If you’re considering living in Omaha, Nebraska, prepare to experience a city of vibrancy and entertainment. The town boasts an array of unique attractions and experiences that locals and newcomers alike can enjoy. There’s something for everyone, whether it’s savoring exquisite craft cocktails, exploring hidden gems, or immersing yourself in nature.
Whether you’re still considering making the move or you’re already exploring apartments for rent or homes for sale in Omaha, this Redfin article will showcase a plethora of unique things to do in Omaha.
1. Proof Whiskey Bar and Craft Cocktail Lounge
If you’re a whiskey and craft cocktails fan, Proof Whiskey Bar and Craft Cocktail Lounge is the place to be. The bar offers one of the wildest whiskey collections, nearly guaranteeing you’ll be met with a great drink.
“The bartenders are extremely knowledgeable and are experts at their craft,” say’s Shantel Powers, a photographer with Glam Haven Photography. “Try the Barrel Pick Old Fashioned that comes in a cedar smoked glass for a twist on the classic cocktail.”
2. Nosh Restaurant and Wine Lounge
Not every high-end meal has to come with high-end prices, which Nosh Restaurant and Wine Lounge owner Erick Neimier aims to deliver. Offering 35 wines by the glass, 150 bottles, and 70 different types of whiskey, there’s something for everyone, no matter your taste buds.
Neimier describes Nosh as having a friendly, relaxed vibe with comfortable seating. Whether you’re meeting up with friends or family for a relaxing dinner or a quick bite before a concert, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Nosh.
3. Cellar44 Wine Bar
With its warm and inviting ambiance, Cellar44 Wine Bar offers a sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere where patrons can unwind and savor a remarkable selection of handpicked wines from around the world. Owner Wendy Sutton-Millage shares that “the menu offers a wide range of wines and a food menu featuring charcuterie, signature snack items, and sliders.” On Thursday and Friday nights, Cellar44 comes alive with live music. It’s the perfect place to unwind, sip on your favorite wine, and let the music carry you away into an unforgettable night.
4. Bärchen Beer Garden
Bärchen Beer Garden stands out as a unique thing to do in Omaha for several reasons, including its unique Bavarian-inspired atmosphere with an American twist.
General manager Marc Emanuel shares that Bärchen has a selection of international beers and quality food. From the menu, Marc recommends trying a burger or chicken sandwich, stating they are “the best in town.” To have the whole experience, order a house-made pretzel or sausage that perfectly complements the diverse beer and cocktail offerings.
5. Dundee Dell
Dundee Dell is a cherished hidden gem in Omaha’s beautiful Dundee neighborhood. Originally founded as the Dundee Delicatessen in 1915, no shortage of history and heritage sets Dundee Dell apart. General manager Marc Emanuel says that their “must-try” menu item is their flavorful and crispy fish and chips, which has garnered a devoted following.
6. Sofra Creperie
Located in the Inner Rail Food Hall is Sofra Creperie, offering an authentic taste of European cuisine. Michel Thornhill, a web designer with Little Mountain Web Design, suggests trying the Mediterranean crepe, which boasts delicious flavors from cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta, bell peppers, spinach, and a secret sauce.
7. Tasty Pizza
Minutes from the University of Nebraska and Elmwood Park, discover a campus favorite, Tasty Pizza. Morgan Dorsey, the photographer for MTD Aerial Photography and the University of Nebraska alums, recommends trying the McKenna Macarena, a combination of buffalo chicken and pepperoncini. Tasty Pizza is a must-visit and will “satisfy even the most discerning pizza connoisseur,” says Dorsey.
8. Ollie the Trolley
Ollie the Trolley, an iconic symbol of Omaha, Nebraska, offers a unique way to explore the city’s charm and rich history. This charming, vintage-style trolley provides a nostalgic and picturesque journey through Omaha’s streets, allowing passengers to discover the city’s hidden gems and popular landmarks in comfort and style.
Director of Marketing, Deb Skinner, says Ollie the Trolley offers five public tours complemented with a bloody mary, margaritas, and lessons on the city’s rich history. Take in the sights and sounds on this relaxing tour, and if you’re looking for the perfect way to celebrate an event such as a bachelor or bachelorette party, look no further.
9. Lauritzen Gardens
Beyond the cornfields associated with Omaha, Nebraska, discover the 100-acre Lauritzen Gardens. This Omaha hidden gem offers over 15 unique gardens and exhibits.
Paul Jones of The Gardening Dad blog describes Lauritzen Gardens as a “tropical paradise to be enjoyed on a beautiful summer day or during a cabin-fever winter weekend.” Jones adds that the gardens offer refreshing yoga retreats, spectacular kid activities, educational photography, cocktail hours, and more.
10. Fontenelle Forest
For the occasional escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, look no further than Fontenelle Forest. Local real estate agent Ryan Renner shares that this hidden gem offers miles of walking trails, a raptor refuge, and a rope course. “Coming to Fontenelle Forest feels like you aren’t in the city anymore,” adds Renner.
11. Book Nook Bookstores
A list of unique things to do in Omaha would only be complete with an escape from reality within a book. To experience such, look no further than Book Nook Bookstores. This locally owned bookstore offers a myriad of books, games, movies, and collectibles. So stop in and discover your new favorite author amongst the sea of material.
Don’t it always seem to go That you don’t know what you got till it’s gone? They paved paradise, put up a parking lot …
—Joni Mitchell
It seemed like old times at my favorite Hollywood restaurant the other night. The rains had stopped and everyone was coming out for their favorite California comfort food. A fire was crackling in the fireplace and dessert soufflés were puffing up in the ovens. The party room upstairs was packed with 35 colleagues at a celebratory business dinner and downstairs every table was filled. But something strange was happening.
When diners finished their meals, they took out their phones and began photographing the place. Pictures on the walls had price tags on them. So did lamps and antique tables. Every now and then people hugged each other and wiped away tears. I was one of them.
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This was the last week of life for Off Vine restaurant, a treasured refuge from the hurly burly of Sunset Boulevard, housed in a bungalow with a 115-year history, a repository of countless, colorful movieland stories.
For me, this was personal. Off Vine had become my own Cheers. Like the theme of the TV show, it was the place “Where everybody knows your name / And they’re always glad you came.”
With my friends and neighbors I found camaraderie and a warm welcome at Off Vine for over 30 years. Like so many other Angelenos, we built memories here and shared delicious meals.
“You’re crying for a restaurant?” she said.
“No,” I said. “I’m crying for all we are losing.”
We also formed a society here called the Oy Luck Club, a tongue-in-cheek title that conveyed this was a place to have a good time. We celebrated birthdays and anniversaries. Some of us brought our children as babies and they grew up with this special group of “aunts” and “uncles.” They are now adults and still came back to Off Vine as if it were a second home, a family home. It was the glue that bound us together for the rest of our lives.
How can I tell you why Off Vine matters? If you have been there for a festive brunch on the graceful patio with its bowers of bougainvillea, you may understand. If you took family there for birthday dinners or, like one of my friends, you hosted foreign dignitaries for lunch to show them another side of Hollywood, you will understand.
Recently a friend told me, “You will have to find a new place to go instead of Off Vine.”
I caught my breath, whispered, “I can’t” and began to cry.
“You’re crying for a restaurant?” she said.
“No,” I said. “I’m crying for all we are losing.”
The owners did not plan this. They hoped to stay for a long time. But this is a story of the cost of insensitive development, the devaluation of our city’s history and a place that deserves to be preserved. Otherwise, a treasured piece of Hollywood history will soon be unremembered by anyone.
Hollywood legends
My own story is linked indelibly to the history of Hollywood.
Long ago and far away in a land called New Jersey, I spent many snowy days of childhood dreaming of a magical place called Hollywood where it was always warm and movie stars were everywhere. My dreams were enhanced by movie magazines, which showed a never-ending stream of glamorous actors dining and dancing at night clubs like Ciro’s, Cafe Trocadero, Mocambo and the Earl Carroll Theatre.
Food and drink played a role in the glamour life. Stars had private booths at the likes of Chasen’s and the Brown Derby, where an artist drew caricatures of the famous that hung on the walls. Even a soda fountain, Schwab’s, was famous because legend had it that Lana Turner had been discovered there sitting on a stool sipping a milkshake.
Years later, I would move to Hollywood, but those places were mostly gone, torn down in the march toward modernization. The celebrated history of the movie capital would become confined to the footprints at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (now TCL Chinese Theatre), stars on the sidewalk and books about its fabled past. As a journalist with the Associated Press, I had the chance to interview stars at the Brown Derby with its big brown hat on the rooftop looming over Hollywood. But soon that too was gone, as was C.C. Brown’s, the birthplace of the hot fudge sundae.
So often I’d strike out when I went in search of a Hollywood landmark such as the Garden of Allah residential hotel, where stars such as Errol Flynn and famous writers including F. Scott Fitzgerald and Dorothy Parker lived and partied in their heyday. I found it had been demolished and replaced by a bank (which was itself torn down a couple of years back for a never-built Frank Gehry project).
But all was not lost. One day in 1989 I was driving around Hollywood with my best friend and fellow reporter, Theo Wilson, when she and I discovered a remaining piece of the wonderland I‘d been searching for. It was a small, hidden oasis of a restaurant called Off Vine. Tucked away on a street just south of Sunset Boulevard and east of Vine Street, it was a delightful bungalow with a traditional porch and an outdoor patio. When we stepped inside, the warming fireplace, coffered ceilings and vintage pictures of old-time stars and movie premieres made us feel we had come home. We learned the place had a colorful Hollywood history and just recently had opened as an eating place.
We sat down for a meal of California cuisine coupled with old-fashioned comfort food that pleased our taste buds. We knew this place was a keeper.
Over the years it became our go-to destination for brunches, dinners, birthdays and pretheater meals. We brought neighbors from our Hollywood Heights enclave and founded the Oy Luck Club, a name that reflected the lighthearted intent of the members who were part of a unique community that was not the glitzy movie capital but was Hollywood, a small town with homes and shops, block parties and interesting people.
At one time there were so many of us that we brought our own huge, round tabletop that unfolded to accommodate up to 16 people, our own version of the Algonquin Round Table.
Amid this idyllic camaraderie, we never imagined that one day we would lose our treasured piece of history and community. Sadly, that time appears to be now unless some rescuer turns up at the last minute to save it.
The parcel of land on which the restaurant sits has been sold to an investor who plans to tear it down and put up a row of apartments on the whole block. Off Vine sits on what will become an underground parking garage. (Cue the Joni Mitchell song.)
For the record:
12:29 p.m. March 29, 2023The final Oy Luck Club gathering at Off Vine was on a recent Saturday, not a Sunday as originally stated.
A couple of Saturdays ago the surviving members of Oy Luck Club gathered at Off Vine to celebrate two birthdays and reminisce about our beloved clubhouse.
One of those being feted was Diva Ward, 31, who had first come to an Oy Luck at Off Vine as an infant in the arms of her mother, Carol, who flew in from Wisconsin for the event. Also celebrating was architect Michael Mekeel, a founding member of Oy Luck. The oldest member present was famed actor Alan Oppenheimer, 92.
We ordered favorites from the brunch menu: a huge Belgian waffle with berries and bacon, eggs Benedict with exquisite hollandaise sauce, omelets, a breakfast quesadilla and salads. The grand finale was, as always, the signature Off Vine soufflé available in chocolate, raspberry or Grand Marnier. It had to be ordered half an hour ahead but was worth the wait. Nowhere else have I ever tasted such a rich, puffy soufflé.
Movie-worthy history
We shared memories with co-owner Richard Falzone who has saved Off Vine repeatedly. Everyone listened as I recounted the colorful story of the little house, which itself could be the inspiration for a movie.
The classic Craftsman bungalow was built in 1908 on a dirt road surrounded by fruit trees and orange groves off a newly formed country path called Vine Street.
With the burgeoning film industry in its infancy, houses began popping up to accommodate the actors, crews and producers who came west to get in on the new art form.
The house at 6263 Leland Way off Vine Street eventually was purchased by theater and nightclub impresario Earl Carroll for the actress and showgirl Beryl Wallace.
Carroll discovered Wallace in New York and put her onstage in his famous and somewhat scandalous “Vanities,” which featured elaborate productions with beautiful, scantily clad showgirls. She was his star. The two fell in love and for the next two decades she would be his girlfriend and constant companion. When he left Broadway under a cloud due to increasingly risqué shows, he decided to go West to seek a new venue for his extravagant dreams. He brought Wallace with him to Hollywood, where she had small roles in 23 films and performed at the Earl Carroll Theatre, a supper club and entertainment venue on Sunset Boulevard. The building’s exterior bore a 24-foot neon likeness of Wallace with the slogan, “Through these portals pass the most beautiful girls in the world.”
The club, which was colossal in size and from 1997 to 2017 housed Nickelodeon’s TV production studios, is set for renovation and has been declared a historic monument. Built by Carroll in 1938, it housed a 1,000-seat showroom where productions featured 60 showgirls performing on a double revolving stage. Members of Hollywood royalty were among those who paid $1,000 each for VIP lifetime memberships.
Wallace was its premier star, and Carroll felt she needed a residence that would also serve as a retreat between shows. He purchased the charming bungalow on Leland Way that became Wallace’s home. Later her mother lived with her there while the town of Hollywood grew around them. The Pantages Theatre is a few blocks away and the Cinerama Dome is around the corner. Schwab’s was up the street at Hollywood and Vine.
But not all Hollywood stories have happy endings. Tragedy struck in 1948 when Wallace and Carroll, en route to New York to discuss an even bigger project, died together in a plane crash in Pennsylvania. A year later, her mother, suffering from depression over the loss of her daughter, committed suicide.
The little bungalow was home to Beryl’s sister for a time and then was rented to several short-term tenants, including a music production company and a shoe repair shop.
In 1989 it emerged from hiding and became the unexpected restaurant known as Off Vine, which offered an escape from the chaos and glitz that is current-day Hollywood. One historian of the area said of the spot: “It has survived through the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, Hollywood’s Silent and Golden eras, numerous earthquakes, ambitious landowners and, in 2007, a disastrous fire.” But even the electrical fire that gutted the upper story and forced closure of the restaurant for two years while repairs were done could not kill Off Vine. Its savior since 1997 has been Falzone, a former Broadway theater performer who came West in search of his movieland dreams.
He found an unexpected career change when he took a temporary job as a server at Off Vine. He loved the place, worked his way up to general manager and became a part owner with two partners. Eight months later the fire sparked in antiquated wiring panels devastated the house.
But Falzone persisted. He set up an office on the front porch to handle calls from loyal customers and to deal with the city and insurance companies. Two years later, the Craftsman bungalow, looking the same as ever, reopened. It took $750,000 to save it.
The owners were required to bring the house up to code and added a sprinkler system, larger restrooms, a wheelchair ramp and a new state-of-the-art kitchen. The upper floor, used for parties, was restored with its 13-foot coffered ceiling.
“Our journey has been long and tumultuous, full of struggles and setbacks,” Falzone said at the reopening ceremony. “It also has come to exemplify the strength of a community that has continually offered guidance, encouragement and support to a small business that found itself struggling to reopen its doors during one of the worst economic crises our country has ever seen.”
Then L.A. City Council president and future mayor Eric Garcetti said, “This Hollywood gem adds to the continued revitalization of our community.” Loyal customers, including the Oy Luck Club gang, returned in droves. The rebirth of the Pantages Theatre as a venue for Broadway road shows brought audience members there for pretheater meals.
Things were going so well that Falzone decided it might be time to apply for designation as a Hollywood historic landmark. He was supported by Hollywood Heritage, a preservation group whose co-founder, architect Fran Offenhauser, has spearheaded campaigns to save historic buildings from the wrecking ball.
But the arbiters of such decisions looked at its history and ruled that because of the fire, which resulted in a few visible exterior changes, Off Vine did not qualify.
Then the pandemic hit and Falzone had to close. But again the little restaurant that could, with the help of government COVID subsidies, survived. Off Vine reopened as soon as it was safe and struggled to get enough servers. Some loyal employees returned. Amid all of that, Falzone was blindsided by the sale and was given notice that when the lease expires this April he would be required to vacate the property.
It turns out that Earl Carroll, in a seeming premonition and an act of love for his inamorata, added a codicil to his will stating that if he and Wallace should die together the property would go to her heirs. It was still owned by Wallace’s descendants 75 years later when they yielded to a multimillion-dollar offer from Invesco, a development firm that was interested not in the lovely little house but the land on which it stands.
Notice also was given to other nearby restaurants. A Chipotle has already relocated.
“This has been my life for 26 years. It’s been my heart, my soul, my baby and my family. It’s been my everything,” Falzone told me. “It’s not just a restaurant. People are coming into a family home and they are our family. It’s a home where there’s love, good food and good cheer.”
Offenhauser, who also is a founding member of the Oy Luck Club and a powerful advocate for Hollywood preservation, sees this as another nail in the coffin of Hollywood’s history.
“There is a real Hollywood and it’s getting smothered,” she told me as we commiserated about the impending loss. “It is not a sign of progress to destroy things that are meaningful. It’s important to integrate them with whatever is new that is compatible and complementary.
“It’s not rocket science to be able to save Off Vine,” she said. “If you recognize something is important you can build around it. It’s possible to build new and not destroy the old. In the alternative, the building could be moved to another lot. It’s not that complicated.”
We reflected on how many of us who are transplants to Hollywood made it our real hometown.
“For whatever reason when we came to Hollywood we bonded with it deeply,” Offenhauser said. “This bungalow reflects that. It means something much bigger than our individual personal memories. It manifests what neighbors mean; what Beryl’s life meant; how Richard knit people together with his unique grasp of food in a home; what a livable humanistic neighborhood in Hollywood — with neighbors walking by that porch — did mean and should mean.”
When I asked Falzone the other day what happened to the pictures and memorabilia of the beautiful Beryl Wallace that adorned the walls of Off Vine as long as I had been going there, he said the family came and collected everything. Sadly, there remains no evidence that the glamorous star ever lived there.
Deutsch, longtime special correspondent for the Associated Press, is known for covering the trials of O.J. Simpson, Angela Davis, Phil Spector, Patty Hearst, Charles Manson, Robert Blake, Lyle and Erik Menendez, Michael Jackson and many more. She has been a resident of Hollywood for more than 50 years, first in the Hollywood Heights and currently the Hollywood Dell.
Ready for a workout? Here’s where to stretch and flex in Austin without having to leave home.
Moving to a new place means rediscovering all the basics. You need to find a grocery store, a doctor, the closest places to eat and more. One thing you shouldn’t have to struggle with is finding a place to work out.
Living in fitness-friendly Austin means many apartment communities have built-in exercise facilities only steps from home. You can spend more time unlocking the secrets of this Texas city by using the state-of-the-art gyms in your own building.
Ready to break a sweat? Here are 10 of the best apartment gyms in Austin worth checking out.
Source: Rent. / Alexan Waterloo
Located within the creative Red River Cultural District, the Alexan Waterloo has more to enjoy on-site than you might expect. The 30-story building provides panoramic views of Austin which come in handy when it’s time to hit the fitness center. Large floor-to-ceiling windows give an inspiring view while you work out.
The well-stocked fitness center at the Alexan Waterloo includes a variety of cardio and strength equipment, along with free weights and exercise mats. The gym also has a separate spin cycle studio for those who really want to work up a sweat.
Source: Rent. / Gables Park Tower
One of many amenities in Gables Park Tower is the fitness center. It’s a bright space with plenty of windows that let all the natural light of the Seaholm District shine in.
Full of Matrix strength equipment and cardio machines, the fitness center combines with an arcade, 24-hour resident lounge, bocce court and community pool to make a complete amenity package.
Source: Rent. / The Catherine
Just south of Lady Bird Lake sits the trendy and upscale Greater South River City neighborhood. Within it, you’ll find The Catherine. This is a LEED-certified green apartment community with panoramic Austin views.
Once inside The Catherine, the large, executive-accented fitness center will impress you with its thick carpet and wood paneling. Grab one of the fresh towels available on site before using the weights, strength equipment and cardio machines. You can even take advantage of a separate cycling room.
Source: Rent. / Pioneer Hill
For those career-driven folks who still need to squeeze in a workout, Pioneer Hill is in the perfect location with the perfect gym. Situated in Northeast Austin, close to downtown and large employers like General Motors, Dell and 3M, Pioneer Hill offers an HD movie theater, dog park and spa and conference room among its amenities.
The fitness center is modern and well-lit, with two separate spaces to use. One contains a variety of equipment, from treadmills to weight machines. The other comes complete with exercise balls, yoga mats, exercise bands and more.
Source: Rent. / Canyon Springs at Bull Creek
On the other side of town, in one of Austin’s most established and scenic neighborhoods, you’ll find Canyon Springs at Bull Creek. This Northwest Austin community features a clubhouse, video library, pool and pet park.
It boasts a sun-filled fitness center with plenty of windows. Dotting the workout area are bikes, treadmills, elliptical machines and weight equipment, plus all the usual free weights and other portable pieces of equipment.
Source: Rent. / The Pearl
Nestled within the close-knit community of Brentwood, The Pearl is all about its luxury upgrades. Within the apartments, you’ll find smart thermostats and even under-the-counter wine refrigerators. The Pearl is also a LEED-certified building that comes complete with EV charging stations.
Within the gym, you’ll discover an extensive variety of equipment for both cardio and strength training. Use what you like as you look out onto the pool area. Wood-like floors and two separate workout spaces make this space feel even classier.
Source: Rent. / Latana Ridge
Bright blue stripes in the fitness center at Latana Ridge help create a vibrant atmosphere as you dig into your workout. Cardio machines face the windows, while the strength equipment sits against a mirrored wall. A colorful CrossFit box competes the gym.
Located in East Oak Hill, a part of Texas Hill Country, Latana Ridge sits on 55 acres and includes hike and bike trails to complement your gym workout. You’ll also find a playground, dog park and outdoor kitchen and grilling area among the community’s other amenities.
Source: Rent. / Gables Central Park
A newer Austin community, Triangle State attracts a lot of students and young professionals with its fine restaurants, upscale cafes and parks. Here’s also where you’ll find Gables Central Park. The location of this community provides residents with great trails to walk or run as well as easy access to Central Market.
Surrounded by trees and greenery, the fitness center at Gables Central Park has rounded windows that add a bit of class to your workout. There are plenty of free weights, cardio machines and exercise equipment to use as well.
Source: Rent. / Austin CityLights
The modern feel of the gym at Austin City Lights fits right in with the Sweetbriar neighborhood. The whole area has an urban vibe thanks to its proximity to Sixth Street.
Within the 24-hour fitness center pops of orange greet you as you select the right cardio machine. You also have a great view of the pool and sun deck (along with a chance to people-watch). The gym comes complete with strength equipment, exercise mats, balls and bands as well.
Source: Rent. / Camden Lamar Heights
The last of the best gyms in Austin on our list is in Camden Lamar Heights, another community in the Brentwood neighborhood. This gym is full of windows and Austin-themed art. There’s also plenty of equipment and free weights.
Look out to the resort-style pool for your workout in this non-smoking, pet-friendly community. Both urban and modern in design, Camden Lamar Heights has a private dog park and host-planned social events for all residents.
Grab a home workout at one of the best gyms in Austin
Don’t spend money on a gym membership, even if fitness is high on your priority list. Take advantage of the apartment gyms waiting for you on top of so many other amenities. Check out the workout spaces in Austin apartments today and find your perfect home.
I used to resent the synecdochical use of the word town. As in, this town. As in, Hollywood. As in, Los Angeles, meaning, this is the part of Los Angeles that stands in well enough for the whole. I used to love citing the Bureau of Labor Statistics figure stating that the motion picture industry accounts for only 3% of the entire Los Angeles County workforce. I used to leave out a telling addendum, that this tiny sliver represents the largest concentration of industry labor (“industry” being the slightly more focused synecdoche for “motion picture industry”) in the United States. In my previous lives — aside from catching a glance of rushed PAs and wardrobe people whenever a film or TV set bloomed in my neighborhood, or on the periphery of my commute to a nonindustry job — I couldn’t tell you where, exactly, this town was located.
The industry, like the 3% of Angelenos who make it happen, is scattered across the topology of the city, a lace network of social and economic bonds. The Netflix building in Hollywood, the Directors Guild building further west on Sunset, the old CAA building in Beverly Hills (“old” being the operative word here, as the Los Angeles Conservancy-dubbed historical site now houses the corporate offices of — checks notes — Alo Yoga), the Writers Guild of America West building in the Fairfax district.
So much of what we call history is what happens when the abstract ideals of hard buildings meet the actual needs of soft bodies. That visual drama is more obvious and all too real now, as the smooth lines of Hollywood studio buildings are set against active rows of people marching to halt productions. From Netflix to Paramount to Sony, industry town structures share an affinity for bleached stone, unbroken slabs of marble and glass volumes set at unconventional angles. Call it corporate-askance: smooth reflective surfaces that project instructability and power, but with curvilinear façades and insistently interesting textures that keep a hand in the arts. They represent a fundamental paradox of the television and motion picture industry: the smooth, reflective surface of the American superego, set at an increasingly uncomfortable angle against the people who create it.
On May 2, the Writers Guild of America, failing to reach a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that would ensure ongoing living wages for writers, declared a strike. The synecdoche of their struggle stands in for the whole intractable precarity of any kind of writing life (less than a week into the strike I noticed a contingent of picketing poets, bearing signs like “Poets in solidarity with the WGA” and “Do not go gently into that bad contract”). I write for television, but I am not in the WGA. The writers rooms I’ve done have taken place on Zoom, in-house at smaller production studios, in private homes and, once, in a cabin in Lake Arrowhead — that showrunner having somehow convinced the studio to sequester us in the mountains in exchange for a shorter room. I didn’t know then how my experiences were already reflecting a massive shift in how certain people wanted to organize the labor of people who write. I also didn’t know that many of my writing jobs then were credited as “consulting” or, ingeniously, “devising,” in order to skirt certain requirements. I was happy to be making TV. I still am. This town is many places to me, not the least of them being a freezing lake at dawn.
I tried to articulate this hard-buildings-soft-bodies tension to another showrunner friend. We were picking out snacks for the carpool to the picket line at the Netflix building. I offered to drive, buoyed by the double task of solidarity and research, homemade signs in hand. I asked, perhaps rhetorically, what could possibly be said about the industry writ large by a group of buildings that look alike but nonetheless represent such disparate entities within. Maybe, he said, it’s important for the unions to have big shiny buildings that say, “Hey, we’re one of the big boys.” True.
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Since the latter half of the 20th century, the surest shorthand for power was a giant glossy skyscraper. The DGA and old CAA buildings were completed in 1989 and 1988, respectively. What I love, and the WGA building does this too, is how they pay a flash of obeisance to this idea on the surface while undermining it in their geometry. They have the gloss of mere office buildings but they are not the kind of boxy, anonymous towers we associate with less glamorous industries.
Architectural historian Dell Upton wrote, “The flow of money makes buildings possible and desirable […] Raw, economic power is filtered through the beliefs of builders and users, giving the landscape a variety that would not exist were it a simple vector of monetary forces.” That sounds abstract, though Upton’s point is that buildings are anything but. What does it mean, then, to view buildings not just as a concretized form of money but concretized beliefs about money?
I’ll use a smaller, vernacular detail to illustrate. I, like many Angelenos, have lived in apartments so rapidly, so literally whitewashed, that hinges, electrical outlets and light switches have been painted over past the point of utility. It’s an architectural motif nicknamed “the landlord special,” and Upton would agree — the landlord special doesn’t say anything about how much money a landlord has, so much as where a landlord believes money should go.
In a 1988 L.A. Times article on the construction of the DGA building, project architect Deneys Purcell talked about the split-cylindrical shape of the building in both practical and symbolic terms, pointing out that roundness is conducive to office planning, but also associating it with a stack of film cans and the need for a bit of personality in the design. “The committee’s main stipulation was to have a distinctive building that would not be easily mistaken for a spec office structure that lacked identification.” The Los Angeles Conservancy declares that the old CAA building’s interior finishings “serve to reinforce CAA’s message of stability and grandeur without being overly ostentatious.” The kernel of this genteel copy contains a coded value statement about power, or at least the expression of it. (Never mind that CAA outgrew these headquarters nearly as soon as they were finished. Buildings are slow. Life is fast.) The glass-barrel volumes of the union buildings seem to inhabit, or at least acknowledge, this tension.
By contrast, Netflix’s ICON office tower coheres like a wobbly offset stack of skyscrapers on their sides (or, as someone pointed out to me, like a stack of VCRs, which is too cynically poetic to be intentional). As we picket, my friend points out that the Netflix building is more of a compound, as the streaming service owns the neighboring Midcentury Sunset Bronson Studios (at times formerly known as Old Warner Bros Studios., KTLA Studios and Tribune Studios) along with the low, neoclassical office building and a few random apartment buildings. The pastiche of its sprawl sets it apart from traditional studio compounds like the current Warner Bros. and Paramount lots, self-contained minicities more readily identifiable as places where this town exists.
Architecturally, a compound like that represents profits metastasizing faster than architecture can express. The fact that writers in this town cannot sustain a living wage among all this growth means that writers, more so than CEOs and executives, are intimately acquainted, more so than buildings, with the unsustainable beliefs about where money should go.
New Jersey, United States – Verified Market Research recently published a research report titled, “Global Home Decor Market Insight, Forecast 2030“. The Global Home Decor market is elaborately discussed in the report so as to help readers to gain a sound understanding of key trends, top strategies, and potential growth opportunities. The Global Home Decor report offers Porter’s Five Forces analysis, PESTEL analysis, and qualitative and quantitative analysis to give a complete and accurate picture of the current and future market situations. The analysts have carefully forecast the market size, CAGR, market share, revenue, production, and other vital factors with the help of industry-best primary and secondary research tools and methodologies. Players can use the Global Home Decor report to build effective strategies for concentrating on key segments and regions and boosting their business in the Global Home Decor market.
Our report includes ongoing and latest market trends, company market shares, market forecasts, competitive benchmarking, competitive mapping, and in-depth analysis of key sustainability tactics and their impact on market growth and competition. In order to estimate quantitative aspects and segment the Global Home Decor market, we used a recommended combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches. We studied the Global Home Decor market from three key perspectives through data triangulation. Our iterative and comprehensive research methodology helps us to provide the most accurate market forecasts and estimates with no to minimum errors.
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Key Players Mentioned in the Global Home Decor Market Research Report:
In this section of the report, the Global Home Decor Market focuses on the major players that are operating in the market and their competitive landscape present in the market. The Global Home Decor report includes a list of initiatives taken by the companies in the past years along with the ones, which are likely to happen in the coming years. Analysts have also made a note of their expansion plans for the near future, financial analysis of these companies, and their research and development activities. This research report includes a complete dashboard view of the Global Home Decor market, which helps the readers to view an in-depth knowledge about the report.
Siemens AG, Springs Window Fashions LLC, Sofia Home Collection Company, Conair Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V, Hanssem Corporation, home24, Herman Miller Inc, Kimball International Inc, Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
Global Home Decor Market Segmentation:
Home Decor Market, By Product
• Flooring • Textile • Furniture • Others
Home Decor Market, By Application
• Indoor • Outdoor
For a better understanding of the market, analysts have segmented the Global Home Decor market based on application, type, and regions. Each segment provides a clear picture of the aspects that are likely to drive it and the ones expected to restrain it. The segment-wise explanation allows the reader to get access to particular updates about the Global Home Decor market. Evolving environmental concerns, changing political scenarios, and differing approaches by the government towards regulatory reforms have also been mentioned in the Global Home Decor research report.
In this chapter of the Global Home Decor Market report, the researchers have explored the various regions that are expected to witness fruitful developments and make serious contributions to the market’s burgeoning growth. Along with general statistical information, the Global Home Decor Market report has provided data of each region with respect to its revenue, productions, and presence of major manufacturers. The major regions which are covered in the Global Home Decor Market report includes North America, Europe, Central and South America, Asia Pacific, South Asia, the Middle East and Africa, GCC countries, and others.
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(1) A complete section of the Global Home Decor market report is dedicated for market dynamics, which include influence factors, market drivers, challenges, opportunities, and trends.
(2) Another broad section of the research study is reserved for regional analysis of the Global Home Decor market where important regions and countries are assessed for their growth potential, consumption, market share, and other vital factors indicating their market growth.
(3) Players can use the competitive analysis provided in the report to build new strategies or fine-tune their existing ones to rise above market challenges and increase their share of the Global Home Decor market.
(4) The report also discusses competitive situation and trends and sheds light on company expansions and merger and acquisition taking place in the Global Home Decor market. Moreover, it brings to light the market concentration rate and market shares of top three and five players.
(5) Readers are provided with findings and conclusion of the research study provided in the Global Home Decor Market report.
Key Questions Answered in the Report:
(1) What are the growth opportunities for the new entrants in the Global Home Decor industry?
(2) Who are the leading players functioning in the Global Home Decor marketplace?
(3) What are the key strategies participants are likely to adopt to increase their share in the Global Home Decor industry?
(4) What is the competitive situation in the Global Home Decor market?
(5) What are the emerging trends that may influence the Global Home Decor market growth?
(6) Which product type segment will exhibit high CAGR in future?
(7) Which application segment will grab a handsome share in the Global Home Decor industry?
(8) Which region is lucrative for the manufacturers?
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About Us: Verified Market Research®
Verified Market Research® is a leading Global Research and Consulting firm that has been providing advanced analytical research solutions, custom consulting and in-depth data analysis for 10+ years to individuals and companies alike that are looking for accurate, reliable and up to date research data and technical consulting. We offer insights into strategic and growth analyses, Data necessary to achieve corporate goals and help make critical revenue decisions.
Our research studies help our clients make superior data-driven decisions, understand market forecast, capitalize on future opportunities and optimize efficiency by working as their partner to deliver accurate and valuable information. The industries we cover span over a large spectrum including Technology, Chemicals, Manufacturing, Energy, Food and Beverages, Automotive, Robotics, Packaging, Construction, Mining & Gas. Etc.
We, at Verified Market Research, assist in understanding holistic market indicating factors and most current and future market trends. Our analysts, with their high expertise in data gathering and governance, utilize industry techniques to collate and examine data at all stages. They are trained to combine modern data collection techniques, superior research methodology, subject expertise and years of collective experience to produce informative and accurate research.
Having serviced over 5000+ clients, we have provided reliable market research services to more than 100 Global Fortune 500 companies such as Amazon, Dell, IBM, Shell, Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Siemens, Microsoft, Sony and Hitachi. We have co-consulted with some of the world’s leading consulting firms like McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Bain and Company for custom research and consulting projects for businesses worldwide.
With the start of summer upon us, now may be a great time to evaluate your credit card portfolio. Credit card sign-up bonuses and welcome offers are the quickest and easiest way to rake in lots of points and miles, so we regularly update the roundup of our favorite current offers in our best credit cards guide.
But to help you keep up with an ever-changing list of bonuses, we’ve also compiled a list of the best card offers currently available — especially the ones that are worth an extra look right now because they are at all-time highs or may end soon.
Since many issuers have restrictions on how often you can earn a bonus on a card, it’s important to time your application for when there’s a good offer. Also, higher bonuses don’t always stick around for long, so if you’re considering one of these offers, you’ll want to hop on it sooner rather than later.
Finally, if you’re not ready to jump on a higher-end card, consider these great starter cards or even one with a 0% introductory annual percentage rate (APR) offer.
The best credit card offers for June 2023
Card
Sign-up bonus/welcome offer
Welcome offer value*
Annual fee
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership.
$2,400.
$695 (see rates and fees).
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
100,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership.
$2,000.
$95.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
80,000 points after you spend $6,000 in the first six months, though you may be able to get a higher bonus through the CardMatch tool (terms apply).
$1,600.
$695 (see rates and fees).
American Express® Green Card
60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in their first six months of card membership. Also, get 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in your first six months to earn up to $200 back.
$1,400 ($1,200 in points plus up to $200 in cash back).
$150 (see rates and fees).
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
$1,388.
$395.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
$1,388.
$95.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
$1,200.
$550.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
$1,200.
$95.
American Express® Gold Card
60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first six months of card membership, though you may be able to get a higher bonus through the CardMatch tool (terms apply).
$1,200.
$250 (see rates and fees).
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card, and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
60,000 bonus points plus a 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
$900.
$69 (Plus), $99 (Premier) and $149 (Priority).
United Club Infinite Card
80,000 bonus miles and 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Offer ends Aug. 9.
$880.
$525.
IHG Rewards Premier Business Card
165,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
$825.
$99.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points and a free night reward after spending $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months of cardmembership. Offer ends July 19.
$780.
$95 (see rates and fees).
* Welcome offer value is determined using TPG valuations and is not provided by nor reviewed by the issuer.
The Business Platinum Card from American Express
This business card stands out not only for its 120,000-point welcome offer but thanks to added travel perks that can easily cover the card’s $695 annual fee (see rates and fees). Cardholders enjoy automatic Gold status in both the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programs, along with access to a wide variety of airport lounges — including Amex Centurion, Priority Pass and Delta Sky Club (when traveling on same-day Delta flights). Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Cardholders also enjoy 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked at American Express Travel, along with 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year).
Related: Amex refreshes Business Platinum Card with new perks, higher annual fee and a 120,000-point bonus
On top of that, the card comes with up to $200 in annual airline fee statement credits and a 35% points rebate for flights booked through Amex Travel in first or business class on any airline (up to 1 million points back per calendar year), or in any class on the U.S. airline of your choice each year. Non-travel benefits include up to $400 in annual statement credits toward U.S. Dell purchases, up to $360 in credits toward Indeed, up to $150 toward select Adobe purchases and up to $120 toward wireless telephone services.
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Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Read our review of the American Express Business Platinum Card for more information.
Official application link: The Business Platinum Card® from American Expresswith 120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership.
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Then there’s the Ink Business Preferred. According to TPG’s valuations, this card’s welcome bonus alone is worth $2,000 since you can take advantage of Chase’s excellent collection of airline and hotel transfer partners. Points redeemed through the Chase travel portal are worth 1.25 cents each, which isn’t bad, either.
Another factor in this card’s favor? Its tremendous earning rates. You’ll earn 3 points per dollar across the following categories on up to $150,000 in combined purchases (1 point per dollar thereafter):
Travel.
Shipping purchases.
Internet, cable and phone services.
Advertising on social media sites and search engines.
Depending on which categories you spend in, you could earn a whopping 450,000 bonus points per year if you maxed out that $150,000 cap.
Among the Ink Business Preferred’s unsung benefits are cellphone protection, primary rental car coverage (when renting for business purposes) and other travel and purchase protections. You can also add employee cards to your account for free.
Read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card for more information.
Official application link: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card with 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of account opening.
The Platinum Card from American Express
Often referred to as the king of the premium travel rewards cards, the Amex Platinum offers a slew of benefits — along with a $695 annual fee (see rates and fees). Cardholders enjoy perks such as automatic Gold status with both Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy plus access to a wide range of airport lounges, including Amex Centurion, Priority Pass and Delta Sky Club (on same-day Delta flights). On top of that, you’ll get up to $200 in annual airline fee statement credits, an up-to-$200 hotel statement credit to use toward prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings (the latter of which requires a minimum two-night stay) via Amex Travel, and an up-to-$189 Clear Plus membership statement credit — along with numerous other perks. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Related: It’s a ‘lifestyle’ card now: A closer look at the Amex Platinum’s 6 new benefits
Non-travel benefits include an up-to-$240 digital entertainment statement credit (split into monthly $20 credits) for Audible, The New York Times, SiriusXM, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal and services under the Disney umbrella — including Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu.
Cardholders also receive an up-to-$155 Walmart+ credit (subject to auto-renewal; Plus Ups are excluded), an up-to-$300 SoulCycle bike credit and an up-to-$300 Equinox statement credit for eligible Equinox memberships (now available as an annual benefit rather than monthly credits). You also receive Uber VIP status and up to $200 in annual Uber Cash (split into monthly $15 credits for U.S. rides and Uber Eats orders plus a $20 bonus in December).
Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Finally, cardholders will enjoy enhanced earning rates on many travel purchases:
5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year).
5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel.
1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.
And while the current welcome offer provides solid value, be sure to check the CardMatch Tool to see if you can receive an even higher one (offers are targeted and subject to change at any time).
Read our review of the American Express Platinum Card for more information.
Official application link: The Platinum Card® from American Express with 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
The American Express Green Card
The American Express Green Card provides a compelling offering in the mid-tier travel category. With 3 points per dollar on broader travel, restaurants and transit as well as annual statement credits for Clear and LoungeBuddy that more than cover its annual fee, the Green from Amex is a card that modern travelers should consider.
The earning rates and benefits of the American Express Green Card will be most attractive to young professionals and millennials (or millennials at heart) who travel for work, pleasure or both. The card earns 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on travel, restaurants and transit, so you’ll want to consider this card if a large chunk of your budget goes toward these categories.
The Amex Green also offers annual up to $189 Clear Plus and up to $100 LoungeBuddy statement credits that can more than offset the $150 annual fee (see rates and fees) while making your time in the airport more efficient and relaxing. If you can utilize these statement credits, the card can easily be a worthwhile addition to your purse or wallet.
Read our review of the Amex Green for more information.
Official application link: Amex Green with 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership. Also, get 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in your first six months to earn up to $200 back.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Venture X card is Capital One’s premium rewards card and offers great earning rates and incredible perks.
Aside from a hefty welcome bonus of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months – worth about $1,388 according to our valuations thanks to Capital One’s excellent airline and hotel transfer partners – the card gives members up to $300 back in statement credits annually for bookings made through Capital One Travel and 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary, starting on their first anniversary (worth $100 toward travel, or $185 by our valuations).
As for earning rates, the Venture X racks up 10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked via Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked via Capital One Travel, and an unlimited 2 miles per dollar on everything else.
Frequent travelers will also enjoy taking advantage of access to Capital One’s developing network of airport lounges as well as the ability to enroll for Priority Pass membership for entry into more than 1,300 lounge locations worldwide (though this no longer includes participating restaurants). It also added the ability to access Plaza Premium lounges worldwide in 2022 and launched The Premier Collection in 2023, giving cardmembers on-property perks at a curated set of luxury hotels.
Read our review of the Capital One Venture X card for more information.
Official application link: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card with 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Venture Rewards packs a pretty good punch for a mid-tier credit card. It earns a flat 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases worldwide, but you can earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel. The miles you earn with this card can be transferred to Capital One’s 17 airline and three hotel partners or redeemed through the Capital One Travel portal.
The card stands out for offering an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years; many other cards that offer this benefit have annual fees of $400 or more. This TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credit alone is worth up to $100. When making everyday purchases, you may also get Warranty Manager Service which can be used for extended warranty protection. The Venture Rewards card doesn’t impose foreign transaction fees, so you can use the card overseas without accumulating extra charges.
Read our review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Card for more information.
Official application link: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card with 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
This is one of the best premium credit cards available.
It earns a whopping 10 points per dollar on Lyft (through March 2025), Chase Dining booked through Ultimate Rewards, and hotel and car rental purchases through the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal. Cardholders also earn 5 points per dollar on airline travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal, 3 points per dollar on travel (after using the $300 travel credit) and dining, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Chase defines travel and dining quite broadly, including everything from parking fees to Airbnb stays and food delivery orders. Perks of the card include a $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass membership, a $5 monthly DoorDash in-app credit (through December 2024), a complimentary DashPass membership and an impressive array of travel protections.
Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve for more information.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve with 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
If you can’t justify a high annual fee or want a solid card with an appealing set of perks, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is an ideal fit. It earns 5 points per dollar on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 3 points per dollar on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out; 3 points per dollar on select streaming services; 3 points per dollar on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs); 2 points per dollar on all other travel; and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
The points you earn with this card can be transferred to Chase’s airline and hotel partners or redeemed for 1.25 cents each through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Benefits include a $50 annual credit on hotel stays purchased through Ultimate Rewards, at least 12 months of DashPass membership (when activated by Dec. 31, 2024), primary rental car coverage, up to $500 in trip delay reimbursement if you’re delayed more than 12 hours or overnight, up to $10,000 in trip cancellation and interruption insurance and up to $100 per day for up to five days in baggage delay reimbursement if your bag is delayed more than six hours.
Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred for more information.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Preferred with 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
American Express® Gold Card
The Amex Gold card is a favorite of many TPG staffers thanks (in large part) to its terrific earning rates:
4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.)
4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year (1 point per dollar after that).
3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel.
1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
The card also offers up to $120 in annual credit for Uber rides and Uber Eats purchases and up to $120 in statement credits for select dining purchases (enrollment is required for select benefits) — all for a manageable annual fee of $250 (see rates and fees)
And while it’s not providing a limited-time bonus for new cardmembers, you can often find elevated welcome offers through the CardMatch tool. The card currently features a public welcome offer of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. However, some new customers can earn a 75,000-point or even 90,000-point welcome offer via the CardMatch tool after meeting the same minimum spending requirements. Note that these elevated offers are targeted and subject to change at any time.
Alternatively, you can refer a friend through the Amex referral program — and when your friend applies for a new account by June 7, you can earn an additional +5 rewards per dollar (as either points or cash back, depending on the card) on eligible U.S. supermarket purchases for three months after they’re approved (starting from the first date the referred friend’s account is opened), on up to $25,000.
Additionally, new applicants for the Amex Gold through a referral link will be eligible for an up to $200 statement credit after reaching minimum spending requirements, on top of that card’s usual welcome offer.
Read our review of the American Express Gold Card for more information.
Official application link: American Express® Gold Card with 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first six months of card membership.
Southwest personal cards
All three personal of Southwest’s personal credit cards — the Rapid Rewards Plus, Rapid Rewards Premier and Rapid Rewards Priority — are currently sporting identical welcome offers: 60,000 bonus points plus a 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This is the first time Southwest has offered a promo code as part of a sign-up bonus on a credit card.
The code will appear directly in your Southwest.com account within eight weeks of meeting the spending requirement. It can be used — only once — on a single one-way or round-trip Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime and Business Select fare, and is available for use until October 31, 2024.
Given it is a single-use promo code, it would be best to save this for a more expensive ticket. You’ll get the biggest savings when using the code for round-trip travel and/or during peak travel periods like the summer or the holidays.
Read more about the three cards and this limited-time offer.
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
United Club Infinite Card
The United Club Infinite Card is the ideal card for United lounge access — bar none.
The United Club Infinite Card’s $525 annual fee sounds high until you factor in the United Club membership included with the card. Membership normally costs $650 per year for non-elite members.
In addition, one of the primary disadvantages of many airline credit cards is a low return on spending, even on branded purchases, as most airline cards only offer 2 or 3 points per dollar on airline purchases. But the United Club Infinite Card sets a new standard with an impressive 4 points per dollar on United purchases.
If you spend thousands of dollars on United flights each year, the United Club Infinite Card is worth considering.
Read our review of the United Club Infinite for more information.
Official application link: United Club Infinite with 80,000 bonus miles and 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Offer ends Aug. 9.
IHG Rewards Premier Business Card
New applicants for the IHG Rewards Premier Business card can earn 165,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within three months from account opening.
Your bonus will come in the form of IHG points, which TPG values at half a cent each. Thus, this bonus is worth $825.
Generally speaking, you won’t get fantastic earning rates on most hotel credit cards — especially on broad categories like dining and groceries. That said, the IHG Premier Business card could be a solid option, especially at participating IHG properties.
When you use your card at IHG hotels and resorts, you’ll earn 10 points per dollar spent on your stay. This is in addition to the 10 base points that all IHG One Rewards members accrue at most participating brands. And since you have automatic Platinum Elite status with the card, that’ll give you another 60% bonus on top of the base points. When combined, that translates to a total of 26 points per dollar spent on most IHG stays — or a 13% return on spending, based on TPG’s valuations.
Beyond IHG purchases, cardholders of the IHG Premier Business will earn points at the following rates:
5 points per dollar spent on travel, dining and gas purchases.
5 points per dollar in select business categories, such as social media and search engine advertising and at office supply stores.
3 points per dollar spent on all other purchases.
You’ll also receive a free night certificate (worth up to 40,000 points) every year when you renew your card and enjoy your fourth night free on award stays of four nights (or longer)
Read our full review of the IHG Rewards Premier Business for more information.
Official application link: IHG Rewards Premier Business card with 165,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within three months from account opening.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card provides solid earnings at Hilton properties and automatic Hilton Gold elite status, which offers complimentary breakfast, increased earnings and space-available upgrades when you stay at Hilton properties.
Hilton Honors Gold status is one of the best mid-tier hotel loyalty statuses you can obtain. As a Hilton Gold elite member, you’ll get complimentary breakfast, space-available room upgrades and improved earnings when staying at Hilton brands. Luckily, you can easily earn and maintain Hilton Gold status since it is an automatic perk of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card.
The Hilton Surpass card is an ideal choice for those who stay at Hilton properties often and want a cobranded credit card with a modest annual fee and valuable perks.
Read our full review of the Hilton Surpass for more information.
Official application link: Hilton Surpass with 130,000 bonus points and a free night reward after spending $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months of cardmembership. Offer ends July 19.
*Bonus offer value is based on TPG valuations and not provided by issuers.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Green card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass, click here.
Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox and Eric Rosen.
Inside: Enjoy these millionaire quotes about achieving success! These statements will help you motivate yourself to achieve your goals and become a millionaire.
Success is not a destination- it’s a journey.
When you find yourself stuck, struggling to make progress on your goals, often the only thing that will inspire you to keep going is by reading quotes from other successful people who have been there before. So grab some time and read these meaningful quotes now!
Quoting people is a great way to remind yourself of your goals and stay motivated.
It’s easy to get distracted by the demands of life, so I like reaching for quotes that tell me what I need most right now.
Quotes by millionaires are a great source of inspiration and motivation for anyone looking to achieve success in life. Not only do they offer wise words of advice, but they also remind us that failure is an essential part of learning and achieving greater things.
So don’t be afraid to dream big and work hard towards making those dreams a reality.
In fact, here are the most inspiring millionaire quotes.
The power of millionaire quotes
Millionaire quotes have the power to change your life. If you’re feeling down or unmotivated, reading a few words from a millionaire can give you the boost you need to get back on track.
For example, Tony Robbins is one of the most successful millionaires in the world with a net worth of over $600 million. And he’s not the only one; there are countless millionaires out there who have made their fortune through hard work and determination.
When it comes to making money, these people know what they’re talking about! Their advice is worth listening to, and if you take their words to heart, you’ll be well on your way to success.
So next time you feel like giving up, read some inspiring quotes from millionaires and see how that changes your outlook on life. You may be surprised at just how powerful these words can be!
How to use millionaire quotes to achieve success
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best way to use millionaire quotes to achieve success depends on your personal goals and objectives.
However, some tips on how to use quotes to achieve success include:
Find quotes that resonate with you and inspire you.
Keep your goals in mind when reading quotes and using them to motivate you.
Write your own quotes and keep them in a place where you can see
If you’re looking to achieve success, millionaire quotes can be a great way to get started.
They provide inspiration and motivation and remind you that failure is not an option – which can be a great thing if you’re willing to learn from your mistakes.
The benefits of using millionaire quotes
Quotes by millionaires offer great advice and motivation for anyone looking to achieve success. They provide a unique perspective that can help you focus on your goals and push through any obstacle in your way. Additionally, these quotes can help increase productivity in any context and inspire creativity.
While it’s important to remember that not everyone is able to become a millionaire, following the advice of those who have achieved this level of success can be incredibly beneficial.
As Thomas A. Edison once said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
This type of attitude will help you stay motivated even when things get tough.
Walt Disney also had some profound words of wisdom: “If you can dream it, you can do it.” This quote speaks to the idea that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
Reaching your goals may seem difficult at times, but with enough determination and hard work, you’ll be able to accomplish anything.
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Millionaire Mindset Quotes
These inspirational, motivational, and wise words from millionaires who achieved success despite all odds teach us that determination and perseverance is the key factor in life.
Your mindset will determine your outcome.
Enjoy some of the best millionaire mindset quotes…
1. “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” – Michael Jordan
2. “Start with the end in mind. If you want to be a millionaire, talk like one, act like one, work like one.”- Bob Proctor
3. “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford
4. “The easiest thing I ever did was earn a million dollars. The hardest thing I ever did, and it took years, was believing I was capable of earning a million dollars.” – Les Brown
5. “There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire. If you’re jealous of those with more money, don’t just sit there and complain – do something to make more money yourself.” Gina Rinehart
6. “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” – Steve Jobs
7. “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey
8. “To win big, you sometimes have to take big risks.” – Bill Gates
9. “Fail trying; don’t fail watching.” – Bob Goff
10. “There are a ton of ups and downs, and many times our highest points come immediately after our lowest.” – Pat Flynn
Motivation is key to success. It is what drives us to achieve our goals and reach our potential.
There are many reasons why motivation is so important, but here are some of the most important ones:
Without motivation, it’s hard to stay focused and push through difficult tasks.
You’ll be more likely to give up if you’re not motivated.
Motivation gives you the energy you need to work hard and achieve your goals.
When you’re motivated, you’re more likely to take action and make progress towards your goals.
Now, here are the best motivation millionaire quotes to keep you going.
12. “When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.” – Elon Musk
13. “You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plow right ahead.” – George Lucas
14. “You cannot push any one up a ladder unless he be willing to climb a little himself.” – Andrew Carnegie
15. “The future of humanity: a choice between the past and the present, between stagnation or progress.” – Vladimir Vernadsky
16. “If people are not laughing at your goals, your goals are too small.” – Azim Premji
17. “Before you can become a millionaire, you must learn to think like one. You must learn how to motivate yourself to counter fear with courage.” – Thomas J. Stanley
18. “Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” – Steve Jobs
19. “I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.” – Lucille Ball
20. “Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.” – Richard Branson
Success Millionaire Quotes
Your goals will help guide your lifestyle and create a more meaningful journey for you.
By reaching your goals along the way, you find success. It is those small milestones that can help you along your journey. Believing bigger is about knowing deep down inside you are successful.
Now, here are some of the best success millionaire quotes to start believing in today!
21. “My dad encouraged us to fail. Growing up, he would ask us what we failed at that week. If we didn’t have something, he would be disappointed. It changed my mindset at an early age that failure is not the outcome, failure is not trying. Don’t be afraid to fail.” – Sara Blakely
22. “Success if not final. Failure is not fatal.” – Teri Ijeoma
23. “It doesn’t matter how many times you fail. You only have to be right once and then everyone can tell you that you are an overnight success.” – Mark Cuban
24. “I have had all of the disadvantages required for success.” – Larry Ellison
25. “It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” – Bill Gates
26. “Obviously everyone wants to be successful, but I want to be looked back on as being very innovative, very trusted and ethical and ultimately making a big difference in the world.” – Sergey Brin
27. “You don’t have to be a genius or a visionary or even a college graduate to be successful. You just need a framework and a dream.” – Michael Dell
28. “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins
29. “You can never quit. Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” – Ted Turner
30. “All of us, in a sense, struggle continuously all the time, because we never get what we want. The important thing which I’ve really learned is how do you not give up, because you never succeed in the first attempt.” – Mukesh Ambani
Millionaire Mentor Quotes
Self-made millionaires offer great insight and motivation for those working towards success. They remind us that failure is often a part of the journey, but it’s important to stay true to ourselves along the way.
When you are building a business or starting a new endeavor, wouldn’t you want to have a mentor looking over your shoulder and motivating you?
So, although you may not be able to afford to meet these millionaires in person, you can write their quotes on your planner or near your computer to keep you focused on making your million.
When we spend time with people who have achieved success, their positivity rubs off on us.
We can begin to see the world through their lens and get motivated to achieve our own goals.
31. “The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” – Mark Zuckerberg
32. “I believe people have to follow their dreams – I did.” – Larry Ellison
33. “If you don’t live your life, then who will?” – Rihanna
34. “Money is just a consequence. I always say to my team, ‘Don’t worry too much about profitability. If you do your job well, the profitability will come.’” – Bernard Arnault
35. “If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do and you’ll achieve the same results.” – Tony Robbins
36. “Dedicating myself to actually following through was my single biggest achievement.” – Nick Woodman
37. “Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.” – Arnold Palmer
38. “I’m an entrepreneur. ‘Ambitious’ is my middle name.” – Kim Kardashian
39. “Talent without working hard is nothing.” – Cristiano Ronaldo
Strong Millionaire Quotes
Okay, there are times you need to hear the hard stuff. Like the coach whispering exactly what you need to be told when you weren’t executing as you should be.
These strong millionaire quotes are the ones that put us back on track.
They remind us why motivating yourself to achieve great success is necessary.
40. “Swim upstream. Go the other way. Ignore the conventional wisdom.” – Sam Walton
41. “Winning is not always the barometer of getting better.” – Tiger Woods
42. “If you’re afraid to fail, then you’re probably going to fail.” – Kobe Bryant
43. “If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.” – Warren Buffett
44. “If you’re changing the world, you’re working on important things. You’re excited to get up in the morning.” – Larry Page
45. “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” – Oprah Winfrey
46. “As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.” – Donald Trump
47. “Confidence is the most important single factor in this game, and no matter how great your natural talent, there is only one way to obtain and sustain it: work.” – Jack Nicklaus
48. “You have to be able to accept failure to get better.” – LeBron James
Millionaire Quotes about Life
Successful people are usually happy because they have found a way to be content in life while still reaching for more.
Regardless of the type of millionaire they are, they all find happiness in some form or another from their work. This in turn leads to greater motivation and a desire to keep growing and achieving more. Additionally, small challenges help to keep these levels of happiness and motivation high.
Here are the best millionaire quotes about living life to the fullest!
49. “I’d rather be optimistic and wrong than pessimistic and right.” – Elon Musk
50. “A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.” – Jeff Bezos
51. “Everybody has equal opportunity, and I think that is true for everything.” – Mukesh Ambani
52. “If you are born poor it’s not your mistake, but if you die poor its your mistake.” – Bill Gates
53. “Treat your life like a game.” – Ray Dalio
54. “Self-praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.” – John Madden
55. “Being rich is a good thing. Not just in the obvious sense of benefitting you and your family, but in the broader sense. Profits are not a zero sum game. The more you make, the more of a financial impact you can have.” – Mark Cuban
56. “People should only profit to the extent they make other peoples lives better.” – Charles Koch
Future Millionaire Quotes
Success is a tricky thing to quantify.
This perspective can help you stay motivated as you work towards your goals- knowing that things are always changing and evolving. Additionally, it’s important not to compare yourself with anyone else in this world. You’ll only end up insulting yourself!
So from one millionaire to the next millionaire (you), here are the future millionaire quotes to memorize.
57. “You can’t just wish to be a millionaire; you have to figure out how to earn it.” – Dolly Parton
58. “Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.” – Steve Jobs
59. “The key to life when it gets tough is to keep moving. Just keep moving.” – Tyler Perry
60. “Have fun. The game is a lot more enjoyable when you’re trying to do more than just make money.” – Tony Hsieh
61. “Education is the most important for our children, and it’s also the best investment.” -Bill Gates
62. “I never took a day off in my 20’s. Not One.” – Bill Gates
63. “At the end of the day, you know yourself best.” – Abigail Johnson
Millionaire Quotes about Money
Millionaire quotes are a great way to get motivated and inspired to achieve success. They offer a glimpse into the mindset of millionaires and what drives them.
Money is often seen as the key to happiness.
And while it can certainly bring a level of comfort and ease, it is not the only thing that can bring happiness. Hard work and dedication are essential for success, and it is important to believe in yourself and your dreams.
So, enjoy these millionaire quotes about money…
64. “Never depend on a single income. Make investments to create a second source.” – Warren Buffett
65. “If you do not see riches in your imagination, you will never see them in your bank balance.” – Napoleon Hill
66. “Most people fail to realize that in life, it’s not how much money you make. It’s how much money you keep.” – Robert Kiyosaki
67. “Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget rule No.1” – Warren Buffet
68. “Why pay a dollar for a bookmark? Why not use the dollar for a bookmark?” – Steven Spielberg
69. “I want the last cheque I write to bounce.” – Chuck Feeney
70. “It’s not about the money, it’s about what you can do with the money.” – Thomas J. Stanley
Which Thing will You do to Result in More Wealth Opportunities?
So there you have it, 70+ powerful millionaire quotes to help you motivate yourself to achieve success.
These are people worth at least 7 figures – maybe even 10 figures.
If you want to become a millionaire, it all starts with taking action towards your goals.
Use these quotes as inspiration and fuel to keep you going on your journey to success.
Remember, it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.
Enjoy the process and don’t stress too much about the outcome. As long as you’re taking action and moving forward, you’re on the right track. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the next millionaire!
Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!
Recently my wife and I decided that we wanted to get a laptop computer so that we could check emails, do work and otherwise surf the web while the other spouse was on our main desktop computer. We no longer wanted to deal with the “are you done on the computer yet?” exchanges. (Yes, it was usually me hogging the computer time, I admit it.)
At first we looked at a wide range of regular sized laptop computers. We looked at everything from some nice looking Dell laptops all the way to the fashionable and slick Apple Macbooks. The laptops were all extremely nice, and would do everything that we needed them to, but they all had one thing in common that wasn’t something we were excited about. The price.
Looking For A Cheaper Alternative
After talking with a friend about their new MSI Wind U120 netbook computer, and how much they loved it, we decided to look into getting a netbook. After all, they were in fact a lot cheaper than some of the laptops we were looking at buying.
Everything I had heard about netbook computers up until that point really hadn’t been that great. I had an image of these tiny little computers, too small for my big hands, that would lack the processing power to do much of anything. Getting one really didn’t sound that appealing.
After trying out our friend’s netbook, however, my opinion started to change. Not only did the little machine run a stripped down version of Windows XP, it ran it very well. It had 1 gig of memory, plenty of processor power, a 160 gig hard drive, and really wasn’t as underpowered as I had expected. It was great for checking email, writing word documents, surfing the web, and doing a whole host of other every day computing tasks.
Researching Available Netbooks
After deciding that a netbook might be right for our situation, and knowing that it would definitely fit better into our budget, we began looking at what was available. We found quite a wide range of available units. It seems that netbooks are all the rage right now!
After reading reviews, and checking out several models at local stores, we ended up narrowing it down to several models.
All the units were in the $300-350 price range, right where we wanted to be. In addition, they had almost identical specs:
10 inch screen
160 GB hard drive
1 GB memory
webcam
Intel Atom Processor
After considering the options, and trying out all three units at our local Micro Center store, we decided on the MSI Wind U100 netbook, for a variety of reasons.
First, the unit had received good reviews from many different review sites. Second, it was compact and attractive looking, and we liked the ergonomics of the netbook. It was also the lowest priced unit we found as it was on sale for just under $300 at our local store.
The Wind U100 is able to do just about any basic computing task that we throw at it, minus things that are graphics intensive like video editing or anything else that needs some serious memory and CPU. Since my wife mainly uses it to check email and facebook, that’s not an issue.
The other netbooks we looked at were nice as well, but the Wind won out because of it’s combination of good price, features and good reviews.
Conclusion
While buying a new computer is hardly ever a truly frugal undertaking, there are ways to make it a bit more reasonable. We found that since we wouldn’t be using our new portable computer for much more than checking email and facebook (or twitter!), we wouldn’t need one of the more expensive and feature laden laptop computers. Instead we were able to get something that was considerably cheaper, but still offered everything that we needed in portable computing.
While we are completely happy with our new computer, netbooks do have their drawbacks. For example, a 10 inch screen isn’t really big enough for all applications. Some webpages are too wide for the small screen, and trying to view photos in applications like Picasa isn’t as easy as on a larger screen. I have also have found that the smaller keyboard on the netbook isn’t as suited for larger hands like mine – there have been a few frustrating moments when trying to type on this netbook. Beyond those things, however, we have found that netbooks are a lot more capable and advanced than we had first realized.
If you’re looking for a cheap alternative to buying a $500-700 laptop, and you won’t be needing to do CPU and processor intensive operations, I think netbooks are a great alternative that you should check out. We’re glad we did!
What things have you bought that you were able to find a cheaper alternative for? Was the cheaper alternative inferior, or did it end up being a wise purchase? Tell us about it in the comments. (as well as if you have a netbook, and what you think of it.
Today we bring back the ever-popular reader case study series with an interesting twist.
First of all, our subject is a new reader, with sizable financial baggage from earlier decades, but plenty of potential for improvement. Equally notable is the fact that I have enlisted some outside help for the research and analysis.
During a recent trip, I ran into another blogger named Jacob Wade who, quite amazingly, actually likes budgets. In fact, he feels so strongly about it that he named his financial blog iheartbudgets.net. We got to talking, and he enthused about how much he likes analyzing and solving detailed financial problems for other people.
“Oh boy, do I have a job for you”, I said. “I get emails from people with detailed financial problems every day, and although I still read every one, it pains me not to have time to respond to many of them.”
Could Jacob’s enthusiasm be used to all of our advantage? I sent him a sample case study to test out his chops. I was pleasantly stunned by the results – he did a great job, and offers advice that even I would consider hard-hitting. Let’s dig into our dear reader’s story, then you’ll see the analysis with some joint recommendations by Jacob and myself.
[contents edited for length]
Dear Mr. Money Mustache,
I’m a recent reader of your blog, courtesy of your interview with Jesse at You Need A Budget, which is the budgeting software I’ve been using. I know that you’re all about retiring early, but I’m wondering what advice you’ve got for someone who wonders if they’re ever going to be able to retire at all! Much of what you recommend we can still put into place, I know, and we are in the process, but I am unsure if our advanced age changes any of those tactics and strategies.
I’m not going to bother to tell you all the mistakes we’ve made in 27+ years of marriage and raising five kids. I’m sure you know the drill, since we lived the basic “American Dream.” We are now 53 years old. My question now is “What’s the best we can do at this point?”
This is where we are:
We have a home with a mortgage/equity loan that’s about $20,000 less than the list value of the house.
Our credit scores are low, partly due to not having any credit cards for the last ten years to show a history, and partly due to having late payments due to temporary unemployment, among other things.
We are the “OMG your hair is on fire” commuters; 45 minute commute for me, 55 for husband, we live in the middle of nowhere, and real estate in our area is not selling.
4 of 5 of our kids are still in college, two live with us and commute, the (recent) graduate lives with us and has an entry-level job since he can’t find work with his degree. Our commuters travel by bus 30 minutes to the WEST of us to go to school, we travel EAST to go to our jobs. Our employed graduate also travels west to his job, in the same town where the other two go to college. This makes moving a little bit more complicated.
Retirement: We both qualify for Social Security; however, I have met only the minimum number of quarters since I took 17 years off to home school our five kids, and my estimated benefit at age 67 is $524 a month. I have now been teaching at a charter school since 2006, and contribute to Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement. I would need to work and contribute to that fund until the spring of 2026 to be fully vested.
My husband’s estimated Social Security benefit at age 67 is about $2000 a month. He has $20,000 in a 401K with his current employer, and two smaller accounts with former employers, one with a balance of about $4000, and one with roughly $500. I contributed briefly at work to a TIAA-CREF fund, and the balance is about $1000.
I have a newly minted Master’s Degree, which I was required to get in order to keep my teaching license, leaving me with loans of about 22,000.
Commuter son and husband have a Nissan Sentra and a Toyota Yaris, both paid for. I am driving our 2005 Dodge Caravan, which is on its last legs at 180K miles with beaucoup mechanical issues.
We live in Massachusetts, so are among those few who still use oil for heat and hot water; we have electric appliances.
We own term life insurance policies, and have health insurance through my husband’s employer (a health insurance company).
We owe back taxes to the IRS and Mass DOR, and have had our paycheck withholdings changed recently to avoid this in the future.
Not necessarily in the same vein, but relevant – I am a Yankee who would love to penny-pinch, and my husband is a free spender who loves to buy things on sale and as little “rewards” for himself and others, and chafes at the yoke of a budget. He is (grudgingly) on board with me now. We rarely disagree about anything except money. 🙂
I guess that’s a grim enough picture for now; as you can see, our situation is a giant Charlie Foxtrot*. I know you get tons of email; perhaps this one will be just different enough to intrigue you – maybe you can Mr. Money Mustache even the old and desperate!
Thanks, CF in MA
Mr. Money Mustache’s Observations:
This story is a great example of what happens when you live a good, honest life, but just don’t get around to doing the math. Other than the $1200 of oil and gas that goes up in flames each month, the rest of this budget looks fairly moderate for a large household. But there is no way to cheat the numbers. Children cost money to raise, and if you want to raise a large number of them on an average income, something else has to give.
And most people don’t realize that car-commuting (even a 10-minute ride) is spectacularly expensive, so your 45-minute double commute is astonishing. A 2005 vehicle that is “on its last legs?”. I bought my 2005 car four years ago with 57,000 miles and it just cracked 80k this year. It is still brand-new and has many decades of life left! Commuting in a VAN? I use my van when I need to carry home 1200 pounds of steel beams I found on Craigslist for my house rebuilding project – not when I need to transport one lightweight human across a vast distance!
Finally, while supporting adult children and “treating” oneself are nice options to have, from a financial perspective you don’t actually have these options. This is what has caused the long-in-the-making financial emergency. The great news is that you can dig out of this hole much more quickly than you sank in.
So let’s move on to Jacob’s analysis:
Assets:
Home – $235,000 Retirement Fund Savings (401k and MTR) – $45,000 Cars – $7,000
Debts (Balances):
Mortgage – $167,000 at 3.5% HELOC – $25,000 at 4% Student Loans – $22,000 at 6.8% Dell Loan – $2,500 at 16.66% Personal Loan – $650 Staples CC – $500
Goals:
To retire ever Budget:
OLD
NEW
Comments
Total Income
$ 7,200.00
$ 7,200.00
Total Expenses
$ 7,161.00
$ 3,504.00
Projected Ending Balance
$ 39.00
$ 3,696.00
— Much better!
Donations
Other
$ 110.00
$ 110.00
Total Donations
$ 110.00
$ 110.00
Bills
Mortgage
$ 1,330.00
$ 1,000.00
The goal is to be able to actually stop working at some point, so aggressive measures need to be taken. I suggest selling the house and moving MUCH closer to work (within 5 miles of both if possible). If possible, find something for $1,000 a month (about $130,000 15-year loan) or less.
Electric
$ 200.00
$ 100.00
You can lower your electric bill if you implement the changes suggested in this MMM article. You stated that you have started hang drying clothes, now it’s time to move on and get all CFL’s bulbs and watch the A/C.
Oil Heating
$ 700.00
$ 200.00
This bill is KILLING your budget. When you re-locate to a location closer to work, look for a natural gas furnace or another home with low heating costs. Otherwise you will literally waste $86,500 over the next 10 years on this. It’s not worth delaying retirement AN ENTIRE YEAR to pay for this inefficient heating method.
Cell Phone Sprint
$ 320.00
$ –
When moving, you are going to need to drop the cell phone family plan. I didn’t see a line for reimbursement for this, and you cannot afford an extra $275 a month to pay for your family’s cell phone usage. Move everyone to Republic Wireless and only pay for the adult plans.
Cell Phone Republic Wireless
$ 23.00
$ 46.00
Looks like you got started with one line, just double it up here.
Netflix/Hulu/Other
$ 40.00
$ 40.00
MMM: Huh? Netflix is $7.99/month. Between library books, learning new skills, and this, you will have plenty of entertainment.
Car Insurance
$ 155.00
$ 90.00
Shop this around. We pay $78 for liability on our two used cars, there’s no reason you need to pay any more than $90 a month for basic coverage. Since you have a used car, all the extra insurance is not necessary to cover scratches and dings and the like. (MMM Note: mine is $30/month for two cars and two drivers)
Internet
$ 70.00
$ 70.00
Also worth shopping around – in your new area the competition might be better.
Land Line
$ 35.00
$ –
Land line is not needed. (unless there’s a business need for this)
Garbage
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
Medical
$ 182.00
$ 182.00
Student Loan 1
$ 293.00
$ 293.00
We’ll address this debt below.
Student Loan 2
$ 130.00
$ 130.00
We’ll address this debt below.
Life Insurance
$ 91.00
$ 91.00
Personal Loan
$ 90.00
$ 90.00
We’ll address this debt below.
Dell Loan
$ 160.00
$ 160.00
We’ll address this debt below.
IRS and State Taxes
$ 700.00
$ –
You stated in email that this balance is now at $0
Paypal Loan
$ 160.00
$ –
You stated in email that this balance is now at $0
ADT Security
$ 50.00
$ –
Not necessary. Here’s a direct quote from MMM: “These are a silly invention – the Timeshare Condos of the suburbs. Drop it, live free, and save $(50)”
Homeowner’s Insurance
$ 55.00
$ 55.00
Total Bills
$ 4,804.00
$ 2,567.00
Other Expenses
Food
$ 900.00
$ 400.00
Check out MMM’s advice here. You can reduce this bill to $400 a month easily and eat VERY well with a though-out meal plan and some smart shopping.
Gas
$ 575.00
$ 150.00
Since we have cut your commute down to only a few miles, your gas bill should be VERY low ($50 a month or less). I padded it a bit to drive out and visit family.
MMM Note – and remember that “Gas” should never be used as an approximation of the true cost of commuting. You need to triple this number at least, just to account for the direct car costs. Adding in life costs, the bill is much higher again.
Eating Out
$ 15.00
$ –
While you’re in debt, this is a luxury that cannot be afforded. Take care of the DEBT EMERGENCY first, and then add this back in.
Spending Cash
$ 25.00
$ –
Same as eating out.
Personal Items
$ 85.00
$ 85.00
Household Items
$ 62.00
$ 62.00
Clothing
$ 60.00
$ 15.00
You don’t need $60 of new clothing a month. $15 a month should take care of any clothing necessities with thrift shops, consignment stores and garage sales. Also leverage family and friends to organize a clothing swap (read: FREE CLOTHES) if additional garb is required.
Misc
$ 40.00
$ 40.00
Car Maintenance
$ 50.00
$ 50.00
Total Other Expenses
$ 1,812.00
$ 802.00
Savings Buckets
Christmas
$ 25.00
$ 25.00
Emergency Fund
$ 410.00
$ –
This will be addressed below.
Total Savings Buckets
$ 435.00
$ 25.00
Total Expenses
$ 7,161.00
$ 3,504.00
Jacob goes on to write,
Dear CF, Thank you for exposing your budget to all of us financial voyeurs.
There is a LOT going on here, and a lot to address below. The goal here is to make every hour of work from now until retirement count. So let’s get to it:
Housing: I won’t pull any face punches here. You need to move. Your heating bill and commute are absolutely killing your financial situation, and you will NOT retire anytime soon if you stay there. There is $980 potential savings PER MONTH or more in this transition (including commute and utilities), as well as cutting your commute time down to almost nothing, saving time and stress. This move is to help you take a sharp exit off the highway of Never Retiring Wastefulness and allow you to not work until you die.
In emails, you stated the house needs about $8,000 of updates to rent or sell. Since you have about $2,000 of other monthly savings lined up in this budget, you should be able to have this taken care of within four months, and be moved out in six or seven months. Savings on mortgage is at least $330 per month.
You also stated needing a replacement car soon. Please read this MMM post and PAY CASH for your next used-car purchase.
Food: If you are feeding a flock of adult children, they are going to have to chip in. There is no reason you two people can’t eat VERY well on $400 per month, and with proper planning, that could be $300. So many people cannot save enough to retire but are actually just eating their retirement meal by meal. For reference, the extra $500 a month spent on food would cost you over $86,000 over the next 10 years, and cause you to work an additional year for that inefficiency. Nothing tastes THAT good. Savings of at least $500 a month.
Debt: This debt is to be treated as a radioactive plutonium. You must neutralize it ASAP, and this will be your first priority. Here’s how I suggest you tackle it with your extra $3,700 a month.
Dell Loan – $2,500 at 16.66% (gone in month 1) Personal Loan – $650 (gone in month 1) Staples CC – $500 (gone in month 1) Student Loans – $22,000 at 6.8% (gone in month 7)
With all the expenses saved from the above changes, you can kill this debt COMPLETELY in 7 months. The first 3 debts will be gone in the first month! Now you have another $673 a month to invest.
Investments: Once your consumer debt is gone, you will have about $4,400 a month to invest in index funds to get you to retirement. Investing this at 7% for the next 12 years with your starting balance of $45,000 puts you at about $1,100,000 at age 66.
Your annual expenses with the above budget are about $42,000 per year, and using the rule of 4%, this money would provide you with $44,000 annually. You can retire!
This quick plan comes with a major safety margin:
the $2,000 per month of Social Security your husband can begin drawing at age 67
whatever you get from the teacher’s Retirement Fund
the fact that your new mortgage will be paid off in 15 years, dropping the future budget
Conclusion: Yes, this is a lot of change. No, moving won’t be easy, and figuring out the details of your kids housing and all that is going to be a challenge. But the status quo is what got you here, and changing the flow of money is what will get you out.
Comments: What would YOU do in CF’s position? Can she recover and earn a solid retirement in a timely manner?
MMM Note: Thanks again to my new friend Jacob for all of the help on this one, and you may see a few more case studies around here if we’re lucky.
*I think this is a witty polite way of saying “CF”, which of course means “Clusterfuck”. I thought this was a skilled use of swearwords, and it is one of the reasons I decided to take this case study.
Update 11/20/22: XBOX gift cards are back (affiliate link)
Original Post 11/17/22:
Dell.com stopped carrying XBOX gift cards for sale. We don’t know if the change is permanent or temporary.
XBOX gift cards were very popular with American Express Business Platinum cardholders as a means of using up their $400 in annual Dell credits. Instead of buying products directly from Dell.com, we were able to buy XBOX gift cards which can then be loaded to your Microsoft account and used to buy things like the Surface laptop or anything else. People often had issues with Dell not processing their orders, etc., but the XBOX option was one that a lot of people at least attempted to use.