Studying abroad offers a unique opportunity to expand your cultural horizons, build valuable skills and prepare for the global workforce. More than 300,000 U.S. students study abroad each year, according to the State Department.
There isn’t one way to study abroad in college: Programs can vary by cost, length, level of cultural immersion and more. So you’ll have to do some research to see which is a good fit for your academic, personal and financial goals.
Follow these steps to tailor your study abroad experience.
Research study abroad programs (early!)
Begin researching study abroad options at least four to 12 months before when you’d like to start your program. This gives you time to apply for a passport, meet with an advisor and make a financial plan to pay for studying and living outside the U.S. Make sure to keep track of application requirements and deadlines as you do your research.
Students often study abroad during their sophomore or junior year of college, but there are exceptions. For example, some incoming students at New York University can apply to spend their entire first year of college at international campuses in England, Spain or Italy. Studying abroad earlier in your college career could mean more academic flexibility, since you won’t be scrambling to fulfill major requirements yet.
If you’re a high school student set on studying abroad in the future, consider applying to colleges that have robust programs. For example, Vermont’s Middlebury College offers 90 programs in more than 40 countries — and over half of its junior class studies abroad. And Pennsylvania State University has more than 300 programs across 50 countries.
Choose the right program for you
Whether it’s a summer language course in Beijing or a full semester of engineering classes in Sydney, taking classes in another country offers a wide range of experiences. The costs of studying abroad can vary widely, too, but you can use scholarships, grants and federal and private student loans for some programs.
With hundreds of options available, determine your top priorities to help narrow down the list. Start by defining your personal goals. Then, look at factors like program administration, academics, location, language of instruction and how your credits will transfer to your home institution.
Your college’s study abroad office — sometimes also called “education abroad,” “global education” or “international studies” — is a valuable resource. Study abroad advisors can help identify programs that align with your goals and academic requirements and guide you throughout the application and enrollment process.
Here are a few of the most common types of study abroad programs.
Exchange programs
Your home university may partner with an institution abroad and offer a student exchange program. Participating students usually pay their typical tuition and fees to their home university while studying abroad — which could be an in-state student rate — and enjoy much of the same financial aid they normally do, like federal student loans.
Exchange programs offer high levels of cultural immersion, since students take classes alongside full-time students at the partner university. Students can also expect support and guidance from their home and partner universities, since they’ve already established a relationship.
Faculty-led study abroad
Professors at your home university may lead study abroad trips. These programs usually last a few weeks, and take place during a school break. Instruction is typically similar to what you’d receive in the U.S. and the program may include prearranged travel. The price can vary depending on program lengths, location and more. Because these faculty-led programs often occur outside of the academic calendar, they typically cost extra on top of regular semester tuition. Financial aid may apply.
You’ll likely study alongside students from your home university, which may limit cultural immersion. Faculty-led programs could work for those who’ve never traveled abroad or want a shorter-term program in a specific academic area.
Direct enrollment at a foreign university
U.S. students may enroll directly at a foreign university for a period of time and still receive course credit at their home university. Students pay international tuition rates directly to the foreign school. This route may be more or less expensive than a prearranged exchange program, depending on the tuition you’re paying at your home university and what you’ll pay abroad. It also requires more research to determine if you’re eligible to enroll and receive academic credit.
This may be a good choice if you’re not interested in any of the options offered by your home college, if you aim to live and study among foreign students only or if you want a high level of independence.
Third-party study abroad programs
Third-party study abroad providers like Academic Programs International (API), Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and DIS offer a variety of study abroad programs. These are good options if you’re looking to study alongside international students from different schools and countries, or if you want a unique experience not offered by other programs. The costs of these programs vary widely, but they tend to be more expensive.
On average, semesters abroad arranged by a third-party provider were $8,718 to $17,933 in 2019, according to research from study abroad program database GoAbroad.
Check with your home university’s study abroad office for a list of preapproved third-party providers and programs to ensure your credits will transfer.
Internships, research and volunteering
Studying abroad doesn’t always require studying. Some programs are designed around research, internship or volunteer opportunities. Sometimes, these types of study abroad programs can help you earn academic credit toward your degree. You may also enroll in related classes abroad while participating.
With this route, you’ll be immersed in the workplace and community of your country of study. Despite working, you may still need to pay for the program, in addition to flights and housing. Program costs can vary.
Apply
Once you’ve found a few study abroad programs that look compelling and you understand the costs, you’ll need to start the application process. This will look different depending on the program, but many applications include similar components: letters of recommendation, transcripts, personal essays and language requirements when applicable.
Just like the research process, it’s important to start your application early. Get organized and reach out to professors for letters of recommendation, if necessary, well before the deadline. You may also need to meet with an advisor at your school’s study abroad office.
Make your application stand out by demonstrating clear academic objectives, personal interest in the program and a strong transcript.
Secure funding
For costs you can’t cover upfront, prioritize aid you don’t need to pay back, like scholarships.
Private student loans can fill any funding gaps, but they should be a last resort. They don’t have the same protections and perks as federal loans.
Work-study and the need-based Pell Grant cannot be used for study abroad. However, the State Department’s competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is designed to help Pell recipients pay for international study. The top award is $5,000. Check out the full list of study abroad scholarships offered by the U.S. government and foreign governments on the State Department’s USA StudyAbroad website.
Plan your logistics
The logistics of moving to another country can be daunting, even when you have a study abroad coordinator helping you through the process. Note these important factors as you plan.
Passports and student visas
Keep track of relevant student visa requirements and deadlines. Depending on your country of study, visa processing can take from a few days to months. You may need to move quickly after getting accepted to a program.
You’ll likely need a U.S. passport in hand before applying for a visa. If you don’t have one already, plan for processing times of at least three months.
Housing
Housing is also important to consider before hopping on your international flight. Some programs will arrange an apartment, dorm or homestay on your behalf, while others will leave finding housing up to you — which can be difficult to do in advance.
Consider what matters most to you when deciding on housing. Living with a host family may offer you higher levels of cultural and language immersion, but a dorm or apartment could mean more flexibility and independence.
Study abroad budgets
Prepare a spending plan and budget to cover the day-to-day costs of your life abroad. This may include personal travel, emergency funds, international banking fees and other expenses outside of your typical student lifestyle. Consider applying to scholarships intended for study abroad that could help out with these types of expenses.
For some students, a study abroad credit card may help them avoid high transaction fees while earning travel points to cover flights and other expenses. But be wise with your spending. Not paying off the balance each month can lead to ballooning debt.
[CORRECTION: The story has been updated from an earlier version. The MBA announced $3.39 trillion in mortgage originations, and not $3.9 trillion.]
The Mortgage Bankers Association on Tuesday released revised estimates for the third and fourth quarter of 2020 and predicted record purchase volume for 2021. Although the MBA expects decreased refinancings in 2021 and a decline in overall origination to around $2.56 trillion, that would still be the second-highest origination total in the last 15 years.
The rebounding economy is likely to mean higher mortgage rates, with the MBA forecasting 2.9% by the end of 2020, rising to 3.3% by Q4 2021.
The MBA is forecasting a rise in purchase originations to $1.59 trillion, which would break the previous record of $1.51 trillion set in 2005. However, the MBA sees refinances decreasing to $971 billion.
“The housing market has seen a meaningful rebound since the onset of the pandemic,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA chief economist. “Record-low mortgage rates have led to a surge in borrower demand for refinances and home purchases.”
For 2020, the MBA is estimating $3.39 trillion in mortgage originations – the highest since 2003 and a 50% increase from 2019.
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That includes an expected 91.5% jump in refinance originations to $1.97 trillion – also the highest since 2003 – and a forecasted 16% rise in purchase originations to $1.42 trillion, the highest since 2005.
Back in October, the MBA estimated total mortgage originations of $3.175 for 2020.
The median price of new homes in 3Q20 was reported at $330,600. That is expected to rise to $339,000 in 4Q20. However, existing-home price averages are expected to drop again in 4Q20, from $297,200 to $294,900. This continues the downward trend from 2Q20, when existing home price averages were at $309,200.
Other 2021 expectations from MBA include a growth rate of 3%, an unemployment rate of 5% by the end of the year, and an increasing 10-year treasury yield to 1.4% by Q4.
The regulator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac improperly amended stock purchase agreements in 2012 when it allowed the U.S. Treasury to sweep up the companies’ net profits, a jury in Washington, D.C. found Monday.
The jury awarded shareholders of the government sponsored enterprises a total of $612.4 million in damages.
Fannie Mae will pay junior preferred shareholders $299.4 million and Freddie will pay $281.8 million. The jury also issued $31.4 million to owners of Freddie’s common shares.
The surprising verdict in Berkley v. FHFA comes after the case was dismissed in October due to a hung jury.
Related cases, like Collins v. Yellen, which typically argued that the FHFA had no right to allow Treasury to sweep up the GSEs’ profits, have also been dismissed, mostly on technicalities or that shareholders had no standing.
The plaintiff’s argument in Berkley v. FHFA is that the FHFA violated the contractual rights of shareholders when it gave away all their dividends in perpetuity.
The case stems from the restructuring of the agencies in 2008. A group of GSE investors alleged that the government knew the GSEs would turn a huge profit after a $100 billion bailout from the Treasury in 2008.
An agreement between FHFA and the Treasury Department promised the investors compensation in the form of stock, dividends tied to the amount of money invested in the companies and priority over other shareholders in recouping their investment.
But that agreement was modified in 2012, to require Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to pay dividends to the Treasury pegged to the companies’ net worth. The arrangement essentially washed out private investors’ ownership interests in the GSEs. Investors cried foul.
“By August 2012, FHFA and Treasury knew that the Companies were on the verge of generating huge profits,” the plaintiffs argued in the suit.
In 2018, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the FHFA was within its statutory authority when it enacted the “net worth sweep” of the GSEs’ dividends, but found that the FHFA was not constitutionally structured. In 2019, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed its ruling on the “net worth sweep” and remanded the case back to the district court. The Supreme Court last year dealt a blow to shareholders in Collins v. Yellen when it ruled the FHFA did not exceed its authority under federal law.
The victory in Berkley v. FHFA is sweet for shareholders, notably in that it’s their first one since the beginning of conservatorship, said David Stevens, a former Federal Housing Administration commissioner and Mortgage Bankers Association president.
“Whether this sets the tone for a new direction for the conservatorship is yet to be seen,” Stevens said. “But without question, a political leadership that oversees these two companies in Washington will be likely focusing on options ahead. While the jury awarded less than what was asked for by the plaintiffs, it is without question victory for the shareholder interest. What happens next will be interesting.”
Most observers expect the FHFA to appeal the decision.
Rate lock activity fell for the second month in July as mortgage rates topped 7% for the first time since November 2022.
Overall rate lock volume was down 7% month over month, with purchase lending accounting for 88% of total lock activity, according to Black Knight‘s originations market monitor report.
Even so, purchase lock counts were down 27% year over year and 35% compared to 2019 pre-pandemic levels, as high-interest rates and persisting low inventories dampened demand.
The 30-year conforming rates crossed 7% for the first time in eight months, before falling sharply and then rebounding to 6.88%, according to Black Knight’s Optimal Blue mortgage market indices.
“Purchase loans continue to dominate the origination pipeline, but current housing market dynamics are just not conducive to boosting homebuyer origination volumes,” Andy Walden, vice president of enterprise research and strategy at Black Knight, said.
Credit scores for conforming (754) and FHA (669) borrowers remained flat in July while VA dropped one point to 712 from June.
Black Knight’s recent mortgage monitor report pointed to signs of credit tightening — attributed falling loan-to-value ratios and rising down payments.
Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) fell to 6.79% of July’s rate lock activity, as rates for such products became less competitive against fixed products.
Cash-out refinances also declined 5.4% and are hovering close to 60% below where they were in July 2022 when interest rates averaged in the mid- to high 5% range.
Rate/term refis increased by a modest 1.9% in July, but remained down more than 31% year over year from an extremely low ceiling.
Locks on such products – including cash-out refis and rate/term refis will likely remain constrained for some time to come, Black Knight noted. Just 3% of existing mortgage holders have first-lien rates at or above today’s levels.
The average loan amount fell about $2,000 in July while the average purchase price on locked loans fell to $456,000, according to Black Knight’s report.
Normally, June typically marks the calendar peak of home prices on a non-adjusted basis.
Home prices would decrease through the end of the year and into February in normal times, but this trend does not apply in this market and this year, Walden noted.
“Rising rates may be tamping demand for homes at such record high prices, as evidenced by rate lock activity, but they’ve still yet to overcome an even greater deficit of supply. As a result, the purchase market is in a stalemate,” Walden said.
Inside: Are you moving into your first apartment? Planning a move can be daunting, but with this checklist, everything will be ready for your bed and bathroom you arrive. From a mattress, pots and towels to cleaning supplies and furniture, this list has it all. This is a huge deal!
Moving into your first apartment is an exciting time!
You’re finally out on your own, and you get to decorate and furnish your space however you want.
But before you can start shopping for all the cute home décor, there’s one very important task that needs to be taken care of first: creating a First Apartment Checklist.
This comprehensive checklist will ensure that you don’t forget any essential items when furnishing your new place. From kitchen supplies to bathroom necessities, we’ve got you covered.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
My First Apartment Mistakes
Moving into your first apartment indeed marks an exciting milestone in life.
However, it is also a moment of awakening when realizing that filling the apartment with all the necessities is not child’s play. My lesson learned the hard way.
It requires great planning and acute mindfulness of one’s budget. While the thrill of setting up your own place can easily lead to overspending, it’s important to keep the budget in check and be judicious about your purchases.
Here are some aspects to consider:
It’s easy to forget that there’s a huge list of big and small things you’ll still need to buy to fully equip your space. However, the keyword here is “need” and not “want”. I should have been better at differentiating between what is absolutely necessary for your immediate living situations and what can be procured later.
Define what you can spend right away by considering the moving costs and other related expenses. After setting the budget, the next most important step is to stick with it. You will be tempted to stretch your limit, but remember that financial restraint is key.
Moreover, remember that you don’t need to get everything right away, certain things can wait. Spend wisely, and stick to immediate needs. You might be surprised to find out that some items you thought were essential, in fact, can be comfortably lived without.
Your home is meant to give comfort, not financial stress.
The above statement is a lesson that stick with you for a long while. Keeping track of your expenses and making wise decisions can help establish your first apartment without breaking the bank.
Learn is $5000 enough to move out?
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Big Items for Your First Apartment Checklist
You’re finally out of your parents’ house and ready to start your own life. Congrats!
This is an important step when you want to move out at 18.
Moving into a new place is both exciting and daunting. To help you make sure you have everything you need for your new digs, we’ve put together a first apartment checklist of all the big items you’ll need to buy.
This is where to focus your money or look to find free items.
1. Mattress
Living in your first apartment?
Do not underestimate the importance of a good mattress.
It’s the foundation for quality sleep, which is crucial for your health and daily performance. Investing in one is non-negotiable even if budget is a constraint.
Personally, this. is the one item I would say to buy new! Thankfully you can find affordable mattresses now.
2. Bed Frame & Headboard
You may be tempted to skip the bed frame in your first apartment, but it’s a key piece that offers myriad benefits.
In full honesty, I didn’t get a headboard for my mattress until well after I was married. But, it was one small thing that made me happy.
Popular bed frame options vary in price from $60 for a simple metal frame to over $200 for wooden or upholstered models. Make sure to evaluate your needs and budget before buying.
3. Couch
Your first apartment is exciting, and the right couch can really set the tone. It’s not only a seating arrangement but also a place for relaxing, entertaining, and unleashing your personality.
When setting up your first apartment, you might be conflicted about whether to buy a new couch or look for a used one. Here are some factors to consider:
For those living by themselves:
A new couch can be a significant investment, but it is worth the cost if you value personal comfort, hygiene, and aesthetics.
Utilize discount stores to find quality furniture that is within your budget. A new couch often comes with warranties or protection plans that can give you peace of mind for any potential repairs or damages.
Investigate measurements and delivery options thoroughly to ensure your new couch comfortably fits your apartment layout.
If you are planning to live with a roommate:
You can consider getting a used couch. This is a great way to cut costs during a time when budgeting and saving money are important.
To make sure the couch you’re acquiring is clean and pest-free, buy or get it for free from trusted sources. Friends or family are often the best people to approach when looking for used furniture.
Look into garage sales or online platforms like Craigslist for options. However, always inspect the couch thoroughly before purchasing it from these sources.
Whether you choose new or used, ensure that the couch fulfills your needs.
4. End Tables and Lamps
End tables and lamps are essentials you need in your first apartment. They offer functionality along with a touch of class to your space.
There are many reasons why they should be on every first apartment checklist.
Versatility: Side tables can be used in various ways, from serving as a coffee holder, providing a place for books and magazines, or showcasing photo frames and indoor plants. It can also function as an extension of your workspace when you need to create an impromptu office setup.
Convenience: Having a side table next to your bed or sofa allows you to have important items within easy reach. This may include your phone charger, eyeglasses, or remote controls.
Decorative Value: Side tables contribute to the aesthetic appeal of your living space. They come in different styles, shapes, and designs that can complement various types of interior décor themes.
More than likely with lamps, you will notice where you need them the most after you move. So, it is okay to wait and buy them.
5. Dining Room Table
Your first apartment isn’t complete without a dining room table. It’s the multi-tasking hero of your living space, essential for meals, socializing, and possibly working or studying.
Finding the right dining room table for your apartment can be a fun and rewarding experience. However, it may be daunting for some, given the myriad of options available in the market.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you find your ideal fit:
Determine the Size Needed: The first step in finding the right dining room table is to measure the space it will occupy. Knowing the size helps narrow down the options and ensures a comfortable fit. Consider the number of people you plan on hosting on a regular basis – that should dictate the size of the table you need.
Consider the Shape: Dining tables come in various shapes, including square, rectangle, round, and oval. Identifying the shape that suits your space and lifestyle is crucial. Rectangular tables are the most common, but circular ones are great for maintaining an intimate dining experience, while an oval one can be a middle ground between a square and a round table.
Decide on Style: Whether you lean more towards a modern, contemporary, or rustic look, there are countless styles of dining tables to choose from. Ensure that the style of the table resonates with the rest of your home decor for a harmonious look.
Remember, choosing the right dining table is a balance of both form and function. Considering these aspects will surely help you find the dining room table that fits your lifestyle and space.
A good friend of mine had great luck finding a dining room table at a Restore resale shop. Something to definitely check out!
6. Kitchenware
Moving into your first apartment often comes with the challenge of equipping your kitchen efficiently.
To help guide you in making thoughtful purchases without breaking the bank, here are some important kitchen items you should consider investing in.
Basic Cooking Equipment: A Starter kitchen at the bare minimum requires at least two pots and a frying pan. These should be supplemented with necessary cooking utensils like a ladle, spatula, whisk, etc. You also need a high-quality knife set, at least one cutting board, and measuring cups and spoons to help you prepare and portion your meals accurately.
Food Storage & Serving Items: Get microwave-safe food storage containers to store leftovers efficiently. Additionally, invest in a good set of plates, bowls, glasses, and coffee mugs.
Countertop Appliances: While these can be a bit costly, consider getting a microwave, an InstantPot, and a coffee maker. These can vastly simplify and speed up your daily meal prep.
These are the basic items for a minimalistic kitchen.
7. Patio Furniture
Patio furniture can be an excellent cost-effective addition to your first apartment. Often overlooked, patio furniture can provide advantages for a first-time tenant:
Getting patio furniture as hand-me-downs or buying used ones can save you lots of expenses.
Plus patio furniture can be easily refurbished or painted to match your apartment’s interior design. You can showcase your creativity and add a personal touch without spending much.
8. Grill
One must-have in your first apartment is undoubtedly a grill. Nothing beats the flavor of a good grill and it’s perfect for friendly gatherings or quiet evenings.
Having a grill can add a sense of fun and adventure to your living situation. It allows for new culinary experiences and outdoor entertaining, especially during warmer months when you can have a delightful barbecue party in your yard or balcony.
Grilling can also act as a social catalyst. Whether it’s a relaxed summer evening cookout with neighbors or a gathering of friends for a sporting event, grilling can bring people together in a fun and casual way.
Thanks to websites like Craigslist, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace, second-hand grills in good condition are often available locally and at a much lower cost than brand-new grills.
9. Storage Items
Stepping into your first apartment, huh? The organization will be your closest ally.
Crisp and neat storage items can help you stay clutter-free and make your space feel like home.
This is something I would wait to buy until you are in your space and know what you need. There are so many storage ideas and organization items.
10. Decor
Making your first apartment feel like home is both exciting and challenging. Decor plays a crucial role, transforming an empty space into a cozy, personal refuge.
You want the decor to reflect your style, but the cost may be more than you can afford.
Enter thrift shopping for some of your favorite items.
You can always splurge on that one item you want!
How do I prepare for my first apartment?
Getting your first apartment can be incredibly thrilling, but let us guide you through a smooth transition.
Before making any purchases, it’s critical to create a budget that takes into account moving costs and other associated expenses.
Additionally, make a checklist of essential items to ensure a smooth move, but remember to prioritize immediate needs as some items may not be necessary initially.
Being prepared and methodical about your approach can help significantly in making your first apartment feel like home. It’s all about spending wisely and sticking to your plan.
First Apartment Checklist for Bedroom
Ready to move into your first apartment and need help setting up your bedroom?
This checklist will ensure you won’t miss any essentials.
Bed: Choose a full or queen-size bed to maximize space.
Mattress: Select the right firmness for your sleep style. Don’t forget a mattress pad and bedding.
Nightstand: You need this to place essentials like a reading lamp and a glass of water.
Dresser: An essential piece of furniture for your clothing storage.
Lamp: A softer lighting option for your bedroom. Don’t forget light bulbs!
Closet Organizers: Invest in baskets or cloth storage cubes for easy organization.
Desk and Chair: A small workspace if your room allows. Opt for a stool or folding chair to save money.
Remember every space is unique, tailor this list to your needs and budget.
First Apartment Checklist for Kitchen
As you embark on your solo living adventure, setting up your kitchen shouldn’t be a brain tease.
Here’s a lifesaver list of must-haves:
Remember, your kitchen is not just for cooking, but for hosting toasts and storing eats. Cheers to your new apartment kitchen!
First Apartment Checklist for Living Room
When setting up your first apartment living room, remember to shop for these essential items:
A Cool Lamp or Two: Lighting is crucial. Pick unique lamps that add both light and character to your space.
Side Tables: Grab a couple; these provide additional surfaces for decorations or mugs of tea.
Storage Solutions: Think TV cabinets or bookshelves where you can neatly store your belongings.
Extra Seating: More seats for more guests.
Window Treatments: Curtains or blinds not only offer privacy but can also tie a room together.
Decorative Pillows and Throw Blankets: For aesthetics and comfort.
Decor Items: This includes wall art, picture frames, coffee table books, houseplants, candles and vases. Make your space you.
Be smart in your selections, ensuring each item marries functionality with aesthetics. Holistic harmony is key in a living space.
Technology for Your First Apartment
In today’s digital era, modern apartments are nearly incomplete without a range of essential tech items.
These add convenience, entertainment, and a sense of security to your cozy abode.
Smart TV: This is essential for entertainment and relaxation. It can be a source of news, sports, movies, and shows that make your apartment a much more enjoyable living space.
Roku Stick: If you opt for a basic TV, then these devices enable you to stream content like Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu directly to your TV. This is much needed if you prefer digital streaming over traditional network channels.
Computer / Laptop: This is useful for work, learning, entertainment, and communications in the current digital era. It helps you stay connected to the world and perform various tasks easily.
Wifi Router: A Wi-Fi router is a must-have in this age as it provides an internet connection for all your devices. It enables you to stay connected to the world, shop from home, stream entertainment, or work remotely.
Chargers: Chargers for phones, laptops, and other electronics are essential. They keep your devices powered up and ready for use at any moment.
Speakers: They enhance your entertainment experience by providing high-quality sound for music, TV shows, and movies. They can also be useful for work or study, for instance when participating in video conferences or online courses.
Thankfully prices have dropped significantly on TVs since I bought my first one!
First Apartment Checklist for Bathroom
One key area to consider is your bathroom – it’s essential to have all the basis to make your daily routines smooth and simple. Here’s what you’ll need:
Cleaning Your First Apartment
Ready to take that first crucial clean sweep in your very first apartment? Here’s how you’ll nail it!
Start with unpacking your cleaning essentials, preferably even before you start arranging your furniture. This will make it easier to spot dust, stains, and dirty spots that are usually hidden.
Now, let’s dig into your basic apartment clean-up kit:
Honestly, these frugal green items are perfect to keep things clean and on budget.
Things you need for an apartment that you wouldn’t think of
Moving into your first apartment is an exciting milestone, but it’s also full of small details that are easy to overlook.
Some essential items might not make it on your moving checklist, leaving you scrambling on your first day in your new place.
Basic Handyman Tools: A Leatherman or small toolkit is essential for assembling furniture and making minor repairs.
Hangers: You’ll need more of these than you think for your wardrobe.
Extension cords and surge strips: You’ll need these to plug in all your electronics in spaces with limited outlets.
Drawer organizers: Helps keep your belongings categorized and easy to find. Especially important in small spaces where efficient storage is key.
Flashlight: You never know when a power outage may happen. A flashlight is a crucial tool for safety and navigation in the dark.
Batteries: Handy for various gadgets like remote controls, flashlights, and smoke detectors.
First aid kit: Accidents can happen anywhere, and having a first aid kit handy can make dealing with minor injuries easier and more efficient.
Light bulbs: Essential for maintaining good lighting in your apartment. You don’t want to be left in the dark when a bulb burns out.
Matches and/or lighters: Useful not only for candles and gas stoves but also a necessity in case of a power outage.
Pen and paper: Although we live in a digital age, pen, and paper are still handy for jotting down quick notes, lists, or reminders.
Fire Extinguisher: Better to be safe than sorry!
Carbon Monoxide Detector: Extremely important to have in your apartment
Duct Tape: It solves every DIY project – while almost any.
Security Cameras: It bums me out completely to add this to the list, but in today’s society it is a must-have.
Renter’s insurance is instrumental for various reasons
It provides financial protection in case of unforeseen circumstances like theft, damage due to disasters like fires, or liability if someone gets hurt in your apartment.
Additionally, considering the value of electronics, furniture, clothing, and other personal belongings, investing in renter’s insurance helps safeguard one’s possessions, making it invaluable, especially for first-time renters.
How do I budget for my first apartment?
Managing your expenses while moving into your first apartment is crucial since it’s usually an expensive endeavor with many large and small essentials needed to fully complete your home.
Having a budget not only helps you to control your finances effectively but also assists in prioritizing immediate needs, avoiding unnecessary items, and managing moving costs and related expenses.
Step 1: Make a Budget
Budgeting is, unquestionably, a crucial strategy to manage your personal finances efficiently, particularly while setting up a new apartment.
Begin by detailing your annual net income.
Subsequently, list down all your essential expenditures, such as food, household supplies, phone bills, car payments, credit card bills, clothing, transportation costs, internet charges, healthcare expenses, school loans, and entertainment.
Don’t forget to add a section for “miscellaneous” to cover any unanticipated expenses.
Make sure your expenses are less than your income.
While rent will be your biggest expense, you want to make sure you can truly afford the amount without going broke.
If you observe that your expenses are relatively high, it’s time to analyze your spending patterns and cut down on unnecessary spending.
Step 2: Save Money
Saving money and living frugally requires strategic thinking and discipline.
Honestly, the simplest thing you can do is to set aside 20% of your income each paycheck. That will ensure you are on your way to becoming financially independent.
Simply remember, frugal living doesn’t equate to deprivation, it’s about making informed choices to optimize your resources.
The 100 envelope challenge is extremely popular!
Step 3: Start a Side Hustle
Side hustles can be a flexible and rewarding way to supplement your income, and they’ve become much more popular in recent years.
Manage your time wisely and ensure the side hustle is something you enjoy or are passionate about. It should be a source of additional income without causing stress or burnout.
Here are ways to make money online for beginners.
First Apartment Tips
Embarking on the journey of renting your first apartment can be both exciting and daunting, hence having some essential tips can be quite handy.
1. Make a list of apartment essentials
A list of apartment essentials plays a crucial role, particularly for first-time movers.
The benefits and significance cannot be overstated. Here’s why:
Prevents Overspending: Moving into a new apartment is already expensive. There are lease deposits, rent due, utility set-ups, and other hidden expenditures that can easily catch first-time movers off guard. Having a list of apartment essentials can keep your spending in check, ensuring that you only purchase what’s necessary and avoid unnecessary or impulsive purchases.
Minimizes Stress: The task of moving can be overwhelming, and missing essential items only adds to the stress. A well-thought-out list can not only help you keep track of what you’ve already acquired but also what you need to purchase or source.
Ensures You’re Prepared and Organized: By carefully creating an apartment checklist, you’re ensuring that you have everything you need in your new home, from cleaning supplies and toilet paper to the necessary items for your furry friends.
Saves Time: A concise and focused list saves you time by clearly stating what needs to be acquired, allowing you to focus on other important matters related to the move.
Follow this approach, and you’ll have a comfy, well-equipped apartment in no time.
2. Consider your budget
Experts advise rent shouldn’t exceed 25-30% of your income. But, don’t forget to include your other costs like food, bills, loans, etc
Remember, your dream apartment isn’t worth it if it’s a financial nightmare. Think smart, save hard, and enjoy your new home’s comforts without breaking the bank.
Learn the ideal household percentages.
3. Research apartments
Researching apartments requires careful consideration of numerous factors such as the proximity to vital facilities like workplaces, grocery stores, hospitals, and entertainment joints.
Try to physically tour potential residences where possible to examine amenities and gauge the atmosphere of the neighborhood.
Don’t forget to make inquiries and view the apartment personally or through a floor plan, all these will help you make a wise decision.
4. Check apartment listings for features and amenities
When searching for the perfect apartment, consider features and amenities that align with your lifestyle.
If there is a sym space, you could eliminate your monthly gym membership.
Just make sure the cost of the upgraded amenities is worth the price tag.
While checking apartment listings, ensure to evaluate the location, amenities, available space, and physical integrity.
5. Think about the size and layout of the apartment
Understanding the size and layout of your new apartment is crucial before you start styling and furnishing it.
Acquire a floor plan from the apartment management, and if possible, tour the apartment physically to note the positioning of rooms, doorways, hallways, and stairwells. Take measurements of these areas and visualize the kind of furniture and fixtures they can accommodate fittingly, taking into account maneuverability around corners as well.
Moving to your first apartment is exciting, yet demands careful consideration of the size and layout.
6. Look for apartments with good security
When you’re hunting for your next apartment, don’t forget to check out its security features. This is crucial for your peace of mind.
Ensure the apartment is in a safe neighborhood, close to amenities like hospitals or public transport.
Ask if the apartment complex has features like controlled access gates, security guards, and CCTV surveillance.
Check the apartment for proper alarm systems, well-functioning locks on doors and windows, and that fire safety measures are in place.
Verify the cell phone reception inside the apartment for any emergency calls.
Lastly, always ensure that the parking area is secure and well-lit.
Remember, your apartment isn’t just a place, it’s your sanctuary. It should feel like one, too.
7. Make sure you get a good deal
Before signing a lease, it’s crucial to ensure the rent price is a good deal.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median gross rent from 2015-2019 was approximately $1,097 per month.
8. Talk to the management and make sure you understand the rules
Get to grips with your apartment’s rules by thoroughly reading your lease. Take note of any restrictions, and don’t fear to ask for clarifications. Data indicates that understanding lease terms significantly reduces tenant-landlord conflicts.
It is important you understand your lease as it is a binding contract.
First Apartment Checklist PDF
Moving into your first apartment is exciting but daunting. The First Apartment Checklist PDF helps simplify the process.
Take it at your own pace—don’t rush. This is your journey to your new home. Enjoy!
FAQ
Moving into a new apartment can be quite exciting yet daunting. It’s crucial to carefully inspect the space to ensure it meets your needs and is in optimal condition.
Check the overall cleanliness. Despite initial cleaning, apartments often accumulate dust while vacant. Ensure you have cleaning supplies handy to tackle any overlooked dirt or grime.
Inspect the utilities. Ensure the availability of necessary technology setups and provisions for all your electronic gadgets. And make sure no wires are hanging from the ceiling.
Verify the safety features. Always have a working lock on the door as well as a well lit entrance.
Examine appliances. Make sure essential household appliances like washers, dryers, and a dishwasher are provided and in working condition.
The comfort and safety of your new apartment rely hugely on these checks.
When determining how much you should spend on rent, it’s generally suggested that your allotment should be no more than 25-30% of your after-tax income.
For instance, if your yearly income after taxes is $40,000 per year, your rent should be about $833-$1,000 per month.
Keep in mind, this amount should cover:
Your rent
Utilities (unless they’re included in your rent)
Rental insurance
It’s essential to create a realistic budget by considering your other necessary expenses like food, transport, healthcare, and entertainment. If needed, find ways to cut some of these costs to afford your dream apartment.
Now Get Moving with your Apartment Shopping List!
In conclusion, creating and managing a first apartment checklist requires a judicious mix of prudence and patience.
It’s an exciting journey of setting up your first independent space but it’s also a test of properly managing your resources without compromising on your basic needs.
It’s crucial to remember that you do not need to get everything at once, and it’s okay to take your time to gradually fill your apartment.
Remember, be mindful of your budget and prioritize based on your specific needs and preferences.
And don’t forget, you’re not just setting up an apartment, you’re creating your own unique sanctuary.
With patience and careful planning, you’ll soon have an apartment that’s not only functionally equipped but also a reflection of your personal style. The experience, in the end, will prove to be as rewarding as it is educational.
Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!
The median price of a home in Los Angeles will soon cross a startling threshold: $1 million. The median price of a home in California, meanwhile, is approaching $750,000, according to Zillow. That is more than double the national median and more than triple the figure in Ohio.
This is the definition of housing unaffordability.
Homeownership is becoming farther and farther out of reach for more and more Californians. As of 2019, only 55% of Californians, and just 36% of Black Calfornians, owned a home. The American Dream is increasingly living up to its name — by being no more than a dream — in California.
This isn’t just about homeownership. Renters face proportionate price increases. For the first time, the median monthly rent in the United States rose above $2,000 in the last year, and it’s closing in on $3,000 in California. Many people can’t afford to buy or rent a home here.
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The cost of housing is high for many reasons, including the cost of labor and materials and myriad environmental regulations and mandates, many of them important. But chief among the reasons are supply restrictions. As with any other commodity, if you restrict the supply of housing, you can charge more for it.
This is essentially what zoning and other restrictive land-use regulations do. So it’s no wonder that a wealth of empirical evidence has shown that restrictive zoning makes housing more expensive.
The Los Angeles region has been a prolific producer of such restrictions. A study I led last year found that 78% of residential land in the Greater Los Angeles region and 74% in the city of Los Angeles itself was zoned exclusively for single-family homes, prohibiting apartment buildings and other multifamily developments.
We also found that home prices were correlated with the degree of stringent and exclusionary zoning in every community in the region. So were racial diversity and segregation.
UC Berkeley’s Terner Center modeled six different housing policies for Los Angeles and found that the single intervention with the biggest impact on supply growth was loosening density restrictions.
Yes, California has eased single-family zoning, the ultimate density restriction, by allowing more “accessory dwelling units” — backyard cottages, in-law units and the like — and through “plex” reforms, which allow homeowners to subdivide and redevelop parcels for duplexes and four-plexes. But these measures are too modest to bend this wicked cost curve.
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What we need is deeper density, more multifamily housing and “missing middle” developments that provide a variety of designs suitable to different incomes. We need localities to allow it, and we need the state to mandate it.
What’s at stake is nothing less than the old notion that people born on the lower rungs of the income and wealth ladder can climb higher, the only limit being their ambition and effort. Since World War II, a prominent pillar of this widespread belief has been homeownership. New-Deal-era laws, financial institutions and the GI Bill created the 30-year mortgage, and suburban developers sold homeownership to tens of millions of (mostly white) Americans.
It worked. In 1940, just 44% of Americans owned their own home. By 1950, that figure had reached 55%, and it steadily climbed in every subsequent decade until the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007. By 2000, 67% of Americans owned their own home.
These figures, however, mask enormous disparities. In 2020, white homeownership reached a postwar peak of 75%, while Black homeownership lagged far behind at 44%, only slightly higher than it was in 1970, the year the Fair Housing Act took effect.
Huge generational disparities also persist. Older Americans are far more likely to own their homes; younger generations are struggling to catch up.
One major obstacle to closing these gaps is that the cost of homeownership has soared relative to incomes. According to data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the price of housing in the United States rose an average of 4.6% per year from 1975 through 2022, outpacing economic growth and wages. The rate in California was an astonishing 6.7% a year, higher than in any other state.
While it’s true that housing appreciation hasn’t matched the stock market — the S&P 500 rose almost 12% annually on average during the same period — this also underscores the problem. Housing and shelter are a human necessity; stocks are not. And yet housing in the United States and particularly California has become an investment vehicle available to far fewer of us.
For many Americans fortunate enough to own a home, it’s their largest investment — a nest egg for retirement or an asset to borrow against to raise cash for an emergency or a child’s college education. Many homeowners therefore place a premium on maximizing not just the present value of their asset but also its future appreciation.
This is why homeowners not only upgrade kitchens, cabinets and bathrooms, but also fight against multifamily housing, affordable housing and homeless shelters in their neighborhoods and communities in an effort to protect their investments. These “homevoters” will fight to the hilt to prevent any loosening of zoning restrictions.
Overcoming this impulse and undoing restrictive zoning won’t make housing affordable or revive the American Dream on its own. If we don’t, however, the dream will become an impossibility for most of us.
Stephen Menendian is the assistant director and director of research at UC Berkeley’s Othering and Belonging Institute.
Experian, FICO and Fincity are touting a new credit scoring model they say can increase access to credit for millions of U.S. citizens.
UltraFICO, as the new model is known, takes into account more than just the information reported to the three main credit scoring agencies, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. It also looks at consumer’s banking history, and tries to rate them according to how they manage their money.
According to FICO, the new model will expand access to credit.
Consumers will need to grant the credit reporting agencies access to their bank statements under the new model. As a result, the agencies will be able to see how long their accounts have been open, the frequency of their account activity, and evidence of their saving. Fincity will read the data electronically and combine this with Experian’s consumer credit information.
“This approach allows Americans to benefit from positive financial behaviors,” Finicity CEO Steve Smith told HousingWire. “We are proud to have created a new way for consumers to share financial information, safely and securely so that a new UltraFICO Score can be created.”
Experian, FICO and Fincity say the UltraFICO model will benefit consumers with credit ratings in the upper 500s to lower 600s most of all. In addition, those with a limited credit history or previous financial problems could also benefit.
“This changes the whole dynamic of the lender and customer relationship,” said Jim Wehmann, FICO Scores executive vice president. “It empowers consumers to have greater control over the information that is being used in making credit risk decisions.”
“It also enables a deeper dialogue between the consumer and lenders to help both parties make better financial decisions,” Wehmann continued. “It’s a game changer.”
The plan is for UltraFICO to be launched as a pilot program in early 2019, in order to assess consumer’s willingness to share their banking information. Participants for the pilot have already been sourced across a range of lines of business.
“As the consumer’s bureau, our goal is to help empower consumers and to give better access to credit for more consumers, all while promoting fair lending,” said Alex Lintner, Experian president of consumer information services. “Through this project, we’ve found a new way to use consumer-permissioned data that allows lenders to make better decisions and helps consumers gain access to credit.”
Mike Wheatley is the senior editor at Realty Biz News. Got a real estate related news article you wish to share, contact Mike at [email protected].
Have you ever seen Buzz Lightyear or Cinderella walking around the Disney World theme parks and wondered what it was like to be an actor living out those iconic roles? Or maybe you’ve dreamt of playing these classic characters for a day? Well, we talked to former actors from Disney parks who experienced first-hand what it’s actually like.
From having tourists ask strange questions to deal with wardrobe malfunctions – they had plenty of stories to share. Get ready for some wild experiences as you read all about their adventures.
1. Nick Wilde from Zootopia
A Redditor shared his experience as Nick Wilde from Zootopia and posted, “I was one of the performers for Nick Wilde from Zootopia a few years ago, And if you’re not aware; a large number of people in the furry community find him highly attractive.You can just imagine the number of people in that community who flirted with me and/or Judy and whispered some pretty [nasty] things to us. I think I also had a guy grab Nick’s tie like in that flirty way, we had to get him escorted out of the park. The moral of the story is: don’t be inappropriate with the characters, we are real people underneath, and there are legitimate consequences for that kind of behaviour.”
One user replied, “You wouldn’t go up to a random stranger in public and assault them; them being dressed as a cartoon character doesn’t make that okay.”
Another responded,”People assault random strangers in public all the time. I work in retail, and it happens almost daily. I think you, like most people, overestimate the goodness in others.”
2. Piglet
A user posted, “Dated an actress, the weirdest she had was a man asking for him to be in the suit for an hour. He offered her 3k.”
One user asked, “Which suit?”
The original poster answered, “Piglet.”
One user exclaimed, “OMG.”
Another user added, “What the actual heck!”
Another user also asked, “Did she do it? 3k is 3k.”
One replied, “I doubt Disney would let her take the costume off property, lol.”
One user also shared, “Not exactly the same situation, but where I work, there was this girl working on a golf course who got fired because a group of old guys bribed her with $200 to flash them and she did. One of the guys took a picture and their wife found it, which almost got the resort into major trouble. So the question is do you take $3k and lose your job or not?”
3. Goofy
A user shared, “I was playing Goofy inside a restaurant and I got swarmed Aliens-style by a hoard of kids [less than 10 years old]. Unfortunately, while I was playing around with them the inner hood below the mask slipped over my eyes, and I was completely blinded. We had assistants around whom we could signal for help by flapping our arms, but the kids had made it a game of attaching themselves Tarzan-like to both my arms, and to raise them I would have had to lift 3-4 kids per arm (dangerous even if I’d been strong enough to do that).
“I found myself blind and completely rooted to the spot, unable to ask for help and with nobody realizing that I was in trouble. I spent like a solid 10-15 minutes in that sort of limbo reflecting on the life decisions that had taken me there until the assistant came over and whispered, ‘Set is over, dude,’ and I finally managed to signal something was wrong.”
Another user chuckled and replied, “I’m sorry, but I’m laughing imagining Goofy, rooted in place, contemplating life decisions in the middle of a restaurant.”
The original poster answered, “There’s remarkable room for thinking inside those suits.”
“Damn. That sounds exhausting,” one user replied.
The original poster shared, “Playing Goofy in general, was mostly physically ok other than the big weight of the mask on your neck. The real grind was Sully from Monsters & Co. The mask is so big it’s basically an architecture strapped to your waist and shoulders, the boots are huge and flatfooted, and there are no gloves, instead, you hold these two artificial arms from inside the costume and wave them about (not too bad at first but do it for 30 minutes straight and those things really begin to weigh). That shift was a proper workout.”
4. Tinkerbell
One user posted, “I dated a girl that played one of the fairies for the Tinkerbell place. Beyond the pretty much daily occurrence of old dads hitting on her (she was 19 at the time), the weirdest thing to happen to her was a woman with a 4yr old little girl was all excited to get a picture with Tinkerbell, who was busy, so my ex volunteered to do pictures and entertain the little girl while they waited.
“The woman was [very rude] about that idea, rudely saying she was here to see Tinkerbell and not ‘off-brand’ fairies. So just shrugging it off, my ex moved on. A bit later, she hears a commotion, and Tinkerbell is obviously upset, and security shows up. Apparently, this woman was Tinkerbell’s bio mom and had taken her granddaughter to Disney, just to violate the restraining order against her. Disney Jail is a real place.”
5. Mickey Mouse
One user stated, “I was a ‘mouse height’ performer at Disney World around 2013. Can unfortunately confirm groping happened from time to time, and it was incredibly uncomfortable. We were trained to move away if we could and signal to the character attendants to escort the guest away if it happened. One time some guy thought it appropriate to pick me up completely off the ground in a bear hug. The head pushed back and because the inside is connected to us with headgear and a chin strap, my neck bent back with it, and it hurt like hell.
Not a weird story, but one of my most memorable guest experiences was meeting a little blind boy as Mickey in Epcot. I gently guided his hands to the soft ears, then the nose, and bow tie, and he was laughing, and his smile lit up the whole room. I still get emotional thinking about it! Interactions like that made it all worth it to me at the time.”
Another added, “The second story, the blind kid… great story. Thanks for making his day.”
Another user asked, “I’m slow… what’s a “mouse height” performer?”
A Redditor answered, “It was to imply they played Mickey or Minnie in the Parks, probably due to their height being right for the costumes. Also, Disney can get weird about performers mentioning their past work, so a lot of times, people will hint at who they played rather than outright say.”
One user also added, “They’re not supposed to ever say who they played, just that they were friends with the character.”
6. Minnie Mouse
One user commented, “I knew a friend (a guy) who wore a Minnie Mouse costume. He told me almost all guys would put their hands around his waist. He wouldn’t dare to talk, or else they will hear his manly voice, and that might [make them mad]. Edit: this blows up quickly. I feel I need to let people know that it’s not okay to grope the Disney characters… All I can tell you is that they will make a disgusting face under the mask and talk… about you later after work.”
One added, “I’d have waited till they groped then in my deepest gruffest voice said “how YOU doin’?”
The original commenter replied, “He sometimes wanted to take off the Minnie Mouse headpiece off and look straight at the guy’s eye with a straight face and say ‘Stop it.’”
7. Pluto
One of the Redditors posted, “I had a female friend who played Pluto for a few years. Even though her gender was indistinguishable because it’s a fully body Pluto costume, she would regularly share how often she was groped by kids and adults alike. In costume, she looked like she was 6’6”, but was only 5’8” in real life. You couldn’t tell the gender of any of the 3-4 in Pluto rotation and you could barely tell them apart.”
Another user also shared, “We met an absolutely amazing Pluto… many years ago. Our daughter was about 5, and was absolutely besotted with Pluto, to the extent that was all she asked for for Christmas. Just Pluto… The whole time we were at Disney, she was looking out for him without any luck. On our last full day there, we booked a character breakfast, but he didn’t turn up there, either. But as we were leaving and about to go down the stairs to the exit, who should be coming up them but the dog himself?
“I have no way of knowing who was in that costume, but I am so grateful to them. They must have seen something in our daughter’s face, because they got to the landing, went down on one knee and opened their arms to her. She absolutely FLEW down the stairs, and was given the longest hug. We took a photo (this was before cell phones, when everybody had those little disposable digital cameras). It’s one of my favorites; you can’t see her face because it’s buried in orange plush, but you can tell how much it means to her. So whoever you were—thank you. You absolutely made her day—she still mentions it now.”
“Reminds me of Marry Poppins. My daughter had just watched the original and learned the supercalifragilistic song. She was obsessed. Then when we were on It’s a Wonderful World ride, we saw her walking away. She couldn’t get off the ride fast enough. And ran to find her at the carousel. They waved at each other, and when Mary and Bert got off the ride, they came over. She walked with my daughter hand in hand, and they had a conversation…
“She invited her to come to the show in front of the castle and brought her up to sing and dance. Then later there was a parade. Mary spotted her in a nearby balcony we were watching from. She seemed genuinely excited to see my daughter. Mary made the trip awesome,” one user responded.
8. Easter bunny
One user posted, “I used to be the Easter Bunny at a function hall, and people were just…weird. I’ve been threatened by a guy that told me he was going to throw me down the stairs. It’s hot, too. Some kids were really happy to get a picture, so it made it all worthwhile.”
One added, “I read that second sentence as a completely different kind of ‘hot’ in the context of the prior sentence, and was deeply concerned for about a second.”
Another user confirmed, “I’ve done some volunteer work in costume, and I agree. People are weird. And adults are always worse than the kids.”
9. Goofy, Mickey, and the Parade
One Redditor shared, “Repost from a guy who played Goofy from a couple of years ago. ‘I have one moment that stands out above all the rest. I was waiting for someone to ask me this question. It’s the reason I left a good job as a VIP Tourguide and moved to the Character Department.
“I was working at City Hall… when two guests came in with two little girls. One was in a wheelchair, and the other one looked like she had just seen death. Both were cut and bruised and the one in the wheelchair had her arm in a cast. The two women were… nurses from a hospital and were asking for a refund on the girl’s tickets… When I asked why they told me the story. The two girls were with their mom and dad at Epcot and on the way home they got into a horrible car accident. The mother [passed away] right in front of them. The father… died too, but the two girls didn’t know that yet.
“They were from overseas and had no money and no contact information for anyone they knew. They were bringing the tickets back to get the girls some much-needed money to help get them back home. My heart absolutely sunk. [Those girls] were truly traumatized. I refunded their tickets and got permission to be their private tour guide for the rest of the day… I walked them to the VIP viewing area for the parade which was as far as I could walk them in the costume we used to wear at City Hall… On the way down I pulled out every kid joke I could think of. I was a REALLY good tour guide… and I knew how to make kids smile.
“Nothing worked. These girls were too far gone for that. I left them at the bridge to go change… and bawled my eyes out. I just had never seen something so horrible. I [had] a terrible feeling of powerlessness not being able to fix the situation. When I came back I brought them to get ice-cream, take them on rides… but they never smiled, not once. The nurses were loving it and were trying to get them into it but it just wasn’t working. We went back to the bridge to watch the parade. It was there that I honestly saw true magic. Real magic, not [fake].
“I… called the parade department to… set up a private meet and greet after the parade. As the parade was coming around Liberty Square I told the girls that I had called Mickey and told him all about them. I told them that Mickey asked to meet them after the parade. The little girl in the wheelchair smiled. “Really?” she asked. My heart skipped. “Yes, really! He told me to tell you to look out for him in the parade and to follow the float back to City Hall.” The other girl smiled. “You mean right now?” she asked.
“It worked. They were talking… It was the first time I had heard them speak. Every single parade performer came up to them on the bridge and told them to look out for Mickey. Every one of them told them that. When Mickey’s float came up Mickey (who was attached to a pole at the top of the float) managed to turn her body sideways, look down at the girls and point towards Main Street. That was all it took. The girls were excited now. They had forgotten about death. They were lost in a magical world and… I was watching it unfold in front of my eyes.
“We followed that float all the way back to City Hall, singing “Mickey Mania” the whole way. I took them in [the VIP celebrity lounge] and showed them the book where all of the autographs were. They were eating it up. The girl who was Mickey that day got down off her float and without even taking her head off walked up to me backstage and said “Let’s go.”
I walked in with Mickey behind me so I got to see the exact moment the girls met their new friend. They got shy but Mickey was in control now. Those girls met the REAL Mickey Mouse that day. Every single parade character stayed dressed to meet those girls. One by one they’d come in and play… We were in that lounge for over an hour. Mickey stayed in costume the entire time (which is hard to do after a parade). When Mickey finally said goodbye I had two excited girls on my hands that couldn’t stop smiling… We had a wonderful day after that but what I remember most is when we walked by the rose garden, the older one said “Oh, my mommy loves roses! I mean…” and she stopped.
“I held out my hand and walked her to the gate, picked her up and put her on the other side and said “Pick one!” She looked happy as she picked out her favorite rose. She didn’t say anything more and she didn’t need to. I said goodbye to the wonderful nurses and the wonderful girls then walked backstage behind the train station. This time I didn’t cry. It felt so good to be a part of that. I realized that as much as I liked helping guests at City Hall, the true magic of Disney was in the character department. I auditioned, transferred, and never looked back. Thanks for letting me relive this. It was a special day for me.”
One user replied, “I can’t imagine it… I lost both my parents last year and I’m in my 30s. The pain, impossibility of it, loneliness, fear, the MISSING them is all so intense. I can’t imagine being that young and witnessing such a thing and then having to walk through it. My first birthday without them is coming in 10 days, and I feel as devastated as when they first passed. I hope those girls have found comfort and love.”
“I’m so sorry. Much love to you on your birthday,” another user responded.
10. Chip ‘n Dale
One user said, “I was Chip ‘n Dale in Land, and some dad came up with his kids, I was doin my thang and having fun with them. When it came time for pics the dad came over to join us and all was well until after the picture when he asked for a hug so I gave him one. He squeezed, pulled away, grabbed his kids hands, smiled and said, ‘I didn’t know Dale was a girl under all that fur.’
“I played it off at the time but it made me really uncomfortable that he had actually squeezed hard enough to feel me under my costume… decided to wear binders while I was in character so that no one else could ever feel my boobs again through the suit. This was back in 2019.”
Another one responded, “I have a similar story as Smokey Bear. I used to work for the US Forest service and when I was an intern I got to be Smokey (I thought it was a high honor, turns out I was just the unlucky fool to volunteer). Still there was a bunch of training and rules before I was allowed to do it. Regardless I had a few dads grab my waist, which was actually just a pair of massive jeans and realize I was a girl and make really lewd comments. It was weirder with the handful of women who would try to grab my cr***h and make jokes about what I had down there.
“Being Smokey was a lot of fun otherwise (except also that every dog hated you) but it had its moments. Lots of weird comments, luckily I wasn’t allowed to talk at all and had handlers (fellow employees) to manage the people. It definitely always made me uncomfortable how weird people can be with someone in that situation where you’re kind of held hostage by your environment and the persona you’re inhabiting.
“Although the scariest moment was when one overzealous person tried to tackle me and the head almost came off, I don’t know what I would have done since it was in front of a crowd of like 150 children.”
One added, “That’s a gross way to phrase it, but as a teen I was shocked to realize I could see through the mesh of the character heads when close up. It looks so opaque from a distance and the accidental eye contact inside a cartoon animal’s mouth felt super awkward.”
Another user concluded, “As someone who does a lot of different character work, kids love to press their faces against the mesh mouth and try to get a look of whoever’s inside. Nothing I can really do about that, unfortunately.”
Source: Reddit.
Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role? After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.
10 Actresses People Despise Watching Regardless of Their Role
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
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10 Celebrities Who Are Universally Disliked
11 Vampire Movies That Will Leave You Yearning for More
Sometimes, we just love to watch a favorite vampire movie; one of the ones that never get old. It piques our imagination with the unknown, story of two teenagers fighting for their love, the incredible and creepy scenes, and the bloodsucking classics.
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25 Extraordinary Sequels and Remakes That Outshine the Originals
Every once in a while, a movie sequel or remake surpasses the original film. After polling the internet, “Name a single movie where the sequel or remake was better than the original?” Here are the top-voted responses.
25 Extraordinary Sequels and Remakes That Outshine the Originals
Ellie Mae’s Origination Insight report for October demonstrates some of the side effects of the historically low mortgage rates we’ve seen in 2020: incredibly high volume and an increase in time-to-close.
Across the board, 30-year mortgage rates decreased on average from 3% in September to 2.99% in October, continuing this year’s trend of low rates. The 30-year conventional dropped from 3.02% to 3.01%, and VA fell from 2.78% to 2.75%. FHA loans remained the same, holding steady at 3.01% in October.
From September to October, the average time to close all loans increased from 51 to 54 days, with the average time to close a refinance increasing from 54 to 57 days and average time for a purchase climbing one day to 48 days. That’s a little more than 6 weeks for people trying to move into a house.
Time to close has been creeping up since the lows seen in March when shut-downs started happening. Refis now take 22 days longer in October than they did back March.
The number of closed loans increased 7.1% over September, per Ellie Mae. Seasonally, October over September for 2019, 2018, 2017 were up 4.8%, up 9.9%, and up 5.6% respectively.
The number of conventional loans increased in October to 82% – up from 80% in September. Overall loan applications are down 9.3% from September. FHA loans held steady at 10% between the two months, while VA loan numbers dropped from 6% to 5%.
Numbers throughout the industry are favorable for buyers, though, when compared to the months before the COVID-19 pandemic forced an economic shutdown. In February, 30-year rates sat at an average of 3.86%.
The average FICO score on all closed loans remained at 753 in October, unchanged from the month prior. LTV stayed at 73 and DTI decreased to 23/35.
FHA refinance FICO scores held at 679 for the second consecutive month, and conventional refinance FICO scores decreased one point to 766 in October. VA refinance FICO scores decreased to 736 in October, down from 738 in September.
Since the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, LGBT troops transitioning back into civilian life can access critical housing assistance benefits granted by the federal government to all of our country’s veterans.
As these service members transition out of military housing and into the civilian housing market, they should be equipped with the full understanding of what is available to them as part of their service to our country, particularly since the Federal Reserve’s 2019 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking found that LGBT veterans were over four times more likely than non-LGBT veterans to report finding it difficult to get by financially.
One of the most important benefits available to LGBT veterans is the VA Home Loan program, which provides veterans with low-interest mortgages with no down payment required. This program can be a lifeline for LGBT veterans who may be struggling to save for a down payment or qualify for a traditional mortgage due to discrimination in the workplace or other factors.
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Unfortunately, many LGBT veterans may not be aware of this program or may face additional hurdles in accessing it. They may be hesitant to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity to VA officials, out of fear of discrimination or harassment. They may also be unaware of the specific documentation and paperwork required to qualify for the VA Home Loan program, or may face challenges in finding a lender who is knowledgeable about the program and sensitive to their needs.
To address these challenges, we must do more to educate LGBT veterans about their rights and benefits. VA officials and mortgage lenders should be trained to provide culturally competent services and resources, such as LGBT-affirming housing counselors and financial advisors.
We must also work to address the underlying causes of the “rainbow gap” in homeownership. This includes advocating for policies and laws that protect LGBT individuals from discrimination in the workplace, housing market, and other areas of life, and that ensure that all individuals have access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
Honoring the service and sacrifice of our LGBT veterans requires more than just words. It requires concrete action to ensure that these brave individuals have the support and resources they need to succeed in civilian life, including the ability to achieve the dream of homeownership.
Joseph Smith, U.S. Air Force veteran, and senior vice president of lending, CrossCountry Mortgage, Boston Shimmy Braun, senior loan officer, CrossCountry Mortgage.
Pass law to help ease shortage of mental health professionals
Thank you to Gerald “Jud”DeLoss for his recent op-ed urging our leaders to address the worsening shortage of mental health professionals by investing in bringing more people into the psychiatric professions.
As DeLoss points out, the shrinking pool of psychiatrists will spell serious trouble for cities and states trying to open free mental health clinics for the poor or uninsured. There simply aren’t enough doctors available to hire when the demand for psychiatric services is mounting. The current pool of 40,000 psychiatrists nationwide is expected to fall 27% by 2030, creating a shortfall of as many as 21,000 psychiatrists by that year.
As the former president of a Chicago chapter of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, I can testify that members have had enormous difficulties finding well-qualified, affordable psychiatrists in a reasonable amount of time. Waiting periods stretched into months. Many doctors weren’t taking new patients. Other psychiatrists, disillusioned with reimbursements from insurance companies, were operating cash-only practices and refusing any insurance.
One implication was clear: The reopening of Chicago’s shuttered mental health clinics was more vital than ever.
What can government do to beef up the ranks of new doctors entering the pipeline, allowing cities to tap new talent for municipal clinics? For starters, Congress can pass the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023. This bipartisan measure would expand the number of Medicare-supported residency positions at teaching hospitals and medical schools nationwide. The result would be an expansion of young doctors, including psychiatrists, just when they’re needed the most.
Robert Kazel, Niles
Words do matter
Columnist Neil Steinberg showed his true colors recently by allying himself with FOP chief John Catanzara and a reporter over the use of the term “mob action” in describing the youth who allegedly looted a 7-Eleven.
The term was chosen to incite feelings against the Black teens who were charged as well as to bait Mayor Brandon Johnson. Steinberg can lecture while quoting the conservative Daily Mail and trying to squeeze some middle ground for himself, but he finally came down in support of the reporter and Catanzara’s use of a racially charged, if not outright racist, term.
Steinberg’s lame response to Black teens having nothing to do is to cite the stock answer: “everything — education, jobs, family, community. And law enforcement.” Law enforcement receives overwhelming funding while the other priorities are woefully underfunded and many times nonexistent.
Johnson is trying to correct this underfunding. He is right in saying we should not vilify these teens and need to provide constructive avenues for and with them.
Meanwhile, I wonder why very little was said about the youth at Lollapalooza.