Looking for a low-stress job that pays well? This list has you covered. These 10 jobs offer good pay without the stress of a typical 9-5. Perfect for those seeking flexible hours or needing low-stress work for health reasons. Find a job that fits your lifestyle and start enjoying a better work-life balance.
Massage Therapist
Image Credit: Pixelshot.
A massage therapist helps people relax by working on their soft tissues and joints. They need to know anatomy and medical procedures and often work in calm places like spas or clinics. This job is low-stress and pays well and is easy to get training..
Electrician
Image Credit: Kadmy from Getty Images Pro.
An electrician is a skilled worker who only needs a few years of training. After an apprenticeship, they can work with electrical tools and circuits. This job pays well and doesn’t require many qualifications.
Librarian
Image Credit: Adamkaz from Getty Images Signature.
Librarians help people find information and manage collections. They work in a calm environment and often have time to read. This job is low-stress and pays well, making it a great choice for those who love books.
To learn more: 50+ Best Low Stress Jobs After Retirement
Dental Hygienist
Image Credit: Piksel from Getty Images.
A dental hygienist cleans teeth and teaches patients about oral hygiene. With a two-year degree and state licensure, this low-stress job offers a good work-life balance and pays well.
Virtual Assistant
Image Credit: Chee Gin Tan from Getty Images Signature.
A virtual assistant provides remote administrative, creative, or technical help. Working from home, they avoid office politics and can enjoy a flexible schedule. Very popular for stay-at-home moms.
To learn more: 14 Best Virtual Assistant Jobs with No Experience Required
Makeup Artist
Image Credit: Drazen Lovric from Getty Images Signature.
A makeup artist enhances clients’ appearances with cosmetics. They work in salons or as freelancers in the beauty, fashion, and entertainment industries. Basic communication skills are needed, but no formal education is required. Just style!
To learn more: Best Online and Side Hustles for College Students: Ideas for Fast Money
Plumber
Image Credit: Pixelshot.
A plumber installs and repairs pipes and fixtures, ensuring water flows where needed. With apprenticeship training, plumbers can enjoy a well-paying job without a degree.
Photographer
Image Credit: Alliance Images.
A photographer captures moments and memories. Good skills in composition, lighting, and timing are essential. Training in art and design helps, but a degree is not needed. This job has good demand and many niches to seek.
To learn more: 25 Best Jobs for Moms With No Degree: Balancing Family and Career
Solar Photovoltaic Installer
Image Credit: Zstockphotos.
Solar photovoltaic installers set up solar panels on buildings. They need to understand electrical wiring and troubleshooting. Due to a labor shortage, this job pays well and is low-stress if you like climbing on roofs.
To learn more: 43 Best Side Hustles for Men to Make Money
Radiologic Technologist
Image Credit: SimpleFoto.
Radiologic technologists use imaging techniques like X-rays and MRIs to help diagnose and treat diseases. They work closely with doctors and need good communication skills. An associate’s degree is required.
Find More Low Stress Jobs that Pay Well
Image Credit: Drazen Zigic from Getty Images.
Discover more low-stress jobs that pay well without needing a degree. These jobs offer minimal stress and plenty of growth opportunities, making them great choices for a new career.
To learn more: Best 30 Low-Stress Jobs That Pay Well Without a Degree
Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!
Did the post resonate with you?
More importantly, did I answer the questions you have about this topic? Let me know in the comments if I can help in some other way!
Your comments are not just welcomed; they’re an integral part of our community. Let’s continue the conversation and explore how these ideas align with your journey towards Money Bliss.
“Because VA Home Loans are unique compared to other types of mortgage products, Gateway wants to ensure our loan origination team is extremely well versed so that the home loan process is easy and as stress-free as possible,” Mark Revard, divisional executive vice president and national production manager for Gateway, said in a media release. … [Read more…]
Victor Ciardelli beamed as his mortgage company, Chicago-based Guaranteed Rate, launched a “financial wellness” and “personal well-being” app last fall before a live audience in Times Square with wellness celebrity Deepak Chopra.
“Something we are passionate about at Guaranteed Rate is caring about people and their overall well-being,” Ciardelli said in a video of the event posted online. “We wanted to make sure that we did something to help people in their general stress and alleviate pain.”
But in the days following the launch of the app, which offers home loan applications and other financial services alongside yoga classes and nutrition advice, Ciardelli wasn’t happy. Yelling at executive leadership on company calls, he referred to his employees as “failures,” complained that the team did not show him from a particular camera angle and said “Marketing is a f−−−ing disaster,” according to two executives who were on the calls.
Despite Ciardelli’s public remarks on the importance of personal well-being, many former employees told the Tribune they experienced or witnessed persistent verbal abuse and a misogynistic environment while working at Guaranteed Rate. As part of a Tribune investigation, reporters interviewed nearly 80 former employees and reviewed court records, internal company emails, written exit interviews and text messages.
Many of the former staff members who spoke with the Tribune described Ciardelli, the company’s president, CEO and founder, as a boss who was quick to berate, swear at and demean employees.
“Every person that works directly under Mr. Ciardelli is terrified of his potential anger outbursts,” one former assistant wrote to human resources after she was let go from the company a couple of years ago, according to an email reviewed by the Tribune.
Some former employees who spoke with the Tribune said they were driven to seek mental health care because of the work environment at the company; one former worker said she contacted a suicide hotline last year.
Multiple women who used to work at Guaranteed Rate, meanwhile, described working in a sexualized atmosphere where some male loan officers and managers made sexually explicit remarks to female employees, hit on them in the office or at work events, and commented inappropriately on their appearance — even, in one case, encouraging a woman to use her looks to help close a loan.
In February, a woman who used to work as a loan officer at Guaranteed Rate filed a lawsuit against two high-producing loan officers at the company, alleging sexual harassment and gender discrimination. Her complaint alleges one of the male loan officers sexually harassed her at a corporate event, that the other loan officer pressured her not to report the incident to human resources, and that for the remainder of her employment the man who made the remark used “gender-based and demeaning slurs to refer to” her and other women at the company.
Other former employees said they did not bring their complaints to human resources because they thought Ciardelli or other executives and managers meddled in the department’s business and might retaliate, with at least two former employees saying they’d observed how company leaders protected certain staff members. Others said they did complain but felt the department didn’t take the information seriously.
In response to a detailed list of questions from the Tribune, Ciardelli and Guaranteed Rate vehemently denied all of these allegations, describing the company as a positive workplace environment where women in particular are supported. The firm went to remarkable lengths to dispute the allegations, including sending the results of a worker satisfaction survey it conducted and forwarding more than 80 testimonials from current and former employees. Among them were five of Ciardelli’s current or former assistants, as well as numerous male and female executives praising his leadership and support.
The company also retained an outside law firm that, even before receiving the reporters’ list of questions, threatened to sue the newspaper for defamation.
Guaranteed Rate, whose corporate headquarters is in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood, has grown tremendously since its founding in 2000 to become one of the largest mortgage lenders in the country based on loan volume, according to industry news and data provider Inside Mortgage Finance. Its name has adorned the White Sox stadium since 2016, and as recently as 2018, Guaranteed Rate was named a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace — a distinction based on surveys conducted by an outside company, with no input from editorial staff on the selection.
Guaranteed Rate CEO Victor Ciardelli prepares to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a White Sox home game in August 2016. The ballpark would be renamed after his company later that year. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Jason Scott, a former top-producing loan officer and director of VA lending, which provides home loans to military veterans and active-duty service members, at Guaranteed Rate said his earlier years at the company — when lower mortgage rates fueled industry growth — were positive. But Ciardelli’s outbursts and verbal abuse of employees grew more noticeable, he said, when rising interest rates started to erode those gains, especially after the boom years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think crazy success just brings out who the real people are,” said Scott, who reported to Ciardelli in his director role and now works for CrossCountry Mortgage, a competitor of Guaranteed Rate. “What did you sacrifice to get there? Did you sacrifice your soul or your core values?”
Many other former employees who spoke with the Tribune did so on the condition they would not be named in this story, saying they feared Guaranteed Rate would sue them. Guaranteed Rate has filed lawsuits against former employees to claw back signing bonuses; it also has sued competitor New American Funding and former employees who have hired former Guaranteed Rate workers, accusing them of unlawful poaching.
Ciardelli declined to be interviewed without his attorney for this story. In response to written questions provided by the Tribune, he and the company suggested the criticism of Guaranteed Rate came from disgruntled employees who could not succeed in a demanding work environment within a challenging industry, or from people who now work for a competitor and therefore would benefit from disparaging the company.
“We hold ourselves and our team members to an incredibly high standard and are not apologetic about that,” Ciardelli said in his written responses, sent through the outside law firm retained to handle communications with the Tribune. “We also recognize … that to achieve great success, one must embrace a full ownership for their actions, both successful and otherwise to achieve growth and most important optimally serve our customers. We promote a transparent culture that supports all our team members toward that goal and welcome constructive criticism. As a result, we are not for everyone.”
Ciardelli specifically denied berating staff, yelling at executives after the app launch or ever calling employees “stupid” or “failures.” He quoted the company’s chief operating officer, Nik Athanasiou, as saying: “I have worked with Victor for 15 years. No one is in more meetings with him than me. I do not ever recall an instance where Victor was abusive toward another employee.”
Ciardelli also pointed to the company’s anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies and said neither he nor any other executive interfered with human resources.
In response to questions from the Tribune about women’s complaints, including being subjected to sexually explicit comments and working in a “boys club” atmosphere, Ciardelli wrote that such allegations are “simply not true.” The company “has not, does not, and would not objectify women or put them in uncomfortable personal or professional situations,” he wrote.
Ciardelli also highlighted the large number of female loan officers working at the company, their professional success and the testimonials from female employees. When the Tribune asked to speak with four of those women, only one — Rola Gurrieri, the company’s New Jersey-based chief fulfillment officer — agreed to be interviewed without outside counsel or management present.
Regarding the lawsuit filed by former Guaranteed Rate loan officer Megan McDermott, the company told the Tribune it had “found no evidence supporting Ms. McDermott’s allegations of sexual harassment or gender discrimination” after conducting a “comprehensive investigation.”
Guaranteed Rate also sent a general statement detailing the company’s business philosophy, which includes a “fierce commitment to excellence.” Employees who do not “meet our core values or our quality standards” find it challenging to maintain job satisfaction at the company, it said.
“Many of these employees walk away not feeling good about the company which is a natural emotion when faced with a reality that their standards and the company standards are not aligned,” the statement said.
But many of the former employees who spoke with the Tribune described a cutthroat work culture they said could be frightening and upsetting, with several attributing that culture to Ciardelli’s laser focus on making money and growing Guaranteed Rate.
A sign is installed at the White Sox stadium in October 2016 to proclaim its new name: Guaranteed Rate Field. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune)
The former assistant who emailed human resources asked not to be identified in this story, fearing it might jeopardize her current job or trigger retaliation from Ciardelli. In that email, the woman wrote that she was “constantly on edge and terrified to have an interaction with Mr. Ciardelli” and that she had “consoled each assistant on his team that endured the wrath of Mr. Ciardelli’s behavior.”
“I hope that my experience will open your eyes,” she wrote.
Flying too close to the sun
In an interview with the Tribune in 2014, Ciardelli made plain his ambition to grow the company.
“If you can’t handle it, you shouldn’t be here,” Ciardelli said. “Instead of feeling like, oh, we care about people’s feelings and all that, it’s all about results.”
In the same article, Ciardelli said he worked constructively with his employees when issues arose at work. “There’s no drama involved; there’s no yelling,” he said. “Let’s fix the issue and move on.”
But multiple former executives and employees told the Tribune Ciardelli regularly yelled at and verbally attacked executives and other employees in person and on company calls, sometimes in front of hundreds of people, with the calls following the app launch just one example.
Some former and current employees told the Tribune they tried to avoid Ciardelli because they were scared of his temper.
Scott, the former director of VA lending who worked at Guaranteed Rate from 2017 until he resigned in 2022, splitting his time between offices in Hawaii and Colorado, called Ciardelli a “bully.”
Scott told the Tribune that, during one call, Ciardelli took an executive “to the woodshed and just eviscerated him verbally,” saying things such as “I can’t believe you are this stupid.”
“(Victor) throws the grenade and then he leaves the room,” not giving people a chance to explain or talk through the issue, Scott said.
At the time of Ciardelli’s 2014 Tribune interview, Guaranteed Rate had 2,500 employees nationally, 1,050 of whom were based in Chicago, according to Tribune archives.
The company grew to employ 9,708 people nationwide at its peak in 2021, Guaranteed Rate told the Tribune in May. Part of the company’s growth stemmed from its acquisitions of other mortgage companies: Manhattan Mortgage and Superior Mortgage in 2012 and Stearns Lending in 2021.
Victor Ciardelli, shown in 2014 at Guaranteed Rate’s headquarters, told the Tribune that year that he had ambitious plans for the company and “if you can’t handle it, you shouldn’t be here.” (Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune)
Guaranteed Rate also partners on mortgage services with some of the largest real estate companies in the country. Including the people working in those partnerships, Guaranteed Rate had 14,264 employees at its height in 2021.
Like other mortgage companies, Guaranteed Rate has suffered a significant decline in business over the last two years, stemming from mortgage rates that have more than doubled from their record lows during the pandemic.
As mortgage rates soared in 2022 and 2023, the firm implemented thousands of layoffs, with only 3,871 workers remaining as of April, or 5,756 among all its companies, excluding contractors, as of May, according to the company.
Yet Ciardelli’s volatile behavior predated the stressful times in the housing market, according to some people who worked for Guaranteed Rate. Many people who “fly too close to the sun” — a metaphor some employees used to describe working directly with Ciardelli — eventually leave, they said.
People who work in personal and executive assistant roles for Ciardelli rarely last long in their jobs, with many leaving after less than a year, former employees said. Some referred to Ciardelli’s assistant position as a “revolving door,” and the LinkedIn profiles of multiple former assistants show short stints with the company.
More than two dozen executives and senior loan officers have left the company over the last decade, with a significant exodus occurring in the past two years. Multiple former executives and loan officers — including Scott — told the Tribune they left because of Ciardelli’s verbal outbursts and what many described as a workplace where they felt bullying and misogyny were tolerated. Most now work for competitors.
Ciardelli and other executives sometimes would disparage people who left the company, according to Scott.
“I would be like ‘Guys, did anybody ever think about reaching out to them before they left and having an exit interview with them?’” Scott said. “You are talking about a person that was a top producer here that you loved them as long as they produced, and now that they leave, they are an enemy? … They are leaving for a reason.”
In Ciardelli’s written responses to Tribune questions, he said allegations of a toxic work environment or bullying on his part are “not aligned with Guaranteed Rate or my leadership.” He said neither he nor other executives have disparaged former employees when they left the company.
In response to a question about assistant turnover, Ciardelli wrote that he has worked closely with five “primary” assistants since 2000. “As is the case with any demanding support roles, there has been some turnover with secondary and tertiary assistants, but nothing that is abnormal or unexpected,” he wrote.
One testimonial sent to the Tribune was from Melissa Czaszwicz, who said she worked for Ciardelli as an executive assistant in the early 2000s. She wrote that she had a positive experience working closely with Ciardelli, who she said was especially supportive when she had children.
“Never did I witness anything inappropriate or out of line,” said Czaszwicz, who still works at Guaranteed Rate.
‘Mental health has suffered’
Some former employees who spoke with the Tribune said they were driven to seek mental health support during and after their time at the company because of the negative work environment they experienced at Guaranteed Rate.
Most of those who shared their experiences worked for an executive who has a close working relationship with Ciardelli. Former workers said this executive also verbally abused staff and was prone to volatile mood swings.
One told the Tribune she texted and called a suicide hotline last year while working at the company because of verbal abuse from the executive; she shared the texts she sent with the Tribune.
In her resignation email, sent to the executive and to the human resources department last year, she wrote: “My mental health has rapidly declined due to the way I have been treated and spoken to in the last couple of months.”
Another employee from the same team wrote in a 2019 resignation letter sent to the executive, human resources, Ciardelli and others that his “mental health has suffered.”
Founded in 2000, Guaranteed Rate grew to become one of the largest mortgage lenders in the country but has suffered a decline in business as mortgage rates have soared in the last two years. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
In the resignation email and in an interview with the Tribune, the former employee said his boss gave him the runaround when he asked for time off to attend his mother’s chemotherapy appointments and complained to other employees about his requests.
Other employees discouraged him from requesting leave directly from human resources, warning him he would be fired if he went around the executive, according to the email.
Alyssa Ortiz, another former employee, said working with this executive was like being in an “abusive” relationship, being yelled at one minute and being invited for drinks the next.
“Everyone has gotten … chewed out and left crying,” said Ortiz, who worked for Guaranteed Rate from 2017 to 2019.
Ortiz told the Tribune that human resources and Ciardelli had been notified of this executive’s verbal mistreatment of employees but did nothing. She and about a dozen other former employees told the Tribune they felt Ciardelli protected this executive because of their working relationship.
In a written exit interview from 2020, one employee from the same department described how the executive would discuss former employees’ exit interviews with current employees.
“This created a fear for us to go to HR for anything moving forward,” the employee wrote.
Ciardelli said the company was not aware of any incident in which an executive read former employees’ exit interviews aloud; he said Guaranteed Rate “would never support this practice.”
Dozens of employees have left the executive’s department since 2017, according to interviews with former workers and LinkedIn profiles. The executive has since been promoted, the executive’s LinkedIn profile and the company’s website show.
In 2018, the head of human resources at the time took away the HR representative working with the executive’s department because of “risks” the executive posed to the company, according to an email reviewed by the Tribune.
“I can’t in good conscience keep allowing (the executive) to drag other employee (sic) into … schemes,” the former HR head wrote. “And by schemes I mean risky bull−−−−.” The department would have no assigned human resources representative after that, according to the email.
In correspondence with the Tribune, Guaranteed Rate described the company as a positive workplace where abuse and harassment are not tolerated and where complaints to human resources are taken seriously.
“We are not perfect by any means, but we do work hard to listen to our employees and make sure they feel supported,” a company spokesperson wrote in an email to the Tribune in April. “Most of all, we have no tolerance for any form of bullying, harassment or mistreatment. It is not who we are or who we want to be.”
Some of the employee testimonials provided by Guaranteed Rate expressed similar sentiments. For example, Mohamed Tawy, a branch manager and senior loan officer who has been with Guaranteed Rate for three years, wrote that the culture at the company is the best he has experienced in his 15-year career.
In an interview with the Tribune, Tawy said: “As a top producer … and I’m also a minority myself, I haven’t felt anything or seen anything that makes this company in any way negative for anybody that’s different. … I’ve seen here all that matters is that you do a good job, your production is good and that you follow the protocols and the rules, and I’ve seen people succeed with that more than any company I’ve been with.”
The Guaranteed Rate spokesperson also shared the results of an employee experience survey conducted in February. According to the company, the average rating for the culture at Guaranteed Rate was 8.49 out of 10, with nearly 75% of 3,745 employees responding. Those ratings were based on employees’ stated level of comfort providing feedback and/or concerns, how much they felt supported by the company in maintaining a healthy work-life balance and their sense of Guaranteed Rate’s commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion.
The email from the spokesperson said the company received “a countless number of positive comments and appreciation for their leaders, teams and our overall culture.”
In response to Tribune questions, Guaranteed Rate said in May that the survey was anonymous and it was analyzed by its “employee experience team.” The company did not provide the Tribune with a complete set of responses from the survey, but it volunteered that employees used the word “toxic” to make a negative comment about Guaranteed Rate in only 14 of the more than 5,000 written responses provided to three open-ended survey questions.
‘Mortified and disgusted’
Megan McDermott, a single mother of three, met her supervisor at Guaranteed Rate, Jon Lamkin, in person for the first time at a corporate event in December 2015, according to the lawsuit she filed in February.
When Lamkin heard the age of her oldest child, the suit alleges, he said: “You should have known better than to let some guy’s d−−− c−−− inside you.”
According to her lawsuit, McDermott reported the comment to Joseph Moschella, a regional manager and senior loan officer at Guaranteed Rate who was responsible for McDermott’s region while she worked at the company. Moschella, the suit alleges, “pressured” her not to make a formal complaint of sexual harassment to human resources.
McDermott told the Tribune she was “mortified and disgusted” after Lamkin made the comment.
“The irony here is that Jon should have known better than to treat an employee the way he did rather than telling me I should have known better to become a single mother at 20 years old,” McDermott said, “which is vile. … He set the tone the first day I met him of the power Joe and Jon had over my career.”
Megan McDermott, shown in March in New Jersey, has filed a lawsuit alleging she was “subjected to a sexual and gender-based hostile work environment” at Guaranteed Rate and did not receive the same opportunities, treatment and pay as male loan officers. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
As McDermott went on to become a top-producing loan officer for Guaranteed Rate in New Jersey, her suit alleges Lamkin subjected her to abuse by “regularly screaming at her and using gender-based and demeaning slurs to refer to” her and other women at the company.
Her lawsuit alleges she was “subjected to a sexual and gender-based hostile work environment” by Guaranteed Rate, Lamkin and Moschella. Her suit also alleges McDermott did not receive the same opportunities, treatment and pay as male loan officers, which some other female loan officers told the Tribune reflected their own experiences as well.
McDermott did not lodge a complaint after Lamkin’s comment because she “believed she would be retaliated against” if she did so, the suit states. When she did report to HR around 2019 that Lamkin had engaged in “abusive behavior,” the department “failed to do anything to investigate or curtail Defendant Lamkin’s behavior,” the complaint alleges.
“Joe encouraged me not to go to HR because of the damage it would do to Jon’s career,” McDermott said. “Ultimately, all that they were worried about was Jon, his reputation and his career versus reporting inappropriate behavior.”
Guaranteed Rate told the Tribune in its May response that Lamkin’s comment was “nothing more than a single off-color joke,” that McDermott accepted an apology from Lamkin and that Moschella “encouraged” McDermott to contact human resources if she was “still upset.”
The company said it “could not find any record of Ms. McDermott making any form of complaint to the company’s human resources department in 2019, either verbally or in writing.”
McDermott told the Tribune she helped build Guaranteed Rate’s business in north Jersey from the ground up and said she loved the work until she found out she was not being treated equally as a woman.
“I believe management did not want to see me succeed, didn’t take me seriously and made decisions that negatively affected me and my children financially,” said McDermott, who now works for CrossCountry Mortgage, a competitor. “I ultimately left GR because I could no longer work in an environment where I was not valued and leadership felt that they could exploit me.”
Moschella and Lamkin are still employed at Guaranteed Rate. They did not respond to a Tribune request for comment. Guaranteed Rate told the Tribune in May that it had investigated McDermott’s allegations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination and found that “there is no evidence that Mr. Lamkin or anyone else at Guaranteed Rate ever created a hostile work environment for women.”
Guaranteed Rate also said in a statement that it complies with state and federal equal pay laws. The company said an “outside law firm” had reviewed its 2023 pay data and found it compliant with state equal pay laws.
In his written responses, Ciardelli highlighted the high percentage of female loan officers at the company in comparison to its competitors and said “our women originators thrive more than at any mortgage company in the industry.”
Employee statements provided through Guaranteed Rate’s attorneys included testimonials from dozens of women. Some noted the existence of the company’s employee resource group for women, GROW, while others cited the presence of women in leadership roles throughout the company.
“In addition to my professional growth I’ve experienced, I am equally grateful for the respect and dignity with which I have been treated as a woman in the workplace,” Jaime Kinman, a senior loan officer, said in her statement. “In an industry where gender biases still exist, I have never once felt marginalized or overlooked because of my gender.”
Gurrieri, the company’s chief fulfillment officer, said in an interview with the Tribune that she “never one time” experienced misogyny at the company.
“I got promoted when I’m six months pregnant,” she said. “That’s unheard of.”
Gurrieri, who has worked for Guaranteed Rate for more than six years, described Ciardelli’s leadership style as “extremely passionate.”
“There’s never been a day where I ever felt disrespected or not appreciated,” she said.
According to a former top executive who reported to Ciardelli for many years and a former human resources employee, a handful of loan officers at Guaranteed Rate were known sexual harassers, making women feel uncomfortable with inappropriate touching and unwanted advances in work settings.
But that behavior was rarely addressed, the former workers believed, because the men were friends with Ciardelli or were high-producing loan officers — each responsible for bringing in tens of millions of dollars in loan volume. Some of these loan officers still work at Guaranteed Rate.
Ciardelli called these allegations “simply not true” and said they were contradicted by the employee testimonials provided through the company’s attorney.
“They are also inconsistent with the recollections and experiences of multiple former HR professionals,” Ciardelli wrote.
A ‘sex-driven’ culture
In interviews with the Tribune, multiple former employees described a “boys club” atmosphere at Guaranteed Rate; Scott, the former director of VA lending, said there was “a lot of misogyny.”
Jessica Moreno, a former Chicago employee who started at Guaranteed Rate at age 23, said she was the first in her family to get a corporate job. Within a year of starting her job, she said, she was paying the mortgage on her family home.
But in her department, Moreno said she experienced a “sex-driven” culture.
“All the guys were just like, tongues on the floor,” said Moreno, who worked for the company for about four years starting in 2014. Her workplace was “like a men’s locker room, and women were in it,” she said.
Jessica Moreno, shown in April in Arizona, worked for Guaranteed Rate for about four years starting in 2014. She said male co-workers and managers hit on her and made comments on her appearance. It was “like a men’s locker room, and women were in it,” she said. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Male co-workers and managers would hit on her and make comments on her appearance, calling her pretty, Moreno said. Comments made at Christmas parties or happy hours could be crasser, she said.
“You’ll get, ‘Oh, I’ve always wanted to f−−− you,’” she said.
Moreno said she once overheard a male manager describe a woman who had interviewed for a job as a “fox.” Another time, she said, a manager invited a female massage therapist to the office; Moreno remembers male co-workers commenting on the therapist’s body, too.
Soon after she’d started at Guaranteed Rate, Moreno said, she met with HR to make a complaint about a manager who swore at and belittled her. The HR representative brushed off her concerns in that meeting, she said.
“After that, I felt so discouraged to never even speak up again,” Moreno said.
Moreno ended up leaving her position before taking a job working for a Guaranteed Rate loan officer; she said she was terminated after clashing with the loan officer’s assistant.
Some female former employees of Guaranteed Rate said they understood looks to be a currency within the company.
One former Chicago employee said a manager encouraged her to text a selfie to a client after hearing the client flirt with her over the phone and say he’d be inclined to speed up the loan process if he knew what she looked like.
The employee said she sent the selfie, and the manager then pushed her to go along with the client’s harassment until the loan closed, she said.
After receiving the photo, the client responded, “As pretty as you are I can’t believe some man hasn’t run off with you just howling away,” in a text reviewed by the Tribune. Later on, after sending her forms, the client texted her: “You said I would get another pic when I sent you the forms so?”
The employee said another manager in her division would frequently flirt with her and comment on her appearance. He once texted her to “stop losing weight damn it” and another time texted her that she “broke (his) concentration,” according to texts reviewed by the Tribune.
Another former Chicago employee remembered a manager telling her, while she was pregnant with her first child, “Whatever you do, don’t get a C-section — you’ll never wear a bikini again.” The employee went out on maternity leave days later. She said she did end up needing a C-section and remembers the manager’s comment echoing in her head as she was wheeled back for surgery. Two people the woman told about the incident at the time corroborated her account in interviews with the Tribune.
Several former employees in the marketing department, including two men, told the Tribune Ciardelli made comments about workers’ ages. One employee got Botox and fillers after Ciardelli told employees they were “too old” and likened the marketing department to his “grandmother’s mortgage company,” according to former marketing department employees.
In his written responses, Ciardelli said “Guaranteed Rate is committed to fostering an environment that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We maintain a comprehensive set of employment policies aimed at providing a work environment free of unlawful harassment and discrimination, where all employees treat one another with dignity and respect.”
Guaranteed Rate’s corporate headquarters is in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood in a building with a rooftop gathering space. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
A spokesperson said in the April 1 email sharing the employee survey results that the company had launched “even more initiatives to ensure we have a positive work environment,” including anti-harassment training, training for the human resources team “to take proper and appropriate steps and best practices for investigating and responding to employee complaints” and reminders to employees on how to report harassment or abuse.
“Our executive team has emphasized to Human Resources that all complaints should be investigated, and any form of harassment and misconduct should be dealt with swiftly – and all managers and employees who are not acting in accordance with our values be rooted out of our organization,” the spokesperson wrote.
In the company’s May responses, it said these initiatives were launched in 2023 and were to “expand and enhance” the existing training program.
All Guaranteed Rate employees must complete “harassment and discrimination prevention training” upon being hired and on an annual basis thereafter, according to the company’s May response. The company said Guaranteed Rate has an “anti-retaliation” policy that prohibits retaliation against employees who report alleged harassment or discrimination or participate in an investigation into the conduct. The company also noted it has an ethics hotline through which employees can make anonymous complaints.
“We respect and treat all employees equally no matter their sex, color, or creed,” Ciardelli wrote.
In the last 10 years, Guaranteed Rate has not settled any lawsuits involving claims of a hostile work environment, according to the company. Guaranteed Rate’s response stated that within that time frame, the company settled six claims involving allegations of a hostile work environment, including arbitration cases as well as claims filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and state and local agencies. The majority of those claims were brought by male employees, and one was resolved in Guaranteed Rate’s favor, the company said.
Guaranteed Rate employees are asked to sign mandatory arbitration agreements when they are hired, but sexual harassment claims and claims filed with the EEOC and similar state agencies are not subject to arbitration, according to Guaranteed Rate’s May responses.
‘Positive thinking’
Publicly, Ciardelli presents himself as a champion of a positive work environment — an image the company has encouraged employees to promote.
In an email sent in February by a company executive and obtained by the Tribune, employees were encouraged to share a Forbes article featuring Ciardelli; the email provided step-by-step instructions for posting it on social media.
The story, published Feb. 7, was titled “Guaranteed Rate Founder Is All In On ‘Positive Thinking’ This 2024” and described his leadership style as “Chicken Soup for the Mortgage Industry.”
“I communicate the power of positivity and gratitude to everybody around me: employees, friends, family members, everyone,” Ciardelli was quoted as saying.
Less than 24 hours after it went live, the article disappeared from the Forbes website. The site provided no explanation, but one former Guaranteed Rate employee told the Tribune former workers had written to the author about factual inaccuracies.
On Feb. 8, a Guaranteed Rate executive sent another email encouraging employees — again with step-by-step instructions — to delete any social media posts linking to the article.
“We are working with Forbes to resolve and will let you know when it will be reinstated,” the email said. “We apologize for the inconvenience, and we will send out a new link as soon as it’s available.”
The Forbes contributor declined to comment for this story. Forbes told the Tribune the article was taken down because it did not adhere to the company’s “editorial guidelines” and did not respond to further questions.
The article has yet to be republished, but Guaranteed Rate still wants people to read it. The company shared it in a PDF on its LinkedIn page.
Welcome to NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast, where we answer your real-world money questions. In this episode:
Learn how moving could benefit you if you feel compelled to relocate due to safety concerns — and how to budget for a sudden move.
How do you financially and emotionally prepare for relocating due to safety concerns?
What are the financial impacts of such a forced move?
Hosts Sean Pyles and Alieza Durana discuss their experiences planning finances for relocations to help you understand the complex challenges faced by individuals seeking safer environments, particularly in the LGBTQ+ community.
Alieza begins by interviewing G Chesler, a non-binary trans person, about their move from Washington DC to Portland, Oregon, providing valuable insight into the necessity of finding a supportive community, navigating healthcare and identity respect, and the emotional relief of living in an affirming environment. Their conversation reveals the deep emotional impact of living in a state that does not recognize or respect one’s gender identity, the struggles with accessing appropriate healthcare and the powerful sense of belonging found in a more accepting community.
Then, Alieza speaks with Lindsey Young, founder of the LGBTQ+ focused financial planning and investment management services firm Quiet Wealth, about the financial aspects of relocating for safety. They discuss creating a relocation financial plan, managing the costs associated with a sudden move and the importance of building a supportive community in the new location. They also focus on how to minimize income loss, budget for moving expenses and strategically utilize debt. This episode addresses two pressing issues for the LGBTQ+ community: the urgency of relocating due to hostile environments and the strategies to mitigate the financial strain that accompanies such a move.
Check out this episode on your favorite podcast platform, including:
NerdWallet stories related to this episode:
Episode transcript
This transcript was generated from podcast audio by an AI tool.
Sean Pyles:
There are lots of reasons you might choose to move. A new job, a desire to live in a different part of the country or world. But for some people it doesn’t feel like a choice. They’re moving because their states, their neighbors have made them feel unwelcome and even unsafe.
Today we’re looking at the financial ramifications of moving, because as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, sometimes it’s not an option to stay put. Welcome to NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast. I’m Sean Pyles.
Alieza Durana:
And I’m Alieza Durana.
Sean Pyles:
Alieza, welcome to the host chair here at Smart Money.
Alieza Durana:
Thanks so much, Sean. Glad to be here.
Sean Pyles:
Well, today addressing a difficult decision that some members of the LGBTQ+ community have to face: whether to move to another state because of laws that are unfriendly or even hostile to them. This decision can cause a lot of financial upheaval while they search for safety. Alieza, you came to us a while ago with the idea for this episode. Can you share with us a bit about why?
Alieza Durana:
Absolutely, Sean. This is a personal decision my family is facing in Utah. In January, we had a sober conversation with close friends about the safety of our queer Latina family in our current political climate. G, who you’ll meet shortly, offered us their home in Portland if we ever needed to make a quick exit from the state.
Sean Pyles:
Well, Alieza, I’m really sorry to hear that you and your family are facing such a difficult decision in the place that you’ve called home. And unfortunately we know that your situation isn’t unique in today’s political climate.
Alieza Durana:
And Sean, there are statistics to back up the needs some LGBTQ+ people have to move. In just the last two years, the number of states banning gender-affirming care has jumped from four to 25. That’s half of US states. Two thirds of states have laws that use a person’s HIV positive status to penalize certain activities.
And a 2024 Washington Post analysis of FBI crime data showed quadrupling hate crimes in K-12 schools in response to restrictive laws. My wife and I now have a child whose safety at school is at the top of our minds. A survey back in 2017 by NPR and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that threats, harassment and violence were reported as a part of everyday life by more than half the LGBTQ+ community. So the idea that many in our community feel they have no choice but to move isn’t surprising.
Sean Pyles:
It’s certainly not. All right, well we want to hear what you think too, listeners, to share your stories and ideas with us, leave us a voicemail or text the Nerd hotline at (901) 730-6373. That’s (901)-1730 N-E-R-D, or email a voice memo to [email protected]. So Alieza, where do we start today?
Alieza Durana:
To set the scene, we’re speaking to a dear friend of mine who did exactly this. They moved away from a place where they felt unwelcome. I met G Chesler at a yoga retreat in Shenandoah, Virginia. We quickly realized we were neighbors in Washington DC and had been attending the same concerts and movie theaters for years.
G uses they/them pronouns and is a filmmaker and professor. We happily fell into a friendship, which became especially important to me as I came out to my family and got married to my wife, Haley. My family, unfortunately couldn’t handle it and coming out resulted in an estrangement from certain members of my family of origin.
Around that same time, G began their own transition and came out as non-binary. Unfortunately, they also faced cruelty and rejection from their family of origin. As hard as that was, our friendship helped me get through that difficult time. In March of 2020, my wife and I moved from my hometown of Washington DC, to her home state of Utah, to be closer to her family who generously welcomed our love.
So as unusual as it may sound, my adopted family in Utah absolutely provided us a refuge and support away from my father’s bigotry and cruelty to start over. Not long after, G and their partner moved from DC to Portland, Oregon. We’ll hear about that decision in our conversation to come. G, so glad to have you here on Smart Money.
G Chesler:
Oh, thanks Alieza for welcoming me to the program.
Alieza Durana:
Could you tell us a little bit about what inspired your recent move?
G Chesler:
Yeah, sure. I mean, it’s long and complicated. It intersects with disability and gender and the Covid pandemic. In short, I have a position that allows me to work remotely because I am disabled and I was working remotely from Washington DC to my university in Virginia. And it was Covid times. DC was a city that was impacted in so many different ways, particularly overlapping with the administration.
I had transitioned gender publicly and I had asked my employer in Virginia to change my pronouns in my records because whenever I go to the doctor or deal with my retirement accounts, I was having a lot of difficulty because my gender was reflecting my gender assigned at birth. And in my personal life, I was just having trouble navigating spaces.
I just felt like as a trans person with a trans partner, I would be better served living in an environment where my gender was understood, where I could have healthcare providers understand my pronouns and not question them. And we started thinking together about where that might be.
Alieza Durana:
Wow, it sounds so incredibly difficult, the things that we take for granted of being recognized and affirmed and being able to access services that had become so challenging and scary in some ways for you, especially crossing those borders between DC and Virginia and the benefits and protections that they offered you or didn’t.
Are there any other specific events that prompted you to say, I need to move to another state? Is there anything else about your experience living in Washington DC as a trans person that was really significant for you?
G Chesler:
I mean, I know a lot of queer folks in DC. I know several trans people in DC. But it never felt like the majority, right? It never felt like I was part of the fabric of a community as a trans person, as a non-binary trans person, which is how I identify. But ultimately one of the deciding factors was when my employer told me that my pronouns might confuse my retirement holder, TIAA-CREF, if they really changed them in the records. That took me back. It was so strange.
It was like, wait, what are you saying about my retirement account right now? So on the financial side, that was a big red flag to me. The other one was that the state refused to change my pronouns even though I have a DC driver’s license with an X marker, but they just wouldn’t do it. And they were like, well, you could take it up with the state diversity office or what have you.
And I just thought, I’m not going to be that case, am I? I tried to find other colleagues in the LGBTQ group who were having similar challenges. I couldn’t find them, and around the time I had transitioned publicly, I had come to Portland and I walk into a cafe and there’s a sign on the register that says, please use they/them pronouns for all employees unless they tell you otherwise, and we’ll do the same for you.
Please feel free to tell us what your pronouns are. It was like, wait, what? And then I went to the work event. Everybody has their pronouns on their name tags. The bathrooms are not gendered. It was like, oh, this actually is a reality that exists elsewhere. I am a reality elsewhere.
Alieza Durana:
All of the hoops that you are being made to jump through just to exist, they were suddenly gone, it sounds like.
G Chesler:
Yeah, they were already set up. They were already in the future. I often talk about Virginia as a place of the past and certainly I have a lot of privilege as a white person working there, but that state has quite a legacy of enslavement and of white supremacy and of hetero patriarchy.
I remember being hired to teach in Virginia and my colleague’s like, “You’re going to help change things here.” And I believe that I do as a remote educator, but I do get to work from a place where I feel seen and safe and in community.
Alieza Durana:
Absolutely. Were there any primary financial concerns that came up for you when you were thinking about your move or leaving Virginia and DC and going to Portland? If you wouldn’t mind speaking to that.
G Chesler:
While I’m a university educator, I’m also a student loan holder, and so at the time of my hopes to move, I still had my student loan. I also had owned an apartment in DC and I was attempting to sell it at a time when people were not living and working in DC as readily as they had once lived and worked because it was the pandemic.
So the challenge I was facing was living in a city where folks who might want to buy my apartment or condo were not readily available. And I had to wait about nine months to be able to sell that condo at a profit, which meant I was living with my partner across town so that people could come and go and see my place whenever they needed.
And I just found that one of the primary things that supported the move was community. I did have queer community in DC, I did have specifically one or two people who really wanted this to work out for me, even though they were sad to say goodbye. So having community to support the move was one element financially. There were just a lot of expenses we had to figure out like where are we driving, where are we flying? Finding a shipping company that we could trust, deciding on all the ways to get your things across the country. It involved a lot of steps and it involved a lot of expense.
Alieza Durana:
That makes a lot of sense, especially moving so far. So switching gears a little bit back to when you stepped foot in Portland and people had their pronouns and there were places for you to use the restroom, just like basic human rights that were being fulfilled for you in this new space, can you tell us what your experience has been like living in Oregon now for several years? How has it affected your quality of life?
G Chesler:
There’s no way to describe the sense of calm and peace that I’ve experienced when I don’t feel like my existence as a trans person is a question. And for me as a disabled person, the care that I receive in western healthcare systems and then non-western healthcare systems, I need to be seen in my full humanity to be actually cared for.
And data shows that trans people are less likely to see physicians. So I’ve moved to a place where I have experienced some discomfort from some physicians, but I don’t have to see that person anymore because there’s so many options. And that’s been a primary shift. Seeing a queer therapist or a queer psychiatrist for my medications or queer and trans body workers, it’s so different.
Alieza Durana:
And what a relief to not anticipate an experience of discomfort or discrimination or yeah, that refusal that you’ve encountered so often in the past. I’m wondering if you just wouldn’t mind commenting on if you hadn’t felt so welcome and at home in Portland, do you feel that because it has been so welcoming that it’s been worth, let’s say, the financial sacrifice of moving? Do you feel that the cost was ultimately worth it and how might that have been different at a different place?
G Chesler:
Yeah, I think I’m a strange person in that I really like moving. It’s always been worth it to me to move. I really love meeting new people. I love what new spaces have offered me in my life, but I didn’t think I was going to leave DC. I was like, oh, DC, I was almost there for 10 years. It felt like home. I had so many solid friendships. I had a chosen family.
I would move to Portland in a second again, even given the expense. It’s been really helpful to move to a place where things cost less. I feel like I already save. I save 10% on everything that I spend because Portland doesn’t have a sales tax. So right away I’m making a financial savings. The cost of housing here is less. There’s lots of public services that are readily available. Public transit works day to day. There’s just a lot less.
There’s also exchange networks. People are really sharing food. They’re growing food in their gardens and they’re sharing it. They’re making things for each other and trading and I have become part of networks of trade for food and services, things like that, that I’m stunned exist.
It’s nice to live in a place where people really are in community with each other, where they have time, they take the time they need to live a good life. So I think there’s things that you can’t put a dollar value on, but when you start seeing your savings increase, you realize, wow, that very difficult, challenging move I had to spend a year honestly preparing for and saving for and figuring out was worth it.
Alieza Durana:
I know that you mentioned that you’re working remotely. How has your job or career impacted? Would you mind just describing for our audience? Did that affect your salary at all?
G Chesler:
Yeah, so I’ve heard of folks who move from one city to another whose employers say that they will adjust their salary for the new cost of living in a new city. I know that exists. Where I am employed, I am already underpaid by about 20% of what I should earn because of gender parity issues at my employer. And I say that being the only non-binary person I know at my employer, but at my rank of professor. But there are significant gender parity issues that existed at my hiring and then my position. So yeah, so that’s one of the things.
Before I moved, I made sure that I had a remote work agreement that my employer had signed. I also have disability accommodations which allow for remote work. So I have two layers of protection for this decision as well as being a tenured professor, which has another layer of protection. I’ve created online curricula since I got here. So what I’m doing is also using my new strength as an online educator to benefit the department because I feel like a lot of the students that I work with have part-time, full-time jobs, have families or are trans and also don’t want to come into the classroom environment or are disabled and want to learn remotely.
I’ve found that a lot of the students that I’m now serving kind of parallel my own experience. Where I work, I wouldn’t have had a bathroom within a quarter mile of my actual physical office that I would use. The only gender-neutral bathroom that I could use was four buildings away on a big campus.
So I was also deciding as a trans person, as a gender non-binary person, what does an accessible workplace look like for me? But anyway, working remotely has been secured on several levels and I wouldn’t have moved without that protection. So that was important to get into place and it took several months to prepare as well.
Alieza Durana:
My final question for today is just what advice would you have for someone who feels that they might need to make a similar move but are looking at their financial situation and wondering if it’s possible or not? It sounds like you found it really rewarding and you took a lot of steps to get there, but if you wouldn’t mind just elaborating a little bit.
G Chesler:
Yeah, I think that the primary question to ask is do you want it to be better? Do you want to at least try to make it better, to really believe that you deserve it, that you deserve to feel secure or that your child deserves to feel secure and what is it going to cost to make that happen? There are lots of pieces that have to fall into place.
They can be hard to put together, but you deserve it and you’re worth it and your child is worth it. So okay, number one, accept that. Number two, find a network. Build a network. I was moving to a place where I knew two people who said they had my back. So they were like, my first plan was I moved to an Airbnb for two months.
That was a very expensive choice. And also I knew it’s what I needed to land comfortably and quickly for an amount of time I believed I needed to find permanent housing. So that was a primary expense upfront. So in preparation for that Airbnb move, I lived with other folks rent-free for two months to be able to pay for that move. Knowing when your income is going to replenish is a big question as well.
Alieza Durana:
Well, G, thank you so much for joining us today. Is there anything that I didn’t ask you that you want to mention about your move or this topic or experience before we wrap up?
G Chesler:
I think it’s worth it to say the words out loud and to see it as a possibility that moving could benefit you. There’s a strange amount of shame that’s projected on people who decide to move. It’s almost like you’re giving up or you’re running away, but my goodness, you are so not running away. You really are moving towards the knowledge that it’s not going to be perfect, but it can be better.
And I know that phrase is really loaded, it can be better, but when you find your community or you find that everyday ease of life and it happens bit by bit by bit, it makes it feel right, it makes it feel worth it, and it makes me know that I’m worth it. As a trans non-binary person, I get to live in a community that sees me, that is me, that includes members of my community. My community is full of trans people. And so it does exist right here in the U.S. And when you are in community, you then can heal and renew your power.
Alieza Durana:
Well, beautifully put G. thank you so much for joining us today.
G Chesler:
Thanks for these questions and for sharing this information. I really hope that what I’ve said can help some folks see their way.
Alieza Durana:
I think it absolutely will.
Sean Pyles:
I can really relate to G’s experience of discovering a new level of belonging when you move to a place that has more people who are just like you. It reminds me of when I moved to San Francisco after college and I realized suddenly that there were a lot more gay men in the world than I’d ever truly realized.
And it made me feel part of a community and a lot less like an outsider. With that comes a sense of safety and just ease in your day-to-day life that’s really hard to find elsewhere.
Alieza Durana:
I can too, and it’s something I long for now. You mentioned not feeling safe around our neighbors and coincidentally just last week, our HOA announced a new policy recommending neighbors call the police on anyone who, “looks out of place” in an effort to deter burglaries.
We’re challenging the policy, but it’s particularly scary for my family because we are different and we’re also a multiracial family. So my wife and I are thinking about moving again, but it’s a big, hard and expensive decision.
Sean Pyles:
Yeah, I’m so sorry that you’re dealing with that, Alieza. That’s really rough. And unfortunately your experience and G’s are not unique in today’s day and age. And there’s a lot to think about if someone is feeling like they need to make a similar move and there can be real financial costs on top of the mental and emotional cost of feeling like you have to move out of necessity.
Alieza Durana:
That’s for sure. So now we’re going to hear from Lindsey Young. She’s the founder of Quiet Wealth, an investment advisor and a financial planning firm primarily serving LGBTQ+ households. Lindsey goes by the pronouns she/her, and we’re going to get some advice for how to prepare for this eventuality should it become necessary.
Sean Pyles:
That’s coming up in a moment. Stay with us.
Alieza Durana:
Lindsey Young, so glad you could join us on Smart Money today.
Lindsey Young:
Thanks. Pleasure to be here.
Alieza Durana:
Could you tell us if you have any stories you can share about clients who have gone through this as a financial planner and investment manager?
Lindsey Young:
I actually have worked with a couple of clients who have decided that they didn’t feel safe where they wanted to leave and they engage with me in order to come up with a plan to move to somewhere else, but also make sure that they weren’t falling behind financially when they were making that move.
Alieza Durana:
Could you share a little bit about what were some of the primary financial concerns in those situations? What were you helping your client plan for?
Lindsey Young:
So I’ll talk about a specific situation of a client who was a nurse practitioner. She was living in a red state and did not feel comfortable living in that state anymore given the legislative developments in that state. And so she identified, first of all, where she wanted to move to. And her situation was she had actually bought a house a couple of years before this, and so she still had a very large mortgage.
In addition, she still had a lot of student loan debt that she was dealing with as well. And so finances between paying for student loans as well as paying for the mortgage finances were very tight. And so part of the reason that she engaged me was to come up with a financial plan to make sure that she actually wasn’t going to just run out of money from the move.
So I worked with her over the course of about four or five months or so all the way from the time when she decided that she was going to do this through selling the house, through the move and then through actually getting to where she is living right now and she’s made a very successful transition.
Alieza Durana:
So it sounds like housing and employment are maybe two of the concerns that come up typically as people consider moving. You mentioned owning a house. What are some top steps that you would advise people to think about as they prepare financially for this kind of life change?
Lindsey Young:
So the first thing I think is to first figure out where you’re going to go because that’s going to determine a lot of things. And I think that there’s a couple of different variables to think about. One is job opportunities. Given your field, are there going to be jobs that you can do there and you should be checking and seeing how many opportunities are there, go onto job boards and see if there’s opportunities that are going to be there.
The second thing is cost of living. Keep in mind that particularly relative to a lot of red states, blue states, particularly in areas that are more progressive, tend to be fairly expensive. So you actually may need to make more money in the place that you’re going to live than what you’re currently making right now. And then the final factor is to consider an existing network of friends and family of where you’re going to go to.
Having an existing network is a huge benefit as opposed to going to some place where you know no one. And so you factor all three of those things into determining where to go. Once you know where to go, that can start to build a plan because you can start to figure out, okay, what’s the cost going to be to move there? What are my costs going to be once I’m living there? And those are very important factors in developing an overall financial plan going forward after the move.
Alieza Durana:
I wonder, how is your advice the same or different if you have some time to prepare versus someone who feels that they have to move suddenly due to safety concerns?
Lindsey Young:
Yes, absolutely, and I do recommend if you can even take a week or two to develop a plan, it can save you a lot of money as opposed to just leaving one day. A couple of big things that can happen when you take action before planning is that you don’t necessarily set goals for yourself in terms of trying to reduce the amount of cost from the move.
Even taking a week or two to develop a plan for that is really important. Sometimes it’s unavoidable, for safety reasons you feel like you have to move in fairly short order. So I think a couple key things. One, really try to minimize the time that you’re not working. When you move there, you’re probably not going to have a job set up. Get any job, just try to start bringing in income to minimize the loss from the move, to get working.
Also, minimize expenses, opt for a relatively cheap and flexible housing option going forward rather than trying to kind of plant roots immediately. Look for kind of interim solutions that provide flexibility. Those would be some of the things that I’d probably offer advice on if someone feels like they need to move immediately.
Alieza Durana:
This question may seem kind of basic for members of the community, but I’m wondering for allies, if you could just talk about what are some of the challenges that the LGBTQ+ population is facing that is different from other people in the country right now and that’s sort of inspiring a desire to move?
Lindsey Young:
There’s a lot of laws that are being passed that are not friendly. Everything from bathroom bills to taking away trans-affirming healthcare. These are really, really tough laws that are getting passed, especially for members of the transgender community. I myself am transgender and so it’s very painful to see what’s going on in red states.
And so I completely understand the need to move and it is just really painful to see the actions that are taking place in a lot of state legislatures these days. Hopefully you do have some credit cards available, and look, for this type of thing, in terms of making this move happen, I’m completely okay with people taking out debt if they need to move quickly and go somewhere else.
However, if you’re going to do that, before you take out the debt and before you do the move, hopefully, you should really create a plan, a budget on a month by month basis for how you’re going to pay back that debt over the next two years. And keep in mind, it’s not just the expenses of the move, it’s the fact that you’re going to have lost income for a certain amount of time because of the move.
It’s inevitable. It could be a couple of weeks, it could turn into a couple of months. There is going to be lost income there. And what you’re trying to do is minimize that gap and really set a goal for how much of a loss you’re going to have during that gap period. And then come up with a plan where within a year or two you’ve paid back all the debt that you had to take out in order to make the move.
Alieza Durana:
What about any non-monetary steps that might be helpful in preparation for a move? You mentioned connecting with community, including your family of origin or chosen family, whatever, whoever’s important to you. Could you talk a little bit more about how that can be helpful in getting to a new place?
Lindsey Young:
It’s just always helpful to have a connection or two of people that you know in the community because they can introduce you to other people. There’s certainly other ways to do that. There’s obviously, particularly in a lot of blue states, there’s lots of support organizations within the LGBTQ community.
There’s pride centers. Here in Maryland, there’s lots of transgender support groups if you’re in the transgender community. So there’s many options, and I think it’s really important when you arrive in a new state, find opportunities to connect with people. It can even be connecting if you have, there’s some activity that you enjoy doing.
Find ways that you can get involved in doing that activity with other people. Just start building a community there. So be proactive in really trying to find communities that you can get involved in because when you’re by yourself, that is generally not a good thing either for your personal life or even for your finances, I find.
Alieza Durana:
I wonder if you have any other final advice for someone who might be living in a situation that could become unsafe because of local and state laws. Is there anything else that you haven’t mentioned that you would like to say to those folks?
Lindsey Young:
The only thing I say is that I completely can understand why you might not feel comfortable living in those states. And even if it’s a situation where it’s not a near-term safety issue, but you just don’t feel comfortable, that is completely understandable. The only thing I would recommend is that it is going to be a financial cost, generally speaking, to make that move, and incurring that cost is okay. It’s really important that you create a budget to understand what that cost is and to find a way to repay that cost over time. That from a financial planning perspective is the most important thing.
Alieza Durana:
Lindsey, thank you so much for helping us out today.
Lindsey Young:
Thank you for having me on.
Sean Pyles:
My big takeaway from Lindsey’s interview is that while a crisis can require immediate action, planning, even just a day of it, can help you land on your feet and make sure that your next steps are in the direction that you want to go long-term.
Alieza Durana:
But beyond planning, even if money is tight, Lindsey reminded us to seek out community and see how we can support each other through mutual aid during this difficult time. As G mentioned, we can and should imagine life can be better or at least less scary for our beautiful community.
Sean Pyles:
And this really is a difficult subject to have to talk about, much less face. So we really appreciate you bringing this to us, Alieza. I hope listeners come away with a better understanding of what some members of the LGBTQ+ community are being forced to deal with in states across the country. And if you are among them, hopefully this episode gives you some ways to cope and potentially prepare.
Alieza Durana:
Thank you, Sean. I’m really glad we were able to do this.
Sean Pyles:
And as a resident of the Pacific Northwest, I say welcome to Oregon, G.
Alieza Durana:
For now, that’s all we have for this episode. Do you have a money question of your own? Turn to the Nerds and call or text us your question at (901) 730-6373. That’s (901) 730 N-E-R-D. You can also email us at [email protected]. Also visit nerdwallet.com/podcast for more info on this episode. And remember to follow, rate and review us wherever you’re getting this podcast.
Sean Pyles:
This episode was produced by Tess Vigeland. I helped with editing. Chris Davis helped with fact checking. Sara Brink mixed our audio and a big thank you to Nerd Wallet’s editors for all their help.
Alieza Durana:
And here’s our brief disclaimer. We are not financial or investment advisors. This nerdy info is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes and may not apply to your specific circumstances.
Sean Pyles:
And with that said, until next time, turn to the Nerds.
Sometimes, the men in our lives need more assistance curating their homes than we ladies. Not to generalize, but some men need interior design skills. If you walk into a man’s home, you might find one picture here or there: a plain rug, a coffee table, or maybe a chair. While it’s great to have furniture in the house, a cohesive concept ties everything together in your space, making you feel more at home. For this Father’s Day, we put together a list of decor items to take your favorite guy’s place to the next level.
See them below!
01
01
Eden Lacquer Tray
This ultra-chic serpent tray will instantly uplevel and upgrade any coffee table! The Jonathan Adler lacquer tray is a high-gloss poppy orange gem and makes a striking addition to a counter, console, or cocktail table. Available at Jonathan Adler
02
02
Deco 79 Hand-Carved Black & White Oval Baobab Wood Tikar Shield
This handmade decorative shield was created in Cameroon and features natural Baobab wood. This one-of-a-kind Tikar tribal art is great for the cultured man who is interested in travel. Available at Amazon
03
03
Galen Brass Leather Magazine Rack
We love sleek and useful items, and this magazine rack will add a touch of elegance to your favorite guy’s home. Available at Crate and Barrel
04
04
Tricolor Cow Hide Rug
Crafted from hand-selected Brazilian cowhides, this rug will bring a soft, rich feel to your person’s home. Available at Pottery Barn
05
05
Among Others: Blackness at MoMA Coffee Table Book
This unique coffee table book is for the art lover in your life. The book features an expansive collection of essays on nearly 200 works in the museum, including its uneven historical relationship with Black artists, Black audiences, and the broader subject of racial Blackness. Available at Amazon
06
06
West Elm Cube Clock
This very sleek cubed clock is functional and stylish. Available at West Elm
This earthy and naturalistic scent will help any room smell good. Get the man in your life some of these beautiful glass patchouli and sandalwood candles. Available at West Elm
We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on the links we provide, we may receive compensation.
This post may contain affiliate links, which helps us to continue providing relevant content and we receive a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the full disclosure here.
Many people experience regret when they receive gifts they don’t like.
It is important to avoid this by giving and receiving the right type of gift for someone. Some items that make for great gifts are subscriptions to magazines, concert or theater tickets, video games, movies, and books.
Other ideas include checking off bucket list adventures!
Experience gifts are the best gifts.
Many times after gifts are opened, you might be feeling a little disappointed in what you bought for others. You spent time and money, but now they are just left with a mountain of gifts that won’t be put to use. Don’t worry—we’ve got your back and plenty of ideas!
How can you avoid gift regret? Well, there are many different options to explore to find the perfect present.
In this post, we will cover unique experience gift ideas for her, families, kids, and everyone in between.
What are Experience Gift Ideas?
Experience gifts are a type of gift that gives the recipient an experience as opposed to tangible goods.
For example, you could buy someone tickets for their favorite band or sports team and they will get to go to an event and have a great time.
This type of gift will not expire, so if the person does not want it or use it right away they can still enjoy it later on!
Honestly, these are gift ideas that would love to do yourself!
Give the gift of experience by giving a membership to an activity, a day pass for activities like yoga or rock climbing. You can also give someone a voucher to take a class like cooking or painting.
There are so many options! We will go further in detail below.
Why Buying Experiences is Better than Physical Gifts?
If you still have gift cards on the table, it might be time to think about what your loved one really wants. “What is important for people are experiences that create memories,” says Harvard business professor Michael Norton.
A study by the Journal of Consumer Research found that for experiences, people felt more satisfied and happy with what they had received than material gifts like clothes or jewelry.
One way to make a gift even more special is to take the recipient with you when you go shopping.
Some people might feel bad when they get a gift they don’t like, but it is ok. For your next gift to someone you love, try getting them something different – like an experience gift!
Many people looking for a no gift Christmas look for experiences instead.
Ultimate List of Life Experience Gift Ideas
A lot of people experience gift regret when they receive a gift that is not their style or something that has no use. This can be frustrating because the person who gave you the present did their best to find what they thought you would enjoy.
That is why we have the best experience gift ideas all in one place!
There are many experience gift ideas on this list of the best experience gift ideas.
-A trip to your favorite theme park.
-An evening of bowling and dinner with friends.
-A night at a sleepover party for girls only.
– The list goes on and on with so many fabulous ideas!
Many of these on the list are outdoor experience gift ideas!
The best gift ideas are the ones that they will love and cherish for years. With these many great experience gift ideas, you will be sure to find the perfect gift for any occasion.
Who says a birthday is just another day? It’s a special time, and it deserves something extra-special as a present.
These types of gifts are perfect for the frugal green person who cares about saving money and being eco-friendly.
Experience Gifts for Everyone
If you are looking for a gift that will be remembered, look no further.
We have rounded up the best gifts to give someone who is hard to buy for or just wants something different than a gift card.
This may seem like it’s too good of a present, but if you know the person well, it’s a gift that will not go to waste.
Weekend Getaway: If you are looking to gift someone with a gift that is guaranteed to not go unused, give them an unforgettable experience. Find the perfect hotel today.
Language Courses: Learning a new language is always a great idea! This is something that can be done in your own time and space. Start your journey to bi-lingual.
Bowling: Has it been a while since you went bowling? Time to lace up those bowling shoes for a night out at the lanes. Can you roll a strike?
Dinner Out (or Dinner In): Everyone loves a break from cooking. Find the local trendy restaurant or pick of their favorites. Either or, it is the company that makes the difference!
Night Out with Friends: This is always a great gift idea! There are so many different things you can do for a night out.
Monthly Subscriptions: Monthly subscriptions are a fun gift that can either be an ongoing thing like Netflix or HBO, or something for the month that includes their hobbies.
Fitness Classes: At home or on the go! There are plenty of options for a healthier lifestyle. You can find new, exciting fitness workouts anywhere!
Groupon Deal of the Day: Let the popular app find all of the ideas that are hot in their area. Plus save a buck or two for the saver in you! Find Groupon Deals.
White Water Rafting Expedition: If you are looking for an adventure, white water rafting is the perfect gift. With the best company and scenery, it will be a day that they’ll never forget!
Ziplining Tour: SOme of my best memories are from a ziplining tour. Make sure to zipline in a breath-taking place to soak in the scenery around you. For a bigger adrenaline rush, zipline through a cliff.
Hotel Gift Card: Don’t have the perfect gift idea? Give them a night out on you! Buy them a hotel gift card to spend when they are ready.
Book Club: Books make great gifts because there’s never anything like it in someone else’s collection, and you can find one that’s appropriate for their reading level. Double bonus: when you meet for drinks to re-hash the books.
Baked Goods: Give a friend or family member something to bake, like cookies or bread. It’ll make them feel happy and proud of themselves, and you’ll get to enjoy the results. Even better… pass along the recipe and ingredients for them to recreate themselves.
Gift Cards: For the person who has everything, give them an experience they can buy with their gift card. Give someone $30 to spend at a local art store and they’ll be grateful for the experience.
Cash: Cash is king. Let the people who love buy their own presents. This is especially a great gift for a frugal person.
A Donation: Don’t want to spend any money? Consider donating in someone’s name; they’ll appreciate it more than anything else.
It’s the time of year to celebrate with family, friends, and loved ones.
Hopefully one of these life experience gift ideas is appealing to yoU!
Experience Gift Ideas for Kids
Kids and families will appreciate a wide array of gifts!
It is hard to shop for gifts for kids who have everything, so hopefully, this list gave you some ideas.
This gift list includes out-of-the-box ideas to help minimize the clutter most families deal with as well as much-loved gifts.
Art Class: Art supplies and a session with an instructor, designed to create your own masterpieces. Plus the best part is you do not have to clean up the mess!
Archery: This sport is always on the list of “coolest things to do.” Learn archery, improve your technique and have a chance to participate in competitions.
Sports Lessons: Get some new skills and have a ton of fun while improving their athletic ability.
Backpacks & Sports Bags: Kids need to keep their stuff organized! This could be a camelpak for their next hike or just a travel bag for their next trip. Find ideas!
Subscription Boxes: Looking for something to come in the mail? Get a monthly box of goodies that you will be excited to open. Find the perfect subscription box.
Music Lessons: Become the next pop star with lessons in piano, guitar, or violin.
Tool Kit: This includes everything you need to fix things around your house and will teach skills that last a lifetime. This is great for the teenager or young adult.
Sleepover Party – Time for giggles and fun! Find sleepover party supplies here!
Art Supplies: Every craft station needs to be refilled for hours more of fun!
Ice Cream: You scream, we scream, we all scream for ice cream! Always a sweet treat and there are so many places that make your experience a delicious time!
Any of these kids experience gift ideas are winners for them! Check out this post for the best kids gifts under $10. Made by kids for kids.
Experience Gift Ideas for Family
A family’s experience with a gift is more important than the amount of money spent on it. If you’re looking for some new ideas, try any of these ideas.
Plus you buy one gift for the whole family!
Try any of these experience gift ideas for families!
Family Dinner Night Out: For many families, it is too costly to take the whole family out to dinner. Find a restaurant that is known for creating an experience the family will never forget.
Family Game Night: Stock the game closet! These are great gifts when the kids grow up because their interest changes and ability level improves. Drop ship a gift basket for family game night.
Family Green Space Improvement Projects: Such as a backyard garden or a small vegetable plot or even flower pots. Provide the seed money and let the family flourish together.
Paintball Package: For those who love to participate in outdoor activities, a paintball package is a lot of fun and a big adrenaline rush.
Helicopter Tour: This is a great gift for kids who love to learn about the world! This is an experience they will never forget.
Trip to Local Theme Park: What better way to have fun than to visit your favorite theme park with friends or family?
Family Movie Night: Purchase a gift subscription to the popular streaming services. Disney+ is perfect for kids. Put together a snack bucket with popcorn and everyone’s favorite beverages.
Sporting Event: Buy a t-shirt or jersey of their favorite team and surprise the little sports fan with an evening at the live game!
Camping Trip: Glamping is allowed, too! It is about disconnecting from the devices and having in-person interactions. Plus the wild will always surprise you!
Age Specific Weekend Getaway: When your child (or grandchild) is a certain age, take them on a trip. During this one-on-one time, you can have plenty of experiences and memories to share. Popular ages to do this would be nine years old, twelve years old, and fifteen years old.
Experience Gift Ideas for Couples
This section provides ideas for gifts that are best suited for couples.
Cooking Class: Couples who enjoy cooking together will enjoy a cooking class. Even if they need to learn to cook, this will be an extremely useful gift!
Online Course: Pick a topic; any topic! There are thousands of online classes to explore together to learn a new skill, find a new hobby, or enhance your skills. This is a course I did with my husband.
Adventure Ticket: Think like a tourist! This gift idea can be local to your area. What is the one thing this couple hasn’t experienced in their area?
Hot Air Ballooning: Don’t worry if you are afraid of heights, being in a hot air balloon is like floating across the water. It is a romantic and unforgettable experience to share.
Rent a Boat: Yeah, a boat. If you have the time and money to rent a boat for what will be an extended period of time, this is going to make one heck of a memorable gift.
Tickets to a Comedy Show: Laughing is the best medicine, and what better way to get a laugh than at a comedy show.
Adventure Ticket: Think like a kid- get them a ticket to go do something adventurous.
Couples Therapy: You could be treading a very fine line here. However, learning how to be a better spouse is always a great idea. Just make sure you have solid referrals.
Date Night: Who doesn’t enjoy a date night? Cover the cost of a babysitter and give them money for the restaurant.
A Day at the Movies and Lunch: Sounds picture-perfect, right?
Encourage their Passion: If you know what the couple’s passions are, give them money to go and pursue it. For example, if they’re musicians or artists then buy a guitar for them or a sketchbook.
Golf Lessons: These are an experienced-based gift that will allow them to enjoy a hobby together.
Music Lessons: Music is a universal love and they can learn how to play the guitar, harmonica or drums. Time spent together is harmony.
Plan for the future: Get them a certificate to receive daycare in case they need it at some point in their lives. Or get them a gift card from Costco to help with all the baby items they will need.
Experience Gift Ideas for Her:
Some experience-based gifts you can give a woman on her birthday or Christmas. Ladies love to be pampered (hint, hint)!
Spa Treatments: These include manicures, pedicures, and facials. They are a relatively inexpensive gift that she is sure to love!
Massages: A massage will make her feel like a new woman and she will love the way it feels.
A Day at the Spa: This is the most luxurious of them all. Instead of just one or two spa treatments. Add in foot soaks and of course, the more intense ones like a mud treatment or body wrap can really clean you up. The lady of your life gets pampered for a half-day or full day.
Time for Herself: Quiet zen time away from the needs in her life. This could be an hour of quiet or a full day.
Luxury Hotel Stay: Sometimes, you need a luxurious night of sleep without children waking you up.
Tickets to an Event: This could be for the theater, concert, or art grand opening. If you know your lady well, you will know what her passion is and can find the perfect ticket to match.
Night Out on the Town: This date includes dinner and a show.
Surprise Dinner from Her Favorite Restaurant: Sometimes, it is the little things in life that make the best gifts.
Yoga or Pilates Classes: Some people find that these classes relieve their stress. Plus improve your flexibility at the same time.
These are some of my favorite gift ideas.
Experience Gift Ideas for Him:
I think most guys prefer experiences over being lavished with gifts.
Also, let’s be honest… Men are 95% more likely to go out and buy exactly what they need and not wait for a holiday to come around.
Give him an experience day and he will be talking about it for years to come.
These are gift ideas for men who have everything!
Skydiving: Can you imagine? The adrenaline rush of jumping out of a plane and free-falling at 120 miles per hour. It’s an experience that he won’t soon forget.
Rock Climbing: He’ll get to experience the adrenaline rush of climbing up a cliff, navigating over obstacles, and getting to the top.
Horseback Riding: It’s not just for girls! Horseback riding is a great outdoor activity that he can do with his friends.
Throwing 1st Pitch at Baseball Game: It doesn’t matter their age. This is a dream for all ages!! The trickier part is how to make this experience gift idea happen.
Snowboarding: He’ll get to experience the adrenaline rush of snowboarding and enjoy learning a new skill set. Just hope he make it down the mountain in one piece.
A Day at the Spa: A man may not think this is a gift, but if he needs to be reminded of how good it feels to take care of himself then I say go for it.
Renting a Sports Car: This is a rite of passage for every man to drive a sports car.
Day at the Race Track: Specifically to be able to drive the cars; not just watch the professionals drive. Many of the race tracks offer amateurs a chance to feel the exhilaration of 100 mph.
Charter Fishing Trip: The best way to spend a weekend. Ask any guy and the story will be bigger than the fish they caught!
More than anything that is considered living on the edge is the perfect experience for him!
Best Experiences Gift Guide
This guide will help you come up with gift ideas for loved ones.
It won’t help with cleaning baseboards, but it will help you find gift ideas that they will appreciate. It is always good to say I appreciate you!
When it comes to buying a gift for someone who is a bit harder to buy for, consider giving them an experience that they would not otherwise be able to do.
Art & Entertainment-themed:
If you are looking for an experience gift, look no further than the arts.
Tickets to a Play: If you are looking to give a gift that will last for an extended period of time, consider gifting someone with the experience of attending one event at their favorite venue.
Tickets to a Concert: These will not go to waste and can be used anytime within their validity period. Time to jam away to the tunes.
Museum Membership: Consider gifting someone with a membership to an art gallery or museum. Also, many museums have reciprocal benefits and can be used in other cities when traveling.
Food & Drink Themed:
A great gift idea for any occasion is to give food or drinks. Whether it’s a holiday, birthday, anniversary, or just because you want to show someone how much they mean to you, food themed gifts are a great way to show you care.
Cooking Classes: This is a great idea for the foodie or non-foodie! Everything tastes better and is more fun when you do not have to clean up afterward.
Wine Tour: This gift is perfect for the wine enthusiast. Wine tasting, learning about viticulture, and enjoying tastings of different wines are all part of this gift.
Brewery/distillery tours: For the craft beer or liquor enthusiast, this is a great gift. Learn how different beers and liquors are made while enjoying tastings of them.
Culinary school: This is for the foodie and non-foodie alike. Whether you love to cook or never touch the stove, culinary school is a great gift for anyone who wants to learn more about their craft.
Things to Do Themed:
Experiences are perfect for friends and family. They make the recipient feel like they got to do something fun or interesting (even if it’s just sitting in a room with snacks).
It’s also a great way to make someone feel like they’re worth more than the value of whatever you spent on them.
Time to get moving with these things to do gift idea list!
Zoo Membership: A membership to your local zoo is a great way to enjoy (and learn about) the animals that live in our world.
Movie Tickets: Movie tickets are always a good idea, and it’s a great way to enjoy something together.
Pool Membership: Pool memberships are a great way to enjoy the summer. It’s also good for people who don’t like hot weather since they can cool off in the water.
Waterpark Passes: Water parks are a great way to have fun in the sun.
Membership at a Museum: Memberships to museums are an opportunity for people who love art, history, or science.
National Park Pass: Passes to national parks are a great way to enjoy nature.
Botanical Gardens: Botanical gardens are a great way to enjoy the beauty of nature indoors and outdoors.
Professional Photography Shoot: Professional photography shoots are a great way to have professional pictures. Get dressed up and smile!
Art Class: Art classes are a fun way to learn about art and express your creativity. Even better, when you do them as a group!
Related Posts:
Learn Something New Themed:
If you are looking for a gift idea that will not go to waste, consider learning something new.
There is an abundance of courses and workshops available in all sorts of subjects!
Find a new hobby or hone your skills.
Crafting Classes: Have you been to your local craft store? There are hundreds of types of crafts to choose from. Some ideas include: knitting, sewing, painting, beadwork, jewelry making, woodworking, etc. Find crafting ideas here.
Language Classes: It is best to learn a new language through immersion. But, the recipient may be hesitant and want to know a few words in the new language before setting out on that experience. Start your journey to bi-lingual.
Subscription Boxes: THere are hundreds of subscription box ideas. Just pick one to match their personality. Plus a new box comes on a recurring basis.
Tennis Lessons: This gift idea was well received in our house. We bought new tennis rackets and a backpack along with a package of lessons. Plus it is a lifelong skill to be able to play.
Photography Workshops: Happy; excited; nervous! Time to learn photography from a new lens. You will proud of your new skills.
Instrument Lessons: Time to get in tune with your inner self. Every had a dream to play a musical instrument? I have; it is the drums. What would your gift recipient want?
Horseback Riding: Buckle up and get ready to ride. This could be a one-time adventure or a package for riding lessons.
Dance Lessons: You will not regret it. Well, you might later. This is a must for any engaged couple. That couple’s dance is waiting for your dance skills!
Equipment Needed for Passions:
Regardless of your hobby or passion, it comes with some type of cost. It is difficult if you do not have the equipment needed to enjoy time doing something you enjoy.
This is one of the greatest gifts you can give!
The equipment will fund the experiences that this person craves to have. Or replace worn out items.
More than likely, you won’t know what exactly to get. So, ask for a wish list or their favorite place to buy equipment. Cash or gift cards are extremely beneficial.
Camping Gear: Once you own the equipment, this is a cheap activity to participate in. However, there are upfront costs of collecting all of the gear.
Sewing Machine: If you know someone who sews or is interested in sewing, this gift will go a long way. Sewing machines range from $200-500 and it’s usually worth the purchase if they enjoy sewing. My mother-in-law purchased mine!
Climbing Gear: If they are an avid climber, this is a great gift. Like camping gear, it has upfront costs of investing in the equipment to get started.
Photography Equipment: Photography equipment is expensive upfront, but it can be used for years to come. This is a great idea for someone who enjoys taking pictures.
Telescope: Telescopes are expensive, but it’s a lifetime investment. This is perfect for a starry-eye person who enjoys looking at the stars.
Fly Fishing Equipment: Fly fishing equipment is expensive but lasts a long time. This can be used by an avid fly fisher for years to come.
Road Cycling or Mountain Biking: Road cycling or Mountain biking equipment is expensive but lasts a lifetime. This can be used by avid cyclists for years to come.
Sports Gear: This could be for golf, tennis, soccer, or any sport! What is the equipment needed, so they can enjoy time playing.
Scuba / Snorkeling Gear: Scuba or snorkeling gear is expensive, but it’s worth the investment. This could be used by an avid scuba diver for years to come.
It can be hard to find a good gift for someone that has everything. When you find yourself in this position, there are many things to think about when purchasing a present. One thing you’ll want to do is consider the hobbies of the person you are buying for.
At Home or Virtual Experience Gift Ideas:
A virtual experience can be an eye-opening experience. It is like you are there, but not really there. Instead of going to a museum or getting info about whales from a book; you can get the same information from a virtual experience.
Online Cooking Classes: Cooking is a great way to get out of the kitchen. You can learn techniques or just try new recipes. Find classes today.
Online Wine Tasting: Yes, all of the wine is delivered to your door. Lead by a wine sommelier on the varieties and what to expect during each skip.
Workout Experiences: Start your fitness journey in the comfort of your own home. There are many options available for workouts that can be done from just about anywhere with the equipment you already have at home!
Airbnb Online Experiences: If you miss traveling, then you are able to travel to some of your favorite locations. While it may not be the same, you can start planning your trip for another time!
Online Classes: This is an idea for anyone who has a passion they want to explore. There are thousands of courses on almost any topic you can think of. With this, there is no need to go to school to find your passion, you can do it right from home.
Board Games: Brush off the games or pick out a new board game. No one will get tired of playing their favorite.
Themed Experiences: If you are looking for a unique experience for someone, then think about planning it around their favorite thing.
How do I Give an Experience as a Gift?
Gifting an experience is a great way to give someone an unforgettable gift.
With experiences, you can choose the location, the type of experience, and what your budget can afford.
You can also choose whether you want the experience to be for someone specific or publicly available. The fun part is you can get creative on how to wrap it like money gift ideas!
How to Wrap up the Experience as a Gift:
Buy something that represents part of the gift.
Create a gift certificate.
Handwrite a lovely letter explaining the gift experience.
Wrap up a huge box with a tiny note.
There are plenty of ways to wrap up a gift experience. Just follow your personality to choose the best way to gift wrap it!
Which Experience Gift Ideas Will You Use?
Many people who are not satisfied with their gifts during the holidays end up feeling regretful. This holiday season, there are plenty of options to choose from that will be used for years to come
The idea of giving someone a gift can be overwhelming.
We are bombarded with deals and deals, but in the end, it is just another thing that will eventually clutter up our homes.
There is a better way.
Gifts that encourage experiences over material things do not go to waste and can create memories for a lifetime. They also require less thought, which these days are a good thing.
You can find plenty of life gift experiences for:
Father’s Day
Mother’s Day
Mother-Daughter
Grandparents
Parents
Girlfriend / Boyfriend
Wedding
Husband / Wife
Birthday
Graduation
Christmas
It’s time to think outside the box and give someone an experience they won’t soon forget!
If I do buy something, I focus on purchasing consumable gifts that will be used up.
Seriously, think about what do I want for Christmas or any other occasion…
Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!
Did the post resonate with you?
More importantly, did I answer the questions you have about this topic? Let me know in the comments if I can help in some other way!
Your comments are not just welcomed; they’re an integral part of our community. Let’s continue the conversation and explore how these ideas align with your journey towards Money Bliss.
A study commissioned by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) in 2022 aimed to assess the state of the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program over a 20-year period.
Released late last year, the study examined three core elements of HECM program effectiveness between 2000 and 2020. It was conducted by analytics firm SP Group LLC and its subcontractor Econometrica Inc.
RMD already examined the study’s sections related to borrower trends and various program policy impacts, but the section on economic impact attempts to assess the value provided to taxpayers, as well as the HECM program’s impacts on the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) Mutual Mortgage Insurance (MMI) Fund.
Assessing financial impacts
The researchers assessed the financial impact through the scope of gains and losses over the 20-year period, with data derived from “HUD’s data systems, including mortgage insurance premiums (MIPs), claim payments, note-holding and property-holding expenses, and net recoveries on dispositions for terminated loans,” the report explained.
Determining what constituted “gains” and “losses” was seen through the impact that the program had on the solvency of the MMI Fund. They do not include the administrative costs for the program incurred by HUD, including “the cost of direct and indirect staff, contractors, facilities, data systems, and other resources used in administering the HECM program that are not recorded as program costs.”
Insured loans were looked at through both mortgage insurance premiums and claims, or cash outflows paid to the lender under the FHA insurance program that the HECM program operates from.
“Of the 1.1 million HECM loans endorsed during the 20-year period, the research team identified 533,894 HECM loans that were terminated and disposed as of September 30, 2020, and no further transactions occurring after September 30, 2020,” the report said. “Based on this sample, the research team estimated that FHA incurred a total loss of approximately $10.4 billion, or an average loss of $19,556 per loan.”
Roughly two-thirds of the more than 533,000 loans studied resulted in net gains for the FHA, the report found. The average gain per loan that was terminated without a claim was just over $10,000.
Disposition over time
Loans were also examined on a year-by-year basis, the report stated. It found that, aside from 2007 and 2008, the program ”incurred gains on most of the loans endorsed in each of the other fiscal years.”
The average loss for each loan originated in 2007 was estimated to be $37,300, or a total loss of about $2.5 billion for that cohort of loans. Beginning in 2014, all loans that were terminated with gains reached 92% of the total share — and ultimately reached 100% by 2018, where it has remained despite severely reduced volume, according to the data.
The report also reviewed impacts of alternative disposition methods HUD has used for assigned loans. It characterized the first of the two most common options as the “conveyance program,” which is “used for those HECM loans that are assigned to and foreclosed by HUD and for which the underlying REO is sold through the traditional conveyance program.” The second is the “note sale program,” in which an assigned loan is attached to a vacant property that HUD then sells to a third party through a vacant note sale.
The report aimed to determine the loss severity and overall timeline associated with each option, finding 15,380 loans within the time period disposed of through one of these two methods.
“On a per loan basis, the conveyance program generates a higher cash inflow, but the outflows in that program are almost twice as high as those under the note sale program, resulting in a loss of approximately $142,000 per loan,” the report stated.
When compared by fiscal year of loan endorsement, the report determined that the average loss for each loan “was consistently lower for those disposed through the note sale program,” the report said. “The difference in average loss per year was largest for loans endorsed in fiscal years 2009 and 2010, when losses generated by the loans disposed through the conveyance program were more than twice as high as those generated by the loans disposed through the note sale program ($180,000 versus $80,000).”
Loans sold through the conveyance program had a timeline of approximately two years between initiation and final disposal, and the “average number of months for REO sales stabilized at approximately 37 months” since then, the report said.
Loans sold through the note sale program typically took less time than those through the REO sale channel — save for those loans terminated in 2017, according to the data.
“It does not appear that time to disposition is the primary driver of holding costs, because average holding costs rose from fiscal years 2014 to 2020, whereas the average time to disposition did not fluctuate,” the report explained.
Other findings
The report also found that certain policy changes applied to the HECM program during the study period — including financial assessment and life expectancy set-aside (LESA), “detected that the introduction of the financial assessment, LESA, and underwriting requirement was associated with reduced likelihood of defaults, lower unscheduled draws, and lower net losses to loans made to Black borrowers — although a net loss reduction to the overall population could not be established.”
The study also found that borrowers during this time tended to skew toward the younger end of the senior demographic. This reinforced longstanding data showing that single women use the reverse mortgage program far more than single men — and at rates well beyond the average divisions present in the senior demographic.
Since 2011, roughly half of all borrowers specifying why they sought out a reverse mortgage chose only one reason, while the other half selected multiple reasons. Most of the borrowers who chose one reason (53%) selected “additional income” as their reason for obtaining the loan.
“This finding is in line with the HECM program goal of providing seniors the ability to turn their home equity into supplemental income,” the report stated.
Now that grocery inflation seems to have eased, retailers are clamoring to offer more and better discounts that will get shoppers back to their stores this summer. With an announcement Wednesday, Walgreens joined a growing list of national brands, which also includes Target and Amazon Fresh, that are touting price cuts on an array of goods from everyday staples to seasonal favorites.
After years of rising prices, it’s a welcome change. Grocery prices are 25% higher than they were at the start of 2020, according to the latest consumer price index, but they actually fell slightly in April from the previous month.
Shoppers have persevered through these years of high prices by switching retailers, brands or other qualities of the food they buy, says Joe Balagtas, a professor of agriculture economics and interim director of the Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability at Purdue University. Now, with grocery prices generally falling, retailers are seizing an opportunity to woo back customers.
“We find other ways to economize to the extent that it dips into retailers’ profits,” Balagtas says. “I think that could drive them to find ways to cut prices to make sure they’re drawing in budget-conscious consumers.”
Considering how much Americans typically spend on food — about 11% of their income in 2022, according to the Agriculture Department — lower prices are going to be felt by shoppers, Balagtas says. “They don’t even have to fall. Just slower inflation is going to alleviate some stress for a lot of people.”
Find summer sales at these retailers
Here’s where shoppers can find deals on food and pharmacy items.
Aldi
Aldi, which has benefited from shoppers’ pivot away from pricier grocery stores, will reduce prices on more than 250 items through Labor Day. Aldi estimates its price cuts will save shoppers $100 million. The retailer did something similar last year, estimating its 2023 price cuts saved shoppers more than $60 million.
Park Street Deli: Pulled Pork/Pulled Chicken – $6.99 (was $7.49).
Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh is cutting prices online and in-store on roughly 4,000 items, which will rotate weekly, according to CNN. Shoppers can expect to see discounts of up to 30% on meat, seafood, frozen food, dairy and cheese, beverages, snacks and pasta.
Target
Target will mark down prices on about 5,000 items. Those price cuts are set to take place throughout the summer, and are targeting daily essentials, like milk, meat, bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, snacks, yogurt, peanut butter, coffee, diapers, paper towels and pet food, among other items.
In addition to price cuts, Target touted changes to its free Target Circle membership, which now applies deals automatically at the register. The retailer also is pursuing discount shoppers with a new store brand called Dealworthy, which launched in February. Most Dealworthy products are priced at $10 or less.
Walgreens
In a May 29 announcement, Walgreens called attention to an ongoing effort to cut prices on 1,300 items that dates back to October 2023.
Prices will vary by location. Examples of items with lower prices include:
One a Day 80 ct Men’s and Women’s Gummy Vitamins – $11.99 (was $13.49).
Always Pad Mod Regular (20 ct) – $6.99 (was $7.49).
Walmart has upped its “rollback” game lately, as well. In a May 2024 earnings call, executives said it temporarily cut prices on 45% more grocery items in April compared with the previous year. Across the store, prices have been reduced on nearly 7,000 items.
In April, Walmart introduced the new BetterGoods brand, which is aimed at price-conscious shoppers with foodie tendencies. It includes 300 grocery items that either touch on a food trend or fit into popular dietary preferences, including plant-based, gluten-free and artificial flavor-free foods. Walmart says BetterGoods items cost $15 or less, with most items priced around $5 or less.
The majority of homebuyers stick with the very first mortgage product offered, opting to not shop around with other lenders, a study conducted by an online financial services marketplace found.
Over 54% of borrowers with mortgages on a recent home only received one mortgage offer, a LendingTree survey published Monday said. In cutting their home buying journey short, borrowers may not be getting the best deal for themselves.
The survey, which gathered the opinions of over 2,000 participants in mid-April, concluded that 45% of homebuyers with a mortgage who shopped around got a lower offer than their first.
In breaking down the survey responses, only a mere 22% of borrowers got two offers and 17% got three or more offers.
Millennials in the group were more likely to comparison shop with 62% reporting doing so, while 28% of boomers in the questionnaire say they weighed different options. Meanwhile, a greater share of women (62% of the female respondents) said they are likely to accept the first offer without shopping around, compared to 46% of men.
Figuring out how much borrowers can actually save if they shop around is contingent on mortgage rates and loan size, but it can be a significant chunk of change, said Jacob Channel, senior chief economist at LendingTree, in a written statement Monday.
“That said, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for someone who received multiple offers and then picked the one with the lowest rate to save hundreds of dollars a month, thousands of dollars a year and tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars over the lifetime of their loan,” he added in a press release.
Almost 30% of those surveyed said the top reason for not seeking multiple mortgage offers stemmed from confidence that they were receiving the best rate, followed by 20% saying they had a desire to use the lender recommended to them by their real estate agent.
Refinances, however, are a different story, with the survey finding that out of the 45% of homebuyers who’ve refinanced the mortgage on their current home, 56% shopped around.
A little over 80% of those who shopped around found a lower rate than their current lender offered, the report concluded
To no one’s surprise, a good chunk of the survey’s participants said mortgage rates have had an impact on when they decided to buy a home.
Over a third of buyers (35%) purchased a home earlier than planned to take advantage of low rates. Comparing genders, 43% of men were swayed to purchase a home due to lower rates versus 26% of women respondents.
Meanwhile, about 57% of respondents say they met with a real estate agent before they met with a lender during their home buying process.
In addition to serving as the unofficial start to summer, Memorial Day weekend is also a major sale holiday. You can typically find Memorial Day sales across just about every category, from mattresses to major appliances to fashion. The holiday isn’t until May 27, but between spring savings events and early Memorial Day offers, there are already some solid early deals available.
Here’s how to make the most of the upcoming Memorial Day sales—plus some early offers you can shop … [+] now.
Illustration: Forbes / Photos: Retailers
Some of the best offers you can shop today include up to 50% off a new DreamCloud mattress, up to 30% off soft linens and loungewear at Cozy Earthand up to 60% off furniture at Burrow. Find additional info on these sales below, plus get answers about what to expect from this year’s Memorial Day sales.
The Best Early Memorial Day Sales At A Glance:
Best Early Memorial Day Sales: Mattresses
MOST POPULAR
Best Early Memorial Day Sales: Home
Burrow: Save up to 60% sitewide at this mod home furnishings retailer right now.
Cozy Earth: Score soft bamboo linens for up to 30% off during its current sale. Psst, Cozy Earth makes our pick for the best bamboo sheets.
Frontagate: Frontgate is counting down to Memorial Day weekend by offering up to 40% off sitewide. That includes tops picks like our favorite bath towels.
CB2: Take up to 30% off chic furniture, rugs and décor and up to 60% off clearance items at CB2.
Our Place: During Our Place’s Spring Sale, you can save up to 40% on cult-favorite kitchenware, like the Always Pan 2.0 and the Wonder Oven.
Pottery Barn: Shop its current sale to save up to 50% on all outdoor and garden gear.
Target: The popular one-stop shop is currently offering up to 50% off kitchen and dining favorites. (Plus, RedCard holders get an additional 5% off.)
Williams-Sonoma: Shop best-selling cookware, bakeware and kitchen appliances for up to 40% off.
Best Early Memorial Day Sales: Appliances
Lowe’s
LG WashTower (4.5 Cubic Feet Washer And 7.4 Cubic Feet Dryer)
Buy From Lowe’s
Lowe’s: Take up to 35% off major appliances for your home this week including our pick for the best stackable washer and dryer.
Samsung: Save up to $1,200 on refrigerators, $1,000 on laundry sets and up to $1,500 on select appliance bundles right now.
The Home Depot: Score up to 40% off select floor care and air quality tools at the home improvement retailer this week.
Best Buy: The popular tech retailer is offering up to 30% off major appliances this week as well as hundreds of deals on small kitchen appliances.
LG: Refresh your major appliances at LG this week. Take up to 30% off best-selling LG laundry sets and dishwashers, and up to 25% off refrigerators.
Amazon: Score deals on thousands of small kitchen appliances (and two-day shipping for Prime members) at the retail giant.
Costco: Costco members qualify for exclusive deals on popular appliances from brands like LG, Samsung and more.
Best Early Memorial Day Sales: Tech
Amazon: Amazon has discounts on thousands of tech favorites like AirPods, laptops, smartwatches and more.
Best Buy: The beloved tech retailer is a sure bet for discounts on the latest tech, often rivaling Amazon. Right now, save on Beats headphones, smart TVs and more.
Dell: Shop its deals section to save up to $750 on laptops and other peripherals.
Lenovo: During Small Business Month, Lenovo is offering up to 69% off laptops, including our pick for the best business laptop overall.
Walmart: Walmart is another great place to search for discounts on popular electronics from brands like Apple, LG, HP and more.
Woot: This Amazon subsidiary has hundreds of deals on products like TVs and smartphones (like this unlocked Google Pixel 7 Pro). You can also still qualify for Prime shipping.
Newegg: Newegg drops a slew of fresh deals every week, including items like laptops and SSDs. You can also often find discounts on gift cards from Nintendo and Xbox.
OnePlus: You can save even more on our top pick for the best budget noise-cancelling earbuds right now.
Best Early Memorial Day Sales: Fashion
Net-A-Porter
Net-A-Porter: Score discounts of up to 60% on curated pieces from brands like Good American, Nike, Balenciaga and more.
J.Crew: Save up to 50% on warm weather pieces like dresses, tops and bathing suits for women, men and kids.
Shopbop: Peruse its sale section to save up to 60% on brands like Theory, Reformation and Free People.
Rue La La: Save on designer favorites, like up to 70% off Burberry for men, women and kids and up to 30% off Gucci bags.
Athleta: Athleta’s sale section was just refreshed. Save up to 60% on athleisure wear favorites, like the Run With It High Rise Skort.
Backcountry: Sign into your free account to take 20% off one full-priced item during this outdoor retailer’s member sale.
Best Early Memorial Day Sales: Beauty
Amazon: Now through May 19, you can save on summer skincare and beauty essentials—plus get a $10 credit on orders of $50 or more with code BEAUTYHAUL.
Paula’s Choice: You can take 20% off Niacinamide skincare products right now, including this best-selling Niacinamide + BHA Duo.
Solawave: Save 25% on these best-selling light therapy wands and skincare serums.
Revolve: Check out its sale section to find deals on products from brands like Indie Lee, T3 and Korres.
Origins: Take 25% off sitewide from this classic skincare brands. You’ll also get a free eight-piece gift with orders over $100.
SK-II:You can save 15% on all of its skincare right now, including bestsellers like the Petera Facial Treatment Essence.
When Is Memorial Day 2024?
Memorial Day is always the last Monday in May. This year, it falls on May 27.
When Do Memorial Day Sales Start?
We expect many of this year’s Memorial Day sales to kick off on Friday, May 24. Some sales will start even earlier in May, but retailers typically save their best offers for the official holiday weekend.
What Are The Best Things To Buy On Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is typically a great time to save on big-ticket items like mattresses, patio furniture, major appliances and TVs. In recent years we’ve also seen more and more sales cropping up from fashion and beauty brands. Think of the holiday weekend as sort of a mini Black Friday where you can find deals across nearly all product categories.
Do Appliances Go On Sale During Memorial Day?
Yes, Memorial Day is a great time to find discounts on appliances of all sizes. Retailers like Samsung, Lowe’s and The Home Depot typically host appliance sales over the long weekend. But if the appliance you’ve been eyeing isn’t discounted, don’t get discouraged; you’ll likely get an opportunity to save over July 4 or Labor Day.
Do Clothes Go On Sale During Memorial Day?
Memorial Day clothing sales are fairly common. In the past we’ve seen discounts from retailers like Madewell, Rent The Runway, J.Crew and Abercrombie & Fitch.