When you have a new baby on the way, you may be eager to create a nursery that’s comfortable, functional, and stylish. You can drop big bucks to turn a spare room into a dream nursery. But if you’re willing to put in some elbow grease and think outside the box, you could get the job done for much less.
Here are some creative DIY nursery ideas that won’t break the bank.
Use Paint to Make a Big Impact
If home improvement shows have taught us anything, it’s that paint can be a powerful — and cheap — way to change things up. In fact, for the cost of a few gallons of nontoxic paint, a roll of painter’s tape, and drop coverings, you can completely transform any room.
The options are limited only by your imagination. Paint all four walls the same shade to create a cohesive look, or focus the color on one wall to make a real statement. Use painter’s tape to create shapes or patterns, like stripes or chevrons, that pack the same punch as wallpaper but without the mess. If you’re artistic, paint a mural with animals or popular cartoon characters. Or considering all the time your baby will spend in their crib, you may decide to spiff up the ceiling with a pop of color.
Price tag: $125 to $250 💡 Quick Tip: Need help covering the cost of a wedding, honeymoon, or new baby? A SoFi personal loan can help you fund major life events — without the high interest rates of credit cards.
Get a Soft Rug
If you have hardwood floors, a soft rug won’t just help your feet stay warm when you come in for late-night feedings. You’ll also want a cozy surface for your baby to play, and later, learn to crawl.
You can get an area rug at a local hardware or furniture store that can bring out some of the colors in your decor and provide a soft buffer between your baby and the floor.
Price tag: $200
Make Your Own Art
Blank walls are boring, but art can be expensive to buy. So why not make your own creations?
One idea: Get jumbo letters from the local craft store that spell out your baby’s name and hang them on the wall.
Or figure out the theme of the room to help you come up with other ideas. For example, you can go to the zoo with a camera and then print out pictures of animals for an animal-themed room. Or become inspired by the night sky and put up sparkly stars and a moon on the walls. You can also find cool fabric and tack it onto a canvas for a fabric panel.
Price tag: From $25
Help Baby Sleep
Having a newborn goes hand in hand with frequent wake-up calls. But there are ways you can help baby settle down after a 3 a.m. feeding or stay asleep during a mid-afternoon nap.
Blackout curtains are a great way to prevent sunlight from seeping through window coverings — and interrupting a good nap. Making a set is doable with the help of a sewing machine and a trip to the local fabric store.
Hanging a mobile above the crib can also keep your little one entranced until their eyes start to close. You can make your own with everyday household and craft supplies, like pom poms, fabric, or paper. Simply attach the items to a string or embroidery floss, attach to a lightweight frame or embroidery hoop, and hang.
Price: From $10
Get Creative With Storage
Even if you’re a minimalist, chances are your baby will require a lot of stuff: clothes, toys, diapers, pacifiers, books…you get the idea. As you’re putting together your nursery, be sure you have ample places to store all those things. Bins, boxes, shelves, and drawers can make clean-up a breeze.
Storage systems don’t have to be expensive. You can get budget-friendly ones at local discount furniture stores. Or check online or garage sales for a used piece of furniture that you can refinish or repaint.
Just remember to fasten all the furniture to the wall so that when your baby starts pulling themselves up and walking, nothing topples over on them.
Price: From $100
Recommended: 25 Tips for Buying Furniture on a Budget
How Do You Pay for a Nursery Room Renovation
DIY-ing a nursery may save you money, but you’ll still need to make room in the budget. This can be a challenge if you’re also trying to balance the cost of hospital bills, doctor’s visits, and pricey essentials like a stroller, car seat, or crib. Here are some options you may want to consider.
Personal Savings
Tapping into your savings allows you to access the cash you need right away. However, if you’re planning to take unpaid maternity leave or are budgeting for medical expenses, you may decide it makes more sense to leave your emergency fund untouched.
Credit Card
Like personal savings, a credit card lets you pay for DIY nursery supplies now. However, at the end of the month, you’ll be billed for whatever you’ve spent. It’s important to make at least a minimum payment by the due date to avoid a late fee. But to avoid paying interest entirely, you’ll need to pay off the balance in full each month.
Recommended: Tips for Using a Credit Card Responsibly
Personal Loan
Generally speaking, a personal loan can be used for virtually anything, including decorating a nursery. Interest rates are relatively low, which means that you can likely get a loan at a low rate compared to a credit card. For that reason, it might be a much better idea than putting the expenses on a credit card, which typically have higher interest rates.
A typical term length for a personal loan is anywhere from one to 10 years. Extending your repayment over multiple years could reduce your monthly payments. But keep in mind, the longer the term length, the more you’ll pay in interest over the life of your loan.
When looking for a loan, you may want to look into securing a fixed interest rate so that you can lock in your low rate over the life of your loan. 💡 Quick Tip: Some personal loan lenders can release your funds as quickly as the same day your loan is approved.
The Takeaway
When you’re expecting a new baby, you naturally want to give them the world. This may include a room they’ll be happy to call their own. Fortunately, you can get the nursery of your dreams without having to spend a lot of money. There are creative, affordable ways to create a statement, like painting the walls or ceiling a fun shade or designing an adorable mural. Not as crafty? Explore simple, inexpensive projects, like making a mobile to hang over the crib.
If much of your budget is already earmarked for baby essentials and medical bills, you may want to explore alternate ways of paying for a nursery renovation. You could draw from your personal savings, use a credit card, or explore taking out a personal loan.
Think twice before turning to high-interest credit cards. Consider a SoFi personal loan instead. SoFi offers competitive fixed rates and same-day funding. Checking your rate takes just a minute.
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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
Cinema has long been a source of heated debate, especially regarding films that tried too hard to be serious and ended up just seeming pretentious. With the arrival of streaming platforms, more accessible movie-making tools and an increased ability for filmmakers to challenge the norm, recent years have seen a wave of new daring cinema—acclaimed as genius by some yet widely disliked by others.
Nowhere is this disparity in opinion more apparent than with these 20 pretentious movies. So what do you think? Are there times when lines should not be crossed regarding artistic expression, or are pushing boundaries necessary? Below are the top 20 pretentious movies shared across online:
1. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
One user posted, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. A The Holocaust and 9/11 mash-up with an autistic kid as the main character? Pure pretentious as s- Oscar bait.
“I had to read the book in high school, and the best thing I could say about it was that it provided easy pickings for annotation assignments.”
Another user added a story behind the film, “Daily reminder that the author of the book awkwardly flirted with Natalie Portman via email, thought she was as into him as he was into her, and left his wife of 10 years for her, only to be met with bemused puzzlement from Natalie.”
One user replied, “Jesus, those emails were painful to read from both of them. I can’t believe people write like that in their personal emails. He did end up dating Michelle Williams for years after his divorce, so I guess he’s got some game.”
2. Eat Pray Love
One user added, “Eat Pray Love(2010), a pretentious film based on an equally pretentious true story.”
One user replied, “So true, lol. Like I would love to just take off for a year, but unfortunately, I have to work.”
3. Crash
“Crash (2004)—simultaneously the most pretentious movie I’ve ever seen and the stupidest,” one user added.
Another user shared, “I remember seeing it when it came out and found it fairly forgettable. Then it kinda gained this reputation as ‘didn’t deserve the Oscar,’ so I watched it again recently. It tries so hard to be topical (and perhaps it was in a way), but it’s soooo over the top yet surface level at the same time with its message. There are some good performances in the movie, but that can’t save the script.”
4. The Room
One Redditor posted, “I think considering Tommy Wiseau’s intention to make a serious drama, The Room is pretentious. I know he refuted the claim that The Room was supposed to be serious. But sorry, I have severe doubts.”
One user shared, “There’s no way in h*ll that The Room was anything other than a sincere effort by Tommy to make a legitimate dark drama. Making the movie as it is, with the intention of being received as it has been, would make Tommy a comedic genius in three separate areas: writing, acting, and directing. I don’t think he is. Just like some great movies are lightning in a bottle, The Room is lightning in a bottle in the opposite direction.”
5. You People
One online user posted, “You People with Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy. The film goes out of its way to make Jonah Hill a ‘Bumbling Clueless Overly-Cautious Woke White Guy’ and Eddie Murphy a ‘Put Everyone On The Spot Overly Proud Black Man.’ NO self-respecting person (Jonah Hill’s character) would ever dig themselves into a racial awkwardness hole as often as he does. And no self-respecting person (Eddie Murphy’s character) would go out of their way to be so defensive and make Jonah Hill’s character so uncomfortable.
“If it were purely a comedy, it would have made sense to make them both so clueless, but since it was supposed to be a ‘woke’ rom-com, then they could have done well-meaning people more credit by making Jonah Hill more discerning and Eddie Murphy more gracious. Instead, both characters just reinforced stereotypes from beginning to end.”
Another user replied, “First rom-com I watched that was completely lacking both romance and comedy. To call it a movie at all is a compliment to You People and an insult to all other movies ever created.”
6. Seven Pounds
“Seven Pounds,” shared one user.
Another Redditor replied, “Or any Will Smith bazillion Oscar Bait movies.”
Another user commented, “Collateral Beauty takes the cake for me. Even the title is pretentious.”
7. Downsizing
One Redditor posted, “Downsizing. I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned this one. I sit down thinking I’m about to watch a lighthearted comedy starring Matt Damon about people who shrink themselves and get into some hijinks. Turns out. Instead, the movie’s message (pretty early in the film, too) is, ‘You can’t shrink the problems of the world, ST*PID!’ The rest of the movie was a guilt trip about lower-class poverty and environmental issues. It seriously felt like the filmmakers were scolding me. …”
One user responded, “I came here to say this. I went to the theatre to watch it because I was excited to see it. It’s a fun movie with Matt Damon and Kristin Wiig getting shrunk down like a grown-up Honey I Shrunk the Kids.
“She was barely in it, super preachy, meandering, boring, and nothing like what was advertised. Oh, and the ending was stupid, too. I shouldn’t have bothered waiting for it, but they already had $40 or so of my money. At least the snacks were ok. Probably the best part of the movie. They realized what a mess it was and pulled a bait-and-switch with the trailers as a last-ditch effort to save it. I’m still mad if you can’t tell, lol.”
8. Now You See Me
“Now You See Me … I don’t understand how people can be impressed with ‘magic tricks’ that are only possible with special effects. B-, please! I can make f- Godzilla coming out of my pocket if I can use CGI. That s- is not impressive.
“On a side note, what a waste of opportunity when they didn’t call the second movie “Now you don’t,” stated one user.
Another user added, “Also, there were zero clues for the twist. It’s just a ‘surprise this random thing happened. Now be in awe.’”
9. Tenet
One online user shared, “Given the following definition of pretentious: ‘Trying to appear or sound more important or clever than you are’
“I’ll go for Tenet. When people think of pretentious films, they tend to list arty films. But pretension just means having an unearned sense of self-regard, and Tenet has that. It’s a film that is desperate for you to think it’s clever and profound but is ultimately hollow and not half as clever as it thinks it is.
“Edit: I just remembered the main character is literally called ‘Protagonist.’ Proper pretentious first-year film student stuff.”
One user answered, “I upvoted, even though I like Tenet because I can’t argue with your logic.”
10. Bang Bus “Episode 3”
One user posted, “Bang Bus ‘Episode 3′. The premise was already in. There was nothing new about it.”
Another replied, “Is that the one where they pick up a young woman and interview her in a s- van? I’ve only seen the first 10 minutes. I can’t believe there are sequels.”
11. My Dinner With Andre
“I love the movie, but ‘My Dinner With Andre’ is pretty pretentious and self-satirizing at the same time,” one Redditor stated.
Another user replied, “If you were out to dinner and the people at the table next to you were having that conversation, your eyes would roll right out of your head and fall on your plate.”
12. Most Woody Allen Movies
One Redditor shared, “Oof, I’m gonna get hate for this, but I feel like most Woody Allen movies are pretentious …”
Another user also posted, “When I think of pretentious movies, I think of Woody Allen b- s-. Movies about making movies about New York and how cool you have to be to be famous. F- off.”
13. Garden State
“A little obvious, but Garden State. It has all the hallmarks and takes itself way too seriously.
“That being said, it’s made with a lot of heart and ambition, and I do enjoy it, but it’s just the first thing that comes to mind—from the all-white bedroom to the shirt made out of wallpaper print to literally screaming into a void.
“Well-intentioned, entertaining, endearing but ultimately a pretentious cringe fest—sorry Zach!” posted one user.
14. Birdman
One online user posted, “I thought Birdman was pretentious on my first viewing. That being said, I was, like, 19 when I saw it, and I’m 28 now. I may need to watch it again because being pretentious kinda felt like the point of the movie.”
Another user replied, “My favourite part about Birdman was seeing Edward Norton playing himself.”
15. Rubber
“Rubber … I thought it’d be about a sentient tire blowing people up. But it kept cutting to a surrogate audience standing in a field watching the events and doing meta-commentary on film. Also, Lady in the Water … He was writing a movie critic character just to make them an ah you can kill off. Then, making the struggling writer the saviour of the world through his excellent writing and then casting YOURSELF for the role? Lol,” one user posted.
16. Wes Anderson’s Newer Films
One user posted, “Wes Anderson’s newer films are the definition. Bring back Owen to rein him in.”
Another user commented, “I came into this thread specifically to see how soon Asteroid City would come up.”
“Wes Anderson is so confident in his style at this point in his career, that someone calling his latest effort pretentiousness would just read as, ‘Oh good, you saw my film. Thank you, it was very pretentious,’” one user responded.
17. Mother!
“Mother!” shared by one Redditor.
Another user commented, “This is one movie I loved, but I can recommend it to no one.”
18. Cloud Atlas
One Redditor posted, “Cloud Atlas. That movie is the definition of smelling your gas in public. It’s just so g-d- stupid in an ‘I’m 14, and this is deep’” sort of way.”
19. Joker
“Joker. … That movie thinks it’s brighter than it is but fails to hold a consistent theme in a way that says effectively nothing. It doesn’t work as a character study either because the character is also inconsistent. It’s only really grounded by a legendary performance by Joaquin,” stated one user.
One user replied, “That’s because it’s directed by the man who did The Hangover movies, doing his best attempt at Scorsese.”
20. Tree of Life
One user shared “Tree of Life.”
One user commented, “(whispers) ‘What is life?’ (Random shot of a kid walking into the sunset.) (More whispering.) ‘What does it all mean?’ (Camera pans into a blank wall.) (Whispering so quietly that it’s barely audible) ‘What is all this?’ (Dinosaurs explode in the background).”
Another user commented, “I like the movie (it’s more a montage movie than a movie-movie), but this gave me a chuckle. It’s definitely not for everyone!”
What do you think of the movies listed above? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Source: Reddit.
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A proposal by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to ban medical debt from credit reports is drawing the ire of the financial services industry, which claims not enough has been done to study the root cause of the problematic medical billing: The fractured health care system.
Advocates have been pushing for years for the CFPB to take medical debt off credit reports, claiming millions of consumers are pursued for debts they don’t owe or that are inaccurate. In September, the CFPB released an outline of a sweeping proposal to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The plan was announced by Vice President Kamala Harris from the White House, with CFPB Director Rohit Chopra saying that medical debt has “little predictive value in credit decisions.”
In comments that closed last week about the proposal, financial firms and trade groups said that if enacted, the plan would restrict lending, increase costs and result in more denials of credit to low- and moderate-income consumers. Experts claim the CFPB’s proposal would make credit reports less accurate, increasing risks for lenders.
“Conceptually, the CFPB is getting into a dangerous place, because they’re saying medical debt doesn’t have predictive value — and that’s not their job,” said Kim Phan, a partner at the law firm Troutman Pepper, who focused on privacy and data security. “The industry has the right to decide what has value and what doesn’t.”
The CFPB said it expects to publish a report in December summarizing the feedback it received on its proposal from small businesses that will include written comments from stakeholders. Next year, the bureau plans to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking that will give the public an opportunity to comment on the plan before it is finalized.
Phan said that unless the CFPB scales back the proposal or makes changes, she expects the bureau will be sued by a trade group or credit bureau once a final rule has been issued. Taking medical debt off credit reports impacts a consumer’s credit capacity, which is one of the seven factors of credit used in underwriting decisions, Phan said.
“If a consumer earns $30,000 a year and just took on $100,000 of medical debt, their capacity to take on new credit is much more restricted,” Phan said.
The CFPB estimates that roughly 100 million people struggle with unpaid medical bills. The scope of the problem is so large that roughly 50 consumer groups banded together to urge the CFPB to take action.
Chi Chi Wu, senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, said consumers get stuck with unpaid medical bills for many reasons, though the majority are due to an insurance company denying a claim, paying only part of a claim or a health care provider demanding payment.
“Medical bills are complicated and bizarre and bureaucratic because, unlike a credit card, where the consumer has bought something, a third party is involved in the payment process,” said Wu, who is the lead author of the legal manual Fair Credit Reporting. “Everybody knows the health care system in this country is a mess. Consumers are asking why they got a bill when the insurance company was supposed to cover it.”
Still, collectors say that taking medical debt off credit reports does not tackle the underlying problems with medical billing disputes. Consumers will still owe the debt and the CFPB will be taking away a traditional tool that creditors use to spur debtors to pay: The threat of nonpayment that impacts a consumer’s credit score.
“Just because the debt is not on a credit report doesn’t mean the consumer doesn’t have to pay it,” said Jennifer Whipple, president of Collection Bureau Services, a family-owned debt collection agency in Missoula, Mont. “The proposal is not addressing the issue the CFPB is trying to fix in terms of people having insurance billing or denial issues or unsupportable health care.”
Earlier this year, the three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, agreed to remove medical debts of $500 or less from credit reports, which represented roughly 70% of all medical debts. Debt collectors want the CFPB to study the impact of that change, with a focus on health care providers not being paid, before removing the remaining 30% of medical debts still on credit reports.
“It’s too important an issue not to study and not to use data-driven analysis,” said Scott Purcell, CEO of ACA International, the trade group for collectors and creditors.
Whipple, who is the treasurer of ACA, said the CFPB’s message to consumers is that they do not have to pay their medical bills because there will be no impact to their credit. That kind of message, she said, could result in some consumers thinking they don’t need to pay for health care coverage at all.
“If the message is that medical bills won’t be on a credit report, then consumers may think they don’t need to pay a high premium every month or maybe even carry health insurance,” Whipple said. “Folks on Medicare or Medicaid will think they don’t owe the debt and so they may not take the time to fill out the forms to continue to get coverage.”
Banning medical debt from credit reports is just one piece of the CFPB’s proposal, which would subject a wide range of companies to the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s requirements. The plan also has been criticized for restricting the sale of so-called credit header data by the three main credit bureaus, which some experts say could potentially cut off critical information to law enforcement agencies.
The FCRA requires that information on credit reports to be accurate, and was intended to provide a way for consumers to dispute erroneous information on credit reports and give creditors an unbiased and fungible metric of a borrower’s ability to repay. In its proposal, the CFPB said that consumer complaints about medical debt underscore how ineffective, time-consuming and costly the dispute process has become. Legal experts say the CFPB’s proposed changes will reverberate throughout the financial ecosystem with unknown consequences.
“Medical debt is an insurance problem, and to say you can’t collect it or report it doesn’t solve the insurance issues and it also doesn’t help poor people,” said Joann Needleman, a practice leader and member of the law firm Clark Hill.
Wu, at the National Consumer Law Center, said consumers often find out about a medical debt when they try to buy a car or refinance their mortgage and are told that they can’t get approved for a loan.
“Consumers will pay the debt because they don’t have time to go back and dispute it,” she said.
Andrew Nigrinis, an economist at Legal Economics LLC and a former CFPB economist, said the CFPB did not provide a valid economic analysis of the impact of the proposal. He also said the CFPB’s research that found removing medical debt would increase credit scores was hardly a surprise.
“It’s the same logic that if you took away mortgage delinquencies from credit reports, then obviously credit scores would go up,” he said. “It’s not a profound result.”
Medical debt is a major problem for states that failed to implement the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and have a high percentage of uninsured residents. In a study he conducted for the collections industry, Nigrinis found that the loss of predictive information on credit reports would result in more lending to unqualified borrowers, higher litigation costs to collect debts, and lost income for medical providers due to nonpayment of services.
“The debt collection industry is very competitive and they pass costs on to consumers,” he said. “Presumably, debt collection rates would go up and so would costs of financing and denials of financing.”
Needleman added that the CFPB “is deciding which debts that a consumer should pay — and that’s not their role.”
You try to set goals and stay on top of your finances. But sometimes life gets in the way and throws you off your game. You forget to pay a bill or accidentally overdraw your checking account — then kick yourself for getting hit with hefty fees.
Without an organized system in place, it’s easy to lose track of what’s coming in and going out every month. People with cluttered finances are more likely to miss payments, continue poor spending habits, and save less. Disorderly bills and budgets are not only stressful but can actually help drive you deeper into debt.
Organizing your money takes a little up-front time and effort but comes with a big payoff: It can help you live within your means, pay bills on time, reach your financial goals, and build wealth over the long term. Keeping track and organizing your finances also gives you a better sense of control over your financial life.
And, it’s not that hard to do, especially if you break the process down into small, manageable steps. What follows are eight effective ways to keep your finances organized and in check.
Whether you’re aiming to save for a big purchase, build an emergency fund, or invest for the future, a structured approach to managing your finances can make a significant difference. The following steps can help you stay on top of your financial life and save you money in the long run.
Having a few clear, realistic financial goals is essential for staying organized. Knowing what you want to accomplish in the next months and years can guide your financial decisions. You can break down goals — like paying down debt, going on vacation, or putting a downpayment on a home — into smaller tasks and set deadlines to track your progress. This strategy can help motivate you to stay focused and disciplined with your finances. For example, brown bagging lunch might not feel like a pain if you have your sights set on a winter getaway to Mexico.
One of the fundamental pillars of financial organization is creating a budget. Having a basic plan for spending and saving can lead to more financial freedom and a life with a lot less stress. Start by assessing how much, on average, is coming in and going out of your checking account each month. If you find that your monthly outflows tend to equal — or exceed — your monthly inflows, you’ll need to rejigger your spending.
There are all different ways to budget — the best approach is simply the one you’ll stick to. One simple framework is the 50/30/20 budget, in which you divide your monthly take-home income into three categories, spending 50% on needs, 30% on wants, and 20% on savings and extra debt payments. Once you have a budget in place, it’s a good idea to periodically check in and make sure you’re sticking to the plan.
There are a number of personal finance apps that are free to use on your phone and make it easy to organize your money. Basic budgeting apps, like Goodbudget, EveryDollar, and PocketGuard, allow you to connect with your financial accounts (including bank accounts, credit cards, and investment accounts), track spending, and categorize expenses so you can see where your money is going. Regularly reviewing your expenses will help you determine if you’re sticking to your budget plan, as well as identify any unnecessary costs and areas where you can cut back.
Automate Bill Payments
One way to make sure you always pay your bills on time is to automate the process. You can do this by setting up automatic payments for recurring bills, such as rent or mortgage, utilities, insurance premiums, and loan repayments. Simply log into each account and authorize the provider to debit your checking account or charge your credit card each month. Alternatively, you can use your bank’s online bill pay service. Just be sure to keep track of the payments you have automated, so you know when to stop them or update credit cards.
5. Put Saving on Autopilot
If you wait until after you pay your bills and do all your spending to move money into savings, you may not have anything left to transfer. Why not pay yourself first? Also known as automating your savings, this organizational step ensures you are always working towards your goals.
Simply set up an automatic transfer for a set amount of money from checking into a savings account each time you get paid. It’s fine to start small — since the transfer happens every month, even small deposits can grow to a significant sum over time. If you want to earn a competitive rate and pay the lowest fees on your savings, consider storing this money in an online savings account. Thanks to reduced overhead, online banks are typically able to offer more favorable returns than national brick-and-mortar banks.
💡 Quick Tip: Want a simple way to save more everyday? When you turn on Roundups, all of your debit card purchases are automatically rounded up to the next dollar and deposited into your online savings account.
6. Manage Mail as Soon as It Arrives
Despite living in a digital world, many important bills and documents likely still arrive in your regular mail. This might include stock statements, property tax bills, homeowners’ insurance bills, and medical bills. As a result, you’ll need a system for managing paper bills and statements. Generally, the most efficient way to deal with mail is to organize it as it comes in. You might create three “in” boxes or files labeled: “to pay,” “to file,” and “requires action.” Set a day and time each month to go through these boxes to make sure nothing gets ignored.
7. Organize Your Online Accounts
You likely have a number of online accounts — including bank and brokerage accounts, service provider accounts, and shopping accounts — each with a unique (a.k.a, hard-to-remember) password. It’s a good idea to make a list of all of your online accounts, including usernames and passwords, and keep it in a notebook stored in a safe place. Even better: Consider using a password manager tool, such as Dashlane, 1Password, or Apple’s built-in Keychain. These tools will start saving the passwords you use to log into your accounts and will automatically insert them into log-in forms. Typically, they will also generate hard-to-guess options when you sign up for new sites (no more “123456”).
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8. Make a Plan to Manage Debt
If you typically pay just the minimum on your high-interest debt, like credit cards, you are likely spending a lot on interest, while never getting ahead on your debt. Coming up with a system to knock down — and eventually eliminate — high-interest consumer debt can help you save money and make it easier to reach your financial goals.
To get a better handle on your debt, you may want to make a list of all your high-interest debts, including amounts owed and interest rate. Then focus your efforts on erasing one debt at a time while still making the minimum payment on all other debts. Where to start? You can use the debt snowball method and start with the smallest balance first, or use the debt avalanche method and pay down the highest interest debt first.
The Takeaway
If it feels like your money is all over the place and you’re living paycheck to paycheck without a plan, don’t get discouraged. You can get your financial act together one step at time.
By implementing some basic systems — like setting goals, creating a budget, automating payments and saving, and using an app that tracks your spending —- you can gain control over your finances and pave the way for a more secure financial future. Remember, financial organization is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort, but the rewards of financial stability and peace of mind are well worth it.
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Better banking is here with up to 4.60% APY on SoFi Checking and Savings.
FAQ
How do I organize my personal household finances?
You can organize your personal finances by setting up a budget and putting some simple systems in place. You might, for example, put all of your regular bills on autopay so you don’t accidentally miss a payment and get hit with late fees. It’s also a good idea to automate savings by setting up a recurring monthly transfer from your checking account into your savings account right after you get paid.
For statements and bills that still come by regular mail, consider setting up an organization station with three in-boxes: “to pay,”“to file,” and “requires action.” Set a day and time each month to go through these boxes to make sure nothing gets ignored.
How do I organize my monthly bills?
Start by making a master list of all of your regular bills, including the provider, billing amount, and due date. To simplify payment (and avoid late payments and fees), consider setting up autopay for each bill. If you prefer to handle payments yourself, set aside a day and time each month that’s dedicated to bill paying. A structured schedule will help you meet all of your deadlines. An alternate approach is to pay each bill as soon as it comes in, then file it away.
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SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until you have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Direct Deposit.
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A Senate subcommittee is subpoenaing Live Nation/Ticketmaster for documentation it says the company has failed to produce. The subpoena arrived on Tuesday after months of investigations into disastrous incidents that sent ticket prices soaring for Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen and other concerts.
In other words, don’t mess with Swifties, the BeyHive or Bruce tramps.
Key context
Live Nation Entertainment dominates event ticketing and promotion. The company was formed by the 2010 merger of Live Nation (an event promoter) and Ticketmaster (a ticketing company). In a letter to the Department of Justice, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) cited data that found 60% of the event ticketing market is controlled by Live Nation, including 80 of the top 100 arenas in the country.
In November 2022, tickets for Taylor Swift’s long-awaited Eras tour went on a multitiered presale. Ticketmaster prematurely outsold its inventory, effectively canceling its public sale. At the same time, resellers who snagged tickets posted them for tens of thousands of dollars. The debacle induced angry Swifties to file a class-action lawsuit accusing Ticketmaster of a multitude of offenses, including fraud, misrepresentation and antitrust violations.
In the subcommittee letter, Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Edward Markety (D-Mass.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) wrote, “Because of Live Nation’s market dominance, artists, venues, and consumers simply have no choice but to use the platform notwithstanding its flaws and failures. The Swift presale is the latest and highest profile illustration of the monopolistic harms, but the harm was not even limited to her events.”
Swift wasn’t the first high-profile ticketing disaster. In August 2022, Bruce Springsteen tickets climbed as high as $5,000 for U.S. shows due to Ticketmaster’s “dynamic pricing” policy, which prices tickets in real time depending on demand.
In February, Ticketmaster took a different approach to sales for Beyonce’s highly anticipated Renaissance Tour. It used the Verified Fan program, which requires registration and a lottery system. Its intent is to sift out resellers. But ticket prices still surged, including more than a hundred dollars for “listening only” tickets.
Live Nation Entertainment is under congressional investigation. Back in January, the Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings specifically on the Swift incident. By February, it recommended that the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division investigate Live Nation Entertainment over monopoly concerns. Months of inquiry followed without results sufficient for the PSI. Hence the subpoena.
What the Senate subcommittee is arguing
Blumenthal, who chairs the PSI, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “Live Nation has egregiously stonewalled my Subcommittee’s inquiry into its abusive consumer practices—making the subpoena necessary.”
Blumenthal added, “American consumers deserve fair ticket prices, without hidden fees or predatory charges. And the American public deserves to know how Ticketmaster’s unfair practices may be enabled by its misuse of monopoly power.”
How Ticketmaster is responding
Live Nation Entertainment released a statement on Tuesday saying it expected the subpoena but has cooperated with the investigation, claiming it has produced documents in every question raised by the subcommittee.
However, Live Nation Entertainment says some of the information requested “is highly sensitive client information about artists, venues and others” that Live Nation works with, such as tour revenue data.
The company claims it also told the subcommittee that it would produce documentation with confidentiality protections, which the subcommittee has denied.
The statement said, “Our limit in this process—that the Subcommittee Chair has chosen to call stonewalling—is simply that we value our artist relationships and the interests of other stakeholders we work with too much to betray their trust by turning over their information without adequate protections.”
What this means
The investigation into Live Nation Entertainment’s business practices is moving forward. The subcommittee once again urged the DOJ to “vigorously investigate” competition in the event ticketing market.
According to the subcommittee letter to the DOJ, if the investigation shows that Live Nation did in fact abuse its position as the dominant player in the market, it urges the DOJ to consider breaking up the Live Nation/Ticketmaster company.
The subcommittee wrote in the letter that breaking up the company “may be the only way to truly protect consumers, artists, and venue operators and to restore competition in the ticketing market.”
What to look out for next
A subpoena requires Live Nation Entertainment to provide documents requested by the Senate subcommittee.
Meanwhile the Biden Administration has had its eye on junk fees for more than a year. The White House has called on Congress to take action to prohibit excessive ticketing fees.
On June 15, a group of event ticketing and travel companies — including Live Nation/Ticketmaster — pledged to commit to “all-in” pricing. That means consumers will see total costs up front, including fees, rather than getting a surprise at checkout.
Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images via Getty Images
Do you want to become a bookkeeper and earn money from home? If so, you may be interested in learning about the most popular bookkeeping course out there – Bookkeeper Launch. In this Bookkeeper Launch Review, I will help you learn everything that you can about this course so that you can decide if you…
Do you want to become a bookkeeper and earn money from home? If so, you may be interested in learning about the most popular bookkeeping course out there – Bookkeeper Launch.
In this Bookkeeper Launch Review, I will help you learn everything that you can about this course so that you can decide if you should take it or not.
Bookkeeper Launch is a popular course that teaches people how to do bookkeeping and start their own virtual bookkeeping businesses. It’s made for people with various levels of experience (even if you’re a beginner!) and covers what you need to start a successful bookkeeping business.
In this article, we’ll explore what Bookkeeper Launch teaches, how it’s organized, and what people who have purchased it think, to help you decide if it’s a good use of your time and money.
Please click here if you want to sign up for Bookkeeper Launch.
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This free training will teach you what you need to know to become a virtual bookkeeper and make money from home.
Key Takeaways
Bookkeeping jobs are great because you can learn the skills you need from the comfort of your home, and then you can also work the job at home while creating your own schedule.
Bookkeeper Launch is a complete program that teaches bookkeeping skills and guides students in starting their own businesses.
The course is around 60 hours long and over 10,000 people have taken this course!
The course teaches a lot, starting from the basics of accounting to ways to get clients through marketing.
You do not need to have previous experience in accounting or bookkeeping to get started.
There is a free workshop that helps you get started with becoming an online bookkeeper.
The cost for Bookkeeper Launch is $249 a month for 12 months, or $2,499 up front.
Bookkeeper Launch Review
What is a bookkeeper?
A bookkeeper is a person who keeps track of money-related activities for businesses and individuals. They make sure that all the financial records are correct, current, and well-organized. If you become a bookkeeper, you’ll do things like putting in numbers, making sure bank records match, and creating financial reports.
Bookkeeping tasks may include:
Recording financial transactions
Categorizing and organizing financial information, such as filing receipts
Producing financial statements
Bank statement reconciliation
Creating financial reports
Processing invoices
Cash flow management
Running payroll
People with virtual bookkeeping jobs work remotely from home, and they do not physically need to go into the office. Bookkeeping is a great option for remote work because all of a bookkeeper’s work can be done online or with computer software.
If you are a freelance bookkeeper, you may have several clients or just one. It simply depends on what type of bookkeeping business you want to run.
Recommended reading: How To Become a Bookkeeper and Make $40,000 Per Year
How much do virtual bookkeepers make?
The amount that a virtual bookkeeper can make will vary.
This is because it depends on how many hours you put toward it each week (do you want to work part-time or full-time, for example), what you’re doing to grow your business, and more.
As an online bookkeeper, you may be able to earn around $40,000 or more each year. This is around 12 to 16 clients each month. Per-hour pay may range anywhere from $60 to $100 an hour.
It’s not uncommon for a bookkeeper to make approximately $300 a month for one client, and that’s working around 4 to 5 hours a month total.
Recommended reading: Online Bookkeeping Jobs: Learn How To Get Started Today
What is Bookkeeper Launch?
Bookkeeper Launch (formally called Bookkeeper Business Launch) is an online course that teaches you how to begin and grow your own bookkeeping business.
It’s sold by Bookkeepers.com and created by Ben Robinson, who has more than 15 years of experience as a Certified Public Accountant, and he used to own a CPA firm until he sold it.
The course covers important areas like basic bookkeeping, starting your business, ways to promote it, and finding customers. When you join Bookkeeper Launch, you’ll learn what you need to start a virtual bookkeeping business and work from your home or any place you like.
Who is Bookkeeper Launch for?
Bookkeeper Launch was created for people who want to either start their own bookkeeping business or improve their current bookkeeping skills. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or already have some experience, the course has useful tools and direction tailored to what you require.
It’s a good fit for people who want a flexible work schedule, like dealing with numbers, and are careful about details. If you’re prepared to establish a thriving bookkeeping business, Bookkeeper Launch could be just the right choice for you.
This course is made for people who are thinking about changing their careers and for those who are already experienced. It helps you learn all the details of bookkeeping and also how to start and expand your own business.
What’s in Bookkeeper Launch?
Below I will be talking about what is in the Bookkeeper Launch course.
What’s included in the Bookkeeper Launch course?
The Bookkeeper Launch course teaches you everything you need to know to start a 100% virtual bookkeeping business from scratch.
There is a lot included in this course from lessons, practice exams, checklists, and more.
Bookkeeper Launch is made up of 3 main categories plus the “Power Units,” each focusing on the 3 key areas of learning about bookkeeping.
Category #1 – 21st Century Bookkeeping Skills is all about becoming a high-quality bookkeeper. You will learn exactly what a bookkeeper does, all about the most important financial statements that you will be creating (Balance Sheets, Income Statements, Statements of Cash Flow), how to create financial reports, and more. You will even learn how to clean up a business owner’s books and organize the worst financial mess.
Category #2 – Clients is where you’ll get your first handful of clients to get your business off the ground. This module is all about how to get clients and find bookkeeping jobs. You’ll learn how to find clients, how to price your services, how to send proposals, and more. There’s even a lesson on “How to Yakkity-Yak” which is how to promote your bookkeeping services without being spammy or annoying.
Category #3 – Business Systems is where you’ll develop the systems you’ll need to succeed (and run your business day-to-day). This module will teach you how to be as efficient as possible with your bookkeeping services so that you can get things done quickly but also correctly. You will learn how to set up and manage your business, how to save money with your business, how to save time running your business, and more.
Power Units are for when you’re ready to grow your business. They will teach you how to follow up with possible new clients, how to get referrals, and more. There is a helpful email template that you can use as well as a follow-up system for email outreach.
You also get to use the Bookkeeper Launch Resource Libraries. This includes guides, templates, worksheets, and more so that you can start a successful bookkeeping business.
When you’ve finished the course and the exams, you will receive the Bookkeeper Launch Certificate of Completion as well as a badge to show on your website or social media accounts.
Bookkeeper Launch also provides a 7-day plan to launch your business. This is a step-by-step plan to get your business started in just one week. You will learn how to set up your business legally, how to onboard a client, and more.
You can see the full syllabus here.
Support and community
A great thing about the Bookkeeper Launch program is that it has strong support and a community. You can get lots of help and tips from experienced bookkeepers in online groups and live sessions when you purchase the course.
There is a support group community for everyone who has taken this course that is hosted on Facebook. There are over 8,000 people in this private group! You can ask questions whenever you like, and learn tips from others in the group.
Once you join the course, you can get help whenever you need it from their team. There is unlimited email support which is great for whenever you have questions. There are also 2 weekly live question-and-answer sessions that they host in their group.
They even have a “Legal Lunch” in their group so that you can get help from a lawyer. Each month, Bookkeeper Launch invites a lawyer into their group consultation call. You can ask any questions on the live call about setting up your business.
How much does Bookkeeper Launch cost?
The Bookkeeper Launch course teaches you everything you need to know to be a successful bookkeeper. It’s split into different sections that cover important topics. There is Bookkeeper Launch Pro, Bookkeeper Launch Premier, and Bookkeeper Launch Team.
You can sign up by making one payment or by paying monthly, which makes it affordable for different budgets.
Free training: They also have free training that you can take. If you are interested in finding online bookkeeping jobs, I recommend signing up for this free workshop that’s all about finding a virtual bookkeeping job. Here, you will learn how to start a freelance bookkeeping business. You can sign up for free here.
Below, I will be talking about each of the Bookkeeper Launch options:
Bookkeeper Launch Pro
With this option, you get the full course (the Bookkeeper Launch System) and access to the private Facebook group of virtual bookkeepers as well as resource library access.
You get the bookkeeping course plus bonus materials such as Hacks & Facts and Profit Maximizers. This comes with unlimited access and updates.
Bookkeeper Launch Pro costs $249 monthly for 12 months, or $2,499 up front.
Bookkeeper Launch Premier
This is your fastest path to becoming a bookkeeper, and you get access to everything in Bookkeeper Launch Pro plus more. You get the full course and the private community plus weekly group coaching to guide you through building your business.
This level comes with 8 group coaching sessions, unlimited open mic sessions, accountability, and more.
Bookkeeper Launch Premier costs $299 monthly for 12 months, or $2,999 up front.
Bookkeeper Launch Team
With Bookkeeper Launch Team, you get everything in Bookkeeper Launch Pro and Bookkeeper Launch Premier, as well as:
The Marketing Machine
Outstanding Processes & People (OPP)
Exclusive “Elite” Community of Bookkeeping Entrepreneurs
Licensed access for 2 of your team members to the 21st Century Bookkeeping Skills section of Bookkeeper Launch (these are called Knowledge Licenses)
Bookkeeper Launch Team costs $4,999 up front.
Bookkeeper Launch refund policy
This course has a 30-day money-back guarantee. So, if you are not 100% happy with the course, you can get a refund.
Pros and cons of Bookkeeper Launch
As someone who is considering the Bookkeeper Launch course, it’s important to think about the pros and cons before making your decision. Below is a list of some key things to consider in order to help you make the best choice.
Pros:
Good income potential – Many Bookkeeper Launch graduates have reported earning $50,000 or more per year as bookkeeping professionals.
Quality content – According to reviews, the course has comprehensive, easy-to-understand lessons that set you up for success as a bookkeeper.
Expert guidance – Ben Robinson, a Certified Public Accountant with over 20 years of experience, teaches the course. His credibility in the field contributes to the course’s value.
Strong track record – Thousands of people have gone through the Bookkeeper Launch program and started successful bookkeeping businesses, attracting high-paying clients in the process.
Cons:
Price – One of the main drawbacks is the cost of the course. Some potential students may find it difficult to justify the expense, especially if they are just starting out in the bookkeeping profession and may have financial constraints.
Time – The course takes around 90 days to complete, as it teaches you everything that you need to know.
Bookkeeper Launch reviews and ratings
No review is complete without looking for feedback from actual course students. The Bookkeeper Launch course has received many positive reviews from numerous students.
People who finished the course really liked what they learned and how supportive it was. A lot of them have started their own bookkeeping businesses, which shows that the course really works. These good reviews make the Bookkeeper Launch course seem even more trustworthy and show that it’s a great start for a bookkeeping career.
You can read Bookkeeper Launch success stories here.
Bookkeeper Launch course review BBB
Bookkeeper Launch has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. With over 40 reviews, they have managed to maintain an average of 5 stars. This high ranking from the BBB shows that the course has a good reputation and provides excellent value to its students.
Bookkeeper Launch course review Reddit
I browsed Reddit for firsthand reviews of the course and found many positive reviews for Bookkeeper Launch.
One review I found said:
“I highly recommend BL over the DIY/free method. I was a bit skeptical at first, but purchasing BBL (as it was called back then) was one of the best decisions I’ve made. You will learn about much more than just the bookkeeping, and will forever have access to a HUGE network of bookkeeping professionals.” – BookToTheFutureLLC
Frequently Asked Questions About Bookkeeper Launch Course
Below are answers to common questions about the Bookkeeper Launch course.
Is it hard to become a virtual bookkeeper?
Becoming a virtual bookkeeper may seem hard at first, but with the right training and resources, you can develop the skills and knowledge to succeed. It’s important to be dedicated, focused, and open to learning new things as you go through your training.
Does Bookkeeper Launch teach bookkeeping?
Yes, Bookkeeper Launch is a course designed to teach you everything you need to know about bookkeeping, along with marketing and business-building strategies to help you launch your own virtual bookkeeping business.
How effective is the Bookkeeper Launch course?
Bookkeeper Launch has a proven track record, with thousands of people who have successfully started their own bookkeeping businesses and attracted high-paying clients. The course holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has received numerous positive reviews from its students.
What is the cost of the Bookkeeper Launch?
Bookkeeper Launch Pro costs $249 monthly for 12 months, or $2,499 up front.
Are there any prerequisites for this course? Do I need to be an accountant beforehand?
No, this course is great for beginners with no prior knowledge of bookkeeping. It starts with basic concepts and gradually progresses to harder topics.
Who is the founder of Bookkeeper Launch?
Bookkeeper Launch was founded by Ben Robinson, a former Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who has dedicated himself to helping aspiring bookkeepers start successful businesses.
Is there a certification provided upon completion?
There is not a certification, but you do get a certificate. When you’ve finished the course and the exams, you will receive the Bookkeeper Launch Certificate of Completion as well as a badge to show on your website or social media accounts.
Is Bookkeeper Launch accredited?
Bookkeeper Launch is not accredited by any educational institution. However, it has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and over 10,000 students have taken the course.
Is Bookkeeper Launch self-paced? How long is the Bookkeeper Launch program?
Yes, Bookkeeper Launch is a self-paced, online course, which means you can go through the lessons and complete the training at your own pace. This flexibility makes it a great option if you have other commitments or are looking for a course that fits your schedule.
Is Bookkeeper Launch free?
Bookkeeper Launch is not free. But, they do have a free training workshop that you can sign up for. Their free workshop is all about how to find a virtual bookkeeping job. Here, you will learn how to start a freelance bookkeeping business. You can sign up for free here.
Are there any discounts or promo codes available?
Discounts and promo codes for Bookkeeper Launch may be available from time to time. It’s best to check the Bookkeeper Launch website or sign up for their newsletter to receive updates on any current promotions or discounts. If you sign up for their free workshop, you’ll be informed of any sales. Also, there is a 30% military discount for active duty or retired service members as well as their spouses.
Is Bookkeeper Launch legitimate and worth it?
If you want to be a successful independent bookkeeper, turning what you know into a real business can be scary. It’s not always easy to figure out how to make it work. That’s why this course for beginning bookkeepers can really help.
A good bookkeeper course covers more than just the basics. It also teaches important things that are sometimes forgotten but really important for starting a bookkeeping business. This includes how to get clients and handle money.
Bookkeeper Launch Review
I hope you enjoyed this Bookkeeper Launch Review.
Bookkeeper Launch is a great course to take if you are looking to start a virtual bookkeeping business. Over 12,000 people have taken this course, and there are many, many positive reviews for it.
Bookkeeper Launch teaches you how to start your own online bookkeeping business right from the very beginning, even with no experience.
This course will teach you how to learn real bookkeeping skills (such as how to prepare financial statements and other tasks you may be doing for businesses as a bookkeeper) and actually find clients so that you can make money and work from home.
The course is self-paced too, which means that you can take the course as quickly or as slowly as you would like.
I have heard great reviews about this bookkeeping course from many of my readers, and I know of many people who have found bookkeeping jobs because of what they have learned through this training.
Do you want to become an online bookkeeper? What did you think of the Bookkeeper Launch course?
Yesterday I saw a television ad from Wachovia touting their “Fixed Rate Pick-a-Payment Mortgage” as a sensible choice for homeowners.
It struck me as a bit odd and out of place for the Charlotte, NC-based bank to showcase a hybrid option-arm loan program on national television with all the negative press swirling over the last year and change, especially given the fact that our nation is in the midst of a major mortgage crisis.
However, it didn’t seem to stop them from running these commercials claiming the option arm can lower monthly mortgage payments and free up cash so homeowners can put their money to good use elsewhere, like socking away funds for retirement.
I took a look at the fine print on their website and discovered that this option arm is just as toxic as the ones being pitched years ago by Countrywide and other lenders when home prices were actually appreciating.
The loan program has the standard four payment options, with 1-yr, 3-yr, or 5-yr fixed options, and of course a minimum payment option which allows for negative amortization up to 125% of the original loan amount.
Although they do throw in this disclaimer in the small print: “Choosing the minimum payment will increase your mortgage balance and the aggregate amount you are required to pay over the mortgage term. You should compare the advantage of using your home’s equity for other purposes against the disadvantage of the increase to your mortgage balance.”
It’s hard to consider these loans “fixed mortgages” considering they’re really just adjustable-rate mortgages with a short fixed-rate period; perhaps hybrid would be more fitting.
But more upsetting is the fact that shortly after Wachovia acquired Golden West Financial/World Savings, the unit was sued for deceptive practices tied to these very loans.
And no more than six months later, the mortgage lender is back to pushing these loans above all other options, when most banks and lenders in the industry have focused on offering traditional 30-year fixed-rate mortgages to steer away from the risk and the negative connotation.
Now I’m sure the down payment requirement is a lot greater than it used to be, and you may need more assets and possibly income verification.
But this just proves how fickle and unrelenting the mortgage industry is, and why we will fall right back into the same mess if lenders and homeowners don’t face reality.
Yes, you can rent an apartment without a credit history.
There are a few major challenges in finding no credit check apartments. Weak credit history can not only make it harder for property managers to take you seriously, but it can also make it more difficult for you in a competitive rental market. While no credit check apartments do exist, it’s best to not limit yourself, even if you know an uphill battle with property managers may ensue.
“Credit history plays a major role in securing many of the things you need for everyday life from lines of credit, utilities and even an apartment,” said Nova Credit.
It’s such a regular part of everyday life that it doesn’t take long to begin establishing it. However, if you’re ready to rent before you’ve got a credit history, there’s a way.
How to rent an apartment with no credit
Property managers prefer you to have a credit history for more than just your credit score.
According to Self, “The two primary factors landlords look at are your past payment history and your current debt load.” This means they want confirmation you pay your bills on time and that you have enough money to afford the rent each month.
While not having a credit history makes it harder to prove you’re a worthwhile tenant to have, it’s not impossible. Know going into the rental process that you aren’t the first person trying to rent an apartment with no credit.
Consider these strategies to help convince a property manager you’re a good tenant, even without the history to prove it.
1. Don’t hide the truth
Property managers are typically not big on surprises, so you don’t want to catch them off guard. If you know, when you fill out a rental application, that your credit history is going to trigger some cautionary flags, get out in front of it.
Have a conversation with the property manager before they pull your credit report letting them know what they’ll find. Explain the circumstances leading up to these blips, or lack of credit history, and avoid any surprises.
2. Enlist a co-signer
The No. 1 best way to land a great apartment without a credit history is to find yourself a really responsible co-signer. This is someone with great credit like a parent, older sibling, a close friend or other family members. Even if you do have some credit, property managers like to see co-signers for young renters because it gives them a safety net. If, for any reason, you can’t pay your rent, your co-signer becomes liable.
Keep in mind that this legal responsibility could seriously hurt your co-signer’s credit if you fail to stay current on your payments. Failure to pay entitles your property manager to file a lawsuit or even try to evict you.
Make sure you’re not taking the support of your co-signer for granted. Have a plan in place should you need to rely on their help so they know you’ll pay them back, and show your appreciation for the favor they’re doing for you, making it possible to rent an apartment with no credit.
3. Find a roommate
Moving in with a roommate can help take the pressure off your credit history much like a co-signer can — as long as they have a good credit history themselves. If your combined income, and one person’s credit history, meet your property manager’s rental requirements, there’s a good chance you’ll get the apartment.
Again, when relying on the credit history of another, it’s important to take the situation seriously. If you don’t hold up your end of the rental agreement, their credit rating could get a major ding, not to mention it will mess with your friendship.
To protect you and your roommate, consider writing a thorough roommate agreement before moving in together.
4. Show financial proof
Having a steady income and solid finances are one way you can demonstrate to a property manager you’re fit to rent that doesn’t involve enlisting another person for help. Even without a history of whether or not you pay your bills on time, with a firm financial foundation, you can assuage any fears.
If you don’t have a credit history, the next best way to show you’re able to afford the rent each month is with proof of income. This is especially important for no-credit-check apartments.
Generally, property managers want your income about three times more than the monthly rent. To prove your income, bring at least three month’s worth of pay stubs. They not only show your regular income but also that you have a steady job.
Add to this documentation your last month’s bank statement and information on any assets you may own. This all counts as money you can use to pay rent. The more you have in savings, the better a property manager will feel about not being able to review credit history.
5. Make an offer they can’t refuse
There are two ways you can appeal to a property manager without having to prove you’re the perfect tenant. By playing to their weaknesses, you can make a big first impression.
Weakness #1: An unrented property is an expensive property. Even when an apartment is vacant, it’s still costing a property manager money. Especially if the unit isn’t in high demand, the longer it sits empty, the more it’s going to cost them in mortgage payments, utilities and property taxes. Offer to move in immediately and stop your property manager from having to cover all these expenses out of pocket.
Weakness #2: Money equals security. If a property manager is hesitant about letting you sign the lease, offer to pay more upfront. Whether it’s a larger security deposit or an extra month’s rent, making this gesture without anyone asking shows you’re serious about the apartment. It also shows you’re responsible and have thought this through.
Using either of these strategies may work best when figuring out how to rent an apartment with no credit. You may make such a great impression that credit history doesn’t even come up.
6. Promote yourself
Often, when applicants have a credit history, they’ll attach a letter explaining any questionable parts. Property managers always appreciate the clarification.
If there’s an understandable or legitimate reason you don’t have a credit history, it can’t hurt to explain it to them either. Especially if the reasons are out of your control, don’t keep them to yourself.
Reiterate what you might have mentioned as you filled out your rental application with a formal write-up. Toss in a few reasons why you’d make a great tenant as well. Promote yourself when you already have their attention.
On the same note, don’t feel uncomfortable asking for others to promote you, as well. Collect a few written references from employers, professors or teachers or even your family. These endorsements are a great way for property managers to get a feel for your dependability.
7. Inquire about a short-term lease
Though it’s pretty standard, a 12-month lease is a major commitment for both the tenant and the property manager. For this reason, trust is a big factor when it comes to tenant selection, and trust is harder to establish without a credit history. As an alternative, try to negotiate for a short-term lease.
If that doesn’t seem of interest to the property manager, ask about going month-to-month. This enables them to end the lease after just one month if they’re not comfortable having you as a tenant. It also demonstrates your confidence in yourself as a renter, agreeing to such a risky arrangement.
Both of these options allow you to prove you’re responsible while taking the stress off the property manager to give you a full-year lease. If all goes well, they can extend the lease, or change the terms, after you’ve proven you can handle it, just make sure you pay your rent on time or early.
8. Search for no credit check apartments
The alternative to worrying about your credit history, and how to prove you’re a good tenant is to bypass the need for a credit check altogether. Independent or private property owners are often more flexible with applicants who don’t have a credit history. These are individuals managing their own properties rather than going through a management company or condominium association.
The best way to find no credit check apartments is to look at specific listings. Is the contact an actual name or a company? You want to get to a person.
You can also look for listings outside the normal apartment finder websites. Those renting by owner might look to social media first to find a tenant rather than listing elsewhere.
When in doubt, word of mouth can make a great way to find a listing. Ask friends and family if they know of anything coming up where the owner might not worry too much about a lack of credit history. You could then use that person as a referral to help get in good.
How to improve your credit score
Even as you search listings and figure out a strategy for how to rent an apartment with no credit, you can actively work toward increasing your credit score. If you don’t already have a credit card, apply for one. Start simple by asking your bank about opening a credit card with a low limit. This is a great way to build credit without risking a lot of debt.
You also want to make sure you only apply for credit cards as needed. This is not a ‘more the merrier’ scenario, since unnecessary credit can do more harm than good.
At the same time, don’t close any credit cards you’ve already opened. Even if you’re not using them anymore, as long as they aren’t costing you anything in annual fees and you still only have a few different cards, keep them open.
If your credit history isn’t great because of a large amount of debt, consider consolidating it with a debt consolidation loan. Even though this is another loan, you use it to pay off all your existing debt. This means the individual payments you make to cover your car, student loans and more are all merged into one payment, which can help.
If your debt centers around high credit card balances, you can consolidate those too with a balance transfer. That way you’re only paying off one card each month rather than a bunch.
Once you’ve secured your apartment, make sure to pay all your bills on time. This includes utility bills, your cell phone bill and even your credit card bills. If you have any loans, paying those on time counts too. Believe it or not, all this helps boost your credit score and establishes a positive credit history.
Taking any or all of these steps can help improve your credit score, making it easier to rent down the road as well as make major purchases in the future.
Keep the future in mind with no credit check apartments
For those embarking on an apartment search for the first time, or if you simply don’t have the best credit history, the process can feel stressful. Even though it’s possible to figure out how to rent an apartment with no credit, be ready to put in some work. Make sure you have the right documentation available and the right support if necessary.
No credit isn’t the end of the world when it comes to renting, but it’s something to avoid dealing with more than once. For that reason, once you’re in your first apartment, start thinking about how to improve your credit score for the next time around.
Mortgage rates finally caught a break last week after steadily rising throughout much of 2023.
The 30-year fixed fell about a half a percentage point in the matter of a week as softer economic data eased inflation concerns.
At the same time, the Fed left its key policy rate unchanged and signaled it could be done raising rates.
Now, investors are hoping the next policy move is a rate cut, as data is expected to continue to cool into 2024.
Taken together, that could mean a return to more palatable mortgage rates in 2024.
Lower Mortgage Rates Before the Presidential Election?
The president and CEO of the nation’s top mortgage lender, United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), is bullish on mortgage rates next year.
During his monthly 3Points video, former college basketball player Mat Ishbia said he expects mortgage rates to drop before the election.
The election in question is the 2024 Presidential Election, which takes place on Tuesday November 5th, 2024.
“And I think it might even happen sooner like March, April, May,” he said in the video.
But how much lower will rates fall? Well, that’s another story, as a return to 3% mortgage rates likely isn’t in the cards.
Same goes for 4% rates, and maybe even 5% rates. However, that doesn’t mean smaller improvements can’t be impactful for the struggling mortgage industry.
“We’re talking about dropping to 5 and a half, 6, even 6 and a half,” he added. “And it’ll be a massive refi opportunity.”
It’s possible we’ll see a return of rate and term refinances if mortgage rates drop enough relative to the rates obtained by home buyers over the past year and change.
Assuming some of these borrowers took out high-7 or even 8% mortgage rates, there might be a case to be made if rates return to the low 6%s or high 5%s.
Generally, you want at least a 1% reduction in mortgage rate, though there isn’t a hard and fast refinance rule of thumb.
Lower Mortgage Rates Will Also Unlock Existing Housing Inventory
Ishbia also noted that beyond the refinance opportunity, there will be more inventory next year as interest rates fall.
“But beyond that, even more purchases, more inventory will open up.”
This speaks to the mortgage rate lock-in effect that has stifled the existing home market.
In short, homeowners with 3% mortgage rates have their hands tied, as moving to a new home at current prices with a 7 or 8% rate just doesn’t pencil.
But if rates come down to more reasonable levels, some of these homeowners will be financially able to sell and move, or will simply be OK with taking on a higher payment.
Rates aside, he believes home purchase lending volume will increase, referencing a recent Fannie Mae forecast.
Fannie expects 2024 home purchase loan origination volume to increase 10% to $1.44 trillion.
Meanwhile, they believe mortgage refinance volume will rebound to $456 million, nearly double the dismal $250 million anticipated for this year.
The refinance share is also expected to rise from around 16% this year to 24% next year.
There Is No Mortgage Rate Rescue Plan Coming…
Lastly, he dispelled the idea that some sort of mortgage rate rescue plan was going to materialize.
“That’s not going to happen.” We think the market is what the market is and that we’re going to see things happen as we’ve expected.”
About a month ago, industry groups including NAR and the Community Home Lenders of America lobbied Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell.
They pointed out that mortgage rate spreads relative to the 10-year treasury yield had doubled in recent months.
Typically about 170 basis points, they have exceeded 300 bps for a while now, putting even more pressure on mortgage rates.
In a letter, the groups proposed a plan to allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, on a temporary basis, to purchase their own mortgage-backed securities (MBS).
And/or purchase Ginnie Mae MBS (those backing FHA and VA loans) for a defined period of time.
Additionally, they called on the Federal Reserve to maintain its stable of MBS and suspend runoff until spreads normalized.
It seemed to fall flat as it would completely contradict recent action by the Fed to tackle inflation, which arguably was caused by an overly accommodative rate environment.
In a nutshell, the ultra-low mortgage rates were how we got into this mess to begin with, so lowering them again may actually do more harm than good.
Sure, there’s a happy medium in between 8% mortgage rates an 3% mortgage rates, and the hope is we’ll get back there in the next year or two.
But if rates come down too quickly, or fall too low, you’ve got the bidding wars again, unhealthy demand, and so on. That’s not good for anybody long-term.
A new study released today by the Mortgage Bankers Association argues that despite home buying sentiment being relatively normal, negativity among home sellers is holding back sales.
Of course, it’s not necessarily their fault. Many current homeowners bought at unsustainable prices, and are thus somewhat trapped in their homes.
The study, titled “The Great Recession and Attitudes Toward Homebuying,” noted that nearly 80 percent of American households believe now is a good time to buy, but with sellers not on board, it’s extremely difficult to make deals work.
Researchers pointed to a few issues. For one, home sellers haven’t adjusted their price expectations enough to meet those of buyers.
This could be because sellers believe prices should be based on past market values, such as what they paid or what homes sold for in the recent past.
But as we all know, sales prices a few years ago now look outrageous, and just can’t be reproduced in the current real estate market.
Home Sellers’ Lack of Equity Makes Pricing Difficult
Along with that, sellers are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to adjusting their sales price because of home equity issues.
Put simply, many sellers can’t lower the sales price because they don’t have the equity, or worse yet, are underwater on the mortgage.
As a result, they’d have to bring money to the table at closing, which clearly no homeowner wants to do.
There’s also straight up hope. Many homeowners who have held on for “this long” are probably banking on home price appreciation to get them out of the mess they’re currently in.
Regardless of how bad things are, I would guess that most homeowners expect to come out of the crisis with positive home equity. So selling now wouldn’t make a lot of sense if you think things are as bad as they’ll be and can only get better.
Of course, one could also argue that dumping your current underwater property and buying a more appropriately priced home would be a better move. But with mortgage financing being so tricky at the moment, that’s a difficult endeavor to be sure.
Negativity to Hurt Home Sales for Next Five Quarters
The study points to negative home selling sentiment over the next five quarters, meaning home sales should remain sluggish over that period, despite relatively low home prices and rock-bottom mortgage rates.
This explains why distressed sales, such as bank-owned properties and short sales, continue to dominate home sales.
When it comes down it, nobody really wants to sell right now unless they’re absolutely forced to.
These types of sales are also hurting the appraised values of non-distressed properties, according to the latest HousingPulse survey released today by Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance.
In short, distressed comparable sales are forcing appraisers to value non-distressed properties below their contract selling prices, which means the sales fall through. Then they sell for less to opportunistic cash buyers, pushing home prices even lower.
So it’s a nasty downward spiral, which is further exacerbating the already fragile market and pushing back a possible recovery.
In summary, if you’re looking to buy a home, you should now have a better idea as to why everything looks overpriced and unattractive.