The podcast covers topics such as pennies and coinstar gift cards, fat 401k accounts and the wealth effect, 2024 being the year for student loans, 529 flexin, Christmas returns, new year new gadgets, leasing used cars, BNPL IRL, and a comparison between adjustable rate mortgages and fixed rate mortgages.
Leasing used cars is a better financial move than leasing brand new vehicles, but buying a used car and driving it for a longer period of time is still more financially advantageous.
While buy now pay later services have gained popularity among American shoppers, it is important to be cautious and avoid overspending or taking on unnecessary debt when front-loading purchases with buy now pay later.
Deep dives
Leasing a Used Car: An Alternative to Leasing New Cars
Honda and Acura are now offering the option to lease certified pre-owned cars as a way to attract younger drivers. While leasing used cars is a better financial move than leasing brand new vehicles, it is still not as financially advantageous as buying a used car and driving it for a longer period of time.
Buy Now Pay Later: Available In-Store at Walmart
Walmart now allows customers to use buy now pay later options at its self-checkout lanes. While buy now pay later services have gained popularity among American shoppers, it is important to be cautious and avoid falling into the trap of spending more than you can afford. Front-loading purchases with buy now pay later can lead to financial trouble when the bill eventually comes due.
The Wealth Effect and the Temptation to Overspend
The wealth effect refers to the tendency of people to spend more as the value of their investments, such as 401(k)s, increases. It is important to be aware of this behavioral tendency and not let perceived wealth lead to overspending or taking on unnecessary debt.
Adjustable Rate Mortgages Lose Appeal as Fixed-Rate Mortgages Shine
Data shows that very few borrowers are getting better deals by opting for adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) instead of fixed-rate mortgages. With current mortgage rate trends, a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is often the better option for most home buyers.
Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: pennies and coinstar gift cards, fat 401k accounts and the wealth effect, 2024 is the year for student loans, 529 flexin, Christmas returns, new year new gadgets, leasing used cars, BNPL IRL, & whether ARMs are the answer.
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