Money Management

You can pay three to four times more to fly business class than economy. Keep reading to learn which airlines are likely to cost less than others. [[{“value”:”

If flying economy is like staying in a Motel 6, flying in business class is like checking into a Hyatt. It’s not quite the Four Seasons (that would be first class), but it certainly has more perks than your average motel. However, you’ll easily pay three to four times more to fly business class than you would for an economy seat. And if you’re going to pay more, we say you should get more.

According to experts, though, our list omits some of the finest airlines in the world, and we do recognize that fact. This article is intended to share the top five airlines offering business class flights at a price that won’t leave you with a huge credit card bill.

No. 1: Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines may not be the first airline you think of if you’re planning an international trip, but you should probably add it to your list. The airline is known for offering great deals — and Hawaiian hospitality — on business class flights to Asia and the South Pacific.

It’s possible to find bargain prices on business class tickets year-round, but particularly during the off-season.

What you can expect to find onboard:

Plenty of legroom and a seat with an ottoman/footrestSeat that transforms to fully lie-flat bedMattress cover, comforter, and soft pillowStorage compartmentsAmenities like earplugs, earphones, eye mask, toothbrush/toothpaste, lotion, lip balm, tissues, comb, hydrating mist, sunscreen, and penTwo USB ports and an AC power outletEntertainment tablet that slips seamlessly into an arm that extends from the console in front of youEntertainment options, including movies, TV shows, and gamesDrinks, including alcoholic beveragesGourmet meals

No. 2: Turkish Airlines

If you’re a world traveler who would rather visit non-touristy spots, the off-season is the time to visit Istanbul. It’s then you can snag a round-trip flight from the U.S. to Turkey for as little as $1,500. Once in Istanbul, you can fly to nearly any European city in under four hours.

Turkish Airlines sweetens the pot by offering an optional stopover in Istanbul that allows you to extend your stay in a 5-star hotel at a bargain price. That way, if you want to see what Istanbul offers before jetting off to another exotic locale, it won’t cost much.

What you can expect to find onboard a long-haul flight:

Spacious leg room areaLie-flat seatsSeat massagersFlying chefs preparing made-to-order mealsComplimentary wifiNoise-canceling headphones

No. 3: Aeromexico

You may already be familiar with Aeromexico, especially if you routinely fly between the U.S. and Mexico. However, did you know that the airline offers some of the best business class fare on trips between the U.S. and other Latin American countries? For example, it’s possible to pay less than $700 for a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to São Paulo, Brazil.

When looking for a business-class ticket on Aeromexico, you’ll want to search for “Clase Premier.”

Here’s what you can expect to find onboard:

Lie-flat seatsBlanket and pillowNoise-canceling headphonesLarge, bright entertainment systemMovies and television showsFull drink service, including alcoholic beveragesGourmet mealsPersonal power outletExtraordinary service

No. 4: Aer Lingus

For many, the top selling point for flying business class is access to much more leg room, better food options, and lie-flat seats. Round-trip flights on Aer Lingus between Europe and the East Coast will run you around $1,500, and you can expect to pay a few hundred more for round-trip flights between Europe and the West Coast.

Here’s what you can expect to find onboard:

Fully lie-flat seatsSeats with a massage optionBlanket and pillowUniversal plug socket and USB-A charge outletWater bottle holder and reading lightStorage spaceFully retractable tableAmenities kit, including items like flight socks, eye mask, ear plugs, toothbrush/toothpaste, mints, lip balm, and hand cream16-inch HD touchscreen screenMovies, TV series, interactive games, music, and audio library of podcast and world music

No. 5: TAP Portugal

You may not have the most luxurious experience flying TAP Portugal, but travel writers claim it’s still quite nice. Besides, flights between Europe and the U.S. start at under $700. TAP is one of the few airlines that doesn’t charge a premium for return-only flights. That means if you decide to backpack through Europe but aren’t quite sure when you’ll return, your favorite travel credit card won’t get dinged with extra charges when you book a flight home.

What you can expect to find onboard a long-haul flight:

Fully lie-flat seatMattress cover, blanket, and soft pillowCubbies for storageAmenities like facial moisturizer, eye mask, toothbrush/toothpaste, argyle socks, pen water bottles, noise-canceling headphonesIn-seat entertainment with large 15″ screenEntertainment options, including movies, TV shows, and travel programsDrink service available with meals

If you don’t immediately find the fare you’re hoping for on one of these airlines, stick with it. While the best deals may not pop up for every flight, each of these carriers is known for offering some of the best rates around. The opportunity to fly business class is sure to be worth the effort.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Dana George has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Hyatt Hotels. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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A recent FICO report shows that the national average FICO® Score dropped within a few short months. Keep reading to learn the inside story. [[{“value”:”

In the U.S., your credit matters. If you have poor credit or a low credit score, it can be harder to qualify for some financial products and even impact your ability to get a job or find housing opportunities. It’s wise to make an effort to maintain a good score.

Unfortunately, the average nationwide FICO® Score has dropped. Find out what factors are causing the average credit score to decrease so you can take steps to raise your score.

The average FICO® Score is less than it was in July 2023

A credit score is the number lenders use to determine someone’s creditworthiness. FICO® Score is a credit score brand. In 1989, the Fair Isaac Corporation created the FICO® Score, which continues to be the most popular credit-scoring method that creditors use.

According to a recent report from the FICO, which analyzed October 2023 scoring data, the national average FICO® Score is 717. This is one point lower than the average score of 718 in July 2023.

While not a notable difference, this is the first time the average score has dropped in a decade. Previously, average scores remained steady or increased. According to prior data, the national average score decreased in October 2013 from the previous average of 691 to 690.

It’s worth noting that a 717 FICO® Score isn’t bad. A person with this score is considered to have good credit, but there’s room for improvement. Based on the FICO scoring system, consumers with scores ranging from 740 to 799 have very good credit. Meanwhile, consumers with scores ranging from 800 to 850 have exceptional credit.

Why did FICO® Scores drop?

Let’s take a closer look at what factors have influenced this. Here are two reasons why consumers had lower FICO® Scores in the fall of 2023 compared to the spring of 2023.

Consumers are missing more payments

FICO data shows that consumers have more missed payments on their credit reports. October 2023 data illustrates that over 18% of consumers had a 30-day or worse past-due payment on one or more credit accounts within the last year.

That’s a 4% increase compared to April 2023. Missed credit card payments have increased and are higher than their pre-pandemic levels. Your payment history makes up 35% of your FICO® Score, so staying on top of your bill payments is necessary to maintain a good score.

You should pay off your entire credit card statement balance to avoid expensive credit card interest charges. If you can’t do this, pay at least the minimum payment amount by the due date to avoid late fees and negative marks on your credit report.

Americans have more outstanding debt

Another reason the average score is lower is because Americans have more outstanding debt. Your credit utilization ratio is a percentage of the available credit that you use. This factor makes up 30% of your FICO® Score.

FICO data shows that as of October 2023, the average consumer’s credit utilization was 35%. In April 2023, it was slightly lower, at 34%. Experts recommend keeping this number below 30% for best results. If you use credit cards, ensure you use only a portion of your available credit. Otherwise, your credit score may suffer.

Don’t ignore your credit score

While the national average credit score isn’t something you need to monitor, you should stay up to date on your credit situation. Knowing what your credit report looks like and where your credit score stands will give you the knowledge needed to make informed financial choices.

Visit AnnualCreditReport.com to view your credit report from each of the three credit bureaus for free. Reviewing each credit report at least once a year is an excellent way to stay informed. Your free credit report won’t list your credit score. However, some banks and credit card issuers offer free credit score services built into their mobile apps to give consumers an estimate of their score.

Check to see if your credit card issuer provides a service like this. For additional financial guidance, check out our free personal finance resources.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Higher interest rates benefit savers. Check out these three high-yield savings opportunities to maximize your earnings in 2024. [[{“value”:”

Higher interest rates aren’t great if you need to borrow money, but they present a golden opportunity for savers. When interest rates rise, you can earn more by keeping your money parked with a financial institution or the federal government. If you’re looking to boost your savings in 2024, here are three opportunities to earn a high yield on your savings. The best part is, all of these options are extraordinarily safe places to stash money.

High-yield savings accounts

A high-yield savings account is an excellent choice for keeping your emergency fund, as well as saving for short-term financial goals, like an upcoming vacation. You can find plenty of options that don’t charge fees or have minimum deposit requirements, and it’s incredibly easy to transfer funds between your checking and savings accounts.

The national average yield for savings accounts is just 0.46%, but our picks for the top high-yield savings accounts all pay well above 4% as of this writing — and some are even north of 5%. If you saved $10,000 in a savings account with a 5% annual percentage yield (APY), you’d have $10,500 at the end of one year. But thanks to compound interest, after five years, you’d have $12,762, even if you never deposited another dime.

Keep in mind, though, that high-yield savings account APYs can change at any time. Make sure you look at other factors, such as whether you’ll pay fees and if customers are generally satisfied with the institution, instead of choosing an account based solely on APY.

Deposits of up to $250,000 per institution per depositor are covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), which means that even in the unlikely event that your bank goes belly up, the federal government will make sure you get your money back.

Certificates of deposit (CDs)

A certificate of deposit (CD) is similar to a savings account, but you agree to keep your money at a bank or credit union for a certain period of time, often anywhere from one month to five years. Typically, you get the highest yields the longer the term, but things are a bit weird right now. According to the FDIC, 12-month CDs are actually yielding more than those with longer terms.

Why would that be? Financial institutions are likely betting that interest rates will eventually drop. So they don’t want to commit to paying higher interest rates for, say, three years or five years if they think rates will drop in the interim.

Some of the best CD rates we’re seeing are over 5% for a 12-month CD. The advantage of putting your savings in a CD instead of a savings account with a similar yield is that the institution agrees to pay you that rate for the entire CD term, whereas savings account rates can change at any time. But since you’ll pay a penalty on early CD withdrawals, a CD isn’t a good place for your emergency fund or any other money you may need to access right away. As with high-yield savings accounts, CDs are FDIC insured.

Treasury bills

U.S. Treasury bills, which represent a loan to the federal government, are widely considered the safest investment on the planet since they’re backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Treasury bills, or T-bills, are short-term Treasury securities that are issued in increments ranging from four to 52 weeks in daily auctions.

Technically, they don’t make interest payments. Instead, the yield comes from the fact that they’re sold at a discount. For example, if you bought a $1,000 T-bill issued at 3% interest, you’d only pay $970. Then, you’d get $1,000 back when the bill matures.

At the daily Treasury auction on Feb. 16, T-bills were yielding above 5%. Keep in mind, though, that the quoted yield is an annual percentage. So if you bought a 13-week T-bill with a yield of 5%, you’d be earning 1.25% since 13 weeks is only one quarter of a year and 5% divided by 4 equals 1.25%.

You can buy T-bills directly through treasurydirect.gov or through your brokerage or bank. There are pros and cons to each. To save on fees and get more flexibility in terms of how much you invest, it’s usually best to buy T-bills directly through the Treasury website. But if you think you may need to cash out T-bills before they mature, it’s generally easier to do so using a brokerage account.

Saving vs. investing: Why both matter

Saving money will boost your financial security, and higher interest rates mean you can earn a healthy amount on your savings. But to build wealth, you generally need to invest money in the stock market. Investing in the stock market carries risk, especially in the short term, but investing in a diversified portfolio of stocks has a superb track record of building wealth over time. For example, investing in the S&P 500 would have never produced a loss over a 20-year period in the index’s history.

The high-yield savings opportunities described above are good options for keeping emergency fund money, as well as short- to medium-term savings. But to build a nest egg, you’ll want to invest in stocks through a tax-advantaged retirement account, like a 401(k) or individual retirement account (IRA).

These savings accounts are FDIC insured and could earn you 11x your bank

Many people are missing out on guaranteed returns as their money languishes in a big bank savings account earning next to no interest. Our picks of the best online savings accounts could earn you 11x the national average savings account rate. Click here to uncover the best-in-class accounts that landed a spot on our short list of the best savings accounts for 2024.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Figuring out how to invest your money can be challenging. Read this expert investing advice for all the information you need. [[{“value”:”

When you haven’t invested much, or at all, it’s normal to feel unsure about how to do it. Investing can seem complicated, which unfortunately causes some people to avoid it entirely.

It helps to have advice from experts with a proven track record of success. Below, you’ll find straightforward advice from the experts that can help you get started and be a successful investor.

Stick to quality investments

We’ll start with a smart rule from investing legend Warren Buffett, that he learned from long-time partner Charlie Munger. Buffett says, “It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.”

The moral is to always look for quality first in an investment. Quality companies stand the test of time and often become the most profitable investments.

This doesn’t mean you need to invest in specific companies. You can look for wonderful companies like Buffett recommends. But you could also look for quality index funds. These invest in the companies that make up a specific market index.

For example, Buffett has also recommended investing in an S&P 500 index fund. This will spread your money across 500 of the largest publicly traded companies. It’s one of the easier ways to invest, and it’s also a reasonably safe option. The S&P 500 has averaged a return of about 10% per year for the last century.

Hold investments for at least five years

This one comes from The Motley Fool Investing Philosophy. Whenever you invest, plan to hold onto that investment for at least five years, through good times and bad.

While the market has consistently grown over long periods, it’s volatile from year to year. There are years when it has increased by 20% or more, and also years when it has decreased by that much. So with short-term investing, you’re rolling the dice.

Long-term investing maximizes your chances of success. There will be market downturns, but don’t let them convince you to stop investing or to sell off your stocks, two common mistakes. Downturns can be an opportunity to buy more of the investments you love at a discount. Selling during market volatility is what you don’t want to do, because you’ll be selling low.

Make it automatic

Ramit Sethi, author of I Will Teach You To Be Rich, believes in making personal finance as simple as possible. That includes investing.

Like many experts, he recommends investing in low-cost index funds. He also recommends that you automate your investments and move on with your life. Decide how much money you want to invest per month — 10% of your income is a good starting point. Then, set up a regular purchase of the investments you like.

You can set up automatic investments with practically any type of investment account, including:

Your 401(k) at work: Choose how much you want to contribute from each paycheck and where you want to invest it.Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) with a stock broker: Choose the amount you want to invest, how often, and the bank account you’ll use to pay for it.Traditional brokerage accounts with a stock broker: Just like with IRAs, choose an amount, how often to invest, and a bank account to fund it.

Use savings accounts and CDs for short-term financial goals

The stock market is one of the best places to invest for long-term financial goals, such as retirement. It’s not the right place for short-term goals. A helpful rule of thumb, courtesy of The Motley Fool’s guide on saving versus investing, is to only invest for goals that are more than five years away.

So, if you’re getting married in a year, you should save for that. The same is true if you plan to buy a house in three years. It isn’t a good idea to invest for these short-term goals, because the market could go through a downturn before you need the money. Instead, use one of the following:

High-yield savings account: A savings account with an above-average APY. Rates on some of the best options are over 5% right now, but they can go up and down over time.Certificate of deposit (CD): A deposit account with a fixed term and interest rate, such as three years with a 5.15% APY. You must keep your money deposited for the full term to avoid an early withdrawal penalty. The advantage with CDs is you can lock in a high interest rate.

Investing well is easier than people realize. You don’t need to spend hours every day looking at price charts. For retirement and other long-term goals, pick quality stocks or index funds, hold onto them for at least five years, and set up automatic investments so you’re continually buying more. For short-term goals, stick to savings accounts or CDs, where your savings will be safe and not at risk of dropping during a market downturn.

Alert: our top-rated cash back card now has 0% intro APR until 2025

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a lengthy 0% intro APR period, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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