Last Updated: May 26, 2023 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner – 51 Comments
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Over one year ago, I published the blog post Money Statistics That May Scare You. In case you missed it, here is a refresher:
68% of people live paycheck to paycheck.
26% have no emergency savings.
The median amount saved for retirement is less than $60,000.
The average household has $7,283 in credit card debt.
The average student loan debt is $32,264.
Since then, I have come across other money statistics that have surprised me.
I do a lot of research as a personal finance writer. I come across money statistics that surprise me, make me sad, and some that make me worried.
The money statistics in this blog post might surprise you, but I want you to be aware of them so that you can be better than “normal.”
However, I do want to note that even if you are doing better than the average person, you can still improve even more.
You should always strive to do your best as sometimes “average” is not good enough for you to live a financially successful life. Keep in mind that the average person is not the greatest with money, and many are wrecked with stress and hardship due to their unfortunate financial situation.
Below are some other money statistics that will hopefully whip you into financial shape. Enjoy!
Annually, an average of $220 per person is spent on the lottery.
In 2014, more than $70 BILLION was spent on the lottery. That’s around $220 per person, including children!
However, in states such as Rhode Island, it’s way above $220, at nearly $800 per person spent on the lottery on an annual basis.
That is a ton of money spent on the lottery.
40% of food is wasted.
This is a crazy statistic.
Just think about it: What if you spent $100 on food each time you went to the grocery store, but when you got home from the grocery store you immediately threw away $40 of it.
That’s pretty much what is happening here.
The average person who takes out a new car loan takes out $27,000.
Plus, the average used car loan is almost $18,000.
To add to all of this, the people with the largest car loans actually had the worst credit scores.
One last car loan statistic, the average monthly payment for a new car loan is $471 and $352 for a used car loan.
The average person wastes their gym membership.
If you have a gym membership, I highly recommend that you figure out whether or not it is worthwhile. According to Statistic Brain, the average monthly cost of a gym membership is $58. Yet, 67% of people never use their gym memberships.
That is a ton of wasted money.
The average student loan debt is approximately $30,000.
Plus, according to US News:
Only 41% of college students graduate in four years.
The three-year student loan default rate is 15% for recent graduates.
Borrowers older than 60 owe $43 billion in student loan debt.
These are some crazy money statistics.
Learn more about how I paid off my student loan debt at How I Paid Off $40,000 In Student Loan Debt.
Women are 27% more likely than men to have no retirement savings.
I found this statistic on Go Banking Rates.
To change this money statistic, please read The Smart Woman’s Guide To Investing Success. Here’s a quick snippet from that blog post:
“Women face different obstacles than men do when it comes to investing in the stock market. Right off the bat, they tend to have less in savings because women often take time off to raise children. With years of not earning a salary, there is no money being saved and compounded upon.
In addition to this, women typically outlive men by close to 10 years on average. Therefore, it is important as a woman to invest in the stock market.”
What money statistics surprised you? How do you compare?
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
American Express, Capital One, Chase and Citi are four of the major players in the travel credit card space. As such, these issuers offer their own travel portals, where users can earn and redeem their points and miles for flights, hotels, car rentals and more.
These issuers also incentivize their cardholders to use the bank’s own portal, done by offering bonus points on bookings.
For instance, with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you’ll earn 10 miles per dollar on hotel and car rentals and 5 miles per dollar on flights — but only when booked through the Capital One Travel portal. Purchases made outside the portal earn 2 miles per dollar.
Likewise, with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, you’ll earn 5 points per dollar on all travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal. Otherwise, you earn 2 points per dollar on those travel purchases.
Given the lucrative earning potential that booking through these portals presents, it begs the question: Is it worth your time to use them rather than booking directly?
In this guide, we put these four travel portals to the test when booking flights. We compared price, ease of use, redemption value and other metrics.
Methodology
For this analysis, we limited our research to flights and didn’t include hotels, rental cars or other travel. That’s because we generally recommend that you avoid booking hotels through a third party since you likely won’t receive elite-status benefits (if you have any) or earn elite-qualifying stay credits.
If you’re not concerned with earning hotel elite status or are booking an independent hotel, then booking your stay through a travel portal could be advantageous for you.
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It’s also worth noting that you can get elite-like perks at hotels, even without elite status, by booking with these programs: Amex’s Fine Hotels + Resorts, Amex’s The Hotel Collection, Capital One’s Premier Collection, Chase’s Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, Citi’s Hotel Collection and Citi’s Luxury Hotel Collection.
With flights, you may be able to “double-dip” your earnings: You can usually earn bonus points on bookings through your card issuer’s portal and earn airline and elite-qualifying miles just as you would by booking directly through the airline. That said, here are the features we examined in each portal:
Results: Do you get comprehensive results when searching through the portal?
Price: How do the prices compare to booking directly with an airline versus through a portal?
Ease of use: Is navigating the portal easy for a user? What unique features or benefits do users get from using this portal?
Redemption value: Is it worth redeeming your points and miles for travel through a portal?
With these four factors in mind, here’s how the individual issuers’ travel portals stack up.
American Express Travel portal
Any American Express card that earns Membership Rewards points grants access to the Amex Travel portal. Depending on your specific card, you may earn bonus points for booking through the portal.
The Platinum Card® from American Express, for instance, earns 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 of these purchases annually, then 1 point per dollar) and 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotel bookings made through Amex Travel. The American Express® Gold Card, meanwhile, earns 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel.
You can search for flights, hotels, flight and hotel packages, rental cars and cruises on the Amex portal.
Related: Everything you need to know about Amex Travel
Capital One travel portal
The Capital One travel portal offers a fresh interface powered by the travel tech app Hopper and is accessible with most credit cards earning Capital One miles or cash back.
Bonus earnings are available, depending on which card you have. Using the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card to book flights in the portal provides 5 miles per dollar; flights booked elsewhere earn 2 miles per dollar.
Currently, you can only book flights, hotels and rental cars through the portal. The portal also houses the Premier Collection for luxury hotels. However, this is only accessible if you have the Venture X or its counterpart, the Capital One Venture X Business card.
The information for the Venture X Business card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: How to use the Capital One travel portal — now with more cards and new rewards
Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal
Chase’s Ultimate Rewards travel portal was powered by Expedia for many years, but the issuer migrated to cxLoyalty in 2021.
You can access the portal with your Ultimate Rewards-earning credit card, including popular options like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Freedom Unlimited. Cardholders can book flights, hotels, cars, activities and cruises on the Chase travel portal.
Related: Why are some flights more expensive through the Chase travel portal?
Citi travel portal
The overhauled Citi travel portal launched in March 2023 after months of delays. It’s powered by Rocket Travel by Agoda, part of the Booking.com family.
You can access the portal with any credit card earning ThankYou points, and several cards earn bonus points on bookings in the portal. Unfortunately, flights aren’t included in these bonus offerings.
With Citi’s new portal, you can book flights, hotels, rental cars and attractions of numerous types. The portal also offers two hotel programs: Hotel Collection and Luxury Collection.
Related: Ultimate guide to the Citi travel portal
Booking flights
I looked at a variety of round-trip routes with the same dates (roughly six months from now) and gathered the following prices:
Itinerary
Booked directly
Amex Travel
Capital One Travel
Chase travel
Citi Travel
New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX) in economy with Delta Air Lines.
$533.
$541.
$540.
$523.
$540.
Tampa (TPA) to Bozeman (BZN) in economy with American Airlines.
$786.
$786.
$786.
$786.
$786.
Baltimore (BWI) to Las Vegas (LAS) in economy with Delta Air Lines.
$720.
$720.
$720.
$720.
$720.
Miami (MIA) to Boston (BOS) in economy with JetBlue.
$418.
$418.
$338.
$418.
$412.
Chicago (ORD) to Milan (MXP) in economy with United Airlines.
$902.
$902.
$902.
$772.
$732.
Nashville (BNA) to Bogotá, Colombia (BOG) in economy with American Airlines.
$535.
$535.
$535.
$535.
$415.
Toronto (YYZ) to Seoul (ICN) in economy with Air Canada.
$1,079.
$1,952.
$1,880.
$ 2,581.
$1,952.
New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX) in Delta One.
$2,798.
$2,600.
$2,798.
$2,798.
Not available.
Newark (EWR) to London (LHR) in business with British Airways.
$3,272.
$3,272.
$3,300.
$3,300.
$3,300.
San Francisco (SFO) to Singapore (SIN) in business with Singapore Airlines.
$8,351.
$7,285.
$8,521.
$9,386.
$8,521.
Price
All of the travel portals generally fared well when it came to searching economy flights versus booking directly. However, there were a few major caveats worth noting.
Southwest Airlines is not bookable on any of the portals, and tickets for low-cost airlines like Spirit Airlines and Frontier are typically more expensive on the Chase and Capital One travel portals than booking directly. Amex Travel didn’t display any Spirit Airways or Frontier Airlines flights.
When it came to international flights, all of the bank portals struggled at times to match prices or give comparable results versus booking directly. For a deeper dive on some of these routes and flight prices, we did a broader comparison across 20 flights in this guide.
As a general word of advice, domestic flights should yield the same results and price, but it gets tricky when searching for international fares. Your best bet would be to compare the prices and only use a portal when the prices are identical.
Ease of use
The Amex portal is my favorite for a comprehensible search experience, fast load times for results and the simplicity of parsing through the various options.
On the other hand, the Capital One portal offers one of the most visually appealing interfaces, with color-coded dates to indicate the lowest prices in a calendar view — plus price drop protection. However, the Capital One portal did not provide as many options as its competitors on some searches. It also yielded higher prices for international routes, but I’m hopeful that the issuer will continue to make improvements in the future.
Based on millions of data points from Hopper, Capital One is supposed to let you know if this is the best time to book via its price watch prediction feature.
To standardize the offerings across various airlines, Capital One also provides detailed insights into what flyers can expect from their chosen fare class. With the rise of “basic economy” fares, it’s not always clear what amenities are included in your ticket and what you’ll have to pay for as extras.
Capital One does an excellent job of explaining in-depth features such as seat pitch, aircraft type, and food and beverage options on board.
Speaking of basic economy, it’s worth noting Amex Travel rarely (if ever) displays these fares. If you’re looking for basic economy, you should use another portal.
Citi’s new portal does a good job of offering a broad range of results in economy and offering upgrades on the payment page. And being able to book flights plus other travel elements in one transaction is great. However, searching directly for business-class fares is tricky on this portal.
Finally, the Chase portal has seen vast improvements since fully migrating toward its cxLoyalty interface. Previously, when Chase was powered by Expedia, users complained about slow load times and much higher prices than those offered directly by the airlines. Some of those issues seem to have been resolved.
While the Ultimate Rewards portal could use some work in cleaning up the interface, the overall user experience is much better than before. That said, it’s also the portal with the highest frequency of price divergence from booking directly — sometimes higher and sometimes lower.
Redemption value
This is not a criterion we used for evaluating these bank travel portals for this particular article. The value of your points or miles can depend on which particular rewards card you carry. Still, it is worth remembering if you intend to use your credit card’s travel portal to earn or redeem points and miles.
Your credit card points or miles are typically worth 1 cent each for flights in your respective travel portal. That’s the case with Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards points and Capital One credit cards. Even with the Capital One’s premium card (the Venture X), your points are only worth 1 cent each when redeemed for travel through the Capital One portal. The same applies to credit cards earning Citi ThankYou points.
On the other hand, Chase’s credit cardholders are incentivized to use the Ultimate Rewards portal via a higher redemption value. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve, your points are worth 1.5 cents each toward travel bookings, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred Credit Card fetch 1.25 cents per point in value.
While not as consistent of a program, American Express offers “Insider Fares,” allowing cardholders to redeem their points for a better value than 1 cent apiece on select domestic and international itineraries. However, these can be quite specific.
Select Amex business credit cardholders can also leverage the Pay with Points benefit to get a 25% to 50% points rebate when booking select airfare through Amex Travel — yet another incentive to book through the portal.
Due to all these card-specific circumstances, we didn’t make redemption values a main criterion for judging these portals for booking flights. Rather, we focused on each portal’s user interface and the availability of competitive fares — as those two factors will probably be the determinants as to whether travelers end up using them.
Related: Why I love the Amex Business Platinum’s Pay With Points perk
Bottom line
Credit card issuers have improved their travel portals over the years, but they’re still far from perfect. While there isn’t a clear winner for the best travel portal, each has unique features and incentives for its cardholders.
If you decide to book a flight through your issuer’s travel portal, be sure to compare that price against booking directly with the airline to get the best deal possible. And don’t forget that you may want to book directly anyway to avoid any headaches down the road. If you need to change or cancel your airfare, booking with a third party can complicate matters when plans change.
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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) there were more than 5.6 million police-reported crashes in the U.S. in 2013. No doubt these crashes can take a huge emotional and financial toll on those impacted – and you might be surprised to learn what your policy covers, and doesn’t cover. The price tag for those crashes: $871 billion in economic loss and societal harm in 2010 also according to the NHSTA.
If you find yourself in an accident, it’s easy to feel frustrated, overwhelmed and scared. But there are a few things you can do to protect you and your money before and after an accident.
Prevention Before an Accident
Consider purchasing rental car coverage. This will pay for you to have a rental car for the time your car is in the shop being repaired. The coverage is inexpensive, but paying for a rental during a long repair can add up quickly.
Many car insurance policies offer coverage that you may not know about, so make sure your auto insurance policy is up-to-date and provides the right amount of coverage for you and your vehicle. Many minor details can make a huge difference when you need to file a claim after a collision.
Keep copies of your insurance policy and registration in your vehicle at all times.
Steps to Take After an Accident
Safety is paramount. Get you and all passengers to a safe spot and wait for help to arrive.
Get everything documented as quickly as possible and share information with the other driver including make, model and license plate. You’ll also want to get the other person’s contact and car insurance information so the claims process will go much more smoothly.
Take photos and gather witnesses. If you have a smartphone, it can be helpful to take photos of the damages, especially if you know you weren’t at fault and want to prove it. If you can find eyewitnesses and collect their contact information to give to the police and to your insurance company, that’s even better.
You may see a rate hike on your monthly insurance premiums if you are found to be at fault. Keep in mind if you have been accident free for a long time, many carriers will forgive your first at-fault accident.
If you are working with an independent agency like CoverHound, ask them to check all of their carrier partners for a better policy. Many carriers specialize in different risk profiles, so it’s possible another carrier they represent may have a better policy for you. Not all wrecks will result in a rate hike, but being proactive and working with your insurer is important after an accident. If you’re looking to get more from your provider, then you can switch insurers to take advantage of low rates.
This article was written and sponsored by CoverHound, where you can compare car insurance rates in as little as 3 minutes.
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The Green Mountain State’s most expensive listing just hit the market for $20 million.
The 15,774-square-foot megamansion sits on a 110-acre lot in the rolling fields of Stowe, VT.
“To have that kind of acreage in a most desirable neck of the woods as Stowe is certainly one of the things that makes this property stand out,” says listing agent Geoffrey Wolcott, of Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty.
Plus, that immense acreage provides significant opportunities for an ambitious buyer.
“The 110-acre parcel size qualifies it to permit for a PUD (Planned Unit Development) commercial development,” Wolcott says.
Standout estate
The stone, slate, and copper, European-style country retreat was built in 2004 and features six bedrooms and 10 bathrooms.
“The quality of the home is second to none,” Wolcott notes. “There are wall coverings that are made of sculpted suede, and Italian crafted interiors found throughout. Most of the woodworking was done by a crew from Italy.”
A cozy solarium with a fireplace is surrounded by a wall of windows, offering a breathtaking mountain views.
The stylish, gloss-black and stainless Boffi kitchen features a concealed, walk-in pantry. The listing says the cabinetry shows more like “a work of art.” There are four distinct prep stations here and plenty of dining space in the breakfast room.
A remarkably designed living room has a soaring ceiling and another fireplace.
“It’s a very dramatic room with ceilings that are about 2.5 stories high,” Wolcott says.
The library features built-in bookcases and handsome, wood-paneled walls.
Posh pool
One of the most impressive amenities just might be the mosaic-tiled, indoor pool and spa. It’s surrounded by loads of limestone, along with a coffered ceiling overhead and walls of windows that overlook the property.
There’s also an adjoining gym.
And when it comes to entertaining, the home is fully quipped. There’s a circular wine cellar with a tasting area, a dumbwaiter that serves three levels, commercial laundry, and a “self-contained guest suite.”
An enormous primary suite boasts a soaring ceiling and a sitting area in front of arched windows that offer pristine outdoor views. The spalike primary bath has built-ins and many windows to soak in the scenery.
The property also comes with a four-car, heated garage and extensive woodland trails.
So who will move in next?
“It’s very difficult to speculate who will be the next buyer, as buyers come from all over the world—and often where you least expect it,” Wolcott says. “It will certainly be someone who is looking for a second home, with that kind of acreage, and the ability to turn it into a family compound.”
A fraud alert is a temporary alarm system set up on your credit account that will inform you if there are any changes in your account. A credit freeze is a freeze placed on your credit file that blocks lenders from viewing your report without authorization.
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice. See Lexington Law’s editorial disclosure for more information.
Fraud alerts and credit freezes are two methods for protecting yourself from identity theft. But they’re not the same thing, and if you understand the pros and cons of each, you can decide which is best suited to your needs. A fraud alert requires creditors to verify your identity before allowing new credit accounts to be opened, whereas a credit freeze stops new credit accounts from being opened in your name.
So, what’s the right choice for you in the fraud alert vs. credit freeze debate? Keep reading for a complete breakdown of both options.
What is a fraud alert?
A fraud alert is when you put an added layer of security on your credit report that forces all lenders and financial institutions to verify your identify before approving a new credit account being opened. Typically, the creditor will call you whenever a new account request is initiated to confirm you’re the one asking for the account.
People typically use a fraud alert if they’ve been a victim of identity fraud or if they suspect their information has been compromised. While a fraud alert adds some protection to your account, it’s not a guarantee, and there are still ways scam artists can get around the identity check.
There are three main types of fraud alerts:
Standard fraud alert: A standard fraud alert typically lasts one year but can be renewed as many times as needed. Individuals don’t need to be victims of identity theft to activate this kind of fraud alert on their accounts.
Extended fraud alert: An extended fraud alert lasts for seven years. This option is only available to those who’ve been victims of identity theft. To qualify, you have to file a report with the police or the FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov website. In addition to verifying your identity with each new account request, the extended fraud alert will remove you from marketing lists for credit and insurance offers for the next five years. However, if you want to remain on this list, you can choose to do so.
Active-duty fraud alert: The active-duty fraud alert is only for military service members. When individuals go on active duty assignments, they can apply for this type of fraud alert to protect their accounts while they’re abroad. The alert typically lasts one year but can be renewed as long as the individual is deployed. In addition, they’ll be removed from marketing lists for two years unless they request otherwise.
Fraud alerts are self-imposed and free to add to your account.
How do you place a fraud alert?
You can place a fraud alert on your account by reaching out to one of the three major credit bureaus—Experian®, Equifax®, or TransUnion®. After you notify one bureau, it’s their responsibility to inform the others. You can set up a fraud alert online or contact any of the bureaus by phone with this request. You’ll need to submit your proof of identity to successfully set up the fraud alert.
How do you remove a fraud alert?
Fraud alerts are automatically lifted from your account after the applicable deadline (one year for standard and active-duty alerts and seven years for extended alerts). However, if you want to remove the fraud alert earlier, you can. You’ll need to contact each credit bureau separately and request that the fraud alert be lifted. As was the case with setting up the alert, you’ll need to provide proof of your identity to remove the alert from your account.
What is a credit freeze?
A credit freeze offers even more protection than a fraud alert. Essentially, a credit freeze stops anyone from accessing your credit report. This effectively prevents anyone from being able to open a new account under your name, as creditors need to review your report before approving a new application. You’ll be able to open new accounts only when you “thaw” or “unfreeze” your account.
How do you freeze your credit?
To freeze your credit, you’ll have to contact each of the three major credit bureaus separately. Note that fees are usually associated with a credit freeze, with the exact amount varying by state. On average, expect to pay around $10 per bureau for a credit freeze. You can apply for a credit freeze online or via phone for all three bureaus.
When you’re setting up a credit freeze, you’ll be asked to set up a PIN or password, which can later be used to unfreeze your account.
How do you unfreeze your credit?
Your report will stay frozen until you choose to “thaw” it. This means that you need to unfreeze your credit before applying for more credit, and this is usually the driving factor that motivates people to thaw their accounts. Often, people want to get a new credit card, loan, or mortgage or apply for a rental lease or some other credit account and need to give the lender access to their credit report.
To unfreeze your account, you’ll need to contact each of the credit bureaus and provide your PIN. There may be a small fee associated with unfreezing your account with each agency. Once you put in a request to unfreeze your account, the change can take from as little as a few minutes to up to three days. As a result, it’s essential to give yourself plenty of time for the account to thaw before the lender goes to access your report.
If you lose your PIN, unfreezing your account will still be possible, but it’ll take longer to approve.
Do fraud alerts or credit freezes affect your credit?
No, fraud alerts and credit freezes don’t affect your credit. In fact, they can protect your credit from identity fraud attempts. Identity fraud is a serious situation that can significantly drag your credit score down and take months to years to clear up on your credit report.
Which option is right for you?
Ultimately, each individual needs to decide which option is right for them based on their situation. Some of the popular situations to consider that might call for either a fraud alert or a credit freeze are:
You’re in the process of or about to begin getting a mortgage, auto loan, lease, or another account: In this case, you don’t want to go through with a credit freeze, as access to your credit report will be necessary to approve your new application. Instead, a fraud alert should be sufficient to protect you.
You’ve been a recent victim of identity theft or know your information has been compromised: If you’re seriously concerned about identity theft, you should likely opt for a credit freeze, as it’s more protective.
If you know you don’t need new credit for a while: Older people often are settled with all their credit needs—a mortgage, car loan, credit cards, etc. Therefore, they can comfortably assume they won’t be applying for new credit anytime soon and might feel more protected with a credit freeze.
Note that you can have both hypothetically, although it might be somewhat redundant. Generally, most experts recommend choosing one or the other.
Even with a credit freeze or a fraud alert on your account, it’s still crucial for you to check for fraudulent charges on your cards and look for red flags on your credit reports. You never know when something could slip through, and if it does, it’s crucial to act quickly. The longer something remains on your credit report, the longer it will impact your credit and be harder to rectify.
If you don’t have the time or desire to check your credit reports, you can take advantage of the services provided by Lexington Law Firm. Our credit consultants will help you review your credit reports and file disputes if needed. Removing even one error from your credit report could result in a credit score increase. Get started today.
Note: Articles have only been reviewed by the indicated attorney, not written by them. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice; instead, it is for general informational purposes only. Use of, and access to, this website or any of the links or resources contained within the site do not create an attorney-client or fiduciary relationship between the reader, user, or browser and website owner, authors, reviewers, contributors, contributing firms, or their respective agents or employers.
Reviewed By
Paola Bergauer
Associate Attorney
Paola Bergauer was born in San Jose, California then moved with her family to Hawaii and later Arizona.
In 2012 she earned a Bachelor’s degree in both Psychology and Political Science. In 2014 she graduated from Arizona Summit Law School earning her Juris Doctor. During law school, she had the opportunity to participate in externships where she was able to assist in the representation of clients who were pleading asylum in front of Immigration Court. Paola was also a senior staff editor in her law school’s Law Review. Prior to joining Lexington Law, Paola has worked in Immigration, Criminal Defense, and Personal Injury. Paola is licensed to practice in Arizona and is an Associate Attorney in the Phoenix office.
If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not you will find an excuse.” ― Anonymous
As a financial writer, I hear a lot of reasons for why a person can’t pay off debt, save more money, retire, travel more, and so on. While some of these are legitimate reasons and there are people who are stuck in a bad situation, I find that some people are just bad with money.
I honestly do know that some people have a much harder life than others.
But, I’m talking about people who keep justifying poor financial choices with excuses that prevent them from living the life they want.
These are things like why someone “needs” a brand new car or huge house. Choosing those things doesn’t make you bad with money, it’s when you let them be the reason you aren’t able to work towards more important financial goals.
If you want to be better with your money, you’re going to have to stop making excuses and start making better choices.
Just think about the last time you said, “That won’t work for me because (fill in the blank with your excuse here).” Again, there are plenty of legitimate reasons for why some people have financial setbacks, but there are still many people making excuses for why they can’t achieve their goals or why they are bad with money.
So, today’s blog post is going to be a “tough love” article about changing your mindset so you can stop being bad with money.
I want you to start improving your life right now – don’t wait until tomorrow (please, don’t give me that excuse!), don’t wait until next year, and so on.
Start making better financial choices right NOW so that you can change your life for the better.
As you read through this post, I want you to think a lot about the excuses you’ve made in the past and remember that they won’t help you make better financial decisions, they hold you back, and they won’t help you and/or your future at all.
Related content:
Have you told yourself any of these reasons for why you’re bad with money?
When was the last time you said:
What if I fail? I don’t want to look stupid.
That person had an earlier start than me so there’s no point in me even trying.
I can’t pay off my debt because _____ (fill in the blank).
I need a brand new car or I can’t go to work!
I don’t have time to make extra money.
That person had everything paid for by their parents, and that’s why they are successful.
I deserve and/or need the things I buy.
I enjoy my job and can always make money later, so saving for retirement isn’t something I need to do.
The city I live in is too expensive to save money. Good luck trying that on the east (or west) coast.
It’s too late for me to start saving money.
These are all excuses I’ve personally heard.
Now, I know some of these are legitimate reasons. But, I’m talking about when you use them as excuses that hold you back from reaching your goals.
Think about this quote: “If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you will find an excuse.” – Anonymous
If something is really important to you, you will find a way to make it happen.
However, if you keep making excuses for poor financial decisions, you are starting a bad habit that can hold you back from ever reaching your financial or life goals.
To put it simply, excuses prevent you from living the life you want.
You’re giving up before you’ve even begun.
To reach your goals and to stop being bad with money, you’ll have to work hard and stop making excuses. No one has a perfect life, so it’s a waste to make excuses for why something is impossible for you.
Trust me, I used to be very bad with money. I bought clothes I never wore, spent too much money on going out to eat, and so on. I told myself I deserved those things, but really I should have been making better choices with my money.
Now, if I want to do something like that, I plan for each purchase and think about what other things I could be doing with that money.
Sure, it’s nice every now and then to just spend freely, but unless it’s in your budget, this will keep you from reaching your goals.
Excuses are a complete waste of your time.
I have a motto in life that I say to myself and my husband quite often.
Will I spend more time thinking about doing something than it would take me to do it?
So many people spend time thinking about excuses for things, dwelling in regret, and constantly living a life of “what-ifs.” But, that’s time and energy you could be using to change your life.
It can be hard, but stepping outside of your comfort zone and challenging yourself can change your life.
Making excuses means that you’re wasting time by not even trying.
Instead of finding reasons for why you shouldn’t pursue a goal, you should spend your time creating a plan to achieve your dream life.
Next time you’re about to make an excuse, remember that being negative and making excuses is just a huge waste of time.
And, you’re better than that!
Related content: 11 Ways You’re Wasting Time And How To Change
Don’t use averages as an excuse for why you’re bad with your money.
The average person isn’t doing well financially.
68% live paycheck to paycheck.
26% have no emergency savings.
The median amount saved for retirement is less than $60,000.
The average household has $7,283 in credit card debt.
The average student loan debt is $32,264.
As you can see, the average person has a lot of work to do to get their financial life on track. So, don’t just look at those statistics and think that it’s okay if your finances aren’t doing well.
There are lots of people who fall into those statistics for legitimate reasons.
But, there are others who use those statistics to justify not working harder for the things they want.
If you want to stop living paycheck to paycheck, have money in savings and for retirement, and to take control of your financial situation, you’ll have to start owning up to your mistakes and finding a way to change things for the better.
So, stop using averages as an excuse for why you’re bad with money and start realizing how you can change your life.
So, please Stop Using These Ridiculous Excuses For Not Saving Money.
Stop trying to keep up with others.
Often, people are bad with money because they want to keep up with what other people are doing. You see your friend buy a brand new car and think you need one too. You get on Facebook and see someone from high school going on an amazing vacation and think you deserve a vacation.
However, you don’t know anyone else’s financial situation but yours.
Maybe these people went into tons of debt to “afford” these things. Maybe they really can afford them. You don’t know and it doesn’t matter.
The only thing that matters is what’s going on in your life.
If you want to go on vacation, start saving to make it happen. If you want to buy a new car, think about how having a large monthly car payment will affect what you can put towards retirement.
You don’t deserve something because someone else has it – you deserve it if you can make it happen.
Related content: How To Take Control of Your Life and Stop Making Excuses
Find out why you make excuses.
People make excuses for all sorts of reasons. By figuring out why you are constantly finding excuses, you’ll be closer to tackling your problem.
Common reasons for why people make excuses include:
Fear of not reaching a goal, failure, hard work, etc.
Being scared.
A feeling/belief that life is unfair.
Not really wanting it or lacking motivation.
Lack of confidence.
And more!
A lot of the time, the reason you make excuses for why you are bad with money is deeply rooted in past experiences, a lack of confidence, lack of motivation, and more. But, when you find out what’s holding you back, you’ll be able to move forward in reaching your goals.
Believe in yourself.
You might be bad with money now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t change your life for the better.
To take control of your life and to be successful with your finances, you need to start believing that you can do it.
Think about what you are good at, think about successes you have had, and see those things as evidence for how you can succeed. Everyone has it in them, but sometimes we forget that we have already overcome things.
Next time you think “That’s not possible for me because of (your excuse),” you should think instead about what you have already accomplished and about how you can make your current goal a reality.
You also NEED to admit that you are making excuses, because until you admit that, you will most likely just continue making them.
Yes, it may be a little difficult to change your mindset in the beginning, but as time passes you’ll realize that your excuses were just a waste of time and energy. Because, if you really want to make a better financial life for yourself, you can find ways to make it a reality.
Reaching your goal will take time, and there might be setbacks (there probably will be – that is only normal!), but your goal for making a better financial future is only impossible if you quit before you get there.
Do you think that a person’s mindset can impact how well they do with money? What excuses have you made in the past?
Do you need extra money to help pay for home improvements, debt consolidation, or unexpected car repairs? Consider tapping into your home’s equity through a cash out refinance or home equity loan.
Both loan options allow homeowners to access their home’s equity to finance a variety of things, but you need to compare cash-out refinance vs. home equity loan to decide what’s best for you.
What Is a Home Equity Loan?
Home equity loans offer homeowners a way to borrow money against the amount of equity in their homes. Home equity is the difference between what you owe on your mortgage and the home’s current market value. Home equity loans are also called second mortgages because they’re a separate loan payment in addition to your mortgage.
Because your home also serves as collateral for the loan, failure to make payments could lead to foreclosure. Since homeowners take on more risk with a home equity loan, lenders typically offer lower interest rates than they would for an unsecured loan.
How Does a Home Equity Loan Work?
When you take out a home equity loan, the lender will approve the loan amount based on the percentage of equity that you have in your home.
The lender may allow you to borrow 80% to 85% of your home’s value, minus what you owe on the mortgage. Other requirements for a home equity loan include having a good credit score, a low debt-to-income ratio, and a steady source of income.
Once approved for the loan, your lender will provide loan disclosures stating the amount you’re borrowing, your interest rate, and any fees that you must pay. Common fees in closing costs include an origination fee, appraisal fee, document preparation fees, broker fees, and application fees. Some lenders may reduce or waive these fees altogether.
A home equity loan is paid out in a lump sum and tends to be fixed-rate. You’ll need to repay the loan in fixed monthly installments that include the principal and interest. Repayment periods vary but are usually between five and thirty years.
Looking to take out a home equity loan? Find a Total Mortgage branch nearest to you and chat with one of our mortgage specialists to discuss your options.
What Is a Cash Out Refinance?
A cash out refinance is another way to take advantage of the built-up equity in your home. A cash out refinance allows homeowners to take out a new mortgage, up to 80% of the value of the home, for more than what is owed on the house.
This new mortgage pays off the old mortgage and the difference between the two, minus closing costs, is paid out in cash. This new loan is larger and may come with different terms.
How Does a Cash Out Refinance Work?
A cash out refinance is similar to a traditional refinance. You can shop different lenders and compare quotes, submit an application and required documentation, get approval, and wait for your payment.
You’ll also need to meet basic requirements for a cash out refinance, but these vary by lender.
Common requirements include:
Have a credit score of at least 620
A debt-to-income ratio of 43% or less
At least 20% equity in your home
To illustrate, let’s say you have a mortgage balance of $125,000 and the market value of your home is $300,000.
If you’re borrowing 80% of your home’s value, you’d be able to take out $115,000 for a loan balance of $240,000. This means you have $115,000 to use on almost anything you please, whether that’s a vacation, a wedding, or your education.
Cash Out Refinance vs. Home Equity Loan Similarities
When comparing a cash out refinance and a home equity loan, both options allow homeowners to borrow money against the amount of equity in their homes. No matter which option you choose, both pay almost immediately and you can use that money to pay for anything you need.
A cash out refinance and home equity loan also have similar borrowing requirements. If you’re eligible for a home equity loan, you’re more than likely eligible for a cash out refinance as well. However, this also varies by lender.
Both options also allow you to borrow the same amount — up to 80% of the current value of your home.
Cash Out Refinance vs Home Equity Loan Differences
Cash out refinance payments are often easier to manage because they replace your existing home loan. Home equity loans are another monthly loan payment along with your mortgage payment.
A cash out refinance may also come with lower interest rates because they’re considered first-lien debt, which is paid out first to debt holders in the event of a foreclosure or bankruptcy. However, the higher interest rate on a home equity loan may be offset by low or no closing costs.
Which Is the Smarter Option? Cash Out Refinance or Home Equity Loan
If you’re deciding between a cash out refinance vs home equity loan, a cash out refinance might make more sense if you’re eligible for a lower interest rate. But if you plan to take out a larger portion of equity or cannot find a lower interest rate when refinancing, a home equity loan may be worth considering.
What you choose may also depend on the amount of equity you’ve built in your home, your creditworthiness, and lenders’ current offers. Both options have their own benefits and drawbacks, which is why it’s essential that homeowners do their homework to learn which option is best for their situation.
Learn More About Your Options With Total Mortgage
Luckily, homeowners have options when it comes to unlocking their home equity. If you’re deciding between a cash out refinance vs. home equity loan, Total Mortgage has you covered.
Total Mortgage has been helping homeowners and buyers get the financing they need for over 20 years. Visit one of our branches and talk to a specialist or apply online today.
Two rent-related lawsuits were lodged by separate property companies against Atlanta-based Equity Prime Mortgage LLC, adding to the outstanding number of litigation battles the multi-channel lender has to resolve, including one filed by a NASCAR team in late-December.
The lease lawsuits were lodged in Florida and Missouri two months apart by landlords accusing the mortgage company of not paying rent for office spaces.
A suit filed in Florida by TGT Maitland, LLC in April accuses the lender of “failing and refusing to pay the rent and other amounts owed under the lease” for an office space it has been renting since 2019. The sum owed as of March 6 totals close to $30,000.
A month prior, litigation was filed on behalf of Weldon Centre, LLC, a company that owns buildings in Missouri. The company filed a rent and possession lawsuit, a method commonly used by landlords when tenants do not pay rent.
Details regarding the lawsuit are sparse, but as of April 3 the case has been marked as resolved. The attorney representing Weldon Centre would not provide further information about the case.
According to the lawsuit filed in Florida, EPM, which has headquarters in Atlanta, has been renting the office owned by TGT Maitland since May 2019. In September 2022 the mortgage shop renewed the lease for an additional three years. The rent currently due by EPM totals at least three months, with the monthly rate of the property coming in at $8,817, documents show.
The landlord of the property is seeking damages in excess of $50,000 to cover the lease, attorney’s fees and court costs. TGT Maitland is also holding onto a $9 thousand security deposit from EPM, which it will apply to the sum owed, the lawsuit said.
EPM did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The back-to-back lawsuits come after Jesse Iwuji Motorsports announced that it was suing EPM for $4.1 million in a Florida federal court, claiming the firm stopped making six-figure monthly payments last September for commitments including stock car signage.
Per the lawsuit, an EPM executive told the team it wouldn’t make further sponsorship payments because of a “margin call” and was suffering financially from mortgage rate hikes.
“Though JIM sympathized with EPM’s predicament and proposed measures in good faith in order to benefit EPM and continue the parties’ relationship, EPM again reiterated in communications with JIM that the effect of the ‘margin call’ was the reason why future payments would not be made,” said Darren Heitner, attorney at Heitner Legal and JIM’s legal representation.
The mortgage shop fired back with a countersuit in February denying accusations of having financial issues and placed the blame of the sponsorship breakdown on the racing team’s own alleged admission of liability. Negotiations between both parties are still ongoing.
EPM has been in the mortgage business since 2008 and is currently licensed in 50 states, with 75 loan officers on board. The company originated $1.9 billion in residential loans between Jan. 1, 2022 and Oct. 31, 2022, according to data from by S&P Global.
The perfect balance of environmentally friendly initiatives and city atmosphere.
We scored and ranked every U.S metro for environmental efforts based on numerous, measurable factors. These factors include alternative fuel resources, recycling jobs and air pollution, registered alternative fuel vehicles and traditional fuel vehicles. These factors were scaled, scored and ranked scored and ranked while controlling for differences in population and land area. Based on this ranking, we’ve compiled the top 10 cleanest cities worthy of analyzing, with Davenport-Bettendorf-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL coming in at No. 1.
Quad Cities cleanliness
Davenport-Bettendorf-Moline-Rock Island, also known as the Quad Cities, has taken several steps to become a more environmentally sustainable region, earning our title as the cleanest city. The Quad Cities area has several renewable energy projects, including a solar farm in Moline, IL, and a wind farm in Iowa. The region is also exploring additional opportunities for renewable energy development, setting a precedent for green initiatives.
Recycling jobs
Recycling jobs in the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL area are primarily focused on the collection, processing and management of recyclable materials. This group of cities has a whopping 530 recycling jobs, which is in the top 10 metros with the most recycling jobs.
When compared with job opportunities in other industries, these cities have 3.1 recycling jobs for every 1,000 other types of positions. This is great for people who want to contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing waste, conserving resources and minimizing pollution.
Electric vehicles popularity
Alternative fuel cars are increasing in popularity, with good reason. Also known as green or clean energy vehicles, these automobiles use fuels or power sources other than traditional gasoline or diesel. These vehicles reduce the environmental impact associated with cars and contribute to more sustainable transportation.
The high number of alternative fuel vehicles registered in the Quad Cities showcases the region’s commitment to sustainable transportation. With over 400,000 of these vehicles, the area’s proportion of alternative fuel vehicles to traditional cars stands at an impressive 16.17%, reflecting a shift towards greener mobility. While the area is car-dependent, this area is fairly bike-friendly with a bike score of 40.
Air pollution
As cities grow and greenhouse gas emissions are better understood, there is a dire need to control air pollution for breathing health and the future of the earth. The Quad Cities embracing alternative fuel vehicles plays a crucial role in their air pollution.
With an admirable score of 9.4, Davenport-Bettendorf-Moline-Rock Island is proving its commitment to sustainability practices. To offer context of their pollution score(the higher the number, the less air pollution), the neighboring city, Cedar Rapids, IA, comes in at an 8.8 — showing they have slightly worse air pollution. As cities begin to implement practices and work to improve living conditions for their residents, we hope to see scores climb.
Source: Rent. / The Bridges Loft
Renting in Davenport-Bettendorf-Moline-Rock Island
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island is a vibrant metropolitan area situated along the Mississippi River in the Midwestern United States. Known for its scenic beauty and rich cultural heritage, this region comprises the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Moline, Rock Island and East Moline in Illinois. The Quad Cities are renowned for their strong sense of community, thriving arts scene and a growing emphasis on sustainability, making it the perfect city for renters.
The region’s dedication to sustainability not only enhances the quality of life for its residents but also serves as an inspiration for other cities yearning to implement more clean and green practices. This area provides a stellar example of the harmonious blend of natural beauty, cultural diversity, city living and green initiatives.
Top apartments in Davenport-Bettendorf-Moline-Rock Island
The future is green
With Davenport-Bettendorf-Moline-Rock Island leading as the cleanest city, their achievement highlights the significance of their commitment to promoting alternative fuel vehicle usage, creating recycling jobs and fostering a culture of sustainability. By prioritizing these green initiatives, they are not only improving air quality but also paving the way for a brighter and more sustainable future, setting an inspiring example for other cities to follow suit.
The dedication of Davenport, Iowa, and surrounding Quad Cities to creating a cleaner and greener environment will have lasting positive impacts on the well-being of both current and future generations. Start your green life in this forward-thinking group of metros today!
Have you stumbled upon a scary, strange, or weird experience when visiting a foreign country? Well, you’re not alone! We asked our friends on Reddit to tell us their most alarming stories of traveling internationally. These 12 scary and unsettling stories will make you think twice about visiting the country. Do you also have something crazy to share? Let us know in the comments!
1. Witnessing a Beheading
One user commented, “A beheading in the public market square in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.”
A second person replied, “I honestly don’t understand why anyone would want to visit countries like that.”
Another commenter added, “Um, I was going to say aggressive behavior from locals, but this is a whole different level.”
2. Lost and Unable to Communicate
“I got lost in an underground city in Tukey as a child. I stepped away from my parents and group to look at something, and when I turned around, they were all gone. I couldn’t find anyone who spoke English for a while until finally a man who spoke a little English helped me find my way back to the surface to wait for my parents to come back out.
“Thankfully, one of the women from our group was already there because she had gotten claustrophobic. Being ‘lost’ was scary enough, but not being able to communicate terrified me. Then, when my parents came up, they didn’t even realize I had been lost. So that became the scariest thing, realizing I wasn’t exactly ‘safe’ with my parents’ inattentiveness,” one user shared.
Another user replied, “For anyone who finds themselves in this situation, just stay where you are and wait for the other people to come back and find you. They will start their search at the last place they saw you, not at the entrance. It’s hard to remember in the moment, but this is the best advice in most cases.”
3. Almost Kidnapped by Locals
One person shared, “When I was in Turkey, my friend and I (F23 and F28) were walking through a small market just browsing. We stopped next to one shop to take a look on something. Owner immediately jumped in trying to persuade us to buy (which is normal) or for my friend (and only her) to go with him upstairs to see more goods. When we refused and turned to walk away he grabbed my friend by upper arm and hauled her to the stairs. We both were screaming and hitting him but he only let go when I twisted his thumb making him loosen his hold. My friend had huge bruise on her arm for the rest of vacation.”
“That’s terrifying. Well done fighting back,” someone replied.
“I’m Australian. I was seeing a Turkish man, and he was leaving to go back home. My parents asked if I was going back with him. I simply said I’ll prolly be stoned on the first day and left it at that. In all fairness he even admitted I’d most likely be shunned by his family and the women would most likely beat me. So there’s that, make of it as you will,” the third added.
4. Being Detained Without a Passport
One person stated, “Detained on the border of Romania and Hungary by Romanian police, put into jail for a few hours and my passport confiscated. When they led me through the darkness to lock me up in some dingy back room jail cell I genuinely thought I was going to be hostel’ed.”
“I took an overnight train from Hungary to Romania once in my early-20s. I had been assured that lots of tourists took this train, but it was virtually empty and I was a young woman traveling alone. It was around 3am when we crossed into Romania, and while my passport had been processed onboard on the Hungarian side, the officials in Romania took it off the train but left me (and the other passengers) onboard.
“I was fully convinced something like this was about to happen to me and I would be totally helpless to do anything without my ID or anyway to contact anyone. Another woman on the train noticed me freaking out and assured me this was normal and everything would be fine, and without her I think I would have completely spiraled in that moment. I can’t imagine how scared I would have been if they’d actually detained me,” shared another.
5. Strangers Breaking into your Room
One user shared, “Taking an overnight ferry during a People to People program in the summer with a bunch of high schooler’s. Overnight from Italy to Sicily. Bunch of younger to middle aged dudes not in the group were constantly hitting on the girls and were trying to proposition them back to their cabins on the ship. A few of us saw some trying to follow us back to our own rooms and a male teacher had to intervene.
“Later that night, when in the room with the three other girls, we heard our door being tested to see if locked. I was fully prepared to claw the eyes out of [anybody] who successfully got in but it was a [very] scary sleepless night.”
“When I was at uni, I must have been around 19/20, me and some friends went surfing down south. We stayed in a hostel. One night we’d all crashed out and a bunch of guys used their key card and broke into our room. I woke up long enough to tell them to get lost, watch the door close and went back to sleep. Another night another group of guys tried to break in. I was out cold and my friends were terrified. The girls and the guys split into two rooms, but we should have just stayed in one big one,” the second person replied.
6. Girl went Missing from a Tour Group
“Girl went missing from our tour group in Scotland. We were pub hopping with a few of us and most of us wanted to go back but she wanted to continue and wouldn’t take no for an answer so she took off on her own. She wasn’t in her room in the morning and forgot her phone and passport in her room. We were tweaking out most the day and almost got the embassy involved when she finally contacted someone.
“Apparently, she got lost going back and ‘stayed’ with a random guy. He was nice enough to pay her way to catch up with the tour group. She apologized to the tour group, so they decided against shipping her back but they did blacklist her from using their agency again,” shared one person.
7. Hearing Howler Monkeys Scream
One user commented, “I was in Costa Rica a few months ago for a volunteer project to clean up plastics from the local area around Jaco Beach. I stayed in the Punta Leona resort as a worker (since they have a contract with the volunteer program), and on the first night when we all went to our dorms to sleep. Roughly 30 minutes into our sleep, there was an ear-splitting shriek outside of the dorm that was so loud it made the whole house rumble.
“I have sensitive hearing so I was up instantly and so were the other girls but they were more annoyed than scared. ‘What was that?!’ I looked to the girl that I had been talking to the most earlier and she waved her hand ‘Howler monkeys do that sometimes. Just ignore it.’ That scream will forever stay in my mind. It was the only time I heard it while I was there but easily the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced in a foreign country.”
“I think the closest thing to that you’ll hear in the states is a mountain lion in heat. No joke—in certain parts of the US, if you hear what sounds like a woman being murdered in the woods, DO NOT go and help her. Because that is not a person,” another person shared.
Finally, the third added, “Foxes will also do that. They often freak out newcomers to areas with populations by either screaming like a woman being murdered or laughing like a small child. Also, mountain lions will also shriek like humans, but they like to hunt and eat them. Please be aware of your local wildlife.”
8. Finding Things in your Apartment
Someone recalled their weird and scary experience, “I used to teach English in Japan. I didn’t get off most nights until 9 pm, so it was close to 10 by the time I made it to the train stop near my apartment.
“One night I’m walking home and the street is dead, except for this elementary school boy walking towards me and whistling. In Japan, whistling at night is said to attract demons so I was a bit unsettled by his behavior. The kid just kept whistling. I hurried home, demon free.
“I also used to find long, thick black hair in my apartment in places I’d recently cleaned. I don’t have thick black hair, my hair is fine and red, so that was weird. I also didn’t have guests with hair like that so, who knows!”
9. Street Scammer in Egypt
“In Egypt, as I was leaving, an official guy in uniform came over and asked to see my passport and put it straight into his pocket and said I was being detained. Walked me over to a side office and told me to wait inside.
I didn’t go in and told him (maybe stupidly) that I was about to miss my flight and he said, he could ‘make the process faster’ if I paid the ‘administrative fee’. Fine—a bribe whatever. Wasn’t the first time on this trip. I take out the literal last of my cash and hand it to him, he puts it straight into his pocket and says ‘not enough.’
“I’m explaining that it’s literally all of the money I have and this woman, not in any kind of uniform, walks over to the guy, says something to him quite quietly (like speaking into his ear) and he looks petrified. Just absolutely terrified. Immediately gives me back my passport and not just the cash I gave him but some more that I guess he got from someone else before me and starts apologising to me profusely and even offered to escort me to my gate. She just smiled at me and told me to have a nice flight,” one person stated.
Someone replied, “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from reading travel stories and my own experiences—stay out of Egypt if you want to have a good time.”
10. Locals Insist on Taking Pictures
One person commented, “When I was in my senior year of high school, we went on a field trip to India we were gonna write our senior projects at an orphanage where our teacher knew the owner, I went to a certified U.N school, whatever that means. Anyway, we were on our way to this giant temple and we stopped at a smaller one for a break and snacks. There were people everywhere and since all of us are white, except one dude, we got a lot of weird looks from the locals and a lot of giggles.
“I was talking to four other girls when the security guard asked if he could take a picture with us, that’s when all hell broke loose, everyone wanted to take pictures with us. So when I started walking back to the car, this dad followed me and kept hounding me for a picture and said that I [was very rude] for not taking pictures with his children… We left shortly after.”
Another one shared, “I have heard that there’s a similar phenomenon in rural Japan. Since it’s 99% Japanese, the people in rural Japan may not have ever seen a non-Japanese person before. So if they see a foreigner, sometimes they just do an open-mouthed stare. I heard one person describe the look on their faces as if they just saw a unicorn walk into the room.
“Same person described an incident where she was riding a bike on a narrow path next to a rice paddy, and saw two Japanese girls on bikes approaching her. Normally in this situation the people going in different directions go in single file so that they can easily pass each other without falling into the rice paddy. Well, these girls were so in shock about seeing a white person, they didn’t move into a single file line, knocked her right into the rice paddy, and on top of that one of their bikes sliced into her hand…”
11. Driving Around Costa Rica
One person stated, “Not creepy but different—Driving in Costa Rica. Amazing place full of super nice people. Some of the roads were paved or hard packed dirt. Most were ancient and in really bad shape. Biggest pot holes that I have ever seen in my life. I am not kidding when I say there were plenty of pot holes two feet deep. I was advised to get an SUV with full insurance, which I did and was thankful for.
Other interesting things—very religious country. Shrines all over the place with lights on them—in stores, on corners in the middle of nowhere. First time I saw an entire family ride on a Vespa type scooter. Really impressive, especially on those roads. They also sold some form of moon shine on the side of the road in reused plastic bottles. 10/10 would go back.”
“Another person shared, “Wife is from Costa Rica. The stop signs are more like yield signs. Taxi drivers are insane. Ghetto is… depressing. The people are lovely in general and very open and idealistic. Family is everything to them. You really do marry the family, not just the spouse. I wish they could be more monetarily wealthy in addition to their pura vida. Weird combination of catholicism and [being sensual]. Very open to discussing [physical] topics but very judgmental of certain things. Like my wife and her sister openly discussed my [body parts] in front of me, but the topic of [being gay] wasn’t to be discussed. I haven’t heard of the moonshine and have not yet visited their forests, unfortunately.”
Original Reddit thread here.
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