Category: personal finance

First-Time Buyers Face Record Prices as UK Housing Market Recovers

First-time buyers in the UK are facing record high prices as the housing market recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and increased borrowing costs following last year’s mini-budget fiasco. The average price tag on first-time buyer homes—houses and flats with a maximum of two bedrooms—hit a record high of £224,963 ($279,830) in April after edging up…


How to Utilize Real Estate in Your Retirement Portfolio

By Chris Kampitsis Owning investment real estate to generate income during retirement can be a valuable addition to your portfolio. There are several ways to utilize real estate in your retirement portfolio. In this article, we explore several ways owning real estate could be incorporated into your current balance sheet and become a major part…


Young Adults Traveling on Fiscal Thin Ice

Prices for travel remain stubbornly high. The cost of airfare in February was 27 percent higher than the same month a year earlier, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. And rental car prices—having shot up during the pandemic—remain high today, as they’re 37 percent pricier in February than they were in the same…


Cash in on Your Home Equity

By Emma Patch From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance For the nearly two-thirds of Americans who own a home, tapping into home equity can be an affordable and flexible way to borrow money. One way to do that is through a home equity line of credit or HELOC. HELOCs allow homeowners to borrow from their home equity…


How to Buy Organic Food for Less

Many people think that organic food reduces exposure to added chemicals. For example, organic foods don’t have added hormones, and they reduce exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The result is that organic food has become popular. But, unfortunately, with that increased popularity comes the expense. Organic food, therefore, can be an expensive addition to your grocery…


Closing Prices for Crude Oil, Gold and Other Commodities (Apr. 21)

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for June delivery rose 50 cents to $77.87 a barrel Friday. Brent crude for June delivery rose 56 cents to $81.66 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for May delivery rose 1 cent $2.60 a gallon. May heating oil was unchanged at $2.49 a gallon. May natural gas fell 2 cents to $2.23…


Your Tax Refund Could Be Smaller Than Last Year. Here’s Why.

NEW YORK—Expecting a tax refund? It could be smaller than last year. And with inflation still high, that money won’t go as far as it did a year ago. The more than 100 million taxpayers who have had their returns processed as of April 7 got refunds that were an average of 9.3 percent less…


The Fed Has Been Raising Rates, But What’s Next?

On March 22, 2023, the Federal Reserve raised the target fed funds rate from 4.75 to 5.00 percent. This marked a 475 bps increase in interest rates since March 2022. With the Fed’s next planned meeting scheduled for May 2023, many are wondering if the Fed will continue the trend of aggressive rate hikes, keep…


Existing Home Sales Drop as Mortgage Demand Crashes

Existing home sales fell in March, as higher interest rates continued to put pressure on borrowers, but some analysts believe that the housing market slump is nearing an end. Rising mortgage rates last month were a likely factor in deterring buyers by adding downward pressure on housing values, as fewer borrowers can afford higher payments. Home…


Closing Prices for Crude Oil, Gold and Other Commodities (Apr. 20)

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for May delivery fell $1.87 to $77.29 a barrel Thursday. Brent crude for June delivery fell $2.02 to $81.10 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for May delivery fell 6 cents $2.59 a gallon. May heating oil fell 7 cents to $2.49 a gallon. May natural gas rose 3 cents to $2.25 per…