Money Management

Don’t overpay for your next flight booking — use online tools to find the best airfare prices. Learn about a free tool that could save you a lot of money. [[{“value”:”

I enjoy traveling, but I also like saving money. Before booking travel arrangements, I always look for opportunities to score a good deal. Thankfully, plenty of online tools can help you keep your flight spending in check. I’ll share a free tool that could help you get a better deal on your next flight.

Google Flights can help you find the best flight deals

If you have yet to use Google Flights, you’re missing out. It’s free and makes it easy to search for flights and compare airfare prices across multiple carriers. You can narrow your search results to meet your specific needs — such as searching for only nonstop flights or premium economy flights.

I like to use this resource before booking flights to ensure I only pay what is necessary. Not having to manually review each airline’s website for pricing information is a time saver. While many other airfare price comparison tools exist, this one is robust and user-friendly.

My favorite features are the date grid and price graph. You can view airfare prices by date to determine which days are the best to fly in and out to keep more money in your checking account. These pricing features are even more helpful if you have a flexible schedule. I like to play around with potential dates before I book tickets to save as much money as possible.

Do this to find the best flight prices around the world

You’re in luck if you have not yet decided on a vacation destination. Google Flights has a feature that allows you to search for flights without a chosen destination. One option is to search “Anywhere” as your destination. Google Flights will display flight prices for various destinations worldwide. This makes finding a more affordable place to visit for your next trip easy.

Another option is to search by region. For example, I can search an entire country, like the United States, or an entire region, like Europe. I can then find affordable flights in these areas. For those who love to travel, this can be an exciting way to choose their next destination. Since Google Flights makes it easy to filter flights by prices, travelers can book incredible flight deals.

I use this feature when I haven’t yet decided on a particular vacation destination. I still have plenty of new-to-me places to check off my bucket list, and if I can visit somewhere new and get a great deal, it is a significant win. I plan to use Google Flights to finish planning the details of a late summer vacation, and I’m excited to see where I’ll be going.

Earn rewards with the right credit card

Before finalizing travel arrangements, determine the best payment method to use. You can earn valuable rewards with a rewards credit card. Many travelers use travel credit cards to get rewarded for their travel purchases. You can redeem your rewards for hotel stays and flights in the future.This is a smart money move because it can make travel more affordable.

Are you interested in earning miles or points to use for travel? You can review our list of the best travel rewards credit cards to learn more. If you want to earn cash rewards instead, a cash back credit card is another option. Take a look at our top cash back credit card picks to discover the best feature of each card on our list.

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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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For young home buyers, 4% mortgage rates may feel “normal,” but they’re not. Keep reading to learn whether you can count on them to be that low again. [[{“value”:”

Never say never, but if you’re waiting for mortgage rates to drop as low as 4% any time soon, you’re likely to be disappointed.

Stick with us here, though. We may be able to offer a few ideas to anyone hoping to buy a home.

A matter of perspective

I enjoyed time with three high school friends this past weekend. My husband (and dogs) were kind enough to visit one of our sons for a few days, leaving the house to the four old friends. As we sat on the patio chatting, one of my friends recalled how excited she and her husband were to snag a rate of 14% when they purchased their first home in 1983.

Given that the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage hit 18.53% in October 1981, it’s no wonder they thought they’d hit the jackpot. And yes, home prices were much lower back then, but we’ll touch on that in a moment.

My friend’s comment made me curious about the ups and downs my husband and I have experienced as we’ve moved around, purchasing 10 homes in the process. So, this morning I checked the Federal Reserve website to see what the average rates were when we purchased each of those homes. Here’s what I found:

Creative financing

Given the fluctuating interest rates, several of our purchases might not have been possible without a little creative financing.

Home purchased in 1980

There is no way we could have afforded the payment on the house purchased in 1980 without assuming a VA mortgage from the previous owner. We were just leaving our teens, in college (and working), with a new baby. The average rate at the time was 14.28% and the VA loan we were assuming was at 7.25% (a rate that people told us we would never see again).

Fortunately, my husband refused to use credit cards or dine out, determined to build up our savings account instead of, you know, live like teenagers. I thought it was awful at the time, but for the first two years of our marriage, every spare dollar went into savings. By the time we found a mortgage to assume, we’d managed to scrape together $10,000. It may have been the best $10,000 we ever saved.

Home purchased in 1990

My husband had just finished his second master’s degree, and we were sucking wind with educational debt. An unexpected job opportunity in another state meant trying to find a way to buy a house without knowing what kind of job I might land. Plus, by then, we had another child.

A retired couple didn’t want to rent out their home, but they did like the idea of receiving regular monthly payments for the foreseeable future, so they offered an owner-finance deal. It was a win-win situation for them. At 7% interest, it offered a monthly mortgage payment we could afford and guaranteed them a 7% return. As a bonus, if we failed to make payments, they had the legal right to foreclose on the home and retake possession.

Home purchased in 1993

Moving from Iowa to Michigan meant finding yet another house we could afford. This time we lucked out by finding a place we loved on a lake. Once again, a retired couple was interested in an owner-finance deal. This time around, the previous owners charged 4% interest. They’d already purchased another property and didn’t need the equity to get into their next home.

As with the house in Iowa, we made sure to include a contract clause saying we could refinance the mortgage at any time. A few years after moving in, we did just that. The rate dipped low enough for us to feel comfortable locking in a traditional mortgage.

Rather than work with a mortgage lender, 3 out of 10 times, we took an alternate route to homeownership. If you’re looking for an assumable mortgage (and a homeowner willing to sell their home through assumption) or want to snag an owner-financed property, ask a licensed real estate agent to help you locate one. You may have to speak with several agents before finding someone who’s willing to help, but stick with it. The right agent is out there.

I sometimes wish I could predict the future

Naturally, I can’t say for certain whether mortgage rates will or won’t drop to 4% again. No one can. But I can tell you this with a measure of certainty: Unless the American population is willing to remain in their current homes for the rest of their lives (and we’re not), the dam will have to break and more sellers will have to list their properties for sale. As more homes hit the market, prices will naturally become more competitive.

Mortgage rates will rise and fall, depending on what’s going on in the economy. Keep your eye on the number of homes for sale in your area. Once that number begins to increase, it’s time to make sure you’re prepared to apply for a mortgage. In the meantime, take a page from my sometimes-miserly husband’s book and bank every dollar you can. Your day will come.

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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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Are you losing sleep about money? You’re not alone. See why Americans feel stressed about money, and learn how to shore up your personal finances. [[{“value”:”

Americans are feeling the strain of the past few years of high prices and depleted savings accounts. A new survey from Talker Research, commissioned by banking app Chime, found that financial stress is causing some big impacts on Americans’ everyday health and well-being.

In fact, this survey found that the average American loses five nights of sleep per month because of worries about money. Money stress is also distorting Americans’ lives and causing stress in other surprising ways.

Does this sound like you? If you’re under financial stress, losing sleep about paying bills and managing debt, or just want to achieve a better level of financial security, here are a few good insights and tips to help your personal finances.

Americans can’t sleep because of money stress

The Chime and Talker Research survey found that the average American loses five nights of sleep per month because of financial stress, and 40% of Americans said that their mental health is negatively affected by their personal finances.

Although the survey didn’t ask exactly why people are losing sleep over money, a big reason might be lack of emergency savings. The Chime survey also found that 35% of Americans wouldn’t be able to cover an unexpected $500 expense.

Payday is not always a “happy” day

Another surprising result from the Chime/Talker Research survey is that payday is not necessarily a happy occasion for many Americans. Although 29% of people surveyed said that their first emotion when receiving paychecks is “excitement,” 19% said they feel “stress” and another 19% said they feel “overwhelm.”

When people’s monthly budgets are getting stretched too far, payday can feel stressful, and 39% of Americans said they avoid social events during the leadup to payday. The survey also found that 59% of people feel “pay paralysis” — a feeling of anxiety and fear that they won’t have enough money between paydays.

Money is supposed to be fuel for your life. If you don’t have enough money to get to the next payday, it’s like running out of gas in your car. When your income doesn’t cover your bills, this can feel as if you can’t move forward in life or have confidence in your future.

How to fix your money stress and stop losing sleep

If you have nearly no money left in your checking account after paying bills each month and no safety net of emergency savings to fall back on, it’s understandably stressful. If you’re staying up late worrying about money, you’re not alone. But losing sleep can be bad for your health. If possible, it’s important to take proactive steps to improve your personal finances.

Here are a few quick tips that everyone should try — if you haven’t already — to overcome “pay paralysis” and stop losing sleep about money.

Use a budgeting app

Do you really know where every dollar of your monthly spending is going? The best budgeting apps can show you. You might find opportunities to cancel a few subscriptions or cut back on non-essential spending. Cook all your meals at home for a full month, pack lunches to take to work, and see how much you can save!

Open a high-yield savings account

Start building your emergency savings fund with one of the best savings accounts. Set up automatic transfers to move money to savings on every payday, or any day of the month. Start with as much as you can manage per month, even if it’s just $25 or $50. It feels incredibly empowering (and stress-relieving) to see the number in your bank account getting bigger, even if you start small.

Get free financial coaching

If you’re in serious financial trouble and at risk of missing payments on credit cards or other debts, you might need a higher level of help. Ask your bank or credit union if it offers financial advice to help you with budgeting and paying off debt. Or consider getting help from a nonprofit credit counseling service. Learn more at the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (nfcc.org).

Bottom line

Too many Americans are losing sleep about money — but there is hope. By using budgeting apps, opening a savings account (with automatic monthly transfers), and getting financial coaching or credit counseling if you need it, you can take control of your financial life and feel better about the future.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR until nearly 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

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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