The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced a new partnership with Google Wallet on Wednesday. Travelers can now use Google Wallet to opt into TSA PreCheck Touchless ID, a program that allows you to breeze through security checkpoints without any physical government ID or paper boarding pass.

Your TSA PreCheck membership fast-tracks you through the wait line (and shortens the screening process), but you still need to stop and show ID at a security checkpoint before you can go to the screening area. Touchless ID uses facial recognition technology, not a security agent and physical ID, so you can go through a faster-moving line and get through the checkpoint more quickly.

With the new Google Wallet partnership, all of that becomes a little bit more seamless than it already is. If you're a TSA PreCheck member who's already used Touchless ID, you might be wondering how this is any different from your current experience. Here's what you need to know.

What Google Wallet changes about TSA PreCheck Touchless ID

TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is available at 65 airports nationwide. But, until now, you had to opt into the service through a participating airline.

That meant enrolling in a frequent flyer program (provided the airline you're flying with is eligible for Touchless ID), manually adding your passport details to that frequent flyer account, and then opting into TSA PreCheck Touchless ID.

That's easy enough if you've done it before with your typical airline, but what about when you're not flying with your regular airline, or if you forget to check ahead of time? Do you need to be enrolled in the frequent flyer program of every participating airline you fly with and then set up Touchless ID with each one individually? Not anymore.

The new Google Wallet integration simplifies the process. If you're flying on any of the 100 airlines participating in the program (and you have TSA PreCheck), you can opt into Touchless ID just once through Google Wallet and use it every time you fly, with any airline, without joining 100 frequent flyer programs.

How to set up TSA PreCheck Touchless ID in Google Wallet

First, you need to enroll in TSA PreCheck if you haven't already done so. Many travel rewards cards offer statement credits that effectively make the program free to you. So, if you're on the fence about whether or not enrolling is worth it and you have one of those travel credit cards, there's no question. It's free to you so any time saved at the airport is a bonus.

Next, you need to add your passport to Google Wallet.

On the day of your flight, here's what your Touchless ID process will look like:

• Check in for your flight online. After you've finished checking in, save your boarding pass to your Google Wallet.
• Opt into Touchless ID. When viewing your boarding pass in your Google Wallet, you should see a "get started" button if you're eligible for this program. Tap it and follow the prompts.
• Look for the TSA badge on your pass. After agreeing to share your digital ID and boarding pass with the TSA, you should see a little TSA PreCheck Touchless ID badge on your boarding pass. This indicates that you've finished the process and you're good to go.

That's all there is to it. You just opt into the program after checking in and you can now skip the hassle of digging around in your bag for your wallet when you reach the TSA checkpoint. Instead, you'll just scan your boarding pass, do the facial recognition process and move on to the security screening.

What else to know about Google Wallet and Touchless ID

Google Wallet is available to Android phone users. If you have an iPhone, there is no Google Wallet app available.

Understandably, some people have security concerns about the use of facial recognition technology. You do have to opt in for Touchless ID, and TSA says: "Images are not used for law enforcement, surveillance, nor shared with other entities. Your photo and personal data are deleted within 24-hours of your scheduled flight departure."

On privacy concerns, Google says your information is shared with the TSA only after you opt in and authenticate. The company adds that digital IDs in the Wallet "are always encrypted and stored directly on your phone."

The Google Wallet Touchless ID option is "rolling out over the coming weeks," according to Google.

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The term "ticker-tape parade" originated from stock trading. In New York City, parades would be held to celebrate something, and people would throw the closest thing they had to confetti: the tape used to communicate stock prices.

On Thursday, the city of New York once again celebrated with a ticker-tape parade through the Financial District, this time in honor of the Knicks winning the NBA title for the first time in 53 years. The Knicks brought the city alive over the last two months as they worked their way through the playoffs with the steady determination of Jalen Brunson and the smart management of coach Mike Brown. Now, they're getting their flowers – or, more accurately, their piles of shredded paper.

In honor of the Knicks and the history of the ticker-tape parade, here are five lessons in investing gleaned from their championship run.

1. A hot IPO doesn't mean an immediate win

The San Antonio Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft. The Knicks' Brunson, meanwhile, was undrafted after the first round in 2018 and didn't end up making a team's cut until pick No. 33.

Compare this to a hot IPO. When a company first goes public, it can be a hotly anticipated and celebrated event. But the reality is that many, many IPOs do not result in quick returns for investors, particularly in the first few years. Data show IPOs on average underperform the market in their first three years (1980-2023), and a little more than half end up losing money in the first five years (1975-2021).

In many cases, it's a better idea to give a company some time to settle before deciding if you want to invest. You don't want to go all-in or set high expectations for an IPO.

Now, this doesn't mean Wembanyama (or the next IPO) won't be a winner in the future. Sometimes you need time and character growth. Just look at 2015's first overall draft pick, Karl-Anthony Towns, who lifted the trophy with the Knicks this week.

2. Be mindful of your portfolio allocation

The Knicks' championship didn't come out of nowhere; it came from years of careful roster building by team president Leon Rose. Rose signed Brunson in 2022. In 2024, Brunson signed an extension – and willingly left a reported $113 million on the table. Why did he do that? So that Rose would have money available under the NBA's salary cap to build out the roster.

The Knicks were then able to allocate funds towards signing Towns and Mikal Bridges, both of whom were instrumental to the championship run.

In investing terms, this is the equivalent of portfolio management. You want to make sure that any one factor of your portfolio doesn't become so outsized it's the sole portion you're relying on. This can even happen to ETF investors, who may not realize their portfolios are becoming overweighted in a given stock as its weighting in that fund grows.

And don't feel too bad for Brunson. Sure, he left $113 million on the table, but his deal was $156.5 million over four years, which many would consider enough to live comfortably on, right? Now, take that and add the endorsement deals he's going to get as an NBA champion. And the value of being named "King of New York?" Priceless.

Asked if the $113 million sacrifice was worth it after winning the championship, he told ESPN's Malika Andrews, "100%."

Read more: Is Your Portfolio Overweight? How to Rebalance and Diversify

3. Play the whole game

Say you're 50 years old, your investments are up 300% and your 401(k) reached $500,000 – more than double the average 401(k) balance among Gen X. You're planning to retire at 65 and feel on top of the world.

Sure, that's great, but you've still got 15 years left to take care of your investment portfolio. You can be happy and feel secure, but that doesn't mean you can now take your hands off the wheel and expect that the stocks you have will continue going up.

Just ask Wembanyama. The Spurs were ahead for about 72% of the NBA Finals, per Texas Public Radio, but they only managed to win one game. The Knicks came alive in the back half of nearly every game, overcoming deficits to secure the wins. An early lead doesn't mean you'll necessarily meet your goals. You need to play the whole game.

What else does that mean? That just because you feel like you fell behind doesn't mean you can't catch up. As long as there's time left on the board, you have the opportunity to develop a lead.

4. You don't have to fit a stereotype to succeed

"Coming out of Villanova, where Brunson won a pair of national titles, he was considered too small. Too slow. Not athletic enough. A defensive liability. He didn't get drafted until No. 33 overall, which makes him the second-lowest draft pick to ever win Finals MVP," wrote Brad Botkin at CBS Sports.

There is still an embedded belief that in order to invest in the stock market, you need to already be rich. While you do need to have enough money to be able to dedicate a portion to the stock market, that doesn't mean you need a million – or even a hundred thousand. You can begin investing with as little as a few dollars, if that's what you have available.

5. Have patience

What do each of these lessons have in common? Patience. The Knicks took time to build out their ideal roster; Brunson was steady in his professional growth after winning two college championships; the Knicks' comebacks came with an almost shocking calm in the players' demeanor – patient commitment, not panic.

Then of course, there's the city of New York. New York has waited 53 years to win an NBA championship. Tell that to anyone looking to get-rich-quick on the stock market. For a vast majority of people, it doesn't happen overnight. It takes decades of compounding and portfolio management.

But when it does happen, my goodness, celebrate it. Knicks in five!

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The soaring cost of jet fuel has caused many airlines to raise prices, making the cost of your summer trip more expensive than ever.

At a time when all your other costs are going up, you might be straining to make your usual travel plans fit your budget.

Instead of canceling their summer vacation plans altogether, travelers are trying everything to offset or avoid fuel surcharges. That includes such things as swapping destinations for one of the cheapest countries to visit, opting for a slight downgrade in your hotel to save money or even shortening the overall length of their trip.

If you're a traveler who's accustomed to traveling in luxury, some sacrifices might feel like a bridge too far. But downgrading from business to economy or taking advantage of a better point-redemption rate by grabbing that awards deal for basic economy tickets is an easy way to lower the cost of your trip without giving up your vacation.

Whether you've never flown economy or it's your go-to but you're just tired of the little annoyances that come with it, here are a few things you can do to make the experience feel a little more luxurious.

1. Pack TSA-friendly snacks and hydration boosters

Not only are you unlikely to have many complimentary food or drink choices available in economy, even the options available for purchase might seem limited compared with business class. There is a workaround.

The TSA allows travelers to bring solid food items such as candy, sandwiches and snacks through security. Pack a few Ziploc bags of your favorite things to munch on instead of limiting yourself to the peanuts or pretzels available for free on board.

You can also bring an empty reusable water bottle through security and fill it at a water station before boarding. To make the experience feel a little more elevated, pack a few electrolyte packets, drink enhancers or flavored hydration mixes to add to your water. Not only can this help you stay hydrated in the dry cabin air, but it also gives you a refreshing beverage without paying airport prices.

Pair your favorite snacks with a customized drink, and you'll have a more enjoyable in-flight experience that feels a little more luxurious, even if you're flying economy. You'll hardly miss business class (except, perhaps, for the lie-flat seats).

Check the full TSA guidelines on food and alcohol on the agency's website.

2. Make your own amenities kit

One of the little details that makes flying business class that much more luxurious is the amenities kit that's often waiting for you on board. Typically filled with lip balm, moisturizer and other skincare and wellness products from high-end brands, these kits add a little bit of self-care to your long haul flight.

You won't find an amenities kit waiting for you in economy. But you can easily pack your own — and even customize it to your own preferences.

What exactly should you pack? It's all up to you, but here are a few ideas:

• Cushy socks for a shorter flight or compression socks for a longer flight.
• Hydrating sheet masks or eye patches to give yourself a minispa day on board.
• Your favorite moisturizing lip balm.
• A travel-size bottle of hand cream.
• A moisturizing face cream to protect your skin from dry air.
• A silk sleep mask to make sleeping on a plane a little easier.
• A compact pouch to hold everything.

3. Travel pillows and blankets can make for a cushier experience

There was a time in the not-so-distant past when even those of us in economy would get complimentary pillows and blankets on board. That's becoming a rarer occurrence. But that doesn't mean you have to freeze or debate between using your coat as a pillow or a blanket.

Even if you're trying to pack light for the trip, you can find some surprisingly compact options to bring a pillow and blanket on your next flight.

• For pillows, look for foldable or packable options such as a memory foam pillow from Cushion Lab. It rolls up small enough to fit in your carry-on, then unfurls into a plush, supportive pillow to use on the plane.
• For a cheaper pillow option, go for a traditional neck pillow and either wear it around your neck as you board or loop it around the handle of your carry-on.
• Complete the set with a cover such as a Brookstone travel blanket that comes in a pouch with a luggage strap so it can slide over your carry-on luggage handles without taking up space in your bag.

4. Bring noise-cancelling headphones for your own silent retreat

Whether it's the baby crying three rows down or the passenger who thinks everyone wants to hear the action movie they're watching, there are a lot of noises to contend with on a plane. But you can retreat to your own happy place by slipping on a good pair of noise-canceling headphones to shut out the sounds around you.

Unlike standard ear plugs, these not only muffle the sound but use technology to actively cancel out noise in your environment. Connect the headphones to your phone and listen to your favorite relaxation playlist to complete the experience.

5. Get an airline card that comes with priority boarding

One of the most annoying parts of flying basic economy is that you'll usually end up having to check your bag at the gate. The service is often free if you do, but for those of us who've had our baggage lost three times too many (me) or just don't like the extra hassle of waiting at baggage claim, it's not ideal.

One of my favorite workarounds for this is having an airline credit card. Simply by having one of the Delta Skymiles American Express cards, I automatically get zone 5 boarding on Delta flights, even when I'm flying on a basic economy ticket. Since this is the first main economy zone to board the aircraft, there's always bin space available when I board.

6. Book the exit row or upgrade to premium economy

Many airlines charge a bit extra for exit row seats, but not so much that it'll blow your budget. If legroom is a priority for you, consider paying a few extra bucks for one of these seats, as it will typically come with a little extra legroom.

If exit row seats aren't available, check out the price for an upgrade to premium economy. Most airlines have begun adding this class to their aircraft. Along with a little extra legroom, the perks also often include an expanded menu of complimentary food and beverages. You might be able to skip the DIY cocktails and snacks.

Premium economy tickets are, of course, more expensive than basic economy, but they're still a lot cheaper than business class. It's a more reasonable splurge to squeeze into your summer travel budget.

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Whether you spend your time in front of the TV watching sports, the news, the latest buzzy shows or reruns of your favorite sitcoms, you've probably noticed that you're shelling out more for your entertainment in recent years. Between March 2024 and March 2026, prices for subscription and rental of video and video games, which includes subscription streaming services, surged roughly 25%, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Costs are rising so much that the phenomenon even has a new nickname: “streamflation.” Netflix, the largest and most popular streaming service, hiked prices for all three of its subscription tiers in March for the second time in less than two years. In April, prices for Amazon Prime Video's ad-free tier increased by $2 per month. Many of the other major players, including Paramount+ and HBO Max, have also raised their prices within the past year.

A few more dollars here or there each month may not seem significant enough to take a large bite out of your budget, but it adds up. The average U.S. household spends $69 monthly on video-on-demand service subscriptions, according to data from Deloitte. That's $828 annually. Deloitte also found that almost three-fourths of consumers are frustrated that companies keep raising their prices.

Unfortunately for viewers, the costs are likely to keep climbing. “We'll continue to see pricing going up for all streaming services, live and on demand,” says Dan Rayburn, an analyst in the streaming video industry. “Some don't do it yearly, but most do it like clockwork.”

The reason, he says, is that the cost to produce and license content continues to rise every year. Deep-pocketed companies such as Amazon and Disney are competing to snag hit shows, and the cost of that competition is trickling down to customers. In particular, the cost of licensing sports programming — an offering streaming services are increasingly looking to add — is “astronomical,” Rayburn says.

Last year, L.E.K. Consulting, a global strategy consulting firm, found that streaming platforms were expected to spend roughly $33 billion on obtaining rights to show national sports. In March, for instance, CNBC reported that the National Football League was asking Paramount+'s parent company for 50% more than the $2.1 billion it was already paying to show games.

These companies also pay attention to what their competitors are doing with their prices. “One increases the price, and that opens the door for everyone to increase the price,” says Christopher Hamilton, industry insights manager at Parrot Analytics. “The whole industry is shifting up.”

Although prices keep going up, you can make moves to fine-tune the selection of services you use and offset the hit to your wallet.

1. Consider your preferences.

Determine what you actually want to watch and whether you're getting it. Think about whether you prefer to see your favorite content the moment it comes out, too. Some families want to see sporting events live, which means they may want to opt for a sports-oriented streamer such as Peacock or a live-TV service such as YouTube TV or Fubo.

Other households may prioritize brand-new shows, which could make services that focus on original content, such as Apple TV, a good fit. If you're looking for children's programming, Disney+ or Netflix may be the way to go.

There are also specialized streamers that home in on specific corners of the market. For example, Crunchyroll's collection is made up of anime, and Shudder is for horror fans. BritBox exclusively offers British content, and Curiosity Stream focuses on documentaries.

2. Assess your budget.

Next, take a look at your budget, and add up the cost of streaming services you're paying for now. The amount of money you should allocate to entertainment will depend on your personal goals and financial situation, including your income and whether you have any debt.

If you need help, consider a popular budgeting strategy such as the 50/30/20 rule, which entails allocating 50% of your income to needs, 30% to wants (including entertainment) and 20% to savings. If streaming makes up a disproportionate amount of your budget, you can use some of the strategies here to trim your spending.

3. See what's available at no extra cost.

Your paid memberships with other services may provide access to certain streamers. For example, if you're a Walmart+ member, which offers free shipping from Walmart and other perks, you get access to either Paramount+ Essential or Peacock Premium with ads. Amazon Prime includes a Prime Video membership, and you can get Apple TV free for three months when you buy a new Apple device.

Don't forget to check your credit card perks. Those who have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card ($795 annual fee) can get Apple TV for free through June 2027, and the American Express Platinum card ($895) offers a monthly credit of up to $25 that you can use on a slew of streaming services, including Disney+, ESPN, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock and YouTube TV.

And some streamers won't cost you anything at all. Tubi, The Roku Channel and Pluto TV offer large collections of free TV shows and movies (though you'll have to contend with ads). Through your local library, you may be able to borrow TV shows and movies to stream to your devices for free via Hoopla.

4. Take advantage of free trials.

When you're starting a new service, see whether it offers a free trial. This can be especially beneficial if you want to watch a specific show, because you may be able to finish it before the trial is over. Though Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max don't offer free trials, many of the other services do, including Discovery+ and Mubi, which deems itself a place to find “ambitious films and series by visionary filmmakers.”

You don't always have to be new to using a service to get a free trial. Hulu, for example, doles out free trials to members who haven't subscribed in a year.

5. Bundle.

You can often snag cheaper prices via bundles, which combine several services, such as internet, phone, cable and streaming. For instance, T-Mobile customers who use qualifying phone plans can get Netflix and Hulu's standard tiers with ads for free, as well as a $3-per-month discount on Apple TV. Verizon offers discounted prices on Netflix and HBO Max with ads alongside select mobile and home internet plans.

Spectrum TV's cable-TV service offers local networks and sports, depending on the plan, plus a wide range of streaming services, including HBO Max, Peacock, Hulu and ESPN. When you use certain plans from Xfinity, you'll also get Disney+ and Hulu. Plus, Peacock Premium is included for three years.

Some streaming services themselves also bundle. By getting Disney+ and Hulu with no ads together, for instance, you can save 47% compared with what you'd pay by purchasing the two services separately.

6. Pause services when you're not using them.

Your preferences may change from month to month. If everyone is talking about a new television show you want to watch, or your favorite reality series is airing just for a few months, you can temporarily sign up for the streamer that carries it. (Several years ago, Disney+ saw a surge in subscriptions when The Mandalorian aired, then those figures plateaued, Rayburn says.) If you're not getting exactly what you want, when you want it, cancel or pause your service.

“It's very easy to cancel these services,” Rayburn says, adding that it may take a little more effort to cancel live-TV services than on-demand ones. (You often need to talk to a representative on the phone to discontinue a live-TV plan rather than go online.) “We see this all the time where consumers sign up for it, they watch what they want to for a couple of months, and then they leave it.”

When you subscribe to a new service, set a calendar reminder for a date just before it automatically renews. (Double-check the terms of each service so you don't cancel too late. Amazon, for example, says that if you get Prime Video as an add-on subscription through Apple, you need to cancel 24 hours before your subscription renews to ensure you won't be charged.) Once that reminder goes off, cancel your service if you no longer plan to use it, or pause it if you may want to return to it within a few months.

Just remember that if you pause, you could be automatically charged once the break from service ends. The rules around pausing also vary. For example, Netflix lets you pause for one month at a time, for up to three months, as long as you're not on the basic plan, while Hulu lets you pause up to three months in one go. You can typically do this easily online from your account-management page.

7. Downgrade your services.

Most platforms have tiered offerings, so you may be paying more than you need to watch the shows and movies you love.

Take Netflix. The streamer's Premium tier costs $26.99, but you can save $7 monthly, or $84 annually, by downgrading to the Standard tier while still getting all the same content with no ads in exchange for slightly lower video quality (Rayburn says only “video-quality nerds” would notice the difference) and fewer downloads and supported devices; the number of extra members you can add to the account is also smaller. Jumping from the Premium tier to Standard With Ads will save you $18 each month, or $216 for the year.

Sometimes, you can also save by buying an annual membership instead of a monthly one. With HBO Max, for instance, doing so can save you 16% on all tiers. Note, however, that this strategy prevents you from using the cancel-or-pause method mentioned above.

8. Share memberships.

Streaming services have cracked down on sharing passwords with people outside your household, but you can often add extra members to your account at a discounted rate. This means you can split the bill with a family member or friend, even if they're across the country.

With the ad-supported version of Disney+, for example, you can add an extra member to your account for just $6.99 monthly, or $9.99 monthly if you subscribe to Disney+ Premium, with no ads. If you and the extra member sign up for your own accounts separately, you'd each pay $11.99 monthly for the tier with ads and $18.99 for the one with no ads. By adding an extra member to one account and splitting the cost, you could each pay just $9.49 or $14.49, respectively.

Should you switch back to cable?

As TV-streaming services gained popularity, many people dropped their cable subscription. Among U.S. adults, 83% say they use streaming services, while just 36% have cable or satellite TV, according to a report published last year by Pew Research Center. But as streamers steadily raise their prices, and as consumers subscribe to several separate platforms to get all the content they want, these services are becoming more akin to cable, with some of the same frustrations that customers were trying to avoid when they cut the cord in the first place.

“History repeats itself,” says Christopher Hamilton, industry insights manager at Parrot Analytics. “This accumulation of individual fees results in a total bill that is high, causing ‘subscription fatigue' and effectively re-creating a high monthly outlay similar to cable.”

But he wouldn't necessarily recommend that most viewers switch back to cable. Despite rising prices, most people can ultimately structure a better deal with live-TV streaming services, mainly because they have the flexibility to tailor plans to their specific needs.

“The massive advantage is the ability to easily drop and resubscribe for a period without penalty,” Hamilton says, adding that cable often has extra complications and costs — such as contracts, equipment rentals and cancellation fees — that make it difficult to stop and restart service to save money.

“With streaming, a customer can subscribe for a three-month sports season and then cancel immediately, which is a powerful cost-cutting tool.” Streaming services also often allow greater customization, providing smaller channel packages or add-ons, whereas cable often forces broad, predetermined tiers.

That said, cable still makes sense for some people. For instance, you may not be able to watch certain local sports on live-TV streaming platforms, depending on where you live. Juggling multiple streaming apps and interfaces, each with different navigation and billing, can also be complicated, especially compared with the simplicity of a single cable box and bill.

Compare your streaming options

Choosing which streaming services suit your needs at the best price requires a little homework. Here's a breakdown of some of the most popular choices.

Netflix

Price: $8.99 monthly for Standard With Ads; $19.99 monthly for Standard; $26.99 monthly for Premium Netflix is considered the king of streaming thanks to its large video library, including original hits such as Stranger Things and Squid Game, and even some live programming, such as certain Major League Baseball games. Hamilton, of Parrot Analytics, assesses streamers' content offerings and customer demand to understand which services offer the best deals, and he says Netflix is one of the greatest values on the market, just behind the Disney+/Hulu bundle.

HBO Max

Price: $10.99 monthly for Basic With Ads; $18.49 monthly for Standard; $22.99 monthly for Premium HBO Max has all of HBO's content, plus DC Universe films, Warner Bros. films and a slew of prestige original content. It's also home to old favorites, recently including Friends.

Hulu

Price: $11.99 monthly for Hulu (with ads); $18.99 monthly for Hulu Premium Hulu's on-demand subscription service has popular original content, including The Handmaid's Tale, but you can also catch various shows from major networks such as ABC, Fox and FX just after they air.

Disney+

Price: $11.99 monthly for Disney+ (with ads); $18.99 monthly for Disney+ Premium Are you a fan of the Star Wars franchise or Marvel, Disney and Pixar movies? Then Disney+ is the service for you. If you're going to go with this family-friendly streaming option, consider its bundle with Hulu.

Prime Video

Price: Included in an Amazon Prime membership, which is $14.99 monthly or $139 yearly; additional $4.99 monthly with no ads Amazon's streaming service has a large catalog of TV shows and movies, as well as original shows. Plus, during the NFL season, it airs Thursday night football games.

Apple TV

Price: $12.99 monthly with no ads Apple TV is all about exclusive content, including hits such as Severance and Ted Lasso. But it also streams live Major League Baseball games on Friday nights, and you can catch Major League Soccer matches and Formula 1 racing live, too. It's one of the few streamers that doesn't have a lower-cost tier with ads, though you can bundle it with Peacock for just $2 extra.

Paramount+

Price: $8.99 monthly for Paramount+ Essential (with ads); $13.99 monthly for Paramount+ Premium Paramount+ is home to more than 40,000 TV episodes and movies from CBS, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and more. It also hosts all of Showtime's movies and series, and you can catch live NFL games and UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fights, too.

Peacock

Price: $7.99 monthly for Select (with ads); $10.99 monthly for Premium (with ads and more content than Select); $16.99 monthly for Premium Plus Peacock is NBCUniversal's streaming service, with hits from NBC and Bravo, such as The Real Housewives franchise, as well as original content. With the Premium and Premium Plus tiers, you can also see live sports.

Live TV

DirecTV

Price: Genre packs start at $19.99 monthly; streaming packages start at $89.99 monthly DirecTV still offers satellite TV, with packages ranging from $77.99 to $169.99 per month. But separately, it also offers live-TV streaming and five “genre packs”: kids' television, sports, Spanish channels, news and entertainment. The streaming packages offer a broad mix of channels, including local stations, depending on which one you choose.

Hulu + Live TV

Price: $89.99 monthly for live TV, Hulu's on-demand content, Disney+ and ESPN Select with ads; $99.99 monthly with no ads Hulu's live-TV service offers more than 95 channels, from news to sports to comedy to local networks. And you get access to a host of on-demand content, too.

Sling

Price: $19.99 monthly to $60.99 monthly, depending on the package With Sling, you get live TV and sports in addition to movies on-demand. The Sling Select package includes about 10 channels, including NFL Network, National Geographic and FS1. Other packages include more channels at higher monthly prices.

YouTube TV

Price: $82.99 monthly for YouTube TV; $64.99 monthly for Sports Plan YouTube TV calls itself “cable reimagined,” and it offers access to more than 100 live and on-demand channels, including ABC, CBS and FX. You can also get add-ons such as MGM+, Shudder and HBO Max. The Sports Plan offers viewers access to a more limited selection of major broadcast networks, such as Fox and NBC, as well as sports-focused channels, including ESPN and FS1.

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.

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At some point in the future, somebody is going to go through all your stuff and throw out most of it. If you don't do it while you're still in good health, someone else will, after you suffer a medical emergency or you pass away. Do your heirs a favor and reduce your own stress by culling your possessions now.

It isn't easy. Discarding things that remind us of loved ones often brings up grief and guilt. And it's maddening to realize that the nice couch or rug we splurged on has no monetary value. Sociologist David J. Ekerdt at the University of Kansas, whose team interviewed more than 100 Americans over the age of 60 for his book Downsizing: Confronting Our Possessions in Later Life, says his research showed “it is an act of courage and of prudence” to confront the thousands of possessions we've accumulated over decades.

With that, here are 10 tips to get started.

1. Set your goal. Matt Paxton, author of Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff, has his decluttering clients write their goal on a card, which he tapes on a wall. And he sets a deadline. When one client said she wanted her home tidy enough to have friends visit, he had her invite friends for dinner three weeks from that date. “Decluttering is like dieting or fitness. It's very easy to quit,” he says.

2. Don't buy those cute storage bins yet. Aspiring declutterers can be led astray by social media pictures of beautifully lit homes in which all the toys, towels or cleaning supplies are artfully stored in handsome baskets, says Jill Quigley, a professional organizer in Omaha. Some start decluttering by buying bins, which just creates more clutter. Instead, begin by organizing and reducing your stuff. Then, shop for storage solutions that fit your smaller stockpile.

3. Get help. Ekerdt says downsizing works better when you have help. If you're looking for more than just an extra pair of hands, expect to pay between $60 to $200 an hour for an organizing professional. Not only will they keep you motivated and focused, but many specialize in disposal — knowing which items to sell and where to sell them, and which organizations will take donations of non-sellable stuff.

Try searching for locals through professional organizations such as the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO) or the National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers. Erin Hayes, a professional organizer in New York City, says finding someone who is emotionally attuned to you is crucial, because deciding to toss beloved items can lead to anger and tears.

4. Categorize. Before you start tossing things, put them into categories. "I put like with like so you can see that you have three can openers or nine white tank tops," says Quigley. That makes it easy for clients to get rid of duplicates.

Categorization gets more challenging when it comes to knickknacks, but Kelly Brask, a professional organizer in Chicago and president of the Board of Certification for Professional Organizers, a division of NAPO, tries separating items according to the memories they inspire. That way, people can see how many things they are keeping to, say, remember a grandmother, and consider whether only one or two items are enough for that purpose.

5. Start small. Professional organizers suggest beginning with small, easy tasks. Hayes starts her clients with areas unlikely to spark memories or emotions, such as junk drawers or tool closets. Once they see those cleaned up and organized, they have more confidence to tackle bigger projects, she says. To prevent burnout, she limits decluttering to six hours a day.

6. Beware the "purger's high." Liberating yourself from clutter can feel so good that some people get into a tossing frenzy, says Cristiane Sgrott, an organizer in the Washington, D.C., area. Professional declutterers like herself shake every book, check every pocket and open every teapot. Sgrott has stopped clients on what she calls a "purger's high" from tossing out oven mitts and old shirt boxes where someone had hidden cash.

She also discourages clients from throwing potentially sensitive paperwork or electronics into trash bins. Instead, many businesses and community services offer shredding and secure recycling, she says. "You should be ruthless but not reckless."

7. Don't expect a windfall. One barrier to downsizing: Accepting the reality that you won't recoup much for things you paid a lot for. As baby boomers age and downsize, they're creating a flood of furniture and collectibles, says Julie Hall, director of the American Society of Estate Liquidators.

For realistic value estimates, view prices on sold items on eBay, or try pricing services such as WorthPoint, author Paxton suggests. Selling items yourself through a garage sale or online postings takes a great deal of time and effort, and typically yields comparatively little. Paxton prefers auction houses that handle all the work and offer both in-person and online bidding, such as Everything But The House, MaxSold and Bid-Rush. Such platforms typically take 30% to 40% of your earnings. “The 60% you will receive from the auction house is larger than the 100% you would get on your own,” says Paxton.

Don't expect much of a tax write-off for donating your stuff, either. Charities have become pickier about what they'll accept, and recent changes to tax law limit noncash contribution write-offs.

8. Leave a legacy of love. “You don't want to leave your friends and family with a house full of crap and a bunch of work. You want to leave a legacy of love,” says Brask. “Make sure they know what was important to you and why.” So pare your legacy down to a few meaningful items, and explain the stories behind those things, she says.

Take pictures of items to be discarded, and display those on an electronic frame or in a scrapbook. Paxton recommends an app such as Artifcts, which allows you to make and share videos about items. For a more formal memory handoff, consider setting up a show-and-tell video call or an in-person gathering of loved ones, he suggests.

9. No "maybe" pile, no storage. Declutterers typically sort their things into "keep," "sell," "give" and "trash" categories. Don't add a "maybe" pile, says Mary Kay Buysse, co-executive director of the National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers. "The 'maybe pile' is going to do you in, because that is what goes in storage units," she says. By renting a storage unit, you can end up paying thousands of dollars to store things you aren't even sure you want.

10. Avoid re-cluttering. Set up ongoing systems. Sgrott helps clients create labeled baskets, bins or shelves so everyone in the house knows where, say, shoes, batteries or charging wires go.

While many declutterers try to maintain practices such as "one in, one out" for any new possessions, T.K. Coleman, cohost of the Minimalist podcast, suggests a psychological approach. "I want to understand why I am in this position," says Coleman.

He asks, for example, "Am I using impulse purchases to compensate for loneliness?" Coleman tries to remind himself that "saying 'yes' to something you don't want is saying 'no' to something else," such as a clean table and a calm mind.

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.

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This summer, travelers are bracing for more than just the usual heat waves and hurricanes wreaking havoc with their vacation plans. The conflict between the U.S. and Iran has rippled through airline operations across the Middle East and significantly disrupted the global oil market, with scarcer and more expensive jet fuel prompting airlines to charge more and slash schedules at a time of peak demand. A recent survey from Global Rescue, which sells travel insurance and emergency-evacuation services, found that 85% of Americans are now worried that global conflicts may delay or disrupt their travels.

Those concerns come amid a packed U.S. events calendar this summer, including FIFA World Cup games in 11 cities this June and July, and America250 celebrations across the country — events expected to draw millions of tourists. "Lots of moving parts is an understatement," says aviation consultant Robert Mann.

Planning to fly this summer? To protect your wallet, your trip and your sanity, travel pros suggest these steps.

Keep an eye out for deals.

Domestic airfares are about 18% higher than a year ago, and international flights are up 7.5%, says Katy Nastro, a travel expert at the flight-deals platform Going. On top of that, some airlines — primarily overseas carriers — have imposed or hiked fuel surcharges that can add more than $200 to an economy-class ticket, and most U.S.-based airlines have increased checked-bag fees.

The best way to keep those costs down? Stay loose about when and where you fly, if possible. “Flexibility is going to be your superpower,” Nastro says. As a rule of thumb, the cheapest days to fly are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while Sundays and Mondays are most expensive, Nastro says.

Also sign up for deal alerts from price-tracking apps such as Skyscanner, Hopper, Kayak and Google Flights. Nastro says it's possible to find prices as low as half off typical fares — though the deepest discounts tend to be in the Southeast or Caribbean, where hurricanes can throw a wrench into summer travel plans.

Shorten your wait time.

Even without a repeat of this spring's nightmare scenario of four- and five-hour wait times, airport security may be a bottleneck this summer. “TSA is a fixed-capacity system, and when you have peak demand, you're going to have delays,” Mann says.

To avoid them, sign up for a service such as TSA PreCheck or CLEAR+, which let vetted travelers go through an expedited security protocol. Crowdsourced reports from travelers this spring indicate that PreCheck's dedicated security lanes did often move faster when TSA agents were not being paid.

CLEAR+, run by a private service that verifies travelers' identities using a fingerprint or a facial scan, lets travelers skip to the front of the regular or PreCheck security line. It costs $209 a year, which includes PreCheck, while PreCheck alone typically costs $76.75 for five years.

PreCheck can also be combined with Global Entry, which gives international travelers expedited passage through U.S. Customs for $120. Some travel loyalty programs and credit card issuers offer discounts or reimbursements for membership.

Book direct.

To save money on spiraling jet-fuel costs, some airlines have begun canceling flights. Your best bet? “Try to book directly with the airline,” Nastro says, because rebooking after a delay or cancellation is easier without a middleman involved.

Also download your airline's app and enable notifications for flight updates. “Right now, travelers have to be their own best advocate, and that starts with staying on top of their reservation,” says Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group.

If you're flying overseas, Harteveldt also recommends upgrading your mobile phone plan to cover your destination; an hours-long hold time to rebook a flight will be even more painful if you incur long-distance charges.

Be the early bird.

To avoid flight delays and related expenses, be first out of the gate. “Target an early morning flight, and fly nonstop when possible” to avoid the chance of missing a connection, Nastro says. Delays tend to pile up throughout the day, and afternoon thunderstorms — even hundreds of miles away — can snarl schedules.

“Just because it doesn't happen on your route doesn't mean it can't impact your route,” says Scott Fleming, president of Aon Affinity's Travel Practice, a travel insurance provider.

Early flights are also less likely to be full, which can be helpful if you're jockeying for overhead bin space, trying to avoid higher checked-bag fees.

Consider travel insurance.

Travel insurance can be a good investment, especially for long or multifaceted itineraries such as overseas trips, Fleming says. But these policies don't cover every contingency. Common reasons to cancel a trip that typically do qualify include a serious illness or injury befalling you, a traveling companion or a family member; severe weather or natural disasters; and terrorist attacks that occur within a certain time and distance of your trip.

Delays or disruptions due to the conflict in Iran, however, might not make the cut. “For the most part, acts of war are excluded,” Fleming says. Preexisting conditions, medical or geopolitical, typically aren't covered either.

Cancel-for-any-reason policies offer more flexibility — you can just change your mind about the trip, for instance — but there are caveats. You typically have to purchase coverage shortly after booking your travel; payouts can be capped at 50% or 75% of your cost; and reimbursement may come as a credit toward a future trip rather than cash back.

These policies also cost more — typically 9% to 15% of the trip expense, compared with 6% to 10% for standard coverage, Fleming says. But given the higher-than-average possibility of some development disrupting your travel this summer, the extra protection may be worth it.

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Airport lounges are the best places to spend your layover or kill that extra time you have after breezing through airport security with TSA PreCheck and Clear. While the cushy seating, complimentary food and open bars are all designed to help guests relax before their flights, there is such a thing as being a little too comfortable in an airport lounge.

Some of the unspoken rules of an airport lounge are common sense, but others might not be so obvious to everyone. There are certain mistakes you might make that are a dead giveaway that this is your first visit. If you're planning to kick back in an airport lounge ahead of your next trip, take this short quiz to find out if you know how to behave inside one.

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Everyone knows the best way to be treated right when you fly is to have status with an airline's loyalty program. With that distinction alone, the clouds clear: You get access to a dedicated customer service phone line, free seat upgrades and checked bags, and sometimes even access to airport lounges and other perks.

There are many ways to attain status. First and foremost, you can get an airline-branded credit card that automatically gets you in the club. The other option is simply to fly and spend enough with an airline that you qualify for status. If you're someone who travels regularly for work, that's a fairly easy step to take, but for people who only fly a handful of times a year, it might be harder to reach that.

If you are someone who travels "sparingly" (compared to a business traveler, that is) and you want to attain airline status, you need to make sure you're getting credit for as many miles as possible. And that's where my little "trick" comes in handy.

How to get credit for every flight you take

In truth, it's not really a trick as much as it is being informed and taking action when you fly. Basically, most airlines are part of "alliances" with each other, and those alliances allow you to share miles between them. But in order to make use of that, you have to pick your flights carefully — and make sure you get credit afterwards.

First, you'll want to decide which major airline is the one you are targeting to get status on. This airline is usually the one that flies the most out of the airport near you, or flies to the destination you travel to the most, if you have multiple airport options. Let's call it your "home base airline."

Whenever you book a big trip, you should aim to book it on that home base airline. But let's say you're traveling a route that airline doesn't have. That's when you check the alliance.

See which alliance your home base airline is part of. Then, see which other airlines are in that alliance. Now, you can see if one of those airlines flies the route you need.

If it does, you're in luck. When you book that flight, there is sometimes an option to add your loyalty number. If there is, type in your loyalty number from your home base airline, and you'll earn points from this flight, even though it was a different airline.

But let's say that option doesn't exist or you forget to fill it in. Don't worry, there's still hope, and this is the little "trick" to help you out. After you take the flight, check your home base airline profile and see if you got credit for it. If you didn't, you can request they find your "missing miles."

File for United missing miles here; American Airlines here; for Delta, go here, and click on "Request Mileage Credit."

You'll need to log in to your account and then fill in the required information. Usually, that's information like your ticket number, so try to remember to hold onto your boarding pass or confirmation somewhere.

Each airline works a little differently in terms of when credit arrives and what information they need, so follow the directions on the site. Provided your request is approved, you'll get credit for that flight, which can help you get closer to attaining status with your home base airline.

How this worked for me

So, what does this look like in practice?

United is my home base airline as I prefer to fly out of Newark, which is a United hub. United is a member of the Star Alliance, which I like because it has a lot of regional airlines.

Typically when I take an international trip, I'll fly out of Newark with United, and then use regional airlines on the Star Alliance to get around if I'm location-hopping. And that's how I managed to earn Premier Silver status in 2024.

In January, I flew on a United ticket to New Zealand for my honeymoon. Air New Zealand is in the Star Alliance, so I flew with them when I traveled within New Zealand and between Australia. I was able to include my United mileage number on my Air New Zealand bookings and, after I got home, checked that I was credited on the path toward status with those flights.

In May, I had another international trip with a few destinations. I flew out to Greece on a United flight, then flew from Athens to an island on Aegean — a member of the Star Alliance. I used Aegean again to get to Dublin for a wedding, before flying on Swiss, another Star Alliance member, to get to Paris to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday, before flying home. (And yes, I needed a vacation from that vacation after all those flights.)

I logged every single one of those shorter flights and requested the missing miles when some of them didn't show up in my United account. This required a lot of concentration. To request the miles, I sometimes needed minute details down to my seat number and fare class, but ultimately I did get credit for each leg.

Between those big trips and a couple other domestic ones, I rightfully earned my Silver status that year — but it would not have happened without making use of the alliance flights and my vigilance to ensure those flights were counted.

Know your airline alliances

My key message here is to be aware of airline alliances and make use of them. With that, here are the major airline alliances, as of May 2026.

I am breaking them down by region, as that can be helpful to decide which alliance is most useful to you. If you're planning a big trip to Asia, for example, you may want to know which alliance has the most Asian airlines to accrue more points for your trip, and maybe that determines your home base target airline for the year. For me, that's another reason why United is my home base — the Star Alliance includes Aegean and ITA Airways, and as my big trips typically involve visiting family in Italy and Greece, this works out for me.

Star Alliance:

• North American airlines: United, Air Canada
• European airlines: Aegean, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, ITA Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines
• Asian airlines: Air China, Air India, ANA, Asiana Airlines, EVA Air, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways
• Central and South American airlines: Avianca, Copa Airlines
• African airlines: EgyptAir, Ethiopian, South African Airways
• Oceania airlines: Air New Zealand

SkyTeam:

• North American airlines: Delta, Aeromexico
• European airlines: AirEuropa, Air France, KLM, SAS, TAROM, Virgin Atlantic
• Asian airlines: China Airlines, China Eastern, Garuda Indonesia, Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines, Xiamen Air
• Central and South American airlines: Aerolineas Argentinas
• African airlines: Kenya Airways
• Middle Eastern airlines: Middle East Airlines (MEA), Saudia

OneWorld:

• North American airlines: Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines, American
• European airlines: British Airways, Finnair, Iberia
• Asian airlines: Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines
• African airlines: Royal Air Maroc
• Oceania airlines: Fiji Airways, Qantas
• Middle Eastern airlines: Oman Air, Qatar, Royal Jordanian

Accruing air miles is a strategic game that takes a sometimes ridiculous amount of effort, but it's all worth it for a year of free extra legroom.

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By the time May ends, many parents feel completely drained. Between school concerts, field trips, sports banquets, graduation celebrations, spirit weeks and summer planning, late spring can feel just as hectic and expensive as the holiday season.

That's why the term Maycember has struck a chord with so many parents online. Much like December, May often brings a nonstop stream of obligations, emotional labor and unexpected expenses that leave families exhausted before summer even begins.

After months of managing schedules, coordinating activities and taking care of everyone else, many parents enter summer running on empty. But the season can also offer an opportunity to shift some of that focus inward and make time for their own well-being.

Why parents feel financially and emotionally depleted by late May

For many families, May brings a steady stream of expenses that seem to arrive all at once. Teacher appreciation gifts, yearbook orders, team banquets, graduation celebrations, camp deposits, summer wardrobes and vacation planning can quickly strain the budget.

At the same time, parents often carry an invisible mental load behind the scenes. They're coordinating schedules, tracking deadlines, arranging childcare and helping their children navigate the emotions that come with the end of the school year and the start of summer.

By the time the final school bell rings, many parents aren't heading into summer feeling refreshed. They're heading into it already exhausted.

There's also an emotional contradiction that comes with this season. Summer is supposed to feel relaxing and carefree, yet many parents immediately shift into planning activities, creating memorable experiences and keeping kids engaged. Rather than slowing down, the work often takes on a different form.

Splurging doesn't have to mean irresponsible spending

Treating yourself after Maycember doesn't have to mean blowing your budget or abandoning your financial goals.

Thoughtful splurges can sometimes improve your quality of life, reduce stress and help you reclaim some of the time and energy you've spent caring for everyone else during a demanding season.

The most worthwhile purchases aren't always luxury items. Often, they're the conveniences, experiences and small upgrades that make daily life easier, more enjoyable or a little less overwhelming.

Here are a few ways parents can treat themselves this summer after making it through Maycember.

1. Outsource your stress

One of the biggest sources of burnout for parents is the endless stream of small tasks that seem to multiply during busy seasons.

Summer can be a good time to give yourself a little breathing room by outsourcing some of those responsibilities. For some families, that might mean paying for grocery delivery once a week, scheduling a regular takeout night or signing up for a car wash membership so cleaning the car doesn't become another weekend obligation.

Even hiring someone to mow the lawn once or twice during a particularly hectic stretch can provide a sense of relief.

"One of the best investments we've made during the summer is hiring a landscaper to handle mowing and weed control," says Carla Ayers, Personal Finance Editor at Kiplinger.com. "Outsourcing that task gives us one less thing to worry about and helps us avoid the stress of coming home to an overgrown yard."

Larger splurges might include a monthly house cleaner, a laundry service or a mother's helper or babysitter for a few hours each week so you can work, rest or enjoy some uninterrupted quiet time.

The value of these purchases goes beyond convenience. They can help reduce mental load and free up time for the things that matter most. For many parents, buying back a few hours of their week feels far more rewarding than buying more stuff.

2. Upgrade your summer mornings

Summer mornings often feel different. There’s usually a little more daylight, a slightly slower pace and more opportunities to enjoy quiet moments before the day gets busy. Instead of rushing through mornings, some parents might want to create a small ritual they look forward to.

That could be as simple as trying a fancy cold brew setup at home, buying better coffee creamer, picking up pastries from a local bakery once a week or replacing the chipped coffee mug you’ve been using for years. Others might enjoy sitting outside for 15 minutes with a journal, book or playlist before everyone else wakes up.

For bigger upgrades, parents might consider investing in an espresso machine, upgrading patio furniture or creating a small outdoor retreat space in the backyard with comfortable seating and lighting.

Sometimes a small change to the start of your day can improve your mood far more than a major purchase.

3. Take the solo afternoon you keep postponing

Many parents struggle to justify spending time or money on themselves. But after a demanding school year, a few uninterrupted hours can feel refreshing.

That might mean browsing a bookstore at your own pace, lingering in a coffee shop without interruptions, catching a matinee movie or enjoying lunch at a favorite restaurant. The activity itself matters less than having the freedom to spend a few hours doing something you enjoy.

Others might opt for a more intentional form of self-care, such as a massage, spa treatment or wellness day. Some even book a solo hotel stay nearby to enjoy uninterrupted sleep, quiet and a chance to recharge.

4. Spend money on convenience this summer

Summer schedules can become surprisingly chaotic with camps, sports, vacations and constantly shifting routines. During especially busy seasons, convenience can be a worthwhile investment rather than an unnecessary luxury.

Small upgrades such as buying precut produce, keeping extra freezer meals on hand, using grocery pickup or occasionally ordering delivery can make daily life run more smoothly.

Families with packed calendars may also benefit from meal kit subscriptions such as Marley Spoon, HelloFresh or Home Chef, which can simplify dinner planning and reduce the number of last-minute trips to the grocery store. Others might find value in prepared meal services or temporary cleaning help during the busiest weeks of summer.

Convenience spending is often criticized in budgeting conversations, but there's a difference between mindless spending and intentionally paying for support during demanding seasons of life. If a purchase helps reduce stress, prevent family conflicts or ease exhaustion, it might deliver more value than its price tag suggests.

5. Buy something that makes summer easier

Sometimes the best splurges are the practical purchases that make everyday life more comfortable all season long. That might mean investing in supportive walking shoes, upgrading your water bottle, buying a beach tote that fits everything or picking up a portable fan for long afternoons at outdoor sports events.

For parents spending hours on their feet at tournaments, amusement parks, festivals and family outings, comfortable footwear can be a worthwhile investment. Tom's Guide highlighted several popular options, including Hoka Skyward Laceless, OOFOS OOmg+ recovery shoes and Skechers Slip-ins Max Cushioning, all designed to provide comfort and support during long days of walking.

Other quality-of-life upgrades might include a pool membership, patio furniture, an outdoor speaker system or a high-end cooler for road trips, picnics and park days. Some parents are also investing in fitness trackers or e-bikes to make movement more enjoyable and encourage healthy habits throughout the summer.

The best summer splurges aren't always the most exciting purchases. Often, they're the ones that make everyday activities easier, more comfortable and a little more enjoyable.

6. Book the small trip instead of waiting for the perfect vacation

Not every family can afford an elaborate summer vacation, especially after the financial demands of spring activities and rising travel costs.

That doesn't mean summer has to feel disappointing. Instead of waiting for the "perfect" trip, many families choose smaller, lower-pressure getaways. A weekend at a nearby lake, a scenic road trip, a one-night hotel stay or a day trip to a neighboring town can create meaningful memories without requiring months of planning or a hefty price tag.

Families looking to splurge a bit more might consider renting a cabin at a state park, booking a nearby resort stay or planning a short regional getaway that doesn't require expensive flights. Shorter trips can often be less stressful, more affordable and easier to enjoy than highly planned vacations packed with activities and rigid itineraries.

"Patience and flexibility are your best friends when traveling with children," says Sean Jackson, personal finance writer for Kiplinger.com.

"Keep your schedule open enough to account for naps, unexpected delays and the occasional mishap. Pack plenty of snacks and cleaning wipes, and if you have younger children, it can help to have someone sit in the back seat with them during longer drives. We've taken multiple trips with our daughter and found that the more flexible you are, the smoother the experience tends to be and the more likely everyone is to enjoy the trip."

7. Create one adults-only summer ritual

Summer often revolves around children's schedules and activities, but parents benefit from having traditions of their own as well. That could be something as simple as a Friday takeout night after the kids go to bed, backyard gatherings with neighbors or evening walks accompanied by a favorite podcast or playlist.

Others might choose bigger splurges, such as creating a backyard firepit area, purchasing tickets to an outdoor concert series or investing in a date-night membership that encourages regular time together.

Having a recurring adults-only ritual can provide a welcome break from the logistics of family life and create something to look forward to throughout the summer.

8. Give yourself permission to stop optimizing everything

Many parents spend the summer trying to make every moment count by planning educational outings, organizing activities, scheduling camps and creating the "perfect" summer experience.

But constantly optimizing family life can be exhausting. Sometimes the most valuable summer splurge isn't something you buy. It's giving yourself permission to do less.

That might mean picking up a store-bought dessert instead of baking from scratch, skipping an event that feels more stressful than enjoyable, letting the kids entertain themselves for an afternoon or relying on simple meals more often.

After the chaos of Maycember, many parents head into summer already feeling stretched thin financially, mentally and emotionally. While it’s easy to focus every dollar and every ounce of energy on everyone else, summer can also be an opportunity to make life a little easier and more enjoyable for yourself, too.

Whether it’s paying for convenience, simplifying your schedule or finally taking a break you’ve been postponing, intentional splurges don’t have to derail your finances. Sometimes, the right purchase is the one that gives you more rest, more time or a little more peace during a busy season of life.

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Finding the sweet spot between a high-end travel experience and a smart budget is all about knowing how the travel industry prices its products. Do you know which days to fly, or how to leverage your background as a homeowner for free global lodging?

Take our quick travel quiz below to test your booking IQ and pick up a few expert strategies for your next adventure.

Don't worry if you miss an answer; you can follow the links below the quiz to brush up on your knowledge.

More on travel from the Kiplinger team:

• 9 Ways To Save on Your Next Luxury Trip
• The 12 Travel Tips Every Retiree Needs to Know
• The 10 Best Splurge Destinations for Retirees in 2026
• 5 Side Gigs That Let You Travel the World in Retirement
• The 10 Most Valuable Vacation Destinations for Retirees in 2026
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Say you've lived in a lovely community for decades. You own your home, you have a great circle of friends and family not too far away. Then you retire — and blow it all up.

You sell and give away everything. The house, the cars, the furniture, most of your clothes and the items collected over a lifetime. And hit the road in Peru. South Korea. Romania.

That's what Judy Hoctor, 61, and her husband, Kevin, 64, did in November 2022. They retired from their jobs in San Francisco. Kevin worked for Apple and Judy for a cybersecurity start-up. At first they thought they might work remotely, but that wasn't viable. Retiring in San Francisco and also traveling was just too expensive.

“Pretty quickly we realized that it would be easier to just leave everything behind, not have responsibilities, like a house and a mortgage,” Judy Hoctor says. And rather than decide what to sell and what to keep, “we just said it will be easier to leave everything behind and live out of a suitcase and a backpack. We were looking for a different way of living.”

Retirees choosing to live their retirement traveling in an RV or camper is not a new phenomenon. Full-time retirement on cruise ships has also become a popular option for some. And to be sure, for some older folks, like those portrayed in the 2020 movie Nomadland, living on the road, moving from RV site to RV site, searching for temporary jobs, is a life necessity, not a lifestyle choice.

It is difficult to find statistics on this group, but, anecdotally at least, more retirees like the Hoctors are opting for a DIY global nomadic life. That usually consists of moving every few weeks or months with no established home base.

These nomads learn from each other and from social media groups of like-minded souls about health plans, virtual mailboxes, choosing a hairdresser and joining meet-ups.

It's not for everybody. But those who have lasted on the road for years often embrace the lifestyle with evangelical zeal.

Choosing to go

For Debbie Campbell, 70, and her husband, Michael, 80, it was their daughter who initially came up with the idea of spending their retirement moving from Airbnb to Airbnb and country to country.

She lived in France. They had lived in Seattle for decades.

“We thought that was crazy. Had she looked in our checkbook?” Debbie Campbell says. But “the idea kind of just stuck. We were looking for another adventure, and Michael started doing some budgets and spreadsheets, and we thought, ‘We can't do this. We can't do this. And then wait a minute, yes, we can.'”

So they sold or gave away everything except for some items stashed in a storage space and took off in July 2013.

“We were boatless, carless, homeless and we just went,” Campbell says. “We returned every year for the holidays, just after Thanksgiving through the New Year, and then we took off again.” They ended their 12-year travel marathon in 2025 after visiting 95 countries and now rent a place in Seattle.

“When we left, we were not aware of others who were doing what we intended to do — no websites or books that laid out what being a ‘senior nomad' in 2013 looked like,” she says. “During the decade, as the media coverage increased, we were contacted at first by people with lots of ‘how to' questions. Then we started hearing from people who told us, ‘We did what you did.'”

The Campbells themselves are partially responsible for that media coverage. Debbie ran an advertising agency and Michael was a sports promoter, so both were savvy about the media. Debbie began a blog about their travels when they first started. When The New York Times wrote about the couple and their travels, they received more than 250 inquiries through that blog.

Now they have a website, SeniorNomads.com; their public Facebook page, Senior Nomads, has more than 10,000 followers and they have a private page with about 20,000 followers. At one point, they reached out to Airbnb about their travels and became informal ambassadors, even interning at their San Francisco headquarters for three months in exchange for housing. In 2016 they published a book, Your Keys, Our Home, about their experience staying in Airbnbs worldwide.

Most who choose the nomadic life have always loved traveling, but there's a point that tips them from part-time to full-time travelers. For Heidi Sickles, 65, it was after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her last year working as a human resource manager.

The illness “opened my eyes — time is short,” Sickles says. “And then the kids were out, and it just seemed like the right time to sell the house and start traveling.”

She and her husband Kevin, 65, sold their home in Mamaroneck, N.Y. in 2024 and began their travels.

It was the pandemic that spurred the Hoctors to rethink their priorities. “It was a feeling this is not how we want to spend our life,” Judy says. “The more we worked, the more our jobs wanted us to work.”

Is a nomadic retirement for you?

It takes a certain type of person to be on the move, constantly dealing with new cultures and languages, with the inevitable mishaps — because there will be missed trains, visa mix-ups and the occasional dud Airbnb where nothing works.

There was the time Michael Campbell was pickpocketed in Saigon. And the next day the couple accidentally left their backpacks — including Debbie's phone — in a cab. They managed to track it using the Find my Phone app and happily recovered the items.

And when traveling on a tight budget, every mistake can feel costly. The Hoctors accidentally double-booked flights from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro. They caught the problem within 24 hours, but the carrier refused to refund the $522.

The ideal nomad retiree is someone who is both able to plan and be flexible, who is eager for new experiences and meeting different people, but can also enjoy their own company for stretches of time.

“You need to take an introspective look to see who you are and what will work for you and what will not work for you,” says Manisha Santosh Parulekar, a doctor of geriatric medicine. “You are exposed to various languages. You’re exposed to new people, cultures. So that is stimulating for your brain and mind. And you are active when you’re traveling, so it is good for your physical health as well. But if you have not planned well, and if you don’t travel in a coordinated format, things can get complicated, and it can actually add more stress.”

One thing it doesn’t take, experienced nomads say, is a lot of money.

The Hoctors, for example, set a budget of $5,000 a month; on one video on their YouTube channel, they break down their 2024 costs and estimate they spent about $63,000. Like the Campbells, they have monetized their travels to some degree; besides the YouTube channel, they have a website, FindingGinaMarie.com.

The income from their video views, affiliate links and membership fees came to around $36,000 last year, Hoctor says.

The Campbells don’t make their spending public but say their goal was to average about $90 a night for lodging. Travel days are expensive, Campbell says. Like many others, they settle down in one place for several months each year — for them, it’s winter in Mexico.

One way to cut out the cost of accommodation: house-sit or pet-sit. Trusted Housesitters is one popular global site where people exchange pet-sitting for housing. Annual membership for pet-sitters starts at $129.

For many, the joy of traveling is not to replicate the lifestyle they had at home but rather to shed it.

That was the case for Sandra Rosenau, 53, and her husband Paul Ryken, 60, of Sydney, Australia. Tired of their corporate lives and looking for a change, they winnowed down all their possessions to a safety deposit box and left Sydney in 2016 with one backpack each. They spend about $40,000 annually and write about living a simple lifestyle on the road on their website MinimalistJourneys.com.

Healthcare when you global nomad

Healthcare is one overarching concern for those traveling in their later years. Regular Medicare can’t be used overseas; some Medicare Advantage plans will cover treatment — typically only emergencies — in foreign countries.

One option is to purchase global health insurance, which is different from travel insurance. The best known companies for such insurance include Allianz, AXA, Cigna and IMG; some plans also cover pre-existing and chronic illness.

The Hoctors chose a Cigna Global Health mid-level plan. It cost $5,781 annually for both of them for $1 million coverage outside the U.S. and includes a $3,000 deductible.

They most likely will also sign up for Medicare when they reach 65, to avoid late penalties if they don’t — even though they don’t plan to settle back in the U.S.

Planning ahead is key to a healthy experience, Parulekar, the doctor, says: “Are you on top of your prevention and screening? Are you up to date with all your vaccinations?” she says. Plan in a systematic and timely manner, so that when you do get [to your destination], you are able to enjoy the true potential of that place, rather than then getting sick.”

That said, many nomads rave about the healthcare they receive locally.

“Good healthcare exists everywhere, not just in the U.S., and it’s cheaper,” Hoctor says. “Kevin had a hernia repair surgery when we were in Serbia, and we’ve also had medical health checkups in Thailand, glasses in Japan, dental appointments everywhere. We’ve felt very comfortable and gotten excellent care at meaningfully cheaper prices than the U.S.”

Sickles says she schedules her doctors’ appointments in New York in one-or-two-day blocks when returning to the area but has found medical care over seas for relatively minor problems to be exemplary. And since Medicare doesn’t cover dental care, the Sickles now have all their dental work done in Mexico, where they go annually for some longer-term stays.

“We’ve found the dentists in Mexico to be first rate, using modern techniques and equipment and the cost is about one-fourth to one-fifth of what we typically paid in the States,” she says.

Taxes and other logistics

Nomads are still required to pay federal taxes on Social Security, investments and other income and state taxes depending on the state they live in.

Some, like the Sickles, who don’t own property and aren’t working, chose to “move” to a state that doesn’t charge income tax and declare that as their tax domicile — in their case South Dakota. They were required to show proof that they spent one night in the state before they could apply for their drivers’ licenses and register their cars.

And how about the rare but important pieces of real mail? One way is through a virtual mailbox, which is a digital mail service with a real street address. Numerous companies offer services such as forwarding or storing hard copies of mail, shredding, digitally scanning the outside of all mail for the traveler to see it online and then the contents if requested. The cost is typically $120-$200 annually, sometimes with additional fees.

The downsides of a nomad retirement

While the Instagram photos and travelogues make the nomad life look like non-stop fun — and even the hiccups become humorous anecdotes — the lifestyle requires trade-offs. For Sickles it’s missing everything from a monthly book group to weekend getaways with the tight group of friends she developed over 31 years in Mamaroneck.

“That’s probably the hardest,” she says. One way they’ve addressed that is to stay for six weeks every year in the same area of Mexico and invite friends to cycle in and out. Her mother-in-law also joins them there.

One potential nomad asked in a Reddit forum about the difficulties of everyday life, especially if traveling solo.

“I think the main challenge aside from logistics is going to be boredom,” says one respondent, who also runs a website, bonusnachos.com, on the topic. “Hanging out in foreign cities where you don’t speak the language makes it hard to make friends. You really need to figure out how you’re going to entertain yourself.”

For some, the people they meet on the road — other nomads or locals — become a community of its own. And technology makes it fairly easy to stay in touch with family and friends. But the pull remains.

For the Campbells, one of the tradeoffs of living a 12-year-long adventure was being away from their six grandchildren for long periods of time — although the three that live in France they saw more frequently than they would have had they stayed in Seattle.

“That was really hard, because we were gone during a chunk of their growing up,” Campbell says. One of the reasons they decided to end their wandering life— besides the feeling that they had essentially done all they wanted to do—was to be close to their four-year-old grandson, the youngest.

“He’s kind of the pin in the map for me right now,” she says. But the couple has no regrets. “We knew that by traveling, we were giving up some time with grandchildren while they were growing up, but we felt like we were role models for our adult children and for our grandchildren,” Michael Campbell says. “That in retirement, one doesn’t just have to sit in a rocking chair on their porch.”

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Retirement Report, our popular monthly periodical that covers key concerns of affluent older Americans who are retired or preparing for retirement. Subscribe for retirement advice that's right on the money.

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Locations in five countries in Europe are offering financial incentives to new residents meeting specific qualifications, according to a report from InternationalLiving.com. The countries — including Italy, Spain, Greece, Ireland and Portugal — have available grants, subsidized housing or long-term tax incentives that can meaningfully reduce the cost of relocating abroad when paired with the right visa.

“For retirees, these incentives can meaningfully reduce the upfront cost of starting a new life overseas,” says Jennifer Stevens, executive editor of International Living. “Whether it's a tax break in Italy or Greece, a housing refurbishment grant in Ireland, or relocation support in Portugal, these programs can help stretch retirement savings further.”

But, as the report makes clear: Make sure you understand the details before moving. Because there's always a catch.

Report author Ted Baumann says, “One of the most important details to consider is that in many cases, it's not actually the country offering an incentive — it's a small town or a region of a country. And while the incentive may suit you well, keep in mind you'd still need to qualify for residency with that country's federal government.”

1. Italy

Italy is known for €1 home schemes. Usually located in rural or shrinking towns, these schemes typically offer dilapidated houses for as low as €1 if the buyer fixes them up within a fixed timeframe and puts down a deposit to guarantee the work is completed. Some towns also offer rent or energy subsidies to newcomers. “If you can combine this with a pathway to residency and you don't mind living in a rural area, this can be a great option,” Baumann says.

Some regions offer larger incentives: Trentino has granted up to €100,000 toward the purchase and renovation of a home, provided the recipient lives in it. The town of Radicondoli, south of Florence, offers grants and subsidies with a requirement that new residents live there for at least 10 years.

Italy's most significant nationwide incentive is tax-based. “If you settle in specific southern municipalities and regions, Italy will give you a 7% flat tax concession that lasts 10 years,” Baumann says. With top marginal tax rates exceeding 40%, he notes, “this is a hefty incentive.”

Read more: Retire in Italy for Culture and Beauty & Want to Move to Italy? What to Consider Financially

2. Spain

Spain offers financial incentives through rural municipalities. These can include cash grants, free or discounted land, and other benefits — but they come with strings attached.

“You need to be listed on the municipal register as a resident and taxpayer and promise to make it your main home for a minimum period,” Baumann explains.

Examples include the town of Ponga in Asturias in Spain's northwest, which offers about €3,000 to new residents, and the Extremadura region in the central-west, next to Portugal, which provides relocating digital nomads with grants of up to €15,000.

Spain's most powerful incentive is also tax-related. Baumann points to “Beckham's Law,” a special expat tax strategy that offers a flat rate on certain employment income, along with exemptions on some foreign-source income.

Read more: Retire in Spain for Rich Culture, Cuisine and Coastal Bliss

3. Ireland

Ireland's incentive programs are tied to housing restoration rather than relocation cash. The national government offers grants of up to €70,000 to refurbish vacant or derelict houses. On offshore islands, that amount can rise to €84,000.

“The catch is that you must refurbish it to live in as your principal residence or make it available to rent,” Baumann says. “And you must own it in your own name.”

As with similar programs elsewhere, he adds, “This isn't cash for your own pocket; it's money that must be used to restore property.”

Read more: Retire in Ireland for Lush, Green Landscapes and Bustling Cities

4. Greece

Some small islands have offered housing, land and monthly stipends to attract residents and essential workers. “The most famous is Antikythera, which will give you a house and a plot of land as well as €500 per month for up to five years,” Baumann says.

Greece also offers a significant tax incentive: “a 7% flat tax rate for up to 15 years for new residents,” Baumann says, calling it a major draw given Greece's high marginal tax rates.

Read more: Retire in Greece for Relaxed Living With a Cinematic Backdrop & Can You Afford Retirement in Greece? 3 Tax Benefits Make It Possible

5. Portugal

Under the government-backed Emprego Interior Mais program, eligible applicants can receive a grant of up to €6,000 to help cover moving and other costs associated with relocating to the countryside. Households may also qualify for an additional 20% per dependent who joins the move.

“If you're a foreigner, you first need to have residency, which in this case would mean the D8 digital nomad visa — having a job is a prerequisite for the relocation grant,” says Baumann. “The D8 requires an income of around €3,500 a month.”

Read more: Where to Retire: Living in Portugal as a US Retiree & Want to Move to Portugal? What to Consider Financially

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Retirement Report, our popular monthly periodical that covers key concerns of affluent older Americans who are retired or preparing for retirement. Subscribe for retirement advice that's right on the money.

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The flames of a crackling fire pit cast a warm glow on your family's faces. Your newest grandchild drifts off to sleep, snuggled in his aunt's arms while his parents begin to doze beside them.

Nearby, your oldest grandchild roasts marshmallows to a perfect golden brown — just as you taught her to minutes ago — and she gleefully runs up to you to offer a taste. You recline into your seat next to your spouse, who is gazing up at the clear night sky.

The moon is full, the stars are bright, and everything is just right. You're on the perfect trip.

Meaningful shared experiences with adult children and their families are valuable to many grandparents. In fact, 49% of baby boomers and 40% of those older than 80 would rather spend money on the family trip of a lifetime than leave an inheritance to their children, according to 2025 data from Booking.com. And when it comes to funding these trips, about 80% of boomers are happy to pay for their kids and grandkids in order to travel together.

"The opportunity to spend time together in this busy phase of life for our adult children and their families is well worth the money," says Ramin Hashemi, a Kiplinger reader in Sarasota, Fla., whose vacations have included a visit to Puerto Rico as well as a cruise to celebrate a family member's milestone birthday.

Parents in the thick of their childrearing years are also eager to go on trips that bring together generations. Nearly 60% of parents want to start new family traditions centered around vacations with grandparents, and about 75% of parents are excited by the idea of multigenerational vacations, according to a 2024 study of North American families by Beaches Resorts.

While multigenerational trips present the potential for family members of all ages to spend quality time together, they come with some special considerations. For example, to accommodate young children, older adults or those with disabilities, activities and lodging may need to be stroller- and wheelchair-accessible, or you may need to limit activities to meet the energy levels of everyone in the group.

Lodging may need to have certain amenities, such as accessible entrances, a kitchen, a bathtub, an elevator, or beds of a certain size and height. Air conditioning may be nonnegotiable in hot destinations. Easy access to medical care and pharmacies may be crucial when traveling with infants, young children and some adults.

Additionally, the bigger your group, the more preferences and needs you'll have to bear in mind. The core challenge of multigenerational family travel is managing opinions, "because everybody has one," says Kirsten Maxwell, founder of Kids Are A Trip, a travel website inspiring families to explore the world.

We've gathered advice on how to plan a trip that suits the tastes and needs of each traveler and fosters more bonding and joy than tension and exhaustion.

Strategies for success.

Communication is key as you organize your vacation. To get started, gather the family you'd like to travel with for a joint video call, allowing everyone the chance to offer their ideas and suggestions.

"You have to get everybody on the same page," Maxwell says. That initial conversation should include establishing who pays for what and, if costs will be shared, how much everyone is willing to pay.

This call is also prime time to discuss ideal travel dates, collecting preferences for the start date and how long the trip will last, as well as to create a short list of destinations that interest the group. Gather expectations for lodging as well as the amenities family members may need, and discuss preferences for activities: Is the group seeking a slew of options for active adventures and sports, a focus on relaxing and unwinding together, or something in between?

And before hanging up, consider assigning responsibilities and setting deadlines to establish a clear path forward, Maxwell says. You might decide to settle on a destination by a certain date and lodging by another date not long afterward, for example.

As you're choosing activities and excursions, having honest conversations about each traveler's abilities will go a long way, says Jennifer Pharr Davis, adventurer, speaker and author of Families on Foot. Families should discuss "what the maximum output for the least fit or able member of the family looks like," she says.

On a hiking trip, for example, if one person can manage no more than two miles a day, the entire schedule should reflect that. For a cruise, the itinerary matters as much as the ship's amenities.

At some European ports, for instance, cobblestone streets can be challenging for travelers using walkers or wheelchairs, even if the ship itself is fully accessible, says Colleen McDaniel, editor-in-chief of cruise-review site Cruise Critic.

To avoid overtiring the group, a good rule of thumb is to limit planned activities to one per day. You might arrange an optional event, such as a boat ride or a cooking class. Or try scheduling a daily "choose your own adventure" time. At a national park, some family members can rest while others hike.

Later, everyone regroups for an evening ranger program, suggests Pharr Davis. When you book tours, opting for private excursions may be most comfortable if, say, you want to make sure that young children in your group don't disrupt others or that the length of the tour is appropriate for everyone.

Splitting the costs.

If you intend to pay for most or all of each family member's expenses, be clear about which ones you plan to cover and which, if any, you won't. For example, if you want to pay for lodging, activities and meals but let your adult children and their families cover their own transportation, communicate this early.

If family members will share the costs, discuss not only how you'd like to divide them up but also how you will keep track of those expenses. You can use an app such as Splitwise, which helps groups record and split shared costs, or document expenses in a shared spreadsheet. Peer-to-peer payment apps, such as Zelle or Venmo, are useful for sending money to one another.

With some types of trips, divvying up the costs is simple. While smaller families usually book cruise cabins individually, larger groups (typically using eight or more cabins) can connect with the cruise line's group-services department for discounts and coordination, says McDaniel.

Road Scholar, a nonprofit organization that provides educational travel and learning adventures, offers three-generation trips for grandparents, their children and their grandchildren in which each traveler can enroll and pay individually, says Kelsey Knoedler Perri, director of public relations for Road Scholar.

Trips that stand out.

Although many types of vacations can be a good fit for multiple generations, some are especially well suited to groups of varying ages, abilities and budgets. "The easiest options are going to be cruises and all-inclusive resorts," says Maxwell.

These vacations allow you to pay a fixed price up front for your accommodations and most meals, and they usually provide a broad range of amenities and activities. If an outdoor adventure is more to your family's liking, consider visiting national parks, which are affordable and family-friendly, too. Below, you'll find ideas for journeys in all of those categories.

Cruises

Besides ease of budgeting and planning, cruises can also be attractive to families for their flexibility with lodging. "There are a lot of cabin types," says McDaniel. "Grandparents might invest in a suite, and parents might choose something more cost-effective."

Kids' clubs (onboard child-care and activity areas) are standard on major cruise lines. Luxury cruise lines are less likely to host kids' clubs, but they can offer a more refined, inclusive experience. The staff-to-passenger ratio is often higher, providing passengers closer attention and better service, and spacious suites allow families to relax together without feeling cramped.

Sometimes luxury lines offer seasonal programs with kid-friendly itineraries and personal babysitting services, rather than a crowded playroom. These typically take place in the summer for families with school-age children.

Disney Fantasy

The itinerary for a five-night Bahamian cruise aboard the Disney Fantasy features stops at Nassau and both of Disney's private island destinations, Castaway Cay and the new Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. The “Pixar Day at Sea” includes character encounters, deck parties and a Toy Story–themed "Hey Howdy Breakfast."

Kids can enjoy immersive youth clubs while adults have access to exclusive retreats, such as the Quiet Cove Pool and fine dining at onboard restaurants Palo or Remy. Recently, for a February 12, 2027, departure from Florida's Port Canaveral, prices started at about $3,927 per two people.

Regent Seven Seas Grandeur

On this luxury ship, you can expect opulent surroundings, highly attentive service and excellent dining. A 12-night, round-trip cruise from London, scheduled for a June 6, 2026, departure, features stops through northern France and Spain. Starting at $13,749 per person, the all-inclusive fare covers shore excursions, specialty dining, beverages and gratuities.

Because this is a summer sailing, the Club Mariner Youth Program is available, offering supervised, age-appropriate activities for guests ages 5 to 17.

Resorts

Booking a stay at an all-inclusive property can keep your planning to a minimum and eliminate decision fatigue about where to eat. Often-times, these resorts provide activities and excursions for families in some of their packages — and like cruises, they may have kids' clubs that offer child care. Many resorts have villas or other multi-bedroom lodging options available.

When you think of an all-inclusive resort, a beachfront property in the Caribbean probably comes to mind. But such resorts come in other flavors, too — including the ones that follow.

Mohonk Mountain House

This Hudson Valley retreat, situated near New York's Catskill Mountains, offers a wide variety of activities, including hiking, boating, golf and yoga, and gourmet meals are included in its all-inclusive rates.

The award-winning spa provides adults the opportunity to relax and unwind, and for entertainment, the resort hosts live music and other performances. Nightly rates for two adults start at about $1,050, covering three daily meals, gratuities and most recreational activities.

Call and ask about the Kids Stay & Eat Free promotion, which lets one child between ages 4 and 12 stay free per paying adult.

This deal is typically available during Presidents Day weekend, spring break and some midweek summer dates. Children age 3 and younger stay free year-round.

Brush Creek Ranch

Brush Creek, in southern Wyoming, incorporates comfort and ease into an authentic dude-ranch experience. Children ages 4 to 9 can participate in the "Li'l Wranglers" program, which offers daily activities such as horseback riding, fishing, archery, hiking, arts and crafts, and baking classes.

Adults can try goat yoga, fly-fishing and shooting sports. The ranch also offers culinary experiences such as cheese- and pasta-making classes. Skiing and snowmobiling are available during winter months.

Families can stay in expansive cabin residences that accommodate large groups, with summer rates typically starting at about $1,500 to $2,100 per adult and $750 to $1,000 per child, per night (kids younger than 3 stay free).

All stays include gourmet meals, premium spirits and two guided activities daily.

National parks

Visiting a U.S. national park requires some strategic planning, but you don't have to be an elite athlete to see the best sights at major parks. Many popular parks have easily accessible scenic overlooks — often reachable even by car — with stunning views, and some parks provide flat wooden boardwalks that are great for both strollers and wheelchairs.

Adults 62 and older qualify to buy the Senior Annual Pass, which provides access to all national parks for $20 per year, or the Senior Lifetime Pass, which requires a one-time fee of $80 and covers entrance fees for the rest of their lives. Otherwise, the entrance fee for popular national parks is as much as $35 per private vehicle for seven days of access.

With an America the Beautiful Pass, you can enter all national parks for one year for $80. Those who are not U.S. residents must now pay a surcharge of $100 per person at 11 of the most popular parks, including Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Zion, unless they purchase the new Non-Resident Annual Pass for $250.

For park lodging and camping, book as soon as reservation windows open, and have a Plan B and Plan C ready, says Pharr Davis. Most campground reservations open about six months in advance, though some high-demand parks release sites up to a year ahead.

Bryce Canyon National Park

During a visit to Bryce Canyon, you might start your day with an early-morning hike, before the crowds show up, followed by a group lunch and a scenic afternoon drive.

Consider visiting overlooks that require only a short walk, such as Inspiration Point and Rainbow Point, or take this time for afternoon rest. In the evening, try out a ranger program — an educational activity led by park staff — or enjoy entertainment such as the nearby Bryce Canyon Country Rodeo at Ruby's Inn.

Campsites are typically about $30 per night for RVs or tents. Pricing for the Lodge at Bryce Canyon, the only in-park lodging, varies depending on the season, with rates starting at about $300 per night for a room with two queen beds or one king bed, or $370 per night for guest suites with one king bed and a sleeper sofa.

Yellowstone National Park

Family-friendly hikes and scenic drives are plentiful at Yellowstone. Drive through Lamar Valley to spot bison and wolves in the springtime. Shorter walking paths include the Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail, which offers a panoramic view of Yellowstone's largest hot spring, and the Artist Paintpots Trail, featuring colorful mudpots.

Campsites typically cost between $20 and $45 per night for standard sites, while the nightly rate for Fishing Bridge RV Park, including full hookups for electricity, water and sewer, is approximately $94.

In-park lodge rooms generally range from $200 to $500 per night, although basic cabins start at about $135, and premium suites at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel may reach more than $700.

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.

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There is more great music being made today than ever before. Yes, we said it. Whatever you may consider the “golden age” — the '60s, the '70s, the '80s, the Jazz Age, the Baroque period, you name it — there is simply a greater quantity of top-flight creativity coming from every continent, every culture, every style, every genre today.

Sorting through it? Well, that's the problem. You can ask your kids, or ask your grandkids, or let the algorithms do their stuff. But let us give you a hand with our annual “Grandparents' Guide,” here with three tips on rising stars from across genres to keep you ahead of the curve and in the conversation, not to mention immersed in some great music.

If you liked Amy Winehouse… try Raye

Looking for new music that you didn't know you needed? Here's This Music May Contain Hope, the new album by London-born singer Rachel Agatha Keen, known professionally as Raye. It's right there in the title.

It's the message carried in Raye's recent rocket to international stardom, fueled by her heady mix of big-band extravaganzas (“Where Is My Husband”) and clubby pop (“Escapism”), all wrapped in a personal story that's wholesome and bold.

Think Amy Winehouse (without the self-destructive darkness) or Lady Gaga (without the meat suit), though there's a lineage stretching back to, oh, Julie London, showcased in a dazzling “Cry Me a River” that Raye performed at the British Fashion Awards show in December at Royal Albert Hall.

Coming from a musical family, Raye started releasing her own recordings in her teens, even collaborating with Charli XCX and other current “name” artists. But it was her 2023 debut album, My 21st Century Blues, when she was 24, that launched her rise to the top, winning British Album of the Year in the 2024 Brit Awards and gaining a Mercury Prize nomination.

Just this year, the album's song, “Ice Cream Man,” addressing the issues of sexual violence, was named the Recording Academy's Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change. That focus on matters of import and substance continues on the new album (again, see title), with ambitiously varied music to match.

She also shows off her Broadway-ready theatrical flair and personality. Starting with a short, dramatically spoken prelude, “Girl Under a Gray Cloud,” the album finds her running through life's storms with determination (“I Will Overcome”) and wit (the snarky “Beware… The South London Lover Boy,” the bopping “I Hate the Way I Look Today”), some cool guests (Al Green, yes that Al Green, on “Goodbye Henry,” film composer Hans Zimmer on “Click Clack Symphony”).

In the end she finds “Joy” (featuring two of her sisters) and sets out for “Happier Times Ahead,” where Hope, indeed, blooms. See? Just what you needed.

If you liked Radiohead… try Geese

The quintet's appearance in January on Saturday Night Live stirred a good deal of debate. Is this the new great hope for creative art-rock? Or too pretentious and precious? Formed in high school in Brooklyn, Geese centers on singer Cameron Winters' detached cool/utter anguish dichotomy and guitarist Emily Green's brittle sting in songs of shifting textures and tones, though discomforting is pretty much the default setting.

“Trinidad,” the opening song on last year's Getting Killed album (and one of the two played on SNL), flips from stark dread to sheer terror in an instant — “There's a bomb in my car,” Winter screams.

The churning “100 Horses” (“all people must go dancing, there is only dance music in the time of war”) has Jim Morrison/Patti Smith echoes in the imagery and in Winter's tone. “Half Real” has some U2 in its recipe, though it's hard to imagine Bono wishing for a lobotomy and declaring “I have no more thinking to do.” And then in “Au Pays du Cocaine,” Winter pleads, “You can change … you can be free … just come home, please!”

Radiohead, which also blends coolness and mania, is perhaps the most ready comparison, though through them we can look back to some classic progressive rock a la King Crimson, some Genesis/Peter Gabriel, even Led Zeppelin (though something of a stretch to say they “sound” like those). In concert they've shown their reach with covers of everything from the Beatles to Talking Heads to Television to Leonard Cohen.

And an explosive, triumphant Coachella appearance in April demonstrated that Geese will certainly be among the most talked-about rock bands of the coming years. (But nota bene: If you want to seem up with things, don't commit the fowl of confusing Geese with the jam band Goose.)

If you liked Miles Davis… try Dave Adewumi

The Flame Beneath the Silence, the New York-based trumpeter Dave Adewumi's debut album, took a while coming, with the pandemic stalling a lot of his plans. But it's a stunner, bristling with talent and imagination, and benefiting from the growth and experience he's had playing with some of jazz's top creative figures.

Three of them accompany him here on this vibrant in-concert recording: vibraphonist Joel Ross, bassist Linda May Han Oh and drummer Marcus Gilmore, an all-star ensemble of spectacular musicians complementing and enhancing Adewumi's sparkling playing.

Straddling post-bebop exploration and lyrical classicism, this album announces Adewumi as one to watch in the very rich generation of newer jazz artists — sax players Immanuel Wilkins, Melissa Aldana, Lakecia Benjamin and vocalist Samara Joy among them — showing the form to be vibrant and thriving. He's also in demand as a sideman himself, including a spot in guitarist Mary Halvorson's bracing quartet Canis Major.

The title piece of Adewumi's album introduces his mastery of tone, sometimes pure and resonant, sometimes crisp, sometimes a guttural growl, giving a conversational sense to his lines as he banters with the other musicians. “Is” builds on a Morse-like pulse from Ross' before taking on an Iberian mode, evoking Miles Davis' “Flamenco Sketches,” though overall this ensemble calls to mind Davis' classic '60s groups, which transformed the language of jazz with such forward-looking works as “Seven Steps to Heaven” and “Filles de Kilimanjaro.” And in some places Adewumi luxuriates in long, drawn-out notes, a Davis trademark.

But he's no Miles clone. There's a distinctiveness to his approach and composition, sometimes taking on a chamber-music structure, as in “Abandon” and the brief, impressionistic “Pensive,” which with Ross' presence might bring some to think of the Modern Jazz Quartet or vibes great Bobby Hutcherson.

It's hardly all serious, though. You can hear how much fun he and his mates are having. And there's the longest piece on the album, a 10-minute climb from primordial improvisation to galactic frenzy in which everyone shines, everyone grabs the moment. The title? “If I Need to Do This Again I'm Going to Throw a Fit.” Kinda want to take him up on that dare.

You can find a playlist based on this article here.

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Retirement Report, our popular monthly periodical that covers key concerns of affluent older Americans who are retired or preparing for retirement. Subscribe for retirement advice that's right on the money.

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When you grow up in northern New Jersey as I did, you get used to the frivolous frustration of the "New York" sports teams that actually play in New Jersey. Now, that confusing twist of geography is going global, as the World Cup comes to the Meadowlands.

FIFA announced that eight matches for the 2026 World Cup, including the final, will be taking place at the "New York/New Jersey Stadium." To be clear, they're referring to MetLife Stadium, which is solidly in New Jersey.

MetLife Stadium sits in the middle of a complex braid of highways in East Rutherford. The best way to get there is via public transportation, and no, you cannot walk to the stadium. Understandably, many people going to the World Cup in New Jersey have concluded that they should stay in New York City, as you can take the train or an official shuttle to MetLife.

I'm not opposed to the idea of staying in New York City, but if you'd rather spend your time between matches relaxing with your family or "working-from-home," there are plenty of good locales in New Jersey. You also have more options than in New York City: New Jersey relaxed restrictions on short-term rentals, while New York City has not, so you can safely find an Airbnb or VRBO in the Garden State for the whole family or friend group.

With that in mind, here are several options for places to stay in New Jersey for the World Cup. I've selected these based on ease of travel to MetLife, but more so for your comfort and entertainment when you step away from the loud and massive crowds. These aren't the closest options to the Meadowlands.

I've split my selections into two categories: The Shore and The Suburbs. If you're looking for the beach, check out my picks for The Shore, but if you want a homier time, see The Suburbs.

How to get to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey

First, a quick rundown of how to get to MetLife. The New York New Jersey World Cup 2026 website explains that there will be no parking on match days, so you can't drive to the stadium. You can't walk, either.

Instead, you have the options of NJ Transit (train), rideshare and private transportation drop-offs, or the Official New York New Jersey Stadium Shuttle, which is doing pick-ups at three locations in Manhattan and one in New Jersey.

You need to pre-book tickets for the shuttle, and you have to buy NJ Transit tickets in advance. There has been controversy about the cost of NJ Transit tickets for the World Cup: Round-trip tickets from any rail station to the stadium for match day travel cost $98 per person.

On NJ Transit, you'll need to take the train to Secaucus (New Jersey's major train hub) or Hoboken, then transfer to get directly to the stadium. It will likely be a bit of a hassle, but follow the crowds and lean into the spirit of it all. You should also download the NJ Transit app; be aware it sometimes doesn't let you sign in if you're not currently in the geographic region.

Official travel guidance is still somewhat in flux (the NJ Transit price just changed last week, for example), so pay close attention to your own logistics.

The locations I'm selecting are near an NJ Transit station or the shuttle pick-up at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in Nutley, or are closer to the stadium itself. Let's look at places to stay.

The Shore

1. Long Branch

There's lots to love in Long Branch, including the clean beach, wide boardwalk and — an important point — many places to stay and a New Jersey Transit station half a mile from the ocean. Because of the convenience of that train station, Long Branch is a top destination for both New Jerseyans and New Yorkers looking for a day at the beach, and that makes it a great place for the World Cup.

If you don't want to find an Airbnb, the massive Ocean Place Resort & Spa is a 20-minute walk from the Long Branch train station.

• Train time to Secaucus: one hour, 15 to 30 minutes
• Driving time to MetLife (with no traffic): one hour, 30 minutes

2. Asbury Park

Go ahead, live out your Bruce Springsteen, rockstar dreams and stay in Asbury Park. Like Long Branch, there's an accessible train station here, and in Asbury, you can look more for bed and breakfasts and inns, including in nearby Ocean Grove.

Asbury Park is further south down the shore than Long Branch, but it comes with more entertainment, including, of course, the famous Stone Pony, which hosts Summer Stage, a series of concerts outside. Be aware, though: It's only standing-room, general admission tickets for Summer Stage.

• Train time to Secaucus: one hour, 45 minutes
• Driving time to MetLife (with no traffic): one hour, 20 minutes

3. Belmar

Two stops further on the train line to Belmar. Belmar is where you want to go to enjoy a more glamorous, comfortable and relaxing time on the shore. This is a place to look for historic inns and vacation home rentals.

While you'll be competing with New Jersey families for rentals, the school year in the state wraps up closer to the end of June, so you'll have less competition for the early rounds of the World Cup.

• Train time to Secaucus: Just under two hours
• Driving time to MetLife (with no traffic): one hour, 20 minutes

The Suburbs

1. Edgewater

As the name suggests, Edgewater is on the Hudson River, south of the George Washington Bridge and directly across the river from Harlem in Manhattan. Why Edgewater?

First, it's (usually) a quick drive to MetLife, so you could arrange for a drop-off. That proximity is why one New York City Council member proposed adding a ferry line from Harlem to Edgewater for the World Cup. Although that idea hasn't materialized into reality, ferry service will be boosted for the World Cup, which brings me to my second reason to stay in Edgewater:

You can take the ferry from Edgewater to Manhattan, so if you want to see New York City without paying New York hotel prices, this is an option, but you can also drive north and enjoy the parks and overlooks in Fort Lee and Englewood Cliffs. Third, there are waterfront apartments in Edgewater, some of which have access to a pool.

Staying in Hoboken or Jersey City would make getting to MetLife easier via public transportation, but Edgewater, West New York and North Bergen will likely get you slightly further from the crowds, with options to travel elsewhere on non-gamedays.

• Train time to Secaucus: n/a; you could drive about 20 minutes to the Teterboro station, then take a 15-minute train to Secaucus
• Driving time to MetLife (with no traffic): 20 minutes

2. Montclair

Montclair has a reputation as the place to go for young families and retirees alike, and for good reason: It's a charming, walkable town with plenty of public transportation. There are multiple NJ Transit stops in the area, which get you to Secaucus quickly, and it's also (usually) a quick drive to MetLife.

Montclair has some great World Cup counterprogramming for non-gamedays, including the Montclair Art Museum and the Van Vleck House & Gardens. The town also has a nice food and music scene.

If you're coming to the World Cup with your family, including young kids, this is a good place to look for lodging. Montclair is also something of a college town, so beyond Airbnb and VRBOs, there are hotel options, including The George, which was founded by makeup icon Bobbi Brown and her husband.

• Train time to Secaucus: 30 to 45 minutes
• Driving time to MetLife (with no traffic): 25 minutes
• Additional option: From Montclair, you could take the Official Stadium Shuttle from Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in nearby Nutley

3. Alpine

Pop quiz: When Novak Djokovic comes to compete at the U.S. Open in New York, where does he stay? If you guessed a fancy Midtown hotel, you're wrong.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner reportedly stays out in Alpine, the riverfront New Jersey town north of the George Washington Bridge. Why? Alpine homes have certain amenities, such as, for example, multiple tennis courts with different surfaces in the backyard. Alpine regularly makes the lists of most expensive ZIP codes, with homes spread out across large, private lots.

If you want to stay in a luxurious home for the World Cup, look at Alpine. Don't expect it to come cheap: One five-bedroom home is listed on Airbnb at about $35,000 for seven nights.

If you were to stay in Alpine, your closest NJ Transit station is Oradell, which is 15 to 20 minutes away by car.

• Train time to Secaucus: 30 minutes from Oradell station
• Driving time to MetLife (with no traffic): 30 minutes

World Cup dates

Here are the dates of the matches taking place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey:

• June 13: Brazil vs Morocco
• June 16: France vs Senegal
• June 22: Norway vs Senegal
• June 25: Ecuador vs Germany
• June 27: Panama vs England
• June 30: Round of 32
• July 5: Round of 16
• July 19: Final

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Oh, Italy. I miss you! It's been almost three years since our family vacation there. Like many people, I was awed by the beauty and simple details that make life there so remarkable: the culture, food, music and style. I would love to return soon, but with airfare so expensive and inflation in Italy spiking, it's just not happening. I may even have to wait a few years until I'm retired to go back for the long soak in Italian culture I crave.

Honestly, I'd like to be fluent in Italian for my next trip, dressed as stylishly as any Milanese woman as I sample tiramisu in a piazza. While that may be a high bar, I have found very affordable — even free — ways to enjoy Italian food and culture, as well as tricks for practicing the language, all without leaving home. These tips will also make my next venture there more fun.

Whether you've already been to Italy or are just dreaming about it, here are my tricks for feeling like you're living la bella vita at home.

Start the day with cappuccino

Yes, you could go out and spend a fortune on a fancy espresso machine, with all of its breakable parts and hulking mass on your counter. Or, you could brew good, strong espresso using your current method and top it with foamy milk. I've had the Aerolatte Handheld Milk Frother ($29.95 at Williams Sonoma) for years. It's simple, battery-operated and works like a charm.

Treat yourself to some real Italian ingredients

Most European goods have been subject to a 10% or 15% tariff during President Donald Trump's second term, which has, in turn, increased prices for some Italian imports. Still, you can find good shelf-stable products online and likely many at your local grocery store. If you have access to a farmer's market, buying fresh produce in season is the best first step to cooking Italian.

The basis for most Italian cooking is cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil (often called EVOO). You may have heard about rampant olive oil fraud a few years ago, when manufacturers blended old oil with fresh, or lied about its origin. Some of these issues have improved, but you can avoid this trap by buying oil certified in North America or the EU under PDO/PGI designations. In general, look for oil sold in a dark glass bottle, with a harvest date no more than two years old and a single country of origin.

Wirecutter's taste test of different olive oils can help you learn how to sample oil (spoiler alert: The test found Whole Foods 365 California Small Batch olive oil to be the tastiest). Costco also has a good selection of affordable Italian EVOOs.

If you're serious about olive oil, try getting to know the different kinds of olives, just as you would pay attention to the variety of grapes that make up fine wine.

For a deep dive into the culinary traditions of different regions, I highly recommend the TV series, Tucci in Italy. The veteran actor and gourmand devotes each episode to a different ingredient, dish or food tradition.

For a deep dive into Italian wines and food zones, you can plan to visit farms via agriturismo on your next trip.

Don't forget the gelato!

Adherents to the Mediterranean Diet will be delighted to know that gelato can be an occasional treat. The true Italian version is healthier than ice cream, with less fat and fewer calories, and is often made with local fruit and nuts for flavor. Just don't top it with candy bars.

I'm lucky enough to live in a town with multiple gelato shops. If your area is sadly without them, you could try all-natural versions from the grocery store. A good option is Gelato Boy, with its emphasis on fresh ingredients and wide availability.

Listen to some Italian opera

I prefer little bites of opera as opposed to an almost four-hour-long production of The Marriage of Figaro. Italy understands this sentiment and has organized frequent hour-long "greatest hits" performances in historic churches and other venues throughout the country. Even my uninitiated husband and kids loved these performances, and I highly recommend them for your next trip.

Your kitchen may not be a 16th-century church, but you can still enjoy listening to opera while cooking a fabulous Italian dinner. Put on an apron, uncork some wine and experiment with Spotify or YouTube playlists for Italian opera classics, and you'll enjoy some of the greats: Luciano Pavarotti, Maria Callas, Andrea Bocelli, Jessye Norman and more.

Brush up on your Italian — or start learning from scratch

There are so many fun ways to start learning or improving your Italian. As someone who taught college-level Spanish, I have a leg up in terms of vocabulary and comprehension, but Italian is different enough that I knew I needed to start as a complete newbie.

If learning a foreign language just isn't your thing, some generations of Apple AirPods offer a translation feature. That means you can ask your iPhone to "listen" to an Italian speaker and hear spontaneous translation in English.

Apps

For beginners, there are gamified apps that ask you to speak, type and listen in a foreign language. I can attest to how addictive Duolingo can be; I have a 1,200+ day "streak," meaning I have played the app pretty faithfully every day for the past three years. Duolingo offers a free Italian course and more elaborate paid courses, called Super (about $13/month) and Max (about $30/month). I have tried both and recommend the Super level. The AI functions in Max are clunky and not worth the price, in my opinion. The free version is a great way to sample the app, but frustrating if you intend to stick with it.

Podcasts

I also think that listening to podcasts while you're taking a walk, cooking or doing chores is a fabulous way to get a language in your head. Postcards from Italy is a charming conversational podcast that breaks down vocabulary, phrases and Italian traditions. It is a free podcast, but you can elect to pay for additional access.

TV and Film

Who says learning a language has to be dry? Check out Italian shows on Netflix, like the dramedy "My Family," which is likened to "This Is Us." Set the language to Italian and add English subtitles if needed. Or on Amazon Prime, watch "My Brilliant Friend." Most streaming services will carry classic Italian films such as La Dolce Vita. And if you need a reason to rewatch Life is Beautiful, remember the delight of Roberto Benigni accepting the Best Foreign Language Film award from Sophia Loren at the 1999 Oscars. Other titles to explore: Il Postino, Cinema Paradiso (in Italian and Sicilian) and of course, almost anything by Fellini.

Embrace Italian style

You don't have to go to Milan Fashion Week to look fabulous. One of the best ways to embrace the style is to wear vintage scarves and take time to learn how to tie them. In general, Italian style for both men and women centers on classic neutrals, smart layering and accessories galore.

Oh, the tiramisu ... and Airbnb Experiences

If you have Italian relatives who will open their home and give you a sense of how regular folks live, consider yourself lucky. The rest of us have to make do with friends of friends or even Airbnb. Yes, we all have a bit of a love-hate relationship with vacation home rental companies like Vrbo and Airbnb; they drive up real estate prices for locals, but they also provide (often) more affordable accommodations for families.

One way to support the local economy and get a more authentic meal is to book an Airbnb Experience. Some friends of ours had raved about the funky tours or excellent meals they had abroad, so we decided to give it a try. We booked a lunch with a charming Italian couple in Rome. Over a five-course meal in their apartment, we learned that they enjoyed playing music — as do we. Before we knew it, they brought out two guitars, a mandolin, and a violin, and we had a lovely time eating tiramisu and playing music together. Priceless.

While it's far better to be in Italy for this kind of experience, Airbnb does offer pasta-making or similar experiences in the U.S. In some cases, a chef will come to your home to prepare an Italian meal.

If you can't hire a "nonna" (Italian grandmother) to come cook for you, try venturing to a "Little Italy" if there's one near you. While many are on the East Coast, you'll still find great Italian (or Italian-American) food in places like Cleveland, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and of course, Chicago.

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Airport security in the U.S. might be heading toward a noticeable shift that could change how travelers move through checkpoints in the years ahead.

The Transportation Security Administration’s new “TSA Gold+” initiative is expanding the government’s existing use of private contractors at airport security checkpoints, reviving a long-running debate about whether airport screening should remain primarily a federal function or operate more like a public-private partnership.

For travelers, the biggest question is simple: Will this make flying easier or more confusing? The answer might be a little of both. Here’s what you need to know about TSA Gold+ and how it could impact your airport experience and air travel in the U.S. as a whole.

What is TSA Gold+? Why is it different?

TSA Gold+ is an expansion of the existing Screening Partnership Program (SPP), which already allows some airports to use private security contractors instead of federal TSA employees while still operating under TSA oversight.

Today, roughly 20 U.S. airports participate in the program, including major airports such as San Francisco International Airport and Kansas City International Airport. Under the current structure, private contractors handle passenger screening while following TSA rules, procedures and federal security standards.

But Gold+ goes further. According to TSA materials and industry reports, the initiative would allow private operators to play a larger role, not just in staffing checkpoints, but also in deploying screening technology, maintaining equipment and managing parts of checkpoint operations. TSA would still regulate security standards and oversee compliance.

Supporters say the goal is to modernize airport screening faster than the federal budget process typically allows.

The program is being framed as a way to accelerate technology upgrades, improve traveler throughput and reduce the operational disruptions airports experienced during recent government funding crises and staffing shortages.

Why TSA is pushing the program now

The timing is not accidental. Air travel demand continues to climb, and airports are preparing for major global events and heavier passenger volumes in the next several years, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

At the same time, the TSA has faced repeated staffing pressures during federal funding disputes and shutdown threats. Recent disruptions left some airports dealing with multi-hour security waits and significant pressure on employees after TSA officers worked without pay. The Trump administration’s proposed budget also includes broader efforts to expand privatized screening at certain airports while cutting thousands of TSA positions.

From the TSA’s perspective, Gold+ is partly about resiliency. By shifting more operational responsibility to private contractors, airports might be able to continue functioning more smoothly during future government shutdowns or staffing disruptions. Some supporters also argue that private operators could move faster when introducing new screening systems or checkpoint layouts.

Could travelers notice changes this summer?

Probably, though not everywhere. There has not yet been a nationwide rollout of TSA Gold+, but airports across the country have reportedly been briefed on the initiative, and some are exploring participation.

If additional airports adopt the program, travelers could begin seeing differences in how checkpoints operate from one airport to another.

Some airports might introduce faster-moving screening lanes, updated scanners or redesigned checkpoint layouts. Boston Logan International Airport, for example, is already testing a remote screening system that allows some passengers to clear security before arriving at the airport terminal.

But the tradeoff could be a less standardized experience. One of the defining features of the TSA since its creation after September 11 attacks has been consistency. Travelers generally know what to expect at checkpoints nationwide, even if the experience is not always pleasant.

A broader privatized model could create more airport-specific systems, staffing approaches and traveler experiences. Some airports might feel more efficient and modern, while others could feel disjointed or inconsistent, especially during the transition period.

Why critics are concerned about privatization

The strongest criticism centers on one issue: profit motives. Some critics worry that introducing more private-sector incentives into airport security could create pressure to reduce labor costs or prioritize efficiency metrics over security quality. Labor groups and some aviation experts have also raised concerns about workforce turnover, training consistency and accountability.

On Reddit and aviation forums, some travelers have questioned whether airport security could eventually become more tiered, with wealthier airports receiving better staffing and technology while smaller airports lag behind. Others worry that security could become less uniform nationwide. Even some airlines have expressed caution about making privatized screening mandatory at smaller airports.

Still, supporters point to countries in Europe that already use private airport screening contractors successfully, along with U.S. airports that have participated in the SPP for years without major disruptions. Ultimately, the debate is less about whether privatized airport screening can work and more about how broadly it should expand in the U.S.

What travelers should pay attention to

For now, most travelers are unlikely to notice immediate dramatic changes.

TSA Gold+ doesn’t replace TSA PreCheck, CLEAR or standard TSA screening rules. Travelers would still go through federally regulated security procedures even if private contractors are handling operations locally.

What might change over time is the overall airport experience. Some airports could see shorter lines, newer scanners and more customized checkpoint operations. Others could experience a period of adjustment as airports and contractors implement different systems and staffing models.

The biggest thing travelers should watch is consistency. If TSA Gold+ rolls out more widely, travelers might start noticing that the airport security experience varies more from one airport to the next instead of feeling primarily the same everywhere.

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If booking a flight lately feels more expensive and more confusing, that’s because it is.

Airfare prices are rising again, driven largely by higher jet fuel costs tied to geopolitical tensions, including the war in Iran. At the same time, airlines are leaning more heavily on dynamic pricing systems that adjust fares in real time based on demand, competition and even browsing behavior.

As a result, there are fewer predictable "sweet spots" for booking and more sudden price swings that can leave travelers second guessing whether to buy now or wait.

If you're planning summer or fall trips, the key question isn't just where to go. You'll also want to get strategic about when to book and how to avoid overpaying. Here are some tips to help.

How much more travelers are paying for flights

Airfare hasn't increased evenly across the board, but the trend is clear: Prices are trending higher, especially for peak travel periods and international routes.

Jet fuel prices surged from about $85 to $90 per barrel to as high as $150 to $200 per barrel in recent weeks, creating significant financial pressure across the airline industry, according to Reuters.

Domestic fares have seen moderate increases in many markets, while international flights, particularly long-haul routes, are seeing sharper spikes due to higher fuel consumption and constrained capacity. Flights to Europe and parts of Asia have been especially volatile, with prices fluctuating week to week.

Some routes are being hit harder than others. Flights from major hub cities might remain relatively competitive due to airline competition, while smaller regional airports often see steeper increases due to limited flight options and reduced seat inventory.

Another factor is that airlines have become more strategic about limiting discounted seats. That means travelers are less likely to stumble on the ultra-low fares that were more common even a year or two ago.

Why airfare prices are increasing

Several forces are converging to push ticket prices higher and keep them unpredictable.

Rising fuel costs are feeding directly into fares

Jet fuel is one of the largest operating expenses for airlines, often accounting for 20% to 30% of total costs. When oil prices climb, especially amid geopolitical tensions involving Iran and other key energy-producing regions, airlines typically pass at least some of those costs on to consumers.

What makes this cycle different is the speed. Fuel prices have been fluctuating quickly, and airlines are responding faster than they used to, adjusting fares in near real time rather than waiting weeks or months.

Dynamic pricing

Airlines have long used demand-based pricing, but newer algorithms are far more aggressive and responsive. Prices can now shift multiple times per day based on booking patterns, seat availability, competitor pricing, even seasonal demand signals.

This means travelers are less likely to see stable pricing trends. A flight that looks reasonably priced in the morning could jump significantly by evening if demand ticks up.

Strong demand (despite higher prices)

Even with inflation affecting household budgets, travel demand hasn't slowed as much as expected. Many people are still prioritizing vacations, experiences and visiting family, particularly during peak seasons such as summer and holidays. This sustained demand gives airlines less incentive to discount fares, especially when flights are already filling up.

Tighter seat inventory

Airlines are still operating with tighter capacity in some markets compared with prepandemic levels. That includes fewer routes, reduced flight frequency and, in some cases, staffing or aircraft limitations. Fewer available seats naturally push prices higher, particularly on popular routes or during high-demand windows.

Airlines are managing inventory more strategically

Another subtle shift is that airlines are holding back the lowest fare classes for a shorter period or releasing fewer discounted seats altogether. In other words, the "cheap seats" sell out faster, leaving more travelers choosing from higher-priced options.

7 best ways to save money on airfare right now

Even in a rising price environment, there are still ways to keep costs under control, but it requires a more proactive and flexible approach than in the past. Here are some things smart travelers are doing in an attempt to cut costs.

1. Book earlier, but still monitor prices

The traditional advice to book flights six to eight weeks in advance doesn't always hold up in today's market. For many routes, especially international trips, booking several months ahead can help you avoid last-minute price spikes tied to demand and fuel costs.

That said, it's still worth tracking prices after you book. Some airlines now offer fare credits if prices drop, and third-party tools can alert you to potential rebooking opportunities.

2. Be flexible with timing (even by a day or two)

Small adjustments to your itinerary can lead to meaningful savings. Flying midweek, particularly Tuesday or Wednesday, is often cheaper than weekend travel. Early morning or late-night flights can also come with lower fares.

If your schedule allows, shifting your trip by even one day in either direction can sometimes reduce costs significantly.

3. Use fare alerts and price-tracking tools consistently

Platforms such as Google Flights, Hopper and Skyscanner allow you to monitor routes and receive notifications when prices change. These tools are especially useful in an unpredictable market for travel, since it helps you spot dips rather than guessing when to book.

4. Check multiple airports and routing options

Flying out of or into a nearby airport can sometimes lead to lower fares. For example, choosing a secondary airport within driving distance might open cheaper routes or better airline competition.

Consider flights with layovers instead of nonstop service; it can reduce costs, particularly on long-haul trips.

5. Leverage points, miles and credit card perks

With cash prices rising, travel rewards can stretch further. If you've accumulated points through a travel credit card or loyalty program, this might be an ideal time to redeem them, especially for expensive routes where cash fares are inflated.

Some cards also offer travel credits, companion fares or built-in trip protections that can offset overall costs.

6. Watch for bundled fees and compare total cost

Base fares don't always tell the full story. Budget airlines may appear cheaper upfront but charge for carry-on bags, seat selection and other add-ons. Before booking, compare the total cost across airlines, including fees, to avoid surprises.

7. Consider shoulder seasons and off-peak travel

If your plans are flexible, traveling just before or after peak season can deliver better value. Early fall and late spring often offer a balance of good weather and lower demand, which can translate into lower airfare.

Should travelers book now or wait?

This is where many travelers are getting stuck, and there's no one-size-fits-all answer. If fuel prices continue rising or geopolitical tensions escalate, airfare could increase further. In that case, waiting could mean paying more later.

On the other hand, prices can still fluctuate, and occasional dips do happen.

As a general guideline, for:

• Domestic flights. Aim to book one to three months in advance
• International flights. Aim for two to six months ahead

If you find a fare that fits your budget and travel plans, it might be worth locking it in, especially if the airline offers free changes or credits.

A good rule of thumb is that if a fare is within your historical expectations (or slightly above), it’s often safer to book than gamble on future drops.

Are budget airlines still the cheapest option?

Budget airlines can still offer lower base fares, but the gap isn't always as wide as it seems. Many discount carriers charge additional fees for carry-on bags, seat selection and even printing boarding passes. Once those costs are added in, the total price can rival or even exceed traditional airlines.

Some budget airlines have reduced routes or frequency as well, which limits availability and flexibility. That said, they can still be a good option for short trips or travelers who can pack light and avoid add-ons.

How travelers can stay ahead of rising airfare prices

Airfare pricing is likely to remain unpredictable in the near term. Between fuel costs, global uncertainty and evolving airline strategies, travelers should expect continued fluctuating prices and options.

The good news is that you don't need perfect timing to save money. If you plan ahead, stay flexible and use the right tools, you can still find reasonable fares even in a rising market. Because in today’s environment, waiting for the "perfect deal" might be the most expensive move of all.

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The PGA Championship returns May 14 through May 17 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, highlighting a busy stretch of the PGA Tour schedule.

Scottie Scheffler enters the tournament after winning the 2025 PGA Championship and remains one of the sport’s dominant players. He narrowly missed adding another major earlier this season, finishing one stroke behind Rory McIlroy at the Masters.

McIlroy heads into the PGA Championship with momentum following his Masters victory, while many of golf’s top-ranked players are expected to compete in the season’s second major.

2026 PGA Championship TV schedule

Golf fans can watch the 2026 PGA Championship across ESPN, CBS and several streaming platforms throughout the four-day tournament.

Coverage begins Thursday, May 14 and continues through the final round on Sunday, May 17.

CBS coverage times

CBS Sports will air the main weekend coverage during the final two rounds:

● Saturday, May 16: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET

● Sunday, May 17: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET

ESPN will carry early coverage on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET before CBS takes over. Fans can stream the CBS broadcast live through Paramount+ with the Paramount+ Premium plan.

Where to stream the PGA Championship

If you plan to stream the tournament instead of watching on cable, several services will carry live PGA Championship coverage throughout the week, including early-round feeds and weekend broadcasts.

ESPN+

ESPN+ offers the most comprehensive coverage of the tournament, including:

• Early-round coverage on Thursday and Friday
• Featured groups
• Featured holes
• Additional live feeds throughout the tournament

Paramount+

Paramount+ will stream the live CBS weekend broadcast during the third and final rounds.

Cord-cutters can also watch through live TV streaming platforms that carry ESPN and CBS, including:

Prices listed reflect standard monthly price ranges and may not include limited-time offers or new customer promotions. Check each streaming provider for current free trials, discounts and bundle deals.

How to watch the PGA Championship while traveling

If you're traveling during the PGA Championship, you may still be able to stream coverage through your existing subscriptions. However, some streaming services may limit access based on your location, meaning your usual coverage could look different while you're away from home.

In those situations, some viewers use a virtual private network (VPN) to access their streaming accounts while traveling. A VPN encrypts your internet connection and routes it through a server in another location, which may help you securely sign in to your streaming services while on the go.

New to VPNs? Getting started is relatively simple:

• Choose a VPN service, such as NordVPN, and follow the setup instructions
• Select a server location that matches your home country
• Open your streaming app and log in as usual

Don't miss the PGA Championship this weekend

Whether you're watching on ESPN, CBS, Paramount+ or streaming on the go, there are several ways to follow the 2026 PGA Championship live from Aronimink Golf Club.

With top players like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy in the field, golf fans will have plenty of storylines to follow throughout the tournament weekend.

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• The Real Cost of Streaming Live Sports
• This T-Mobile Streaming Bundle Gets You Netflix, Hulu and Apple TV Plus for Free

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Ever arrive at a beach town only to realize you forgot your prescription sunglasses or high-SPF sunblock? It can be frustrating and expensive.

According to packing data from Radical Storage, the average traveler forgets two essential items per trip, resulting in about $53 in immediate replacement costs.*

Some replacements are a total loss, but did you know that you can turn others into a tax advantage?

By leveraging your health savings account (HSA), you can repurchase forgotten essentials using pre-tax dollars — effectively giving yourself a 25-30% "tax discount" on vacation necessities (when combined with FICA savings).

Here are the most commonly forgotten travel items that are HSA-eligible and the strict IRS rules you need to know to possibly claim them.

*Radical Storage is a global luggage storage service that surveyed 1,511 Americans regarding their packing habits and the items they most commonly forget.

IRS Rules for HSA purchases in 2026

Before we dive into our list, let's cover the 2026 IRS rules for a purchase to be considered "HSA-qualified."

The expense must be primarily for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of a specific health condition for you, your spouse, or your tax dependents. Otherwise, you may owe penalties and taxes on non-qualified purchases.

Here's a handy guide to help you figure out if your purchase could be HSA-eligible:

• Check the "HSA store." Before you head to the register, use your HSA provider's mobile app. Many now let you scan a product's barcode to confirm eligibility. You can also browse pre-vetted items at the HSA Store or Amazon's HSA/FSA shop.
• Identify items requiring an LMN. Some travel aids, like high-grade compression socks or specialized orthopedic pillows, may require a letter of medical necessity (LMN) from your doctor to qualify. This letter details why the purchase is medically necessary for your or your spouse's/dependent's condition.
• Keep digital backups. Although your HSA debit card may be accepted at major pharmacies, the IRS requires proof of the item purchased, not just the total spent. Snap a photo of your receipt immediately and save it in your digital files.

Travel Essentials

1. Broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 15+)

Sun protection is one of the most frequent casualties of rushed packing, with 18.3% of travelers leaving it behind. But if you have to buy a replacement bottle at a pricey resort gift shop, your HSA has you covered.

• The IRS rule: The sunscreen must offer broad-spectrum protection and have an SPF rating of 15 or higher.

What about bug spray? Standard insect repellent is a "general health" item and is not HSA-eligible. However, if you buy a sunscreen that includes built-in bug spray, the entire purchase may become eligible, provided the primary purpose is qualified sun protection.

2. Prescription shades

According to the Radical Storage data, 17.6% of travelers forget their sunglasses when packing for a trip. And when you're planning outdoor fun, your eyes may need more than a $5 pair of gas station shades. Fortunately, replacing your prescription sunglasses might qualify for HSA eligibility.

• The IRS rule: Fashion shades and traditional, "beach shop" sunglasses don't qualify. You need prescription sunglasses designed to correct vision and protect against UV rays.

Beyond the frames, contact lens supplies and lubricating eye drops typically qualify for HSA eligibility. This includes travel-sized solutions, replacement cases, extra lenses, and over-the-counter (OTC) drops for dry "airplane eyes."

3. OTC medications

It may not come as a surprise that people often forget painkillers while traveling, with 13.7% of travelers reporting leaving home without their trusted bottle of OTC meds; many more medicinal remedies qualify for HSA spending, though.

• The IRS rule: No prescription is needed. You can purchase Advil, acetaminophen, and other pre-packaged OTC remedies to treat pain relief. Cold/flu medications are also generally included, as are motion sickness pills and antacids.

Not explicitly listed in the survey are personal care products, like tampons, pads, and acne treatments, which are HSA-eligible. This is thanks to the CARES Act, which permanently expanded the list of "qualified medical expenses" to include menstrual care and OTC medications without a doctor's prescription.

4. First aid kits

Unfortunately, 12.8% of travelers report leaving behind a first aid kit, which can be a crucial travel essential in case of emergency. Fortunately, these kits are often eligible for HSA spending.

• The IRS rule: Everything from premade first-aid kits and individual components (like bandages, gauze, and antibiotic creams) is eligible. Still, special non-medical carrying cases for the kit may not be covered.

5. Medicated moisturizers and aloe vera

The data shows that 10.9% of travelers forget to pack their daily moisturizer. If your skin takes a beating from the sun, wind, or airplane air, your replacement lotion might qualify for tax-free HSA funds, provided it meets IRS regulations.

• The IRS rule: Standard cosmetics and regular beauty lotions do not qualify. To use your HSA, the moisturizer must contain a specific medicated ingredient designed to treat a medical condition, such as severe sunburn, eczema, or dermatitis.

6. SPF Cosmetics and lip balms

Vanity kits are easily left behind, with 10.3% of travelers forgetting their makeup. Even though standard foundation or lip gloss is considered a personal care expense, your sun protective makeup may be HSA-eligible.

• The IRS rule: Lip balms, foundations, and skin tints qualify for HSA reimbursement only if they are explicitly labeled SPF 15 or higher, offer broad-spectrum protection, and primarily serve to prevent sunburn.

The survey did not mention allergy medications, yet the local environment on vacation can trigger new reactions. Thus, if you find yourself sniffling and suffering, know that most OTC antihistamines and nasal sprays are generally fully eligible.

7. Prescription meds

About 9.8% of travelers have been there: they got to their destination only to realize they forgot their meds. When you need to make a surprise run to a foreign pharmacy, here are the HSA eligibility rules governing prescription meds.

• The IRS rule: Always eligible, including "rush" refills. However, nutritional supplements, vitamins, and toiletries are merely for maintaining general health and are not considered qualified.

8. Underwear (that's medically necessary)

Only 9.6% of travelers forget their underwear while traveling, according to data from Radical Storage. Certain repurchases might be eligible for your HSA funds. (So no, your standard boxers don't count!).

• The IRS rule: Specialized "adaptive clothing" can be HSA-approved if it serves a medically necessary purpose, like a pumping bra, certain postpartum care products, etc. But general hygiene items are not eligible.

9. Specialized swimwear

Swimwear is often left in the dresser drawer, with 9.3% of travelers reporting forgetting bathing suits or similar wear at home. Though swim trunks might not qualify for HSA eligibility, you may be able to use tax-free funds on prescription swimwear.

• The IRS rule: Items for specialized wear, like prescription goggles or masks with corrective lenses, may qualify if they are used to treat a condition. Otherwise, an LMN may be necessary for other types of bathing suits.

11. Sneakers and sandals to treat a condition

Footwear like flip-flops and tennis shoes is often forgotten at home, with travelers reporting forgetting to pack these essentials 7.4% to 8% of the time. Though if you meet specific requirements, you might be able to repurchase them with HSA funds.

• The IRS rule: Shoes must directly help manage or improve a medical issue. Common examples include orthotic inserts, gel pads, and orthopedic footwear, though they may require an LMN.

What about accessories? Long flights can take a toll on the body, leading many travelers to invest in biometric trackers. In 2026, popular medical devices like the Oura Ring and certain smart watches may be HSA-eligible if they have an LMN from your doctor stating the specific condition the device monitors and/or treats.

Yet if you're using your HSA for a high-end medical device, many experts recommend paying out of pocket, then obtaining your LMN and submitting the receipt for reimbursement. This may help ensure your purchase meets IRS rules before linking the item to your HSA account.

Don't forget your passport

Approximately 6.3% of travelers report forgetting their passport, which is a major headache — but no, the replacement fees are not HSA-eligible (despite the blow to your mental health). However, your medical care in a foreign country is often covered by your HSA funds.

• The IRS rule: Passports aren't eligible for HSA spending. Instead, hospital and urgent care for legal, non-elective procedures and standard dental work abroad are often qualified tax-free expenses.

Prescription drugs may also qualify if they are consumed abroad (importing them back to the U.S. generally makes them ineligible). The drug must also be legal in both the country you bought it and back home in the U.S.

Also, many U.S.-based HSA debit cards won't work at international locations. Thus, you might want to pay with a travel credit card, keep the itemized receipt, and then reimburse yourself through your HSA portal once you're back on American soil.

Bottom line: Pack ahead

Although no one likes to realize they left their travel essentials behind, a forgotten bag doesn't have to mean a total financial drain.

By utilizing your HSA for these 2026 often-forgotten items, you can potentially get a discount on repurchased items. So pack carefully, keep a record, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a tax-advantaged suitcase, no matter what you forget.

Happy trails!

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional tax or financial advice. Tax laws are subject to change and vary by individual circumstances. Consult with a qualified tax professional regarding your specific situation.

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Your short-haul flights with Delta Air Lines are about to change. The airline recently announced it would discontinue complimentary drinks and snacks on 450 short-haul flights, starting May 19.

What constitutes a short-haul flight? According to Delta, it's any route less than 349 miles. This affects some of the country's busiest routes, such as New York to Boston, Charlotte to Atlanta and Los Angeles to San Francisco. The change applies to all Delta Main and Delta Comfort+ passengers. First-class passengers won't be affected.

This comes at a time when air travel is facing challenges due to rising jet fuel costs, which are forcing airlines to cut back on freebies. Delta announced they're making the change to streamline in-flight operations, where crew members have a narrow window to complete the snack and beverage service before descent.

How does this policy compare to other airlines?

This isn't the first airline to restrict services for shorter flights. American and Southwest Airlines start beverage and snack service for flights 251 miles or more. United Airlines offers snacks and drinks on flights over 300 miles, making Delta's new policy among the strictest of the major airlines for snack offerings.

This is on the cusp of Delta raising checked bag prices to help offset higher fuel costs due to the war in Iran. For domestic and short-haul international flights moving forward, here's the new fee structure:

• First bag: $45, was $35
• Second bag: $55, was $45
• Third bag: $200, was $150

It isn't all doom and gloom. While Delta won't offer snacks and drinks on shorter flights, it's expanding its snack and beverage service to over 600 more flights.

Delta announced it would upgrade service on these flights from its limited beverage service, which included water, coffee or tea, to full beverage service with complimentary snacks. This is good news at a time when the airline is facing its share of reliability issues.

Delta facing staffing shortages

The beginning of May has not been a friendly time for Delta. The airline has had to cancel around 500 flights, significantly more than its competitors.

The reason? In a memo obtained by Business Insider from Ryan Gumm, Delta's senior vice president of flight operations, he noted that pilots were not taking extra flights aside from their regular schedules. The memo also noted that acceptance rates have dropped from 37% to 2%.

This trend won't go away overnight either. In a recent earnings call, Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian said the airline's recovery and reliability are not up to par. And that these challenges could stay throughout the summer months, even with a focus on hiring more pilots.

With all this in mind, if you plan to fly with Delta this summer, here are a few things that can make your trip run more smoothly:

• Monitor your flights: Download the Delta app and enable app notifications; use third-party trackers like Flighty or Flight Aware, as they can provide quicker flight notifications than airlines
• Pack for delays: Keep essentials like chargers and prescription meds in your carry-on
• Be prepared to rebook: If your flight is cancelled, use Delta's app to rebook, as it's usually much quicker than waiting in long customer service lines
• In-flight comfort: Pack essentials to make your air travel more comfortable, and don't forget snacks and drinks on shorter flights

Overall, Delta's decision not to provide snacks and drinks on short-haul flights is bound to ruffle some feathers. But at the same time, I take shorter flights pretty regularly, and attending to everyone's needs while serving a full flight in a 30 to 40-minute window can be daunting for flight attendants. It can also make cleaning in between flights more time-consuming, which can impact future flights.

The best piece of advice is to plan for all contingencies. That way, if the worst-case scenario happens, you have back up plans to turn to.

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When Spirit Airlines declared bankruptcy in August of last year, travelers already began to suspect that the budget carrier might not be long for this world. After a prolonged restructuring process and a failed attempt at securing a $500 million government bailout, Spirit Airlines officially announced that it would cease operations altogether on May 2.

The news has been met with conflicting reactions among flyers. The airline didn't exactly have a stellar reputation for customer service. The unbundled fares often left passengers feeling like the low prices were a bait and switch as they ended up paying more by the time they add in seat fees, carry-on luggage fees, booking fees, boarding pass fees and the list keeps going.

But even if you avoided flying Spirit like the plague, the disappearance of a major budget carrier could still impact your wallet. Here's a look at the ripple effect the Spirit Airlines shutdown is likely to have on air travel and how your flight booking strategy needs to change in a world with one less budget carrier.

The ripple effect of the Spirit Airlines shutdown

Even if you've never stepped foot on a Spirit airplane, the airline's existence has probably benefited you indirectly. Before the carrier ceased operations, budget airlines accounted for 14.5% of the U.S. market, according to the Association of Value Airlines (AVA). The group representing budget carriers says that this growing market share has helped put downward pressure on ticket prices over the past decade, falling from an average of $124 for a one-way ticket in 2000 to $54 for a one-way ticket in 2024 (for the lowest cost ticket options).

While the actual price ends up being higher when you factor in all the add-on fees, those dirt cheap prices forced major players like Delta and American Airlines to create basic economy fares to compete with these discount airlines in the mid-2010s.

Those basic economy fares are pretty bare bones, but they're useful for travelers who want to customize their experience. You can pick and choose your add-ons and upgrades while still flying the airline you prefer.

With the loss of Spirit airlines, that's one less competitor pushing the price of basic economy fares down. While airlines might not abandon the ticket class altogether, the deals you find there might not be as good as what you're used to if they're not competing with a strong discount airline market.

Travelers are already seeing higher flight costs due to rising jet fuel prices

While Spirit Airlines had long been struggling and was already bankrupt before the Iran conflict began, the airline cited the sudden rise in fuel prices in response to rising oil prices as a major reason that it couldn't move forward with its original restructuring plans.

In its statement announcing the wind-down of operations, the company said, "the recent material increase in oil prices and other pressures on the business have significantly impacted Spirit’s financial outlook."

The cost of jet fuel has doubled since the war began, jumping from around $100 per barrel in February to over $200 by the end of March, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Though costs were starting to fall in April, they're ticking back up in May.

For most carriers, the cost of jet fuel alone accounts for up to 30% of the company's operating costs. So, when fuel prices double, margins get thinner. To compensate, airlines can raise prices or cut capacity (such as dropping less profitable routes or grounding less fuel efficient aircraft).

Delta, for example, said in a recent earnings call that it would cut capacity by 3.5%, primarily by postponing the capacity growth it had planned for the quarter. Delta, United and other major carriers have also hiked baggage fees in an effort to offset rising jet fuel costs. On an earnings call in April, United CEO Scott Kirby said the airline might also hike ticket prices as much as 20%.

With news like that, travelers of all airlines are likely looking at higher travel costs. And one less budget carrier in the mix means there will be less downward pressure to bring these prices back down even after jet fuel costs start falling.

Can other budget carriers keep the price pressure on airfare?

The end of Spirit isn't the end of affordable airlines just yet. Other budget carriers like Frontier and Allegiant are still flying. But with rising jet fuel costs, how long can they keep prices down?

Last month, the AVA asked for a $2.5 billion relief package to offset the sudden spike in fuel costs. But Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he didn't think it was necessary at a press conference at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Saturday.

Without federal relief, budget carriers will likely be forced to either take on debt or turn to the same capacity cuts and price hikes that major carriers are already using. Allegiant, for example, expects to cut capacity by 6.5% to compensate for higher fuel prices.

As of December 2025, Frontier still hadn't returned to profitability. Passengers may learn more about how the Spirit rival plans to deal with rising costs when it releases its first-quarter financial results tomorrow.

While there aren't any rumors of other budget carriers closing, travelers should probably brace for higher ticket prices even among the most affordable airlines as we head into a summer of soaring jet fuel prices.

How your travel booking strategy needs to change in 2026

This summer, air travel is going to get more expensive as airlines fly fewer routes and raise prices to offset jet fuel costs. So, if you've got any trips planned in the coming months, here are a few ways you can adapt your strategy to keep costs as low as possible:

• Book changeable fares and keep tabs on prices. Aside from basic economy tickets, most fares allow you to make changes for free. So, even if you don't like the price you see right now, go ahead and book it anyway (while doublechecking that the ticket allows for free changes). This ensures that today's price is the highest you'll ever pay, but allows you to keep checking in on prices in the lead up to your actual departure date. When you find a better deal, change your flight and you can pocket the difference.
• Avoid add-on fees. With most airlines raising their baggage fees, now is the time to hone your packing strategy to avoid needing to check a bag. Triple-check the baggage restrictions on your preferred airline to make sure your carry-on and personal item comply. Check for airline credit cards or loyalty programs that come with free checked bags as a perk. Consolidate your belongings into one checked bag if you're flying with your partner. If you can't avoid a checked bag fee, look for other fees (like premium seat selection or economy upgrades) that you can skip instead.
• Find your savings elsewhere. If you can't find airfare prices you like for your next trip, make up the cost difference by saving elsewhere. That might mean smaller tweaks like downgrading the hotel room you planned to book or bigger changes like choosing to visit a cheaper country this summer or shortening the length of your trip.
• Push your trip to the off-season. If you haven't booked yet, consider postponing your trip until fall or early winter. Off-season pricing tends to be lower for both airfare and hotels so if you have flexibility here, the savings could be huge. If you're still craving a summer getaway, opt for a domestic destination during the peak season.

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Discover these 9 historic places with your grandkids this year to celebrate America's 250th birthday. Whether you visit on July 4, 2026, or explore in the months before or after the 'Semiquincentennial," the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence offers a rare opportunity to build lasting memories at the places where our country's history began.

These trips can also help turn old, dusty history lessons into hands-on adventures. Best of all, many of these iconic sites (and we’ve only listed a few) are rolling out world-class experiences.

Here are 9 standout destinations that make history fun, accessible and — best of all — unforgettable.

Why America’s 250th is more than just fireworks

America’s 250th birthday isn’t just about dates on a calendar or old documents. It’s about people, places and the millions of stories that make up our nation. It’s about how a group of colonies came together in 1776 to declare their independence, and how that single courageous moment in time set the course for the country we know and love today.

The celebration also offers a chance to learn more about how the United States began, how it grew, and how it has changed over time.

1. Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota

Carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dakota, the 60-foot faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln tell the story of the birth, growth, development and preservation of this country.

For the 250th celebration: This year, Mount Rushmore will host special events on July 2 and 4 to commemorate Independence Day and the 250th anniversary of the United States, including military concerts with no reservations or tickets required. On July 3, tickets are required for the day’s festivities, which include a fireworks display.

However, because they anticipate large crowds, access for the event on July 3 is entirely dependent on a federal lottery system, which closed on April 12 and was managed through Recreation.gov. That means unless you reserved a ticket before the deadline, you can no longer attend the July 3rd festivities. The park will open for ticket holders at 1 pm. That said, you can still enjoy the park before or after the 250th celebration on July 3.

For the best value: Visit in May or September, when hotel rates can drop by 20% to 30%. There are typically fewer crowds, and temperatures stay in the 60s and 70s. The site is free to enter (you’ll pay a small fee to park), and no long hikes are required. Combine it with a drive through Custer State Park for wildlife spotting that the grandkids will love.

2. Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania

Gettysburg marks the Civil War’s turning point and is the site of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Be sure to visit the Museum and Visitor Center, where you'll find resources and information to help you and your grandkids learn about the battlefield.

For the 250th celebration: Gettysburg will feature major battle reenactments (July 3–5) and special Independence Day events. Parking is on-site and dining is available in the visitor center. Tour costs vary.

For the best value: Visit in April–May or September–October for lower hotel rates and fewer crowds. Roaming the battlefield is free. But a self-guided auto tour costs about $43 for adults (with senior discounts). The Visitor Center also offers senior pricing. Grandkids will enjoy the interactive exhibits at “Children of Gettysburg 1863.”

3. Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia

America’s birthplace, Independence Hall, is where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were debated and signed. It’s the central point for understanding America’s roots and offers a great opportunity for conversations about the beginnings of our country with your grandkids.

For the 250th celebration: Philadelphia’s “52 Weeks of Firsts” and year-long celebrations in 2026 include parades, block parties, and special exhibits. Most sites, like Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, are free or low-cost for seniors and children. From 9:00 am to 9:50 am, no tickets are required. However, from 10:40 am to 4:20 pm, March–December and holiday weekends, timed-entry tickets are required for ranger-guided tours. A $1 per ticket processing fee applies, according to Recreation.gov. Tickets are not required on July 1st, July 2nd, July 3rd, July 4th, or July 14th. But expect large crowds.

For the best value: Visit in the spring or fall for comfortable temperatures and better pricing on nearby hotels and dining. The area is walkable with plenty of benches, and costumed interpreters make history interactive and fun with hands-on stations for the grandkids. Independence Hall opens at 9:00 am.

4. The Freedom Trail, Boston, Massachusetts

The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile red-brick path that connects 16 Revolutionary sites — from the USS Constitution tall ship to Bunker Hill — bringing the fight for independence to life through stories of historic heroes like Paul Revere.

For the 250th celebration: Boston’s 2026 festivities include reenactments, tall ships, and special guided tours. The Trail itself is mostly free to walk. Costumed-guide walking tours run about $17 for each adult (with a $2 senior discount and $8 for children ages 6–12; free for kids under 6). Other tour tickets vary.

For the best value: Visit in late spring or early fall for savings on lodging and shorter lines. Don’t miss the Paul Revere House or the Bunker Hill Monument for lasting memories and good discussion.

5. Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., the U.S. capital city, will be a centerpiece of America 250, with the National Mall serving as the hub of the 250th.

For the 250th celebration: Expect patriotic concerts and large-scale anniversary celebrations throughout 2026, including a special Independence Day fireworks display along with performances and ceremonies at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and Smithsonian museums.

The Great American State Fair, a 16-day national exposition, will be held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and run from June 25 to July 10, 2026. The fair is free and open to the public (advance registration encouraged), with a kickoff celebration on June 24 headlined by President Trump.

On July 4th, a special fireworks display called Salute to America will take place on the National Mall. The event is free and open to the public. Advance tickets are strongly encouraged and parking will be limited.

The original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights remain on permanent display in the National Archives Rotunda in D.C. with free daily admission, 10 am to 5:30 pm. Visitors are strongly encouraged to reserve a free general admission or timed-entry ticket in advance online.

Also, the Smithsonian Institution is marking America’s 250th anniversary with its “Our Shared Future: 250” initiative. Most Smithsonian museums are free, but some popular ones or special exhibits use timed-entry passes (free or low-cost) to manage crowds, especially during the 250th celebration. Visit: https://www.si.edu/visit for info.

For the best value: The best times to visit are April–May and September–October. These months offer moderate crowds, mild weather, and often the best prices on hotels and airfare. Andrew Latham, Certified Financial Planner, passes on this idea: “Going to D.C. is the obvious choice for a reason. The Smithsonian allows you to take all the grandchildren to 21 museums without paying a dime, which means you can put your cash toward food and hotels without blowing your budget on tourist traps.”

6. San Antonio, Texas

Other than just a great place to visit, at the heart of San Antonio stands The Alamo, a long-standing symbol of the Texas Revolution and a vital part of America's history.

For the 250th celebration: Visitors can explore the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, with special events including living history demonstrations, guided tours, and programs that connect Texas history to the story of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

For the best value: The best time to visit the Alamo is in the off-season (late fall and winter), when there are fewer crowds and discounted tickets (reservations for Alamo tours are required). Parking is off-site, but buses run throughout the day.

7. Statue of Liberty, New York, New York

Sitting proudly on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, within New York City, the Statue of Liberty is the iconic symbol of freedom, democracy, and hope.

For the 250th celebration: The Statue of Liberty will host several commemorative events, including lighting displays, guided tours, and educational programs for adults and children. The National Park Service strongly encourages you to purchase ferry tickets in advance of the day you plan to visit. Tickets should be purchased through Statue City Cruises, the only ferry service that brings visitors to Liberty and Ellis Islands.

For the best value: Visit during late fall and winter. Although the weather can be cooler during these months, you will run into fewer visitors and shorter lines. Hotels and dining are also often less expensive.

8. Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

These historic sites transform the Revolutionary era into a living classroom so that you and your grandkids can walk where Washington, Jefferson and Lafayette once did. During the 250th celebration, you'll witness reenactments and artillery demonstrations, explore tall ships, and participate in hands-on activities that bring the fight for independence to life.

Yorktown celebrates the Revolution on July 4th with a parade, concert, Declaration of Independence reading, and river fireworks. The American Revolution Museum hosts the Give Me Liberty exhibition, Liberty Celebration with artillery demos and October Victory programs with living history.

Colonial Williamsburg offers immersive events, including the July 4 PBS-broadcast America Made in Virginia: 250 Years Together, along with music, performances, a drone show and fireworks.

Yorktown events, including Sail Yorktown on July 4, are mostly free. Museum programs require standard admission ($15 – 18 adults; discounts for children and seniors). You can buy tickets at jyfmuseums.org or on-site.

Colonial Williamsburg’s 250th events and daily activities need Historic Area passes (about $40 for adults). Multi-day passes are your best value; discounts for kids. July 4 event is free. Book Williamsburg tickets ahead at colonialwilliamsburg.org.

For the best value: Visit Yorktown or Colonial Williamsburg in late spring or early fall to enjoy fewer crowds, shorter lines at attractions and museums, and significantly lower hotel and food prices compared to peak summer and the July 4th week. These shoulder seasons still offer exciting 250th exhibits, while making the trip more affordable and relaxed.

9. Charleston, South Carolina

The city of Charleston, a major Southern port and battleground, played a pivotal role in the American Revolution.

Key 250th highlights include events at Fort Moultrie, site of the 1776 Patriot victory, with living history, reenactments and interpretive programs. The city offers a relaxed pace with beautiful waterfront walks along the historic Battery, horse-drawn carriage tours that are easy for grandparents and engaging for the grandkids, and great southern dining.

Expect special exhibits, parades, and patriotic programming throughout 2026, especially around June – July. Many events are free or low-cost; check charleston-sc.gov or sc250.com for details.

For the best value: Visit in late spring or early fall to avoid peak summer crowds and the July 4th heat. You'll also enjoy shorter lines at Fort Moultrie and the Battery, and find better rates on hotels, carriage tours and dining out. These shoulder seasons still offer a lineup of special events, exhibits, reenactments, tours and activities specifically planned for America’s 250th, while offering a more relaxed, affordable experience for you and the grandkids.

Other major national highlights for 2026

Expect a mix of big spectacles and local celebrations:

• July 3–5, 2026 “Moments That Unite a Nation”: Celebrations include the first-ever Times Square Ball Drop on July 3 to kick off the Fourth, massive block parties, concerts, and synchronized events across all 50 states, D.C., and territories.
• Disneyland is celebrating America’s 250th with “Disney Celebrates America.” Kicking off on Veterans Day 2025 and continuing through the July 4, 2026 weekend.
• America’s Block Party: Nationwide neighborhood gatherings, potlucks, and viewing parties so you can watch celebrations happening.
• The Great American Road Trip: This partnership with the Department of Transportation encourages people to drive across the country and visit famous sites in honor of the 100th anniversary of historic Route 66.
• A time capsule: A capsule containing items from all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and five territories is scheduled to be buried in Philadelphia on July 4, 2026. It won't be dug up until the country’s 500th anniversary.

Quick tips for these (and all) trips

• Check America250.org and individual national park sites for exact 2026 event calendars.
• Plan ahead. Why? Because America 250 will mark one of the most significant travel years in U.S. history. Planning ahead helps secure accommodations, tours, and tickets to the most anticipated events and celebrations.
• Grab an America the Beautiful Senior Pass ($20 annual or $80 lifetime) for free or discounted access to many national parks.
• Pack layers, comfortable walking shoes, water, and snacks — plus a journal or digital way for grandkids to record their own “trail” memories.

Celebrate with the grandkids

Although there were only 13 original states, all 50 states are planning 250th celebrations and offering both you and your grandkids a chance to experience the places and stories that shaped our nation. These places can turn those long drives into adventures, with plenty of ice cream stops and “wow” moments. Your grandkids will remember the history and the time they spend with you, long after the 250th celebrations are over. For updates, visit https://freedom250.org/celebration often.

More on America's 250th Birthday

• America is Turning 250 — But We Didn't Get Serious About Saving for Retirement Until 50 Years Ago
• America's Cost of Living at 200 vs 250: How Affordable is American Life Now?
• America at 250: The 3 Economic Headaches That Haven't Changed Since 1976
• How Has Retirement Changed in the Last 50 Years? Take Our Quiz
• Financial Advice From America's Founding Fathers
• Which Presidents Are on the Social Security Payroll?

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1. Explore Charleston, South Carolina

The first time I visited Charleston, almost 20 years ago, I was struck by a feeling of ease. I strolled along the Battery, past magnificent old mansions along the water, and down drowsy King Street. I popped into a restaurant for oysters and crab bisque.

When I returned this year, the southern city had transformed into something even lovelier than before, owing in large part to the influx of cash as one of the U.S.'s 15 fastest-growing cities, according to Rocket Mortgage. Today, there are gleaming Gucci and Louis Vuitton boutiques on King Street, but the city's essence of elegance and warmth remains.

In recent years, Charleston has also become one of the country's leading travel destinations, with a record $14 billion in tourist revenues in 2024, up 7.1% from the previous year. There is no better time to visit this sun-drenched, sophisticated city than springtime.

"Azaleas and wisteria are out in full force by the middle of the month, magnolias have begun their blooming season, and lush private gardens are peeking out behind walls and fences in the historic district and other leafy neighborhoods," says part-time Charleston resident Nancy Novogrod, former editor of Travel + Leisure magazine, who now runs a luxury travel consultancy, Culturati Travel Design.

She adds that spring is the time to relax on benches and chairs in the American Garden on lower King Street, a gift to the city from Ben Navarro, developer of the new five-star Cooper Hotel. Charleston's spring festival season includes the Spoleto Festival USA, which this year runs from May 23 to June 8.

By summer, temperatures and humidity spike, and the hurricane season arrives in August. The last catastrophic one was Hugo in 1989, but the city is prone to flooding from heavy rains and storm surges.

Among the crop of new hotels, two properties stand out. The Pinch and sister property the Nickel are both owned by Method Co., a design-forward hotel and development company with properties in Philadelphia, Tampa, Austin and elsewhere.

Each hotel embodies different aspects of the swiftly changing — but never changing — Charleston. The Pinch is tucked away on a side street downtown, right off of King Street, and the hidden cobblestone arrival area epitomizes discretion. With gaslights and palm trees, it gives a moody 19th-century ambience, but inside it is another story. The airy lobby contains furniture made of travertine, leather, Mongolian lamb and rattan, in warm, contemporary harmony.

Immediately, I felt I had found my Charleston home. My suite exuded a lived-in glamour, with pretty wallpaper, herringbone wood floors and a gorgeous full-size kitchen with a farmhouse sink. Adjacent to the hotel is the Michelin-recommended Lowland, offering southern-influenced fine dining like steak with grits, fresh oysters and a signature celery salad. It's quintessentially Charleston — arty, authentic, stylish and delicious. King rooms start at $519/day, with a reduced rate option for stays of a week or more. Prices go down in June.

The Nickel is located on King Street and exemplifies a Europe-meets-Charleston aesthetic and ambiance. The balcony of my room overlooked a central courtyard with a fountain and wrought iron railings. I felt like I was in Barcelona or Bari. Inside, I sensed a meticulously curated design and décor, from the potted palm in the lobby to the marble drinks tables in Bar Daniel, to the Moroccan zellige tiles on the bathroom floors.

Best of all is a rooftop restaurant, Rosemary Rose, with stellar views of what is sometimes referred to as the Holy City. Check the website to sign up for Insider Perks, which include credits, upgraded rooms, and special rates. Rooms start at $460 per night, with a better deal for stays of a week or more.

2. Walk the wilds in Scotland

Of all the trips I have taken in the last years, the most poetically beautiful and emotionally restorative was a walking trip around the Orkney Islands, a windswept archipelago off the northeastern tip of Scotland, for my husband's 65th birthday.

The near-perfect tour was organized by Wilderness Scotland. Springtime is the beginning of walking season in rocky, cinematic Orkney, and the air and extraordinary northern light have an almost clinical healing power. So, it must be said, does the local whisky. The islands have several distilleries, notably Highland Park in Kirkwall, near my sweet hotel, the Lynnfield, on Orkney's main and largest island

It would be difficult to imagine a more seamless trip: Wilderness Scotland took care of every day's itinerary, all ferry and museum tickets, all logistics and every meal, with plenty of downtime. And newsflash: Orkney has a thriving food scene, and the fresh fish and tasty local lamb were superb. In short, I did not have to lift a finger, only to dress in layers, show up at breakfast, and climb into the van with my guide and my hiking partners to drive (or take a small ferry) to that day's trailhead. My preferred bag lunch was a classically British cheese and pickle sandwich with chips, and I devoured it with well-earned hunger.

Each day brought a new wonder in one of the islands: The Standing Stones of Stenness, Skara Brae and geological marvels such as the Old Man of Hoy and the Yesnaby cliffs. We hiked two to eight miles a day, exploring Orkney's impressive archaeological landscape, running from the Neolithic era through the Bronze Age, the Iron Age through Norse through medieval ages — all compressed into these islands. We returned to the hotel blissfully tired and fulfilled.

We were lucky with cool, clear weather, with an occasional spritz of rain and one brief drenching. Orkney can be fickle, even in early summer, so layers and rain gear, including waterproof trousers, are crucial to keep in your backpack.

Wilderness Scotland leads trips throughout the country, with varying degrees of difficulty. Orkney prices start at $4,128 per person, and I am already saving for the 70th birthday walk.

3. Experience the multifaceted beauty of Jaipur, India

I adore India, and my favorite place in this vast, richly layered country is the pink city of Jaipur in Rajasthan. Last spring, my trip there was organized by Scott Dunn, which specializes in luxury personalized travel. After a night in Delhi, I headed south by car, along the sleek new Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. After about five hours, I arrived in Jaipur, where I rode past vendors selling marigolds and mangoes, and around a bottleneck of elephants — some daubed in bright paint — making their way back from ferrying tourists around Amber Fort, a palace and citadel, and one of Jaipur's most iconic landmarks. There are others that are instantly recognizable, such as the honeycombfaçaded, pale-pink Wind Palace.

Jaipur had its share of scientific triumphs to visit, too: The astronomical observatory Jantar Mantar, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and an ahead-of-its-time water catchment system at Nahargarh Fort. The city also has a living legacy rooted in the vision of its founder, Maharajah Sawai Jai Singh II, who established 36 artisan guilds. Today, Jaipur remains India's capital of fine jewelry, textiles, carpets and other crafts, and therefore its shopping capital, too. Jaipur is surprisingly accessible for those with mobility issues, but driving through the city center from one site to another can be slow. Congestion is dense; traffic can feel treacherous.

Among the most remarkable hotels is Raffles Jaipur, one of the city's newest luxury properties and a worthy descendant of the Singapore original, defined by its signature service. It was conceived as a zenana — a queen's palace — with intimate and intricate interior spaces. Raffles felt like a private residence, although a spectacularly appointed one.

Every surface bore the hand of a Rajasthani artisan, all in an atmosphere of rich blues, butter yellows and dusty pinks. There were hand-carved ceilings, shimmering mirrored mosaics, delicate jaali lattice windows, and inlay floors fashioned with local marble. Its heart is a soaring three-story atrium, flanked with palm trees, and topped with a glass roof. At the hotel's restaurant, Arkaa, I feasted on lamb curry, garlic naan and the Rajasthani dish Dal Baati Churma — lentils, wheat rolls and cracked grains sweetened with jaggery, a natural sweetener concentrated from sugarcane juice.

Rooms this spring start at $550/night, with special rates for longer stays, as well as discounted second rooms for families.

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Retirement Report, our popular monthly periodical that covers key concerns of affluent older Americans who are retired or preparing for retirement. Subscribe for retirement advice that's right on the money.

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Question: We're 57 years old with $7 million saved. We want to take a two-year career break and spend $800k traveling the world until we're 59, then return to work and retire at 65. We each had a parent die in their 60s, so this period in our lives feels like it may be our best chance for such an adventure. Are we crazy?

Answer: Once you've accumulated a certain amount of wealth, you may be inclined to start spending some of that money on lifelong goals, like travel. And it's easy to argue that with $7 million in savings, you've more than earned the right to an extended trip spanning two years.

But what if you're only 57 years old? You may not be ready to end your career. Moreover, you may want to take your dream trip soon, especially if you've seen a parent pass away in their 60s.

In that scenario, an extended sabbatical could be a potential solution. And if you've run the numbers, you may be looking at spending $800,000 over two years before returning to the labor force for roughly another half-decade to close out your career.

It's a move that carries some risk. But if you plan accordingly, you may be able to pull it off.

It's not just a pipe dream, but you need a plan

For many people, taking a two-year career break with an $800,000 price tag may not be possible. With $7 million saved, it could be your reality.

While $800,000 is a lot of money, you're keeping close to 90% of your portfolio untouched. And you're also leaving yourself with a substantial sum of money left over.

Steven Schiff, CFP and Managing Director at Fortuna Wealth, says, "Honestly, you’re not crazy at all. With $7 million saved, you’ve built a substantial nest egg that can support a once-in-a-lifetime experience like this."

That said, you do need to plan carefully. Cynthia Pruemm, founder and CEO of SIS Financial Group, says it's important to understand where the money will come from to fund your sabbatical, given your age.

"Since you are 57 years young, you will not be able to take a distribution out of your IRA or 401(k) accounts without paying the 10% penalty," Pruemm explains. "With a Roth IRA, you can withdraw contributions at any time. However, you can't withdraw capital gains before age 59.5 and until the account has been opened for at least five years."

Pruemm says that if you're planning to fund your experience from a taxable account, you'll need to be prepared for short- or long-term capital gain taxes on withdrawals.

The best option in her book? Pay the $800,000 out of a cash account.

Schiff also says that if you're going to move forward with your plans, preparation is key.

"Ensure that your investments are positioned properly, your estate plan is up to date, and you have the right insurance coverage in place," he says.

Make sure you've mapped out your post-sabbatical steps

The risk in taking an extended $800,000 sabbatical isn't necessarily the large withdrawal and two years of forgone earnings. Rather, it's what happens when your travels are over.

Getting back into the workforce isn't a given, Pruemm cautions. And while $6.2 million is a lot of money to retire on if necessary, you'll need to factor in early retirement costs like health insurance. You'll also need a backup plan in case the market crashes during your sabbatical or shortly after, since you may not be able to go back to work right away or at all.

"It would be wise for them to sit down with a financial adviser to put together a retirement plan and have different scenarios figured out before their sabbatical," Pruemm says. "Yes, they will have a lot of money left if they do not join the workforce again. But what happens if there's another dot.com bubble or financial crisis? What happens if their health takes a turn for the worse?"

Of course, you may find after a two-year sabbatical that you don't have the desire to go back to work. And Schiff says with the amount of wealth you've accumulated, you may not have to.

"But prior to making that decision, please consult a financial adviser about your individual situation," he suggests.

Protect your assets during your travels

Setting yourself up with the right investments could make a two-year, $800,000 sabbatical a less risky endeavor. Pruemm recommends hiring a financial adviser to manage the portfolio while on sabbatical to add some security and peace of mind.

If you'd rather manage your assets yourself, Pruemm says, "I would recommend putting all investable assets in high-yield principal-protected investments if they’re not able to keep an eye on them while on sabbatical."

But all told, your plan to escape the grind for two years and see the places you've always dreamed of is doable, provided you understand the risks and set up your retire-at-65 retirement plan in advance. And if so, Schiff recommends using the wealth you've built to meet a lifelong goal.

He also has one piece of non-financial advice.

"Take plenty of photos and make the most of your journey around the world," he says.

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Retirement brings the gift of time and freedom. If you're planning a getaway, 2026 is a great time to swap large, crowded cruise ships for intimate, boutique yacht cruises. These small vessels typically carry fewer than 300 guests. For context, a mega-ship carries 3,000 to 6,800 passengers. Boutique yachts also deliver big luxury with spacious suites, exceptional service, gourmet dining and the freedom to slip into secluded harbors and coves that larger ships can't reach.

For retirees, the advantages are clear: Shorter distances to walk while on board, disembarking in minutes rather than hours, minimal crowds, and a sophisticated, adults-oriented atmosphere make these voyages ideal. You won't find casinos, loud nightclubs, arcades, or massive buffets; instead, you'll find calm and quiet relaxation and the chance to unwind in style.

As the Founder & CEO at PrettyFluent, Erik Chan explains that seasoned travelers are starting to trade the endless lines and crowded ports of mega-cruises for the quiet elegance of boutique yachts. And it makes perfect sense. But why the shift? He points out three reasons.

Personalized luxury: A higher crew-to-guest ratio means personal, tailored service.

Unique access: Smaller yachts can dock in secluded coves and historic city centers that massive ships can't reach.

True value: The all-inclusive options eliminate hidden fees and constant upselling, offering financial peace of mind.

"Retirement travel should be an investment in quality and authentic connection," Chan said. "After all, time is a retiree's most valuable asset. How they spend it matters."

Here are some of the top boutique yacht and small-ship luxury cruises worth considering for 2026.

1. SeaDream Yacht Club

SeaDream Yacht Club has twin yachts, SeaDream I and SeaDream II. Each carries just 112 guests and both have earned high marks as being among the world's best small cruise ships. The ships offer retirees open-seating dining, fine wines, beach club setups in hidden coves and a casual yet luxurious vibe. There is no dress code, and no formal nights required.

Why retirees love it: The personalized service, laid-back atmosphere and the ability to anchor in tiny Caribbean or Mediterranean bays. These Caribbean voyages emphasize relaxed island-hopping, water sports and a wellness focus.

Standout 2026 options: Caribbean itineraries from San Juan and similar gateways, plus Mediterranean and transatlantic crossings. Fares often include most beverages, gratuities and water toys for the adventurous retiree. Fares start at $5,359 USD.

2. Windstar Cruises

Windstar's fleet of luxury yachts and tall ships accommodates between 150 and 350 guests, offering an intimate experience for retirees. New ships, the Star Seeker and Star Explorer, expand options with modern amenities while keeping the community-oriented charm.

Why retirees love it: These yachts offer access to small ports like the Caribbean's Windward Islands and Europe's hidden harbors, which larger ships cannot reach. They also offer excellent dining and a mature crowd. By limiting children under eight on several of its itineraries, the cruise line maintains a peaceful environment tailored for adult relaxation.

Standout 2026 options: Caribbean "Surf & Sunsets" routes from San Juan, new European itineraries and Greek Isles voyages. Look for three- to seven-night "Quick Getaways" if you prefer a shorter cruise. Journey from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Seward, Alaska, on the Star Seeker for as little as $8,337 USD.

3. Seabourn

Seabourn's all-inclusive, ultra-luxury ships accommodate around 450–600 guests. The ships are meant to feel like private clubs, with all-suite accommodations, Michelin-inspired dining and complimentary premium spirits and fine wines. You'll also find curated voyages to all seven continents.

Why retirees love it: Spacious decks for intimate gatherings, wellness programs, enrichment lectures and great service. Many of Seabourn's itineraries also include overnight stays in secluded ports for deeper cultural immersion.

Standout 2026 options: Caribbean voyages that explore less-visited islands, plus Mediterranean and Northern Europe routes. Seabourn frequently ranks high on "splurge" lists for retirees seeking pampering. Take a 15-Day Bay of Biscay: Spain & France Explorer cruise for as little as $7,000 USD.

4. Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

The Ritz-Carlton collection of yachts brings its service to the seas with super-yacht-style vessels. These boutique ships offer 150 to 225 residential-style suites, multiple fine-dining venues and exclusive experiences.

Why retirees love it: This line of boutique yachts combines the luxury of a hotel with the comfort of a yacht, perfect for those who appreciate high-end amenities without the enormous size of traditional cruise lines. As a bonus, guests can also earn and redeem points, receive Elite Night Credit and more with Marriott Bonvoy.

Standout 2026 options: Mediterranean, Caribbean, and other warm-water itineraries. Ritz-Carlton yachts are frequently listed among the top splurge cruises for seniors. Set sail for 15 nights from Tokyo to Whittier on the Gulf of Alaska for as little as $9,700 USD.

5. Emerald Cruises

Emerald's yachts, like the Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara, cater to around 100–128 guests and feature innovative suite designs, including marina platforms for direct sea access and sky bars. Emerald specializes in destinations such as the Adriatic, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

Why retirees love it: Smaller yachts mean more personal attention and fewer crowds. The fleet of river-cruising Star-Ships and ocean-going luxury yachts provides great experiences for adventurous retirees. Emerald Cruises' Loyalty Club members gain access to exclusive offers and savings.

Standout 2026 options: Cruise the Caribbean or venture to the breathtaking Seychelles and Indian Ocean. Explore the coasts of the Mediterranean and Adriatic. Check out the beaches of the Virgin Islands for as little as $4,500.

Other note-worthy boutique yacht cruises include:

• Ponant: French-inspired explorer yachts visit places like Greenland, Antarctica and the Caribbean.
• Silversea: All-inclusive suites and butler service on intimate ships to Asia, Australia, Europe and more.
• Scenic or UnCruise: Yachts built for nature lovers seeking Alaska, the Galápagos and other faraway destinations.
• Sail Croatia: A small-ship cruising and private yacht charter company that offers adventurers the chance to explore Croatia’s breathtaking coastline.

What makes boutique yachts so inviting?

There are dozens of reasons why retirees may prefer boutique yachts over large cruise lines. Here are just a few.

• Accessibility: Smaller ships can usually dock closer to town centers. While on board, retirees have shorter distances to walk, which can make getting around easier.
• Personalized experiences: Higher staff-to-traveler ratios mean tailored experiences, from dietary needs to excursion times.
• Exclusivity: Fewer passengers create a club-like atmosphere, which can be ideal for making close connections with fellow travelers.
• Value for luxury: Many yachts are all-inclusive or near-all-inclusive, meaning drinks, meals, excursions and gratuities are included in one price, making it easier to budget for your trip.
• Health and wellness focus: Spas, light activities and enrichment programs support an active, yet relaxed retirement lifestyle.

Even paradise has trade-offs: what to know before booking a boutique yacht cruise

"Although boutique yacht cruises have fewer guests and more personalized service, one thing to note is that the itineraries for these sailings are often remote and exotic," says Jason R. Margulies, Partner & Maritime Attorney at Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman P.A.

"That may be a draw, but for many people in this age bracket, being in faraway, hard-to-access locations can also be a concern," he says.

That's because retirees may be more likely than their younger counterparts to need medical care. "On a smaller yacht, the medical facilities and medical personnel are scaled to fit the ship size, making them far more limited than those found on larger ships," Marguilies adds. In fact, most health insurance, including Medicare, doesn't cover medical costs while at sea. That's why it is advisable to get travel insurance, just in case.

Marguilies also points out that cruise ticket contracts are packed with clauses that heavily favor the cruise line and can significantly limit your legal rights in case of injury or death while at sea. "While you can't change the contract, reading it carefully and consulting an experienced maritime attorney beforehand can help you know your options and be better prepared."

Tips for retirees booking a yacht cruise in 2026

• Book early if possible. You’ll get first pick of the best cabins and suites, and you might even save some money. Many lines offer early-bird deals or special senior discounts.
• Think about traveling in the shoulder seasons. During these times, there are usually fewer crowds and better prices.
• Look for all-inclusive packages. Most include flights, transfers, and travel insurance. These options make planning much simpler.
• Check out themed sailings. Whether it’s a wellness cruise, a wine-focused trip, or one with cultural enrichment, these can make your vacation feel even more special and personal.

Small ships, big luxury

Whether you're celebrating retirement, craving a stress-free break from your day-to-day routine or simply seeking a romantic getaway, boutique yacht cruises offer small ships and big luxury. Sip champagne on a private deck in the Caribbean or wander the ancient ruins in the Mediterranean with just a handful of companions. It's easy to see why the experiences aboard one of these small ships are redefining luxury travel for so many retirees.

Ready to set sail?

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Summer road trip season is picking up — and so are fuel prices. Ongoing global supply concerns, including tensions around key routes like the Strait of Hormuz, are starting to push gas prices higher in many parts of the U.S., just as travel demand ramps up.

At the same time, rental companies are expanding their electric vehicle (EV) fleets, often pricing them competitively with traditional gas cars. That’s prompting a simple question for travelers: Could renting an EV actually save you money this summer?

The answer depends on more than just gas prices.

The simple cost comparison: EV vs. gas rental

When comparing an EV rental to a traditional gas-powered car, it helps to break costs into three main buckets:

1. Rental price per day

Daily rental rates for EVs can range widely depending on the market, but it’s not uncommon to see compact or midsize EVs priced between $40 and $90 per day. In some cases, EVs are discounted to encourage adoption, making them comparable to or slightly cheaper than standard gas vehicles in the same class.

2. Fuel vs. electricity

• Gas car: The average U.S. gas price has hovered between roughly $3.25 and $4.00 per gallon in recent years, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. For a vehicle getting 25 to 30 MPG, that translates to about $0.11 to $0.16 per mile in fuel costs.

• EV: Charging costs vary much more depending on where you plug in.
  • Home or hotel charging: around $0.10 to $0.20 per kWh
  • Public Level 2 chargers: about $0.20 to $0.30 per kWh
  • DC fast chargers: often $0.30 to $0.60 per kWh or more, according to EVChargingStations.com

For many EVs that average 3 to 4 miles per kWh, that works out to roughly $0.08 to $0.20 per mile. This means EV charging can be cheaper than gas, but fast charging can narrow or eliminate that advantage.

3. Fees and extras

This is where costs can surprise travelers. For gas vehicles, refueling service fees can range from $5 to $10 plus the cost of fuel, or significantly higher per-gallon rates if you prepay or return the tank empty, according to Avis.

With EVs, some rental companies charge a low battery fee of $20 to $35 if the vehicle is returned below a required charge level. Idle fees at public chargers (if you leave the car plugged in after charging completes) can run $0.40 to $1.00 per minute, depending on the network.

Fast charging session minimums or connection fees can add a few extra dollars per stop. These additional costs can add $10 to $50+ to a trip if you’re not planning carefully.

So while EVs often have lower "fuel" costs on paper, fees and charging choices can significantly affect the total.

When an EV rental may be cheaper

There are a few scenarios where EV rentals can clearly come out ahead:

Short-to-medium trips

If you're driving predictable distances like airport runs, local sightseeing or a weekend trip under 300 miles, you can often minimize charging stops and avoid higher fast-charging costs altogether.

Urban or well-equipped areas

Cities with several charging networks make it easier to find lower-cost charging options and avoid premium-priced stations.

Free or included charging

Some hotels, vacation rentals and even parking garages offer complimentary Level 2 charging. That can reduce your "fuel" cost to nearly zero for overnight stays, which is one of the biggest advantages EV renters can take advantage of.

Higher gas price environments

In areas where gas prices spike during peak travel season, EVs can offer more predictable and sometimes even lower energy costs.

Lower daily rental promotions

Rental companies are still working to move EV inventory, which means you may find promotional pricing that undercuts comparable gas vehicles. This is especially true for weekday or off-peak bookings.

Less stop-and-go cost penalty

EVs are particularly efficient in city driving, where regenerative braking helps recapture energy. That means frequent stops and slower speeds (which are common in vacation destinations) can actually improve efficiency rather than reduce it.

When a gas car may still cost less

While EVs can offer real savings in the right situation, they’re not always the most cost-effective or practical choice for every trip. In fact, for many traditional summer road trips, a gas-powered rental can still come out ahead once you factor in time, infrastructure and charging costs.

The key difference is predictability. With a gas car, most travelers already know what to expect: quick fill-ups, widely available stations and relatively consistent pricing along major routes. With an EV, costs and convenience can vary much more depending on where you are and how you travel.

Here are a few scenarios where a gas car may still be more affordable.

Long-distance highway driving

EVs tend to be less efficient at sustained highway speeds, which means you may burn through battery range faster than expected. That can lead to more frequent charging stops, and if those stops rely on higher-cost fast chargers, your per-mile cost can climb closer to (or even match) gas.

Areas with limited or unreliable charging infrastructure

If you're traveling through rural areas or regions with fewer public chargers, you may need to go out of your way to find a working station. That can add both time and mileage to your trip, increasing overall costs.

Situations where fast charging is required

Fast charging is convenient, but it often comes at a premium price. Rates at some DC fast chargers can approach $0.50 per kWh or more, which can make the cost per mile comparable to driving a gas vehicle, especially if fuel prices are moderate.

Tight travel schedules where time matters

Even under ideal conditions, charging takes longer than filling up a gas tank. A fast charge can take 20 to 40 minutes, while slower chargers can take several hours. If you're on a packed schedule, those charging stops can add friction and reduce flexibility. For many travelers, time matters just as much as cost.

What it's like if you've never driven an EV

Driving an EV is often described as smooth, quiet and in many ways, simpler than a gas car. But the planning is different. Instead of quickly pulling into a gas station, you’ll likely need to map out charging stops ahead of time.

You should also download apps for different charging networks if needed. With an EV rental, it’s also important to pay attention to charger speeds and availability. Not all chargers are created equal, and availability can vary depending on location and time of day.

Example: A 300-mile weekend trip

Let’s break down a simple, real-world scenario to see how the costs compare.

In this case, the EV could be cheaper, or about the same, depending on charging costs.

How to decide before you book

Before choosing between an EV and a gas car, ask yourself:

• How far am I driving?
• Where will I charge?
• Is charging free or convenient at my hotel?
• What’s the rental price difference?

If your trip is mostly in a city or an area with easy charging, like at your hotel or nearby, an EV can often save you money, especially with shorter driving distances. If you’re planning a long road trip, traveling through areas with limited charging or on a tight schedule, a gas-powered car is usually the simpler and similarly priced option.

In general, EVs work best for shorter, well-planned trips, while gas vehicles are often better for longer, convenience-focused travel.

What matters most when choosing a rental car

EV rentals can save you money, but not automatically. Gas prices are only one part of the equation. Charging access, travel distance and your schedule all play a major role in the total cost.

For summer travelers, the smartest move isn't only choosing the cheapest daily rate. You'll also need to look at the full picture before you book to determine the most cost-effective and comfortable solution for your needs.

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Summer is just around the corner, and with it comes peak driving season as Americans plan vacations, road trips and family get-togethers. But between the impact of the Iran war on gas prices and the post-pandemic jump in car maintenance and repair costs, hitting the road will be a lot more expensive this year.

“Drivers are currently facing all-time high automotive costs,” says Duane “Doc” Watson, technical trainer at Bosch Automotive Aftermarket in Cocoa, Florida.

Since early January, when gas nationally averaged $2.81 a gallon — the lowest price since 2021 — the cost of filling up at the pump has surged more than 40%, to $4.15 on average in mid-April, for a gallon of regular, and it topped $5 a gallon in a few states, including California and Washington. “If the situation with the Strait of Hormuz continues, prices could be even more elevated by summer,” says Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

Another headache for motorists: The bill for car repairs and maintenance has also soared, climbing 48.8% over the past five years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That makes it the second-largest jump in consumer prices of any category except car insurance, which, of course, is yet one more pain point for drivers.

Still, while planning an affordable road trip has gotten more challenging, there are strategies you can use to lessen the burden, from taking advantage of apps, programs and services that lower gas costs to employing driving techniques that improve fuel efficiency — a tactic that the Department of Energy estimates can save you more than $1.50 a gallon when you fill up.

Here’s how to put yourself back in the driver’s seat when it comes to car costs.

1. Use apps to save on fuel

With prices at the pump varying widely even within the same town, it pays to shop around. Apps such as AAA Mobile and GasBuddy allow you to compare gas prices along your route so you can fill up where fuel is cheapest. Navigation tools such as Waze or Google Maps also include gas-station price info by location and can help you avoid traffic and choose more efficient routes, which saves on time and fuel as well.

When you fill up matters too. According to a recent GasBuddy analysis, Sunday is typically the cheapest day of the week to fill your tank in most states, followed by Monday, while prices are usually highest midweek, especially on Wednesdays.

2. Make the most of loyalty and rewards programs

Popular gas station chains such as BP, Shell and Exxon offer free loyalty programs that can save you about 3 to 10 cents per gallon simply for being a member. And while paying in cash typically shaves the price of gas by 5 to 10 cents a gallon, you may be able to save even more with a credit card that offers generous rewards on gas purchases.

Rewards cards that offer a category-high 5% cash back on gas include the AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature, which also offers 3% back on grocery store, restaurant and travel purchases and 1% on everything else; Citi Custom Cash, which offers 5% back on whichever of 10 categories — including gas stations — that you spend the most each month, 4% on hotels and other travel booked through Citi, and 1% on everything else; and Costco Anywhere Visa, which offers 5% off on gas purchased from Costco, 4% on gas bought elsewhere, 3% on restaurants and eligible travel, 2% on Costco purchases, and 1% on everything else (you must have a Costco membership, starting at $65 yearly, to use this card).

3. Improve your driving game

Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration and hard braking, which all waste fuel. While that advice might sound basic, the savings add up. The Department of Energy estimates these behaviors can improve fuel efficiency by up to 40%.

Also helpful: Plan trips to avoid rush hour traffic. Your vehicle burns extra fuel when it sits idling in congestion.

4. Declutter your car

The heavier your vehicle, the worse its fuel efficiency. The more luggage and gear you carry, the more fuel your car will use.

Bulky accessories such as roof racks or bicycle racks also reduce efficiency by adding weight and increasing air resistance. Cargo on the roof is especially costly, reducing fuel economy by the equivalent of up to 65 cents per gallon on highway driving, according to the Department of Energy.

5. Plan ahead for EV charging

Electric vehicles avoid gasoline costs, but drivers still need to plan where and when to charge. Rates can vary widely by location and time of day.

Apps such as ChargePoint or PlugShare can help drivers find nearby stations and compare prices. Try to avoid charging during peak driving hours, when electricity is more expensive. Charging during off-peak hours from late at night to early morning reduces costs.

6. Be proactive with maintenance

Investing a little time and money in routine maintenance can help you avoid unexpected and expensive hiccups, such as a breakdown or tow.

Key moves as you prepare for an upcoming road trip: Make sure to change the oil in the vehicle, if you’re coming up on the 5,000- to 10,000-mile mark; a $65 oil change can prevent thousands in engine damage later. Check the tire pressure since proper inflation improves handling, fuel efficiency and tire life. And make sure to test your battery before a long trip as well.

“Summer heat can strain batteries weakened during the winter,” says Watson, who notes that many auto shops will check battery health for free.

7. Shop around to save on repairs

If something breaks in your vehicle, first check whether the issue is covered under your initial warranty. If not, shop around local garages for quotes. Having a trusted mechanic is valuable, but it still pays to compare prices.

“It’s very useful to have an ongoing relationship with a repair shop,” says Sean Tucker, managing editor for Kelley Blue Book. “My secret is that I keep two and shop them against each other.”

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.

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The Iran war has already triggered soaring gas prices, with drivers paying an average of over $4.14 per gallon. But gasoline isn't the only fuel that's gotten more expensive since the conflict started.

As oil prices keep climbing, so does the cost of jet fuel. Since March 6, the price of jet fuel has surged nearly 33%, hitting $209 per barrel by April 3, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). That's an even sharper spike than drivers are seeing at the pump, where the cost per gallon has risen roughly 21% in the same time period.

With United paying more to fill its tanks, it's looking for ways to offset those costs. For travelers, that means higher fees. Starting today, the cost per checked bag will go up to $45 for United passengers, a $10 increase over previous fees.

United Airlines isn't the only airline to increase fees because of fuel costs

The $10 fee hike United customers will see comes as the Iran war continues to push oil prices higher, raising the prices of jet fuel in turn. It's not the only airline to hike fees citing the higher costs of fueling planes.

Earlier this month, JetBlue announced that checked bag fees would be going up as much as $9 per bag. And Delta will tack an extra $10 onto its own checked bag fees, too.

While the idea of paying more to check a bag is unwelcome news for customers already being squeezed at the gas pump and the grocery store, this may actually be a better option. By raising fees on optional services, airlines hope to keep base fares more competitive.

How to avoid checked bag fees

Whether you're flying United, JetBlue, Delta or any other airline, honing your strategy to avoid rising baggage fees is more important than ever. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can avoid paying for a checked bag altogether. Here are a few of your best options:

• Travel with a carry-on only. The most straightforward way to avoid a checked bag fee is to avoid having to check a bag in the first place. Get refillable travel-size bottles to hold your hygiene products without having to bring full-size bottles. Coordinate your wardrobe so you can mix and match a few simple pieces for multiple outfits. Get a spacious weekender bag to serve as your "personal item" where you can pack any overflow that doesn't fit in your carry-on luggage.
• Join a mileage club. Most airlines have mileage clubs that allow you to earn points and perks for flying. While you won't instantly get free checked bag perks with any of them, joining now can open up some options for you. One is to chase airline status until you qualify for a membership tier that does come with free baggage perks. Another is to pair your membership with an airline credit card that offers free checked bags right away.
• Get an airline credit card. Many airline credit cards will offer at least one free checked bag to cardholders. Of course, many of these cards also come with annual fees. If you don't fly often, eating the cost of a baggage fee now might be cheaper than paying for a card with an annual fee. But even passengers who only fly a couple of times a year may be able to earn that fee back from saved checked bag fees after two or three flights, depending on the card you choose. If you go this route, compare the checked bag perks as well as the other perks that you would actually use between a couple of cards. Then calculate how often you would have to fly and use those perks to make the annual fee worth it.
• Book a higher class if you have a lot of bags. Upgrading from economy to business to save money might sound counterintuitive, but if you're flying with a lot of baggage, it can actually work out in your favor. Premium fares tend to come with more generous checked bag perks. So, before eating the cost of add-on fees, just peak at the cost of upgrading your fare and compare the price difference to the amount you'd be paying in baggage fees. If it's the same or less, you might as well enjoy a more luxurious flight if you're spending the money anyway.
• Factor in all fees when comparing airline fares. Spirit or Frontier often look like the cheapest option when shopping airfares online. But sometimes, when you add on the carry-on fees, seat selection fees and all the other not-so-optional add-ons, the price can end up being even higher than a major airline. Before you ditch United because of the higher checked bag fees, compare the fare price (baggage fees included) to the all-in pricing of competitors. Even if you can't avoid the fee, it might still end up being the most cost effective option.

Airfare has always been sensitive to fuel costs, and this is a reminder that those shifts can show up in ways that are less obvious than ticket prices. As airlines look for ways to manage rising expenses, fees are likely to remain in focus.

For travelers, a little planning can go a long way. Understanding how airlines price add-ons, and choosing the right strategy for how you fly, can help you keep more of your money.

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The only constant in life is change, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously said. When it comes to prices for goods and services online, sometimes the changes happen so fast it feels as though the ground is moving beneath you, whether you need a ride home and Uber fares double in a matter of minutes or the price for an airline ticket you’ve been eyeing for a much-needed vacation skyrockets overnight.

These shifts come courtesy of a strategy known as dynamic pricing. Often shaped by algorithms that work behind the scenes, prices fluctuate to maximize the seller’s profits.

Dynamic pricing is nothing new, but the growth of online shopping and developments in artificial intelligence have made it far easier — and far more common — for companies to deploy it frequently and across a wider range of purchases, from groceries to clothing.

Demand is a common driver of dynamic price changes. Prices may, for example, rise in anticipation of increased demand at certain times of the day or week, or when an item is selling quickly. Competitor pricing can have an effect, too, with businesses tracking what rival retailers are charging and altering their prices to match or undercut them.

In some cases, in a practice known as personalized pricing, even factors such as a customer’s location or browser history may influence the prices they see.

Where dynamic pricing happens

Airlines have long employed dynamic pricing. Algorithms constantly compare real-time sales to forecasts. If some seats are selling more slowly than expected, prices may drop. Likewise, if sales are beating expectations, prices rise. And seats are commonly grouped into “fare buckets,” meaning that a certain number of tickets are allotted to be sold at a certain fare, and when the cheapest bucket sells out, the price jumps.

Airlines may sell “200 seats at 200 different prices,” depending on when and how travelers book them, says Scott Keyes, founder of Going, an app for flight deal alerts.

Hotels and ride-hailing apps, such as Uber and Lyft, use dynamic pricing, too. An event such as a local conference, concert or weather disruption can boost demand for hotel rooms and raise prices as much as 40% or 50%.

During rush hour, bad weather or major events, ride apps may double or triple fares. Ticket prices for concerts, sports matches and other events may fluctuate depending on demand, especially via third parties such as Ticketmaster.

A run of victories for Serena Williams at the U.S. Open in 2022 caused prices for her final match to surge to historic levels — by as much as 143% in just 24 hours.

For the first time, FIFA is implementing dynamic ticket pricing for the 2026 World Cup, using AI to analyze demand in real time to adjust prices.

Increasingly, food-delivery platforms are making use of dynamic or personalized pricing tactics. In December, Consumer Reports published an investigation showing that Instacart had quietly been running AI-driven price experiments that could show different Instacart users different prices for the same grocery items at the same stores at the same time, with variations as high as about 23% on some products.

After the report was released, lawmakers and consumer advocates called for investigations, and within weeks, Instacart announced it would end the AI price tests. Still, many delivery platforms continue to allow surge pricing during times of peak demand.

Major online retailers — the likes of Amazon, Target and Walmart — deploy algorithms to optimize profitability, too. “Any major national brand will likely engage in some form of dynamic pricing these days,” says money-saving expert Andrea Woroch.

Many merchants use advanced pricing technology that monitors demand, competitor price changes and other factors to automatically update prices.

How to thwart dynamic pricing

You may not always be able to beat the algorithms at their game, but you can shop smarter by making these moves.

1. Pay attention to the timing. For airline tickets, booking within “Goldilocks windows” — periods not too early and not too late relative to your travel date — can help you avoid unfavorable dynamic pricing. For domestic travel during off-peak periods, the best deals typically appear one to three months in advance, while peak-season domestic flights are more likely to be cheapest three to six months ahead.

For hotels, book one to two months before your planned check-in date to get the best prices and availability. Or, if you’re flexible, you can often find good deals by waiting until the last few days before checking in to a hotel in a larger city.

Concertgoers may benefit from buying at the last minute, too. On resale sites, they spend 33% less than average when purchasing tickets the day of a concert and 27% less than average the day before, according to a study by FinanceBuzz.com.

Similarly, try to shop online during windows when retailers may drop prices. A study from data-gathering platform Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) found that with online retailers, prices tend to be lower from 6 am to noon, and that Tuesday mornings are particularly favorable for shoppers. Shopping on weekday mornings, rather than evenings or weekends, might give you an edge.

2. Leave no trace. A common piece of advice to defeat personalized pricing is to clear your web browser’s cookies, which store data about your activity online. (Go into your browser’s settings and look for an option such as “clear browsing data” or “remove website data.”)

When you turn on incognito or private mode, your browser doesn’t save your search history and deletes cookie data when you end the session. If a merchant is using your location or browsing history to adjust prices, these tricks might be effective.

But they have limitations. When it comes to purchasing airline tickets, for instance, using them is the equivalent of “doing a rain dance” — it’s harmless, but it doesn’t cause prices to move, says Keyes. And in most retail settings, businesses are actually more likely to offer you a discount on items you’ve viewed but not purchased, he says.

You can leverage this by adding an item to an online shopping cart, then closing out of the website or app. Later, you may get an e-mail offering you 10% to 15% off on that item.

3. Shop around. Deal-finding apps and browser extensions can help you watch prices and send alerts when they drop. CamelCamelCamel for example, tracks price history on Amazon. Sites such as Google Shopping and Slickdeals will notify you when an item you’re monitoring goes on sale. You can track airfares and hotel rates using price alerts with Google’s tools, or use the price-tracking features from Hopper or Going.com.

If you’re shopping online with a retailer that has brick-and-mortar stores, compare the in-store price for an item with its price online.

For example, Target sometimes offers lower prices on its website than in-store. But it also matches prices; if you find that a product you want to buy in the store is cheaper on Target.com, you’re often able to pay that lower price at checkout, if you ask.

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.

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Oil markets are reacting quickly to the Iran conflict, but consumers tend to feel the impact more gradually. According to the International Energy Agency, the conflict has created a significant disruption in global oil supply.

After recent remarks from President Donald Trump suggesting the disruption could extend for weeks, concerns about supply have intensified. The Strait of Hormuz — a key global shipping route for oil — has seen limited access, pushing crude prices higher and lifting costs for fuel-related goods.

Because pricing moves through multiple stages before reaching consumers, there’s often a delay before higher oil prices fully show up in your budget. That timing matters: as summer travel demand increases, those costs are likely to build rather than fade.

Why the impact hasn't fully hit your wallet yet

You may have noticed you're paying more to fill up your car or heat your home, but the full impact of rising oil prices has not reached your wallet yet.

That is because oil pricing does not move all at once. According to the American Petroleum Institute, prices flow through several stages, from crude oil to refining, then shipping and finally retail. Crude prices can change daily based on supply, demand and geopolitical events, but it takes time for those increases to filter through the system.

In other words, what you are seeing now may only be the early stages of a broader price shift.

That delay creates a small but important window to act. Knowing that higher costs tend to build over time, not hit all at once, gives you a chance to make a few strategic moves before summer demand pushes prices even higher.

Where you may see prices rise first this summer

As fuel demand rises this summer, prices are likely to follow. Seasonal shifts in travel and consumption typically push costs higher, especially for:

• Gas stations and road trips
• Airfare and travel packages
• Delivery, shipping and service fees
• Groceries and seasonal goods

You can prepare for and avoid some of the greatest impacts of these price hikes by preparing now.

1. Book summer travel before fuel costs rise further

Since airlines adjust pricing based on fuel costs, flight prices tend to rise as summer approaches. If you are planning a trip, booking early may help you avoid some of those peak increases.

When booking in advance, look for flexible fares that allow you to change or cancel your flight if needed. These options can help you avoid steep fees and often provide a credit for future travel. While flexible fares may cost more upfront, they can offer added peace of mind if your plans change.

Price tracking tools can also help you time your purchase. Platforms like Google Flights and Skyscanner make it easier to compare fares across airlines and monitor price changes, so you know when to book.

2. Compare travel options beyond flying

Before you book a flight, compare all of your travel options. Higher summer demand, combined with rising fuel costs, can put additional pressure on airfare.

Consider alternatives such as a train or road trip, and compare total costs to find the option that works best for your budget. "Instead of flying, I planned a birding trip by rail and turned the journey into part of the experience," says Carla Ayers, eCommerce and Personal Finance Editor at Kiplinger.com. "I will use rewards points for a rental car when I arrive, which helps offset costs, and I get to enjoy the scenery along the way."

Planning ahead becomes more important when prices are elevated. Map out your route and itinerary in advance, and book lodging early so you have a clear picture of your total costs. Be sure to factor in meals, snacks and other expenses, and track your spending as you go to stay on budget.

If you are driving, small efficiency adjustments can help reduce fuel costs. Removing unnecessary items from your trunk or taking off a roof rack can improve fuel efficiency and lower what you spend at the pump.

3. Plan for higher gas costs during peak driving season

Higher gas prices are inevitable during peak driving season, and they’ll impact your summer plans. As fuel prices climb, the impact extends beyond the pump. Transportation, shipping and packaging costs all tend to increase, and those changes gradually make their way into the prices you pay for everyday goods.

Because these costs filter through the system over time, the biggest increases often show up weeks later, not overnight.

Consider how frequently purchased items, such as groceries and household staples, may be affected and plan accordingly. Buying shelf-stable goods in advance or stocking up on items you regularly use can help you avoid paying higher prices later as costs continue to rise.

4. Watch for rising delivery and convenience fees

Fuel surcharges often show up indirectly through higher delivery and convenience fees. Many service-based businesses pass these costs on to customers, and they can add up quickly.

To limit the impact, look for ways to reduce how often you rely on delivery. Consolidating purchases or placing fewer, larger orders can help. You might also consider picking up food orders instead of using delivery services.

You can also offset some fuel costs at the pump by using store loyalty discounts or cash back credit cards.

5. Time large purchases before prices adjust

Furniture, appliances and other shipped goods are likely to become more expensive if oil prices continue to rise. If you are planning to make a large purchase this summer, buying sooner rather than later may help you avoid those increases.

This may also be a good time to top off your home heating oil, if your budget allows. Prices could remain elevated later in the season when many households begin preparing for fall.

Retailers often adjust prices as new inventory arrives, so purchasing seasonal items now may help you lock in lower costs. If a purchase is already on your list, timing it strategically can make a difference.

Why diesel is the signal to watch

You're probably watching gas prices at the pump, but diesel is often the more important signal. Diesel fuels trucks, rail and much of the supply chain, so changes in diesel prices tend to show up more in the cost of goods and services.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average for regular gas is about $4.09 per gallon, while diesel has climbed to roughly $5.53. A year ago, those prices were closer to $3.26 for regular and $3.64 for diesel, highlighting how quickly fuel costs have escalated.

That gap matters. Diesel prices tend to rise faster during supply disruptions, and those increases are often passed through to consumers in the form of higher shipping, food and retail costs. In many cases, a sustained rise in diesel is an early signal that broader price increases are still working their way through the economy.

Rising oil prices and summer demand can amplify costs

Rising oil prices are already taking effect, but their full impact is often delayed. As summer drives higher demand for travel and energy, those costs are likely to build gradually rather than all at once. That means the price increases you are seeing now may only be the beginning.

Making small, early decisions can help offset those rising costs. Planning ahead, adjusting spending habits and timing key purchases can all make a difference as prices continue to move higher.

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For Americans considering dual citizenship, a second passport might already be within reach.

A growing number of countries, including Canada, are expanding citizenship by descent rules, opening the door for people with family ties to claim citizenship they might not have realized they had.

But qualifying is only the first step. Proving eligibility and deciding whether it is worth the time, cost and paperwork can be far more complicated than many expect.

Why more Americans are looking into citizenship by descent

Americans are exploring dual citizenship with countries such as Canada for several reasons. Interest in mobility and remote work has grown, especially since the post 2020 expansion of flexible work options.

The rise of the digital nomad lifestyle has encouraged individuals and families to seek a better work-life balance while experiencing new cultures. Dual citizenship can support that flexibility by offering potential tax advantages and greater long-term mobility.

Global uncertainty is also contributing to the growing interest in citizenship by descent. Many Americans aren't planning to leave the country right away, but securing a second citizenship can create future flexibility if their circumstances change. Economic volatility, geopolitical tensions and shifting national policies are prompting some to explore options that provide an additional layer of stability.

At the same time, policy changes are expanding who qualifies. In Canada, for example, the government introduced Bill C 3 on June 5, 2025, which updated the country’s citizenship by descent rules. Previously limited to the first generation born outside of Canada, the law now allows some second generation or later individuals to qualify, depending on their family history.

As eligibility broadens, the idea of hidden citizenship is gaining traction. More Americans are taking a closer look at their ancestry to determine whether they might already have a path to dual citizenship.

Who qualifies for citizenship by descent

Citizenship by descent allows individuals to claim citizenship based on family ties rather than where they were born. In many cases, people with a parent or grandparent who was a citizen of a country might qualify. Some countries extend that eligibility even further, allowing claims through a great-grandparent.

Rules vary by country. Canada historically limited citizenship by descent to the first generation born outside the country, but recent changes have expanded eligibility in some cases to second-generation applicants or beyond.

Italy generally allows citizenship through parents and grandparents, while Ireland extends eligibility to parents and grandparents and, in certain cases, to great-grandparents.

How to find out if you qualify for citizenship by descent

To check if you’re eligible for citizenship, start with your family tree. You need to be able to trace your tree back to a parent, grandparent or possibly a great-grandparent who was a citizen of the country in question.

You’ll also need proof of the entire lineage. Documents such as birth certificates, naturalization records and marriage records will be key in proving that you qualify for dual citizenship.

Providing citizenship by descent can be challenging, especially if you’re working with a complex family tree. In some cases, an immigration lawyer or service can help you navigate the process. These professionals can help with the preparation of a routine citizenship application, but they can also be invaluable in helping you appeal if your initial application was denied.

The biggest hurdles most people underestimate

Even if you believe you qualify for citizenship by descent, the process isn't always straightforward. There are several hurdles that people often underestimate:

• Documentation gaps. Finding the records needed to prove your lineage can be a challenge. Missing records can cause your application to be denied, so you’ll need to spend the time and money to find those documents before applying.
• Processing timelines. Citizenship processing timelines can take months or years. In Canada, for example, current timelines are around 13 months, though delays can extend that window.
• Legal nuances. Eligibility can depend on when and how your ancestors emigrated. Each country has its own rules, and factors such as an ancestor’s citizenship status or legal history might affect your application.
• Costs. Expenses can add up quickly. The Government of Canada charges a $653 citizenship application fee. You may also need to budget for legal help, document retrieval and certified translations.

What a second passport gives you

A second passport is not free, and the process can take time, but for many Americans, the added flexibility and access that come with dual citizenship can justify the cost:

• Ability to live and work abroad. Dual citizenship gives you the flexibility to live and work in another country. Many people take advantage of expanded job opportunities and the ability to experience a different culture.
• Access to health care and education systems. Citizenship can provide access to public healthcare and education systems in another country. In some cases, this can lead to meaningful savings, such as lower costs for major medical procedures or tuition.
• Travel flexibility. Dual citizens often benefit from easier entry into each country, with fewer restrictions and shorter processing times. It can also make long-term stays or retirement abroad more practical.
• Potential tax considerations. In some situations, dual citizenship can provide the option to live in a jurisdiction with a more favorable tax structure, depending on your financial situation and how you file.

The downsides to consider before applying

Before you apply, consider whether the potential downsides of dual citizenship fit your situation.

• Tax implications. Filing taxes can become more complicated as a dual citizen. Foreign tax credits and exclusions might help prevent double taxation, but mistakes or missed requirements could leave you paying more than expected.
• Residency requirements. Some countries require citizens to spend a certain amount of time in the country before they can access full rights or maintain certain benefits. That can reduce the flexibility some applicants expect.
• Ongoing obligations. Dual citizenship can come with responsibilities in both countries, such as military service, reporting requirements or other legal obligations. It's important to understand those rules before applying.
• Emotional and time investment. Claiming citizenship by descent can be a long and sometimes frustrating process. Gathering records, resolving questions and waiting on a decision can take a real toll, so it's worth considering whether the payoff justifies the effort.

Is it worth it? How to decide

Becoming a dual citizen is often most beneficial for frequent travelers and those who plan to spend extended time in another country in the coming years. Remote workers might also benefit from the added flexibility, as can individuals or couples considering retirement abroad.

For those who don't expect to relocate or actively use those benefits, dual citizenship might offer less value. It is best viewed as a strategic asset rather than a novelty, so consider how it fits into your long-term plans before deciding if it is the right choice.

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For a long time, the goal of retirement planning felt pretty straightforward: Save diligently, spend carefully and leave something meaningful behind for your kids.

But that script is starting to change. More retirees are rethinking what they want their money to do for them. Instead of holding back for the sake of a larger inheritance, they're choosing to spend more on experiences now, especially travel. You might have heard the phrase "SKI," short for "Spending Kids' Inheritance," pop up in conversations or headlines.

At first glance, it can sound a little extreme. But for many, it's less about spending recklessly and more about being intentional, recognizing that health, time and energy are not guaranteed forever. The question is not just how much you'll leave anymore. It's how you want to live along the way, and how your financial plan can support both.

What is the SKI rule — and why is it gaining traction now?

At its core, SKI, or Spending Kids’ Inheritance, is about flipping the usual order of priorities. Instead of focusing first on what you'll leave, the idea is to think about how you want to use your money while you're here to enjoy it.

For many retirees, that shows up most clearly in travel: Booking the big trip, saying yes to experiences and not putting everything off for someday.

Right now, the timing makes sense. People are living longer, but not necessarily healthier for longer. There's also more uncertainty around future health care costs and long-term care. Add in the perspective shift many people had after the pandemic, and it's no surprise more retirees are asking: What am I waiting for?

That doesn't mean abandoning financial discipline. It simply means being more intentional about when your money is meant to be used.

Why retirees are choosing experiences over inheritance

For a lot of people, this shift comes down to one simple realization: Money can be saved indefinitely, but time can't. Experiences, especially travel, offer something different than material purchases. They create memories, strengthen relationships and often feel more meaningful over time.

A kitchen upgrade or a new car might bring convenience, but a family trip tends to stay with you in a different way. There is also an emotional benefit to seeing your money at work in real time. Instead of leaving a larger inheritance they'll never witness, some retirees would rather enjoy their resources now or share those experiences with their children and grandchildren.

In many cases, it is not about choosing one above the other. It's about finding a balance that aligns with your values.

How much are Americans spending on travel?

Travel is no longer just an occasional splurge; it's become a major part of how Americans choose to spend their money. On a broad level, total U.S. travel spending was projected to reach about $1.35 trillion last year, showing just how significant travel has become in the overall economy.

Zoom in to the household level, and the numbers are just as telling. One recent estimate found that Americans expect to spend around $10,600 on trips and vacations in 2025.

That marks a noticeable shift from just a few years ago and reflects changing priorities. For many households, travel is no longer an occasional expense. It's becoming a core lifestyle category, competing directly with home upgrades, cars and other big-ticket purchases.

That's what makes the SKI trend so relevant. When people are willing to allocate this much of their budget toward experiences, it signals something deeper: a growing belief that the value of money isn't just in what you keep, but in how you use it.

The financial trade-off: Travel now vs leaving wealth later

Every decision to spend more now comes with a trade-off.

Money used for travel today won't be available later, whether that's for your own needs or for your heirs. That's why it's important to zoom out and look at how these choices fit into your overall plan.

A few areas to keep in mind:

• Your long-term financial security. You'll want to make sure increased travel spending doesn't put pressure on your ability to cover essential expenses later, especially if markets are unpredictable.
• Health care and long-term care costs. These can be some of the largest and most uncertain expenses in retirement. Building in a buffer here is key.
• Your legacy goals. If leaving money is important to you, it's worth being clear about what that number looks like so you can plan around it.

How to adopt a smart SKI strategy

If you like the idea of prioritizing experiences but still want to stay financially grounded, a few simple strategies can help.

Set a baseline for what you want to keep. Think about the minimum amount you'd like to preserve, whether that's for your own peace of mind or for your heirs, and plan your spending around that.

Build travel into your budget. Rather than treating trips as occasional splurges, factor them into your retirement plan so you can spend confidently.

Focus on what matters most. Not every trip has to be over-the-top. Prioritize the ones that feel meaningful or time-sensitive.

Be mindful of timing. Early retirement is often when you have the most energy and flexibility. It can make sense to plan bigger or more active trips during this window.

Consider giving along the way. Sometimes, smaller financial gifts or shared experiences during your lifetime can have a bigger impact than a larger inheritance later.

When SKI can go too far

As with any trend, it's possible to take things too far. Spending aggressively without a clear plan can create challenges down the line, especially if unexpected expenses come up or if investment returns don't meet expectations.

Some common risks include:

• Running through savings too quickly
• Underestimating healthcare or long-term care costs
• Letting lifestyle upgrades quietly increase overall spending

A well-executed SKI approach should give you more freedom and confidence while being mindful of these risks and making sure there's financial margin to fall back on should you need it.

It’s about balance, not extremes

The SKI approach might not be a fit for everyone, but it's worth considering if you're prioritizing travel and experiences during your retirement years. A thoughtful financial plan can make room for both enjoying your life now and leaving a legacy for loved ones.

That might mean taking the trip, funding a family vacation or simply giving yourself permission to enjoy what you've worked hard to build, while still protecting your long-term needs. In the end, it's not just about what you leave behind. It's about making sure your money supports the kind of life and legacy you want.

Ready to plan your next family vacation? Use the tool below to explore and compare some of today's top savings account offers:

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Summer vacation season is approaching, and because I'm a big believer in investing in experiences over things, I'm here to tell you to take that dream vacation — or all the dream vacations.

I see many clients struggle to enjoy their trips and be in the moment. The guilt is real, and so are the worries about paying for a beach rental, a couples' cruise or a family excursion abroad.

You don't have to feel uneasy. Here are nine tips for a guilt-free vacation.

1. Have a dedicated vacation fund

This seems super obvious but not everyone earmarks a vacation fund. In addition to being a big proponent of experiences, I'm a big fan of having individual buckets for different purposes — vacations being one example.

When you intentionally set aside money for that year's travel expenses, you know what you can afford and aren't worrying about every meal or adventure when you're supposed to be enjoying the moment.

2. Include travel in your financial plan

A vacation shouldn't feel like a rogue expense. It deserves to be a line item in your budget and financial plan.

When we build comprehensive financial plans, we don't account just for retirement, taxes and college savings. We account for life. If travel is important to you, it belongs in your annual spending plan. When it's baked in, you get joy, not guilt.

3. Define your 'dream vacation'

You might see others taking luxury cruises or all-inclusive vacations and the fear of missing out (FOMO) is real. But your dream trip doesn't have to mean first-class airfare and five-star resorts.

Consider "Comparison is the thief of joy," a quote that's often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt.

Define what "dream vacation" means to you. It could be experiencing a new country, driving out West in an RV, renting a beach house with extended family or friends from college — or whatever your dream is.

Your dream might be to hire a travel planner to do all the work, or maybe you're your own travel planner.

Clarify what matters most — adventure, rest, connection, convenience — and plan accordingly. Spend intentionally on what matters most, and trim what doesn't.

4. Use your points and perks strategically

If you're going to spend anyway, be smart about it.

Credit card points, airline miles and hotel rewards can meaningfully reduce out-of-pocket costs — if you're paying balances in full and not carrying interest. A well-managed rewards strategy can turn everyday spending into future experiences.

Not sure how your reward card stacks up? Do some online research, because there's no shortage of information and comparison tools out there, or ask your friends for recommendations. This is an area where people love to compare notes.

5. Preserve your investment

Vacations are expensive. Illness, storms or unexpected cancellations can make them even more so.

Consider travel insurance, especially for international trips or cruises.

Make sure your passport is valid well beyond your return date — and know that different countries have different requirements for this.

Check on protections your credit card companies might offer — on rental cars, for example — and notify them before you travel to avoid declined transactions.

A little preparation can prevent financial and logistical headaches.

6. Update your documents before you leave

If you don't have a will, powers of attorney or updated beneficiaries, get those in order before you travel, especially if you leave children behind (good for you — and no guilt — if you are, because not every vacation needs to be a whole family affair).

You want to make sure that whoever is taking care of your children is prepared for the unexpected, including injury or illness.

Leave your health insurance information and get a notarized document that authorizes your children's caregivers or other trusted adults to make medical decisions in your absence.

This is often called a Child Medical Consent form. Check if your bank offers free notary services.

Peace of mind is priceless. When your documents are in order and you know the kids are going to be all right, you can relax guilt-free.

7. Plan the splurge ahead of time

Part of what creates vacation guilt is surprise spending.

Before you go, decide and agree with your travel crew on what you're splurging. A special dinner? A private excursion? A spa day? A private cooking class? When you've pre-approved the splurge in your budget, you can enjoy it fully.

8. Automate your financial recovery

If you use a credit card for convenience or rewards, create a plan to pay it off quickly — immediately would be ideal.

You could set up an automatic transfer from your vacation fund to your credit card the week you return. That way, the balance ends when the trip does, with no lingering reminder on your statement.

9. Give yourself permission

You work hard. You save. You plan.

Money is a tool. If your financial house is in order — emergency fund funded, retirement contributions on track, insurance in place to protect your assets, debt under control — then travel isn't irresponsible. It's aligned with your values.

Sometimes the most important financial move isn't cutting back to avoid guilt. It's allowing yourself to enjoy — experience, even — what you've thoughtfully and diligently built.

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This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.

Every year, whether it's March Madness, the Super Bowl or election season, prediction markets and sports betting apps light up with the same promise: Place a smart bet, make a quick return and feel like you're investing. The events change, but the pitch stays the same — and so does the confusion about what's entertainment and what's actual investing.

As prediction markets and sports gambling explode in popularity — with Americans expected to wager $3.3 billion on the NCAA Division I Women's and Men's Basketball Tournaments this year, according to the American Gaming Association, and 17% of American adults already in or considering sports betting and prediction markets, according to the Northwestern Mutual 2026 Planning & Progress Study — it's worth drawing a bright, unambiguous line between entertainment and actual wealth-building.

Investing vs speculating vs gambling

The problem with prediction markets and sports betting isn't the games themselves; it's when you confuse what you're doing with investing.

"Investing is a long-term strategy to build wealth over time, speculation is an attempt to predict the future, and gambling is a game of luck," says Kaycee LeCong, managing director of family office at Brighton Jones.

In investing, "you're putting money into something that will grow over time because it produces goods, services or income," she says. With speculation, you're making a guess about what will happen. That guess could pay off if your prediction is right, "but you could also lose money purely based on timing."

Meanwhile, gambling involves engaging in a game where the odds are already stacked against you, she says. "It's just money changing hands."

She uses the sports betting platform DraftKings (DKNG) as an example to illustrate this difference. You can own DraftKings stock or you can place bets on their platform.

"By buying DKNG, you own a piece of the company. It generates cash flow over time and you don't need to predict the outcome of any single basketball game," LeCong says. "If you're placing a bet on DraftKings, you don't own anything. You only win if your guess is right, and the odds are against you," as they are with all gambling and betting platforms. Even if you get one bet right, the only way to accumulate more money is to face off with the same losing odds and bet again.

"In short, investing builds wealth, speculation is educated guessing, and gambling is paying to play games where the house usually wins," says Nayan Lapsiwala, director in wealth management at Aspiriant.

4 reasons why prediction markets and sports gambling aren't investing

To enumerate that bright, unambiguous line between investing, prediction markets and gambling, here are the key reasons prediction markets and sports gambling aren't investing:

1. There's no ownership or value creation.

A bet doesn't produce anything. It doesn't generate earnings or dividends. It simply transfers money from one participant to another, minus the platform's cut.

"With a legitimate investment, you own something with real value" that can generate cash over time and have a positive expected return, Lapiswala says. "Prediction markets and sports bets don't check those boxes. You don't own anything ongoing; you hold a ticket that either pays once or goes to zero when the event happens." Then you're left to place a new bet and face the same losing odds.

If investing is planting seeds, gambling is just rearranging the same pile of dirt.

2. The math is not in your favor.

The stock market can be a bumpy ride. Investors have faced years of declines and drops so sudden they make you question if the earth just stopped spinning. But over time, the stock market has historically trended upwards over time. Long-term investors who stay diversified and invested through the tough times almost always come out ahead.

The same cannot be said of gambling and prediction markets. These platforms build in fees, spreads and commissions that tilt the long-term math in their favor. Even if you're skilled, you're playing a game designed for you to lose over time.

3. You can't diversify a bet.

A diversified investment portfolio can weather a bad quarter because it's built on assets that generate value over time. You spread your money across sectors, industries and asset classes so that even if one investment fails, others can continue to grow.

You can spread money across multiple bets, but each one still carries negative expected value. Instead of reducing risk, you're simply increasing the number of ways to lose.

4. Skill is real, but not enough or reliable.

Some bettors are genuinely analytical. Some prediction market participants do their homework and may come out ahead in the short term. But even the most skilled players face negative expected value over time. And the more you believe in your "skill," the more dangerous it becomes.

"Any given bet might hit, but … it's unlikely those short-term successes will be consistent enough to create sustained value," says Phillip Hamman, president and CEO of Linscomb Wealth. Once you hit a few bets and make some money, you might start to trust your gut and stop following a rational process at all.

"Overconfidence based on emotion potentially kicks in," Hamman says. "If the emotion could be stripped away, I think most would get the odds right."

Changing your perspective on betting

All that said, you're not alone if you've been made to feel like betting is an investment — and likewise, you're not alone thinking some investments feel more like a bet. Let's take a look at some factors that play into this.

Why betting feels like investing

Modern betting and prediction‑market apps borrow heavily from the look and feel of trading platforms. Odds move like stock prices. Bets sit in a "portfolio." You get instant feedback, and streaks, leaderboards and notifications mimic the dopamine loops of day-trading apps.

"They're both in the business of getting people to sign up for and stay engaged with their offering, so they have to keep your attention with quick hits," Hamman says.

These design choices create the illusion of skill and control, the same psychological hooks that make speculative trading feel like investing. Add charts, probabilities and official-looking "positions," and suddenly it feels like analysis, not entertainment, even when the behavior hasn't changed at all.

This is also why the line between gambling and certain forms of trading, like day-trading, can feel blurry.

Where day trading fits in

If prediction markets and sports gambling sit on one end of the spectrum and long-term investing sits on the other, day trading lies somewhere in the murky middle. You're technically buying real assets when you day trade, but the behavior has more in common with wagering than building wealth.

Research consistently shows that frequent traders tend to underperform the market. This is partly due to the fact that fast feedback and gamified interfaces encourage emotional decisions rather than disciplined strategy. The more an activity rewards speed, instinct and constant checking, the less it resembles long-term investing and the more it becomes a game.

Remember: Investing should be boring. If it's getting your heart rate up, you're probably playing a game or investing too aggressively.

How to have your fun and keep your house, too

Gambling and prediction markets don't need to be off-limits. If you enjoy the thrill, an occasional bet or trade is fine. Just know that you're engaging in entertainment, not investing.

Don't bet your retirement or your kid's education on a same-game parlay or a prediction market contract about the next jobs report. Only use money you can genuinely afford to lose, and put the rest into a boring but reliable long-term investment strategy.

If you are struggling with gambling, you can reach out to the National Problem Gambling Helpline online or at 1-800-522-4700 or 1-800-697-3738.

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Question: We want to treat our adult children and grandchildren to a 10-day cruise to Greece, where I'm from. Our daughter said yes, but our son’s career is at a peak and he can't escape. I want to make things fair, but I can't reschedule. Should I send him a check?

Answer: It's not a given that you'll have more wiggle room in your budget in retirement than during your working years. But if you built a large nest egg and have modest expenses, you may have the ability to cover the cost of shared family experiences, including travel with your grown kids and grandchildren.

Plus, if you have retirement accounts that are subject to required minimum distributions, there's perhaps no better way to make good use of those forced withdrawals than to treat your extended family to an amazing trip. That could mean embarking on a 10-day cruise to your home country of Greece, where you can introduce your loved one to the sites and culture you grew up with.

Multi-generational trips are becoming more popular these days, with 71% of grandparents having taken one recently and 57% of grandparents anticipating one in the future, according to a joint study published by NYU. And while they do need to be carefully planned, they can also be extremely rewarding — more so than traveling with just a spouse or partner.

But what if your generous offer to take your adult children and grandchildren on a 10-day cruise to Greece doesn't work for everyone? It may be that your daughter has a flexible schedule, but your son is too busy at work to get away for that long.

In an effort to make things fair, you may be inclined to send your son a check to make up for the fact that he can't attend. But your efforts to even things out may end up causing more problems than intended.

You're better off doing something more meaningful

As a parent, it's natural to want to treat your kids equally. Often, family conflict arises when one sibling feels the other is favored in terms of time, love, or money.

If you're treating one of your children and their kids to a 10-day cruise, there's an obvious cost involved. And you may feel that the "fair" thing to do is to send your son, who can't attend, a check roughly equivalent to what you're spending on your daughter's participation. But Eric Croak, CPF and President at Croak Capital, advises against that.

"While I completely understand the knee-jerk emotion behind wanting to send a check to even things out, I think it can create an awkward precedent going forward," he says. "If you put a price tag on an experience, every vacation, holiday, or family gathering from here on out may suddenly become something that needs to be cash-out refunded for the child or children who can’t make it. And that expectation can be hard to undo."

A better approach, says Croak, may be to decouple the experience from any kind of monetary gift. After all, you're presenting both of your children with the same opportunity. It's not your fault that your son can't attend and your daughter can.

That said, Croak thinks it's not a bad idea to try to do something nice for your son in light of his inability to go on the trip. But in that case, make it a standalone gift or gesture.

"Contributing toward something just for him — perhaps a Roth IRA contribution, a large purchase he’s talked about making, or even a smaller trip that he can take with his family whenever he’d like — could end up feeling really intentional and special," he says.

Croak says that if you go this route, the amount of the gift doesn't need to match the cost of the cruise.

"In fact, trying to exactly match that dollar amount may do more harm than good," he insists.

Focus on the relationship more than the trip

It's unfortunate that your son can't get away from work to participate in a memorable family experience. But sending him a check for the equivalent of what you would've spent may not be a well-received consolation prize, says Amy Bishop, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and owner at Springs Therapy.

"Doing so says that the value of the trip is the monetary investment, as opposed to the real gift of leisure time with family and a cultural trip to the parent’s homeland," she says.

Bishop, like Croak, recommends asking if there's something that would be equally meaningful to your son as the proposed trip. It may not be money he wants, but rather, your time. That could mean helping with child care during the year or over the summer, or simply taking a scheduled trip with you at a different time that better fits his schedule.

Your family should also think of ways to let your son know he is missed during the cruise. You (or the grandkids) could make a short video for him, call him frequently or make cards to send to him when you land. Since you are from Greece, make sure to send him stories and pictures from the trip that relate to your family history.

"I have heard despondent sentiments from clients I've worked with, such as 'my parents loved me with money, not time together or emotional support,'" Bishop explains. "Though it is kind to be intentional about balance, it's important for these parents to recognize that money by itself does not help relationships."

Croak agrees and says validating your son's feelings about having to miss out on the experience is important for your relationship.

"In the grand scheme of things, the money is the easy part," he says. "The relationship is what’s important. And as long as you both understand each other’s intentions moving forward, I doubt resentment will develop."

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"Food tourism is the act of traveling for a taste of place in order to gain a deeper sense of place," decrees the World Food Travel Association. And by all accounts, culinary vacations — aka "foodcations" — are booming in popularity. Leisure Group Traveler says that food quality is a "key factor" accounting for 60% to 80% of travel decisions — so why not go straight to the savory source for wine and food tastings, lectures, seminars, private parties, and cooking demos? Designated food weekends and tours abound around the U.S.

More than 40 years old and still going strong, the Aspen Classic has enjoyed the longest legacy among national multiday culinary events. From New York to California, many have followed in its wake. For the last 15 or so years, food photos on social media (i.e., food porn) have only fed the interest in cuisine-influenced travel.

Brett Friedman is the founder and CEO of Agency 21 Consulting (aka a21), and he’s a key player in this exalted space: A21 is the production company behind the esteemed Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival, overseeing the event’s programming, operations, partnerships and overall guest experience.

A21 also produces other major food festivals, such as the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and the New York City Wine & Food Festival, making it one of the premier producers of large-scale culinary experiences.

We spoke with Friedman and other experts and handpicked five of the tastiest and most acclaimed gastronomic experiences in the U.S.

1. Aspen Food and Wine Classic

The takeaway: "The granddaddy of all food and wine events is the Aspen Classic," Friedman says. Now in its 43rd year, the 2026 edition includes Tyler Florence and Nancy Silverton. Luxury travel advisor Becca Hensley recalls: "One year I went, and my favorite Texas chef from Houston was there: Chris Shepherd. He’s an all-star. The chefs are Michelin-starred, James Beard nominees, and rising talents." Hensley notes that Bobby Flay will return this year.

When it's happening: June 19–21, 2026

How to get there: Aspen/Pitkin County Airport is located three miles from the center of the city. Flights go to several cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, and Denver. (Check schedules; some routes are seasonal.)

Where to stay: "Stay at The Little Nell or Hotel Jerome to see and be seen," Hensley advises. Hotel Jerome is a member of the Auberge Collection — a brand founded in the culinary capital of Napa Valley, Calif.

Beyond food and wine: Though established as a ski destination nearly 100 years ago and now one of Colorado’s toniest winter vacation retreats, Aspen offers plenty to do in summer. Activities include hiking one of the many trails around the Roaring Fork Valley, as well as rafting, kayaking, biking, mountain climbing and fly-fishing.

Want to be up in the air? Try paragliding and hot-air ballooning.

2. Sonoma Food Tour: Walking Food, Wine & History Tour

The takeaway: It’s little surprise that Sonoma came up with one of the most highly regarded culinary tours in the country. Sonoma Valley and adjacent Napa Valley are arguably among the most justifiably prestigious gastronomic and viticultural capitals in the U.S. Francis Ford Coppola Winery and Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery are standouts.

In addition to fine wines, the Sonoma food tour includes artisanal cheeses, chocolates, locally made olive oils and balsamic vinegars. The weekend three-hour-a-day tours are limited to 10 people.

When it's happening: Every Thursday through Saturday in 2026.

How to get there: The quickest route from San Francisco takes little more than an hour, but it’s more fun to drive north along the coast (explore Stinson Beach and Bolinas), even if it takes longer. Both routes are accessible via the eyepopping Golden Gate Bridge. Rent a convertible.

Where to stay: The uber-lux Montage brand, founded at the incomparable Laguna Beach, Calif., destination, enjoys a sister hotel in Healdsburg, CA, the center of Sonoma Valley. More intimate accommodations can be found at the Gaige House Inn in Glen Ellen.

Beyond food and wine: Breathtaking hiking trails can be explored at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. The Sonoma Coast State Park offers sunbathing, birdwatching, kayaking and horseback riding.

For the literary-minded, check out Jack London State Historic Park, which contains the White Fang author’s cottage and other historic buildings. (See the 1982 Diane Keaton film Shoot the Moon to get a sense of the site).

3. Food Network NYC Wine & Food Festival

The takeaway: Now in its 19th year, this five-day marathon of 50 events, now held at New York's Seaport, lands during one of Manhattan’s most seasonable months, making it the ultimate time to taste the best of the city. A dinner hosted by Daniel Boulud is sold out, but you can still grab a ticket for dinners hosted by Eric Ripert and José Andrés.

When it's happening: October 14–18, 2026

How to get there: In addition to JFK, you can fly into LaGuardia Airport or Newark Airport; both have experienced substantial upgrades, including enhanced and varied food offerings.

Where to stay: Iconic yet discreet, the Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park has a boutique feel even though it’s a flagship of a major global luxury brand. This reporter once walked into the lobby lounge to see Billy Joel seated at the piano, performing "New York State of Mind." You can walk a few blocks to the entrance of The Plaza, where Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford made their final teary goodbyes in The Way We Were (1973).

Beyond food and wine: Central Park is right at your doorstep: You can rent a bike, hire a horse-drawn carriage, take a run, navigate the lake in a rental boat (with oars), or cab it up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which ranks as the most encyclopedic museum in the country.

4. Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival

The takeaway: This one-of-a-kind oceanfront gathering typically occurs in mid-winter. This is your best shot at beautiful weather in South Florida.

The 25-year-old, four-day event features appearances and cooking demos by Food Network personalities — and more than 500 renowned and rising chefs from Miami and around the world. Events are located in South Beach, the renowned Art Deco section of Miami Beach (and Greater Miami).

When it's happening: This year, it was held on February 19-22, 2026. The next edition will be held February 25-28, 2027.

How to get there: Miami International Airport is blissfully close to South Beach (as fast as 25 minutes, depending on time of day — try to avoid morning and afternoon rush hours, though). During festival weeks, the MacArthur Causeway connecting Miami proper to South Beach can be slow going.

Where to stay: South Beach’s National Hotel, even though it dates from 1939, is still something of a hidden treasure. It’s serene because it’s adults-only. The hotel’s chill pool bar and restaurant serve up high-quality healthy dishes, and the atmosphere is tropical nirvana. The National’s skinny, sui generis swimming pool is legendary for its beauty, low-key extravagance and 200-foot length. An adjacent, smaller, square pool attracts the well-behaved cocktail crowd.

Beyond food and wine: Miami Beach, located on a barrier island, is not a neighborhood of Miami, as some assume. It’s a distinct city. South Beach, a southerly area contained within Miami Beach, is one of the greatest architectural and historic districts in the world. It boasts over 800 historic buildings, most of them human-scale (one to four stories).

Once you get off the three commercial streets closest to the beach (the water and sand quality are incomparable for an urban beach), you’ll find a quiet, residential area stocked with art deco, Mediterranean Revival and Miami Modernism (MiMo) apartment and condo buildings in vibrant colors. The neighborhood is flat, so you can walk or bike ride almost anywhere.

Meridian Avenue is shaded by a canopy of oak trees and is easily one of the most enchanting streets in the state. Pedestrian Lincoln Road Mall is full of boutiques and restaurants, though save your Neapolitan pizza cravings for top-rated La Leggenda, just a few blocks away.

5. Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival

The takeaway: Boasting arguably the most breathtaking backdrop to any culinary event, the coastal location of the upcoming 15-year-old Pebble Beach Food & Wine is a premier selling point — that, and the celebrity chefs it recruits.

On tap for this year: Kaoru Chang, Michael Chang, Marcus Glocker, and Rocco DiSpirito. "The intimate moments, such as our seminars and curated dinners, are best in class," Friedman says, "and I cannot emphasize enough how dynamic and diverse the culinary talent is this year."

When it's happening: April 9–12, 2026

How to get there: After landing, it takes more than two hours to drive south from SFO to Pebble Beach Resorts, the crown jewel of the Monterey Peninsula. Monterey Regional Airport also offers flights up and down the California Coast, as well as to and from Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, Dallas, and Phoenix.

Where to stay: The celeb-filled Lodge at Pebble Beach and Inn at Spanish Bay are two of the most revered beachfront resort hotels in the state. The boutique Casa Palmero (only 24 rooms and suites) is a good choice for privacy and discretion.

Beyond food and wine: Pebble Beach boasts some of the most prestigious and scenic golf courses in the world, including Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, and the Links at Spanish Bay. Nearby, be sure to explore the ultra-charming Carmel-by-the-Sea, with its wide, sandy cove. The self-guided 17-Mile Drive (from the lovely, often overlooked Pacific Grove to Pebble Beach) offers gorgeous views of the Lone Cypress, Spanish Bay, and stately mansions. Car enthusiasts will note the heavy presence of Lexus vehicles on the road and at the hotels. Lexus is a legacy partner of PBFW and of Pebble Beach Resorts, Friedman noted.

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Thanks to the war in Iran, gas prices are soaring, with the cost per gallon for premium fuel topping $5 in some places. Even a gallon of regular gas will set you back $3.98, per the national average, according to AAA.

Retirees and snowbirds heading back north or across the country are in for a bit of shellshock at the pump. The price of a gallon of gas might be $1 or more higher than what they paid a mere month ago.

"It's very remarkably unpredictable as to what the next chapter will be," in regards to the price of oil, said Patrick De Haan, a petroleum analyst at GasBuddy. "Until the Strait of Hormuz is open for free navigation, we will see oil prices impacted."

While gas prices are out of your control, there are ways retirees and snowbirds can save the next time they fill up.

Read: Who Controls Gas Prices in the U.S.?

9 ways to save on gasoline

1. Slow down. Driving slowly is tough when you're on open roads and ready to get home. But fuel economy peaks around 50 mph for most vehicles, so the faster you go, the more fuel you burn.

Reducing your speed by 5 to 10 mph improves your fuel economy and extends the distance between fill-ups. "When you drive, set the cruise control for 63 or 65. You are going to do 15% to 20% better miles per tank," said De Haan. If you're retired, you likely aren't in a rush, so slow down.

2. Stop idling. Idle hands are more than the work of the devil, it can also cost you at the pump. According to AAA, an idling car consumes one-quarter to one-half a gallon of fuel per hour. A warm engine only uses about 10 seconds' worth of fuel to restart.

When you can, shut off the engine if you'll be idling for more than a minute, according to AAA. Some new cars have a built-in feature that automatically shuts off the engine when the car has been idle for a moment.

3. Keep it smooth. Avoid hard acceleration and braking, which reduces the fuel efficiency of your vehicle, particularly if it's older. Consumer Reports tested an older Toyota Camry and found hard braking and acceleration reduced mileage efficiency by 2 to 3 mpg. Avoiding that will save money and extend the life of your vehicle.

4. Maintain your tire pressure. Driving on tires that are underinflated takes more effort to move the car. Keeping tire pressure at the level in your driver's manual can save you money at the pump. You can improve gas mileage by as much as 3%, according to the Department of Energy.

5. Don't sweat it. Running the air conditioner wastes gas, which is why it's better to open windows in mild weather. Doing that can save you one to four miles per gallon, according to Consumer Reports. If it's hot outside, do not forgo the A.C. if it means you'll be uncomfortable and distracted while driving.

6 Keep it light. At highway speeds, almost half your engine's power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag from things such as a roof rack or cargo carriers. If you lighten the load before you start your trip, you can save at the pump.

7. Go for the cheaper fuel. Your vehicle might like premium gasoline, but if it doesn't need it, skip it. You'll pay 15% to 20% more for it, and it won't mean a significant improvement in performance or fuel economy.

8. Shop around to save. Shopping around is a key way to save on gas since prices change drastically from one station to the next. It's not a stretch to see a 10% price discrepancy between two gas stations on the same street.

Several mobile apps and websites help you compare prices and map out the best gas stations for your drive home. GasBuddy lets you plan your route, calculate your total trip cost and find the cheapest fuel stops along the way.

Meanwhile, AAA's TripTik Travel Planner lets you view real-time prices, locate member discounts and find approved auto repair shops. Other apps to check out include Upside, Waze, Google Maps and Gas Guru.

9. Let loyalty reward you. There are several fuel reward programs available at gas stations. These programs give you money off each gallon, as well as access to flash sales and points for in-store purchases.

Costco, Sam's Club and BJ's also have fuel programs that can save as much as 30 cents a gallon. To access them, you must be a member, which requires an upfront cost, but it might be worth it if you live near a club and fill up frequently.

Embrace change to save

Nobody knows where oil prices are headed, but one thing is for sure: Consumers are feeling the brunt of it. Following these tips can save you money whether you're heading home from a winter in the sun or are gearing up for a spring road trip.

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Planning a trip can be stressful, but when it's across the country to visit six colleges in Southern California in five days, it can be downright daunting.

It's especially tricky when one college is in Beverly Hills, and the other is in San Diego. Add the fact that we want to layer some sightseeing, picturesque sunsets and a hike to the Hollywood sign, and you can see why I was feeling overwhelmed at the sheer thought of it all.

The easy part (kind of) was booking all the college tours. I based the visits on the colleges' availability. (That's one reason why it's a good idea to book your tours early.) Only after this step could I plan an itinerary in a city that I'm not too familiar with.

Can I make it to both California State University, Dominguez Hills, and California State University, Long Beach in one day? Should San Diego State and UC Irvine be on the same day? What about traffic? Will I get stuck in LA's notorious rush hour and miss a tour completely? Where should we stay to minimize drive time? Is it one, two, or three hotels?

All of those questions were whirling through my head and, not surprisingly, leading to procrastination. "I'd rather not think about it" was my default mode when it came to this college tour trip. But as the days passed by, I knew I couldn't put it off anymore. Instead of doing all the time-consuming research on my own or enlisting a travel agent, I decided to give AI a whirl.

With all the talk about how AI can improve pretty much every aspect of our lives, why couldn't it help plan this trip? My ex-husband wasn't so convinced. But I was on a mission to save time and make this as painless as possible, and I put my fate in the virtual hands of AI, namely ChatGPT.

How I used AI to plan our trip

Admittedly, I'm not an expert when it comes to using ChatGPT or any other AI tool. Sure, I've asked it to help me fix a bad hair dye job or to figure out the best place to park at a nearby mall, but for traversing Southern California? This was new territory for me. Who knew it would be so easy?

The first question I had for ChatGPT was where we should stay to be central to everything and reduce driving time. I was open to staying in up to three hotels if it meant we could avoid hours in traffic.

Writing an AI prompt:

I knew that asking a question of AI is a bit different than asking one in a search engine like Google. Instead, I wrote a "prompt" that provided as much detail as possible in plain language, treating ChatGPT like a travel agent. (You can even tell ChatGPT, "Be my personal travel agent.") I entered the colleges we planned to visit in order, along with the times of each tour and asked ChatGPT to find a central location for us to stay.

Remember that you can edit your prompt for clarity. You should always check an AI's work, and you can ask an AI agent like ChatGPT to tell you if it needs more information.

Here's the itinerary I gave ChatGPT:

Day 1: Arrive at Los Angeles Airport at 10:30 a.m.

Visit California State University Dominguez Hills, 1:00 p.m.

Day 2: Visit California State University, Fullerton, 10:00 a.m.

Visit California State University, Long Beach, 3:30 p.m.

Day 3: Visit UC Irvine, 2:00 p.m.

Day 4: Visit San Diego State University, 1:30 p.m.

Day 5: Hike to Hollywood Sign 8:30 a.m.

Visit California State University Northridge–self-guided tour 1:00 p.m.

Fly home from LAX 9:30 p.m. (Be at the airport around 6:00 or 7:00 p.m., depending on airport traffic.)

The results

ChatGPT said Long Beach would be the perfect central location for our whirlwind of a visit, to make it even less driving, suggested we stay in Long Beach for the first two nights, then head over to either Irvine, Costa Mesa or Newport Beach for the third night, and finish our stay in Beverly Hills for the remaining two nights. According to ChatGPT, doing that:

-Minimizes hotel changes
-Is the smoothest driving schedule
-Gives us a relaxing Saturday in LA
-Only includes one long drive from San Diego back to LA, which it said can be scenic.

Scenic?!? My daughter, like most teenagers, is all about the Instagram pics, and I thought it would be a great idea to drive back up to LA along the Pacific Coast. So I asked ChatGPT if that is doable after visiting San Diego State, given our tour ends at 3:30, which I assume, if it's anything like New York, is when LA traffic starts.

To my surprise and delight, ChatGPT not only gave me an estimate of how long that would take — 3.5 to 4.5 hours, depending on stops — but an exact place to see the sunset: Laguna Beach.

We would have to leave right after the tour, but that would give us a nice scenic drive and plenty of places for my daughter to get her social media-ready pictures. If we didn't feel like driving up the coast, ChatGPT gave us a faster option on the freeway that cut about an hour off the drive time.

Not only did ChatGPT lay out the best way to visit all these colleges, but it also broke it down into driving details, including the time it will take between each college, recommended hotel stays (I found my own), and the scenic drive option.

While I didn't rely on AI to help me select my hotels in each location or to find a hiking tour to the Hollywood sign, it was able to do in seconds what would have taken me hours and likely a lot of hand-wringing and hair-pulling to figure out.

The verdict: AI to the rescue

My college tour trip is still a few weeks away, but I am happy to say that I was right (and my ex-husband was wrong)!

AI can be a great planning tool, and while I didn't use it to choose hotels based on my preferences or decide when we want to stop, it proved to be a super helpful, time-saving tool that I plan to use again.

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Question: We retired last year at 67 with $3.1 million and get $5,000 a month in Social Security.

My husband insists on working two days a week to keep his mind busy (and he secretly loves the challenge). But his side gig is interfering with the travel plans I want to make for us. We're not getting any younger. Help!

Answer: As of 2022, the most recent year for which data is available, the average retirement savings balance among 67-year-olds was about $609,000, per the Federal Reserve. Meanwhile, the average Social Security retirement benefit today is $2,076.41.

If you retired at 67 with $3.1 million in savings and a $5,000 monthly Social Security benefit, you probably have considerably more financial resources than many of your same-age peers. But that doesn't mean you're ready to say goodbye to earning an income.

It might be that your husband wants to work two days a week to keep his mind sharp and have a way to structure his time. There's nothing wrong with that in theory.

But if it's interrupting your travel plans, you might need to negotiate a new arrangement. The key is to do so in a way that acknowledges your spouse's need for work and doesn't minimize the importance of having that job as an anchor.

It's important to align on goals

When you and your spouse aren't on the same page, it can cause tension, no matter the situation. The good news is that in this scenario, you don't have the burden of financial stress to worry about. This gives you the opportunity to have an honest conversation about the real purpose your husband's job serves and the wiggle room there might be in his schedule.

"With a $3.1 million portfolio and $5,000 a month in Social Security, this couple is sitting on a very solid foundation," says Andrew Izyumov, CFA, CEO and co-founder at investment platform 8FIGURES. "If we assume a standard 4% withdrawal rate, they’re looking at around $184,000 in gross annual income. In this context, the income from a two-day-a-week job is basically a rounding error."

However, Izyumov continues, due to your financial circumstances, your husband is probably well aware that his job isn't needed to generate cash flow. Rather, the purpose is to provide structure and mental stimulation. A good way to address the conflict is to acknowledge his need and see if you can align on goals.

Your goal, for example, might be to travel. But the driving force behind that vision might be to keep busy yourself and avoid growing restless in the absence of a job.

With some digging and open conversations, you and your spouse might realize that you do, in fact, have similar goals. From there, it's a matter of figuring out how to make things work for both of you.

Figure out a reasonable compromise

When you're fairly new to retirement, which is still the case even if you ended your careers last year, it's common for spouses to have different expectations, says Joseph Patrick Roop, president at Belmont Capital.

"One spouse may see retirement as a time for travel and freedom, while the other still wants structure, purpose, or mental stimulation," he says. "Neither perspective is wrong, but they do need to align."

One thing Roop suggests is to see if your husband can schedule work intentionally so you both end up getting what you want.

"For example, the husband could continue working two days a week but block off extended travel periods during the year, perhaps several multiweek trips," Roop says. "That allows him to keep the mental engagement he enjoys while still preserving the flexibility retirement is supposed to provide."

Izyumov agrees that there's probably room for more flexibility. Your husband might, for example, be able to move to a consultancy model where he works intensely for three weeks, then takes six weeks off, Izyumov suggests.

Izyumov says, "We’re in the age of AI and remote connectivity. If he’s keeping his mind busy, can he do that from a villa in Italy just as easily as an office?"

Remember why you saved so well in the first place

Your husband's desire to work might stem from a desire to keep busy and less so from fear of running out of money.

Still, Izyumov says it's important to remind your spouse why you hustled to build the nest egg you did. He suggests saying something such as, "We’ve spent our lives building this $3.1 million fund. The goal of this fund was to buy us total freedom. Right now, your $500-a-week hobby is devaluing our primary asset — our remaining healthy years."

Roop agrees.

"Time is our most valuable asset," he says. "This year, I have watched two lovely clients pass away at age 69. They did not plan for that. It was not in the brochure. That is not financial planning. That is heartbreaking."

While there's no need to start planning your early demise, it could help to remind your husband that you don't know how many healthy years you have left. That, combined with very strong financials, could sway him to adopt a more flexible approach to work that doesn't interfere with the travel plans you've always dreamed of.

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If you've got a United Airlines flight coming up soon, don't forget to pack your headphones in your carry-on bag. The major airline recently updated its contract of carriage to require passengers listening to music, movies or any other kind of media to wear headphones while doing so. Violating the new policy could get you temporarily or permanently banned from flying United.

For most travelers, the new rule will be a welcome change as you'll no longer have to hear the competing sounds of different passengers' music, cartoons and other entertainment while trying to relax on your flight.

But if you find yourself at your gate with no headphones in tow, are you doomed to fly in silence or else risk being kicked off the plane? Here's what travelers should know about the new United policy.

What is United Airline's new headphone policy?

United Airlines new policy, as of February 27, says passengers who listen to media without headphones can be temporarily or permanently banned from flying on their airline. Specifically, the updated contract of carriage now includes "Passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content" under its list of reasons for refusal of transport.

In the same section, the contract includes a ban on "voice or video calls after the aircraft doors have closed, while taxiing in preparation for takeoff, or while airborne." The aim of the rules seems to be to preserve the peace for your fellow passengers on board.

The move makes official what has already been considered proper airplane etiquette. Wearing headphones allows all passengers to be able to enjoy their preferred form of in-flight entertainment without disturbing others. Instead of being common courtesy, United has now made it a legally binding term that you agree to when you buy a ticket.

How to get a refund if you're kicked off of a United flight

If you weren't aware of the new policy and maybe don't fly often enough to know the unspoken rules of flying, you might find yourself getting in trouble with a United flight attendant.

If you are removed from a flight for violating the new headphone rule (or any other terms in the contract of carriage), you have options. According to the contract of carriage, "A passenger who is removed or refused transportation in accordance with this rule may be eligible for a refund upon request."

So, if you're caught in this situation, immediately contact United Airline's customer service or talk to an attendant at the gate to request a refund. You'll be refunded only for the unused portions of your flight. So if you're kicked off during a layover, you'll get a refund for the second leg (and return flight) of the trip, but not the flight that got you to your layover airport.

You might also be subject to cancellation fees and if you purchased a nonrefundable ticket, you might be out of luck. But it's always worth making the request anyway to find out what your options are.

Tips for using headphones on an airplane

Whether you forgot to pack a pair or you have a wireless set you're not sure will work on the plane, there are lots of ways to tune into your favorite in-flight playlist or that TV show you planned to binge on board. Here are a few tips:

• Bluetooth headphones should work just fine. Just tap airplane mode on your phone first and then toggle on Bluetooth. But bring a cable as a backup or make absolutely sure your wireless headphones are fully charged before you get to the airport so you don't find yourself with dead earbuds halfway through your flight.
• United Airlines may provide free headphones, but they'll likely come with an AUX cable. Many modern devices don't have that port anymore so you might not be able to use the free headphones with your own phone. But you can still connect it to the seatback screen to watch the shows or movies available there.
• Consider having a pair of travel-only headphones, specifically a cheap pair that won't hurt you too much if you lose them.
• Over-ear headphones are nicer for blocking out the noises of the aircraft but earbuds take up less space in your bag. For me, I choose based on the length of the flight. For roughly five hours or longer, I'm bringing my big noise-cancelling headphones. For shorter flights, I'm making do with earbuds.

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For travelers who enjoy their own company, taking a solo vacation has a timeless appeal. You can go where you want, when you want, without accommodating a companion’s schedule and interests. And since the pandemic, solo travel’s popularity has reached new heights, says Alexandria Sanchez, consumer marketing manager for G Adventures, a small-group adventure-travel company.

When travel came to a halt during the COVID-19 shutdown, many people realized how important traveling was to them. Once they were able to start taking trips again, they were eager to get going — even if that meant doing it on their own.

Solo travel should keep growing for years to come. Its estimated global market value was nearly $500 billion in 2024, and that figure is expected to double by 2030, according to Grand View Research, a market research and consulting firm. "People are starting to realize that they don’t want to wait for somebody to be available. It’s now or never," says Wendy Marley, a travel advisor for AAA Northeast.

The majority of people who travel solo — 62% — are baby boomers, and more than two-thirds of those who travel alone are women, according to the 2025 Virtuoso Global Luxury Traveler Report, which reflects preferences and trends among clients of more than 2,200 luxury travel advisers in Virtuoso’s network. Solo travel is especially popular among women 45 and older.

"Many are at an inflection point in their lives. They are looking for a fresh start on a new chapter, a new perspective, or context after a major change in their personal lives," says Jeannie Ralston, founder of NextTribe, a tour operator that organizes group tours for older women traveling alone.

A variety of destinations and experiences appeal to solo travelers, but they lean toward places where they will feel safe and that have a strong transportation infrastructure. The top destinations are Italy, France, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom, according to the Virtuoso report.

"Ease of transportation and safety make places like Italy, Spain and Portugal ideal for solo travelers," says Marley. Many Asian countries fit the bill, too — and they’re affordable. "Asia offers incredible value — four‑ or five‑star hotels for the price of a three‑star in Europe," says Sarah Lang, luxury travel adviser for Pique Travel Design in San Francisco.

Thinking of embarking on your own solo journey? We have guidance here on how to design a trip that prioritizes your comfort and security, along with suggestions of top experiences and destinations.

Gain peace of mind.

Safety is a chief concern for solo travelers as they navigate new places without a trusted travel companion. For that reason, it may make sense to invest more than you otherwise would in certain aspects of your trip. "Think about where it makes sense to spend more so you feel comfortable, instead of stressed and anxious," says Lang.

Buying travel insurance, for one, is often a good choice. "Travel insurance is especially important if you’re on your own in another country," says Marley. A comprehensive travel insurance plan will include medical coverage; reimbursement if you have to cut a trip short due to illness, injury or a family emergency back home; 24/7 assistance in case of other emergency situations, such as a lost passport; help finding doctors and emergency transportation; and coverage for essentials and accommodations in the event of flight delays or lost luggage.

You can compare travel insurance plans on websites such as SquareMouth.com and InsureMyTrip.com. These plans are typically priced at about 4% to 10% of the cost of your trip.

Some of the best travel credit cards provide trip insurance as well, although it may not be as robust as what you would get with a stand-alone policy.

Chase Sapphire Reserve ($795 annual fee) and Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95) provide benefits including trip cancellation and interruption coverage and trip delay reimbursement for unexpected hotel stays, meals and essential expenses. Several other premium travel cards, including the Platinum Card from American Express ($895) and Capital One Venture X ($395), offer similar protections, such as reimbursement for lost or delayed baggage and emergency assistance services.

Reliable transportation is also a worthwhile investment for your solo trip. Try to arrive at your destination during daylight hours, when possible, and choose direct routes over complicated transfers, especially in unfamiliar areas.

Hotel-arranged transfers are usually reliable, or use a well-known rideshare app such as Uber. BlaBlaCar in Europe is another safe choice, typically offering shared shuttle rides between cities. It provides a women-only option, too, allowing travelers to ride exclusively with female drivers and co-passengers.

By going on guided tours of sites and cities on your trip, you benefit from local expertise, the company of other travelers and an added layer of safety. You can book tours through companies such as Viator.com, ToursByLocals and Airbnb Experiences. Before you sign up for a tour, check recent reviews from other travelers, and don’t rely only on star ratings. Look for positive comments regarding communication, punctuality and safety awareness.

Although you may spend a little extra on measures that help ensure your safety, you can opt to save money in other ways. One idea is to skip the upscale lodging and book budget-friendly accommodations instead.

"You don’t have to spend a lot on a hotel. Put your money into experiences," says Ralston. Redeeming credit card rewards points or miles for travel reservations can also take the edge off your costs. And consider going on your trip during an off-peak season for tourists. Not only are prices often lower during these periods, but you’ll avoid big crowds, too.

Trips with companionship.

Traveling solo doesn’t mean you have to be truly alone. Some tour companies design trips for solo travelers who seek a built-in community without sacrificing their independence. "You don’t have to be alone when you’re traveling — unless you want to be," Lang says.

You can find small-group trips to destinations all over the world, created with solo travelers in mind, from tour operators such as Intrepid Travel, G Adventures , Road Scholar, Overseas Adventure Travel, and Go Ahead Tours, to name a few. And some organize tours for specific types of solo travelers. Road Scholar, for example, hosts trips for older adults, and NextTribe focuses on women age 45 and older. Tour group FTLO Travel arranges trips for solo travelers in their twenties and thirties.

Below, we’ve highlighted trips — many of them from the above-mentioned tour operators — in five categories that may be especially attractive for solo ventures.

Set out on an adventure.

Adventure trips suit many solo travelers, calling on their independence, self-reliance and courage, opening the opportunity for self-growth, and offering the chance to truly unplug from daily life. "Solo travelers lean heavily toward adventure travel — especially women," Lang says. Guided adventure trips offer valuable safety measures and ease the logistics.

G Adventures offers a 15-day trek to Nepal’s Everest Base Camp, the starting point for climbing to Mt. Everest’s summit. Even without scaling to the top of the mountain, travelers enjoy a challenging trek and unparalleled natural scenery.

The trip, which starts at about $1,200 per person in a small group of solo travelers, includes an English-speaking local guide, all necessary permits, porters (people who carry gear for you), lodging (two hotel stays and 12 nights in teahouse lodges) and transportation between destinations, including internal flights that take place during the trip; you pay separately for your flights from and to home.

For a European excursion into the mountains, G Adventures offers a trek of Mont Blanc, the iconic peak in the French Alps, for solo travelers. On the 10‑day small‑group hiking trip through France, Italy and Switzerland, a professionally trained and certified guide leads a journey along the Mont Blanc routes. The trip includes nine breakfasts, five dinners, group transport, and stays in hotels and mountain refuges (basic lodging, typically with bunk beds and shared bathrooms). Pricing starts at $2,249 for 2026 tours.

If an adventure that blends Arctic thrills with cultural experiences sounds up your alley, check out FTLO Travel’s eight-day small-group trip to Lapland, a region that stretches across Finland, Norway and Sweden.

At $6,599, the journey includes seven nights in shared accommodations (upgrades to private rooms are available), meals, and activities such as dog sledding, snowmobiling, reindeer encounters and sauna sessions. Guided tours of local towns and the world’s northernmost brewery are part of the package, too, and you’ll have multiple chances to see the northern lights.

Go on a health and wellness journey.

From peaceful walking tours to full-blown retreats, wellness trips can take a variety of forms. "Many people travel solo after a life milestone—they’re looking for a reset," says Sanchez. If you’d like to go on a retreat, you can search among a range of options at BookRetreats.com.

The possibilities include retreats designed for those experiencing grief from the loss of a loved one, those recently divorced or separated from their partner, and even those who are newly retired from specific professions. Many travelers are drawn to the joy, connection and satisfaction that wellness retreats can elicit. "These trips really can change how you see the world," Ralston says.

Resorts devoted to wellness are forging a strong presence, too. At Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona, an all-inclusive wellness resort, guests enjoy experiences such as spa treatments, yoga and fitness classes, aromatherapy, and more. For the "All You Can Spa" package, which lets you indulge in unlimited spa services during your stay, nightly rates start about $1,500 per guest.

Some independent yoga studios organize retreats for their patrons, traveling to far-flung destinations and offering lodging, meals, yoga classes and tours.

The Madeira Cultural Yoga Retreat, hosted by the Washington, D.C.–based studio Mimi Rieger Yoga, for example, offers an eight‑day, seven‑night immersive wellness and cultural experience at the historic Reid’s Palace in Madeira, Portugal. Travelers enjoy daily yoga, meditation and mindfulness sessions alongside curated meals, two excursions (a sunrise hike and a catamaran cruise) and access to hotel amenities such as pools and spa services.

Pricing starts at about $4,800 per person for shared accommodation or $5,800 for single occupancy.

Take a guided tour.

Guided tours have come a long way in recent years. "Tours today aren’t 80 people following a guide with a flag," Marley says. Modern tours offer curated experiences, often in small groups and with the flexibility to opt in or out of certain parts of the tour if you wish. And for those interested in true cultural immersion, traveling in a small group can make all the difference. "Small groups allow for cultural immersion you can’t always get on your own," Marley says.

NextTribe recently offered a 12-night trip to Marrakesh, the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert in Morocco for a small group of solo women travelers (up to 13 people) for $4,899. The trip includes 12 nights of accommodations, daily breakfasts and dinners, 10 lunches, all transfers and transport (besides your airfare from and to home), an English-speaking guide, and entrance fees to monuments and activities.

Another small-group journey for women from NextTribe: the seven-night "Spring Insider Guide Through Paris Neighborhoods," during which an experienced local guide leads an exploration through Paris’s diverse districts. The trip includes accommodations and most meals. Double occupancy pricing for this trip is about $5,399, and single-room pricing is about $6,899.

"Ireland for Solo Travelers," from Go Ahead Tours, is an eight‑day guided tour tailored to solo adventurers, letting you explore Ireland’s highlights with a group of 15 to 28 fellow travelers while visiting places such as Dublin, the Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle, Galway Bay and the Cliffs of Moher.

The tour includes six nights in private hotel rooms, six breakfasts, three dinners with beer or wine, a beer tasting, four sightseeing tours, expert guides, and private deluxe motorcoach transportation. If you prefer a longer trip, you can add a 10‑day Dublin extension.

Pricing varies by departure and season, often starting between $3,400 and $3,900.

Focus on the cuisine.

From shared meals to cooking classes to market tours, culinary experiences can bring a solo venture to life, allowing individuals to forge bonds with other travelers and locals alike. Shared meals are a central part of many guided trips designed for solo travelers, such as those offered by G Adventures.

"Day one always includes a shared dinner — food brings people together immediately," Sanchez says. Some tour companies, including NextTribe, may arrange dinners and other experiences hosted by locals, too. "Meeting locals in their homes is what makes travel truly enriching," says Ralston.

G Adventures recently offered an eight-day group trip for solo travelers around Sicily, from Catania to Palermo. At $2,249, the trip includes a cooking class in Catania, guided tours, seven nights in hotels (with the option to pay an additional $379 for your own room; otherwise, travelers typically share rooms), nine meals, and transportation throughout the duration of the trip. You can also add on a street-food and market tour of Palermo, Sicily’s capital, for $68.

Embark on an educational expedition.

Have a passion for learning? You can join other solo travelers on a tour that allows you to delve into the history of a particular region, immerse yourself in the language and culture, or study its environment and engage in a conservation project.

For example, Road Scholar, which focuses on educational programming, recently offered a nine-day group journey to Costa Rica, during which you can study nature alongside other solo travelers, explore volcanic terrain and tropical gardens, meet residents in local communities, and learn more about Costa Rica’s culture and history.

At $2,849, the trip includes eight nights of accommodations, 22 meals (eight breakfasts, six lunches and eight dinners), five expert-led lectures and 11 guided field trips.

Road Scholar also recently offered a journey to Bhutan for solo travelers, who join to explore the region’s museums, temples and natural wonders, as well as the country’s traditions and local life.

The Bhutan program includes 14 nights of accommodations, 41 meals (14 breakfasts, 13 lunches and 14 dinners), four expert-led lectures, and 24 guided field trips that provide deep cultural and historical context. Two in-country flights are included, along with the support of an experienced group leader throughout the trip.

Sidestep the single supplement.

One pesky feature that may come with traveling alone is the single supplement — an extra fee solo travelers pay for hotel rooms, cruise cabins or tours. Travel vendors charge the fee when a service is designed with the expectation that two people will use it, such as a double-occupancy room.

As a solo traveler, you may end up paying the full rate for two or face a surcharge on the price for one to cover lost revenue from a second guest. For example, a group tour priced at $2,200 per person may offer a private-room option for an additional $300 to $500 total for the trip, depending on the destination and length. On cruises or luxury tours, single supplements can be higher, sometimes adding 50% or more to the base fare.

You may be able to avoid the fee. Before you book a tour, cruise or other accommodations, ask the vendor about discounts for solo travelers, which may get you access to unpublished deals — especially with smaller operators. And some travel companies offer cabins for single travelers, waive the supplement or provide other special discounts.

Adventure-travel company G Adventures, for example, doesn’t charge a single supplement on its "Solo-ish" trips — group trips for those traveling on their own, says Alexandria Sanchez, consumer marketing manager for G Adventures.

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.

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The snow powder has settled in northern Italy, and American athletes are coming home from the Winter Olympics with 33 medals, 12 of them gold. Where will those precious metals end up? In many cases, a sock drawer.

Of 15 athletes interviewed by The New York Times, seven admitted to storing their Olympic medals in sock drawers and socks, while four keep them in nightstands. Figure skating legend Michelle Kwan shared on social media that she keeps her various medals in a walk-in closet alongside shoes and handbags.

On the one hand, storing valuables in a nondescript space has some merit. On the other, there are wiser steps to take to secure your valuables, especially those you can't easily replace.

When home storage makes sense for valuables

Your first question might be why these athletes aren't all storing their Olympic medals in safe deposit boxes at a bank. While it's likely some are doing that, there are pros and cons to this method.

Pros: You don't have to worry about your valuables getting stolen from your house.

Cons: You have to pay for the storage annually, and if something happens to the safe deposit box, such as a natural disaster or theft, you're not necessarily protected. The contents of safe deposit boxes are not FDIC-insured (including cash you keep there). Even if you have your medals in a safe deposit box, you still need to get insurance for it.

Additionally, you can't access items in a safe deposit box anytime you want. For example, Kiplinger has previously suggested you not store jewelry you wear often in a safety deposit box, since it's inaccessible. This is also the case for Olympians, who say they frequently have to take their medals to public appearances.

For these reasons, it might be safer and more practical to keep your valuables at home, especially if it's something you can't replace.

Then there's the emotional reasons: If you worked hard to win an award or earn enough money to buy a piece of art or memorabilia, you don't necessarily want to hide it away in a bank.

"Some people have their medals in a safety deposit box and haven't seen them in 20 years — that's sad," speed skater Rusty Smith told Today in 2014.

Let's say you've decided to keep your valuables at home. Where do you store it?

The risks of storing valuables at home

Keeping cash and valuables at home obviously comes with risks, primarily in the form of theft and natural disasters.

Burglary risk. Your home can be burglarized randomly or in a targeted manner. To protect yourself from random theft, you should consider investing in home alarm systems, including those with cameras. But you also must remember to use that alarm system.

Additionally, if you're leaving home for more than a week, you should consider informing the local police department, and they can check in on your home while you're away.

Then there's the question of targeted theft. If you don't want people to be able to Google where you live, consider purchasing your home through an LLC or land trust. Talk to an adviser and lawyer to do this properly.

One way to avoid becoming a target is to not let people know you keep valuables in the house. As online commenters pointed out, Kwan telling the world exactly where in the house she keeps her medals might not be a wise safety decision. (Of course, we don't know what other precautions she has.)

But you don't have to be a public figure for this to apply: Unfortunately, you can be targeted by people you know and trust. I have friends who have had jewelry and handbags stolen when a pet-sitter brought a thieving friend inside and when someone left a door unlocked during a party.

Be aware of what you tell people and who you let have access to your home, even friends. In these cases, too, having cameras can help at least after a theft.

Where to safely store valuables at home

In the cases of both burglary and natural disaster, there are some ways to mitigate your risk when keeping valuables at home.

One obvious solution is to store your valuables in a home safe. But first, all safes are created equal; look for fire-resistant and waterproof safes to protect from disasters.

Secondly, you need to decide if you want a mobile or permanent safe. A mobile safe that you can move around can be the right decision if you're more concerned about natural disasters destroying your home — you can simply take the safe with you when you evacuate.

But portable safes are also strong targets for burglars. If you're more concerned about theft, use a permanently installed safe.

Common places for thieves to look in a home include anything near entryways, kitchen freezers, mattresses and dresser, office and nightstand drawers, according to AAA. While a sock drawer might attract thieves, AAA suggests you could stash valuables alongside non-valuable household items, such as in storage bins for holiday decor.

You could also invest in clever hiding spots, such as fake wall outlets or fake wall vents. It might sound a little Pink Panther-esque to hide a safe in a wall behind a painting, but if you're concerned about theft, it's not a bad option.

What if you still want to display your valuable?

Displaying your valuables could open yourself up to theft, as anyone in the house (or scouring your photos on social media) would know you have it and where it is.

But there's always the option to get a replica. Many Olympians get replica medals to display, while storing the real ones securely. You could get prints of art or replicas of artifacts and memorabilia to display, while keeping the real version safe and hidden. That's smart, especially if you have an investment piece you hope to sell one day.

One more safe storage option outside the home

Some athletes have said they let their parents store their Olympic medals. If you're worried about being targeted — or if, like many of these athletes, you travel a lot — passing a specific valuable along to a trusted family member could be an option.

But some athletes have done something that might be wiser: donated their medals for others to secure and display.

Olympic gold medalists Kristi Yamaguchi and Tara Lipinski both had their medals displayed at the World Figure Skating Museum and Hall of Fame. Yamaguchi told Today in 2014 she was "always been nervous of it getting lost, stolen or even damaged," while Lipinski expressed the medals are "very safe in the museum" since they have their own security measures.

Donating valuables might also come with tax benefits. Talk to an adviser before proceeding.

In any case, whether your valuable is in a safe deposit box, your sister's garage or on display at your local skating club, while it's your property, you should get it properly insured. You might never be able to get a lost valuable back, but insurance coverage can take away some of the sting.

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Question: We're 78, retired, and want to use our 2026 RMD to treat our two children, spouses and six grandkids to a weeklong vacation. We're mobile but don't have the same energy as the younger folks (no matter how much coffee we drink). How should we approach this?

Answer: For people with money in a traditional retirement savings plan, required minimum distributions (RMDs) can be a blessing and a curse. While RMDs can inevitably produce a sizable tax bill, they can also serve as an opportunity to splurge on experiences about which you otherwise wouldn't dream.

If you're 78 with a mandatory RMD coming your way this year, you have a choice. You could grumble about having to take that withdrawal and pay the IRS its share, or you could use the money to treat your grown children, their spouses and your grandchildren to a week-long family vacation.

At 78, the return on investment of an experience such as a family vacation is likely higher than any "thing" you could treat yourself to with those RMD funds.

Planning a trip like that, however, might be easier said than done. Even if you don't have mobility issues at 78, you might not have the same energy level as the younger generations with whom you plan to travel. Since you might shell out some serious cash for a vacation, look into travel insurance. If you're traveling abroad, you should also consider travel health insurance.

Here are some tips for pulling off a memorable vacation that everyone enjoys.

Focus on activities that don't split the family

If your goal is to bond and enjoy new experiences together, it's important to make sure you plan activities that you can all do together. Paul Whitten, founder, CEO, and historian at Nashville Adventures, says you need to be honest with yourself about what activities you can handle, and focus on those that offer family time that feels unified.

"Grandparents want to be involved, not sitting on a bench watching the younger folks have all the fun," Whitten explains. "That usually means leaning toward slower, guided experiences."

Whitten suggests focusing on activities such as walking tours, museum visits, boat rides, scenic neighborhoods and slower-paced outings.

"Amusement parks and high-energy attractions often split the group fast and alienate older people," Whitten says. "Older folks love watching the grandchildren smile, but they do not want to be alienated from the group."

Carve out time for everyone to have their own space

While you don't want your main activities to force your family to split up, Whitten says it's also a good idea to give yourself and your family members a little space here and there during your travels.

"The best trips intentionally build in a bit of separation," he says. After a day of sightseeing, your grown kids may want a night out on the town, while you may prefer a jazz club or a quiet dinner. There's no reason not to allow for that.

Give yourselves easy access to different activities

Since it's a good idea to build in some solo activities during a family trip, another strategy for making things go smoothly is to choose the right lodging setup, says Casey Halloran, CEO and co-founder at Costa Rican Vacations.

"Private villa rentals, small resorts and destination properties that bundle on-site activities work really well here," Halloran explains. "They give families shared gathering space but still allow guests to branch off and do their own thing."

A setup like this could, for example, allow the grandkids to splash in the pool for an hour before dinner while the adults relax or get a massage.

Build in some downtime

You might be eager to explore a new destination with your kids and grandkids. But Halloran says it's also important to build some downtime into your itinerary.

"Older travelers often underestimate how exhausting constant packing, transfers and early excursions can be," he says.

In Halloran's experience, multigenerational trips often work best when they're designed around big, shared moments coupled with sufficient unstructured downtime, whether it's lounging by the pool or taking longer lunches.

Set clear financial expectations

You might be looking to foot the bill for a multi-generational family trip. Your RMD might be enough to cover all of it, or you might only be in a position to pay for the big-ticket items, such as airfare and lodging, but you expect your grown kids to pay for meals and certain activities.

It's important to communicate this to your family up front, says Halloran. Setting the tone early can prevent awkwardness later.

Whitten says that if you're on a budget, it pays to take advantage of local resources.

"Almost every tourist city has a visitors bureau or tourism chamber with discounts posted online," he says. "Use walking tours instead of expensive trolley tours. Book museums with senior discounts ahead of time. And, my favorite thing, don’t overlook parks."

Start your planning early

Multigenerational trips can, in many cases, require significant planning. The sooner you get the ball rolling, says Halloran, the smoother things might run.

"My number one tip is to start planning early," he says. "It takes time to plan a wonderful, thoughtful multigenerational trip, but it's worth it."

Planning early also helps ensure that everyone involved can get away without too much hassle.

Your grown kids might have busy periods at work. Your grandkids might have limited school breaks. Providing plenty of notice could allow your kids and grandchildren to get away with clear heads, while giving you time to map out a memorable experience.

Better yet, delegate. Identify your most "type A" adult child and ask him or her to be the principal planner. You can lean on this person for logistics wh,ile you provide an overall vision for the vacation.

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The Olympics are inspiring for many reasons. Athletes see them as literal goals, while us mortals at home are moved by the competitors' perseverance, fortitude and collegiality. It's a beautiful thing for us to get together every few years across the globe and put our best feet forward.

You might never stand at the 420-foot top of a ski jump, but there are still lessons you can take from the Olympics into your career.

5. Put yourself in the right position for your career

One of the most interesting career lessons in these Olympics has nothing to do with sports. If you've been watching NBC's coverage, you've seen sportscaster Mike Tirico. If you watched the Super Bowl last Sunday, you also saw Tirico.

It's remarkable to go from calling the biggest game in the United States to headlining the Olympics, and it all happened because of a career decision Tirico made a decade ago, smartly detailed by Andrew Marchand for The Athletic.

He left ESPN, where he had established an impressive career with a role regularly calling football games, to go to NBC, in part because he had an ambition to call the Super Bowl, to which ESPN didn't have broadcast rights (it also didn't have rights to the Olympics).

When he first got to NBC, Marchand wrote, "Despite formerly being a 'No. 1,' Tirico only got occasional games." But Tirico had smartly positioned himself in the commentating line of succession, giving himself opportunities, between the Super Bowl and the Olympics, he never would have had if he had stayed being "No. 1" at ESPN.

The lesson? To chase your career goals, position yourself strategically where the opportunities are.

4. Sometimes the best investing decision is the obvious one

...within reason.

As you earn enough money to make serious investments, you face a question: Do you invest in the Magnificent 7, which "everyone knows is the best," or do you look for a hidden value stock that can skyrocket? (There is another option, which is investing in a fund, but bear with me here.)

You might think the Mag 7 is overplayed, and there's no way something that's had such a great rise will continue having such a great rise. But the thing is, sometimes companies that are performing well will continue to perform well.

Just ask the U.S. women's hockey team. Coming in as favorites, Team USA finished the group stage undefeated, scoring 20 points in four games and only getting scored on once.

Or ask Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, the skier who just tied the record for the most gold medals at the Winter Olympics.

But then there are the counterexamples. Consider, if you will, figure skater Ilia Malinin; or Mikaela Shiffrin, the best alpine skier in the world "for three years and 11 months out of every four years," as the Wall Street Journal put it, who has had a dismal time at this and the last Olympics. Consider Chloe Kim, who missed a difficult attempt on the snowboard halfpipe and took home a silver.

The thing is, that's us looking at two weeks of performance out of a full career. If you looked at the Magnificent 7 in the last week or two, you might also think they're a lost cause. (With the hockey competition still going on, there's no certainty the U.S. will continue its dominant streak.)

The lesson? Sometimes "the best" get that reputation for a reason, but you have to trust returns over a reasonable time period. Do your research and make your own determinations on your investments, but take it from someone who sold Facebook stock at $65 in 2014: Big companies can get bigger.

3. Subjective judgment is a painful part of life

Imagine you were working for 15 years, steadily moving up from assistant to vice president at the same company, not causing any drama, picking up side projects for other teams, and getting consistently improving results.

How would you feel, then, if someone who got hired less than a year ago — who had lower numbers than you last quarter — got that promotion you've been hoping for?

That was something of the case for Team USA's Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the married ice dancers who have been skating together for 15 years. This was their fourth Olympics, and they came in determined to leave champions.

Instead, they lost the gold by 1.3 points to the French team, who only paired up last spring as they each faced controversial situations with their previous partners.

Figure skating is a famously subjective sport, as scores are made by a panel of judges making their best determination.

While efforts have been made to make the process more objective, hiring decisions are also famously subjective and can come down to something as simple as another candidate using a phrase that was on the hiring manager's mind, while you had a different word choice.

The lesson? You might never know why someone got the job over you, but that decision doesn't determine your worth or how good you are at what you do. U.S. figure skater Michelle Kwan never won gold, but we still consider her a legend.

"Sometimes in life you can feel like you do everything right and it doesn't turn out that way, and that's life and that's sport," Bates said after the results came out.

He went on to add, "We're married, so we're gonna be fine, we're gonna go home and we're gonna have a life," which brings us to our next lesson...

2. Professional success means less without personal fulfillment

In one of the most baffling moments of this — or any — Olympics, Norwegian athlete Sturla Holm Laegreid confessed to cheating on his ex-girlfriend in an interview after winning bronze in the 20-kilometer men's biathlon competition.

Fighting back tears, he said, "I'm not quite sure what I'm trying to say by saying this now, but sport has taken a back seat in recent days." He later told journalists he felt "not really here, mentally," and he went on to issue a statement apologizing for the comments, as they outshined what should've been a celebratory moment for Norway (his teammate won gold).

The lesson? As much as we want to compartmentalize and Severance our professional lives from our personal ones, we are the same person whether we're at work or at home. Professional success can feel hollow if you made missteps in your personal life on the path to victory.

1. You can unretire, but it might not go how you expect

One of the biggest stories coming into this Olympics was skier Lindsey Vonn's return to competition after retiring from the sport in 2019. It was an inspiring story as she bounced back to podiums in the lead-up to Milan-Cortina, including becoming the oldest alpine World Cup winner at age 41.

Then the dream of winning came crashing down. Days before the Olympic Games, Vonn crashed in a race, rupturing her ACL. She was still determined to compete, though — and within seconds of starting her run at the Olympics, she crashed again, breaking her leg.

There are many lessons people have made out of this tale, and it's easy to interpret it as saying unretiring is impossible and destined to end in tragedy. But consider this: Since returning to competition in 2024, Vonn made World Cup podiums twice, and she was good enough to secure a spot on the Olympic team.

"I have no regrets," she wrote. "Standing in the starting gate yesterday was an incredible feeling that I will never forget. Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself."

Let's not discount the finances. Vonn is one of the highest-paid athletes in these Olympics, per a Forbes estimate, and there's no doubt these additional competitions secured more endorsement deals for her.

There's more to the story of unretiring at the 2026 Olympics, as Vonn isn't the only athlete to have done so. Over in figure skating, Canada's Deanna Stellato-Dudek is preparing to compete in the pairs competition, which, at 42, would make her one of the oldest female figure skaters to compete at the Olympics. More than half her life ago, this would've seemed an impossibility. She retired at age 17 due to injuries, before returning to competition 16 years later.

"To know me is to know that I wasn't going down without a fight," she said this week while practicing after an injury, per The Canadian Press.

Similarly, American skater Alysa Liu retired from the sport at 16, after the 2022 Winter Games. Her retirement was less about physical injuries and more about taking control of her own life. The Liu we're seeing on the ice in these Games appears visibly free and happy.

"Before, literally, she never disagreed with anything anybody ever said," her coach told NBC News. "But now she has complete freedom to chime in and we respect that. So, she exercises her right all the time."

The lesson? You can unretire, but know that "success" in returning to work might look different from what you expect.

Maybe it's not returning to the C-suite to rocket a company to the top of the S&P; maybe success is finishing your work on your own terms, proving you can still do it, and making a little extra cash to cushion your retirement 2.0.

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Saren Eyre Loosli and her extended family are getting excited, and getting ready, for their four-day July reunion at Loosli’s parents’ Utah lake house. They expect to see 54 family members, ranging in age from six months to 80. "The kids sleep on the floor or out on the deck or on the lawn in tents,” said Loosli, founder and director of the Power of Families online community. “It’s not necessarily the most comfortable four days, but it’s worth it."

If you’d like to hold a family reunion, here are ten key questions to answer and advice on how to make the get-together memorable, fun, affordable and ways to avoid rookie mistakes.

1. When should I start planning a family reunion?

"We usually say people should start planning 12 to 18 months in advance," said Edith Wagner, editor of the digital Reunions Magazine. The National Family Reunion Institute site has a timeline recommending what to do and when to do it.

If you want to hold a reunion soon and haven’t started planning, Wagner suggests organizing a stripped-down version. This might mean a gathering at a family member’s house with a picnic or a campsite at a campground (rental cost: about $300 to $1,000).

Create a family reunion social media thread, Facebook group or private website where guests can stay up to date on news about the event.

2. When should I hold a family reunion?

Summer is generally best when kids are out of school. "You just have to make sure there are no weddings, graduations, major birthdays or vacations planned then," said Wagner. Offer family members a few dates to choose from, maybe through an online Doodle poll.

Family reunions often last three or four days — typically Friday through Sunday or Monday. Often, reunions begin with a meet-and-greet on Friday. Group activities begin Saturday morning and afternoon, followed by a banquet or catered dinner. There are more activities on Sunday, with departures on Sunday or Monday.

3. Who should host the family reunion?

You’ll be the quarterback and then assign family members as committee chairs to manage financial aspects, location, food and activities. "Planning a reunion is too much for just one person to do," said Loosli.

The reunion planner needs to connect with committee chairs regularly to ensure the work gets done. "Last summer, I got a call from somebody who had to call off the reunion because the person who was going to get the hotel never called any," Wagner said.

4. Where should the family reunion take place?

If the reunion won’t be at a family member’s home that guests can travel to easily, look for a location near a big city. You’ll get proximity to airports, train stations and highways and avoid city hotels’ steep lodging and parking costs.

Many hotels have swimming pools, which kids enjoy. And “a hotel meeting room lets people set up displays with pictures of their ancestors,” said Wagner.

Wagner also suggests considering a ranch or a farm because "all the activities are there."

Alternatively, guests can stay at VRBOs or Airbnbs. Those are challenging for holding big-group meetings, though.

5. How much will a family reunion cost?

That’s a decision the guests should agree on, factoring in costs for lodging, food, and activities as well as family members’ finances and travel expenses.

If some invited guests think they can’t afford to attend, they can tell the reunion chair confidentially to see if there’s a way to defray their costs. "My parents have always said to our family members, ‘If you’re in a tough spot financially, don’t hesitate to let us know," said Loosli. "There’s never any talk of who got help and who didn’t."

To keep costs down, many reunions hold fundraisers such as raffles, family cookbooks or cooking contests. The reunion host might agree to pay $500 or so to cover small expenses like family t-shirts or hats.

Hotels often require a down payment for a block of rooms, which may be negotiable. Book 25 or more rooms and you might get a free meeting room. But, Wagner said, don’t lock in the number of rooms until you know how many family members will be coming. Otherwise, you’ll get stuck paying for ones you won’t need.

The finance committee chair will collect any required upfront payments and get those expenses paid.

6. What about food for a family reunion?

Some families prefer to hold all meals at the hotel or nearby restaurants. Others cook meals together and share the cost of ingredients. At some reunions, guests are responsible for their own breakfasts.

Reunions at hotels require special meal planning. "If you will have a banquet, you’ll need to decide if it’s going to be a buffet or seated and served," said Wagner. "If family members want to bring their own food, you have to make sure the hotel will let them."

Reunions at family farms sometimes set up stands for food, beer, soda, and ice cream and let attendees pay for what they purchase.

If your family hails from a particular country or area of the U.S., consider weaving your culinary traditions into your meal planning.

7. What activities should I plan for a family reunion?

That depends on what family members want. During the day, reunions typically include fun, outdoor activities. Nights are often for group dinners, parties, games, cooking contests and— later in the evening — adult discussions. Often, a reunion host speaks about the family genealogy at one of the dinners.

To nail down specifics, the activities chair might hold a Zoom call or create a multiple-choice poll for guests to select from.

Some reunions have creative activities. Loosli’s holds a playlist bonfire event where family members hear their relatives’ favorite songs of the year. It also has a talent show. "That’s fun because people can participate in their own way," said Loosli. The optional Fear Factor game lets grandkids try to eat unusual foods like seaweed, with a $15 grand-prize winner.

8. How much free time should there be at the family reunion?

Free time is important. “That’s where people often connect in informal ways that can be extremely meaningful,” said Loosli.

Look for ways to build in time for golf, shopping, and catching up.

"Golfers in the family will be very happy if they get to play golf," said Wagner. "If there’s a mall close by, there are going to be people happy to hear about that, too."

9. What about photos, videos and documenting the reunion?

Showing guests family pictures and home movies can be fun, especially nostalgic ones. "The best reunions happen when old family photos guide the conversation," said Mitch Goldstone, who runs the ScanMyPhotos site.

Ask guests to send their favorite family images and videos in advance. If you get prints, slides, VHS tapes or DVDs, hire a professional to digitize them. Expect to pay about $50 for 250 photos and about $30 per VHS tape.

Then, create a curated slideshow or film, with music, to show at the reunion. Try to include funny photos. “The goofy and silly ones are the ones that get the tears and the laughs,” said Goldstone.

Be sure guests take plenty of reunion photos as well. "After our reunions, we create a Google album where everyone submits the favorite photo they took," said Loosli. "Then, my sister’s present to our parents is a nice book containing the best pictures."

10. What if I need planning help?

Professional party planners can help you hold and run a family reunion. Other sources for tips:

Reunions Magazine: This site offers expert advice, photos and stories from reunion planners celebrating their events. You can submit your own reunion reflections and memories to Wagner at editor@reunionsmag.com.

The National Family Reunion Institute: This site offers suggestions for planning and hosting reunions, particularly for African-American families. On March 28, the group will have a free virtual family reunion workshop for reunion planners.

For general help and research on genealogy, try free sites such as Find a Grave, the U.S. Census and Geneanet.

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A splurge cruise is going to mean different things to different people, obviously. Let’s start with the landscape, er, seascape.

Traditionally, January is "wave season" for the cruise industry, when bookings and incentives peak. Lots of desirable cruises are already sold out, so get busy.

In terms of a high-end experience, cruise lines have tended to fall into one of three categories, though the lines are sometimes blurry: value, premium, and luxury. A recent shift is the increased use of "ultra-luxury." Naturally, luxury and ultra-luxury cruises are the priciest, and also typically offer the smallest ships with the least number of staterooms — and high staff-to-guest ratios.

It should be noted that, for some cruisers, having a dozen or more dining venues means "luxury." The downside of that criterion is that it requires a large ship carrying thousands of guests, which means longer lines to board and get off the ship. (Never say "boat.") It also means more ship architecture, so views of the sea can be limited by the infrastructure of restaurants, shops, casinos and theaters.

Not so with a ship that contains a few hundred guests. If you want to feel like you’re a VIP on an Italian yacht, develop a rapport with the staff, and see water on three sides (when on the bow or the stern), go smaller and more expensive. Being on a ship with 150 cabins (300 guests) is a completely different experience from cruising on a ship with 1,500 cabins (3,000 guests). It’s about privacy and intimacy as well as fine décor finishes and stellar cuisine.

That said, here are some of the top cruise lines and itineraries to splurge on.

1. Seabourn

Of Carnival Corp.’s roster of cruise lines (which includes Princess and Holland America), Seabourn has long been the gold standard for those seeking an Italian yacht-like voyage.

Several Seabourn ships were constructed at the renowned Fincantieri shipyard, based in Trieste, Italy, while the newest vessels — including the sister ships Venture (2022) and Pursuit (2023) — came from Italy’s T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa.

Seabourn Pursuit, an ultra-luxury expedition ship, accommodates just 264 guests. For those seeking sun and fun in the South Pacific, Pursuit is offering an April itinerary from French Polynesia to Fiji: the 11-Day Polynesia & Melanesia: Island Cultures & Coral Coasts. Veranda Suites start from around $10,000, while a Panorama Penthouse Suite commands more than $14,000.

But if 11 days doesn’t sound splashy enough, you can always stay aboard: the 27-Day Polynesia, Melanesia & Indonesia Explorer cruise (French Polynesia to Darwin, Australia) starts at more than $17,000 per person, based on double occupancy.

2. Oceania Cruises

You’ve likely heard from friends about this lux cruise line (it’s under the umbrella of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings), primarily because its gastronomy gets top marks. Oceania Sonata will be the first vessel in a brand-new class of ships (the Sonata class).

Set to debut in August 2027, it will be a floating home for 1,390 guests. In the meantime, consider the new Allura, which debuted in 2025 and can accommodate 1,200 guests. Dining options include: The Grand Dining Room, Polo Grill, Tuscan and French restaurants and the pan-Asian Red Ginger dining room.

Priced at $9,849 per guest, Oceania offers a 21-day Mediterranean cruise in July that departs from Trieste, Italy, and concludes in Athens. Ports along the way are stellar and include the gorgeous island of Hvar, Croatia; Istanbul (featuring an overnight stay so you can take in the sights, shops and people-watching at Taksim Square); and the Greek islands of Crete, Rhodes, Santorini, and Mykonos.

3. Regent Seven Seas Cruises

The Grandeur is the newest Seven Seas ship — the brand is also owned by Norwegian — and can accommodate 744 guests, and every suite boasts a balcony. The brand, formerly known as Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, made a big splash when Norwegian took ownership in 2014.

The Seven Seas Suite, which falls in the middle of the pack of the ship’s cabin categories, sprawls over 800 square feet. It features a customizable in-suite minibar replenished daily with the guests’ preferences, and if you book this suite, you get priority access to online shore excursion reservations.

A Northern European August itinerary begins in Stockholm and ends in Oslo, with overnight stops in Berlin, Copenhagen and Oslo. One must request pricing from the line’s website.

4. Viking

In 2020, "Viking Cruises" was renamed simply "Viking" to signal its new luxury profile. The company began in Russia in 1997 as a river cruise line; now its ships ply the waters of oceans and rivers and offer expedition cruises.

The vessels accommodate up to nearly 1,000 guests. In late November, the Viking Neptune is offering a 15-day, six-country itinerary (starting from around $5,500 — the lowest-priced staterooms are sold out, but keep this benchmark in mind for the future), from Lisbon to Rome, and includes the ports of Seville, Mallorca and Valencia, Spain; Monte Carlo; Livorno, Italy (convenient to Florence and Pisa); Tangier, Morocco; Marseille, France; and an overnight in Barcelona.

The Penthouse Veranda category (around $12,000) still has availability.

If river cruises are your thing, Viking has a 12-day Nile River itinerary in May, starting at $7,500. The pyramids and other antiquity sites in Cairo and Luxor must be seen to be believed. Required reading/watching: Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile; the most recent film adaptation (starring Kenneth Branagh, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer and Annette Bening) was released in 2022.

5. Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

The current iteration of the Ritz-Carlton hospitality brand dates from 1983, though its lineage can be traced back more than a century to the legendary Swiss hotelier César Ritz, who christened Ritz hotels in Paris and London. It’s safe to say that no cruise line enjoys the prestigious name recognition of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

In 2022, the line’s first vessel, the Evrima, set sail from Barcelona. Two additional ships were delivered in 2024 and 2025. The latest ship, Luminaria, will sail from Hong Kong to Tokyo in March; fares are from $22,700 (Terrace Suite) for 12 nights.

Guests will be treated to culinary stylings of Chef Paul Lau Ping Lui of Michelin-starred Tin Lung Heen at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong; and Chef Janice Wong, the brilliant chocolatier behind 2am : dessertbar, which offers refined sweets in Singapore and within the W Hotel Sydney. With 226 suites, the brand refers to the Luminaria as a super-yacht, thus coining a new category in the cruise ship lexicon.

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The great Irish poet William Butler Yeats asked what to do about "decrepit age that has been tied to me as to a dog’s tail?"

Robert Browning, the renowned English poet, on the other hand, urged: "Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be."

Aging is often viewed as two extremes — the bleak years of Yeats or Browning’s joyful future.

Most people, however, experience growing older as a combination of delights and difficulties. The joys vary, but almost all face the same struggle — the body or mind (or both) stops performing as in the past.

Warren Mullisen, 81, of Culver City, Calif, was a runner all his life and competed in numerous marathons. It was a perfect complement to his sedentary career as a retail buyer.

But a few years ago, he slipped on loose gravel while running up a trail and fell backwards, hitting his head. He suffered a brain injury that impaired his balance. "The legs don't seem to move when I'm trying to run," he says. Despite physical therapy, his neurologist says that most likely won’t change.

It has been, he says, "a daily struggle of coping and adjustment."

Facing declining abilities is always hard, but especially in a society where the pressure to "age well" is so prevalent. The habits for a happy retirement are fairly clear, but the benefits might not always follow: Exercise, build social networks, take up hobbies, volunteer — and the promised benefit is that "you, too, can remain active and alert as the years pass."

"Within the field of gerontology, there's been a huge push over the last couple of decades to address ageism by not equating disability and poor health with later life," says Michelle Putnam, director of the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

But when viewed simplistically, the concept of "successful aging" can too easily translate into the idea that people have somehow failed if they’re not healthy, fit and financially well off in later years.

"There is this sort of odd American thing where we believe that we can always be the exception, and somehow the exception becomes the goal or the standard, and we tailor everything towards that exception," says Putnam.

It’s easy to compare yourself to others who seem to be doing better, but also to your younger self.

"A lot of the struggle comes from the gap between what aging 'should' look like in the modern narrative and what aging actually looks like for real people," says Pouyan Golshani, an interventional radiologist. "It’s the comparison, not the condition, that creates the mental weight. I’ve watched older adults thrive once they stop judging themselves against their younger brain. It’s not about outrunning limitations — it’s about staying curious and adjusting with dignity."

Slowing down, but staying in the game

Steven Sultanoff, a clinical psychologist, has played softball for 58 of his 72 years. For decades, he played outfield on some of the top competitive recreational teams in Orange County, Calif. But his once strong throwing arm and fast legs have weakened and slowed, particularly over the past five years.

He moved from outfield to infield, but even then, "there were a few teams where managers said to me, 'You know, you're really no longer competitive with the team, and I'm not going to ask you back next season,'" he says.

"I certainly felt sad that I couldn't perform at that level, disappointed and frustrated, but I wasn't particularly upset," he says. "I just realized that it was time to look at my softball world and how I could manage."

He plays fewer games per week to allow his body to recover — he’s now down to two nights a week from five. He’s on less competitive teams. When his hitting flagged, he gave up his beloved bat to buy a more modern one that has more pop, allowing him to hit farther.

"I've shifted my attitude from being highly competitive and really having to win, which was my position when I had my high-end team, to playing for fun and doing the best I can within that," he says.

That attitude shift, experts say, is necessary as people grow older. The answer isn’t denial or forced positive thinking but "holding losses and acceptance together," says Julie Erickson, a clinical psychologist in Toronto who specializes in helping people adjust to the challenges of getting older.

"There has to be ample time to come to terms with a whole host of different feelings that need acknowledgement and working through — it could be grief, anxiety, anger, disbelief, guilt, shame," she says. It’s necessary "to be able to identify and talk about those feelings, not only with a therapist, but with critical people in your life. It’s not about dismissing what's happening, but also not falling into passive resignation either."

Mullison, the runner who can no longer run, found that to be true. He tried to do everything people typically suggest to adjust to his new reality. He read self-help books and wrote gratitude lists. He tried to replace running with yoga, meditation, tai chi and swimming, but none of those satisfied him. As a veteran, he even attended a veteran’s support group for those with brain injuries, but it didn’t click.

Then, Mullison says, his neurologist told him, "I can give you advice about your physical condition, but beyond that, you need someone to talk to about how you can handle this mentally."

After winning a year-long battle with his insurance company to pay for in-person therapy sessions, he found that having a trained expert to talk to has proved promising.

"I'm realizing that doing it on my own is far more difficult than having someone that I can talk to about it," he said.

What is aging well?

Most people say they want to age well, but what exactly does that mean?

A 2024 international survey found that among the almost 2,000 people who responded, the most prominent theme when asked to define aging well was "active, independent and engaged."

"That is in contrast to the conception that successful aging is solely or predominately related to the absence of disease or decline," the authors wrote.

Survey participants — with an average age of 71 (but ranging from 65 to 99) — were spread across the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. Almost 85% also said they were probably or definitely successfully aging, while only 6.4% said they were definitely or probably not

But "active, independent and engaged" can mean different things to different people. Warren Buffett, 95, storied chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that he didn’t really start feeling old until he was 90, when his balance became a little off, and his recall of people’s names dimmed. He stepped down as CEO late last year.

"There’s no magic moment," he said in the interview. "How do you know the day that you become old?"

But for every Buffett, for every 101-year-old Italian barista who has no intention of retiring, or 100-year-old marathoner, there’s the 75-year-old with Parkinson’s enjoying lunch with a friend and a little gardening, who still feels largely content.

Perhaps it’s easier to think about aging in relation to autonomy, competence and relatedness, Erickson says, the psychological traits considered necessary for human growth, motivation and well-being.

Autonomy, for example, is important, she says, but there’s more than one way to look at it — "less about being independent and a little more about choice. Does illness start to limit us in terms of what choices we can make? Absolutely. Does it preclude us from making all choices? No, absolutely not. So, it's a little bit about identifying where are the opportunities to still exert choice over something, even if it’s small."

After all, she adds, "independence is a bit of an illusion. None of us is completely independent, even when we're able-bodied."

A recent Pew Research survey on how Americans think about aging and experiences found that 67% of those 65 years and older believe they have control over their physical health and 60% over their physical mobility. Fewer than half (47%) believe they have control over their mental sharpness.

The reality is, according to the United States Census, that almost a quarter of those 65 and older have a disability. That number nearly doubles, to 46%, for those 75 and older.

Outside factors that influence aging

Of course, health and wealth do play a role in how comfortable and active one is during later years. Research has repeatedly found that those with lower household wealth or socioeconomic status see greater declines in numerous areas — including physical capabilities, cognitive function and social engagement — than those in wealthier households.

The Pew survey found that some 61% of those with higher income say they are aging extremely or very well, compared to 51% of those in the middle-income tier and 39% of those with lower income. Those in the upper income level were also more likely to rate their physical and mental health as high; they also reported spending more time on hobbies, being with friends and being active in some sort of civic group or club.

The model of aging successfully — and blaming individuals if they fail to live up to it — "really does make so many assumptions about what’s been available to people over their life course," Putnam says.

"Particularly in later life, in order to really get to that spot where you're doing fantastic and you don't have a lot of health problems, you probably had health insurance your whole life," she says. "You probably had a job that wasn't crazy physically demanding. You probably didn't experience a lot of physical violence or abuse."

And that’s one of the many reasons the issues around aging — and the burden of aging well — should not be placed solely on the individual, but on society as well, she says.

Innovation and imagination can improve adaptability

Some changes to make aging easier can be easy and inexpensive, such as installing benches in grocery stores and other places for a brief respite or toning down background music to make it easier for people to hear.

"Lack of imagination results in exclusions," Putnam says. "Being more inclusive of older adults is good for everybody, and sometimes that gets lost."

Take the invention created by Kerry Mellin of Calabasas, Calif. Mellin, 68, worked as a costumer in the film industry until she retired in 2020. The job took a major toll, particularly on her hands, because she spent her days sewing, cleaning, washing and costuming.

Mellin also owns a ranch and does all the work involved with running it. She loves her ranch and riding her horses; it feeds her soul, she says, but it’s also very difficult. Her back is damaged from years of horseback riding.

More than a decade ago, "in my favorite place, the barn, I literally could not grip my broom," she says. "I thought, 'What will my life look like if that satisfying feeling of a job-well-done, doing-it-yourself was behind me just because my body’s getting older?'"

So, she looped some duct tape on the broom handle to make it easier to hold. That was the beginning of a business she started with her sister in 2014: making silicone adaptive grip handles called Eazyhold for everything from forks to gardening tools to golf clubs.

Millions have been sold around the world, Mellin says, but the majority are used by infants and children with disabilities — a prime example of how developing aids for older adults can help many others not in their aging years.

Says Mellin: "For me, coping with getting older has meant being honest about my new frailties as I age, continuing to look for solutions to adapt to those new limitations and staying deeply committed to continuing to find a way to do the things I love."

Lessons learned about aging well

Almost everyone faces physical and mental decline as they age, but that doesn’t mean all such symptoms are solely due to getting older. Sometimes, too much or the wrong medication can cause confusion and memory loss, mimicking dementia.

Physical or occupational therapy can help improve strength and mobility at all ages. If your doctor or other medical provider is dismissive of your concerns, seek out another.

If a physical or mental limitation does prevent you from doing something you once enjoyed or that gives you a sense of worth, take time to acknowledge and grieve that loss. Try not to see it as surrender, but as acceptance of a new stage in life.

You may not be able to ski as you did 20 years ago or drive long distances, but can you continue the activity in a limited way? It can help to consult with an expert. Occupational therapists trained as driver rehabilitation specialists, for example, can evaluate older drivers and, in some cases, offer ways to help them continue driving.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking there is a "right way" to age. As Dr. Erickson asks, "How could we subject anything as complex as aging to being black and white? Even knowing someone's age tells us nothing about them or their experience of age."

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.

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It's a familiar tale: A once-grand house finds itself in financial straits. Facing destitution, the inhabitants look around to see what they can sell (perhaps a coat?). Typically, though, selling that heirloom means parting with it – and that's where this particular tale gets interesting.

After years of financial trouble, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City is taking some extreme measures. On top of layoffs, pay cuts for executives and the postponement of a new production, the Met is considering putting some assets up for sale, the New York Times detailed last week. That includes the naming rights to its theater – and the two massive murals by Marc Chagall that frame the building to the public.

Standing at a sweeping 30 by 36 feet and facing the windows to Lincoln Center Plaza, the murals, "The Sources of Music" and "The Triumphs of Music," were created for the building when it was erected in 1966 and are valued together at $55 million. Their mammoth size makes an interesting case: You'd be hard-pressed to find a buyer, especially in New York City real estate, with a 36-foot-high wall from which to display them. That's where the Met has another idea: They'd sell them, the Times reports, with the condition that the buyer agrees to leave them in place.

Theoretically, then, you spend $55 million on paintings, and all you get in return is a plaque on the wall at the Met with your name on it. So, is it worth it? That depends on what you want out of the purchase.

An eye for charitable deductions

Buying something special and not being able to actually hold it "somewhat defeats the purpose for most buyers," Thomas Ruggie, founder and CEO of Destiny Family Office in Florida, tells Kiplinger.

A sports memorabilia collector himself, Ruggie says a benefit he got out of buying a pair of Muhammad Ali's boxing trunks is that "I get to see them every time I'm in my office. It's an investment, and it increased in value, but I also get the enjoyment of seeing it, which you don't get buying stocks and bonds and private equity."

In part because of the leave-in-place stipulation, he suspects that a potential Chagall buyer would be someone whose interest first and foremost is philanthropy. But there are several ways that could play out.

For instance, a person could buy the works, hold them for a year, and then donate them back to the Met, which is a nonprofit. They could be purchased through a foundation or donor-advised fund, and you could, for tax planning purposes, purchase parts of it in different years. A buyer could also pay more than the $55 million, where additional funds are considered a donation.

If you are considering making this $55 million purchase for charitable deduction purposes, it's important to know that there have been major changes to charitable deductions in 2026, including a 35% cap for high-income donors. (Also, if you are considering making this purchase, please give me a call, I'd love to catch a show.)

Another elegant option for tax deductions is through leasing. Say you purchase the murals and, as part of the agreement to leave them in place, lease them back to the Met. What you could then do is donate the lease – so if it's valued at, say, $3 million to lease the works for a year, rather than having the Met pay, you would make the lease an annual donation. With any option, a buyer should consult with a financial adviser and tax professional to help assess what's doable.

The Chagalls as an investment

Aside from tax benefits, there's a question here about the value of the art as an investment. Of course, many people use art as alternative investments, and returns are mixed. The art market has been having a bit of a slump lately, but there were positive signs last year that it was picking up; one week in November 2025 saw auctions in New York that totaled $2.2 billion, Artnet reported.

So, are the Chagalls a good investment tool?

Well, back in 2009, in the face of the financial crisis, the Met actually did put the murals up as collateral for a loan, CBC reported. At the time, their reported appraisal was $20 million total. That amount of money is equivalent, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to about $30 million today, adjusting for inflation. That means, given the $55 million valuation, the murals' value has outpaced inflation.

But was that a better bet than investing in the stock market? No. If you'd instead invested $20 million in the S&P 500 in spring 2009, you'd have somewhere in the region of $150-200 million now.

Plus, in order to get the increased value of the art after owning it for some time, you'd need to find someone to buy it – likely with the same stipulation that it remain in place in the opera house, which creates a more limited pool of buyers, Ruggie points out. (There is a possibility that the art is sold not as a whole, but in fractional investments. That would open it up to a wider buyer pool and create a different kind of market for it.)

Even so, he says, these works are "blue-chip investments. The price can fluctuate, but long-term, Marc Chagall's going to hold, maintain and in all likelihood, at least in the long-term, increase in value."

Somewhat ironically, that's especially true because of their location. The fact that they're the Met Opera Chagalls that everyone can see from Lincoln Center Plaza gives them more prestige, which increases their value, rather than if they were on private display.

And one more point on the murals as investments – as the Met did, you could theoretically use them as collateral on a loan. That could be useful in the event of a liquidity issue or if another opportunity came up that made a loan useful, if allowed under the purchase stipulations.

Other considerations for the Met's Chagalls

There are some beyond-monetary benefits to buying the Chagalls. For one, you get ownership without the hardship and logistics of caring for art. Because the Met will continue to house them, you know they're already well-maintained in a secure, climate-controlled environment, where a lease or other agreement could include them covering insurance.

One would also hope that the person buying the Chagall murals actually likes them, which is a different type of value. They're not to everyone's taste – Cher, as Lorettta in Moonstruck, famously declared them "a little gaudy," while Nicolas Cage's Ronny thought Chagall was "having some fun." You can see an informational video about them here.

Then there's the prestige of it. Buying the murals could raise your social capital and help place you in certain circles. It's akin to making a donation to get your name on a building – how much that's worth, really, is up to you.

While there are financial considerations, what's at stake here is art, whether you love Chagall or opera or architecture. The Met is clearly in a crunch. The institution dipped into its endowment in the wake of the pandemic and was relying on a deal with Saudi Arabia, which is apparently in flux, per the New York Times' reporting – leading to the measures being taken now, which have struck many in the opera-loving world as existentially alarming.

As a finance publication, Kiplinger would recommend an individual in this position take steps the Met is now taking. Rein in your expenses and find reasonable ways to increase your liquidity so you can stop dipping into your savings. With a $330 million annual operating budget, a $55 million sale would help, especially if smartly utilized, although there are also risks to selling the paintings, as the Wall Street Journal detailed.

But it would only help in the longer-run if the Met keeps costs down and increases revenue, whether through ticket sales, smart gambits like renting out the theater, or philanthropy, to find some stability. That's a tricky proposition, as the Met is physically one of the largest opera houses in the world, which makes operating costs higher, and, let's face it, opera is not a hot ticket – the 3,800-seat theater sold at 72% capacity the last two seasons, the Associated Press reported.

Opera houses in Europe typically get more governmental support, but American houses rely more on private donors. San Francisco Opera is now getting $5 million a year from Nvidia (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang; Lyric Opera in Chicago got $25 million last year from philanthropist Penelope Steiner; Dallas Opera just pulled off a $54.5 million fundraising campaign, thanks in large part to a $25 million matching gift challenge from the O'Donnell Foundation.

For someone who would've made a major donation anyway, the Chagalls actually do represent a unique opportunity – you get an asset in return, even if you can't see it in your home every day. Is that worth it? The answer, in this case, is somewhat intangible.

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Question: My wife and I retired at 70 with $4.3 million. I want to travel, but she feels guilty spending "our grandkids' inheritance." I love my grandchildren to pieces, but I feel like the time to travel and have fun is now. Help!

Answer: Baby boomers only had an average 401(k) balance of $249,300 in 2025, according to Fidelity. If you retired at 70 with $4.3 million saved, you may have a lot more financial flexibility in retirement than many of your peers.

But just because you've saved $4.3 million doesn't mean you and your spouse both feel comfortable living it up. While you may be set on using a good chunk of that money to travel the world, your wife may be harboring feelings of guilt about spending money that could serve as an inheritance for your grandchildren. It's not an uncommon scenario. Here's how to handle it.

You don't necessarily have to choose

It's not unusual for spouses to disagree on how to spend their money. But with $4.3 million to work with, there may not be a need for much debate.

"The good news is that this couple may not have to choose between traveling now and leaving a legacy for their grandchildren, " says Ben Howarth, financial adviser at Barnum Financial Group.

As Howarth explains, there are strategies couples can use to allocate their retirement savings toward different goals, from annuities to life insurance policies. And those goals don't have to conflict. Rather, they can complement one another.

JoePat Roop, president at Belmont Capital Advisors, agrees. A situation like this, he says, "usually has far more to do with mindset than math."

"Many people view their life savings as one large bucket of money," Roop explains. But there's no reason you can't split your savings into different buckets and allocate each to a different goal.

A well-thought-out plan could reduce feelings of guilt

It can be tricky to think flexibly about how to spend your retirement savings when you're stuck in a certain mindset. But that could easily lead to feelings of guilt in the context of spending that really aren't warranted.

"Once savings start to feel like the children’s money or the grandchildren’s inheritance, spending can feel irresponsible, even when the entire purpose of saving was to support retirement," Roop explains. "That shift in thinking can quietly turn a very successful retirement into a restrictive one."

Roop says that in this situation, there's no reason the numbers can't support both the wife and husband's goal.

"A couple retiring at age 70 with 4.3 million dollars is not in a fragile position," he insists. A portfolio that size, Roop explains, could reasonably support about $130,000 to $170,000 per year, depending on the withdrawal rate used. And that's without outside income sources like Social Security or pensions.

That's why this couple, and anyone else in a similar situation, can benefit from a well-thought-out financial plan.

"When these types of conflicts arise, working with a financial adviser is often the best course of action," Howarth insists. "An adviser can present options, run different scenarios, and help provide the clarity and confidence needed to enjoy the money you worked so hard to earn."

Roop agrees. An adviser could help this couple create a clear separation, he explains, so that a portion of their $4.3 million in savings is allocated specifically for an inheritance, leaving the rest free to spend.

"If inheritance is the concern, designate a specific amount as a legacy fund," Roop says. "Invest it conservatively, document the intent, and mentally set it aside. Once that boundary is clear, the remaining assets can be viewed honestly for what they are — money intended to support the couple’s own retirement lifestyle."

Recognize that time isn't unlimited

While it's certainly important to come to a mutual agreement on how to spend retirement savings, in this situation, travel shouldn't necessarily be delayed while the finer points are ironed out.

As Roop points out, "Another important reality at age 70 is that time has become the limited resource, not money. Delaying travel or experiences in the name of safety often means those plans never come to fruition."

An additional point to consider, says Roop, is that your grandchildren may truly want you to travel and enjoy your money, and that doing so could help them avoid feelings of guilt if a large inheritance ends up coming their way.

"Most children and grandchildren do not want a larger inheritance if it comes at the expense of watching their parents or grandparents live smaller than they should," Roop insists. "What they usually want is to see them secure, fulfilled, and enjoying the life they spent decades building."

It may not hurt to sit down with your grandchildren to set some expectations and have open discussions about your plans for your money. You may find that doing so helps you enjoy traveling to the fullest without letting underlying feelings of guilt hold you back in any way.

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