Money Management

Travel costs can add up quickly, especially if you need to buy plane tickets. Learn how to find cheaper flights using this popular TikTok hack. 

Planning a getaway can be fun, but preparing for the financial impact of taking a vacation is essential. You may overspend your vacation budget if you’re not careful. Some travelers are taking to TikTok to share a cheap airfare hack that is helping them keep more money in their checking accounts. Here’s what you can do to book more affordable flights.

This TikTok strategy could help you save on flight costs

It’s no secret that airfare can be expensive — regardless of whether you’re traveling domestically or abroad. But you may be able to find cheaper plane tickets by being strategic while looking for flights to book. The key is not to choose a destination. When most people search for available flight options, they often have a set destination in mind.

While it may be possible to get a better deal on airfare by choosing to fly with a different carrier or by adding a layover, it can be challenging to find a deal if you’ve already decided on where you’re going. But if you let the deals decide where you will go on vacation, you may be able to score a low-priced flight, allowing you to allocate more money toward other travel costs.

TikTokers have been sharing the following strategy to find cheap flights on Google Flights:

Go to Google Flights and enter your departing city and preferred travel dates.Leave the arrival destination empty. Click the “Explore” button to search for flights.Google will show you a map with airfare prices listed for destinations around the globe.

Once the search results load, you can zoom in and out of the map to explore airfare prices worldwide. If you want, you can use the included filter options to narrow your results. If you’re not a fan of layovers, you can search for nonstop flights only. If you prefer to fly with a specific airline, you can choose to view flights available with your chosen airline only.

Letting airfare deals decide your next vacation destination can be a win for your personal finances, and it can make your next trip more exciting, thanks to the added thrill. This technique is an excellent fit for anyone who likes exploring new destinations and loves cheap plane tickets.

If you’re using this travel hack to decide on an international destination, don’t forget to review the visa requirements before booking. Some international destinations require travelers to pay a fee to get a tourist visa before visiting, so make sure you consider all potential travel costs.

You can use this flight search hack on other websites

This strategy works similarly on other airfare search websites. Skyscanner is another popular flight search engine that travelers use. You can discover cheap flights by choosing “everywhere” as your destination when searching for flights on the Skyscanner website or mobile app. momondo is another price comparison website you can use to find flights. When searching on momondo, enter “anywhere” as the destination to find the best airfare deals.

I have discovered fantastic flight deals using these airfare search engines. If you’re feeling adventurous and don’t want to overpay for your next flight, you may want to give this strategy a try. Keep in mind this hack works best for flexible travelers who don’t mind visiting new places.

Use a credit card to earn rewards when you book travel

If you enjoy traveling, adding a travel credit card to your wallet may be worthwhile. Many people use credit cards to earn travel rewards. You can earn cash back, points, or miles and redeem your rewards for free or nearly-free travel in the future. Learn more about the benefits of these credit cards by reviewing our list of the best travel rewards credit cards.

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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.Discover Financial Services is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, 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 Alphabet and Visa. The Motley Fool recommends Discover Financial Services. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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You can buy 72 Kellogg’s Eggo Waffles for $13.99 at Costco Business Centers. Find out whether you qualify for exclusive bulk savings. 

Costco Business Centers can feel more exclusive than Costco Executive memberships. There are 24 locations clustered within 12 states, sweetening the in-store shopping experience for only a few lucky locals.

Are you one of them? Check out whether you’ve got a Costco Business Center near you:

Phoenix, ArizonaCommerce, CaliforniaHawthorne, CaliforniaHayward, CaliforniaNorth Hollywood, CaliforniaSacramento, CaliforniaSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Jose, CaliforniaSan Marcos, CaliforniaSouth San Francisco, CaliforniaWestminster, CaliforniaDenver, ColoradoOrlando, FloridaMorrow, GeorgiaHonolulu, HawaiiChicago, IllinoisMinneapolis, MinnesotaHackensack, New JerseyLas Vegas, NevadaDallas, TexasStafford, TexasSalt Lake City, UtahFife, WashingtonLynnwood, Washington

Business Centers offer huge savings to bulk shoppers. But can regular members shop there? And how are they different from regular Costco locations? Read on to find out more.

Regular members can shop at Business Centers

You just need a standard Costco membership to shop. Bring the card, and you’re golden. No, you don’t need to own a business to buy that cheap snack pack you’ve got your eye on.

You can shop in-store or via the Costco Business Center website. Delivery takes just two days to select areas (check your address on the site). Before ordering online, know this: Business Centers only deliver to commercial addresses. So, you can’t order direct delivery to your home.

Or can you?

Technically, you can get Costco products delivered to your doorstep. But you must go through Instacart, the online delivery service (no membership required). Prices will be higher than shopping in-store, but you can still take advantage of bulk discounts.

Costco Business vs. regular Costco

It’s true — Business Centers offer huge savings to regular Costco members. But there are differences between the two warehouses.

More than 70% of Business Delivery products are different from those found at a typical Costco warehouse, according to the Costco website. Think office supplies, quality furniture, and snacks. Lots and lots of snacks, in bulk. You can buy 50 bags of Lay’s Potato Chips for $21.69!

Costco Business Centers cater to businesses, no surprise there. Hotels might actually need packs of five dozen Kirkland eggs for $11.19, or two dozen washcloths for $24.79. Restaurants might appreciate three-gallon beverage dispensers and stainless steel serving spoons.

That said, cheap is cheap. Regular members enjoy the extensive selection of drinks, candy, and chips. You won’t find much (if any) in the way of jewelry or clothing, but you’ll be spoiled with frozen meats and kitchen equipment.

Prices vary. Business warehouse items may be slightly cheaper than identical products at regular Costcos. It’s worth checking out the website for in-store prices.

Save extra on purchases

Online shoppers can save money on checkout by buying in bulk. Costco Business Center charges $25 for orders under $250. If you only plan to purchase one or two items, consider shopping in-store to avoid the hit to your business checking account.

You can save more by buying pallets or truckloads. Business Centers can deliver enough insulated cups and stir sticks to last a year for your office. Not sure what a “growing family” would do with a truckload of Costco soap, but the website says it’s happy to deliver that, too.

In-store customers can save money by checking out with a cash back credit card. The best of these offer up to 5% back on purchases. It’s an easy way to shave $5 off a $100 purchase.

TL;DR: Costco Business Centers offer huge savings to Costco members. Products are different from regular Costcos, and they’re sold in bulk. You don’t need to own a business to shop there, but business owners may benefit most. Happy shopping!

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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.Cole Tretheway 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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What does the real estate market have in store for July? Read on to see what may happen. 

If you’ve been trying to buy a home this year, you may be growing increasingly frustrated by the day. Not only is it an expensive time to sign a mortgage, but it’s a tough time to find the right home due a glaring lack of inventory.

Things might improve slightly during the month of July, but only marginally so. Here are some predictions for July’s real estate market.

1. Mortgage rates will likely remain stuck in the 6% range

As of June 22, the average 30-year mortgage rate was 6.67%, according to Freddie Mac. Mortgage rates have fluctuated within the 6% range since the start of the year, so there’s no reason to expect any major changes come July.

Sure, we might see mortgage rates creep down a bit. Or they might come close to hitting 7%. But all told, it’s unlikely there will be major movement.

The good news there is that buyers really shouldn’t have to worry about a major uptick in borrowing rates. But the bad news is that they shouldn’t anticipate any discounts.

2. Housing inventory might rise slightly

U.S. real estate inventory actually grew in May compared to April, reports the National Association of Realtors (NAR). In May, total inventory rose to 1.08 million units, or the equivalent of a three-month supply of available homes.

Based on this pattern, we could see a mild uptick in inventory during the month of July. But it’s unlikely to be a notable one.

And even if housing inventory inches up to, say, a 3.2-month supply of homes, for context, it can take up to a six-month supply of homes to satisfy buyer demand in full. So unfortunately, buyers might continue to struggle from an inventory standpoint.

For sellers, however, low inventory is a good thing. When there’s not much competition, it can be much easier to find a buyer — and command a higher sale price.

3. Home prices might drop minimally

In May, the median existing-home price was $396,100, according to the NAR. That’s a 3.1% decline from the previous May. If that pattern continues, buyers could get a touch of relief — especially if mortgage rates happen to dip modestly at the same time.

But to be clear, buyers should not expect major discounts in the course of purchasing a home in July. And sellers don’t need to panic about home prices suddenly plunging. That’s unlikely to happen due to the fact that there’s still a nice amount of demand and inventory is still low.

Should you buy or sell a home in July?

July could, unfortunately, end up being a very difficult month to buy a home. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. But you should be aware that you might end up spending more than you’d like and compromising on the home features you want due to a lack of inventory.

On the other hand, July should prove to be a pretty good time to sell a home. Of course, if you’re selling, you’ll need to keep today’s housing market conditions in mind. You’ll need a new place to live once your home sells, and you might struggle to find and afford one due to the issues mentioned above. But it could be a good time to sell and downsize, especially if you’re able to purchase your next home outright.

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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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The cost of school supplies is out of reach for many U.S. families. Here’s a list of seven charities that help supply those supplies. 

In 2022, a Deloitte Back-to-School survey found that the average family spends $661 per child on back-to-school purchases. That was an 8% jump from 2021. No matter how you slice it, spending $600 or more on school supplies is not in the average budget.

Unless a family has a healthy savings account balance, back-to-school shopping often leads to robbing Peter to pay Paul. For a family living paycheck to paycheck, purchasing an extensive list of school supplies can lead to anxious moments. For a family dealing with a serious illness or job loss, the stress can lead to sleepless nights.

The reality of the situation is that a number of nationwide charities are happy to step into the gap. Here are seven national charities that routinely collect and distribute school supplies to families in need.

1. The Salvation Army

For many years, The Salvation Army has collected school supplies from community donations and business partners, then distributed them to eligible households. If you’re not sure whether your local Salvation Army chapter participates, give them a call. You can find the chapter nearest to your home by typing your ZIP code into this site. And if your children need clothes or shoes to begin the school year, The Salvation Army may also be a good source.

2. Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities is another organization with a long history of helping kid’s start off the school year on a positive note. Like The Salvation Army, many Catholic Charities locations conduct a school supply drive, then distribute the school supplies collected. Catholic Charities may also be a good source for free school clothes.

3. The United Way

After years of working with families that don’t have a fat bank account, The United Way offices across the country also get in on the action by collecting and distributing school supplies. It will take only a moment to call your local United Way office to ask if it’s conducting a drive this year, and if so, when it will be open to families in need of school supplies.

4. St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent de Paul may be a one-stop shop for the things your child needs to start the school year off on the right foot. St. Vincent de Paul typically collects and distributes school supplies. What’s more, the organization provides free vouchers that can be redeemed for free school clothes in the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store. Even if the affiliate in your area does not provide school supplies, take advantage of the clothing voucher.

5. The Assistance League

Operation School Bell is a nationwide program offered by The Assistance League. The goal is simple: To help students from low-income families get the school supplies and clothing they need for the new year. To learn if there’s an Assistance League program near you, visit this website.

6. Operation Homefront

If you’re a military family, Operation Homefront’s Back-to-School Brigade is on the case. The Back-to-School Brigade collects school supplies and makes sure they get into the hands of children from military families. Operation Homefront recognizes that military families need every financial break they can get.

7. Boys & Girls Clubs

Children who participate in Boys & Girls Clubs are eligible to receive school supplies through the organization. Boys and Girls Clubs host an annual Back2School campaign, so give them a call to learn what’s available.

If you can’t find an organization in your area distributing school supplies, call the school your child is scheduled to attend. Ask if it knows of any groups helping children gather backpacks and other supplies for the upcoming school year. It’s quite possible that a local church, civic club, business, or food bank has a program of its own.

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In fact, this card is so good that our experts even use it personally. Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

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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 has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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