Over the weekend, a friend and I were enjoying a couple of beers in my neighborhood. As we sat outside people watching, he drooled over every fancy car that drove by.
“That’s a whatever-whatever,” he would tell me. “It costs $100,000.”
I live in Los Angeles, where these symbols of affluence are common.
“I can’t help it,” I told him. “All I can think of when I see a car that expensive is that the driver made a terrible financial decision.”
“But what if the driver is rich and can afford it?” my friend argued.
We then got into a conversation about fancy cars, happiness and frugality. I argued that, no matter how much money I might make in the near future, I plan on driving my Corolla into the ground.
“You wouldn’t trade it in for a nice, sleek Mercedes?” he asked. I said no, and he looked suspicious. But here’s why I think I’ll drive my car until it wears out.
It’s Got Sentimental Value
The non-money answer is that I love my car because it used to be my brother’s.
Both of us had Corollas. I paid for the down payment on mine and spent five years paying it off completely. Since college, Old Trusty and I had been through a lot together; he had a good 150,000 miles on him. So I wanted to take him with me when I moved to California, but my parents thought he was unfit to make the trip. My car was a 2004, and my brother’s was a 2008 with considerably fewer miles. For some reason, when my brother went off to college, my parents bought him a new truck (how come I never got a new truck, guys?). Mom and Dad insisted I accept his newer, less worn-out Corolla, saying it would give them peace of mind.
Who am I to turn down a better car and worry my parents? I said goodbye to Old Trusty and drove my brother’s car to LA.
Maybe it’s sappy and weird, but this car reminds me of home. My apartment and pretty much everything in it (even Brian) came from LA. My car is one of the few things from home that I still have with me.
Car Payments Scare Me
“You wouldn’t want a car with heated seats and a comfortable interior?” my friend asked.
Of course I would. But as comfortable as heated seats are, they don’t feel nearly as good as not having car payments.
If my car was on its last leg, or if it was severely uncomfortable and I had a two-hour commute, it might be a different story. But for me, upgrading simply for the sake of upgrading isn’t worth the expense.
I’ve always found it odd that many people consider car payments to be a constant. For lots of people, paying off their car loan means trading in their car for a newer one with all new payments. I guess if you can work it into your budget, maybe you can afford it. But I’ve always been a fan of the Dave Ramsey school of thought:
“When it comes to money, normal is broke. You want to be weird, and weird people don’t have car payments.”
My Cost of Ownership is Low
Last year, my auto maintenance expenses totaled $523, but that included a new set of tires. Granted, I don’t drive much (mostly on weekends and road trips). But I still think this expense is relatively low. In fact, Edmunds shows that the total estimated cost of my car’s annual maintenance (not including the tires) is $150. For a Mercedes C-Class, it’s $260.
Let’s say I did buy a new car this year — even a new Corolla. At least until its eighth birthday, depreciation is the car’s biggest cost. At year one, the cost of depreciation is obviously at its highest — 57 percent of the total owner cost, according to Consumer Reports. Considering my current driving habits, my car would incur higher-than-ever depreciation while it sits in a parking spot. Seems like a waste. At five years, depreciation is still my largest expense, but at least it’s not depreciating as much (48 percent) while it mostly just sits there during the week.
This is a unique example, and perhaps it depends on perception, but the point is, the costs over time should be considered.
My Car Still has Value
I don’t consider buying a new car to be an investment. It doesn’t make sense to think of it that way, because it’s not an asset that has the possibility of appreciating. Yes, if you buy an expensive car, you can later sell it for more money than you could a cheaper car, but the same can be said for apair of boots.
I simply think of my car as part of my Stuff. Sure, I kind of need it, and it’s worth more than most of my other Stuff, but the bottom line is, I bought it to be used, not to watch its value increase. Thus, wouldn’t I want to get as much out of my money as possible?
While I don’t think of cars as investments, they also aren’t like the rest of our Stuff; usually, they’re a lot more expensive to replace. In an age when cellphones and computers are always upgraded, I feel like it’s easy to believe your vehicle needs an upgrade, too. I’m surprised at how many people say it’s “time for a new car” simply because they haven’t had a new car in a while. That’s a costly treat. Though some would argue upgrading a perfectly usable phone is a costly treat, too.
But What if You’re a Gazillionaire?
“But if you’re a billionaire, why not just buy a new car? It would be nothing to you,” my friend argued.
I’d like to think that,your idea of value often changes. “Comfortable” isn’t what it used to be, and you experience lifestyle inflation. This is where my friend and I came to a standstill — where do you draw the line? At 20, spending a couple of hundred bucks on a phone seemed like a huge waste of money, but nowadays, it’s just part of my budget. “You could just live bare bones, but why else do you have money?” my friend argued.
But then again, a $100,000+ Porsche Carrera is pretty far from bare bones. That’s an extreme example, but I see a lot of them around town, and I often wonder about the mind-set that went into spending that much on a vehicle.
Getting Off My Frugal High Horse
Having control over my finances makes me happier than any luxury vehicle could. But not everyone has as much fun with frugality. I also don’t get than new car itch. But plenty of people do, and I itch for other things that some people might see as a waste.
I’m about to take a pretty pricey vacation. I’ve been saving up for it, and I’m relishing it, the way many luxury car lovers would relish their purchase. I forget there’s an important difference between me and people who buy fancy cars: they like fancy cars.
There are plenty of practical reasons for not buying a luxury car. But we all have the urge to splurge on different things.
I’ll end with a question a GRS reader once posed. She wondered whether she should buy a new, luxury car. She could afford it, but she didn’t need it.
This comment was singled out as a favorite:
“If you can really afford it — you’re paying cash, you’re already putting enough money into your 401(k) to get the full employer match, you’re putting extra money into an IRA, you’ve got three (or six) months extra cash saved up, you don’t have any looming debt — then I think you should go for it. That’s what money’s for: buying things. […]”
I would agree with the above comment. When you’re financially free and fully prepared for your financial future, money is for buying things.
It’s a great comment. But I would have closed it with:
“Unless the car costs six figures.”
Even dismounted from my frugal high horse, I still can’t fathom a vehicle being that expensive.
Today’s post is all about the best car buying tips so that you can save money when buying a car.
Not all car dealerships and car salesmen are bad. I know this for a fact because my husband used to be a new car salesman (and he was nice! I promise!). My husband knows all about the flack that salesmen get.
Despite the reputation car salesmen get, the car buying process is not perfect either.
Whether you are purchasing a new or used vehicle, there are several car buying tips and tricks you should know of so that you can walk away with the best deal possible. There are so many options and extras that come up when buying a car, which means there are many ways for you to end up leaving confused or paying more than you should be.
Whether you are buying a $500 car or a $50,000 one, you want to get the best deal possible. To make sure you don’t walk away from a deal angry or regretful, it’s important to be as knowledgeable as possible.
According to Edmunds.com, the average person in the U.S. spends $483 on a new car payment and $361 on a used car payment.
That’s a lot of money, which can leave a lot of room for mistakes and overpayment.
Before we begin, I want to tell you about several ways that car dealerships make their money. These are things you will want to be mindful of:
Your trade-in vehicle. To make a profit on your used car, they will want to offer you less money than they can sell it for. Of course, this is normal, but you want to be mindful of this so that you can get the most money out of your trade-in vehicle.
Incentives and bonuses from the car manufacturer. This means that if you can buy a car when a dealership hasn’t reached their selling quota, you may be able to get a great deal on your car purchase. Many times car dealerships will take a loss on the vehicle if it means that they will be able to reach their quota.
Financing the vehicle. Dealerships make money when you finance vehicles through them.
Extra options, such as an extended warranty.
Buying a new car can be fun and stressful at the same time. You don’t want to get tricked or duped, so here are car buying tips and tricks before you start shopping!
The best car buying tips:
Don’t just think about the monthly payment.
The most important car buying tip I can offer in this blog post is that you should not just care about the monthly payment.
You should only purchase what you can actually afford. Just because the monthly car payment looks affordable, it doesn’t mean that it actually is.
There are car payment terms that are as long as 96 months, which is just crazy to me. A car salesperson may stretch out the car payment so that it looks to be more affordable for you, but you should be aware of the whole cost, which includes things like interest and taxes.
Please, please, please, look at the whole cost and see if that’s actually an affordable amount for you to be paying.
Shop around for your own financing.
If you have to finance your car purchase, make sure you shop around before you agree to the dealer’s interest rate. Sometimes the dealer has the lowest rate, but sometimes they don’t.
You may be able to save yourself hundreds of dollars a year by simply shopping around. Plus, it’s extremely easy to shop around for the best interest rates – start with local credit unions and banks!
Go to a few car dealerships.
You can shop around car dealerships both online and offline.
I recommend shopping online before you go to a dealership, this way you can be prepared by learning as much as possible in advance. You also won’t be wasting your time at car dealerships that can’t get down to the price you want.
Don’t add small and unnecessary extras at the end of your purchase.
When you are about to purchase a car, you will be encouraged to buy many small options that you may not need. This may include extras such as:
Tire replacement
Paint protection
Extended warranties
While you may believe that you need some of the above options, you should make sure that you’re not just thinking about the monthly cost. The financing manager will offer you these extras in a way that makes it seem affordable. But, these extras only appear inexpensive because they are padded into your monthly cost, so don’t be fooled by how “affordable” they seem.
Yeah, $1 or $5 each month may not seem like much, but it can add up to a lot over a 5 year period!
Trust me, you are paying for these, and it’s not just a good deal that you are getting.
Related: 30+ Ways To Save Money Each Month
Determine how much your trade-in is worth.
If you have a trade-in vehicle, you should figure out how much it is worth before you step foot into a car dealership.
Kelley Blue Book is a great resource for doing this. While you may not get the exact amount that Kelley Blue Book claims you will get, it can be a good estimator or starting point when negotiating with the car dealership.
Know the right time to go.
There are certain times of the month and year that are better for car shopping than others. If a dealership is trying to meet their sales quota, they are more likely to give you a deal than when they’ve already beat their quota or if it’s the beginning of their quota.
This is because car manufacturers will give bonuses and extra incentives to car dealerships who sell a certain amount of vehicles. This gives car dealerships extra motivation to give really good deals if they are close to their quota.
I know someone who was able to lease a brand new car for just $70 per month, with no money down, because a car dealership needed to meet their quota. They got one heck of a deal!
To know the best time to go, you may want to make friends with a car salesperson, find out when their end of month or end of quarter is, and so on. Or, you could just ask. My husband would always tell people when the best time to buy was and would even call them, but many people did not believe him. If they only knew!
Don’t be afraid to negotiate.
Even if you get a discount, such as a car manufacturer discount, you should still negotiate. Many times, those friends and family discounts mean that you are not able to haggle at all, which can lead to you actually paying a higher price.
Cars sales are meant to be negotiated, whether it is a brand new vehicle or a used one. If you don’t haggle, you will most likely lose out on a lot of money, because negotiating is expected.
Other aspects of the vehicle buying process can be haggled on as well, this includes your trade-in vehicle, warranties, interest rates, add-ons, and more.
Learn more about negotiating at How To Rock At Negotiating On Everything.
Be nice.
No matter what, you should be a decent human being.
Being rude won’t get you the best deal, instead it may make the salesperson and the dealership not want to help you. After you purchase a car you are asked to go through the car manufacturer to grade your car salesperson. If the salesperson knows that you might give them a bad grade, they may not want your deal because it’s not worthwhile to them to have a bad score (which decreases their salary/income).
Plus, you should always be nice anyways. Salespeople are just doing their job and trying to make a living, and the majority of them are good people.
Miscellaneous car buying tips and tricks.
Here are several other car buying tips and tricks:
Never shop when you’re hungry or tired. You should always be well-rested and ready for an eventful day.
For the car dealership to beat their quota, sometimes they will buy a new car themselves and put it on the “used” car dealership side. The car is still brand new, but is now considered pre-owned. This can allow you to save a good deal of money. However, you do want to be mindful of the warranty, because the warranty has most likely started once the car was officially bought the first time (by the car dealership).
Purchase a car at the end of the car’s model year. Dealerships want to move out last year’s model to make room for the new ones, which can lead to a good discount.
Look into car insurance rates before you purchase. You may want to contact your car insurance agent so that you are not surprised by a high insurance rate after you make a purchase.
Don’t tell the salesperson what your budget is for a monthly payment. You should always negotiate on price first. A dealership will try to get you into something that will just barely fit your monthly payment budget, which can cause you to spend a lot more money in the long run.
Be confident. When negotiating, you should always be confident in what you are saying, and do not be afraid to walk away. If it’s not meant to be, then it’s just not.
Find the best car insurance. What is the most reliable car insurance company?
What other car buying tips and tricks do you know of? Share in the comments below!
Looking to buy a new car? Here are 10 top tips for buying a new car so that you can learn how to save money with your next car purchase. Enjoy this new car buying guide!
I’ve recently heard a lot about people spending an exorbitant amount on their monthly car loan. Personally, I know several people who spend over $1,000 a month on their car loans while barely making enough to cover that and all of their other bills.
So today, I want to give you some tips for buying a new car so that you can save money on your next car purchase.
According to USA Today, the average new car price is around $37,000, with the average new car buyer paying around $550 a month with loan terms of 69 months. Many people are buying more expensive cars and taking out loans with high interest rates in order to “afford” them.
In fact, according to Edmunds, the current average annual interest rate on in 2019 is 6.19%. I’ve even seen car buyers with interest rates of 20% and higher.
And, people are extending their car loans for longer periods of time in order to get an even lower monthly car payment. While 72 months used to be a crazy long time to finance a car, terms of 84 months are even starting to become the norm.
Now, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have a car loan or buy a new car. But, I do want people to be more mindful of their car spending and be more knowledgeable going into the car buying process.
Today’s post is all about the best tips for buying a new car so that you can save money when buying your next vehicle. And, many of these tips for buying a new car are also tips for buying a used car.
Not all car dealerships and car salesmen are bad. I know this for a fact because my husband used to be a new car salesman (and he was nice, I promise!). My husband knows all about the flack that salesmen get, and he even helped with some of the tips for buying a new car that I’m going to tell you about.
Despite the reputation car salesmen get, the car buying process itself can be really stressful for everyone.
Whether you are purchasing a new or used vehicle, there are several car buying tips and tricks you should know of so that you can walk away with the best deal possible. There are so many options and extras that come up when buying a car, which means there are many ways for you to end up leaving confused or paying more than you should be.
Whether you are buying a $500 car or a $50,000 one, you want to get the best deal available. To make sure you don’t walk away from a deal angry or regretful, it’s important to be as knowledgeable as possible.
Cars aren’t cheap, which can leave a lot of room for mistakes and overpayments. You can buy a car that doesn’t meet your needs, is too expensive, and more.
We’ve had a lot of vehicles in our life, from a really cheap $500 car that ran well (yes, you can find good vehicles for cheap), to expensive new vehicles. And, we’ve used all of the tips I’m going to share with you today.
Before I tell you the top tips for buying a new car, I want to tell you about several ways that car dealerships make their money. These are things to be mindful of:
Your trade-in vehicle. To make a profit on your used car, car dealerships will offer you less money than they can sell it for. Of course this is normal, but you want to be mindful of this so that you can get the most money out of your trade-in vehicle. Even though it takes a little more work, you can often make more money if you sell your car privately instead of selling it to a dealership.
Incentives and bonuses from the car manufacturer. This means that if you can buy a car when a dealership hasn’t reached their selling quota, you may be able to get a great deal on your car purchase (this is covered more in my list of tips for buying a new car). Many times car dealerships will take a loss on the vehicle if it means that they will be able to reach their quota.
Financing the vehicle. Dealerships make money when you finance vehicles through them.
Extra options. These are things like an extended warranty and upgrades.
Buying a new or used car can be fun and stressful at the same time. You don’t want to get tricked or duped, so here are tricks and tips for buying a new car before you start shopping!
Here are my best tips for buying a new car (or used one):
Think about the WHOLE COST of the car.
The most important of these tips for buying a new car that I can offer you is that you should think about more than just the monthly payment. This is the smartest way to buy a car.
You should only purchase what you can actually afford. Just because the monthly car payment looks affordable, it doesn’t mean that it actually is.
There are car payment terms that are as long as 96 months, which is just crazy to me. A car salesperson may stretch out the car payment so that it looks to be more affordable for you, but you should be aware of the whole cost, which includes things like interest and taxes.
Please, please, please, look at the whole cost and see if that’s actually an affordable amount for you to be paying every month.
Even if you aren’t buying a brand new car, used cars can still cost you more than you think in insurance and taxes, so always think about the total cost before you purchase your next vehicle.
Related: Jerry Insurance Review: How To Save Up To $800 A Year On Insurance
Shop around for your own car financing.
If you have to finance your car purchase, make sure you shop around before you agree to the dealer’s interest rate. Sometimes the first dealer you visit will have the lowest rate, but sometimes they won’t.
You may be able to save yourself hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars a year by simply shopping around. Plus, it’s extremely easy to shop around for the best interest rates – start with local credit unions and banks!
I’m in quite a few Facebook groups about personal finance, and this topic comes up over and over again: people who are excited about getting a car loan with an interest rate of over 20%. And sadly, many of these people are buying brand new cars, not realizing how much they are about to pay because they don’t know much about personal finance.
20% is not a good interest rate for a car loan – so please don’t be excited about that! I am saying this to help you, not to be mean in any way.
You should shop around and make sure you are getting the best possible rate. If you are getting a 20% interest rate on a car loan, then you should probably not be buying a brand new car. There are plenty of more affordable vehicles that are older but still quite reliable.
Visit more than one car dealership.
You can shop around car dealerships both online and offline.
I recommend shopping online before you go to a dealership, this way you can be prepared in advance with the costs, loan terms, extras, and more. While shopping around does take time, you won’t be wasting it on a dealership that can’t get down to the price you want.
Skip the extras at the end.
When you are about to purchase a car, you will be encouraged to buy many small options that you may not need. This may include extras such as:
Paint protection
Extended warranties
Upgrades
While you may believe that you need some of those options, you should make sure that you’re not just thinking about the monthly cost. The financing manager will offer you these extras in a way that makes it seem affordable. But, these extras only appear inexpensive because they are padded into your monthly cost, so don’t be fooled by how “affordable” they seem.
Yeah, $10 or $50 each month may not seem like much, but it can add up to a lot over a 5 year period!
Trust me, you are paying for these. Dealerships make money on these extras.
Related: 30+ Ways To Save Money Each Month
Figure out how much your trade-in is worth.
One of the best tips for buying a new car if you’ll be trading in your vehicle is to know how much it is worth before you step foot into a car dealership. This is important for car buying negotiating tips.
Kelley Blue Book is a great resource for researching what you’re old car is worth. While you may not get the exact amount that Kelley Blue Book claims you will get, it can be a good estimator or starting point when negotiating with the car dealership.
Know when to shop.
There are certain times of the month and year that are better for car shopping than others. If a dealership is trying to meet their sales quota, they are more likely to give you a deal than when they’ve already beat their quota or if it’s the beginning of their quota.
This is because car manufacturers will give bonuses and extra incentives to car dealerships who sell a certain amount of vehicles. This gives car dealerships extra motivation to give really good deals if they are close to their quota.
This is one of the best tips for buying a new car that my husband learned from selling cars.
To know the best time to shop for a new car, you may want to make friends with a car salesperson, find out when their end of month or end of quarter is, and so on. Or, you could just ask someone at the car dealership.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate.
Even if you get a discount, such as a car manufacturer discount, you should still negotiate. Many times, those friends and family discounts mean that you are not able to haggle at all, which can lead to you actually paying a higher price.
Cars sales are usually meant to be negotiated, whether it is a brand new vehicle or a used one. If you don’t haggle, you will most likely lose out on a lot of money.
Other aspects of the vehicle buying process can be negotiated on as well, this includes your trade-in vehicle, warranties, interest rates, add-ons, and more.
Learn more about negotiating at How To Rock At Negotiating On Everything.
Be nice.
No matter what, you should be a decent human being. This is one of my tips for buying a new car that applies to most other aspects in your life.
Being rude doesn’t get you anywhere. It won’t get you the best deal, and it may actually make the salesperson and the dealership not want to help you.
After you purchase a car you are asked to go through the car manufacturer to grade your car salesperson. If the salesperson knows that you might give them a bad grade (for no reason at all), they may not want your deal because it’s not worthwhile to them to have a bad score, which decreases their salary/income.
Plus, you should always be nice anyways. Salespeople are just doing their job and trying to make a living, and the majority of them are good people. If you’re nice to them, they may be willing to help you out a little more.
Miscellaneous tricks and tips for buying a new car.
Here are several other tips for buying a new car (or used one):
Never shop when you’re hungry or tired. You should always be well-rested and ready for an eventful day.
For the car dealership to beat their quota, sometimes they will buy a new car themselves and put it on the “used” car dealership side. The car is still brand new, but is now considered pre-owned. This can allow you to save a good deal of money. However, you do want to be mindful of the warranty, because the warranty has most likely started once the car was officially bought the first time, even if it was bought by the car dealership.
Purchase a car at the end of the car’s model year. Dealerships want to move out last year’s model to make room for the new ones, which can lead to a good discount.
Look into car insurance before you purchase. You should contact your car insurance agent so that you are not surprised by a high insurance rate after you make a purchase.
Figure out what you’ll need to pay in personal property taxes for your car, which varies state to state. You will need to add this into the total cost of your car.
Don’t tell the salesperson what your budget is for a monthly payment. You should always negotiate on price first. A dealership will try to get you into something that will just barely fit your monthly payment budget, which can cause you to spend a lot more money in the long run.
Be confident. When negotiating, you should always be confident in what you are saying, and do not be afraid to walk away. If it’s not meant to be, then it’s just not.
What other tips for buying a new car can you share? Leave them in the comments below!
Do you receive a year-end bonus? Lucky you! While you may be tempted to go on a shopping spree or take your gang out to a great dinner, hold on a second. Yes, you can use some for fun, but you might also want to put some of a year-end bonus toward your financial goals.
Smart bonus money moves may include paying down debt, helping to fund a short-term savings goal (such as a downpayment on a house or establishing an emergency fund), as well as investing the money to potentially achieve long-term growth.
There’s no one right formula for spending (or not spending) a bonus: Each person’s financial situation and future goals are entirely unique.
But here are some ideas for using your bonus — or any other cash infusion, in fact — that can help improve your financial wellness today and tomorrow.
Allocating Some Money to Fun
You worked hard all year. So it’s totally understandable if you want to put some of your bonus money simply towards a few wants vs. just needs.
With any financial decision, it typically doesn’t have to be all or nothing, and that includes your work bonus. In fact, taking a balanced approach to your money might actually help you to maintain the stamina that financial goals often require.
Although the exact split is ultimately up to you, to avoid overspending, you might want to consider putting roughly 90% of your bonus towards your financial goals, and devoting about 10% to “fun money.”
If you’re getting a $5,000 bonus (after taxes), for example, that means you would have $500 to spend treating yourself. The other $4,500 would then go towards putting a big dent in your money goals.
Recommended: Benefits of Automating Your Finances
Chipping Away at Debt
If you have debt — whether from a student loan, car loan, or credit card debt — a bonus can be a great way to start whittling away at whatever balance you have to contend with, or even wiping it out completely.
Doing this can help you avoid throwing more money away just on interest charges, and if you manage to wipe out debt completely, you’ll have one less financial responsibility to stress about every month.
How much of your recent influx of cash should be directed toward debt reduction is entirely personal, and will depend on your situation.
Some financial planners recommend that people with high-interest debt consider putting around half of their annual bonuses toward paying down that debt. But this decision will depend on your individual circumstances.
Since credit card debt typically costs the most in interest, that can be a great place to start. Many credit cards charge close to 20% interest or higher. So if your goal is to ultimately build wealth, it may be smart to minimize credit card balances or, even better, pay them off completely.
It would be unreasonable to expect that you could out-invest what you are paying out in credit card interest. The same idea goes for any high-interest or emotionally stressful debt on your balance sheet.
Recommended: 5 Reasons to Switch Bank Accounts
Saving for a Short-Term Goal
If you haven’t yet started, or haven’t quite finished, creating an emergency fund, getting a bonus is a great time to beef up that financial cushion.
While many people don’t like to think about the possibility of their car breaking down, a medical emergency, or job loss, should one of these unexpected events occur, it could quickly put you in a difficult financial situation.
Without back-up, you can risk landing in debt should you experience a financial set-back.
How much to sock away for a rainy day is highly personal. But a common rule of thumb is to create an emergency fund that has enough money to cover three to six months of living expenses. You may need more or less, depending on your situation.
If you already have a decent cash cushion, you may next want to think about what large purchases you are hoping to make in the not-too-distant future, say, less than five years.
This could be a downpayment on a home, a renovation project, taking a special family vacation, buying a new car, or any financial step that requires a large infusion of cash.
Then consider using at least some of your bonus check to jump start these savings goals, or add to previously established ones.
It’s a good idea to put money you are saving for a short-term goal (whether it’s a downpayment or an emergency fund) in an account that is safe, earns interest, and will allow you to access it when you need it.
Some options include a savings account at a bank, an online savings account, a checking and savings account, or a certificate of deposit (CD). Keep in mind, though, that with a CD, you typically need to leave the money untouched for a certain period of time.
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Invest for the Future
Bonus money can also help you start investing in longer term goals, such as retirement or paying for a child’s education. Using bonus money to buy investments can help you create additional wealth over time.
For example, a lump sum of cash can work wonders in boosting your retirement savings. Even if you’re technically on track for retirement, adding more money to your IRA or 401(k) today can leave you with a larger income stream when you’re older. If you’re already contributing to these accounts, be aware of the annual limits.
You can contribute to your retirement using your bonus in a couple of ways. Many companies will automatically deduct from your bonus for your 401(k) at the same rate as usual.
You can also ask your company in advance if you can have a special withholding for your bonus. You may be able to fill out a form (or go onto the company portal) to designate up to 100 percent of your bonus to your 401(k).
If you can’t direct that money to your 401(k), and you’re eligible for an IRA, consider maxing that out instead.
Either one can help get you closer to a great retirement–and may also help you save significantly on taxes in the short term.
People who have kids may want to consider putting some bonus money toward starting, or adding to, a college savings account, such as a 529 plan (which in some states can offer tax benefits).
For financial goals outside of retirement, you may want to look into opening a brokerage account.
This is an investment account that allows you to buy and sell investments like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. A taxable brokerage account does not offer the same tax incentives as a 401(k) or an IRA, but is much more flexible in terms of when the money can be accessed.
How much of your bonus you should put towards long-term investments is an individual decision that will depend on your current financial circumstances.
The Takeaway
No matter the size of your hard-earned bonus, it’s a good idea to think about how it can best serve you and your goals in both the short and long term. Some smart ways to use bonus money include getting ahead of high-interest debt, setting up or enlarging your emergency fund, saving up for a large purchase (such as a home), as well as beefing up retirement savings and other long-term investments.
You can mix and match smart spending and smart saving to fit your financial situation. One easy way to do this is to sign up for an online bank account from SoFi Checking and Savings. You’ll earn a competitive annual percentage yield, pay no account fees, and you’ll spend and save — all in one convenient place. Whether you’re saving for something specific or storing cash until you’re ready to invest, SoFi Checking and Savings can help you put that year-end bonus to good use.
The SoFi Bank Debit Mastercard® is issued by SoFi Bank, N.A., pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated and can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.
SoFi members with direct deposit can earn up to 4.20% annual percentage yield (APY) interest on Savings account balances (including Vaults) and up to 1.20% APY on Checking account balances. There is no minimum direct deposit amount required to qualify for these rates. Members without direct deposit will earn 1.20% APY on all account balances in Checking and Savings (including Vaults). Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 4/25/2023. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances. Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice. SOBK0523026U
Two-Thirds of Americans Expect the United States to Enter Recession This Year; Most Are Taking Steps to Navigate Economic Uncertainty Northwestern Mutual’s 2023 Planning & Progress Study finds U.S. adults have on average $65K in personal savings – nearly a 5% increase over last year Consumers are also cutting costs and postponing large expenses Top … [Read more…]
This is a guest post by Gary Dek from Gajizmo.com.
Everyone dreams of being rich, but the chances of winning the lottery or inheriting wealth from a distant relative are pretty slim.
Building wealth isn’t a result of idly daydreaming about success or money; high income earners have worked and sacrificed to achieve their dreams.
While some luck may be involved, most successful businessmen and women agree that luck is a small part of the secret to successful investing.
After all, capital is necessary if you plan to make money with investments and the only way to raise or build your own capital base is to make smart financial decisions and save money to devote to investments.
Here are six secrets you need to know to see success when investing to build wealth:
Living Below Your Means
Most people who have built real wealth started out by living below their income and saving or investing the extra money.
Today, Warren Buffet, one of the richest men in America, still lives in the house he purchased in 1958 for $31,500. In fact, most everyday millionaires aren’t Wall Street hedge fund managers or CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, but individuals with well-paid jobs who have learned to manage their budget, max out their contributions to retirement accounts, continuously invest in index funds, and just keep saving.
Saving money on non-essentials means having more money to invest. The ideal is to have your money working for you instead of you working for your money, and that simple philosophy eludes most families today. That helps explain why the average retirement savings by age is so low.
The perfect example for me is that I’ve postponed buying a new car for a couple years now. I love cars, and as a 20-something, it would be awesome for me to have a 300+ horsepower luxury sports car. The payments would affordable and I could buy one if I wanted to, so what’s stopping me?
A simple back-of-the-envelope calculation tells me that spending $50,000 plus interest payments over the course of 5 years could prevent me from earning tens of thousands in investment income.
So early in my life, I’d rather create a nest egg to buffer any future cash needs – something I learned from my parents, who used their savings to buy a business. I’d rather be investing in my 20s than spending.
Unfortunately, the average American spends virtually every penny they earn each year, leaving nothing for savings and investment. Instead of buying the most expensive house or car you can afford, save money on your mortgage and car loan payments by purchasing a less expensive home.
Historically, the long-run returns on your primary residence are less than 5%. Instead, the money you do save on your mortgage can be invested in higher-yielding opportunities, such as the stock market, a small business or investment property. Many of the wealthiest people in the world started out with very little and built their fortunes by making good decisions. There is no reason you can’t join their ranks.
Education and Knowledge
The English philosopher, Francis Bacon said “Knowledge is power”. Formal education is not central to knowledge, but studying and researching potential investments and investors builds experience. Examining the good and bad choices made by other investors can help you avoid at least some common mistakes, and by having a thorough understanding of all the options available in the market, you can pull information from different sources to determine which opportunity will inevitably be the highest performer.
When you have capital, there are many types of investments with varying degrees of risk. As a rule, the riskier the investment, the greater the rate of return. Learning how to mix different types of investments to maximize and diversify gains and minimize losses is one of the best ways to make money over time. This means combining safe investment options, like Treasuries and high yield money markets, with riskier ones, such as growth stocks, real estate, or a small business acquisition.
Determination and Risk Tolerance
Successful investors are prepared for setbacks and do not become discouraged when they take a loss or buy an investment with lower returns than they anticipated. Remember, no investment opportunity with the potential for a huge return is ever guaranteed. If it was, everyone would take advantage of it. Anyone who wants to become financially independent has to have the ability to tolerate risk. The key is to never make the same mistake twice and to incorporate the things you learned from that failure into your next venture.
About a month ago, I had the opportunity to buy a very authoritative website in the self-help/productivity niche. The site had received about 500,000 visits per month consistently for the last 3 years, and there was tremendous potential to increase revenues due to under-monetization. The price was reasonable and the seller trustworthy, so why did I pass on the deal?
Plain and simple: fear.
I’ve been burned before in transactions. After buying a website with thousands of visits per month and a solid revenue stream, Google’s algorithm penalized the site into oblivion and the total investment was lost. Despite that risk being highly unlikely in this case, I passed up on a great opportunity because I was scared. I won’t be making that mistake again.
The difference between those who become successful and those who do not often comes down to determination, persistence, and overcoming your fear of risk. The investor who continues to take chances and make informed decisions to buy investments he/she truly believes in ends up with far greater wealth than the individual who stashes all his cash in a savings account, too afraid to make the rational decision and diversify his money. When a disciplined investor is determined to prioritize his long-term retirement needs over consumption, he re-invests his returns instead of spending them.
You Have To Be In It To Win It
Many people postpone financial planning, believing they don’t have the means to start now. This is usually followed by the self-promise that they will start next week, next paycheck, or next year. Then life intervenes and they decide to postpone saving and investing again.
Families who earn their financial independence start by investing their money early and building their portfolio over time. Like you’ll read in every personal finance blog – don’t underestimate the power and importance of compounding interest. Failing to take action is the biggest barrier between the average person and wealth.
Investing Time
While every investor, like every gambler, occasionally has a streak of luck, few successful investors depend on luck over the long run. Most take the time to research different industries, business models and companies.
Consider investing your second job. The more information you absorb and the better you understand a field, the more likely you are to find the gems others overlook.
One of the best examples of this is real estate. I have my Real Estate Broker’s License, and as a habit, I check out MLS listings every Sunday night. The more properties I review, the more insight I have into what is available in each neighborhood or city, the cost per square foot, how the interior and exterior condition of the property affects the final price, etc. Over time, you start to get a feel for the market, and when you see an undervalued property, you have the confidence to jump in and grab it.
Believing in Success
Some wealthy investors, like Sam Walton (Walmart) and Bill Gates (Microsoft), choose to invest in their own businesses while others, like Warren Buffet, invested by buying stocks and bonds to fund other people’s businesses.
One thing that all successful businessmen have in common is an absolute belief in that they will meet or exceed the goals they have set for themselves. It is this complete faith in their own ability that makes these individuals keep striving, even after setbacks and disappointments. Consider making money from home – start a home-based business by turning a passion or hobby into a commercial venture.
There are no real secrets to building wealth and the opportunity is available to anyone who is willing to make the necessary sacrifices and put in the required effort. Just as there are no secrets, there are no shortcuts to financial success. Knowledge, time and hard work can make anyone the next American success story. Ordinary people can do extraordinary things, just ask the rich and the famous who were once ordinary too.
Gary Dek is a writer for Gajizmo.com who is always looking for ways to make and invest money. Check out his site to find more of Gary’s writing.
Have you ever thought about doing a cash-out refinance on your home for investment?
A lot of people have.
I received exactly this question from a reader.
Reader Question
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for your videos and educational websites!
I know you are very busy and this may a simple answer so thank you if can take the time to answer!
Would you ever consider approving someone to taking a cash-out refi on the equity in their house to invest?
I have been approved for a VA 100% LTV cash-out refi at 4% and would give me 100k to play with.
With average ROI on peer to peer, Betterment, Fundrise, and S&P 500 index funds being 6-8%, it seems like this type of leveraging would work. However, this is my primary residence and there is an obvious risk. I could also use the 100k to help buy another property here in Las Vegas, using some of the 100k for a down and rent out the property.
BTW, I would be debt free other than the mortgage, have 50k available from a 401k loan if needed for an emergency, but with no savings. I have been told this is crazy, but some articles on leveraging seem otherwise as mortgages at low rates are good at fighting inflation, so I guess I am not sure how crazy this really is.
I would greatly appreciate a response and maybe an article or video covering this topic as I am sure there are others out there who may have the same questions.
My Thoughts
But rather than answering the question directly, I’m going to present the pros and cons of the strategy.
At the end, I’ll give my opinion.
The Pros of a Cash-Out Refinance on Your Home For Investment Purposes
The reader reports he’s been told the idea is crazy.
But it’s not without a few definite advantages.
Locking in a Very Low-Interest Rate
The 4% interest rate is certainly attractive.
It will be very difficult for the reader to borrow money at such a low rate from virtually any other source. And with rate inching up, he may be locking into the best rates for a very long time.
Even better, a home mortgage is very stable debt. He can lock in both the rate and the monthly payment for the length of the loan – presumably 30 years. A $100,000 loan at 4% would produce a payment of just $477 per month. That’s little more than a car payment. And it would give him access to $100,000 investment capital.
As long as he has both the income and job stability needed to carry the payment, the loan itself will be fairly low risk.
So far, so good!
The Leverage Factor
Let’s use an S&P 500 index fund as an example here.
The average annual rate of return on the index has been right around 10%.
Now that’s not the return year in, year out. But it is the average based on nearly 100 years.
If the reader can borrow $100,000 at 4%, and invest it and an average rate of return of 10%, he’ll have a net annual return of 6%.
(Actually, the spread is better than that, because as the loan amortizes, the interest being paid on it disappears.)
If the reader invests $100,000 in an S&P 500 index fund averaging 10% per year for the next 30 years, he’ll have $1,744,937.That gives the reader a better than 17 to 1 return on his borrowed investment.
If everything goes as planned, he’ll be a millionaire using the cash-out equity strategy.
That’s hard to argue against.
Rising Investment, Declining Debt
This adds an entire dimension to the strategy. Not only can the reader invest his way into millionaire status by doing a cash-out refinance for investment purposes, but at the end of 30 years, his mortgage is paid in full, and he’s once again in a debt-free home.
Not only does his investment grow to over $1 million, but over the 30 year term of the mortgage, the loan self-amortizes down to zero.
What could possibly go wrong?
That’s what we’re going to talk about next.
The Cons of a Cash-out Refinance on Your Home
This is where the prospect of doing a cash-out refinance on your home for investment purposes gets interesting.
Or more to the point, where it gets downright risky.
There are several risk factors the strategy creates.
Closing Costs and the VA Funding Fee
One of the major disadvantages with taking a new first mortgage are the closing costs involved.
Whenever you do a refinance, you’ll typically pay anywhere from 2% to 4% of the loan amount in closing costs.
This will include:
origination fees
application fee
attorney fee
appraisal
title search
title insurance
mortgage taxes
and about a dozen other expenses.
If the reader were to do a refinance for $100,000, he would only receive between $96,000 and $98,000 in cash.
Then there’s the VA Funding Fee.
This is a mortgage insurance premium charged on most VA loans at the time of closing. It’s usually added on top of the new loan amount.
The VA funding fee is between 2.15% to 3.30% of the new mortgage amount.
Were the reader to take a $100,000 mortgage, and the VA funding fee set at 2.5%, he’d owe $102,500.
Now… let’s combine the effects of both the closing costs in the VA funding fee. Let’s assume the closing costs are 3%.
The borrower will receive a net of $97,000 in cash. But he will owe $102,500. That is, he will pay $102,500 for the privilege of borrowing $97,000. That’s $5,500, which is nearly 5.7% of the cash proceeds!
Even if the reader gets a very low-interest rate on the new mortgage, he’s still paid a steep price for the loan.
From an investment standpoint, he’s starting out with a nearly 6% loss on his money!
I can’t recommend taking a guaranteed loss – upfront – for the purpose of pursuing uncertain returns.
It means you’re in a losing position from the very beginning.
The Interest on the Mortgage May No Longer be Tax Deductible
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed in December 2017, and applies to all activity from January 1, 2018, forward.
There are some changes in the tax law which were not favorable to real estate lending.
Under the previous tax law, a homeowner could deduct the interest paid on a mortgage of up to $1 million, if that money was used to build, acquire or renovate the home. They can also deduct interest on up to $100,000 of cash-out proceeds used for purposes unrelated to the home.
That could include paying off high interest credit card debts, paying for a child’s college education, investing, or even buying a new car.
But it looks like that’s changed under the new tax law.
Borrowing up $100,000 for purposes unrelated to your home, and deducting the interest looks to have been specifically eliminated by the new law.
It’s now widely assumed that cash-out equity on a new first mortgage is also no longer deductible.
Now the law is still brand-new and subject to both interpretation and even revision. But that’s where it stands right now.
There may be an even bigger obstacle that makes the cash-out interest deduction meaningless, anyway.
Under the new tax law, the standard deduction increases to $12,000 (from $6,350 under the previous law) for single taxpayers, and to $24,000 (up from $12,700 under the previous law) for married couples filing jointly. (Don’t get too excited – personal exemptions are eliminated, and combined with the standard deduction to create a higher limit.)
The long and short of it is with the higher standard deduction levels, it’s much less likely mortgage interest will be deductible anyway. Especially on the loan amount as low as $100,000, and no more than $4,000 in interest paid.
Using the Funds to Invest in Robo-advisors, the S&P 500 or Peer-to-Peer Investments (P2P)
The reader is correct that these investments have been providing steady returns, well in excess of the 4% he’ll be paying on a cash-out refinance.
In theory at least, if he can borrow at 4%, and invest at say, 10%, it’s a no-brainer. He’ll be getting a 6% annual return for doing virtually nothing. It sounds absolutely perfect.
But as the saying goes, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
I often recommend all of these investments, but not when debt is used to acquire them.
That changes the whole game.
Whenever you’re thinking about investing, you always must consider the risks involved.
The last nine years have somewhat distorted the traditional view of risk.
For example, the stock market has been up nine years in a row, without so much as a correction of greater than 10%. It’s easy to see why people might think the returns are automatic.
But they’re not.
Yes, it may have been, for the past nine years. But if you look back further, that certainly hasn’t been the case.
The market has gone up and down, and while it’s true that you come out ahead as long as you hold out for the long term, the debt situation changes the picture.
Matching a Certain Liability with Uncertain Investment Returns
Since he’ll be investing in the market with 100% borrowed funds, any losses will be magnified.
Something on the order of a 50% crash in stock prices, like what happened during the Dot.com Bust and the Financial Meltdown, could see the reader lose $50,000 in a similar crash.
But he’ll still owe $100,000 on his home.
This is where human emotion comes into the picture. Since he’s playing with borrowed money, there’s a good chance he’ll panic-sell his investments after taking that kind of loss.
If he does, his loss becomes permanent – and so does his debt.
The same will be true if he invests with a robo-advisor, or in P2P loans.
Robo-advisor returns are every bit as tied to the stock market as an S&P 500 index fund is. And P2P loan investments are not risk-free.
In fact, since most P2P investing and lending has taken place only since the Financial Meltdown, it’s not certain how they’ll perform should a similar crisis take place.
None of this is nearly as much a problem with straight-up investing based on saved capital.
But if your investment capital is coming from debt – especially 100% – it can’t be ignored.
It doesn’t make sense to match a certain liability with uncertain investment gains.
Using the Funds to Buy Investment Property in Las Vegas
In a lot of ways, this looks like the most risky investment play offered by the reader.
On the surface, it sounds almost logical – the reader will be borrowing against real estate, to buy more real estate. That seems to make a lot of sense.
But if we dig a little deeper, the Las Vegas market in particular was one of the worst hit in the last recession.
Peak-to-trough, property values fell on the order of 50%, between 2008 in 2012. Las Vegas was often referred to as the “foreclosure capital of America”.
I’m not implying the Las Vegas market is doomed to see this outcome again.
But the chart below from Zillow.com shows a potentially scary development:
The upside down U formation of the chart shows that current property values have once again reached peak levels.
That brings the question – which we cannot answer – what’s different this time? If prices collapsed after the last peak, there’s no guarantee it can’t happen again.
Once again, I’m not predicting that outcome.
But if you’re planning to invest in the Las Vegas market with 100% debt, it can’t be ignored either. In the last market crash, property values didn’t just decline – a lot of properties became downright unsalable at any price.
The nightmare scenario here would be a repeat of the 2009-2012 downturn, with the reader losing 100% of his investment. At the same time, he’ll still have the 100% loan on his home. Which at that point, might be more than the house is worth, creating a double jeopardy trap.
Once again, the idea sounds good in theory, and certainly makes sense against the recent run-up in prices.
But the “doomsday scenario” has to be considered, especially when you’re investing with that much leverage.
Putting Your Home at Risk
While I generally recommend against using debt for investment purposes, I have an even bigger problem when the source of the debt is the family homestead.
Borrowing money for investment purposes is always risky.
But when your home is the collateral for the loan, the risk is double. You not only have the risk that the investments you’re making may go sour, but also that you’ll put your home at risk in a losing venture.
Let’s say he invests the full $100,000. But due to leverage, the net value of that investment has declined to $25,000 in five years. That’s bad enough. But he’ll still owe $100,000 on his home.
And since it’s a 100% loan, his home is 100% at risk. The investment strategy didn’t pan out, but he’s still stuck with the liability.
It’ll be a double whammy if the money is used for the purchase of an investment property in your home market.
For example, should the Las Vegas market take a hit similar to what it did during the Financial Meltdown, he’ll not only lose equity in the investment property, but also in his home.
He could end up in a situation where he has negative equity in both the investment property and his home. That’s not just a bad investment – that’s a certified nightmare!
It could even lead him into bankruptcy court, or foreclosures on two properties – the primary residence and the investment property. The reader’s credit would pretty much be toast for the next 10 years.
Right now, he has zero risk on his home.
But if he does the 100% cash out, he’ll convert that zero risk to 100% risk. Given that the house is needed as a place to live, this is not a risk worth taking.
Final Thoughs
Can you tell that I don’t have a warm, fuzzy feeling about the strategy? I think you figure it out by the greater emphasis on Cons than on Pros where I come down on this question.
I think it’s an excellent idea in theory, but there’s just too much that can go wrong with it.
There are three other factors that lead me to believe this is probably not a good idea:
1. The Lack of Other Savings
The reader reports that he has “…50k available from a 401k loan if needed for emergency, but with no savings.”For me, that’s an instant red flag. Kudos to him for having no other debt, but the absence of savings – other than what he can borrow against his 401(k) plan – is setting off alarm bells.
To take on this kind of high risk investment scheme without a source of ready cash, exaggerates all of the risks.
Sure, he may be able to take a loan against his 401(k), but that creates yet another liability.
That that will need to be repaid, and it will become a lien against his only remaining unencumbered asset (the 401k).
If he has to borrow money to stay liquid during a crisis, it’s just a question of time before the strategy collapses.
2. The Reader’s Risk Tolerance
We have no idea what the reader’s risk tolerance is.
That’s important, especially when you’re constructing a complex investment strategy.
While it might seem the very fact he’s contemplating this is an indication he has a high risk tolerance, we can’t be certain. He’s basing his projections on optimistic outcomes – that the investments he makes with the borrowed money will produce positive returns.
What we don’t know, and what I ask the reader to consider, is how he would handle a big reversal.
For example, if he goes ahead with the loan, invests the money, and finds himself down 20% or 30% within the first couple of years, will he be able to sleep at night? Or will he instead contemplate an early exit strategy, that will leave him in a permanent weakened financial state?
These are real risks that investors face in the real world. At times, you will lose money. And how you react to that outcome can determine the success or failure of the strategy.
This is definitely a high risk/high reward plan. Unless he has the risk tolerance to handle it, it’s best not to even start.
On the flip side, just because you have the risk tolerance, doesn’t guarantee success.
3. Buying at a Market Peak
I don’t know who said it, but when asked where the market would go, his response was “The market will go up. And the market will go down”.
That’s a fact, and one that every investor has to accept.
This isn’t about market timing strategies, but about recognizing reality.
Here’s the problem: both the financial markets and real estate have been moving up steadily for the past nine years (but maybe a little bit less for real estate).
Sooner or later, all markets reverse. These markets will too.
I’m worried that the reader might be borrowing money to leverage investing at what could turn out to be the absolute worst time.
Ironically, a borrow-to-invest strategy is a lot less risky after market crashes.
But at that point, everyone’s too scared, and no one wants to do it. It’s only at market peaks, when people believe there’s no risk in the investment markets, that they think seriously about things like 100% home loans for investments.
In the end, the reader’s strategy could be a very good idea, but with very bad timing.
Worst Case Scenario: The Reader Loses His Home in Foreclosure
This is the one that seals the deal against for me. Doing a cash out refinance on your home for investment is definitely a high-risk strategy.
Heads you’re a millionaire, tails you’re homeless.
That’s not just risk, it’s serious risk. We don’t know if the reader also has a family.
I couldn’t recommend anyone with a family putting themselves in that position, even if the payoff were that high.
Based on the facts supplied by the reader, we’re looking at 100+% leverage – the 100% loan on his house, then additional (401k) debt if he runs into cash flow problems. That’s the kind of debt that will either make you rich, or lead you to the poor house.
Given that the reader has a debt-free home, no non-housing debt, and we can guess at least $100,000 in his 401(k), he’s in a pretty solid situation right now. Taking a 100% loan against his house, and relying on a 401(k) loan for emergencies, could change that situation in no more than a year or two.
In most cases, a financial plan is not entirely complete without life insurance. This is because the proceeds from a life insurance policy can help to ensure that your survivors can carry on financially in case the unexpected occurs. These funds can be used – income tax-free – for any number of things, such as paying off massive debts, paying for the funeral and other final expenses, ensuring future college education funds, and making sure that monthly bills can continue to be paid.
When you are searching for the best life insurance policy for your needs, it is important to make sure that you are going with the right type and amount of coverage. It is also important that you review the insurance company you are considering buying your policy through to determine whether it is financially stable, and that it has a positive reputation for paying out its policy holder claims. One company that meets these criteria is Nationwide Insurance Company.
The History of Nationwide Life Insurance Company
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliated companies make up a group of large U.S. insurance and financial services companies. The company was initially founded more than 90 years ago, and it has grown and expanded throughout the years.
This financial and insurance entity offers a broad range of products and services that can help clients with growing and protect wealth, as well as the people and things that are important to them.
The company not only has a focus on assisting its clients but is also charity minded. Just some of the entities that have been helped by Nationwide’s donations, as well as employee volunteerism, include Feeding America, and the American Red Cross. Nationwide is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.
Nationwide Life Insurance Review
Nationwide has become a familiar name across the U.S., due in part to its famous advertising jingle, “Nationwide is on your side.” The company has featured various celebrities in its ad campaigns, such as Peyton Manning.
The long term financial goals of Nationwide have remained the same since the company’s inception – to create value for its members and its business partners. As of year-end 2015, Nationwide had approximately $26 billion in operating revenue. It is listed as a Fortune 100 company, and it consistently receives high ratings and rankings from the major ratings agencies.
Insurer Ratings and Better Business Bureau (BBB) Grade
Due to its stable financial footing, Nationwide has obtained high ratings from the insurer ratings agencies. These include an A+ from A.M. Best Company, an A+ from Standard & Poor’s, and an A1 from Moody’s Investor Services.
Also, Nationwide has been an accredited company through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) ever since September 1, 1955. The company has received a grade of A+ from the BBB (on an overall grade scale of A+ to F).
Within the last three years, Nationwide Insurance has cleared a total of 377 customer complaints via the Better Business Bureau, of which 98 were closed within the past 12 months. Of these total 377 complaints, 258 had to do with problems with the company’s products and/or services, 102 were in regard to billing and/or collection issues, 13 were in relation to advertising and/or sales issues, 3 had to do with delivery issues, and the remaining one was with regard to guaranteeing / warranty issues.
Life Insurance Coverage Offered Through Nationwide Life Insurance Company
Nationwide offers an extensive list of different life insurance policies and options to choose from. This can be extremely beneficial to the company’s customers, as they can determine which plan works the best for them – and they may also be able to change that plan as their needs change over time.
Life insurance policies from Nationwide include term and permanent options. With term life insurance, there is death benefit only protection, without any cash value or savings build up. Because of this, term life insurance can often be much more affordable than a comparable permanent insurance policy.
Term life insurance protects for a set period, such as ten years, 15 years, 20 years, or even 30 years. Nationwide offers the YourLife Guaranteed Level Term plan. With this policy, the death benefit and the premium due will remain level throughout the entire policy period.
There are also several free riders that may be added to this policy to more closely “customize” the coverage to meet an insured’s needs. These include the following:
Accelerated Death Benefit Rider
Children’s Term Insurance Rider
Premium Waiver Rider
Spouse Rider
Nationwide also offers a full line of permanent life insurance policy options. With permanent life insurance, there is a death benefit, as well as a cash value or investment component that is attached to the policy. Often, permanent life insurance is used for other financial goals that are in addition to protecting loved ones through the death benefit proceeds.
For example, because the funds that are in the cash component are allowed to grow tax deferred, this money can increase exponentially over time. It can then be either withdrawn or borrowed against for any reason, such as paying off debts, supplementing retirement income, or even for buying a new car or taking a vacation.
Several types of permanent life insurance coverage are offered by Nationwide. These include whole life, universal life, and variable life insurance. Whole life is the most basic form of permanent life insurance. Here, the death benefit and the premium will typically remain fixed – and the policy will stay in force for the remainder of the insured’s lifetime – provided that the premium is paid.
Nationwide offers the YourLife Whole Life insurance policy. This plan provides numerous benefits, including:
Permanent life insurance protection
Predictable fixed premium amount
The ability to further customize the plan with riders (for an additional amount of premium)
Guaranteed cash value
Guaranteed death benefit
Access to the funds in the cash value component
Income tax-free death benefits
There are two premium payment options on this plan. With the WL-100 option, the premium will be paid on a regular basis and will stop when the insured turns age 100. Alternatively, with the 20-pay WL, the premium will remain the same until the policy is paid-up after 20 years.
This policy also has the following riders:
Accelerated Death Benefit Rider
Children’s Term Insurance Rider
Accidental Death Benefit Rider
Premium Waiver Rider
Nationwide offers other permanent forms of life insurance, too, including Universal Life Insurance. Universal life insurance is more flexible than whole life, as the policy holder can alter the premium (based on certain guidelines) regarding due date and the amount.
Universal life insurance could be a good option for either individuals or business owners, depending on their needs. For instance, this type of coverage can be a viable option for those who wish to leave a legacy to loved ones. It can also help small business owners with their continuation planning.
There are some universal life insurance policies offered through Nationwide. These include both regular universal life insurance coverage, as well as indexed universal life. With an indexed universal life insurance policy, the return on the cash value is based on an underlying market index, such as the S&P 500. When the underlying index performs well, the policy’s cash value is credited with a return – typically up to a set cap. But, if the underlying index shows negatively in each period, then the policy holder’s principal does not lose value. Rather, it is just simply credited with a 0%.
The universal life insurance policies that are offered through Nationwide include the following:
Nationwide YourLife Indexed UL Accumulator
Nationwide YourLife Indexed UL Protector
Nationwide YourLife Indexed UL
Nationwide YourLife SUL ll
Nationwide YourLife Current Assumption UL
Nationwide YourLife No-Lapse Guarantee Ul
The company also offers several options for variable universal life insurance. With this type of life insurance policy, there is death benefit protection, as well as an investment component where the funds can grow, based on the performance of underlying investments. With variable universal life, the policy may be used for providing coverage, as well as for many other financial planning needs, such as supplementing retirement planning solutions and business planning solutions, education funding, or long-term care payment requirements.
It is important to note that with variable universal life insurance, the underlying investments may move up or down. So, while there is the opportunity for substantial gains, there may also be risk involved.
With Nationwide, there are three variable universal life insurance policy options to choose from, including the:
Nationwide YourLife Protection VUL
Nationwide YourLife Accumulation
Nationwide YourLife Survivorship VUL
Other Products and Services Available
In addition to life insurance coverage, Nationwide also offers many goods and services. These include retirement annuities, mutual funds, and retirement plans that can help businesses and their employees to save for the future and protect their investments.
Today, with life expectancies getting longer, one of the key worries that is on the minds of retirees and those who are preparing for retirement is that of running out of money. An annuity can help to reduce these fears, as it can offer a guaranteed lifetime income – regardless of how long you need it. Nationwide offers a full suite of annuity products, including fixed and variable, as well as market value adjusted. Clients may also choose to purchase an immediate annuity – where income can start right away – or a deferred annuity, where income is paid out at a time in the future.
Mutual funds can help clients to achieve their financial goals via a diverse set of investment options. Nationwide offers many of their mutual funds, which are focused on a variety of objectives, such as growth, aggressive growth, growth and income, and conservative.
For businesses, Nationwide provides some different retirement savings options. These include 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, and 457 plans. So, depending on the type of business, a plan can be set up that most closely fits the goals of the company and its employees.
Also, provided by Nationwide for businesses is key person insurance, also commonly referred to as key man insurance and keyman life insurance, it is an important form of business insurance. … An employer may take out a key person insurance policy on the life or health of any employee whose knowledge, work, or overall contribution is considered uniquely valuable to the company.
How to Get the Best Premium Rates on Life Insurance Coverage
If you are seeking the best premium rates on life insurance coverage through Nationwide – or through any top rated life insurance company – it is recommended that rather than searching with just one, single company, you instead work with an independent life insurance agency or brokerage that can provide you with details on many different policies, companies, and prices. That way, you can determine which will be the best for you.
When you are ready to shop and compare the right life insurance for you, we can help. We work with many of the top life insurers in the industry today, providing you with the information that you require for making a sound buying decision. We can do this all from your computer, and without you having to meet in person with a live insurance agent. If you are ready to proceed, then all you have to do is just simply fill out our quote form.
We understand that choosing the very best life insurance option for you can be somewhat challenging. There are many different options to pick from, and you want to be sure that you are moving in the right direction. But we can walk you through the entire process. So, contact us today – we’re here to help.
Save more, spend smarter, and make your money go further
Have credit card debt? You’re not the only one. It’s reported that 43 percent of households carry credit card debt month after month. While credit cards can be a great tool to build your credit score, they can easily impact your budget. If you’ve detoured from your financial goals and racked up a hefty bill, now is the perfect time to create a payoff plan. Use our credit card payoff calculator to see when you could be financially free.
Enter your card details to calculate your payoff timeline.
The total amount you owe on a specific debt account.
Please enter your credit card balance
The percentage amount your debt balance is charged for borrowing.
Please enter your credit card interest rate.
Choose One
Time to Payoff
30 Months
Debt-Free Date
Apr 2023
Monthly Payment
$250.00
Total Paid$7,493.77
Total Principal
$5,000.00
Total Interest
$0.00
Tips for Paying Off Your Credit Card Debt
Paying off credit card debt can seem daunting at times. Not to mention, 62 percent of Americans have held credit card debt over the past year. Achieving debt-free status may seem easier said than done, but with the right tools, you can reach your financial goals. To nix your credit card debt, use our calculator and follow our four steps below.
1. Track Debts You Have and Which to Pay Off First
Start by listing out all your debt account balances and interest rates. From there, assess which accounts you would like to pay off first. For instance, some people like to pay off debts that have the highest interest rates to save on added expenses. Use our credit card payoff calculator to see which accounts would cost you more in the long-term.
2. See What Payments Work for Your Budget
Once you have an idea of which accounts you’d like to focus on, figure out the right payments for your budget. Keep in mind, you should still make the minimum payments on debts to keep your credit score in good shape. To calculate how comfortable you are with these payments, download our app and evaluate your budget.
3. Negotiate Your Credit Card Terms
If you have a strong credit score and loyalty to your credit card company, you may be able to negotiate your terms. For example, if you’d like your payment to be due on the 25th instead of the 10th of every month, call a representative and see what they can do. You may not always get what you ask for, but you won’t get what you don’t ask for!
4. Reprioritize Your Budget
After you get a better idea of what your budget looks like, prioritize your expenses. As your wants and needs change, adjust your budget accordingly.
Paying off credit card debt may not be as appealing as buying a new car, but it can be a more responsible financial choice depending on your situation. To ensure you’re staying on track with your biggest financial goals, always keep track of your budget using our app.
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You’ve probably seen embedded insurance in the wild. Here’s an example: Let’s say you buy a new refrigerator. During checkout, you’re asked if you’d like to get insurance for the item. That insurance policy, or “protection plan,” gets embedded into your purchase as a single transaction.
Companies can offer insurance policies on everything from buying the latest iPhone to renting a U-Haul. But if getting insurance can be so easy, then why is it such a hassle when you buy or lease a new car?
In order to understand whether embedded car insurance is right for you, it helps to get context on how it all works. More importantly, that should also answer a bigger question: Can this actually save you money?
Rising anxiety about the cost of owning a car
Getting a new car isn’t all that different from any other purchase. If you’ve ever bought a laptop, an espresso machine or even a high-end electric toothbrush, you know the feeling: That sense of excitement that comes with being a new owner, especially after weeks or months of research.
But when it comes to big purchases, the word “ownership” can also cause anxiety. According to a 2023 NerdWallet survey, 53% of Americans plan to buy or lease a vehicle in the next 12 months. However, 23% of Americans who own a personal vehicle consider the cost of vehicle ownership to be a source of stress.
Those numbers might seem contradictory, but the reality is that the total cost of owning a vehicle is hard to calculate. You can budget your car purchase to the dollar, but it can still be hard to predict gas prices and car insurance rates. In fact, the average car insurance price for 2023 is nearly 32% higher than the average rate for 2022, according to NerdWallet’s annual analysis.
The burden of financing, insuring and paying off a vehicle lasts years after the initial excitement wears off. So drivers are looking for ways to save wherever they can, including at the dealership.
What is embedded insurance?
One way to reduce the stress of buying a new car is to find ways to simplify the process. This is why bundling auto insurance into a car purchase (not unlike our example of buying a new fridge) appeals to drivers.
“There’s no need to call your agent, spend 20 minutes on the phone digging up and providing details then waiting for your proof of insurance. With embedded insurance, it’s instant and seamless,” said Cassi Conrad, chief insurance officer at Sure, in an email. Sure is a digital insurance platform that supports embedded insurance providers.
Almost every state requires drivers to have liability insurance, so you’ll need proof of coverage before you can purchase a vehicle at a dealership. But having the car dealership bundle an insurance policy into your financing package might save you time and effort, both during the “checkout” process as well as when it’s time to make payments.
Additionally, consumers are more likely to buy insurance at the time of a car purchase. 50% of Gen Z (ages 18-26) and 54% of millennials (ages 27-42) believe the best time to shop for auto insurance is when buying or leasing a vehicle, according to the NerdWallet survey.
The convenience of bundling insurance into a purchase — combined with a rise in digital insurance as a whole — has created a demand for embedding policies into the car buying experience, Conrad said.
But can embedded insurance save you money?
All of this lines up with what drivers actually want when buying a car: 72% of recent car buyers would have liked to purchase insurance directly from the dealership, according to an online 2022 survey of recent car buyers by Polly, a company that sells embedded auto insurance. That same survey states that 42% of car buyers received no support from the dealership about actually getting insurance in their most recent car purchase.
Part of this disconnect is tied to availability. Embedded insurance is sort of an ongoing experiment for both insurers and car dealerships, and there just isn’t enough information available to predict whether it will save you money.
In fact, while embedded car insurance is definitely convenient, you could end up paying more for insurance over time. If you’re offered a single price for financing that includes a car loan and an insurance policy, you may end up paying interest on your insurance, which is unnecessary as well as expensive.
Choosing insurance is subjective. It’s largely dependent on how much coverage you want as well as what you feel comfortable paying, and the factors that determine pricing vary by person. But because there isn’t a standardized embedded auto insurance offering right now, the details could depend on the dealership, insurer and financing terms rather than what you want or need.
Ways to save on new-car insurance right now
If you do get offered embedded insurance at a dealership, it’s probably in your best interests to decline at this time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find other ways to save money on insurance for a new car.
Remember all those hours you spent selecting the perfect year, make and model? Apply that same process to finding car insurance. Spend one hour getting a few different quotes for the specific vehicle you want, then compare those rates to find the best fit for your situation. If you do this before you get to the dealership, you can compare their offers to the quotes you already have.
Embedded auto insurance is still an evolving thing. Until some sort of standard policy offer exists, we recommend prepping before you get to the dealership to decide if embedded insurance is a good fit. You may still decide to add insurance to your cart at checkout, but at least you’ll know whether its the best deal before you sign the paperwork.