Wading through unnecessary paperwork is no one’s idea of a good time. Same goes for being forced to hear a dreaded loop of Muzak while waiting on hold for what feels like eternity.

In the hopes of removing some of the suffering from the pain of customer service interactions, the Biden administration announced a new bundle of government-wide actions today nicknamed “Time Is Money.” The administration says the hassles that Americans face are often designed to deter people from activities that could hurt a company’s bottom line, such as refunds or subscription cancellations.

“This work came from scores of conversations with people — consumer advocates and others — about practices that are really designed to get people crazy and, honestly, they’re really designed for you to give up.” says Neera Tanden, director of the Domestic Policy Council of the United States.

During his presidency, Biden has addressed a bevy of corporate-instituted annoyances that everyday Americans face, including things like junk fees. These new actions also provide a glimpse into what areas of consumer protection Vice President Kamala Harris is likely to emphasize on the campaign trail.

The consumer pain points that the administration is targeting include things most people have encountered such as chatbots, doom loop phone menus, fake reviews and enigmatic subscription cancellation practices.

But first, a caveat: When the White House announces any “actions,” it can take a long time to actually happen. Certain actions might require movement through regulatory processes, other agencies or Congress. Businesses may have perfected red tape, but the government invented it.

Stop “doom loops” and connect consumers to humans

The pipeline from consumer-to-human representative is often littered with unhelpful robotic menus that don’t recognize when you’re helplessly yelling “customer service” into the receiver.

“I myself have had experiences where you call and the thing you need is not in the recommended options,” says Tanden. “And then you hit a button that sounds like it’s close — like it could get you access to a human — but it’s not close. And they keep just giving you the same list over and over again. What that’s fundamentally doing is wasting your time in order to make it difficult to realize the choice that you want.”

To combat this frustrating experience, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is expected to create a rule that would require companies it oversees — such as banks and lenders — to streamline connecting consumers with human customer service agents.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering requiring the same of phone, broadband and cable companies. The Health and Human Services department and Department of Labor are also expected to call on health plan providers to improve this path.

Simplify subscription and membership cancellation practices

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a rule that would require companies to make a subscription or membership cancellation as easy as it was to sign up.

The “click to cancel” proposal was first made in March 2023 and is still in the “rulemaking” process, which Tanden says should be completed sometime in the fall. This action doesn’t require congressional approval.

Stop companies from masking bad reviews or creating fake ones

The FTC has also proposed a rule that would ban marketers from deceptive review practices, including suppressing honest negative reviews and propping up fake positive reviews. This rule was proposed in June 2023 and is in the rulemaking process.

Crackdown on customer service chatbots and A.I.

The CFPB is expected to issue rules or guidance against using automated chatbots or artificial intelligence voice recordings as customer service in scenarios when people are led to believe they’re communicating with a person.

Improve health care coverage customer service

The HHS and the DOL are both calling on health insurance companies “to take concrete actions to save people time and money when interacting with their health coverage,” according to a White House press statement. That proposal is as opaque as the next promise that these departments will identify additional ways to improve how the health care system interacts with people.

Tanden says one practice the Office of Personnel Management wants to address is making it easier to submit paperwork online rather than through mail or fax. “Some people don’t really have access to a fax machine,” says Tanden. “These practices really do seem designed to make it difficult to get prior authorization or claim a particular benefit.”

The Office of Personnel Management is also planning to require all federal and postal service health benefit plans to simplify submitting out-of-network claims online, finding information on appealing claim denials and help people figure out which providers are in-network.

Require airlines to provide automatic cash refunds

The Department of Transportation now requires airlines to pay customers back the airfare when a flight is canceled or changed significantly for any reason. A passenger would be entitled to a refund if they do not rebook a flight. All refunds must be automatic. This rule was announced in April and will be implemented soon, according to Tanden.

Streamline communications between parents and schools

The Department of Education is expected to issue guidance to schools to make it simpler and less time-intensive for parents and schools to do things like communicating with teachers and completing required forms and permission slips. It’s unclear what this guidance would look like, but the White House says it would “include new resources for schools to address time-wasting technology and offer more streamlined processes for engaging and communicating with parents.”

What’s next?

Tanden says the administration is hoping to do more to ensure consumer choices “drive the market” and prevent companies from gaming the system at the expense of consumers.The White House is soliciting suggestions from Americans for how they’d like consumer service to better serve them including things like how refunds are delivered; dealing with human agents instead of robots; canceling subscriptions more easily; and how technological features can actually make their lives easier. You can submit your suggestions here.

Anna Helhoski writes for NerdWallet. Email: anna@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @AnnaHelhoski.

The article Biden Official: Lousy Customer Service ‘Designed For You to Give Up’ originally appeared on NerdWallet.

When you buy a house on or after Aug. 17, you’ll do things differently than before. Rules will change on that date, due to the settlement of an antitrust lawsuit.

Unlike before, you will decide how much your real estate agent will be paid for representing you when you buy a home. And your agent won’t be paid by the seller’s agent. Instead, you’ll probably ask the home’s seller to pay your agent — a request that will be subject to negotiation.

In short: It won’t be the same purchasing process that your parents, siblings and friends went through when they bought their homes before the legal settlement with the National Association of Realtors.

Here’s how the new process will work.

You’ll sign an agreement before touring homes

You’re browsing real estate websites and you’ve spotted a house that you want to visit so you can see inside — this is known as a home tour. Before a real estate agent escorts you inside, you will be required to sign an agreement that defines what the agent will do for you.

The agreement can outline a lightweight and short-term relationship with the agent or it can be a longer-term contract — whatever you negotiate.

On the lightweight end of the spectrum, you could sign a touring agreement that lasts a day or a week or gives you access to just one or two houses. Think of it as giving the agent an unpaid audition. “I give them options. Option one is we could just sign the agreement just for today,” says Danielle Rownin, real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty in Connecticut. If the agent and client aren’t a good fit, she adds, the agreement expires at midnight “and we’re free to move on.”

You’ll sign an agreement even if the agent gives you a virtual tour, which is typically done by walking around the house with a cell phone camera. But you won’t have to sign a touring agreement to visit an open house. Likewise, you won’t have to sign an agreement for the seller’s agent to give you a tour of the home, because that agent is working for the seller and not for you.

You’ll sign an agreement when the search gets serious

At some point, you’ll officially hire a buyer’s agent. You’ll sign a wordier and longer-term contract that not only describes the agent’s responsibilities, but also how much the agent will be paid. It might be called a buyer agency agreement, a buyer-broker agreement or a buyer representation agreement. These agreements aren’t new; in fact, they’ve been required in some states. But now they’ll be required just about everywhere.

This could be the first contract you sign; you don’t have to use touring agreements. Or you might build a rapport with an agent during a touring agreement and convert it into a buyer agency contract.

It’s still possible to buy a house without hiring your own agent to represent you, but it’s discouraged.

You’ll negotiate the agent’s pay

The contract will spell out how much you will pay the agent for representing you. “It could be a flat fee — small or large — or it could be a percentage of the purchase price,” says Leo Pareja, CEO of eXp Realty.

Real estate brokerages will experiment with flat fees and other pay structures such as hourly rates. But for now, most buyer’s agents will charge commissions that are a percentage of the home’s price. Experienced agents might request higher percentages, and newbie agents might ask for less. You’ll have to put on your negotiating shoes and push for a commission that works for you.

If a buyer’s agent requests a 3% commission, “You should definitely say, ‘That seems high to me. Would you be willing to lower that figure?’ That’s all you have to say,” says Stephen Brobeck, senior fellow for the Consumer Federation of America.

Some agents might respond with a lower commission. Others might hold firm, telling you that you get what you pay for. This unyielding approach might impress you if you believe it means they’ll advocate zealously for you. Just keep in mind that there are plenty of agents who will compete for your business, and some might charge less. You don’t have to sign a contract with the first agent you negotiate with.

Percentages are abstract numbers, so doing the math to calculate the cost of the commission in dollars can help you understand what you’re committing yourself to. Take a $400,000 home, for example. A 3% commission would amount to $12,000, while a 2.5% commission would cost $10,000.

You’ll deal with contract elements besides pay

The duration of the contract is another thing you’ll negotiate. The agent might want to lock you in for 90 days, explaining that we’re in a seller’s market and it might take a while to make a successful offer. However, Brobeck says 90 days is too long. “You should not accept anything more than 60, and you should ask for 30,” he says, explaining that you can renew the contract when it expires (if you’re satisfied with your agent).

Read the contract thoroughly and ask the agent to explain anything that’s unclear. If you still feel confused, seek a lawyer’s advice — it might be worth the price.

Watch out for fees on top of the commission, said Wendy Gilch, deputy director of Consumer Advocates In American Real Estate. “Admin fees, brokerage fees, transaction fees, regulatory compliance fees are junk fees and buyers should negotiate them out,” she said in an email. “They’ve become rampant, with some brokerages charging $800 to buyers on top of commission collected.”

The contract can specify the geographic area it applies to. It can be one address, one or more ZIP codes, a city, a county — whatever you negotiate. Gilch recommends against letting the agreement cover the whole state because that’s asking too much.

You can ask the seller to pay your agent’s commission

When you make an offer on a house, you can ask the seller to pay your agent in what is called a seller’s concession.

Having the seller pay your agent will be a relief if you’re already stressing about how you’re going to afford the earnest money deposit, the down payment and the closing costs. Your agent’s commission will be thousands of dollars, and many buyers don’t have that kind of money lying around.

“The seller has the ability to pay the buyer’s agent,” says Courtney Johnson Rose, president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, an industry group for Black agents. “That’s the seller’s prerogative.”

Here’s an example of how it can work: You offer $400,000 for the house on the condition that the seller pays your agent 2.5%, or $10,000. That means the seller nets $390,000 before paying the listing agent, taxes and closing costs.

You might find that the seller already has indicated a willingness to pay a concession of, say, up to 3% of the purchase price to pay the buyer’s agent or contribute to closing costs. In such a case, the seller won’t object to your request for money to pay your agent.

Even if the seller hasn’t signaled a willingness to pay your agent, you can still ask. It might be in the seller’s interest to pay. “Sellers who choose to offer said compensation will attract more buyers, get the best price and sell more quickly,” Rownin said in an email.

In a welcome change in policy, VA borrowers — home buyers with loans guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs — will be allowed to pay their agents directly or via seller concession.

How negotiating a better deal can land you a home

Finally, a word on the value of negotiating a lower commission with your agent. Look again at the example in which you offer $400,000 and ask the seller to pass along 2.5% of it, or $10,000, to your agent.

Now imagine a competing buyer who also offers $400,000 — but asks for 3%, or $12,000, to pay their agent.

Your offer lets the seller collect $2,000 more. The difference could tip the offer in your favor because you negotiated a better deal with your agent.

Holden Lewis writes for NerdWallet. Email: hlewis@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @HoldenL.

The article What Home Shoppers Need to Know About the New Buyer’s Contracts originally appeared on NerdWallet.

The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.

Summertime often coincides with big spending on summer camps, travel and other seasonal fun. That can make fall the ideal time to focus on money management.

There’s still time to make adjustments before the end of the year, says Carla Adams, a certified financial planner and founder of Ametrine Wealth in Lake Orion, Michigan. “As you are getting out of the summer haze, you can make sure that all of your finances are in shape,” she says.

Here are some ways to get finances on track as the days shorten and temperatures cool:

Review summer spending

Before making decisions about future spending, Adams suggests looking at where your money went over the summer. She says tracking your spending is effective because, “you start noticing how much money you’ve spent on things like takeout and clothes.”

Adams says budget apps can help you track those numbers, or you can carefully review credit card and debit card statements. That way, you’ll see what spending categories cost you the most.

Adams adds that everyone’s priorities are different, so one person might want to spend more on travel, for example, and there’s nothing wrong with that. “We all have our own values and priorities, so just focus on what’s important to you,” she says.

(Kimberly Palmer shares how she gets her fall finances back on track through meal planning.)

Pay off debt

If some of the summer spending resulted in credit card debt, then fall is also the ideal time to make a plan to pay it off, says Spenser Liszt, a CFP and founder of Dallas-based Motif Planning, which works primarily with music industry professionals across the country.

Try to avoid dwelling on regret about overspending. “Don’t blame yourself,” Liszt says. “It’s OK to feel those feelings and use them to inspire change. If you are feeling regret or remorse, why is that? Was the trip not worth it? Do you just feel like you spent more than you should?” Asking yourself those questions can help you avoid similar mistakes in the future, he says.

From there, create a debt payoff plan. Liszt explains that you can choose from the snowball method, where you pay off the debt with the lowest balance first to build up momentum, or the avalanche method, where you pay off the debt with the highest interest rate first since it’s the most expensive.

Allow for pop-up expenses

Planning for seasonal expenses like travel can also reduce the chances of accruing summer debt next year, Adams says. She recommends planning out annual expenses, such as home maintenance costs or holiday spending, so you can set aside money for them.

“It’s really easy to get caught up in monthly budgeting, but we don’t think about one-off expenses. There’s always something unusual or special,” she says. “Planning out ahead of time what those bigger expenses are going to be can make sure there’s room in the budget for them.”

Noah Damsky, principal at Marina Wealth Advisors in Los Angeles, says that creating a budget that looks at three months at a time can also capture more variable expenses. “It gives you flexibility,” he says, because you can build in the occasional dinner with friends or weekend trip that might not occur every month.

“Everything comes down to organization,” he says. “If you plan ahead, you can save in advance and set that budget.”

Maximize employee benefits

For people at companies with employee benefits, the selection window typically opens up in the fall, which means employees can make selections related to their health insurance and other benefits. In addition to changing selections, Adams also suggests closely reviewing beneficiaries listed for workplace retirement accounts and life insurance policies to make any adjustments.

“If you’ve had any life changes, such as marriage, divorce or children, make sure these are up to date,” she says.

Lori Bodenhamer, a San Francisco-based CFP and financial planner for Abundo Wealth, suggests also reviewing any flexible spending accounts, where pre-tax money is set aside for dependent care or health care expenses.

Although many companies offer a grace period that extends beyond December 31, if your flexible spending account doesn’t offer a carryover option, that money is generally lost if you don’t use it. So it’s important to complete the process for reimbursement, which can involve submitting receipts or other paperwork.

Get organized for tax season

Fall is also the ideal time to start thinking about taxes, Liszt says. By the end of September, there’s only a few more months left in the year to make contributions to some types of tax-advantaged retirement accounts like 401(k)s.

“Even though we’re not filing or getting a refund until April, we still have to think about it now, because you have until December 31 to do anything about it,” he says.

He notes that other tax deadlines also coincide with the end of the year, such as taking required minimum distributions or making charitable donations in the current tax year. It’s also a good idea to get your tax-related paperwork in order, such as any deductible expenses.

Kimberly Palmer writes for NerdWallet. Email: kpalmer@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @kimberlypalmer.

The article How to Get Your Finances Back on Track for Fall originally appeared on NerdWallet.

Staying at a beach house with friends can be a lot of fun. Deciding which house to rent via a poorly organized group chat? Not so much.

Using vacation rental platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo for group trips makes sense. In most cases, they’re more affordable than hotels for large groups, according to a 2022 NerdWallet analysis, and they foster group activities like cooking and playing games. So it’s hardly surprising that more than 80% of bookings on Airbnb are for groups, according to data shared by the platform.

Yet these benefits come with trade-offs. There’s the whole shared bathroom issue and the “which-couple-gets-the-much-nicer-bedroom” dilemma. But before check-in, there’s the question of which rental to choose that matches the group’s preferences.

In May, Airbnb added features aimed at making group travel easier to plan, including shared wish lists and group messaging with hosts. These features smooth out some of the logistics of planning a group trip, yet no feature in an app will make herding cats (i.e., your friends and family) easy.

Here are some tips and guidelines to help your group communicate when choosing your next vacation rental.

Set a budget

Determining how much everyone is willing to pay is probably the most fundamental question facing your group. It’s also the one most likely to be skirted. Talking about money can feel uncomfortable or embarrassing, yet failing to do so can lead the group to spend more than everyone is comfortable paying.

Some members of your group might be embarrassed to share their budget, for fear of spoiling the fun or coming across as cheap. So being the first to suggest a low-end budget can actually be a service (and relief) for others.

Zainob Fashola, a travel expert, recently planned a group trip to the Bahamas with friends. Their group quickly landed on a budget.

“We wanted a modern villa close to the beach, at a max of $1,000 per person for five nights, managed by a well-reviewed host or company,” Fashola said in an email.

Determining a budget early can narrow the range of options, smoothing the decision-making process and making sure everyone feels comfortable. Make sure to check “final” prices — not listed prices — when searching for properties, as add-on fees can balloon the final bill.

Assemble your options and take a vote

After you’ve set a budget (and, presumably, a destination), the next step is identifying potential rentals. This is where things can get messy in a hurry. Think group chats with members randomly sharing links. Here are some tips to streamline the process:

• Appoint a leader. This doesn’t have to be a formal process. As the one reading this, you’re likely a good candidate.
• Create a list. You can use one of Airbnb’s new shared wish lists or create a spreadsheet. Make sure everyone can see and edit the list, wherever it lives.
• Keep an eye on location. It can be easy to get lost in the pretty pictures of the rental itself and forget the importance of its location. You might want to decide on a neighborhood ahead of time, to further winnow the options and avoid choosing a rental in the hinterlands.
• Double-check the bedroom situation. Many rentals say they can accommodate large groups, but what they really mean is that there are a bunch of air mattresses in the living room. Make sure each option has enough bedrooms for your group.

Some group members will likely have strong preferences, while others couldn’t care less as long as they have a bed. It’s important to get as much of the group’s input as possible, but don’t wait for everybody’s input.

“When we decide on a destination, the more vocal members, usually those familiar with the area, have specific requests regarding neighborhood, views, and house style,” said Fashola.

Once the top choices have been determined, settle it with a vote. This can be as informal as an emoji-based system in a group chat or a secret ballot survey.

“That trip was last minute, so we skipped the Google Sheet, listed four available options in the chat, voted in minutes, and booked the villa immediately,” Fashola explained.

Herd those cats

Group decision-making is always an exercise in patience and communication, and deciding on the perfect vacation rental poses its own challenges. Since it involves money and budgets, it can strike nerves for some or leave others bitter they’re overpaying. And the stakes are high to make sure the rental itself doesn’t get in the way of a successful trip.

Airbnb has launched some features that help with organizing the task itself, yet the real struggle comes from competing personalities, preferences and communication styles.

For Fashola, finding the perfect rental for her Bahamas trip proved relatively easy, but splitting the restaurant bill is still proving trickier. After letting one member choose the restaurant itinerary on a recent trip to Greece, the group was shocked at the final price tag.

“Now, we always check menu prices before trusting her suggestions.”

Sam Kemmis writes for NerdWallet. Email: skemmis@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @samsambutdif.

The article How to Choose a Short-Term Vacation Rental With a Group originally appeared on NerdWallet.

Remember those old internet ads promising one “weird trick” to improve your fitness forever? I never clicked on those, but I wonder if the trick was “exercise often.” Because that would work.

Similarly, I’m asked all the time about the best way to use credit card reward points — specifically, points issued by banks designed to cover a variety of travel expenses. Three-quarters of credit card accounts offered rewards in 2022, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and many come with flexible redemption options. The answer is surprisingly simple: Learn how to transfer those points to travel loyalty programs.

Transferring points isn’t a particularly easy or obvious option. But the value of the points from popular issuer loyalty programs — such as Chase Ultimate Rewards®, American Express Membership Rewards and Capital One miles — can vary dramatically depending on how they’re used. That’s why NerdWallet offers both a “baseline value” and “maximized value” in our point valuations.

The baseline value is how valuable points are when used for booking travel directly through the issuer’s rewards portal, such as Chase Travel℠ or Capital One Travel. The maximized value relates to how much these points are worth when transferred to their best partner program. For example, the baseline value of American Express Membership Rewards is 1 cent, while the maximized value (when transferred to the best partners) is 2 cents.

Don’t be deterred

Most credit card reward programs make it easy to use your points for their baseline value. They usually show the cost of using points right next to the cash price when searching for travel on their booking platforms.

To be clear: There’s nothing wrong with using your points this way. Sometimes it’s actually the most valuable redemption option. And you generally get benefits like earning miles on flights booked this way. But there is another way.

American Express puts the “transfer points” option at the bottom of a hard-to-find menu on its account page. Don’t be deterred.

Figuring out how to actually transfer your points is one thing. Then comes the real challenge: Which partner program should you transfer them to?

This is the step where most people — including me — are most likely to get deterred. Each credit card program has a long list of transfer partnerships ranging from well-known U.S. brands like Delta Air Lines to international airlines like EVA Air. Which transfer partner is “best”?

Be clear about your goals

Many articles about maximizing points focus on redemptions that yield the best dollar-per-point value, which are almost always business and first class awards. But it’s worth asking: Is that what you want?

If you were planning to fly in a premium cabin already these articles can be helpful. But there are many problems with trying to book these awards, including restricted availability, complex booking processes, large fuel surcharges and other fees.

Flying economy might give you a worse dollar-per-point value than flying first class, but you might be able to squeeze more trips out of your points. And transferring points to loyalty programs for economy flights could still give you an edge over booking directly through an issuer. Don’t suddenly turn into a champagne-swilling points maximizer just because some article told you to.

Also important: Don’t transfer your points until you know the redemption you want to book is actually available. Otherwise you’ll be stuck with a bunch of points in random programs, and this one trick will turn into a big hassle.

Stick with it

The thing about this one weird trick — just like exercise — is that it requires persistence. It’s not a magic bullet.

Credit card holders earn $40 billion worth of rewards each year, according to a 2022 report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. And most of those rewards won’t be used to maximum effect.

By simply considering transfer partnerships as an option when using your credit card points, you’ve already put yourself 10 steps ahead of most people.

Sam Kemmis writes for NerdWallet. Email: skemmis@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @samsambutdif.

The article Maximize Credit Card Points With Just One (Big) Skill originally appeared on NerdWallet.

Buying things takes less time these days — you can have your week’s groceries, a new outfit and a used car headed to your front door in a matter of hours, thanks to technology. But this convenience comes with a price.

New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals fewer people are shopping on any given day than they were 20 years ago, and those who do are spending less time on the task. However, we’re spending more money, likely because we no longer have to even open our wallets, let alone leave the house, to buy all of the things we need or desire.

While our efforts have eased, online shopping has helped drive a dramatic increase in retail spending over the past few decades. Whether it’s your groceries or wardrobe, you’ve likely succumbed to more impulse buys because it’s just so darned easy.

We’re spending less time shopping

From 2003 to 2023, the share of people shopping on any given day fell from about 46% to just under 40%, according to the American Time Use Survey, an annual release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that examines how we spend our hours.

Further, when we do shop, we’re being a little quicker about it. The amount of time spent by those shopping on a given day fell by about six minutes during the 20-year period.

One way of looking at this, in terms of efficiency, is that we’re getting better at shopping — we can do what we need to in less time, on a fewer number of days. However, efficiency implies we’re getting greater returns on our efforts. In this case, it may only be a little time back, because we’re actually buying more.

Our efficiency is costing us; online shopping likely to blame

Retail sales data, a measure that gets close to the definition of shopping (though it doesn’t include shopping for services, which the time use survey does) indicates a 37% increase — from $437 billion per month in the first quarter of 2003 to $597 billion 20 years later, after adjusting for inflation. And one category within this data has seen far more dramatic growth.

Over the past two decades, we’ve seen online shopping go from novelty to commonplace. Spending on “electronic shopping and mail order houses” — the quaint-sounding U.S. Census Bureau category that applies to your late-night, couch-side shopping sprees — has grown from about $17 billion to $99 billion since 2003, after adjusting for inflation. That’s an increase of about 470%. And the inflation adjustment means we’re not just spending more, we’re buying more “stuff.” Turns out, when you don’t have to leave the house or even get dressed to go find a new hat, or three, you’re more likely to buy them.

Slowing down the shopping process

Personally, as I prepare to take a vacation, I know for a fact I’m purchasing more items for my trip simply because it’s convenient. I’m ordering two scarves to compare and keep the one I want; blister balm and a few kinds of bandages for the inevitable foot pain I’ll encounter walking around; travel-size everything to ensure I don’t have to check a bag; and a few new outfits to break in while abroad. Twenty years ago, this would have likely required multiple trips to multiple stores, and I wouldn’t have made all of these purchases. But I do now because I can. And it’s this frictionless shopping experience that makes it easy to overspend.

It’s one thing to shop within your means for the things you need, and another to be hit with pangs of guilt when the packages pile up outside your door. If you find you’re buying more stuff than you’d like, introducing speed bumps to the otherwise seamless process could help:

Shop with intent. Browsing with no purpose in mind can lead to purchases of things you don’t really need. Before you navigate to your favorite retailer just to “see what’s new,” ask yourself what you’re really looking for. If there’s no pressing need for new pants or yet another basic white tee, maybe you wait until there is a definitive need or reason to shop before placing yourself in the center of your favorite virtual stores.

Set shopping times, and avoid impulse buys. Limit the days or times of day when you allow yourself to shop. While it’s not the same as having to leave the house, find parking and contend with crowds, limiting yourself to certain shopping periods can help focus your objectives. Not to mention, it builds in a waiting period when impulses hit.

Instate a holding period, when possible. Filled your cart? Great, now walk away. Take a timeout between the selection and buying processes. This pause can help you gain perspective on potential purchases, and you may delete a few things before checking out. Some retailers are onto this tactic, however, and give you a limited amount of time before they empty your cart for you. Don’t let their timer rush a buying decision you aren’t absolutely certain about.

Review your purchases on a regular basis. Once a week or once a month, sit down and look at your shopping from the prior period. What did you buy? What did you end up returning? What should you have returned but didn’t? Reflecting on your most recent purchases can help you spot patterns or spending categories that you may be able to work on.

Elizabeth Renter writes for NerdWallet. Email: elizabeth@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @elizabethrenter.

The article Data: Americans Spending Less Time, More Money on Shopping originally appeared on NerdWallet.

More than 338,000 Americans moved for retirement in 2023, according to a January study from HireAHelper, a moving-services marketplace. And a quarter of them changed states, the study found.

Relocating in retirement isn’t simple. There are things to ponder, like whether you need new health insurance, how your new state taxes your income, whether a city has good health care and whether the culture is a match.

Kyle Newell, a certified financial planner (CFP) in Winter Garden, Florida, has a client who moved from Tampa, Florida, to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, where she lived for six months before deciding she wanted to move to Minnesota to be closer to family.

Thankfully, she made money on all the buying and selling, says Newell, who encourages clients to spend time where they plan to move to make sure it’s the best spot for them. It could be that you love the feeling of a certain place, he says, but it’s because you associate it with being on vacation, and living there is different.

Here are some things to think about before you start bubble wrapping your breakables.

1. Income taxes are just the starting point

Clients often ask David Berman, a CFP near Baltimore, about moving somewhere cheaper in retirement.

“It usually starts off very benignly: ‘Oh, you know, Florida doesn’t have an income tax and Maryland’s is eight and a half,’” Berman says. But when they do the math, taking into account things like property taxes, cost of living and even estate taxes, the difference often isn’t as large as clients expect.

Berman recommends talking to a professional before making a state jump, especially if you’re making other transactions before or after, such as the sale of a business. “Some states are more aggressive than others about chasing after their residents who are establishing residency elsewhere,” he says.

This also applies to people buying a second home and trying to declare residency there. If you live in a state like New York or New Jersey and try to establish residency at a second home in Florida, expect an audit, Berman says. “They are definitely looking for people who are fudging it,” he says.

2. You could get a Medicare do-over

If you have Medicare Advantage and you move out of your plan’s service area, you get a chance to reset your Medicare coverage. You can choose another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare and — here’s the kicker — get another shot to sign up for Medigap. You typically have to sign up during Medigap open enrollment, which only lasts six months after you’re 65 and have Medicare Part B. (And Medigap can be tougher to buy later if you have health issues.)

“We call this the nuclear option because this is one of the few ways to get out of a Medicare Advantage plan later in life if a Medicare Advantage plan is no longer working for you,” says Melinda Caughill, co-founder and CEO of 65 Incorporated, which offers Medicare guidance. “You will have a guaranteed issue right to get a Medigap policy.” This means companies must offer you a plan at the same pricing as everyone else, regardless of health issues.

If you have Original Medicare with a Medigap plan, in most cases, that Medigap policy will follow you and take on the policy pricing of your new area. If you have a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, you will need to choose a new plan if you’ve left the service area. And don’t forget to notify all the companies involved in your health care and/or dental coverage, as well as the Social Security Administration, about your move.

3. Renting first might be smarter

Unless you are super familiar with a location — in all seasons — be cautious about buying a home right away. “We try like crazy to talk our clients into renting for a year,” Berman says.

If you buy a house and have to sell it a year and a half later because you made the wrong choice on a city or neighborhood, the transaction costs will be substantial, Berman says. You’ll also owe capital gains taxes on any profit on the home sale if you’ve lived there for less than two years.

Thomas Cook, a CFP in Knoxville, Tennessee, has retired clients who recently moved to the state but are thinking of leaving. “They ultimately decided that Tennessee was not the right fit for them,” he says. But since they bought their home and prices have climbed since their purchase, they face paying capital gains taxes if they sell too soon.

4. The health care system needs a look

Access to health care should be a variable on your list. Crystal McKeon, a CFP in Houston, has a retired client who moved abroad and was diagnosed with cancer six months later. The country in question is equipped to handle it, but “it could’ve been very bad,” she says.

It’s important to think about not just your primary care doctor but also the general medical facilities available to you. “Otherwise, you could end up traveling pretty far to get good health care,” McKeon says.

5. Culture is important

Retirement happiness is also about the intangibles. Retirees who consider themselves happy spend significant time on interactive and social activities, according to a March report from life insurance company MassMutual. What’s the culture like? Will you be around people you enjoy?

Berman recalls a client who moved from Maryland to Arizona about five years ago — and is moving back due to the weather and the social climate. “One of the things to consider is the political dynamic, because it’s so contentious in today’s world,” he says. “What makes life enjoyable? The people around you, and the environment, and feeling good and safe. It’s definitely an issue.”

Cook recommends that people use social media to help with this. “It could be helpful to join a Facebook group ahead of time to get a feel for the culture,” he says.

Kate Ashford, CSA® writes for NerdWallet. Email: kashford@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @kateashford.

The article Moving in Retirement? 5 Things to Ponder Before You Pack originally appeared on NerdWallet.

Shopping for cheap car insurance can feel like hunting for Black Friday deals. You know what you want, but you have to compare different prices from different companies. And with each insurer using a unique pricing model, how can you really know when you’ve found the best deal?

Car insurance costs continue going up year after year, so you may be looking for ways to find cheaper coverage. A 2024 J.D. Power study revealed that nearly half of American car insurance customers have shopped for a new policy within the past year.

But while rates may be at an all-time high, it’s still possible to get cheaper car insurance if you consider these steps.

1. Work with an agent

The best way to get cheap car insurance is to compare insurance quotes from several insurers at least once a year, but this process can be time consuming. An independent agent can shop from multiple insurers for you, including smaller, regional insurers that may offer cheaper coverage than the large companies advertised on TV. An agent can also identify available discounts and help you choose appropriate coverage limits.

You can find an independent agent by asking friends or family for a referral, searching online and checking on insurer websites or a national network of independent agents.

2. Ask about discounts

Don’t assume you’re getting every discount you qualify for. Ask your insurer or agent about potential discounts to be sure you’re maximizing your savings.

You may not qualify for every discount offered by your insurer, but some of the most common ways to save include:

• Bundling multiple policies together with the same insurer.
• Being a safe driver by maintaining a clean driving record or taking a defensive driving course.
• Signing up for paperless billing or setting up automatic payments.
• Driving a vehicle with anti-theft or specific safety features, like air bags or anti-lock brakes.

3. Increase your deductible

If your policy includes a deductible — which is the dollar amount you’re responsible for in the event of a claim — increasing your deductible amount will lower the cost of car insurance.

Ryan Andrew, president of the Andrew Agency, an independent insurance agency in Richmond, Virginia, has seen more and more customers raise their deductible to keep their auto policy affordable. “Our standard deductible today is $1,000. It’s the highest that it’s ever been,” Andrew says.

If you do decide to raise your deductible, be sure you have enough cash on hand to cover the amount. Typically, the deductible will be subtracted from a claim payout. So if your insurer approves a claim of $10,000 and you have a $1,000 deductible, you’d receive a claim check of $9,000.

4. Confirm whether you need full coverage

If your policy includes comprehensive and collision coverage (two of the three types of insurance that make up a “full coverage” policy), then you may be able to drop them if you drive an older vehicle that’s not worth much. That’s because these types of coverage only pay out up to the current market value of your car, minus your deductible. So if you’d be able to afford repairs on your older car after a bad crash, it may be worth dropping these coverage types to save on your auto insurance premium.

While comprehensive and collision coverage aren’t required to drive legally, you may still be required to have them if you have an auto loan or lease your vehicle.

5. Build your credit

Most states allow insurers to use a credit-based insurance score to price auto insurance, and having poor credit can dramatically increase the cost of your policy. In fact, drivers with poor credit pay an average of 60% more for car insurance than those with good credit, according to NerdWallet’s July 2024 auto insurance rates analysis of 35-year-old drivers with a clean driving history.

Building your credit may significantly decrease how much you pay for car insurance. Some steps to build your credit include paying all your bills on time and using less than 30% of your total credit card limit.

Drew Gula writes for NerdWallet. Email: dgula@nerdwallet.com.

The article 5 Ways to Get Cheap Car Insurance originally appeared on NerdWallet.

Until recently, the upfront price of a cruise was often hardly reflective of the final price. That’s because hidden fees, such as port fees and taxes, on cruise lines lurked like unwelcome stowaways. However, a California junk fee law banishing these surprise charges went into effect July 1, and it’s changing how people nationwide see cruise fares displayed.

Under California Senate Bill 478, companies can no longer advertise one low cost for a product or service sold in California — only to impose additional or mandatory fees later. That’s impacted all sorts of aspects of travel, from resort fees to vacation rental cleaning fees to, yes, cruise fees.

“It’s much easier now to find a good deal on a cruise, rather than a deal that looks good until all the port charges and fees are added,” Aaron Saunders, an editor at Cruise Critic, said in an email.

Though the law is specific to California, many major cruise operators have recently adopted transparent pricing models that all U.S. shoppers can see. For example, as of July 1, Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America began including all mandatory taxes, fees and port expenses in their U.S. price displays.

Why cruise prices have a new look nationwide

There are a couple of reasons why California’s law has impacted U.S. cruise purchases, no matter where they’re sailing.

Pressure to be more transparent

Politicians, travel industry groups and consumers have called for more price transparency for years. President Joe Biden is even leading the charge on a federal crackdown on junk fees.

Many travelers prefer transparent pricing, too. In response to a proposed Federal Trade Commission rule that would prohibit junk fees, over 12,000 people submitted public comments, dozens of which specifically referenced cruises. Multiple people shared examples where final cruise prices ended up being double the advertised amount.

Consistency can be more practical

The other possible reason the California law has had an impact on national cruise operations is practicality.

“Treating California differently than the rest of the United States could have created confusion and introduced unnecessary complexity,” according to an FAQ issued by Royal Caribbean Group on changes to advertised pricing.

Plus, consistency makes it easier for consumers to compare prices, no matter where they’re buying from.

“This way, whether you’re checking fares in California, or your friend is checking fares in Florida, you’ll both see consistent pricing across the board,” Saunders said.

Cruises aren’t actually more expensive than before

Cruises that switched to transparent pricing models may now appear more expensive at the outset than they used to be, but the final cost remains the same. Saunders said that so far, he hasn’t seen any cruises change prices.

Instead, the change is that travelers can now see the total cost upfront. This could reduce potential frustrations around hidden fees.

It could also allow cruisers to make more informed decisions when comparing cruise lines. In the past, one cruise line might choose to display these fees upfront while another might not, making it hard for shoppers to compare total costs.

Cruise fees aren’t gone completely

Transparent pricing or not, knowing exactly what’s included in your cruise before booking is important.

While most U.S. cruise lines now disclose mandatory fees, many still charge for certain nonessentials, such as specialty restaurants, entertainment, alcohol or Wi-Fi. And some of these a la carte charges are subject to dynamic pricing as well, meaning they might get more expensive if you wait to add them to your reservation.

It’s more common to see this pricing model across cruises that offer cheaper upfront fares. In contrast, upscale cruise providers tend to have the fewest extra fees.

But a la carte pricing isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you’re seeking an alcohol-free vacation, or you enjoy the pause of notifications that comes with sailing through a cell service desert, then a cruise that charges extra for specialty drinks or Wi-Fi might be appealing. That way you’re not subsidizing services you won’t use.

Sally French writes for NerdWallet. Email: sfrench@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @SAFmedia.

The article Junk Fee Ban Sparks Price Transparency Wave for Cruise Fares originally appeared on NerdWallet.

Summer breaks can feel like a pressure cooker for parents — it certainly feels like one for me. I’m tasked with working full time, keeping my pantry fully stocked, entertaining my energetic 6-year-old son and engaging him in learning activities.

But as summer ends, the pressure surrounding back-to-school shopping builds. I’m sure many parents can relate, especially with the recent increases in the cost of living, even though inflation is cooling.

According to NerdWallet’s 2024 back-to-school shopping report, those who are parents of K-12 or college students and who plan to do back-to-school shopping this year will spend $541, on average, on school supplies and clothing for their kids’ upcoming school year.

Four moms — including myself — with children of various ages share tips on how to shop for clothes and supplies on a budget. Even if you’ve already gotten a head start on shopping, these gems may still come in handy for next year.

Separate needs from wants if you have a larger family

Back-to-school supply lists can seem endless. When you do finally get to the end of the list, you may find that you’ve broken your budget. Kimyatta Williams, a day care owner from Atlanta, has a vibrant family with six children and has mastered staying within her budget by separating needs from wants. Williams’ oldest child is 23 and her youngest is 9, so she’s well-versed in back-to-school shopping.

“I can’t afford to get all these things on the list. So I’m making the priority to prioritize the needs from wants,” Williams says.

“So crayons versus markers. I’m not gonna buy both. They both do the same thing. So I may purchase the markers versus the crayons or I may purchase the big pack of 64 crayons versus the markers, especially at a grade level of a first grader or a second grader,” she adds.

Additionally, Williams attends back-to-school events, which usually give out free supplies. You can search for these events on Google, Eventbrite, Facebook or your local government’s website.

“When you’re a family size like mine, I can only do what I can. I make sure that they have everything they need for the first day to be successful in school,” Williams says.

Consider sustainable clothing if you have younger kids

Clothing can be a major expense for parents when their kids are going back to school. Gyna Uhrlass, an entrepreneur and content creator in Manhattan, New York, is a mother of three who focuses on using sustainable clothing options to help budget for clothing expenses.

She says one of the most frustrating things about back-to-school shopping for her is how expensive everything is, especially because of inflation. She finds that clothes and shoes are her biggest expense.

One way Uhrlass keeps expenses low is by using hand-me-downs or pre-owned clothes.

“My family is Caribbean. When I was growing up, we never did any hand-me-downs. Now that I’m older, I am all about hand-me-downs,” she says.

Uhrlass regularly gets used clothes from her friend who has a son a year older than hers.

“I have not had to buy a significant amount of clothes for him in years,” she says.

She also keeps the tradition within the family by keeping items like her older kids’ vests to pass down to her younger kids.

Set a budget and negotiate if you have older kids

Samantha Danielle Sharpe, a content creator and mother of three located in Nashville, Tennessee, has a home full of teenagers, ages 14, 16, and 18. Since her kids are older, she approaches back-to-school shopping by setting a budget and negotiating with them. However, that’s sometimes hard to do because of social media’s influence.

“I think there’s just a lot of pressure to get your kids so many different trendy items,” she says, adding that her daughter requested all pink supplies.

Sharpe tackles this issue by setting a budget for each of her children so they can learn to manage money and prioritize.

“As a single mom, I’m really honest with my kids. For me, it’s not just about the resources that I have. It’s about me wanting to make sure that I set my kids up for realistic expectations in life,” she says. “I don’t wanna set the expectation that everything that you want, you’re gonna always get.”

Other strategies Sharpe uses include following moms who share saving tips on social media and tapping into her community. Her family has a group chat where they post any items they aren’t using and share sales they come across.

Sharpe also makes the most of her credit cards that give cash back rewards.

“It may only be for like $100, $150, but it’s like my little reward back to myself for shopping for my kids,” she says.

Shop multiple sales and buy over time

I’m a single mom with one child who is going into the first grade this year. I opted to give myself one less thing to stress about by spreading out back-to-school shopping. I started buying my son new shoes — which he outgrows in a scarily short amount of time — during the summer. When buying household items in stores like Ross and Marshalls, I would also pick up a pair of sneakers from the sales rack because that tends to be my biggest expense after clothing.

As for clothes, I have also shopped between sales. Comparison-shopping has taught me that just because an item is on sale doesn’t mean that’s the best price. Also, I look for websites with deals on multipack shirts or shorts so I’m paying less per item.

I also pay attention to the clothing brands and materials I bought last year that held up and bought more of those items this time around. Having clothes that can withstand school activities that include slime, soil and Play-Doh has definitely saved me money over the past year.

Elizabeth Ayoola writes for NerdWallet. Email: eayoola@nerdwallet.com.

The article 4 Moms Share Back-to-School Shopping Tips That Actually Work originally appeared on NerdWallet.