Money Management

American football is one of the most popular sports in the U.S. Check out a few ways to root for your team while protecting your wallet. 

I was born into a football-loving family, and I started going to San Francisco 49ers games before I even knew how to chant “DE-FENSE!” My enjoyment of the game has only grown over the years, and it’s rare that you’ll find me on Sundays during the season anywhere other than my couch with a big comfort meal cooking in the kitchen.

But being a football fan can be an expensive prospect, especially these last few years when inflation has driven up the cost of just about everything. With many people’s budgets stretched so thin, it can be hard to find the extra cash to pay for pricey entertainment.

With that in mind, here are a few ways you can get your football fix without emptying your wallet.

1. Go to less-popular games

Brace yourself for this: The average ticket price to an NFL game in 2023 is a monumental $377. When you consider that tickets to the first Super Bowl in 1967 went for $12 apiece (about $106, when adjusted for inflation), you can see just how popular football has become in the U.S. Even the average price of the cheapest tickets to NFL games ranges from $49 to $209.

This is a huge price just to get in the stadium, but if you have your heart set on cheering your team on in person, look for games on the schedule against less exciting opponents. Ticket prices can fluctuate based on how desirable a game is, so try to plan your game day around a visiting team that will allow you to get in the door for less.

2. Look for local watch parties

Going to a game in person may be out of your price range, but maybe you still want to be surrounded by other fans. In that case, search for watch parties at bars or restaurants in your area. Some may be sponsored by the team, but others might just be local establishments that have the game on TV and offer food and drink specials to entice customers.

By cutting out the cost of a ticket to the game, you’ll save potentially hundreds of dollars while still getting to celebrate or commiserate with fellow supporters.

3. Sign up for a streaming service

Maybe you have a lucky spot on the couch you don’t want to abandon during game time. If so, signing up for a service that lets you stream games at home is a good alternative to heading to the stadium or a crowded sports bar.

NFL Sunday Ticket, which allows you to watch any non-primetime game, is available through YouTube starting this season. The lowest price is $449 per year, or $349 if you also have a YouTube TV plan. While that’s certainly a big charge to your credit card, it works out to be about $26 per regular season week for the standalone plan. And you may be able to snag a promotional price when you sign up — I subscribed a few months before the season and got $100 knocked off the price.

NFL+ is another option for watching live local games. The current price starts at $49.99 per year, but promotions are possible here as well. I signed up a couple weeks ago during a 50% off promotion.

4. Invite friends over for a potluck

Whether you pay for a streaming service to watch all of the games (raises hand) or just want to watch your team’s game on the local channels, inviting friends over to watch with you is a great way to share the food costs.

Rather than providing the entire spread yourself, you can ask each guest to contribute something. Maybe you set up the Bloody Mary bar in your kitchen, a friend brings their famous buffalo wings, and your cousin makes a seven-layer dip. Just be sure to coordinate so you don’t end up with a bunch of six-packs and no food.

5. Join a flag football team or set up weekly games with friends

As much as I love watching my 49ers, it’s nice to take a break and throw the ball around myself. If you can’t get enough football, look up a flag football league in your area where you can show off your arm, or gather an informal group once a week for a friendly game at the park.

This can be an affordable, or even free, way to get more football in your life, particularly on those four dark days each week when there’s no NFL on TV.

Football is life!

Yes, yes, I know I stole that line from the other football, but the sentiment still applies. If you’re looking for ways to enjoy your favorite sport without spending down your entire savings account balance, employ these tips to keep your costs down. It’ll make the wins so much sweeter.

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The definitions of the middle class vary, but one thing that’s clear is that the middle class is important to the U.S. economy. Read on to find out how your income stacks up. 

It’s likely that you consider yourself to be middle class. Most Americans believe that they are, even though some would technically fall above or below the middle-class line.

For example, some people making a significant income would be considered middle class where they live, but if they moved to another state, they might not be.

So where do you fall? Let’s take a look at a couple of middle-class definitions to find out, and how you can improve your personal finances if you need to.

How some experts define middle class

The Pew Research Center defines the middle class as anyone who has an annual household income that is two-thirds to double the national median income.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the national median household income was $74,580 last year. So, if your annual household income is between $49,720 to $149,160, then you may be in the middle class. To find out for sure, Pew has a handy calculator you can use to enter your income, state, metropolitan area, and how many people are in your household. It also adjusts for the cost of living in your specific area.

Pew says that 50% of Americans are middle class, down from 61% in 1971.

But it’s worth noting that not everyone chooses this definition of the middle class. For example, the Brookings Institute says there can be three definitions of the middle class based on how much cash someone has, what their credentials are, and even culture. Here are the three middle-class definitions from Brookings:

Cash: This definition may change based on income levels over time, but it’s the general idea that income and wealth define whether a person is in the middle class. Economists likely prefer this set of rules.Credentials: This definition of the middle class is built around educational achievement, qualifications, and a person’s occupational status, according to Brookings. Sociologists may prefer this set of standards.Culture: The middle class in this category is defined by someone’s attitudes, mindset, or self-definition. The Brookings Institute says philosophers and anthropologists may prefer this definition.

There are, of course, overlapping features of each of these definitions. But when you consider all three — and the Pew definition — it’s easy to see why defining the middle class can be tricky.

But there is one thing that most people agree on, even if they can’t agree on a definition of the middle class: The middle class is essential to our economy.

Why the middle class matters

With half of Americans in the middle class, it’s pretty obvious that a healthy middle class would be a good thing for the economy. But here are a few more detailed reasons why a robust middle class matters, according to the Center for American Progress:

It fosters human capital development and a well-educated population.It creates a stable demand for goods and services.It helps create the next generation of entrepreneurs.It supports political and economic institutions.

In short, a strong middle class benefits many core parts of the U.S. economy, education, businesses, and politics.

The middle class can still live paycheck to paycheck

Just because someone is in the middle class, doesn’t mean that their finances are in the best shape. In fact, about 64% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.

If you need extra help boosting your income, here are a few suggestions.

1. Develop a new skill

Research from Gallup, shows that workers who develop a new skill earn an average of $8,000 more per year than those who don’t.

2. Pick up a side hustle

Many people have experience and talents they’ve honed that can be used for side projects. Some lucrative side hustles have been made even easier by incorporating artificial intelligence.

3. Find a way to create passive income

As legendary investor Warren Buffett once said, “If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.” Investing some of your money is one good way to do this, but even renting out a room in your home is a good way to generate passive income.

And if you need some additional help managing your money, you may want to consider trying out one of the top budgeting apps. A budgeting app can help you figure out where your money is going each month and help you set financial goals like saving for a house or building an emergency fund.

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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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Americans’ wages have increased. But not everyone got an equal piece of the pie. Read on to learn more. 

Many people aim to grow their income over time. Sometimes that happens naturally due to cost-of-living raises on the part of employers, and sometimes it happens for other reasons, like upward professional mobility.

During 2018-2021, U.S. families experienced a host of income-related shake-ups — both positive and negative. In the spring of 2020, unemployment reached a record high following the COVID-19 outbreak. In 2021, workers had to grapple with rampant inflation. And in between, there was federal relief in the form of enhanced tax credits and stimulus payments that hit Americans’ bank accounts.

You may or may not therefore find it surprising to learn that average, or mean, family income grew 15% between 2018 and 2021, according to data from the Federal Reserve. But the median U.S. income only grew 3%. And that tells us that gains in income were most enjoyed by higher earners.

A gap in income growth

Median U.S. income rose from $67,900 in 2018 to $70,300 in 2021. By contrast, mean income rose from $123,400 in 2018 to $141,900 in 2021. So all told, the greatest gains in income happened more so for higher earners than low and moderate ones.

But even that 3% rise in median income may be a bit deceiving. The aforementioned data comes from a variety of sources, some of which may have included pandemic-era benefits that households received in 2021 only.

The enhanced Child Tax Credit, for example, resulted in a large uptick in income for moderate and lower earners in 2021. But that credit also expired at the end of 2021. As such, it’s conceivable that once data on 2022 income is released, the result will be an increase of median income from 2018 that’s less than 3% — if there even is an increase in income among low and moderate earners.

It’s also worth noting that the above income growth percentages are adjusted for inflation, which was notably high during the tail end of the period of 2018 to 2021. Without making adjustments for inflation, during those three years, median income grew 20% while mean income increased 33%.

How to boost your income

Low- and moderate-earners trailed behind their higher-earning counterparts during the aforementioned three-year period. If your income hasn’t increased much in recent years, it may be time for some action. After all, a nice boost to your earnings could make it possible to meet your most pressing financial goals, whether it’s buying a home, paying off credit card debt, or setting money aside for retirement.

An uptick in skills could lead to a better-paying job within your field. So if you’re able to take courses on the side, it might pay off. It’s also a good idea to see if your company offers a mentorship program where you can shadow different people and learn from them.

And if your company doesn’t offer such a program, try to create your own. Reach out to people within your professional network for advice. If you know someone who’s in a role you want, ask to sit down with them and understand what it might take for you to land something similar.

Joining the gig economy might also help you boost your income. If you’re able to find a side job that works for your schedule, whether it’s driving for a ride-hailing service a few nights a week or taking a weekend shift serving at a local restaurant, you might enjoy a consistent rise in your income — and buy yourself more freedom to spend money on the things that are important to you.

It’s not all that shocking to see that higher earners got ahead income-wise between 2018 and 2021 more so than those earning less. But if you fall into the latter category, know that you don’t have to settle for virtually stagnant wages — not when we (at least currently) have a thriving labor market and a gig economy that’s booming.

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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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Many people try to work side jobs during the holidays. Read on to see why you should apply sooner rather than later. 

There’s a reason people tend to look at getting side hustles during the tail end of the year. The holidays can be an expensive period. Between gift-giving, decorating, and travel costs, a lot of folks inevitably wind up with debt by Dec. 31, even if they try their best to keep their costs down.

A side hustle, however, could prevent that unwanted scenario. If you pick up a seasonal side hustle, you can use the money to boost your savings account balance so you have cash to tap to cover those hefty credit card bills.

But if you’re hoping to work for a local retailer this holiday season, you’d better get moving. Here’s why.

Seasonal retail jobs could be limited this year

U.S. retailers are only expected to hire 410,000 seasonal workers this year, according to data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas. That might seem like a large number. But it’s actually the lowest number of new seasonal hires since 2008. So if you want to secure a seasonal gig, you may want to get moving now, before all of those open positions fill up.

One place to start is to simply walk around your town’s main street or shopping area, knock on doors, and see who’s hiring (though chances are, small businesses in need of help will have signs in their windows). You could also check your town’s social media page, as that’s a place where some businesses might opt to advertise.

Another option? Put a note on your social media page that you’re looking for seasonal work. Chances are, someone you know is aware of an open position or can at least forward your inquiry along.

What if you can’t find a retail job this holiday season?

Working retail this holiday season might seem appealing. You might enjoy perks like steady hours, a generous wage, and an in-store discount you can use to offset the cost of your holiday shopping.

But if you’re not able to secure a retail job during the holidays, don’t stress. There may be other side gigs you can look into that put cash in your pocket.

For one thing, people tend to travel a fair amount from late November through late December, so it’s a good time to moonlight as a pet-sitter. It can be difficult to bring a pet along on a trip, and people may be willing to pay a premium to have their pets looked after individually instead of boarding them.

You can also sign up for a ride-hailing service like Uber and shuttle passengers around when it works for your schedule. This is an especially good gig to consider if you happen to live close to an airport. An uptick in holiday travel could leave more people needing a ride to their destinations.

Working a retail job during the holidays could do some good for your personal finances. But put in that application ASAP if you want one of these jobs. And be prepared to consider alternatives in case all of the retail jobs in town are already filled.

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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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