Money Management

Dreaming of a luxurious round-the-world tour with stops at every Disney park? This world tour by jet is for you. Discover how much you’ll need to spend. 

For Disney fanatics, visiting every Disney park worldwide would make for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation experience. If you have a large amount of cash in your checking account, you can enjoy a Disney-focused round-the-world tour by jet, along with 74 other Disney fans.

Adventures by Disney recently opened up 2024 bookings for its 24-day adventure-by-jet tour. This unique experience allows travelers to explore six countries, three iconic landmarks, and all 12 Disney theme parks — but it sure isn’t cheap.

You can explore the world for $114,995

Adventures by Disney, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company, hosts guided tours to domestic and international destinations. The tour brand’s Disney Parks Around the World — A Private Jet Adventure experience is a 24-day tour that takes 75 Disney fans on a magical adventure.

Travelers will experience luxury while flying aboard a VIP-configured Boeing 757 and stay in beautiful accommodations across the globe. The tour takes Disney fans to six countries and 12 Disney theme parks. Travelers will spend time on four continents and will also get to visit the following landmarks: the Taj Mahal, the Pyramids of Giza, and the Eiffel Tower.

Meals, park admission, and activities are included, but airfare to and from departure and return cities aren’t included in the cost. Experts will be available to share stories and answer questions throughout the trip. This journey could offer Disney enthusiasts a fantastic way to see more of the world while geeking out on all things Disney.

Bookings are now available for the following dates:

June 16, 2024, through July 9, 2024July 28, 2024, through Aug. 20, 2024

This exclusive adventure isn’t cheap. The booking cost is $114,995 per person, based on double occupancy. A single supplement fee of $11,495 applies for solo travelers. It’s safe to say you’d need a massive vacation budget to afford this luxurious travel experience. If this bucket-list adventure appeals to you, now is an excellent time to start building your savings.

How to plan an affordable adventure

While this around-the-world jet tour sounds incredible, it will likely not work for most people’s personal finance situations, especially with today’s high cost of living. The good news is there are other ways to explore the world more affordably. Here are a few tips to help you plan:

Start saving now: Regularly contributing to a savings account is a smart way to prepare for future expenses, like vacation costs. By keeping your extra cash in a high-yield savings account, you can earn interest to get a savings boost. If you struggle to remember to save, we recommend automating the savings process.Look for deals: While travel can be costly, saving money is possible. Sales can help you keep your travel costs to a minimum. You can use airfare deal websites and price comparison tools to find cheap plane tickets. You can also use mobile apps to score cheap hotel stays.Don’t wait to book: If you wait until the last minute to book a trip, you’ll likely pay more. By planning a vacation well in advance, you may be able to save money on travel costs, so don’t delay.Find free and low-cost activities: Exploring new destinations is exciting, but you don’t have to spend a fortune on local experiences. Look for free and low-cost activities and tours to stretch your vacation fund further.Use credit card rewards: Travel credit cards are an excellent financial tool that can make your vacations more affordable. As you spend money with your card, you can earn valuable rewards that you can later redeem for free flights and hotel stays.

Yes, it’s possible to plan a fantastic vacation without ignoring your financial goals. The above tips can help you plan a trip without disregarding your budget or going into credit card debt. What are you waiting for? Start dreaming up your perfect adventure!

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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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Costco may offer competitive prices, but that doesn’t mean every item sold there is inexpensive. Read on for an overview of some of the store’s more expensive buys. 

Many people join Costco so they can save money. But that doesn’t automatically mean that every single item you’ll find at Costco comes with a low price. Here are some items that will have you shelling out upward of $2,000.

1. Harwood 5-piece Fabric Modular Sectional with Power Footrest

You may not think of Costco as a great place to buy furniture. But actually, Costco carries a wide range of furniture, from dining room sets to items for your bedroom.

As you might expect, though, some of Costco’s furniture won’t come cheap, and this five-piece Harwood sectional is a great example. At a price point of $2,499.99, it’s going to result in quite the hefty credit card tab. However, Costco is known as a retailer that stands behind the products it sells, so that should give you some comfort if you’re contemplating a furniture purchase.

Also, your $2,499.99 includes delivery and setup of your new sectional, plus the removal of your old one, if applicable. So in that regard, you might save yourself the cost of having your old couch hauled away.

You should also note that Costco prices can vary between what’s listed online and available in stores. Prices can also vary from store to store.

2. LG 86″ Class – QNED85 Series – 4K UHD QNED MiniLED TV

If your goal is to turn your TV room into a virtual movie theater, then an 86-inch TV might do the trick. And this LG model could offer the viewing experience you’re after. But at a price point of $2,799.99, you might really have to dip into your savings to swing it.

That said, this purchase will entitle you to a $100 streaming credit toward services that include Google Play, Paramount+, and Sling TV. Plus, it comes with an impressive five-year warranty that may make you feel more comfortable with the idea of buying a higher-priced TV.

3. Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

If you’re self-employed and your work hinges on having a quality laptop, this Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 could be a good buy despite its $2,299.99 price point. It comes with a 15-inch touchscreen, 32 GB of memory, and a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1255U Processor. It also includes a 15-month subscription of Microsoft Office Home. Plus, when you buy this laptop from Costco, you get free tech support and a two-year warranty.

4. Fine jewelry

It’s possible to spend more than $20,000 on a single piece of Costco jewelry. But if that price point is out of reach for you, you should know that Costco has plenty of fine jewelry items in the $2,000 to $3,000 range, including this aquamarine and diamond 14-karat white gold bracelet that costs $2,199.99. If you need an exceptional gift for a special occasion, it pays to check out Costco’s jewelry selection.

5. Honeywell 14kW Home Standby Generator with Transfer Switch

Power outages can put a damper on your plans and make life at home unpleasant. They can also, in many cases, cost you money via lost work time (if you do your job from home) and spoiled food. Costco sells a host of standby generators, including this Honeywell model. It comes with a transfer switch so that when the power goes out, you’ll seamlessly move over to generator power without having to do a thing. You’ll also get a three-year limited manufacturer’s warranty.

Clearly, Costco isn’t just for budget shoppers. There’s a range of products available at Costco, so if you’re not sure whether a membership is right for you, it pays to at least browse online to get a sense of what Costco’s inventory looks like.

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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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The wealthiest Americans own a massive amount of stocks. Check out the shocking statistics on how stock ownership varies at different levels of wealth. 

Many people are aware that the United States has significant wealth inequality. Even knowing that, the actual numbers can be shocking.

The Motley Fool recently published research on how many Americans own stock. In that report, it also looked at how stock ownership compares between those at the highest levels of wealth and the rest of the population. The 1% has a very large and growing slice of the pie.

Stock ownership among the wealthiest Americans

As a whole, there are about 150 million Americans who own stock, and those stocks are worth $31.62 trillion. The wealthiest 1% own 53% of that, with a value of $16.76 trillion. Just 1% control over half the wealth in the country. Here’s a full breakdown of stock ownership at each level of wealth, as of the third quarter of 2022:

The top 10% own 88.6% of stocks ($28 trillion).Americans in the 50th to 90th percentile of wealth own 10.8% of stocks ($3.4 trillion).Americans in the bottom 50% own 0.6% of stocks ($19 billion).

To put it another way, the 1% hold about 882 times as much stock as the bottom 50%. You’d expect the wealthiest Americans to have more, but it’s a much larger difference than many realize.

Unfortunately, it’s also a difference that has been on the rise. Over the last two decades, stock ownership has tilted more and more toward wealthy Americans. Here’s how it has changed over the years:

It has been a gradual change, so it’s not as noticeable when just comparing one year to the next. But over a longer time period, there’s a clear pattern. The rich get richer, and the other 90% of the country gets poorer.

Don’t let a widespread issue stop you from improving your own finances

There’s no way of sugarcoating it. Economic inequality is a serious issue in the United States. The distribution of wealth will never be even, but it can certainly be better than it is right now. A small percentage of Americans earn far more money than the rest and hold a massive portion of the total wealth in the country.

As frustrating as it can be, don’t let it discourage you from saving money, investing, and building wealth. Focus on what you can do to improve your own financial situation.

If there’s one lesson to take from this, it’s that stocks are a smart way to invest your money. The richest Americans buy them for a reason. The stock market has historically grown about 10% per year. If you invest at least 10% to 20% of your income in stocks, it can make a huge difference in how much money you have later in life. There are several types of investment accounts available:

401(k) plans through an employerIndividual retirement accounts (IRAs)Roth IRAsIndividual brokerage accounts

People often start with a 401(k), if they work for an employer that offers one. An IRA or a Roth IRA is also a good option. These are all retirement accounts that can help you save on taxes, but generally don’t allow penalty-free withdrawals until you’re 59 1/2. An individual brokerage account doesn’t offer tax savings, but you can withdraw money at any time without penalty.

Realistically, most of us aren’t going to be joining the 1%. But we can all at least invest, build our own portfolios, and reach a comfortable position financially.

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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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