Money Management

Sam’s Club offers deals on laptops up to $400 below comparable devices sold elsewhere. Read on to find out what reviewers had to say about these devices. 

With a seemingly unending variety of laptops on the market, narrowing down which one is the best can be difficult. But one good way to weed through them all is to focus on the computers with the best ratings from consumers.

That’s exactly what we’ve done with the list below. These laptops earned favorable ratings on the Sam’s Club website, and we compiled a list of some of the top-rated ones to make your next computer purchase just a little faster.

1. ASUS ZenBook Duo (14-inch) — $899

Sam’s Club has the 14-inch ASUS ZenBook Duo listed on its website with a $400 discount compared to the usual price. A quick check on the ASUS website shows that the same laptop is listed for $1,300. The laptop received a 4.9-star rating on the Sam’s Club website among 15 reviewers.

The laptop boasts a touchscreen display, 8GB of memory, a 512GB hard drive, and an Intel Core i7 processor. One of the defining features of this ZenBook Duo is the secondary touchscreen screen just above the keyboard that extends the main screen, giving you more screen space for apps.

Reviews on the Sam’s Club website highlighted that the additional screen improves multitasking, and that the laptop is light, and comes with fast processing speeds and great battery life. And one reviewer, a financial advisor, uses the computer for work and says it gives the most bang for your buck.

2. Lenovo IdeaPad 5 (15.6-inch) — $699

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is one of the top-rated computers on the Sam’s Club website, with 4.6 stars and nearly 2,000 reviews. This particular model has a large 15.6-inch touchscreen, an Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of storage.

The laptop’s $699 price tag was 16% cheaper than a similar model on Newegg, though the Sam’s Club version had a smaller hard drive. Reviewers loved that the IdeaPad is easy to use, reasonably priced, and has a stylish design. One reviewer also noted that they use this computer as their main work-from-home laptop, and it easily handles the tasks thrown at it.

3. HP Pavilion x360 Convertible (15.6-inch) — $699

This version of the HP Pavilion comes with an impressive 12GB of memory, 512GB of storage, touchscreen display, and is backed by a two-year warranty and accidental damage protection. It also has rave reviews on the Sam’s Club website.

Reviewers made mention of the good size and weight of the computer, its solid performance, and the fact the laptop can be converted into a tablet when needed. One reviewer also noted that it’s a good choice for personal and business use. Reviewers on the Sam’s Club website gave the HP Pavilion x360 an average of 4.6 stars from 128 reviews.

The $699 price is also a good deal compared to a similar model on HP’s website, which had more memory but less storage capacity, and was selling for $970 as of this writing.

4. ASUS L410 UltraThin (14-inch) — $299

If you’re in the market for a budget laptop, the L410 UltraThin may be just what you’re looking for. The computer comes with 4GB of memory, 128 GB of storage, runs on Windows 11, and has up to 10 hours of battery life.

The $299 price tag is on par with a similar model listed on ASUS’ website, though the Sam’s Club model comes with a faster processor. It’s also worth mentioning that this laptop doesn’t have a touchscreen.

The L410 averaged a 4.6-star rating from 72 reviews, with customers mentioning the laptop’s ease of use, its portable size, and several customers said it was a good choice for their kids’ schooling.

5. HP Chromebook x360 (14-inch) — $299

If you want to buy a new laptop but keep a tight rein on your personal finances, this well-reviewed Chromebook may be a good option. The laptop has an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of memory, 64GB of storage, and a 14-inch touchscreen.

A comparable model on HP’s website was listed for $20 cheaper but had half the storage capacity of the Sam’s Club model.

The HP Chromebook x360 had a 4.3-star rating from 91 reviews, with Sam’s Club customers saying they liked the long battery life, and noted it was a good laptop for schoolwork, great for traveling, and offers a lot of value for the price.

Whether you’re about to make a new laptop purchase or saving up to buy one later, it’s always a good idea to shop around. Not only will you be more likely to get what you want, but you’ll also be less likely to overspend on your computer purchase.

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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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Artificial intelligence has many uses. Managing your investments shouldn’t be one of them. Read on to learn why. 

It seems like everyone is talking about artificial intelligence these days — and for good reason. Machine learning software is being used to write books, create art, and even diagnose illnesses. But there are some places the bots definitely don’t belong — including in your brokerage account. Read on to learn more about why your favorite AI shouldn’t be managing your investments.

Incomplete or inaccurate data

Popular artificial intelligence software learns by consuming data. Unfortunately, AI predictions can be derailed by having incomplete or outdated information. As the old saying goes, garbage in equals garbage out.

Investors on Wall Street consider a wide variety of data when making their predictions. Can artificial intelligence recognize the link between the oil market in eastern Europe and the American solar industry? Did the person training the software consider including that information? If you don’t know what your AI investor knows, you might be disappointed by its predictions.

Even with the most comprehensive dataset, an artificial intelligence software could be missing some information. For example, ChatGPT hasn’t been trained on any data newer than 2021. If you were to predict the outcome of a football game, but you didn’t watch the fourth quarter, how sure would you be in your prediction? Would you put money on it?

Qualitative vs. quantitative

Machine learning artificial intelligence is really good at predicting patterns. But when up against the randomness of human interpretation and reaction, it can be difficult for a bot to make successful predictions.

The father of modern economics, John Maynard Keynes, famously said “the market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent.” It isn’t enough to be able to predict quantities like sales numbers or profit margins, you also need to predict how people will react to those quantities. Even a good year could see a company’s stock price fall if numbers miss the consensus. And traders can still bid up the stock price of a company that’s never made a profit because they like the story.

One-dimensional recommendations

No two people are in the exact same financial situation. Yet if two people asked the same AI software the same question, they would receive the same advice. Even if an AI can account for the vast array of factors that affect company performance, and the often irrational response of Wall Street to that information, it likely won’t understand the person asking the question.

Total return sounds like a great goal, but what if you’re nearing retirement and can’t stomach short-term turbulence? What if you live off of dividends? A good investment strategy isn’t one size fits all, but tailored to your unique risk capacity, time horizon, and financial goals. As of yet, artificial intelligence cannot account for the personal side of personal finances, and makes no great replacement for a financial advisor.

Artificial intelligence, powered by machine learning, is an incredibly powerful and ever-evolving tool. However, the predictions of such software are limited to the data they have and their ability to interpret that data correctly. The bots are sorely lacking in their ability to account for human nature. So, for now, it’s best to leave the AI out of trading.

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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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Married couples have a big advantage when it comes to buying property. Read on to learn the differences between married and unmarried homeownership. 

It’s no secret that buying a home is harder than ever these days, thanks to the combination of higher home prices and higher interest rates on mortgage loans in the wake of COVID-19. For example, the median home sale price for the first quarter of 2023 was $436,800, according to the St. Louis Fed, while the average rate for a fixed 30-year mortgage loan is 6.96% as of this writing (per Freddie Mac). Ouch. With market conditions like this, it’s really no surprise that one group has the edge in home buying.

Married couples dominate the housing market

Per the National Association of Realtors earlier this year, married couples made up 61% of Americans who bought a home in 2022, and also reflected 75% of first-time home buyers, as of data reported at the end of last year. For the sake of comparison, unmarried couples were just 10% of buyers overall, and 18% of first-time buyers.

This is clearly a big discrepancy, so what accounts for it? To put it simply: Higher buying power and the higher likelihood of having a long-term financial plan together.

Why do married couples have the edge?

Even if they never fully combine their finances via a joint checking account, a married couple has a definite advantage when it comes to buying a home. For one thing, the household likely has a higher overall income; according to NAR, first-time buyers who were married couples had an average household income of $79,200. Unmarried couples buying for the first time had a lower average income, at $72,500.

You wouldn’t think that a difference of $6,700 would have such a major impact, but it certainly can. That’s extra money to save for a down payment, closing costs, and the other expenses you’ll incur when buying a home. It also represents more money that can be put aside in an emergency fund to handle surprise home repairs (which are a matter of “when,” more than “if,” when you’re a homeowner).

Another part of the advantage for married home buyers is that generally speaking, when people get married, they tend to form a long-term plan together. It’s always a good idea to discuss finances before you get married, and have regular check-ins about money, to ensure you’re both on the same page. And since buying a home is a major financial goal for a lot of people (along with saving for retirement, paying for kids’ education if you’re a parent, and paying for large purchases like vehicles), it stands to reason that married couples go into homeownership with a plan to buy and keep up with housing payments. There are fewer unmarried couples who can make such a major financial commitment together, based on the data.

How can you make buying a home more achievable?

Whether you’re married or not, this housing market presents more challenges for a wannabe buyer. Here’s what you can do to make it easier for yourself:

Save, save, and save some more: You don’t actually need 20% down to buy a home (although you’ll save money over time if you do, both in the form of smaller payments and no private mortgage insurance). The more you can save for a down payment, the better, however.Work on your credit: The usual “bare minimum” FICO® Score to be approved for a conventional mortgage loan is 620, but it’s best to aim higher to get a better interest rate and have your pick of lenders. Improve your FICO® Score by committing to making loan and credit card payments on time, every time, and pay down some existing debt if possible.Shop around: When you’re ready to buy, don’t go with the first mortgage loan pre-approval you receive. Apply with several lenders, and see what offers you can collect. And for that matter, consider different loan types, too.

Don’t be discouraged if you want to own a home but you’re not part of a married couple. Having a spouse may make it easier to buy a home, but it doesn’t mean you have no chance of buying as an unmarried couple or even (gasp) a solo person. It just means you might have to do a bit more legwork to save money and boost your credit score — but when you get the keys to your new home, the hard work will have been worth it.

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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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SNAP recipients and those who qualify for other government assistance programs can get a discounted Walmart+ membership. Find out more about this deal. 

On July 20, Walmart announced the launch of Walmart+ Assist, a discounted Walmart+ membership available to families who receive government assistance. A Walmart+ membership can unlock perks that help families save money on groceries and household essentials. With a discounted subscription fee, this service will now be accessible to more Americans.

Here’s how to get a Walmart+ subscription for 50% off

Through Walmart+ Assist, qualifying government assistance recipients can now get a Walmart+ membership for 50% off. The discounted price to join is $6.47 monthly or $49 annually. You’re eligible for this deal if you are a recipient of SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, SSI, TANF, TTANF, NSLP, or LIHEAP. A 30-day free trial is also available so consumers can test out the service first.

This offer is available to new and existing members; those interested in learning more can visit Walmart.com/Plus/Assist. Members who qualify for this promotion can verify eligibility and receive a prorated refund. Walmart uses the SheerID service to verify eligibility. Users may be asked to submit eligibility documentation for verification purposes.

The benefits of a Walmart+ membership

If you’re new to Walmart+, you may want to learn more about the benefits. Members enjoy free shipping on eligible orders with no order minimum, unlimited free local-store delivery on eligible orders of $35+ (and not just for groceries, either), fuel discounts, and early access to sales events. Subscribers can also make returns from home without packaging their items or printing shipping labels.

But that’s not all. There are other little-known benefits of a Walmart+ membership, including access to Scan & Go checkout to save time while shopping in-store and a complimentary Paramount+ Essential streaming subscription, and select ad-free Pluto TV video content. If these perks seem worthwhile, you might consider becoming a member. But before entering your credit card details, check to see if you qualify for a discounted membership.

Comparing Walmart+ to Prime

Walmart isn’t the only company with discounted memberships available for individuals and families on government assistance. Amazon offers a discounted membership rate to join Prime through its Prime Access program, available to those who qualify for government assistance.

Eligible shoppers can pay the discounted price of $6.99 monthly (instead of $14.99 per month) to become a Prime member. This offer is available to SSI, SNAP, Medicaid, DE, LIHEAP, WIC, and TTANF recipients.

Here’s a breakdown to help you decide which subscription is best for your household’s needs:

Don’t miss this deal

While saving $49 on a yearly membership fee may not feel like a massive deal, every little bit of money saved adds up and makes a difference. You can improve your personal finances by taking advantage of deals like this. In addition to a discounted membership rate, getting early access to deals, discounts on gasoline, complimentary streaming content, and free shipping and grocery delivery can help you keep more money in your checking account.

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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. Natasha Gabrielle has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon.com and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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