Money Management

Yes, rent costs are sometimes negotiable. Keep reading for a trick to try the next time you’re facing a rent hike. 

While inflation is still up, thankfully, rent costs have stopped skyrocketing in many places. According to Redfin’s Rental Market Tracker report from March 2023, February 2023 saw the smallest gain in asking rent cost (just 1.7%) since May 2021. Just the same, you might be struggling with your monthly rent already, and perhaps facing a rent hike from your landlord. What can you do if your checking account just won’t bear the new monthly rate? You may be able to negotiate.

Yes, like many expenses, rent can be negotiable. To succeed, you’ll need to approach the conversation with your landlord in the right way. Here’s how.

Ask for a few months of free rent

If you’re already stretched thin and your landlord is raising your rent by $50 or $100 on your next lease renewal, you might be tempted to just move in hopes of finding cheaper rent. Depending on your circumstances, or your willingness to move away from an expensive city, you certainly might save money this way. (Keep in mind that moving also costs money, though.) But what if you could absorb the rent increase another way?

If you’ve been a reliable tenant (meaning, you pay on time every month, keep the place clean, and never have noise or guest complaints made against you), you’re in a great position to ask for a few months of free rent. Even getting your landlord to agree to just one month free can be a boon to your personal finances.

Let’s say your rent is going from $1,500 per month to $1,600. Over 12 months of your lease, that rent hike of $100 will cost you an extra $1,200 per year. If you can get your landlord to agree to even one month of free rent (get this in writing!), you’ll come out ahead by saving $1,600, which is $400 more than the extra $1,200 you’d shell out on rent this year. As you can see, it’s worth asking for!

Other tips to negotiate your rent

You have options beyond just absorbing the extra cost or getting your landlord to agree to throw in a few free months, though. Consider these tips.

Offer to do some work around the property: You might avoid a rent increase (or get a smaller one) if you’re handy and can do some painting, landscaping work, or make minor repairs to your home or others owned by your landlord.Consider different lease terms: Offer to sign a longer lease (perhaps two years instead of one) in exchange for keeping your rent the same. Your landlord will likely appreciate not having to find a new tenant for a while.Make some concessions: If you don’t have a car, offer to give up your parking space. And if you’re not living paycheck to paycheck, see if you can prepay rent for a few months in exchange for keeping your rate the same.

Life is expensive these days, and if you have a good relationship with your landlord, it’s certainly worth approaching them to negotiate, rather than just accepting a rent hike. If you’re a good tenant, you’re worth your weight in gold, so don’t be afraid to lean on your value when opening up a discussion about rent increases.

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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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Adopting a new pet can be an exciting milestone for your family, but it can also be expensive. Here are four costs to add to your budget. 

Now that the weather’s getting warmer, many people are thinking about adding a new four-legged friend to their household. It’s a big decision, one that will affect not only your daily life but your finances as well, so it’s important to be prepared. Here are four common expenses most new pet owners face.

1. Adoption fees

First and foremost, you have to pay to get your pet in the first place. Adopting a dog or cat from a shelter is generally cheaper than purchasing a purebred from a breeder. Shelter adoption fees for dogs can range from $100 to $725, according to Rover, while cat adoption fees can range from $35 to $200. But buying from breeders could easily cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

But there’s always personal preference to weigh as well. If you really want a particular breed of dog or cat, you may prefer to pay the extra cost.

2. Initial vet bills

Once you’ve brought your new pet home, you’ll probably want to take them to the vet to get them checked out. They may need their vaccines if they haven’t gotten them already. And you may choose to have them spayed or neutered if you don’t want to worry about puppies or kittens.

Costs will vary depending on where you live, what you want done, and whether you have pet insurance (see below). But it’s possible to spend several hundred dollars on these initial vet visits. If you want an accurate idea of what you’ll pay, try contacting some vets in your area to learn what they charge for these services.

3. Pet insurance

Pet insurance coverage is optional, but more and more people are investing in it to help them avoid surprise bills if their pet gets ill or injured. Just like health insurance for humans, pet insurance has deductibles, copays, and premiums. Premium costs vary by location, breed, and the age of the pet. You generally have some say in your copay and deductible.

It’s usually a good idea to compare rates and coverage options from several pet insurers before purchasing a policy to make sure you’re getting a good deal. Generally, dog owners will pay significantly more than cat owners. But both can expect to spend a few hundred dollars per year, plus more if they need to file a pet insurance claim.

Those trying to keep costs down could consider an accident-only plan rather than a comprehensive plan that covers accidents and illnesses. On the other hand, if you want the most complete protection possible for your pet, you could look for a policy that offers optional wellness add-ons for things like vaccines and routine care.

4. Other pet supplies

Unless you already have pets, you’ll need to invest in things like pet beds, collars, food, food bowls, toys, and treats for your furry friend. It may seem like a lot of small things, but it can quickly amount to hundreds of dollars.

Price these items out ahead of time so you know about how much you’ll need to spend. And watch for sales at pet stores to see if you can get any of it at a discount. You may be able to find coupons for pet food and other supplies online as well.

No matter what you do, you can probably expect to spend at least $1,000 to add a new dog to your household or about $750 for a cat. And many people pay more than this. If you don’t think you can accommodate all these expenses right now, consider saving up and looking for a new pet this summer when you’re a little more prepared.

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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.Kailey Hagen 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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Are you hoping to ditch cable but don’t want to miss your favorite NFL team play? Find out how to save $100 by purchasing NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV. 

Calling all sports fans who want to ditch cable — you can now purchase NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube TV. YouTube TV subscribers can pay for access as an add-on or purchase NFL Sunday Ticket as a standalone product. If you want to get the best price and be prepared for the upcoming NFL season, you may want to purchase access soon.

NFL Sunday Ticket is coming to YouTube

In 2022, the NFL announced a multi-year agreement that gave Google the right to exclusively distribute NFL Sunday Ticket to U.S. consumers through YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels. On April 11, 2023, YouTube shared pricing details for the 2023 season. In the coming days, you can purchase NFL Sunday Ticket. Those who purchase early can save $100.

For customers with YouTube TV’s Base Plan, the NFL Sunday Ticket add-on will be available for $349 for the 2023 season. The discounted price of $249 is available through June 6, 2023. Additionally, a bundle option is available that pairs NFL Sunday Ticket with NFL RedZone for $389 for the season or $289 after the $100 presale discount.

YouTube TV will also sell NFL Sunday Ticket as a standalone product through YouTube Primetime Channels for $449 for the 2023 season. Those who purchase during the presale can score the discounted price of $349. The bundled NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL RedZone will cost $489 for the season or $389 for those who buy during the presale.

If you want to take advantage of the $100 discount, you can do so through June 6, 2023. NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers can watch their favorite teams play on the web, TV, and mobile and tablet devices that support YouTube and YouTube TV. All out-of-market Sunday regular-season NFL games will be available to those who subscribe.

Is this a good deal for football fans?

Is this pricing a good deal? Before you pull out your credit card, be sure to consider your budget. If you’re looking to ditch cable but still want to cheer on your favorite team, you may want to compare pricing available through your cable provider first.

If you don’t pay for cable and find yourself heading to the bar each week to see your favorite team play, you may save money by purchasing NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube. A typical NFL regular season lasts 18 weeks, with each team getting a bye week and playing 17 games.

Let’s imagine you go to a local restaurant or bar 17 times throughout the season and follow a strict budget, so you only spend $25 on food and drinks per game. That’s $475 spent throughout the regular NFL season. Investing in an NFL Sunday Ticket package would be cheaper, especially if you score discounted pricing — but you’d also need to budget for food and snacks.

You’ll have to decide whether you prefer to watch your favorite team score from the comfort of your couch or a crowded bar packed with other fans. For fans who’ve already invested in a big-screen TV, this could be a worthwhile expense to include in their budgets.

Check out our personal finance resources to learn additional ways to save money.

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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.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. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Panera offers a subscription service for unlimited “free” drinks. While a potential win for a few, the value may not be there for most folks. Find out more. 

You’ve got a steaming hot cup of Panera coffee. You sip it, thinking, “I could totally drink this five times a day.”

Good news! Panera has you covered. It now offers the Unlimited Sip Club. For just $11.99 a month — or $119.99 a year — you can stop by Panera to get a free coffee (or another eligible drink) every two hours.

At first glance, this sounds pretty awesome, right? Like, you could go through a literal ton of coffee and it would cost you the same as one coffee a week. That’s gotta be the personal finance score of a lifetime.

Sadly, in practice, it’s really…not? For all but a small group of people, it’s actually somewhere between a “meh” deal — and a downright bad one.

No one stops with just the drink

Through a series of free trials, I managed to enjoy six full months of Unlimited Sip Club. That time period included a week-long road trip, two weekends away, and the normal activities of my usual life.

Very early on in my Sip Club experience, I realized Panera’s master plan: Very few of us stop at just getting a drink. In the six months I had a Sip Club membership, I went to Panera probably a few dozen times. Of all those visits, I walked out with only a drink maybe twice.

(The two times I made it out the door without a bag full of food? During a road trip, when Panera was mostly a bathroom break. FYI, both times we still had Panera bags in the car from the previous stop.)

The entire point behind Panera’s Sip Club deal is that it wants you to come into the store. All those standalone Panera locations don’t get a lot of foot traffic — so they’re creating their own. Even better, the traffic they’re creating is made up of people who already like Panera products.

If you’re already eating at Panera three times a week, sure, enjoy the free drink. Otherwise, chances are good you’re going to be losing money on the deal because of the extra food you’re impulse buying. (Though I will say, the points I earned on all that extra Panera spend with my dining credit card were pretty solid!)

Do you want sugar or coffee?

Another important thing I learned quickly is that the actual selection of eligible drinks is quite limited — and it gets old quickly. You can choose:

Charged lemonade Iced or hot coffeeIced or hot teaFountain beverages

And that’s it. Frankly, that drink selection is boring. It includes none of the specialty drinks that would prompt me to go out of my way to visit Panera in the first place. All of those frozen dessert drinks we love? Nope. Chai latte? Definitely not. Smoothie? Haha, no.

The caffeinated lemonades are perhaps the most interesting choice, and one you won’t find just anywhere. But even there, the flavors are limited. Plus, have you ever checked the nutritional information on those charged lemonades? You’d be better off just eating a few spoons of sugar directly.

Interesting when free, but not worth the cost

All in all, I ended my membership feeling decidedly ambivalent about the Unlimited Sip Club.

Would I do it again if I got another free offer? Probably. I hit Panera for lunch once a month or so — and more often when I travel — so the free drinks were handy on those occasions. And if I’m already planning on getting a meal there, the free drink stays free.

Would I ever pay for it? Not on your life.

In my opinion, the only people who could justify the Sip Club as an actual value are the folks who already go to Panera on a daily basis (or at least several times a week). For example, if it’s already on your commute, and you like the coffee, and you’re already used to just getting your brew and hitting the road — then yeah, you could probably get some actual value out of paying for the subscription.

For everyone else, make your coffee at home, and save Panera drinks for those special mornings you feel like splurging on an overpriced muffin.

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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.Brittney Myers 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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Older Kia and Hyundai vehicles have a massive security flaw. Read on to learn how it’s affecting drivers. 

Social media challenges can sometimes be a little strange, but most of the time they’re harmless. Every once in a while, though, one crops up that’s dangerous. That’s something that many Kia and Hyundai owners found out the hard way when their cars disappeared from parking lots and street corners.

The Kia Challenge, which began on TikTok, showed people how to exploit a vulnerability in older Kia and Hyundai models and quickly led to some devastating consequences for owners. Now some insurance companies have decided they aren’t willing to insure these cars. But if you own a Kia or Hyundai, don’t panic. You can still protect your car and get the coverage you need to drive legally. Here’s what you need to know.

What happened?

Some TikTokers learned that certain Kia and Hyundai models released between 2015 and 2021 didn’t have engine immobilizers installed in them. This means that, with a few simple tools, you can start the vehicle without a key or key fob in the car. The video outlining how to do this started trending in the summer of 2022, and Hyundais and Kias all across the country quickly began disappearing.

In 2021, Wisconsin — one of the earliest states affected — saw overall losses from Hyundai and Kia thefts rise to 30 times their 2019 levels, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. And among 2015 to 2019 models, Hyundais and Kias were stolen twice as often throughout the U.S. compared to other manufacturers’ cars.

This naturally posed a big problem for auto insurers who had to pay out a lot of money in theft claims. And it didn’t take long before some decided it just didn’t make sense for them to continue insuring these vehicles in light of the risk they posed.

So far, State Farm and Progressive have both announced that they’re refusing to write new policies for certain 2015-2021 Kia and Hyundai models in select areas. Here’s the full list of vehicles State Farm has deemed ineligible, according to MotorTrend:

2015-2021 Hyundai Accent2015-2021 Hyundai Elantra2015-2021 Hyundai Kona2015-2021 Hyundai Santa Fe2015-2021 Hyundai Sonata2015-2021 Hyundai Tucson2015-2018 Hyundai Veloster2015-2021 Kia Forte2015-2021 Kia Optima2015-2016 Kia Optima Hybrid2015-2021 Kia Rio2015-2021 Kia Sedona2015-2018 Kia Sorrento2015-2021 Kia Soul2015-2021 Kia Sportage

Progressive doesn’t appear to have released a list of which models and model years it’s no longer insuring, but it’s likely similar to the list above.

What can drivers do?

This is a distressing situation for owners of the Hyundai and Kia models affected for a number of reasons. It’s natural to want to keep your vehicle safe, and you need insurance to drive legally. But the important thing is not to panic.

There are plenty of other insurance companies who are still selling policies for these vehicles, although it’s possible drivers could face higher rates going forward due to the increased risk of theft. But shopping around can help Hyundai and Kia owners find their best possible rate.

Those who are already insured by State Farm or Progressive may be covered through the end of their policy term. But the companies won’t renew the policies afterward, so it’s important to find a new provider before coverage lapses.

Drivers could also drop their comprehensive coverage if they own their car outright. This is the coverage that reimburses drivers in the event of theft. But consider this a method of last resort. It might make car insurance more affordable, but it means you won’t get any help from your insurer if your car is stolen.

In addition, drivers should take steps to protect their vehicles from these vulnerabilities. Earlier this year, Kia and Hyundai announced free software updates for affected models that should make it more difficult for thieves to hack them. Reach out to the nearest Hyundai or Kia dealership to learn more about how to get these updates.

Drivers should also park their vehicles somewhere less accessible to thieves, like a garage, whenever possible. When you have no choice but to leave your car out in the open, consider investing in after-market security features, like steering wheel locks, to deter thieves.

And if you were already thinking about ditching your Kia or Hyundai for a new car, now might not be a bad time to start looking. Price it out and see what makes the most sense for you.

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

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