve done. And if you do those activities, you’ll reach your goals and the app help you get to where you want to go.
“It’s available in the iTunes Store and in the Android Google Play Store. We’ve opened it up to everybody; it’s not just Leader’s Edge clients…we want to contribute to the growth of the real estate industry as a whole.
“We’ve made it available for free to all real estate professionals… they can go out and download it and start using it today.”
Without question, in my experience most real estate professionals love to help others achieve success. One such way they can do that is by sharing their knowledge through podcasts.
Bob’s podcast is called “How They Won” and is available on a number of platforms.
“Every week I interview top real estate professionals, mostly real estate agents,” said Bob, “but also people connected to the real estate industry…and they share the secrets of their success.
“The interviews are typically around 30 minutes, and while some episodes have gone as long as 60 minutes I try to keep it 30 to 40 minutes so you can listen as you walk around your commute or on the treadmill or the elliptical at the gym.
“There’s been a tremendous response…real estate agents like to learn from each other.
“And the other thing about about “How They Won”… as I was doing my market research, I noted that there are a handful of real estate podcasts that are out there.
“I’m a big podcast fan…I love podcasts…but the real estate podcasts that are out there, in general, with the exception of a very, very small few, from a quality and organization standpoint, I just find very difficult to listen to.
“So my goal with “How They Won” was to launch something that was of a very high, professional, listenable quality,” continued Bob, “and that was organized and succinct in a way that listeners could actually implement in a short period of time.
“For their time investment, I wanted them to be able to actually implement some of the things that they learned in the podcast.”
At the time of this writing we’re facing a moratorium on physical gatherings, so I asked Bob how he was adapting to the changes brought by the Coronavirus epidemic.
“What I’m doing right now, is a lot of what’s called mindset and motivational work. It’s very hard in this environment for people to do the right things; to hold themselves to a certain standard. They lose track of the discipline of running their business. You’re not going to close as many real estate transactions in this kind of environment.
“So the focus has shifted from a lot of action-based tasks (e.g. make these contacts, knock on these doors, or send out this mailer,) to more of a ‘where are you’, ‘where’s your head at today’. As a real estate agent what are you thinking about? How can we implement some structure in your day so that when we do wake up to a sunrise in the first day of a post COVID-19 real estate market you’re ready…you won’t miss a beat when the light turns green again.”
Taking the cue, I asked a question that I’m sure is on a lot of peoples’ minds; especially those of us in the real estate industry.
“What do you think the real estate industry as a whole is going to look like…at least for the United States after we get the ‘all clear’ so to speak?”
“It’s really hard to say,” said Bob. “I think it comes down to some basic economic factors. The biggest driver historically of real estate, contrary to what almost every written article wants you to believe, is not interest rates.
“Interest rates are not the biggest driver of the real estate market…it’s employment.
“Just like, you know, the old adage in real estate is ‘location, location, location’… the economics of this industry is ‘employment, employment employment’.
“So depending on how quickly we can get home buyers and home sellers back to work is going to shape whether this is a V shaped recovery or a U shaped recovery.
“For example, if you want to buy a house, typically you’re going to need a mortgage to buy it. Mortgage Lenders aren’t going to lend you money if you don’t have a job.
“So these four levels that we’re seeing in these layoffs; if we’re able to kind of sustain those small, medium and large businesses through however long this is, whether it’s weeks or months, if we’re able to keep those businesses open and they’re able to bring their workforce back to work, then I think this whole thing will have a very little impact on the real estate business as a whole.
“It’ll be a setback, but we have a whole bunch of built-up demand happening behind this dam. And when we’re back open for business, all of that pent-up demand is going to be satisfied. And we’re going to see a fast and full recovery.
“If on the other hand, we’re not able to keep these small, medium, large businesses to the point where they’re able to bring their workforce back in, and these unemployment claims that we’re seeing are permanent rather than temporary, I think it’s going to be a much slower recovery as new businesses have to become established to take the place of businesses that didn’t survive.
“And those business have to grow organically, and eventually get back to the point where they can have a payroll where we did pre COVID-19, then I think you’re looking at a much more protracted recovery or a much, much longer recovery if that happens.”
So what should agents be doing now, as we’re in a state of flux?
Unfortunately, we’re in uncharted territory right now, but one things that is vital for every agent to consider is to take the time to work on their mindset.
Social distancing, and in some cases, stay-at-home orders can wreak havoc on your mindset if you let it.
Pay attention to what you read, and what you listen to. Take care of yourself, your family, and your business and when possible, take advantage of this time to expand your knowledge so that you can hit the ground running when the time is right.
Anita Clark is a Warner Robins Real Estate Agent helping buyers and sellers in middle Georgia with all of their home buying or selling needs.Whether she is selling new construction homes, assisting first-time buyers, or helping military relocating to Houston County, she always puts her customers needs first.
In our current state of “cancel culture,” many celebrities have gone under the axe for past behaviors returning to bite them. But what famous person essentially canceled themselves because they couldn’t stop being stupid? After a poll on the internet, these are the top-voted celebs.
1. Kanye “Ye” West
Someone noted that Kanye West went off the deep end so quickly it’s staggering. “It was like ruining his legacy was his full-time job.” Several Swifties confessed to hating Kanye since the infamous 2009 VMA scene, when he got on stage, took the mic from Taylor Swift, and announced it should have been Beyoncé.
However, the majority were primarily against his anti-Semitic rhetoric and statement about “liking” Hitler on Alex Jone’s show InfoWars in December of 2022.
2. Ezra Miller
There are conflicting beliefs about Ezra Miller. While many acknowledge that they canceled themself with the allegations of grooming a minor, their violent outbursts, and arrests, others defended him.
“Their friend took their own life, and they spiraled into a severe depression. I wouldn’t call that stupidity.” “How are they canceled? Warner Brothers are going ahead with The Flash movie.”
3. Azealia Banks
Azealia Banks was on the path to becoming the next big female rap name in the early 2010s after her ‘212′ song exploded onto the scene. Her EP received widespread acclaim and universal praise for her style and lyricism.
However, one user claimed, “But the woman is a literal sociopath, and Rihanna was ready to take her under her wing. She completely sabotaged that relationship so fast. Azealia Banks is a maniac.”
4. Anthony Weiner
Anthony Weiner lost his job in Congress because he sent pictures of his junk while married to a minor. Then, while on his campaign trail for New York City Mayor, he does it again and gets caught again because he’s a moron. One person joked, “Seriously, if my name was Weiner, I think I’d be hyper-conscious of the implications.”
5. Antonio Brown
Antonio Brown would be known as one of the greatest receivers in NFL history. However, he couldn’t stop burning bridges and doing dumb things. Someone noted, “Now all he’s thought of is the biggest running joke in NFL history.”
6. Andy Dick
Several people stated that Andy Dick lived up to his last name. He’s been in a lot of trouble for substance abuse. Rumor is that he gave narcotics to Phil Hartman’s wife, Brynn Hartman, after years of sobriety. Some alleged it may have pushed toward the tragedy in 1998 when she took bother her’s and Phil Hartman’s lives.
Additionally, Andy was sentenced to 90 days in jail after being convicted of sexual battery for groping an Uber driver and ordered to register as a sex offender. However, in January 2023, he still had not registered and was arrested for public intoxication.
7. Jussie Smollett
Jussie Smollett planned a hate crime with two Nigerian extras on the set of the show Empire. One user informed people that he filed a fake police report about two White Trump lovers.
He claimed that these men shouted racial and homophobic slurs, elaborating that one poured bleach on him while the other placed a noose around his neck.
“He also told police the men shouted “MAGA country” during the attack, a reference to the Trumpist political slogan “Make America Great Again.”
8. Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen is a notorious bad boy in Hollywood. He has been on a roller coaster of drug and alcohol abuse. Additionally, he had marital issues with Denise Richards and reports of domestic violence. Sheen also made derogatory remarks about Chuck Lorre, resulting in his termination from Lorre’s show, Two and a Half Men.
Charlie Sheen also announced in 2015 that he is HIV positive, resulting in an “increase of online search queries for HIV prevention and testing, later dubbed the Charlie Sheen effect.”
9. Chevy Chase
One user noted that Chevy Chase put some real effort behind his demise. That guy has put decades of work into canceling himself. Another noted he was an original cast of Saturday Night Live.
However, he alienated people during those days and returned as a guest host multiple times. “The last time he was so toxic, he was banned from appearing again.”
10. Roseanne Barr
We all remember when Roseanne Barr decided to Tweet some racism in 2018, following the release of her show’s reboot, The Connors. So she attempted to blame her words on the Ambien sleeping pills she took. Ambien said, “Racism is not a known side effect.” Ultimately, she was fired from the show that successfully went on without her.
Source: Reddit.
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It’s difficult to visit any news site without seeing some mention of cryptocurrency. Most people sit there and simply think, nope, crypto’s way too much risk for me. And they’d be right. Crypto is an incredibly volatile asset, but, there’s a “safer” way to invest in it.
An investment in blockchain ETFs (blockchain is the technology cryptocurrencies run through) is a great way to diversify your portfolio. It’s also an excellent way to participate in the growth of this emerging technology while limiting your exposure to the potential risk that comes with cryptocurrencies and other ICOs.
In this article, I will discuss how investing in blockchain ETFs works, as well as the best ways for you to invest today.
What’s Ahead:
A step-by-step guide on how to invest in blockchain ETFs
If you decide to purchase a blockchain ETF, it’s a good idea to make sure you are buying one with an established track record of returns. Below, I’ve outlined a basic, step-by-step guide to investing in blockchain ETFs.
1. Open a brokerage account
To invest in a blockchain ETF, the first thing you need to do is open a brokerage account. If you already have one, that’s great. Otherwise, head on over to your preferred broker and open an account with them. Just make sure that you take note of any fees that the account charges.
You’ll also want to ensure they sell the specific blockchain ETF you’re looking to invest in. It’s important to remember that every brokerage account is different. Some may offer special promotions or have discounts on certain fees for new customers. You’ll want to consider this when choosing your broker.
2. Determine the amount you want to invest
Once you’ve opened a brokerage account, you should determine how much you’re willing to invest. Remember that a blockchain ETF is typically priced based on the total value of assets it holds. This means that if a share is worth $100 and an ETF has 100 shares, then each individual share would be worth $1.
It pays to do some research into what type of blockchain ETFs other investors are investing in and how much they’ve invested – this will give you a sense of where a good starting point is.
Public, for instance, allows you to track and follow other people’s investments. So, you can follow someone who knows the blockchain space and replicate their investments if you wanted.
Whatever you decide, make sure you don’t invest more than you can afford to lose. While blockchain ETFs may be “safer” than buying something like cryptocurrency directly, there’s still the potential for risk.
3. Find the ticker symbol of the blockchain ETF you want to buy
Okay, now you’ve figured out where you’re going to invest and how much you’re going to invest. So it’s time to search for the specific blockchain ETF you want to buy.
The first step is to find the ticker symbol of the blockchain ETF you’re looking for. This will be a short three- or four-letter abbreviation representing the fund and its corresponding company – it’s typically listed in small print at the top left corner of your screen. It looks like this: BLOK, for the Amplify Transformational Data Sharing ETF, if that’s one you’re interested in.
A quick Google search for “blockchain ETFs” should give you a list of some out there – so do your due diligence, and find one that looks the most appealing to you.
Once you’ve found it on your screen in front of you, look for a small box that says “symbol” or “ticker symbol.” It should be right under the fund’s name. Copy this string of letters into your browser by highlighting them with the cursor as selected, then paste it into your brokerage’s search bar.
4. Place an order for that ETF
Once you’ve located the blockchain ETF you want to invest in, it’s time to place an order. You have a few different options for order types when buying a blockchain ETF:
Market order – Market order is an order to buy or sell a security at the current best price available in the market.
Limit order – A limit order is an instruction to buy or sell a security at the specified price below or above the current market price.
Stop limit order – When you place stop and limit orders together, they work as one large trade with two parts: first, if the price reaches your set “stop” point, it will execute your “limit” instructions.
Do whatever makes the most sense for you and your investment goals, but don’t worry about the differences too much. The key here is to get invested in a blockchain ETF.
5. Set up automatic contributions and investments (if you can)
By now, you’ve hopefully invested in a blockchain ETF. But you’ll want to keep the momentum going. To do that, set up an automatic investment plan.
You can automate your investments so that when you set a new goal, say buying a house or saving for retirement, every week or month, the predetermined amount gets invested in blockchain ETFs on your behalf- and you never have to worry about it again.
This is also one of those things where doing something simple now could save you from some major hassles later. Because, before long, blockchain will be everywhere.
What is a blockchain ETF?
A blockchain ETF is a security that tracks the performance of blockchain-based assets. ETFs are composed of individual securities, such as stocks, bonds, or commodities.
An investment in a blockchain ETF is an indirect way to invest in the technology’s underlying infrastructure and protocols which currently power cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, but will soon be used for much more than just finance.
Right now, you can’t purchase a Bitcoin or cryptocurrency ETF in the U.S., so if you want to invest in blockchain ETFs, they’re best suited as a long-term investment.
The investments are decentralized and transparent, making them immune not just to manipulation but also to fraud. As a result, blockchain technology provides some of the greatest opportunities for investors who don’t have much time to delve into individual companies or venture capitalist firms with different levels of risk.
Two of the most popular blockchain ETFs are the Reality Shares Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF (BLCN) and the Innovation Shares NextGen Protocol ETF (KOIN). Both of these ETFs track stocks that are involved in the implementation of blockchain technology.
The Reality Shares Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF is made up of companies like:
Amazon.
Bank Of America.
Facebook.
Google.
The Innovation Shares NextGen Protocol ETF focuses on emerging startups rather than established firms and includes a wider range of investments as well.
Where to buy a blockchain ETF
If you want to buy a blockchain ETF, you can do so through your brokerage account or a robo-advisor.
The easiest way to invest in blockchain ETFs is by using online investment platforms such as E*TRADE.
E*TRADE offers access to specific funds that you couldn’t otherwise buy on exchanges like the Reality Shares Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF and the Innovation Shares NextGen Protocol.
Many robo-advisors, such as Betterment, also offer access to blockchain ETFs in some of their portfolio options.
If you have a brokerage account with Robinhood or TD Ameritrade, then they may also provide investment funds that include blockchain ETFs within them. Regardless of the platform you are using, buying a blockchain ETF is the easiest way to invest in blockchain.
Benefits vs. risks of buying blockchain ETFs
There are many risks and benefits to investing in blockchain ETFs. But, first, let’s start with the benefits.
Benefits of investing in blockchain ETFs
They have a low cost. The biggest benefit of investing in blockchain ETFs is the low cost. You can invest as little or as much as you want, and it’ll all be allocated to your chosen stocks automatically by a fund manager, who will take care of everything for you.
ETFs are often less risky. There’s also very little risk involved with investing in these types of funds because they are highly diversified.
No minimum amount required most of the time. Another great aspect about them is that there’s no minimum amount required – so even if you only have $20 to spare, that could still make an impact. Finally, one last big upside is getting exposure to many different companies just from one company investment.
Risks of investing in blockchain ETFs
Less consistency. First, you will not get the same consistency as investing in a more traditional fund, like an S&P index fund, for instance. This is because blockchain ETFs (along with crypto) may sometimes move irrationally.
More unknowns. It’s hard to know what companies you’re specifically invested in, so if there is an issue with one company and it causes a domino effect, then your investment might take a hit. For this, I recommend doing deep research on the ETF and seeing which companies it holds and how they’re positioned in blockchain technology.
Higher fees than other ETFs. Finally, the fees can be slightly higher than other ETFs on the market because of how they work. They also have no minimum amount required, which could end up costing you even more money.
Summary
Blockchain ETFs are an exciting new way to invest in blockchain technology while also mitigating your overall level of risk. If you’ve been hesitant to jump into this space because you’re unsure where and how to buy Bitcoin, or if you don’t understand the difference between Ethereum and Ripple, now is a good time to learn more about these types of investments before it’s too late. Always research before jumping into any type of investment.
It’s difficult to visit any news site without seeing some mention of cryptocurrency. Most people sit there and simply think, nope, crypto’s way too much risk for me. And they’d be right. Crypto is an incredibly volatile asset, but, there’s a “safer” way to invest in it.
An investment in blockchain ETFs (blockchain is the technology cryptocurrencies run through) is a great way to diversify your portfolio. It’s also an excellent way to participate in the growth of this emerging technology while limiting your exposure to the potential risk that comes with cryptocurrencies and other ICOs.
In this article, I will discuss how investing in blockchain ETFs works, as well as the best ways for you to invest today.
What’s Ahead:
A step-by-step guide on how to invest in blockchain ETFs
If you decide to purchase a blockchain ETF, it’s a good idea to make sure you are buying one with an established track record of returns. Below, I’ve outlined a basic, step-by-step guide to investing in blockchain ETFs.
1. Open a brokerage account
To invest in a blockchain ETF, the first thing you need to do is open a brokerage account. If you already have one, that’s great. Otherwise, head on over to your preferred broker and open an account with them. Just make sure that you take note of any fees that the account charges.
You’ll also want to ensure they sell the specific blockchain ETF you’re looking to invest in. It’s important to remember that every brokerage account is different. Some may offer special promotions or have discounts on certain fees for new customers. You’ll want to consider this when choosing your broker.
2. Determine the amount you want to invest
Once you’ve opened a brokerage account, you should determine how much you’re willing to invest. Remember that a blockchain ETF is typically priced based on the total value of assets it holds. This means that if a share is worth $100 and an ETF has 100 shares, then each individual share would be worth $1.
It pays to do some research into what type of blockchain ETFs other investors are investing in and how much they’ve invested – this will give you a sense of where a good starting point is.
Public, for instance, allows you to track and follow other people’s investments. So, you can follow someone who knows the blockchain space and replicate their investments if you wanted.
Whatever you decide, make sure you don’t invest more than you can afford to lose. While blockchain ETFs may be “safer” than buying something like cryptocurrency directly, there’s still the potential for risk.
3. Find the ticker symbol of the blockchain ETF you want to buy
Okay, now you’ve figured out where you’re going to invest and how much you’re going to invest. So it’s time to search for the specific blockchain ETF you want to buy.
The first step is to find the ticker symbol of the blockchain ETF you’re looking for. This will be a short three- or four-letter abbreviation representing the fund and its corresponding company – it’s typically listed in small print at the top left corner of your screen. It looks like this: BLOK, for the Amplify Transformational Data Sharing ETF, if that’s one you’re interested in.
A quick Google search for “blockchain ETFs” should give you a list of some out there – so do your due diligence, and find one that looks the most appealing to you.
Once you’ve found it on your screen in front of you, look for a small box that says “symbol” or “ticker symbol.” It should be right under the fund’s name. Copy this string of letters into your browser by highlighting them with the cursor as selected, then paste it into your brokerage’s search bar.
4. Place an order for that ETF
Once you’ve located the blockchain ETF you want to invest in, it’s time to place an order. You have a few different options for order types when buying a blockchain ETF:
Market order – Market order is an order to buy or sell a security at the current best price available in the market.
Limit order – A limit order is an instruction to buy or sell a security at the specified price below or above the current market price.
Stop limit order – When you place stop and limit orders together, they work as one large trade with two parts: first, if the price reaches your set “stop” point, it will execute your “limit” instructions.
Do whatever makes the most sense for you and your investment goals, but don’t worry about the differences too much. The key here is to get invested in a blockchain ETF.
5. Set up automatic contributions and investments (if you can)
By now, you’ve hopefully invested in a blockchain ETF. But you’ll want to keep the momentum going. To do that, set up an automatic investment plan.
You can automate your investments so that when you set a new goal, say buying a house or saving for retirement, every week or month, the predetermined amount gets invested in blockchain ETFs on your behalf- and you never have to worry about it again.
This is also one of those things where doing something simple now could save you from some major hassles later. Because, before long, blockchain will be everywhere.
What is a blockchain ETF?
A blockchain ETF is a security that tracks the performance of blockchain-based assets. ETFs are composed of individual securities, such as stocks, bonds, or commodities.
An investment in a blockchain ETF is an indirect way to invest in the technology’s underlying infrastructure and protocols which currently power cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, but will soon be used for much more than just finance.
Right now, you can’t purchase a Bitcoin or cryptocurrency ETF in the U.S., so if you want to invest in blockchain ETFs, they’re best suited as a long-term investment.
The investments are decentralized and transparent, making them immune not just to manipulation but also to fraud. As a result, blockchain technology provides some of the greatest opportunities for investors who don’t have much time to delve into individual companies or venture capitalist firms with different levels of risk.
Two of the most popular blockchain ETFs are the Reality Shares Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF (BLCN) and the Innovation Shares NextGen Protocol ETF (KOIN). Both of these ETFs track stocks that are involved in the implementation of blockchain technology.
The Reality Shares Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF is made up of companies like:
Amazon.
Bank Of America.
Facebook.
Google.
The Innovation Shares NextGen Protocol ETF focuses on emerging startups rather than established firms and includes a wider range of investments as well.
Where to buy a blockchain ETF
If you want to buy a blockchain ETF, you can do so through your brokerage account or a robo-advisor.
The easiest way to invest in blockchain ETFs is by using online investment platforms such as E*TRADE.
E*TRADE offers access to specific funds that you couldn’t otherwise buy on exchanges like the Reality Shares Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF and the Innovation Shares NextGen Protocol.
Many robo-advisors, such as Betterment, also offer access to blockchain ETFs in some of their portfolio options.
If you have a brokerage account with Robinhood or TD Ameritrade, then they may also provide investment funds that include blockchain ETFs within them. Regardless of the platform you are using, buying a blockchain ETF is the easiest way to invest in blockchain.
Benefits vs. risks of buying blockchain ETFs
There are many risks and benefits to investing in blockchain ETFs. But, first, let’s start with the benefits.
Benefits of investing in blockchain ETFs
They have a low cost. The biggest benefit of investing in blockchain ETFs is the low cost. You can invest as little or as much as you want, and it’ll all be allocated to your chosen stocks automatically by a fund manager, who will take care of everything for you.
ETFs are often less risky. There’s also very little risk involved with investing in these types of funds because they are highly diversified.
No minimum amount required most of the time. Another great aspect about them is that there’s no minimum amount required – so even if you only have $20 to spare, that could still make an impact. Finally, one last big upside is getting exposure to many different companies just from one company investment.
Risks of investing in blockchain ETFs
Less consistency. First, you will not get the same consistency as investing in a more traditional fund, like an S&P index fund, for instance. This is because blockchain ETFs (along with crypto) may sometimes move irrationally.
More unknowns. It’s hard to know what companies you’re specifically invested in, so if there is an issue with one company and it causes a domino effect, then your investment might take a hit. For this, I recommend doing deep research on the ETF and seeing which companies it holds and how they’re positioned in blockchain technology.
Higher fees than other ETFs. Finally, the fees can be slightly higher than other ETFs on the market because of how they work. They also have no minimum amount required, which could end up costing you even more money.
Summary
Blockchain ETFs are an exciting new way to invest in blockchain technology while also mitigating your overall level of risk. If you’ve been hesitant to jump into this space because you’re unsure where and how to buy Bitcoin, or if you don’t understand the difference between Ethereum and Ripple, now is a good time to learn more about these types of investments before it’s too late. Always research before jumping into any type of investment.
If you’ve been shopping mortgage rates online, you may have stumbled upon a lender by the name of Lending.com, which is apparently both a lender and a domain name.
Indeed, they decided to brand themselves as a website address because they are a direct-to-consumer mortgage lender that lives exclusively online.
It turns out Lending.com is actually a division of a much larger mortgage company called Finance of America Mortgage, which recently went public.
And that seems to be an emerging trend; larger financial companies creating smaller tech-oriented brands that are highly focused on a particular niche, such as online mortgage lending.
Lending.com Fast Facts
Direct-to-consumer mortgage lender based in Charlotte, North Carolina
Appear to only be a few years old (formerly known as eRates Mortgage)
Owned by a much larger lender called Finance of America Mortgage LLC
Licensed in 49 states and the District of Columbia (not available in NY state)
Offer all types of consumer mortgages including purchase loans, refis, renovation loans, HELOCs, and reverse mortgages
As noted, Lending.com is a dba of Finance of America Mortgage, which means they’ve got the backing of a very large, publicly traded company.
While being big isn’t necessarily a good or a bad thing, it at least gives you an idea of who you’re dealing with – they’re not a small shop.
If you happen to be a homeowner or home buyer in California, they actually do business as Finance of America Mortgage LLC.
And if you live or want to live in New York state, you won’t be able to use Lending.com to get a home loan, at least not at the moment.
However, they appear to be licensed in the other 49 states and DC, which is a good thing for the rest of us.
In terms of their company history, I wasn’t able to track down all the details, but Lending.com was a B2R company as recently as 2017 before the domain name was ostensibly sold to Finance of America.
Simply put, they appear to the online mortgage lender division of FOA, with the valuable domain name the crown jewel here.
Getting a Mortgage from Lending.com
You can call them up directly, apply online, or request a rate quote on their website
They allow you to apply for a home loan digitally with the help of a human lending team
Operate completely online and remotely so you can’t visit a physical branch
Processing, underwriting, and funding all done in-house to streamline and simplify loan process
Lending.com is all about making lending easy, so you can apply by phone or via the website.
If using their website, you simply click on “Apply Now” to get started, at which point you’ll be prompted to create an account.
This will allow you to fill out the loan application at your own speed, save you progress, and revisit it if needed.
Assuming you apply yourself, you’ll be automatically partnered with a loan officer, whose contact information will be listed on the right side of the application screen.
You can email or call that individual to discuss loan options if you want some input, or if you need someone to walk you through the process.
A loan processor will also help you with things like documentation retrieval, satisfying loan conditions, and so on.
Alternatively, you can fill out the rate quote form on their website if you select “buy a home” or “refinance,” at which point someone will reach out to you directly.
You could argue for the second option (or to call directly) if you just want to get pricing first, before diving in and applying.
Regardless, you’ve got plenty of options, whether you’re a DIYer or someone new to the mortgage world.
Loan Types Offered by Lending.com
Home purchase loans
Refinance loans (rate and term, cash out, streamline)
Home renovation loans
Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs)
Reverse mortgages
Conforming loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Jumbo home loans
Government-backed loans: FHA, USDA, and VA
Fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages in varying loan terms available
While they don’t actually list the types of loans they offer on their website, my assumption is they offer everything (or most things) that Finance of America Mortgage offers.
This means you can get either a home purchase loan, a refinance loan, a cash out refinance, a home renovation loan, a HELOC, or a reverse mortgage.
And the expectation is that you can take out either a fixed-rate mortgage and an adjustable-rate mortgage in varying loan terms.
It is a bit disappointing that they don’t have a page dedicated to available loan programs, but they appear to be keeping things super simple on their website.
Lending.com Mortgage Rates
While their website says, “Low Rates. 24/7,” they don’t actually list their mortgage rates anywhere on their website.
In fact, their website is pretty basic, with no mention of rates or loan programs. The same goes for lender fees, which makes it difficult to assess a lot of things.
However, they do advertise a fair bit on Zillow, so if you’re comparing rates on Zillow, you might come across Lending.com’s rates.
I did a test search on Zillow and found that they offered mortgage rates in line with other online mortgage lenders like Sebonic Financial, which are generally the cheapest around relative to big banks and brand name mortgage lenders.
Additionally, they advertise with $1 lender fees, so if it’s a refinance there’s a good chance you’ll be able to go the no cost refinance route and avoid expensive closing costs, while still securing a relatively low rate.
But it would be nice if they listed their rates and fees on their own website.
Lending.com Reviews
On Zillow, they have a 4.62-star rating out of 5 based on nearly 3,000 customer reviews, which is generally considered great, though perhaps just shy of excellent.
A good portion of borrowers from those reviews indicated that the interest rate was lower than expected, which gives us another clue about their pricing.
You can also filter by loan officer on Zillow, so if you want to fine-tune and pick a specific individual to work with first, this could be one way of going about it. Then simply call that person directly or ask for them by name.
On Bankrate, Lending.com has a 4.3-star rating out of 5 on about 300 reviews, with an 83% recommendation rate.
While Lending.com is not Better Business Bureau accredited, they do have an A+ rating at the moment, which is based on customer complaint history.
All in all, they appear to have good to great reviews from most past customers, though there appears to be some room for improvement.
One nagging issue for me is the brand ambiguity between Finance of America Mortgage and Lending.com, which at times seem to be one in the same.
This could confuse consumers who are unsure of who exactly they’re working with. It kind of reminds me of Quicken Loans and Rocket Mortgage, which are the same company as well.
Lending.com Pros and Cons
The Pros
Can apply for a mortgage digitally online
Lots of different loan programs to choose from including HELOCs
Great reviews from past customers
Free mortgage calculators on site
A+ BBB rating
Backed by a large, publicly-traded company
The Cons
Not licensed in the state of New York
Do not publicize their mortgage rates or lender fees
Website is a little bare-bones (could use more information)
Some brand confusion regarding FOA Mortgage and Lending.com being affiliated companies
If you haven’t heard of LoanFlight Lending, things are going according to plan.
The mortgage company, which prides itself on not spending a lot of money on advertising, likes to keep things simple (and costs low).
That means not splurging on “expensive ads, sponsorships, or even putting our logo on sports stadiums.” The result is ideally lower mortgage rates for its customers without lender fees.
The logic is they’re spending less, so you should have access to better rates, all else being equal, unlike some of the big guys who spend so much they might not be as competitive.
And remember, a mortgage is a commodity; they’re all basically the same, at least once they fund. There’s nothing special about a name-brand mortgage.
Now let’s learn more about LoanFlight to determine if you should buy a ticket.
LoanFlight Lending Quick Facts
Retail direct-to-consumer mortgage lender founded in 2016
Headquartered in Tampa, Florida
Currently licensed to lend in 12 states nationwide
Funded more than $200 million in home loans during 2019
More than 90% of their overall volume was mortgage refinancing
While LoanFlight might not be the oldest or largest mortgage lender out there, they still manage to fund hundreds of millions in home loans annually.
And they do so in just a dozen states, which is all the more impressive.
At the moment, they’re operating in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, and Texas.
Last year, they seemed to do the most volume in the state of California, with Florida and Texas not far behind.
While they may not be big on advertising, you can catch them in the wild on the Zillow mortgage marketplace, which is where you may have first seen them.
Simply put, they are a no-frills lender that is all about low rates with no lender fees. To that end, they say you’ll see $0 in Section A of their Loan Estimate (LO) if you choose to apply with them.
They’re also big on refinancing, though they offer home purchase financing as well. But more than 90% of their loans were refis last year, if that’s any indication of their niche.
How to Apply with LoanFlight Lending
You can apply directly from their website using their digital mortgage application powered by Blend
They rely on technology and a streamlined process to keep costs low and pass savings onto you
Once you apply you’ll receive an email whenever a new task (additional paperwork) must be completed
Easily track loan progress at any time by logging into the loan portal
As noted, LoanFlight keeps things super simple and straightforward. While you can call them up if you prefer to speak to a human, they let you apply directly from their website as well.
With no human interaction necessary, you can simply click “Apply” and you’ll be sent to their digital mortgage application powered by Blend.
It allows you to complete your loan application from any device, save your progress, link financial accounts, scan and upload paperwork, and eSign documents.
You’ll also receive personalized loan rates once you complete the application to see what you’re eligible for.
And remember, LoanFlight doesn’t charge lender fees, so the rates should be listed without a cost.
Once your loan is submitted, you’ll receive an email any time a task becomes due, and you can check loan progress at any time via the online loan portal.
LoanFlight says it uses technology and relies on fewer people to ensure your mortgage loan process goes as smooth as possible.
Loan Programs Offered by LoanFlight Lending
LoanFlight Lending Mortgage Rates
They say “low rates” right on their website, but then don’t list them for us. That’s fine, but it’d be nice to get an idea, right?
Like a lot of mortgage companies, they keep their mortgage rates to themselves, but at least they tell us they’re low, and give us a reason to believe them.
Remember, they don’t spend lots of money on fancy advertisements and run a tight ship, so there’s reason to expect a low mortgage rate.
In terms of lender fees, they say they charge $0, so that should be pretty cut and dry.
This means their interest rates should be viewed as even more attractive relative to any other lenders that charge points and fees.
As always, take the time to shop around if you want to ensure that their rates beat out the competition.
LoanFlight Lending Reviews
On Zillow, they have a 4.76-star rating out of 5 based on about 150 reviews from past customers. Not a ton of data, but overwhelmingly positive for what it is.
On LendingTree, they’ve got a 4.7-star rating out of 5 from 65 reviews, with a 91% recommendation rate.
And on Bankrate, a 4.9-star rating based on nearly 100 customer reviews. So while the reviews aren’t plentiful, which is understandable given their young age as a company, they’re consistently excellent.
While they aren’t Better Business Bureau accredited, they do currently enjoy an ‘A’ rating with the company.
All in all, LoanFlight might be a good fit for a homeowner looking to refinance an existing home loan that is pretty straightforward.
By that, I mean a salaried employee with good credit who needs to refinance an owner-occupied single-family home, without much hand-holding.
For example, if you’ve refinanced in the past and/or have no problem going through the process without a lot of guidance.
These low-cost mortgage lenders tend to excel when it comes to vanilla loan scenarios like the one mentioned above since they’re generally easy to close without much work or hoops to jump through.
LoanFlight Lending Pros and Cons
The Good
Do not charge lender fees
Say they offer low rates because they don’t spend a lot of money on advertising
Offer a variety of popular home loan programs
Excellent reviews from past customers
‘A’ rating from the Better Business Bureau
The Maybe Not Good
Only licensed in a dozen states at the moment
Do not publicize mortgage rates
Do not service their own loans (transferred shortly after closing)
Over the past few months, the mainstream media has been filled with stories about the New Frugals and the return to thrift. People who once lived beyond their means, financing their lifestyle with debt, have “found religion”. They’ve begun to embrace frugality, and have discovered the joy that can come through spending less.
The New Age of Thrift
Not everyone is happy about this. The March issue of Redbook contained an article called “The Upside of Living on Less”, which profiled how four women are coping with the recession. The story prompted the following letter to the editor in the May issue:
While I love Redbook, something in your article “The Upside of Living on Less” rubbed me the wrong way. When describing the economic crunch, after rightfully blaming the banks and consumers who were charging more than they should have, the author wrote “Basically, we’d all been spending way more than we could afford.” I don’t appreciate being in the same category as overspenders. I am frugal with every cent, and I use every item to its utmost capacity simply because I don’t believe in waste of any kind. I always will be like that, regardless of the economy. Even though we’re all in this together, not everybody contributed to the country’s financial mess. — Darcy Bailey, Mount Holly NC
I’ve heard similar sentiments from GRS readers — and from my wife. To a degree, I sympathize. None of us wants to pay for the mistakes of others. When people make poor choices, they ought to face the consequences.
Still, I’m happy to see so many people discovering frugality. It’s an opportunity for us to spread the gospel of thrift. I don’t think it’s productive to spend time judging people for their past mistakes. If someone has a sincere desire to change, then I’m happy to help them do so. If these New Frugals possess the zeal of recent converts, perhaps they’ll spread the word to their friends and family, and maybe we will see a fundamental shift in American values. I believe that this country needs more frugality, not less.
Those with long-time habits of thrift should relish the current economic climate. Our smart choices will help us to weather the storm. Meanwhile, we should be glad to share what we know with others. The more people we can welcome to this way of life, the more likely it is to stick, to become a permanent part of our culture.
Gleefully Frugal
A recent New York Times article explores this notion. Matt Richtel writes:
Millions of Americans have trimmed expenses because they have had their jobs or hours cut, or fear they will. But a subset of savers are reducing costs not just with purpose, but with relish. These are the gleefully frugal…The gleefully frugal happily seek new ways to economize and take pride in outsaving the Joneses.
One of the “gleefully frugal” profiled in Richtel’s article is GRS-reader Katy Wolk-Stanley, who writes a blog called The Non-Consumer Advocate. Katy’s goal is to help people learn to live on as little income as possible. She follows some familiar frugal practices (like hanging clothes to dry), and she tries to buy nothing new — except for underwear. I asked Katy how she feels about the New Frugals.
“I am seeing a profound increase of interest in frugality, which I welcome with open arms,” she told me. “Very few of us have exercised complete financial responsibility from day one, and sometimes it does take hitting rock bottom before we embrace change. Frugality is not just for the chosen few, but for anyone who wants to take control of their lives. Just because a person has been frugal for years doesn’t mean they’re more deserving of kudos than someone whose frugal journey just started.
Katy made an interesting observation: “I’ve noticed that the mainstays of my frugal life have increased in popularity. The library lines are longer and the thrift stores are consistently busy, but I don’t resent this. I’m happy to share my non-consumer tricks with whoever is looking to ratchet down their lifestyle. Frugality is for everyone.”
She also pointed to a piece over at The Frugal Girl about the “unriveting story” of a woman who was always frugal and never got into debt.
Why Thrift Matters
Now that we’re about a year into this recession, we’ve had time to see how people are responding. Honestly, I’ve begun to suspect that there won’t be a permanent shift in American values. I wish our culture would embrace frugality and the do-it-yourself economy, but I don’t think it’s going to happen — not on a large scale. But I do expect that some people will change for good, and that many people will at least try their hand at thrifty things like:
Growing their own food.
Shopping at thrift stores.
Building and repairing things.
Making food from scratch.
Mending clothes.
If enough people do these things, if enough people see the benefits of these changes, if enough people retain a few of these skills once the economy improves, we’ll all be better off. I think frugality and thrift are about more than just saving money. They offer a chance to re-examine our lifestyles.
Thrift teaches the value of things.
Thrift provides for the future.
Thrift allows you to focus time and money on what’s important.
Thrift reduces consumption and waste.
Thrift imparts a sense of accomplishment.
Thrift matters to me because it is a skill that I can use every day in many ways, big and small, to maximize the value of my money. But it’s not the money that’s important. It’s what the money represents, which is freedom — the freedom to write. This is why thrift matters to me: By being a wise steward of my money, I am able to pursue my dream of writing full-time.
Making Frugality Personal
In my own life, I’m delighted to see the changes in my friends. Smart personal finance has been a personal passion for me over the past three years, but I try not to evangelize outside the blog. Perhaps I don’t need to.
Last weekend, a group of us gathered for our annual trip to central Oregon. Every year, the women go shopping at the big-name chains: Old Navy, The Gap, etc. This year, however, some of them joined me and Kris for a trip to Goodwill. They had so much fun that they went back to do more shopping the next day!
This is just a small example — and I have others — but I think it’s telling. I applaud people making small changes like this. This is how we learn to be frugal, how we learn to embrace an ethic of thrift. We try one thing. Then we try another. And another. I don’t think that people can maintain habits when they try to go cold turkey. I think that it’s better to make incremental changes to your lifestyle.
How do you feel about the New Frugals and the return to thrift? Do these new converts bug you? Are you glad to see them? Do you think the do-it-yourself economy will last? When things turn around, do you plan to practice the new skills you’ve found? Or are you eager to return to the way things were?
As with any genre, fans of psychological thrillers can find themselves searching for deeper cuts in the genre after exhausting the classics. From heavy hitters of the 1990s like Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs to almost Hitchcock’s biggest hits like Vertigo and Psycho, many movies are classics of the psychological thriller genre.
But when you’ve seen all of those, you can find yourself looking for the genre’s hidden gems. So when one fan of these cerebral chillers, who has seen many of them, takes to an online film forum to ask for lesser-known movies in the genre, other film fans are more than happy to oblige with some fantastic recommendations.
1. The Guest (2014)
The Guest stars Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens as a mysterious soldier who appears at the door of a family one day, informing them that he knew their son who died in combat. This stranger is handsome and charming, but there’s something off about him. When strange deaths occur around town, the family’s teen daughter starts to suspect that he may have something to do with them.
2. Enemy (2013)
While director Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario and Prisoners rightfully receive much attention as some of the best thrillers of the 2010s, Enemy is often forgotten. The movie follows history professor Adam (Jake Gyllenhaal), who discovers a man who looks exactly like him and becomes obsessed with figuring out their connection to one another. It’sIt’s a riveting film full of unexpected twists and turns.
3. The Machinist (2004)
The Machinist is an unnerving psychological thriller that centers on Trevor Reznick (Christian Bale), who has been suffering from insomnia for over a year. We see the toll that the lack of sleep has taken on his body, and throughout the movie, discover that it’s also taken a significant toll on his mind.
4. The Vanishing (Spoorloos) (1988)
The Vanishing puts a twist on the classic mystery film. When a man’s girlfriend is kidnapped, he becomes desperate to find her, but instead of focusing on the story of who took her, The Vanishing introduces us to the villain early on. The kidnapper introduces himself to the distraught boyfriend, beginning a disturbing game of cat and mouse.
5. In The Mouth of Madness (1994)
Director John Carpenter is likely best known for creating the iconic Halloween franchise, but he’s made more than a dozen great films over the course of his career.
One of his best is In the Mouth of Madness, which follows an insurance investigator and a book editor as they attempt to find the author of a new book that seems to be driving people insane. The movie plays with the line between reality and fiction in fascinating and unnerving ways that will satisfy any fan of psychological thrillers.
6. Taste of Fear (1961)
A personal favorite of mine that I am delighted to see receive a recommendation, Taste of Fear is a small-scale psychological thriller produced by the legendary Hammer Film Productions, best known for their Dracula films starring Christopher Lee.
Lee also appears in Taste of Fear as a possibly conniving doctor. The film follows a young woman who returns to her father’s home to find him missing and doesn’t trust her stepmother, who says he’s away on business.
7. Gaslight (1944)
Gaslight, adapted from the play of the same name, is the genesis of the modern psychological term meaning to convince someone they cannot trust their senses. The film is an unnerving thriller that centers on a young woman and her new husband, who regularly makes her doubt her experiences so that he can steal from her. The film’s mystery isn’t what is happening or why but whether or not the woman will escape the situation.
8. Blow Out (1981)
Blow Out centers on Jack Terry (John Travolta), a sound technician who collects sounds to be used for film scores, after he witnesses a deadly car crash while recording sounds. The collision caused a governor’s death, leading to questions about whether or not it was an accident, and Jack’s recording of the event becomes critical to solving the mystery of what happened.
9. A Simple Favor (2018)
Another personal favorite of mine, A Simple Favor, adapts the book of the same name by Darcey Bell and offers an incredible performance from Blake Lively. The film stars Lively as Emily, the mysterious and glamorous neighbor of Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) who goes missing.
Stephanie then takes it upon herself to investigate the disappearance, but things are much more complicated than they first seem. It’s a psychological thriller that doesn’t skimp on the twists or the psychosexual tension but is also incredibly funny due to the humor of the two leads.
10. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Hitchcock’s favorite of the films he directed, it’s somewhat shocking that Shadow of a Doubt isn’t as widely known as some of the master of suspense’s other films.
The movie centers on a teenage girl and her relationship with her uncle, who comes to stay with her family as she begins to suspect that he may not be the wonderful man she once thought hIt’sIt’st’s a great film, with one of the most shocking reveals in film history.
Source: Reddit.
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Before having kids, my husband and I loved to travel. When our family grew, we agreed that we wanted to continue to prioritize exploring the world as much as we could. Unlike it may seem on Instagram, no one comes with a magic wand and whisks us away on vacation — we make sacrifices to design these experiences, and we work hard to make them happen.
Now that we’re paying for four, credit cards play a major role in our ability to swing our travel, but perhaps not in the way you might think. We don’t rack up debt, and because we pay our bills in full each month, we don’t pay any interest. Instead, we rely heavily on the points and miles that we largely earn from credit card rewards. And with the national average domestic airline itinerary fare hovering just below $400 in the fourth quarter of last year, according to the Department of Transportation, every bit we can defray helps.
Here are some of the ways that credit cards help make our family’s travel dreams a reality — for a fraction of the out-of-pocket cost.
(Nearly) free flights
The rewards we earn from the many credit cards we hold help fly our family for almost free. Some cards are branded to a particular airline and earn frequent flyer miles that can be used for flights on that airline and its partners. Other credit cards earn rewards that aren’t locked into one brand and offer more flexibility. You can transfer those rewards to several partner airlines, which allows you to shop around to find the best flight options for your family. If you have enough miles to cover the flights, you’ll just pay a nominal charge for taxes and fees out of pocket: They start at $5.60 one way per person if you’re traveling in the U.S.
When I tell inquiring friends how our rewards pay for flights, I’m often met with skeptical stares. “Don’t they charge so many miles? I’ll never earn enough.” Though the cost of award flights in miles can seem outrageous many times, there are still values to be found. We recently booked coast-to-coast flights for our family of four for less than 10,000 miles per person one way. An average bonus for opening a new credit card is around 50,000 miles, sometimes considerably more. That means by opening one new card and paying an annual fee under $100, my whole family can jet from Baltimore to sunny California.
Plus, I have an extra “free flight trick” up my sleeve: a companion pass. Several popular airlines offer the perk for a companion to fly free or at a reduced cost — as an outright perk of holding its branded credit card or by earning enough points in a year.
Our family’s favorite airline, Southwest, has the best companion pass around: Once the pass is earned, one companion can fly free with you (you’ll just pay taxes and fees) as many times as you fly the rest of that calendar year, plus the entire next calendar year. (More details here.)
Travel ‘insurance’ and flexibility
When you’re beholden to a school calendar that dictates when you can travel, you quickly learn that availability and prices can be sky-high during spring break or the winter holidays, when everyone is taking trips. For example, more than 141 million people flew in March and April this year, compared with 118 million in January and February, according to Transportation Security Administration checkpoint travel numbers. Booking far in advance is helpful to lock in those plans. Often, you’ll find better availability and lower prices than you’ll get when you reserve closer in. And when you pay with miles or points, there’s less at stake: You’re not shelling out a bunch of cash now for a trip you’ll take next year.
Whether you’re booking well in advance or last minute, using rewards earned from credit cards can give greater flexibility should your plans change. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, many airlines ditched the fees to cancel or change a ticket. Some of those fees are creeping back — but the policies are often more generous if you’ve booked with miles. Having a stash of credit card points and miles at the ready helps my family book trips with the peace of mind that we’ll be able to change our plans without paying big fees.
If you pay cash for your ticket, you’ll still be able to cancel — but with more caveats. In many cases, you’ll have to pay a higher fare to have that flexibility to change or cancel your ticket. Often, you’ll be refunded in the form of travel credit with that airline rather than getting your money back. That means you’ll have money tied up with that airline, which isn’t ideal if you find a better deal on a different airline for your next flights or if you need that cash for other expenses. Plus, those credits can expire.
Booking with miles, on the other hand, can allow you to cancel your tickets — even last minute — and get all your rewards back without penalty.
Perks that make it easier
“Gee, I’m so excited to wait in long lines with grumpy kids,” said no one ever. The reality is that long lines at security checkpoints, rental car counters and even hotel check-in queues can really dampen the excitement of travel for kids and grown-ups alike.
But for my family, many of the travel perks that come along with the premium credit cards we hold far outweigh the cost of the annual fees we pay. Thanks to services like TSA Precheck, Global Entry and Clear, we are able to skip out on lots of idle time spent waiting in line. The Platinum Card® from American Express comes with a hefty $695 annual fee, but it offers credits that help cover the cost of these services. We can pop into an airport lounge while we wait to board and enjoy free drinks and snacks. Terms apply.
Elite status is another benefit that the right credit cards afford us. We can skip the line at the rental counter and head straight to our car after a long flight. Thanks to the automatic Gold status we get from the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, we can go to a special queue when we check in to our hotel, and we can take advantage of elite perks like room upgrades, late checkout and daily credit to help cover breakfast. Terms apply.
‘Free money’ helps budgets stretch further
Most major credit card issuers these days offer special merchant-specific discounts when activated on your card. They’re like built-in coupons you can add to your credit card with an easy click, and they can save you very real dollars on purchases you’re already making.
I think of these offers as “free money” I earn back from my credit cards. I load as many of these coupons onto my cards as I can because there’s no penalty if I don’t use them. If I’m ordering pizza for Friday movie night, sending birthday flowers or purchasing new luggage, I’ll check my credit card offers first so I can see whether shopping at any featured merchants makes sense to save money.
Once I make a qualifying purchase, my card gets credited back the amount I saved. I like to keep track of this money in a simple spreadsheet and watch it add up: $5 back from this restaurant, $10 back from this back-to-school shopping trip. Then I put that money aside into a trip fund to help subsidize the extra costs of our travels.
By shaving off extra costs whenever I can, our family can afford to travel together more.