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When you’re running a business, every photo you put out into the world is part of your brand story. Whether it’s a product image on your website, a team photo for LinkedIn, or a behind-the-scenes Instagram shot, visual quality matters—and it can mean the difference between “just scrolling” and “click to buy.”
Luminar Mobile makes pro-level photo editing accessible, affordable, and ridiculously easy. For a one-time $19.99 payment, you’ll have lifetime access to an AI-powered editing toolkit that can replace skies, relight scenes, retouch portraits, and even remove that random coffee cup from your product flat lay. And yes, it works seamlessly on your iOS or Android device—so you can edit from anywhere.
For entrepreneurs, marketers, real estate agents, content creators, and small-business owners, this is the kind of tool that pays for itself fast. Need to polish product shots before uploading them to your eCommerce site? Want to make sure your LinkedIn headshot looks confident and approachable? Launching a social media campaign that requires cohesive, high-quality visuals? Luminar Mobile puts all that power in your pocket.
With features like EnhanceAI to instantly boost color and clarity, SkinAI to refine portraits, and Erase to remove distractions, you can produce client-ready visuals in minutes—without expensive software or outsourcing. In today’s market, where attention spans are short and competition is fierce, looking polished isn’t optional.
Luminar Mobile makes it effortless.
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StackSocial prices subject to change.
When you’re running a business, every photo you put out into the world is part of your brand story. Whether it’s a product image on your website, a team photo for LinkedIn, or a behind-the-scenes Instagram shot, visual quality matters—and it can mean the difference between “just scrolling” and “click to buy.”
Luminar Mobile makes pro-level photo editing accessible, affordable, and ridiculously easy. For a one-time $19.99 payment, you’ll have lifetime access to an AI-powered editing toolkit that can replace skies, relight scenes, retouch portraits, and even remove that random coffee cup from your product flat lay. And yes, it works seamlessly on your iOS or Android device—so you can edit from anywhere.
For entrepreneurs, marketers, real estate agents, content creators, and small-business owners, this is the kind of tool that pays for itself fast. Need to polish product shots before uploading them to your eCommerce site? Want to make sure your LinkedIn headshot looks confident and approachable? Launching a social media campaign that requires cohesive, high-quality visuals? Luminar Mobile puts all that power in your pocket.
Barclays GM Business card is offering 100,000 points after $5,000 in spend within 5 months.
Card Details
No annual fee
Card earns at the following rates:
7x points on GM purchases
3x points on all other purchases
0% introductory APR for 9 months on GM purchases more than $499 (within 30 days of account opening)
Our Verdict
Points are worth 1¢ each towards a vehicle and discount applies after negotiation, you’d also get the 9 month interest free period. Card earns 3x on all purchases as well, not as good as the previous 4x card. I don’t think this is as good as other cards that earn at a high rate as you’re locked into GM. But sign up bonus might be worth considering if you’re sure you’re going to go for a GM car. We will add this to our list of the best business credit cards.
You may have heard that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway bought shares in a pair of home builders last quarter.
The company released its latest 13-F yesterday, revealing the buys during the second (and first) quarter.
This has led to a lot of speculation about why they’d be buying stock in home builders, which have struggled of late due to a lack of affordability.
Is something expected to change sometime soon? And if so, what exactly would make these companies all of a sudden attractive?
Perhaps the thought of lower mortgage rates is behind the recent purchases.
What Does Berkshire See in the Home Builders?
During the second quarter, Berkshire Hathaway purchased a whopping 5.3 million shares of Lennar (NYSE:LEN).
A quarter earlier, the company loaded up on 1.8 million shares to add to the 200,000 shares it bought back in 2023, bringing their total above seven million shares.
It was also revealed that Berkshire acquired 1.5 million shares of D.R. Horton (NYSE:DHI) in the first quarter before selling 27,000 of those shares a quarter later.
Berkshire had previously owned DHI stock, acquiring six million shares in Q2 2023 and unloading them by the fourth quarter of that year.
Now they appear to be back on the builders, but why? Why at a time when the housing market seems shaky, and affordability remains poor?
Oh, and new home inventory keeps ticking higher and is now approaching 10 months of supply.
Outside of the spike in the second half of 2022, when mortgage rates surged from sub-3% levels to 7%, newly-built inventory hasn’t been higher since the Great Financial Crisis (GFC).
It’s possible they just saw a bargain, with Lennar shares trading as high as $178 last September before falling to nearly $100 in April.
Similarly, D.R. Horton shares nearly touched $200 late last year and then tumbled to around $125 per share in the first quarter.
So it’s perfectly feasible that they just saw a big drop in share price and felt it was a value play, perhaps around Liberation Day.
But you still need to have a belief that they’ll perform well in the near future.
And in order to that, they’ll need to keep selling homes for a profit, despite poor buying conditions today.
How Lower Mortgage Rates Could Reignite the Housing Market and Help the Big Builders
D.R. Horton and Lennar are the two largest home builders in the country, which has its advantages.
One of them is being able to offer mortgages via their own in-house lending units, DHI Mortgage and Lennar Mortgage.
When you look at housing affordability, it eroded quickly due to the unprecedented shift in mortgage rates, as seen in the chart above from ICE.
This is mainly why home builders now offer massive mortgage rate buydowns, to keep affordability in range, even without lowering prices.
However, that also costs them a lot of money, and if they can get more buyers in the door without that cost, their margins would improve once again.
Lower mortgage rates could turn things around in a hurry. For example, a 1% decline in mortgage rate is akin to an 11% price drop.
So if mortgage rates were able to come down some, the builders would have an easier time unloading inventory.
A lot of people seem convinced all of a sudden that mortgage rates are coming down, largely because they think the Fed is going to become more accommodative once Chair Jerome Powell exits in May.
While that’s not necessarily how it works (the Fed doesn’t set mortgage rates), they can lower the fed funds rate.
That would lead to lower rates on HELOCs without question (since prime and the FFR move in lockstep), and could arguably lead to lower rates on adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) as well.
At the same time, a cooling economy could bring long-term mortgage rates like the 30-year fixed down too if the data continues to support that narrative.
The latest jobs report was what pushed mortgage rates back toward the lower-6% range, and if it continues into coming months, rates will likely drift even lower.
Of course, you’ve got the trade-off of a weaker economy, which means home buyer demand could take a hit too.
But lower rates could certainly provide a tailwind for the home builders and allow them to clear their inventory much easier.
Perhaps Berkshire is banking on another leg up for the housing market on this theory. Or, as alluded to earlier, they just saw a value play, and could be holding for only a short period. Time will well.
Read on: Home Builders Are Advertising Monthly Payments Instead of Home Prices to Clear Inventory
Before creating this site, I worked as an account executive for a wholesale mortgage lender in Los Angeles. My hands-on experience in the early 2000s inspired me to begin writing about mortgages 19 years ago to help prospective (and existing) home buyers better navigate the home loan process. Follow me on X for hot takes.
In order to generate significant wealth, one must invest their money. But how does investment work? What does one invest in? What are stocks, bonds, and mutual funds? If you are earning money on an investment, what type of interest in being earned? What’s the difference between simple and compound interest? Let’s find out!
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Multifamily real estate is undergoing a quiet but powerful reset.
In some markets, pricing has dropped more than 20%. Cap rates, once compressed to historic lows, are finally decompressing. And behind the scenes, maturing bridge loans and higher debt costs are starting to create pressure that is hard to ignore.
But while headlines hint at chaos, smart investors are not panicking. They are sharpening their pencils, watching the data, and positioning themselves to move with precision and confidence.
This is not a crash. It is a correction. And corrections create opportunity.
I’ll break down the real-time trends shaping the multifamily space in 2025, including where values are falling fastest, what rising debt costs mean for deal flow, and who is stepping up while others sit out.
I’ll also introduce you to Walker & Dunlop’s WDSuite, a powerful platform built for investors who want to make moves in this market. With real-time market and tenant data and instant valuation estimates, WDSuite helps you go from insight to action when timing matters most.
The great multifamily reset is already underway. Are you ready to capitalize on it?
Where Prices Are Dropping (and Why This Is Just the Beginning)
Multifamily pricing is correcting across the country, and some of the biggest drops are happening in the markets that were once the hottest. According to recent reports, certain Sunbelt metros and overbuilt Class A submarkets have seen valuations fall by more than 20% from their 2022 peaks. The reasons? A combination of rising debt costs, softening rent growth, and a shift in buyer expectations.
Cap rates are finally decompressing after years of compression fueled by cheap capital. As rates rise and cash flow expectations return to more conservative norms, the premium that buyers were willing to pay has disappeared. Deals that were penciled in two or three years ago no longer make sense at today’s interest rates.
This pricing reset is not uniform. Secondary and tertiary markets are seeing sharper corrections than core gateway cities. Properties with bridge loans or aggressive value-add plans are feeling the most pain. And in areas where new supply has outpaced demand, operators are cutting rents or offering concessions just to stay full.
For buyers, this environment creates opportunity—but also risk. Using a program like WDSuite can give you instant valuation estimates for any off0 or on-market multifamily deals. Not every discounted property is a good deal, so you want to verify the valuation with WDSuite. The investors who win in 2025 will be the ones who understand which pricing changes are temporary and which reflect deeper market shifts.
Debt Costs, Bridge Loan Maturities, and the Coming Wave of Distress
The multifamily market is not just dealing with falling prices. It is also facing a major debt problem.
Over the past few years, many investors have used short-term, interest-only bridge loans to acquire and reposition properties. These loans were attractive in a low-rate environment, often with minimal upfront payments and plenty of flexibility. But now, many of those loans are maturing, and refinancing into today’s higher rates is proving difficult, if not impossible.
What happens when a property cannot meet debt service coverage at today’s rates? In some cases, investors are forced to sell at a loss. In others, they are bringing in rescue capital or negotiating with lenders to buy more time. And for those who cannot do either, defaults are quietly increasing behind the scenes.
This wave of distress is not always visible in public listings. It shows up in off-market conversations, whispers from brokers, and stalled refinance attempts. It is especially concentrated among sponsors who bought with thin margins, counted on aggressive rent growth, or overpaid during the peak. WDSuite helps uncover potential distress at the income level with real-time tenant delinquency rates and credit scores.
At the same time, debt costs are repricing every deal on the market. Underwriting that once assumed 3% agency debt now must account for 6% or more. That shift alone has wiped out billions in value.
For prepared investors, this distress cycle is not a warning sign—it’s an opening. But only if you know where to look, what to ask, and how to act quickly when the right opportunity presents itself.
Who Is Winning in This Market?
In every reset, there are two kinds of investors: those who wait on the sidelines, hoping for clarity, and those who are prepared to move when opportunity appears. Right now, we are starting to see a clear divide.
The buyers who are winning in today’s market are not always the biggest players. They are the ones who are liquid, disciplined, and ready to act with precision. Many are coming to the table with cash or low-leverage financing. Others are forming strategic partnerships to scoop up assets that distressed owners can no longer carry.
Institutional players are still active, but they are being extremely selective. They are hunting for quality properties at adjusted prices and focusing on fundamentals like location, tenant profile, and long-term rent stability. Some are targeting preferred equity positions or note purchases instead of direct acquisitions.
Smaller investors are also getting creative. Those who built strong relationships with brokers, lenders, and operating partners are starting to hear about deals before they hit the market. They are not overpaying. They are underwriting conservatively and walking away when the numbers do not make sense.
What sets these investors apart is not just capital. It’s confidence built on real-time data, aclear strategy, and strong execution. They are not waiting for perfect conditions. They are ready with the right tools, information, and mindset.
Why Real-Time Intelligence Is the New Advantage
In this market, timing matters more than ever. Properties are sitting longer, pricing is changing faster, and yesterday’s comps are already outdated. Investors who rely on last quarter’s data or static spreadsheets will miss opportunities or make costly mistakes.
To navigate this kind of environment, you need more than just access to listings. You need real-time visibility into what is actually happening—where pricing is shifting, where cap rates are moving, and where distress is starting to show up.
That is where Walker and Dunlop’s WDSuite comes in. It is more than just a data platform. WDSuite gives investors the ability to quickly evaluate multifamily deals and connect with capital all in one place.
Inside WDSuite, you can:
Monitor property-level pricing as it evolves
Screen location quality of distressed or discounted assets to ensure they align with your criteria
Use real-time property-level tenant delinquency rates to uncover distress
Tap into Walker and Dunlop’s lending network for financing options tailored to the moment
In a market where speed and precision are critical, WDSuite helps investors stop guessing and start acting. It is built for investors who do not want to be reactive. They want to be ready.
The Reset Is a Rare Window for the Prepared
What we are seeing right now is not a crash. It is a recalibration. And while that may feel uncomfortable to some, seasoned investors know these moments do not come around often.
When prices reset, cap rates adjust, and operators start to feel pressure, it creates a window for those who are ready.
The key is not to rush, but to prepare. Understand your investment criteria. Build your team. Secure access to capital. And most importantly, stay connected to what is happening in real time.
With tools like WDSuite, you don’t have to wait for perfect clarity or secondhand information. You can source better deals, underwrite them faster, and move with confidence while others hesitate.
Markets will continue to shift. But opportunities do not disappear—they just change shape. The multifamily investors who succeed in 2025 will be those who embrace the reset, stay informed, and take decisive action.
If that sounds like you, now is the time to lean in.
What is your plan in this market? Are you buying, waiting, or repositioning? Drop a comment and let us know how you’re approaching the multifamily reset in 2025.
Embedded finance and automated lending services are under threat as policy and regulatory changes continue under the Donald Trump administration. After nearly seven months, effects from the changes at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) surfacing, specifically a pullback on funding and a reevaluation of open banking. “There’s a reduction in the operating expenses for […]
Here’s how to use Dave Ramsey’s budget percentages in your own budget.
I used these exact numbers to get out of debt and start saving money. But first, let’s quickly talk about why having a budget is helpful.
The Benefits Of A Budget
A budget is a written plan for your money over a set timeframe. It gives you an in-depth understanding of what you can afford to spend your money on, taking into account your financial limitations.
Without one, you will toss money at every shiny, object that catches your eye. Having a budget will help you think carefully about the trade-offs you are willing to make.
Budgeting will provide you with a host of benefits to your financial health.
Do some research, and you will realize that most wealthy families acquire and grow their wealth by faithfully sticking to a budget.
You should be budgeting if you are:
Planning an early retirement.
You are working on limited finances.
A home renovation is in your future.
You are paying off credit card bills or high-interest student loans.
You’re trying to use your money the right way.
You are working towards reaching your financial goals.
Not convinced?
10 Good Reasons Why You Should Create And Stick To A Budget
It can be difficult to maintain financial stability, especially if you are not used to budgeting or tracking your personal spending. However, there are several good reasons why you should create and stick to a budget.
1. Gives You 100 Percent Control Over Your Money
A budget allows you to be intentional about how you spend and save your hard-earned money.
You’ll be the one telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.
You will be able to decide if you want to forego short-term spendings such as daily coffee visits to Starbucks for a long-term benefit such as a new car or vacation.
2. Keeps You Focused on Your Money Goals
Budgeting will give you an accurate picture of your family’s financial health. By mapping out your goals, you avoid spending carelessly.
When you know how much money is coming in, how fast it goes out, and what you spend it on, you will stay on track.
Budgeting will allow you to plan your short-term and long-term goals and make the path towards them.
3. Enables You to Engage With Your Partner About Money
Here’s the bitter truth: Money is such a stressful part of marriage. Money fights are the leading cause of divorce, second only to infidelity.
If you share your money with your significant other, it can be hard to be on the same financial page.
Open and honest communication always wins in marriage. A budget will enable you to identify discrepancies, and you can talk about how you use money together.
4. Helps You Organize Savings and Spending
Far too many folks spend money they don’t have—and we owe it all to credit cards! The age of plastic has got people living beyond their means.
By dividing your finances into categories of savings and expenditure, you will have a visual representation of your financial situation. This way, you’ll know which category takes which portion.
A budget can also be a reference for organizing your receipts, bills, and financial statements.
5. Creates Margin
By paying your debts quickly and living within your means, you will get used to living within your monthly budget.
When you spend less money, extra income becomes available. The excess income is considered a financial margin.
It is up to you to choose where to apply the extra money to build longstanding financial security.
6. Develops A New Habit
Committing to staying within your budget will let you have a closer look at your spending habits. If you find yourself spending carelessly, you will rethink your spending habits.
Do you need 20 designer handbags? How many channels do you watch on your costly extended cable plan?
Asking yourself such questions can change your mindset towards money and allow you to re-focus your financial goals.
A budget will help you develop new spending habits that you can maintain over time. After practicing the positive habits a while, you will start seeing real progress.
7. Enables You to Create a Cushion for Emergencies
Life is full of surprises, and things can change in the blink of an eye. When you thought you had climbed out of your financial quagmire, random events happen and push you back to square one.
For some reason, the unexpected expenses all tend to come up at once at the worst possible time. You are getting home from a trip to the hospital to be welcomed by your utensils swimming on the kitchen floor. That’s why you need an emergency fund.
A budget is a living document. Your budget needs updating when changes occur in your life. Such changes can increase household spending. Without my safety net, I would probably have never been able to pull myself out of debt.
8. Allows You to Pay Down Debt Quickly
Do you wish you were debt-free? Well, it’s possible, and it all begins with a budget! Understanding your debt is very important!
There are two types of debt: good debt and bad debt. Meaning that taking a debt like a mortgage isn’t necessarily a bad idea if you can afford it.
So how will a budget help you?
First, a budget will show you the amount of debt you can afford. Then, by growing savings, you will have less stress over money as you will be able to pay down your debt quickly.
9. Get to Have Fun Without Guilt
Maybe you can relate to this scenario; doing “some” online shopping only to wake up the next day with regret.
With a budget, you will no longer have to wonder if you can afford a vacation or a big purchase. It will allow you to budget for fun.
Imagine attending concerts, going out with friends, or doing a little splurging without wondering how you will pay the credit card bill at the end of the month.
Awesome, right? A budget will let you have fun without feeling guilty.
10. Find and Make Extra Cash
When you identify and get rid of unnecessary spendings like interests, penalties, and late fees, the money saved can add up quickly.
When you’re aware of your expenses and spending, instead of ignoring your situation, keeping more of your money will be easier.
The above life-enhancing benefits are just the tip of the iceberg. Countless other advantages will have a lasting impact on your finances, and help you be at peace with your money.
So don’t wait! Time to start budgeting!
Dave Ramsey’s Recommended Budget Percentages By Category
Giving — 10 %
Saving — 10 %
Food — 10 to 15 %
Utilities — 5 to 10 %
Housing Costs — 25 %
Transportation — 10 %
Health — 5 to 10 %
Insurance — 10 to 25 %
Recreation — 5 to 10 %
Personal spending — 5 to 10 %
Miscellaneous — 5 to 10 %
Dave Ramsey Budget Categories
Like every other skill, money management is something you learn. Knowing where your money goes every month is a proven way to be successful with your money.
Splitting your budget percentages by category will give you a better picture. With this kind of clarity, you will be able to make smart decisions with your money.
Dave Ramsey came up with this precise and effective technique for budget percentages. Ramsey may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but his budget categories are practical, easy to understand, and easy to follow.
You need to divide your budget into 11 descriptive groups. It might seem overwhelming at first, but after you’ve tweaked it to fit your needs, things will be easy-peasy.
Of course, we are all different, just like our budgets. Personal finance is, well, …personal.
Lots of factors are involved in budgeting. Despite the differences, following this budget strategy will help you attain financial independence.
1. Giving
Ramsey advocates giving 10% of your income. Finding opportunities to give back is a great way to better yourself.
You can do this with your time or money. Even if there’s no cap for how much you can give, it helps to plan for it.
You can donate a portion of your income to a charity, church, animal shelter, or worthy cause of your choice every month.
If you haven’t found an organization or cause to donate to, consider increasing the amount you tip Uber drivers, waiters, parking attendants, etc.
2. Saving
You can put away some money for emergencies like getting laid off, towards investment, early retirement, or other saving goals.
3. Food
Food is an inevitable expense, and often the area in your budget where things start to go downhill.
I keep an eye on food expenses every month so that it doesn’t get out of control. Food can be broken down into two main categories: grocery shopping and eating out.
Consider meal prepping if you find unable to stay within the suggested range to minimize the cost of dining out. Learn more about how to save massive money on groceries here.
4. Utilities
New budgeters often overlook this category. This category includes all the necessary expenses in your budget, including cable, electricity, gas, cell phone plan, and internet.
Note that these costs can fluctuate throughout the year. Are you hooked on cable? Here are six alternatives to cable TV.
5. Housing Costs
Property taxes, insurance, rent/mortgage, Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), and Homeowners Association (HOA) fees should fall under housing costs.
This category accounts for a quarter of your monthly take-home pay.
6. Transportation
All types of transportation, private or public, with vehicle registration, fuel, oil changes, safety, maintenance, bus/ride money, parking, toll fees, are all included in the transportation category.
If the car expenses overwhelm you, you can keep your vehicle parked and opt for public transit, ride a bike or walk to your destination.
You will save money and reduce your carbon footprint. All great reasons to leave your car at home!
7. Health
No one plans to make a trip to the emergency room, but at some point, you will incur medical bills and health-related expenses not covered by insurance.
It helps to be proactive and plan for it. You will have peace of mind knowing that you are covered if you ever need medical attention.
This category can also include money you put toward your FSA and HSA.
8. Insurance
Insurance is another budget category where you pay for hoping you’ll never use it.
Depending on your current life position,
auto insurance,
health insurance,
life insurance,
and other insurance/s,
fall under this category.
9. Recreation
This category includes entertainment like:
sporting/movie tickets and concerts,
lifestyle expenses like kids’ activities or gym/club memberships,
or hobby-related costs like music classes.
10. Personal Spending
Sometimes, you want to spend your guilt-free discretionary money on
home décor and furnishings,
clothes,
shoes,
hair care,
and other personal items.
This category has got you covered for such expenses.
11. Miscellaneous
The miscellaneous category is where you put money away for anything you might have forgotten in your budget.
There’s always stuff you overlook. This category ensures you have accounted for every expense.
What About Debt
Debt is not a category in the Dave Ramsey budget percentages categories. However, Ramsey suggests putting as much as possible towards your non-mortgage debt, such as credit cards or student loans.
A budget is a valuable asset that will enable you to pay off debt quickly.
How to Create Your Monthly Budget
The budget categories we shared above are just one of the several ways you can decide to structure your budget.
You may have different budgeting categories you wouldn’t want to omit. To create your monthly budget, take the categories we listed, and use them as a blueprint to analyze your current budget.
You can ask yourself questions like which areas of your budget are within/outside the recommended guidelines — will any categories increase/decrease in the future.
Here, you can learn how to create a budget. You can also use the cash envelope system to budget money for each of the categories listed above.
Dave Ramsey’s Budgeting Method
If you don’t want to use A spreadsheet, you can use the EveryDollar app to get started.
The app relies on Ramsey’s money principles and his debt snowball repayment technique.
After registering, you’ll be asked to choose one or more money goals and to answer a few personalized questions.
You will then enter your income, expenses, giving, and debt figures.
Additional Budgeting Methods
There’s no denying that the Dave Ramsey method is useful, but it’s far from being your only option.
If you’ve made it this far and you still don’t know where you should begin, here are three other popular budgeting techniques:
The 50/20/30 Budget
If the Dave Ramsey budget percentages seem like too much work, worry not. The 50/20/30 rule is a clear strategy that lets you divide your current finances into three budget categories:
necessities,
nonessentials,
and savings.
Necessities – 50%
Necessities include bills you need to pay to live a decent life. Things like:
groceries,
housing (mortgage/rent),
and utilities.
Saving – 20%
Saving 20 percent will ensure your financial security for the future. This category includes savings such as:
retirement plans (Roth IRA, 401K, 403b, etc.),
saving for your emergency fund,
investing,
and big-ticket purchases.
Nonessentials – 30%
In no circumstance should you compromise this percentage for savings or nonessentials
Nonessentials are things that make life a little easier and desirable. They should take 30 percent of your money and include:
entertainment,
eating out,
digital subscriptions,
holidays,
and other recreational activities.
The only problem with a 50/20/30 rule for budgeting is that there’s too much room for variability.
Reverse Budgeting
Reverse or backward budgeting is when you figure out how much you need to save and pay your savings account first.
This method allows you to spend the rest of the money any way you please as long as you follow the first step and pay yourself first.
Because you focus on saving, you can’t spend what you don’t have. When you increase the amount of money you save, it naturally decreases the amount you spend, and it also makes you prioritize your expenses.
Most people find that gradually saving more forces them to cut spending on things that they don’t really need.
Zero Based Budget
A zero-based budget means assigning every dollar a job. With this type of budget, technically, you shouldn’t have any unassigned money in your possession.
All your funds should be allocated down to zero. It gives you the ultimate control of your money.
Don’t get it twisted; a zero-based budget does not mean you have no money left. Instead, you need to budget every dollar until you reach zero dollars left to budget.
Fun things like shopping and going on vacation can also be included in your budget. This way, you can ensure that every single dollar is working for you.
Whether you opt for the Dave Ramsey budget percentages or go for a more upfront 50/20/30 budget, implementing one of these systems will help you make better decisions about your money.
Remember that each of the above budgeting methods is just a starting point for you to create your personalized budget.
You don’t have to follow them if they don’t make sense for your family. Use them to get started, then modify your budget to your own needs.
What is the 70 20 10 rule with your budget?
The 70/20/10 rule is a simple guideline that can help you create a balanced budget.
The rule states that 70% of your income should go towards essential expenses like:
housing
food
and transportation.
20% should be set aside for financial goals, like:
saving for retirement
paying off debt.
Finally, 10% can be used for discretionary spending, such as:
While the 70/20/10 rule is a helpful starting point, it’s important to remember that everyone’s financial situation is unique. You may need to adjust the percentages based on your own income and expenses.
For example, if you have a large amount of debt, you may want to put more towards debt repayment and less towards savings. Ultimately, the goal is to create a budget that meets your needs and allows you to reach your financial goals.
Summary Of Dave Ramsey Budget Percentages
If you’ve been scrutinizing your bank account and pay stubs and questioning where all your money goes, learning to use Dave Ramsey’s budget percentages is for you!
Budgeting is the fundamental and single most effective tool for managing your money. Don’t look at budgeting as additional work and a tool that will stop you from enjoying stuff.
Budgeting will show you how you allocate your money and, based on your limitations, provide you the choices on what things to enjoy.
Remember this; budgeting doesn’t save you from careless spending habits. It only provides a goal and reference to help you stay on course.
Hi, I’m Ashley a freelance writer who’s passionate about personal finance. Ever since I was young, I’ve been fascinated by the power of money and how it can shape our lives. I’ve spent years learning everything I can about budgeting, saving, investing and retirement planning. So if you are looking for tips, advice, or just a little bit of inspiration to help you on your financial journey, you have come to the right place. I am always here to help, and I am excited to share my passion for personal finance with you.
2021.7 Update: The $250 offer is expired. The current offer is $200.
2021.2 Update: The new offer is $250. HT: DoC.
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Benefits
$200+$100 offer: earn $200 cash bonus after spending $500 in first 3 months. Plus, enjoy a $100 credit to use towards flights, stays and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel during your first cardholder year.
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day.
If you have a Capital One Miles earning card (such as Capital One Venture), then you can transfer your cashback to Miles and improve its potential value.
No foreign transaction fee.
No annual fee.
Disadvantages
Capital One will pull all three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) for one credit card application!
Recommended Application Time
We recommend you apply for this card after you have a credit history of at least two years and you are very comfortable with the credit card game.
[1/6 rule] You can only apply for 1 Capital One credit card for every 6 months, including both personal and business credit cards. You will get automatic denial if you violate this rule, but there will be no hard pull.
Introduction to Capital One (C1) Miles
You can earn C1 Miles with two kinds of cards: Miles earning cards, or cashback earninng cards. Miles earning cards mainly include: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Spark Miles for Business. Cashback earning cards mainly include: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Spark Cash Plus etc.
You can move your C1 Miles from one Miles earning card to another Miles earning card at any time, and you can also move your cashback from a cashback earning card to a Miles earning card at any time. However, you can not move your Miles from a Miles earning card to a cashback earning card, therefore cashback is more flexible than Miles in C1’s system.
C1 Miles never expire. You will lose the C1 Miles on one card if you close the account, but you can prevent losing your C1 Miles by moving the points to another C1 card beforehand.
If you have a Miles earning card, C1 Miles can be transferred to some airline miles and hotel points. Some good 1:1 transfer options are: Air Canada (AC) (Star Alliance), Avianca (AV) (Star Alliance), Asia Miles (CX) (Oneworld), British Airways (BA), and Wyndham hotel points, etc. If you use C1 Miles in this way, the value is about 1.6 cents/point.
You can redeem your C1 Miles towards travel expense at a fixed ratio 1.0 cent/point. You can also redeem your C1 Miles towards some merchants gift cards at a fixed raiot 1.0 cent/point.
You can redeem your C1 Miles towards statement credit at a fixed ratio 0.5 cents/point.
In summary, we estimate that C1 Miles are worth about 1.6 cents/point.
Summary
The sign-up bonus is decent for a no annual fee card. It is also good that this card has no Foreign Transaction Fee (FTF) AND no annual fee. However, a similar card BoA Travel Rewards Credit Card is better in most aspects. There is also a card PayPal Cashback Mastercard, which earns 2% cashback on everything with no annual fee and no FTF (though it does not have any sign-up bonus). You should also be careful that Capital One will pull all three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) for one credit card application (see Characteristics of Major Banks for more details).
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