4 Signs a Costco Membership Will Work Out Better for You Than Sam’s Club

Should You Open a 12-Month CD in 2024?

By: Maurie Backman |
Updated
Dec. 23, 2023 – First published on Dec. 23, 2023

It’s important to maintain a solid emergency fund in case an unplanned expense lands in your lap. And the best place to keep your emergency fund is a savings account. That way, you can access your money whenever you need to.With a certificate of deposit, on the other hand, you’re making a commitment. Specifically, you’re agreeing to keep your money in the bank for the duration of your CD’s term. That could be six months, 12 months, or longer. And if you withdraw your money early, you could end up on the hook for a costly penalty, depending on your bank’s policy. At Capital One, for example, you’ll lose out on three months of interest if you cash out a CD of 12 months or fewer before it comes due.You may be interested in opening a 12-month CD in 2024. But before you do, consider the benefits and drawbacks.The upside of opening a 12-month CDBanks tend to offer higher interest rates for CDs than savings accounts because you forgo easy access to your cash. If you open a 12-month CD in 2024, you should expect to earn more interest on your money than with a regular savings account. Also, that interest rate is set in stone, whereas with a savings account, your interest rate could change over time.That’s something to keep in mind, given that many financial experts are talking about rate cuts from the Federal Reserve in the new year. If the Fed cuts interest rates, it could result in a world of relief for borrowers who are currently facing sky-high costs for signing personal loans or carrying credit card balances. But rate cuts could also mean lower interest rates for savers. If you keep your money in a regular savings account, you may find that the interest rate you earn in January is not the same rate you end up earning toward the end of 2024. With a 12-month CD, the rate you start with is the rate you’ll enjoy for the entire following year.Plus, as of this writing, you can snag a pretty sweet APY on a 12-month CD. You can get a Capital One 360 CD with a term of 12 months and an APY of 5.25%. That’s the highest-paying CD term you’ll find there.And if you’re wondering why a bank would pay more on a 12-month CD than, say, a 60-month CD, the reason boils down to the point above. With rate cuts on the horizon, banks need to be somewhat conservative with the long-term CD rates they offer. The downside of opening a 12-month CDIt could work to your benefit to open a 12-month CD in 2024. But remember, you’ll be giving up access to your money (or otherwise risking a penalty) for an entire year. And a lot can change in a year.You might assume that you won’t have any large expenses to pay for in 2024, and that you’re therefore safe to tie up your money for the full year. But what if circumstances change? What if you meet someone at the start of the year and you decide to move in together after 10 months? You might need to raid your cash reserves to put down a security deposit on a new place. If your money is tied up in a 12-month CD, you might have a problem.Or, you might get a new job that requires you to commute and buy a car. Once again, you’re in a position where your money is stuck in the bank for a full year.This isn’t to say that a 12-month CD is a bad idea. But make sure you’re really comfortable tying up that money for that long of a period. If you’re not sure whether it’s the right move, you may want to choose a CD with a shorter term, even if it means accepting a lower interest rate.

Should You Open a 5-Year CD in 2024?

By: Maurie Backman |
Updated
Dec. 24, 2023 – First published on Dec. 24, 2023

Any time you’re looking to open a certificate of deposit — no matter the length of its term —  you need to make sure you can afford to part with your money for that long. There can be steep penalties for cashing out a CD before it comes due. So if you’re not certain you’re comfortable keeping your money tied up, a savings account may be a better choice. That way, you can access your money whenever you need to.CDs come in a variety of terms, and for many banks, the longest amount of time you can open a CD is five years, or 60 months. You may be thinking of opening a five-year CD in 2024. But before you do, carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks.The upside of opening a five-year CDA CD will generally pay more interest than a savings account because you’re committing to keeping your money where it is for a preset period. You also get the benefit of a guaranteed interest rate. It’s for this reason that a five-year CD could especially make sense in 2024.Inflation has been cooling over the past year. And because of that, there’s talk of the Federal Reserve cutting rates in the new year. If the Fed goes this route, it could make personal loans less expensive to sign and credit card balances more manageable for those who owe money. But it could also result in lower interest rates across the board on savings accounts and CDs.That’s why you may want to lock in a five-year CD sooner rather than later. The generous rates banks are paying today are, frankly, not likely to last much longer. If you open a five-year CD in 2024, you can guarantee yourself a generous rate through 2029. By contrast, if you open a one-year CD in 2024, by 2025, you may find that rates are already much lower, making CDs less appealing on a whole.The downside of opening a five-year CDAs mentioned, there can be costly penalties for cashing out a CD before it matures. At Capital One, the penalty for an early withdrawal from a five-year CD is six months’ worth of interest. So let’s say you have a $10,000 CD paying 4% a year. That’s $400 in annual interest, but it also means that withdrawing your money early will cost you $200. And to be clear, you’ll face that penalty whether you cash out your CD two months early or two years early. Meanwhile, a lot can happen in five years. You could fall in love, get engaged, and end up having a wedding to pay for. You could get a new job that requires you to relocate and absorb the cost. Or, you could have a baby, find yourself overwhelmed by the expense of child care, and end up desperate to tap your CD to cover your tab at daycare.As such, you’ll want to be really careful about opening a CD with a five-year term. While doing so may be a good way to snag a generous interest rate on your money without running the risk of losing out on principal like you would by investing, you run another risk. So think things through before moving forward with a CD that has you tying up your money for 60 months.

My Brother Won a Car on The Price Is Right. Here’s What It Cost Him

By: Maurie Backman |
Updated
Dec. 7, 2023 – First published on Dec. 6, 2023

When my brother got tickets to be in the audience of The Price Is Right, he figured it would simply be an entertaining way to spend a day off. He didn’t imagine his name would actually be called during the show’s opening round.But lo and behold, my brother was one of the first four contestants asked to come on down and participate in the iconic show that has you guessing at prices of various consumer goods. And as luck would have it, my brother was able to out-bid his competitors and move on for a chance at a new car — a car he won through savvy guessing, but also, a nice amount of luck.My brother was ecstatic to have won such an awesome and valuable prize. But that prize wound up being a bit of a mixed bag.Taking the money and runningMy brother won a Hyundai Elantra with an estimated value of $25,415. He was happy to have won the car, but there was a problem — he already had a vehicle and didn’t need a second one. And he certainly didn’t want to have to bear the cost of auto insurance for a vehicle to largely just sit in his driveway.Thankfully, my brother was able to work something out with the dealership. Instead of keeping the Elantra, he was able to use the roughly $25,000 credit he got to buy a used car from them and then sell it back for $21,000, which he took as cash. This route was worth it for him because sales tax and registration for a new Elantra would’ve been about $4,000. And now, my brother has a pile of cash he can add to his savings account instead of a car he doesn’t actually need.Gearing up for a giant tax billMy brother won two prizes on The Price Is Right — a grill package worth about $1,400 and the Hyundai Elantra. All told, it’s more than $26,000 in winnings.But now, my brother is going to be looking at a pretty hefty tax bill on his prizes. And it doesn’t matter that he took cash for the car. He’s looking at paying that tax either way.The exact amount will hinge on his total tax situation. What’ll probably happen is that my brother will receive a tax form from the game show summarizing the value of his winnings, and he’ll need to work with his accountant to figure out what it will cost him.As a very basic example, let’s say you win $20,000 on a game show and fall into the 24% tax bracket based on your income. You might, in that case, end up having to pay as much as $4,800 on your winnings. If that $20,000 is a cash prize, you could simply reserve some of it for your tax bill. But what if you win a $20,000 vacation package, or $20,000 in furniture? It’s not like you can send the IRS a dining room chair or a loveseat and call things even.So be very careful when you’re looking at taking home any sort of game show prize. You may even want to meet with an accountant before applying to be on a game show to get some advice.The good news is that my brother stands to gain something financially either way. But imagine you were to receive a $26,000 bonus from work. That’s a great thing. But you’ll likely end up losing a large chunk of that $26,000 when you account for the portion you owe the IRS.All told, my brother is grateful for his experience and now has a really fun story to tell. But if you’re planning to audition for a game show in the hopes of walking away with a huge amount of cash or a set of prizes, do know that winnings like that are considered taxable income. And it might take the input of a very seasoned accountant to help you reconcile your tax bill after coming away with that sort of haul.

Here’s How to Buy 2 Limited Gold Bars at Costco (They Sell Out Fast)

By: Cole Tretheway |
Updated
Dec. 23, 2023 – First published on Dec. 23, 2023

Regular Americans are no longer limited to buying gold through ETFs or bullion companies — you can buy the precious metal through Costco, your friendly local wholesaler. All you need is a Costco membership and access to the internet.Why? Well, the economy is being weird, so gold is a nice hedge. Nothing says stability like a chunk of gold. At the very least, you can use it to bonk the head of would-be pursuers when the apocalypse commences. Jokes aside, Costco is a popular doomsday prepper destination.Welcome to (almost) 2024, folks.Less interesting (but potentially more immediately useful), gold can be part of one’s investment portfolio. Typically, people don’t buy it in person, but you certainly can. And, judging by how often these gold bars sell out, the demand is there.Interested in buying high-quality gold from a trustworthy source? Read on to learn how to buy gold bars at Costco.How to buy gold bars at CostcoFollow these steps in order to make your gold bar purchase from Costco:Purchase a $60 yearly Costco Gold Star membership (the basic membership) if you don’t have one already.Check if gold bars are available on Costco.com. They may be sold out.Log into Costco.com and purchase up to two bars, the limit set by Costco.Provide your signature upon delivery. Make sure you’re at home on delivery day.Costco sells more than one brand of gold bars. Examples:1 oz Gold Bar PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna Veriscan (New In Assay) (buy it here)1 oz Gold Bar Rand Refinery (New in Assay) (buy it here)In September, Costco CFO Richard Galanti said they sell out fast. If they’re sold out now, you can check back later; Costco may have restocked.Costco gold bars cost around $2,000Members who log into Costco can confirm that Costco gold bars sell for about $2,000 each, near the current market price of gold.Delivery is three to five days, and Costco doesn’t offer refunds. On the bright side, reviews are positive, and Costco has a reputation for delivering quality products.If there are none available on Costco’s website, check back later. Chances are, Costco will restock, giving interested buyers the opportunity to buy more gold.Pros and cons of buying Costco gold barsBuying gold bars from Costco comes with some upsides, as well as a few downsides.The prosCostco is trustworthy, the bars are affordably priced relative to other gold bars, and it’s a convenient way to store value without relying on a broker. Once you have it, it’s yours to keep, and nothing short of a break-in is going to rob you of your investment.Gold has historically become more valuable over time, albeit slower than the stock market. Its value is one of five good reasons to invest in gold.The consYou must be a Costco member, and there are simpler ways to diversify your portfolio. You can instantly purchase shares of a gold ETF through an online stock brokerage. You can also buy Bitcoin quickly as a hedge against widespread economic instability. Costco’s gold bars are not returnable either, so if you change your mind, you’re out of luck.Who should buy gold from Costco?Costco members who want to purchase gold bars from a trustworthy source should consider buying gold from Costco. It’ll probably be quality, and it’s an easy way to dip one’s toes into precious metals. If you’ve bought from Costco.com before, it’ll be a familiar experience.But members may want to keep an eye on other online sellers of gold. Sites like JM Bullion may offer better prices, especially when factoring in the $60 annual Costco membership fee. Do a quick side-by-side comparison to ensure you’re getting the best rate.I won’t be buying gold from Costco — I’d rather invest my money in Bitcoin and the stock market — but neither will I be warning away interested friends and family members. Buying Costco gold is one of many legitimate (if limited) ways to invest in gold.

3 Reasons Not to Participate in Your Company 401(k) in 2024

By: Maurie Backman |
Updated
Dec. 20, 2023 – First published on Dec. 20, 2023

You’ll often hear that it’s smart to save for retirement year after year. Doing so could set you up with a nice nest egg that covers your expenses once you’re no longer working.If you have access to a 401(k) plan through your job, you may be inclined to sign up for it. That might seem like your easiest route for building a nest egg. But if these things apply to you, then you may want to take a hard pass on that company retirement plan. 1. You don’t have any emergency savingsIt’s a noble thing to want to set money aside for your future. But if you don’t have money in a savings account to cover unplanned bills in the present, then your focus should be on building yourself an emergency fund. Without one, you might land in costly credit card debt the next time an unexpected expense, like a home or car repair, arises. Recent data from SecureSave finds that a whopping 63% of Americans don’t have enough cash in accessible savings to cover an unplanned $500 bill. So if that sounds like you, do yourself a favor and don’t fund your company 401(k). Instead, take every dollar you’re not spending on essential expenses and put it into a savings account. You can then aim to start funding a 401(k) once you have enough money in the bank to cover a few months’ worth of bills.2. You’re planning to leave your job as soon as you canMoving money from a 401(k) into another retirement plan can be a bit of a hassle. In some cases, you may not be able to do a direct rollover, which means you’ll need to have a check mailed to you for your 401(k) balance and you then write a check to your new retirement plan. When you leave a job, it’s generally a good idea to roll the funds from your old employer’s 401(k) into a new retirement plan — either the 401(k) sponsored by your new employer or an IRA. So if you’ve yet to contribute to your current employer’s retirement plan and hope to leave your job in early 2024, then you might as well hold off on funding that 401(k), especially if there’s no company match.Remember, you do not have to fund a 401(k) evenly over 12 months. Let’s say you want to save $6,000 for retirement in 2024. That doesn’t mean you have to put $500 a month into a 401(k). If you get a new job in April, you could put $667 a month into your new employer’s 401(k) over nine months and still meet your savings goal. But that way, you won’t have to deal with getting that money transferred over.3. Your employer’s plan is crummyMaybe your company doesn’t offer a match in its 401(k). And maybe that plan charges high administrative fees and has limited investment choices. That’s reason enough not to fund that 401(k) and instead turn to an IRA. With an IRA, you may be looking at lower administrative fees, and you’ll generally be privy to a wider range of investment options. That could help you avoid investment-specific fees. Also, it could help ensure you’re building an investment portfolio you’re happy with. One thing you should know about 401(k)s is that they generally do not let you buy individual stocks, whereas IRAs do. If you’re someone who likes to hand-pick your investments, that’s a good reason to choose an IRA. Plus, you’ll have your choice of brokerage firms that offer them.The option to contribute to an employer 401(k) is certainly convenient. But if any of these reasons apply to you, you may want to steer clear of your employer’s 401(k) in 2024.