Money Management

Students who can’t afford airfare this holiday season might be in luck. Here’s how to snag a $25 round-trip ticket before Dec. 7. 

No one expects students to be able to afford airfare during the holidays, much less their parents who might be paying some of that out-of-state tuition from their own savings account.

But, starting on Dec. 5, a generous partnership between Amazon and StudentUniverse will give a limited number of Prime Student members a chance to book one round-trip or one-way domestic flight for as low as $25, offering a savings of $500. You read that right — for as cheap as a laptop sleeve, Amazon and StudentUniverse are offering students an affordable way to go home for the holidays.

To get the deal, you have to be a Prime Student member ($69 per year) and beat out your fellow students in claiming the offer first. Only 1,000 students per day can claim a promotional flight, and it’s offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The maximum number of students have already claimed their flights for Dec. 5. But if you’re just seeing this now, you still have time to prepare for Dec. 6 and 7.

How to get your $25 round-trip or one-way flight

The next promotion will begin at 12 a.m. PT (3 a.m. EST) on Dec. 6. After that, the last one will start at the same time on Dec. 7.

To get started, sign in to your Student Prime account and activate the StudentUniverse offer. If you’re not a Student Prime member, you can get a free six-month trial to take part in the promotion.

Once you activate the offer, search for departing flights with a departure date between Dec. 8 and Dec. 25 and a return date between Dec. 8 and Jan. 14. If your departure or return date is outside this time frame, you won’t see promotional flights.

Hurry up and choose a flight with suitable times, then pay with your student credit card or debit card.

The promotion is good for a discount rate up to $500. If your holiday flight is more than that, you’ll have to pay the difference. You can book airfare for anywhere within the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The promotional price also includes taxes and surcharges, but it doesn’t include added amenities like baggage fees.

The odds of you scoring this hot travel deal are pretty low. If we assume there are as many students enrolled in college this fall semester as there were in 2021, then you could be up against 19 million students. To increase your chances, go ahead and search flights now to get an idea of what’s out there. Pick two or three (just in case) with times that are suitable to you. That way, when it comes time to get the promotion, you don’t have to waste time perusing what’s available.

What happens if I don’t get the promotion?

After the promotion ends, StudentUniverse will let you take $25 off your flight with a promotional code. It’s not as lucrative as getting $500 off, but it’s better than nothing.

That said, as of Dec. 5, you still have plenty of time to get either the Dec. 6 or Dec. 7 promotion. You (or your parents) could also pair this with a travel credit card, helping you earn some points on top of the promotion. All in all, this is a unique opportunity, so set your alarm — or take a break during your all-nighter — and have your credit card number memorized to snag the deal.

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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.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Thinking of joining Costco? You might as well reap some savings in the process. Read on to see how. 

There’s a reason so many people love Costco. The warehouse club giant is famous for offering great deals on everything from groceries to apparel to household essentials. And when you go to Costco, you can also score big savings on gas for your car.

Right now, a basic Costco membership costs $60 a year. And one thing you should know about Costco is that the company rarely offers discounted memberships. The logic is that the warehouse club giant isn’t hurting for members, so it doesn’t feel compelled to offer much in the way of promotions to get people to join. Plus, Costco uses the fees it collects from members to offset its costs and offer great prices.

But occasionally, you might come across a deal that allows you to save money on a Costco membership. And right now, there’s a fantastic promotion you can snag that will effectively allow you to join Costco for a year for only $20.

A deal worth capitalizing on

It may be that you’ve been thinking about joining Costco but aren’t sure if you’ll shop there often enough — or save enough — to make the $60 membership fee worth it. Well, joining Costco just became a bit less of a personal finance risk.

That’s because right now, if you sign up for a membership through PC World Shop, you can snag a $40 Costco Shop Card (the store’s equivalent of a gift card) with the purchase of a basic membership. So that effectively means your membership will cost only $20 for your first year.

This allows you to see how often you end up using that membership, and how much savings it gives you, at a much lower price. From there, you can decide if it’s something worth keeping for the long haul.

Act quickly for this great offer

There are a few important details you should know about this fantastic offer. First, it’s only available to new Costco members, not current ones — sorry. It’s okay if you’re a former Costco member, but your membership needs to have been expired for more than 18 months for you to qualify.

You can also buy up to two memberships using this deal, so if you’d like to gift one to someone special for the holidays, that works. However, your membership must be redeemed by Jan. 27, 2024 to qualify for this promotion. Once you redeem your membership, you can expect to receive a Costco Shop Card by email within two weeks.

A good time to join

People who shop at Costco on a regular basis will often say that their membership fees are well worth paying. But it still makes sense to spend less on a membership if that option exists.

That said, one thing you should know is that Costco is committed to customer satisfaction. So even if you buy a regular-priced membership without a promotion and you find that you’re not getting good use out of it, you can cancel and receive a prorated refund to your credit card at any time.

However, if you’re eligible for this promotion, then you might as well get $40 in spending cash at Costco in conjunction with your new membership. All that does is make an already low-risk purchase even less risky.

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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.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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It’s important to be able to cover sudden financial expenses. Read on for tips on building some cash reserves. 

You just never know when an unexpected bill might land in your lap. It could be your vehicle’s transmission or your home’s heating system. Heck, it could even be both issues at the same time.

That’s why it’s so important to have a fully loaded emergency fund. If you make a point to have money in your savings account, you’ll be less likely to land in immediate debt the next time an unplanned bill arises.

A recent Employee Benefit Research Institute survey found that a good 70% of respondents said they felt very or somewhat prepared to handle an unexpected $500 expense. But only 42% could say the same about an unexpected $5,000 expense.

That’s a problem, because while having $500 in the bank is certainly better than having no savings at all, the reality is that sum may not go very far in the context of a home or vehicle repair. It also might fall short in covering a larger medical bill.

And what if you become unemployed? A $500 emergency fund might cover a week or so of bills, if that. But if you’re out of work for several months, you might still end up with a pile of credit card debt due to having to charge your expenses rather than pay them out of savings.

That’s why it’s important to work toward a larger emergency fund if you’re someone who’s not prepared to cover a $5,000 unplanned expense. You might easily need a sum like that to tackle a major issue.

A $5,000 balance may not even be enough

Socking away $5,000 in the bank is certainly better than only saving closer to $500. But let’s be clear. Your ideal emergency fund should have enough cash to cover three full months of essential living expenses. So if you spend $2,500 a month, for example, then a $5,000 emergency fund leaves you short.

That’s something to be aware of as you work toward the $5,000 mark. It’s definitely a strong place to be, but you may want to still save beyond that point, depending on your personal expenses and needs.

Building up your savings

Growing your savings is not an easy thing. But one tactic that might help a lot is taking on a second job.

Will you be giving up free time? Yes, and that’s not easy either.

But you may also only have so many expenses you can cut. And while cutting back on spending is an effective way to build more savings over time, the process may be quite slow if all you’re able to do is bank an extra $50 a month here or $75 there as a result of canceling a streaming service or ordering takeout a bit less often. If you want to make more rapid progress on your emergency savings, then a second job is probably the way to go.

The good news is that the gig economy is loaded with flexible options. So try to find a job that’s both lucrative and not too boring or unpleasant.

You may, for example, find that driving for a ride-sharing service is a good fit for you because you can set your own hours and do work that’s not so mentally taxing. And you might enjoy getting to meet different people in your city.

Having some money in the bank is certainly better than having none. But if you don’t feel prepared to handle a $5,000 emergency, try your best to get there. And if $5,000 isn’t what it takes to pay for three months of essential bills, do your best to continue saving even after you’ve hit that mark.

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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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I used to think QVC wasn’t for me. Read on to see why I’ve changed my tune. 

Years ago, when my college roommate and I would find ourselves struggling to fall asleep, we’d sometimes watch TV as a way to pass the time. And in the absence of stellar content after midnight, we’d commonly turn on QVC simply to have something to watch.

Fast forward to real adulthood, and I’ll admit that for many years, shopping on QVC wasn’t something I really considered doing. To me, QVC was about unique but ultimately useless products you bought in a sleep-deprived stupor at 3 a.m. when your brain was barely working well enough to call in with the right credit card number.

But a few years back, a friend of mine mentioned that she’d found some great holiday gifts on QVC and encouraged me to check out the website. I was intrigued. And lo and behold, I managed to find a few items that interested me — and eventually made a couple of purchases.

Now I won’t pretend that I shop on QVC as much as I do on Amazon. But here are a few good reasons to give QVC a try.

1. You can find products you won’t find elsewhere

One of the first items I ever purchased on QVC was Landies chocolate-covered pretzels. Landies is a candy maker based out of Buffalo, New York, and while you can now buy products directly from its site, years back, that wasn’t an option. Rather, you needed a site like QVC to facilitate that purchase.

Of course, you may be someone who doesn’t need jumbo chocolate-covered pretzels in your life. The point, however, is that QVC carries a wide range of products you won’t find anywhere else. So if you’re looking for a super unique holiday gift, for example, QVC is a good place to start.

One thing you should know is that you won’t necessarily find lower prices on QVC than on another site. But sometimes, there can be opportunities to save money if an item you want is marked down. If you’re willing to track prices, you can score your share of discounts. However, to be clear, QVC is not a discount retailer per se.

2. You can see live demos of the products you’re buying

QVC’s website is loaded with live product demos so you can see exactly how a given item works. This isn’t necessarily a must when you’re buying something like chocolate-covered pretzels; the instructions there are basically open box, cram pretzels into mouth, try not to eat all 24 at once, and you’re done.

But let’s say you’re interested in a specific floor mop or cleaning gadget. Seeing a demonstration of how it works could help you determine whether it’s a good buy or whether it’s too complicated to bring home.

3. You can commonly pay for your purchases in installments

When you shop at QVC, you generally get the option to pay for your purchases in one fell swoop or in installments, kind of like a “buy now, pay later” plan. That could come in handy if you can generally afford your purchases, but want the leeway to spread out your payments over time.

That said, don’t use QVC’s pay-over-time feature as an excuse to buy items you really can’t afford. Let’s say you’re buying something that costs $100, and you’re able to pay in four separate $25 installments. You may prefer to do that rather than take $100 out of your savings account in one fell swoop. But do make sure you have that $100 in the bank before committing to a purchase like that.

QVC shopping is something I once assumed I’d never try. But I now find myself browsing the site here and there to see what’s available, and you may want to do the same. Just do yourself a favor and be careful with those Landies pretzels — unless you don’t mind scarfing down a few thousand calories in a single sitting.

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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.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Maurie Backman has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Your local dollar store could make some elements of Christmas a lot less expensive this year. Read on to learn more. 

Christmas will be here before you know it. And if you’ve yet to finish your holiday shopping, worry not — you’re not the only one.

Meanwhile, if you’re growing more stressed by the day over your ever-increasing credit card balance, you’re not alone there, either. Data from TransUnion finds that 51% of Americans plan to spend over $500 on holiday shopping this season. And if you don’t have much in the way of a savings account balance to tap, even $500 might be a stretch.

The good news is that there’s an easy step you can take to lower your costs this holiday season: Shop at your local dollar store. Here are a few Christmas items worth picking up.

1. Gift bags and wrap

Buying gifts is expensive enough in its own right, but then there’s the cost of packaging them up to look nice and festive. That’s why it pays to turn to your local dollar store for gift wrap. Rather than pay somewhere in the ballpark of $5 per roll of wrapping paper at a store like Target, you can spend as little as $1 (or, in some cases, $1.25) on a roll at the dollar store. You can also find supplies like tissue paper and bows for roughly $1.

And if you’re someone who doesn’t have the time or patience to wrap gifts, load up on gift bags at your dollar store. This may not be as cost-effective as wrapping paper, but you’re better off spending $1 to $1.25 per gift bag at the dollar store than spending several dollars per bag at your local big-box or grocery store.

2. Stocking stuffers

Stocking stuffers can be a cute addition to the big-ticket items you’re getting your kids. Chances are, your local dollar store is loaded with items that can go into those stockings.

If you have younger kids, look at items like markers, small puzzles, and coloring books. If your kids are older, buy things like journals, pens, and toiletry products. You can even throw in a pack of batteries from the dollar store if you’re buying your kids electronics whose batteries might run out fairly quickly. Just be advised that dollar store–brand batteries are not known for having much staying power.

3. Holiday candy

Whether you’re putting candy into your kids’ stockings or are giving it out as a pre-Christmas or Christmas Eve treat, you might as well see what your local dollar store has in stock. You might find everything from candy canes to chocolate Santas.

The one issue you might run into with buying food at the dollar store is getting products with a near-term expiration date. But chances are, your kids are going to devour their holiday candy as soon as they get it, so that shouldn’t be an issue.

Christmas can be a very expensive holiday to celebrate. If money is tight, it pays to head to your local dollar store and see which items you can scoop up. And even if money isn’t particularly tight, why spend more than you have to if there’s a dollar store nearby that can help you check off some of your Christmas purchases at an ultra-low price point?

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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.Maurie Backman has positions in Target. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Target. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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When you work for yourself, it’s important to know which expenses you’re eligible to claim. Read on to learn more. 

There are certain benefits to being a salaried employee. You generally get access to subsidized health insurance, paid time off, and a retirement plan that often comes with an employer match.

As a self-employed freelance writer, I don’t get those perks. I happen to have access to health insurance through my husband’s employer, but I certainly don’t get paid time off.

If I want to carve out time to travel with my family, I have to work extra in the weeks leading up to a trip to compensate. And while I can fund an IRA or solo 401(k) for retirement savings purposes, I don’t get any sort of employer match, since I don’t have an employer.

But one benefit of being self-employed is that I’m able to deduct certain expenses on my tax return. Here are four that I claim.

1. Internet service

Internet service is essential to my job. So claiming it on my taxes is an easy call. Not only can I claim home internet service, but I’m also allowed to claim fees I incur for internet service outside the home. So if, for example, I’m staying at a hotel that somehow doesn’t offer free internet, if I need to pay for it so I can stay in touch with clients, that’s an allowable expense.

2. Accounting fees

I’m a firm believer that anyone who’s self-employed should have an accountant. The fees mine charges count as a deductible expense because I have to file taxes and have my accounts managed. Paying someone else to do this also ensures my finances are managed properly.

3. Financial publications

As someone who writes about personal finance and investing money, there are certain publications I subscribe to that serve as sources for my work. These are considered deductible expenses because I’m not just reading them for fun. I’m using them to help create content that I’m paid for.

4. Business equipment

I don’t need a ton of fancy equipment to do my job. But I do need a working laptop, keyboard, and monitor. These are all deductible expenses for me. But to be clear, it’s not as if I’m buying a new laptop every four months. And that’s something the IRS might question. However, if I replace my laptop once every three years, that’s certainly reasonable.

What all of these expenses have in common

All of the expenses above make it possible for me to do my job and manage my self-employment income. If you’re self-employed in any capacity, whether on a full-time or part-time basis, it pays to make a list of your business expenses and talk to an accountant about deducting them on your taxes. And you may be surprised at what you’re allowed to claim.

Let’s say you perform in a band on weekends for extra money on top of your regular job. If you need to buy makeup and hair products to look presentable for those gigs, those may be eligible expenses. The same might hold true for the clothing you perform in.

To be clear, I am not a tax professional, and this should not be taken to mean that you can definitely deduct such expenses if you moonlight as a musician. This is an example, and you’ll need to consult an accountant for guidance on your specific situation. The point, however, is to be aware that keeping good track of your business expenses could result in a pretty nice tax break at the end of the year.

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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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