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Apache is functioning normally

April 30, 2023 by Brett Tams

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s crucial to understand the variety of financial services available to you, including cashier’s checks. This guide will explore the ins and outs of obtaining a cashier’s check at Walmart and help you navigate your financial options with ease.

What is a cashier’s check?

A cashier’s check is a guaranteed form of payment issued by a bank or credit union. It’s a popular option for large transactions, such as purchasing a car or making a down payment on a home, due to its security, trustworthiness, and speed. When you request a cashier’s check, the financial institution withdraws the funds from your bank account and guarantees payment to the recipient, making it a safer option than personal checks.

Financial Services Offered by Walmart

Walmart offers a wide range of financial services through its MoneyCenter to help customers manage their finances conveniently. Some of the services available include:

Walmart Check Cashing Services

Walmart cashes various types of checks, such as payroll, government, tax refund, insurance settlement, and retirement disbursement checks, for a fee. This service is available at the customer service desk or at the Walmart MoneyCenter.

Money Orders

Walmart sells MoneyGram money orders, which can be used as an alternative to cashier’s checks for smaller transactions. You can get a money order at the customer service desk or at the Walmart MoneyCenter.

Bill Pay Services

Walmart’s bill pay services allow customers to pay their bills directly from the store. This service is available at the customer service desk and can be a convenient way to manage your finances without visiting your bank or credit union.

Prepaid Debit Cards

Walmart offers various prepaid debit card options that can be loaded with cash and used for purchases, bill payments, or to withdraw cash from ATMs.

Walmart Credit Card

The Walmart Credit Card allows customers to earn rewards for purchases made at Walmart and other participating retailers. Cardholders can also take advantage of special financing options and other benefits.

Tax Preparation Services

During tax season, Walmart partners with tax preparation service providers to offer convenient tax filing options for customers. These services are available at select Walmart locations.

Money Transfers

Walmart MoneyCenter allows customers to send money domestically and internationally through MoneyGram and other money transfer services. This service provides a convenient way to transfer money to friends and family, pay bills, or cover other financial needs.

Can I get a cashier’s check at Walmart?

Unfortunately, Walmart does not issue cashier’s checks. However, they do offer a range of alternatives, such as money orders and bill pay services.

Customers can purchase MoneyGram money orders as a substitute for cashier’s checks when dealing with smaller transactions. These money orders can be obtained at the customer service counter or the Walmart MoneyCenter.

Walmart’s in-store bill payment services may be another option to consider. This service enables customers to settle their bills directly, and offers a hassle-free method to handle your finances without the need for a bank account.

Can I cash a cashier’s check at Walmart?

Yes, you can cash a cashier’s check at Walmart. As part of their check cashing services, Walmart accepts various types of checks, including cashier’s checks, at the customer service desk or Walmart MoneyCenter.

Keep in mind that fees will apply, and the maximum amount you can cash may be subject to limitations. Make sure to bring a valid, government-issued photo ID to verify your identity and complete the transaction.

See also: Where Can I Cash a Cashier’s Check?

Where can I get a cashier’s check?

Although cashier’s checks aren’t available at Walmart, there are several places you can get one:

Traditional Banks and Credit Unions

Most brick-and-mortar banks and credit unions offer cashier’s check services to their customers. To get a cashier’s check from a financial institution, you’ll need to have a bank account with that institution. Simply visit your bank or credit union in person to request a cashier’s check.

Online Banks

Many online banks also provide cashier’s check services. These banks often have lower fees and more convenient processes, as you can request a cashier’s check through their website or mobile app without visiting a physical branch. The cashier’s check will then be mailed to you or the recipient.

Non-Bank Financial Service Providers

Some non-bank financial service providers, such as check-cashing stores or money service businesses, may offer cashier’s checks. However, these establishments typically charge higher fees for their services than traditional banks or credit unions. Be sure to research the legitimacy of these providers before obtaining a cashier’s check from them.

Specialized Apps or Financial Technology (Fintech) Companies

Certain Fintech companies or mobile banking apps may provide cashier’s check services to their users. These services might be convenient and accessible through their platform, but availability may vary, and fees might apply. As with non-bank financial service providers, always verify the legitimacy of the FinTech company or app before requesting a cashier’s check.

See also: How to Get a Cashier’s Check

Comparing Cashier’s Checks, Money Orders, and Personal Checks

Each form of payment has its advantages and disadvantages, so it’s essential to understand when to use each type.

Cashier’s Checks

Cashier’s checks are ideal for large transactions, as they provide a higher level of security and trustworthiness. The funds are guaranteed by the financial institution, making it difficult for the recipient to dispute the payment.

Money Orders

Money orders are suitable for smaller transactions and can be purchased at various locations, including Walmart, convenience stores, grocery stores, gas stations, and the postal service. Money orders are less expensive than cashier’s checks but have lower maximum limits.

Personal Checks

Personal checks are a convenient way to pay bills and make everyday purchases. However, they lack the security of cashier’s checks and money orders, as they can bounce if there are insufficient funds in your account.

Fees and Costs Associated with Cashier’s Checks

Fees for cashier’s checks vary depending on the financial institution. Traditional banks and credit unions often charge a fee for issuing a cashier’s check, while online banks may offer them for free or a lower fee. Walmart charges a maximum fee for money orders, which is generally less than the cost of a cashier’s check.

Conclusion

Although you cannot obtain a cashier’s check at Walmart, there are still many financial services available, including Walmart check cashing services, money orders, and bill pay. By understanding your financial options, you can make informed decisions about how to manage your money, whether that’s through a bank, credit union, or retail store like Walmart.

For further information about cashier’s checks, money orders, and other financial transactions, consult with your financial institution or explore additional resources available online.

Source: crediful.com

Apache is functioning normally

April 30, 2023 by Brett Tams

This is Midjourney AI’s imagined version of my new car. I’ll update this picture once I take delivery and head out on my first real camping trip!

As I type this, I’m jumping through the various hoops involved in buying a 2023 Tesla Model Y, a spectacularly expensive, large luxury “crossover” that is absolutely loaded to the gills with excess: all wheel drive, faster acceleration than a Lamborghini, enough space for seven people and enough computer gadgetry to function as a small Google data center.

The total net cost of this thing to me after all the taxes and tax credits* will be about $52,000, which is just a stunning amount higher than the Honda van it is replacing. That old classic cost me $4500 when I bought it off of Craigslist twelve years ago, and it had served me dutifully until just last month, crisscrossing the mountains and deserts of this country and also helping to rebuild a considerable swath of houses in my neighborhood.

I’m supposed to be a frugality-oriented financial blogger, and I’m also known for hating car culture – I think most people use cars about ten times more often than they need to, and most people drive cars they can’t afford. So why the hell am I buying a new one?

From those first three paragraphs, you can see I’m feeling plenty of self-mockery and ridicule over this new purchase. If you’re also a naturally frugal person, you can surely relate to the thoughts and you probably also agree with me that I’m off my rocker.

And indeed, I’m still on-board with frugality and healthy self mockery. After all, it was this overall life philosophy that earned me an early retirement 18 years ago, which provides all of the glorious freedom I enjoy now.

It was also the philosophy that allowed me to procrastinate on buying this expensive car for the last four years, even as countless people both close to me and out on the Internet egged me on and told me I should just loosen up and treat myself.

But there’s a classic slogan that applies to many areas of life, and it is something I like to dig up and ponder every now and then:

“What got you here,

Won’t get you where you’re going.”

How does that piece of wisdom apply to frugal living and enjoying a long life of early retirement?

A quick story from a recent run to the grocery store will explain:

I was standing there in the bakery aisle, hoping to restock with a loaf of Dave’s Killer Bread for the next day’s breakfast with some visiting friends. But since this was in a standard grocery store rather than the Costco where I usually shop, the damned stuff was priced at an eye-watering $6.99 per loaf (instead the $4.50 or so I’m accustomed to paying, and even at the bulk store this stuff is about double the price of normal bread).

“DAMN YOU KING SOOPER’S!”

Was my first response.

“WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, TRYING TO SELL BREAD FOR SEVEN BUCKS!!!”

Then I went through a whole mental battle of what I call Grocery Shopping With Your Middle Finger:

“Should I just boycott this bullshit?”

“Hmm I wonder if any of the other competing brands are any good?”

“What else is a good substitute for bread for this breakfast?”

And then thankfully, after exhausting all other mental options, I settled on the correct one:

“JUST BUY THE BREAD YOU DUMBASS!”

“Because you are never going to wake up in the future and look at your bank account and think, shit, if only I had an extra $2.49 in there I would be a happier person.”

That night, I came home from the store and shared this funny tale with one of my guests. He understood perfectly because he too had earned his own retirement through a lifetime of grinding in tough jobs and disciplined frugality. And despite the fact that he has a net worth several times higher than mine, he admitted that he faces exactly the same mental battles over splurging on himself.

This same friend gives freely to charitable causes, has supported a local school for decades, and is always the first one to pull out the checkbook if a friend has hit hard times or is looking for a trusted business investor.

But he still has trouble bringing himself to take an Uber to the airport instead of riding the bus which takes an hour longer.

We both realized that we were being too cheap with ourselves, and we needed to work on it. And we came up with a set of three ideas that should hopefully work together to help us have more fun with our life savings, while we are still alive:

the Minimum Spending Budget,
the Dedicated Money Wasting Account,
and the Splurge Accountability Buddy.

Principle #1: The Minimum Spending Budget:

Suppose you’ve done well over the years and amassed a pile of productive investments worth about two million dollars. Yes, this is a lot of money for most people, and that is the point: this hypothetical person truly has it made.

But as it turns out, most Mustachians I know with this level of wealth are still living very efficient lives, usually with a spending level of under $40,000 per year. On top of that, they typically live in a mortgage-free house and still have various forms of side income from a small business or two.

The 4% rule tells us that this person should be fairly safe spending up to about $80,000 per year from that cozy nest egg, even if they never earn any other money.

If this person wanted to be ridiculously conservative and set the spending rate at 3%, that still leaves about $60,000 of fun money every single year.. Plus, again, any side income, future inheritances, and social security income only add to the surplus.

Thus, a reasonable minimum spending level for this person might be $60,000 per year.

And in most cases, they know this, but still go right on living on $40k or less and claim they have everything they could ever want.

But if you watch carefully you’ll still catch them firing up the middle finger at things like $6.99 Dave’s bread or the $14.00 Cabernet at the restaurant or driving around in a gas guzzler even when they would prefer to have a proper, modern electric car.

And whenever these people do get extra money, their first instinct is to stash it away on top of the already-too-big pile. In diagram form, their money flow looks like this:

Note that while this person is great at accumulating money through that big red arrow firing money back into the ‘stash, their “fun stuff” arrow appears quite flaccid and withered.

Which is a perfect segue to ….

Principle #2 – the Dedicated Money Wasting Account

Lifelong habits are hard to break, and it’s sometimes hard to “waste” your own hard-earned money on things that seem frivolous, even when you know intellectually that you have way more money than you’ll ever spend.

But have you ever noticed that if you are spending somebody else’s money, preferably an anonymous corporation, it feels different?

For example, when you’re on a business trip and you just show up at the dining table to eat and drink and you never see the bill, you probably don’t fret about the prices, right?

The key is to make your own money feel like somebody else’s, and you can do it like this:

Re-brand your main bank account – henceforth it is the FREE FUN MONEY account.
Set up an auto-deposit of your minimum spending budget that drops in each month (if you suspect that you might currently be too frugal, make this at least $1000 per month higher than your current spending level)
The only way you are allowed to use the money in this new account is to spend it on anything and everything, or give it away. It can be used for both necessities like groceries and your utility bill, but also your luxuries like travel and dining and generosity.
But the key rule is this: You are not allowed to follow your old habit of sweeping out the surplus each month to buy more and more index funds as you’ve been doing your whole life.

If the free fun money starts building up, which it probably will because you are way out of spending practice, it will stare you in the face and tell you to do a better job.

And this can and should be FUN! Now you can get the best organic groceries even when the price seems exorbitant. Go out for dinner or order delivery whenever you like. Surprise your loved ones with concert tickets, join your friends on snowboarding or beach trips, or even pay for an entire group vacation, allowing people to go who couldn’t normally afford it so easily.
Technical Note: Some people have income or wealth levels are so high that it would be insane to spend at a 3% rate. For example, a $10M fortune would lead to a $25,000 monthly spending rate, which is obviously ridiculous.
In this situation, you can still leave your dividends reinvesting but still give yourself a bigger, no-saving-allowed budget to get some practice being more relaxed and generous. The real point here is to just stop sweating the details so you can have more fun.

Principle #3 – The Splurge Accountability Buddy

Many of us frugal people tend to stick together. And most of us have different versions of the same problem: we know logically that money is plentiful these days, but our emotions keep us stuck in our old ways of optimizing too much.

But I find that when I team up with local friends who are actually trying to battle these same habits, we can question each other’s decisions, call out cheapness when we see it, and cheer on splurges when we know the other guy would enjoy it.

My super wealthy friend from above has become much better about treating himself (and his family) to quality goods for the home, amazing trips together, and just a general reduction in his stress over being “efficient with money”

My friend and HQ co-owner Carl (Mr. 1500 Days) has finally replaced his beaten-down minivan with a spiffy new Chevrolet Bolt electric car, and is loving that leap into the future.

And of course Mr. Money Mustache, after squeezing one final mountain road trip out of his 23-year-old Honda van, is finally allowing himself to get the Tesla he has been talking about for half a decade.

An early spring Sunrise at our new “Friends Mountain Resort”

A recent life change (becoming a co-owner of a fixer-upper vacation rental compound in beautiful Salida Colorado) has reignited the travel fire in my heart and made me realize how much I do love getting out to distant places for visiting, mountain biking, gathering with groups of friends and my favorite activity of all: Carpentourism.

Running the Numbers: how ridiculously expensive is this car?

This is the perfect start to my experiment in spending more. Realistically, a $50,000 car is going to cost me about $10,000 more per year than my old van was burning. With the biggest costs being these:

Foregoing roughly 8% annual investment returns on the 50 grand: $4000
Depreciation on the car: an average of $3000 per year over the first 10 years
Higher insurance premiums: $1000 more per year
Replacing those exorbitantly huge performance tires when they wear out, and probably things like repairing the all-glass roof someday when it meets Colorado’s pebble-strewn mountain roads: the remaining $2000 or so.

Since I personally had a spending deficit of several times more than $10k per year, I figure this is a solid first step. And, since the car’s primary purpose is things like epic camping trips, dream dates, and long adventures around the country, it will definitely help me spend more on experiences, hotels, and go out to dinner a bit more often as well.

“This Privileged Rich Folk Talk is Making Me Sick, why don’t you give your money away to charity, or to me?”

In general, I agree: the world has problems and the richer you are, the more you should consider giving generously.

But also, to be honest, the whiny people who constantly send complaints like this out to strangers on the Internet really need to get a life. It’s great to encourage philanthropy through positive examples, but completely unproductive to send negativity to shame people you don’t even know for not following your own personal value system. The world has seen more than enough of this.

On top of that, this one-sided thinking can be counterproductive. Both of my friends have given generously throughout their lifetimes. In my own case, I have donated over $500,000 to the best causes I could find during the years I’ve been writing this blog, but I was still refusing to let myself replace that 23-year-old van.

And that overthinking was leading to even more of a scarcity mentality, as I compared my own meager spending to these bigger numbers of my donations, and found myself thinking things like,

“Damn, I’m spending $100 on this dinner date which sounds like a lot, but I also spent ONE THOUSAND TIMES more on donations last year, which sounds like even more. Maybe I am spending too much and need to cut back on EVERYTHING!”

And then the fear side of my brain would illogically chime in: “Yeah and you’re going to make us run out of money and be poor forever! waaaah waaaah! Cut back and optimize and conserve!”

I think there is a happy medium here.

Yes – be a super, duper responsible steward of your life savings.

And yes, give generously with all your heart to charity.

But yes, it’s also okay to set aside a portion of the money you’ve earned, for frivolous spending on yourself and those closest to you. You’re not a bad person for having a few nice things.

It’s okay to pay that extra hundred bucks to sit in the front of the airplane instead of the back if it helps you enjoy your vacation and spend a joyful half hour walking FREE at your destination while the 49 rows of people behind you fuss infuriatingly with their shit in the overhead bins.

It’s okay to buy the frozen berries at Whole Foods even though they cost eight times more than Costco charges, if it spares you from making a second unpleasant trip through parking lot hell.

And as for me, I am calling it okay to, at last, double flip the Autopilot stalk in my new Tesla and lean back as it it shoots me gracefully through even the highest mountain passes, forever leaving the desperately underpowered wheezing and gear shifting and noise* of the gasoline era behind, forever.

Rest in Peace, Vanna – 1999-2023

* A useful tip for more effective splurging:

Try to find the truly negative aspects of your life and focus any additional spending on improving those things. But it’s a subtle art so you have to get it right if you want lasting results in happiness.

You don’t want to just reduce hardship or challenge like hiring someone to take care of every aspect of your house, because overcoming daily hardships and having significant accomplishments provides the very core of our life satisfaction.

You also don’t want to just upgrade the things that are already good in your life. For example, a friend of mine is a gourmet coffee expert, and he suggested that I upgrade my setup at home to include on-the-spot roasting, and fancy grinding and brewing equipment. But I already love the good quality coffee I buy off the shelf from Costco, so it would be counterproductive to invest time or money into changing this part of my life.

But when you have something that causes you regular angst and stress, whether it’s a leaky roof that makes you dread rain, or a long commute that makes you dread the daily traffic jam, or a body that is giving you trouble due to not being in the best of shape – those types of things are probably a good target for improvement.

In the case of my car situation, I had a Nissan Leaf which is wonderful to drive, but doesn’t have the range to travel anywhere outside of the Denver metro area. Then I had the van which is a clunky beast to drive, but is otherwise an amazing road tripper because I could bring along whatever and whoever I wanted. But the van was getting increasingly unreliable in several hard-to-fix ways which was making me nervous every time I thought about long distance travel. Which was causing me to avoid certain trips and miss positive lifetime experiences.

In other words, my lack of a reliable long-range car was a small but consistent source of negative stress.

Finally, Vanna gave me the gift of a final hot and smelly transmission failure on a mountain pass on the way home from my new project in Salida. It was just the nudge that I needed. And now I already feel excitement rather than dread at the prospect of all the road trips in the coming decades!

* Total cost of this Tesla:

Model Y plus options and Tesla fees: $53,630
Subtract $7500 federal EV tax credit
Subtract $2000 Colorado EV tax credit
(Note: this is equivalent to a $44,150 list price if you are cross shopping with other cars)
Add back in $4674 of sales tax
Add in first 3 years of Colorado new-car registration fees: $3000
Net cost: about $52,000

New Tracker Page!

To go along with this article, I started a new page called “The Model Y Experiment” where I can share ongoing findings and Q&A about the ownership experience. I’ve driven and rented Teslas quite a bit in the past, so most of it will be pretty familiar. But as an owner I’ll get to verify the reliability and the quality of customer service, as well as any quirks and modifications and upgrades I do.

Source: mrmoneymustache.com

Apache is functioning normally

April 30, 2023 by Brett Tams

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of unemployed was 15.4 million and the jobless rate was 10 percent in November. While those numbers “edged down” from previous months, there’s no doubt that job loss and unemployment are hot topics, and people are worried.

Some of those lucky enough to hang onto their jobs have experienced salary reductions, reduced hours, or withheld bonuses.

Even if your income has remained unaffected, hearing stories on the news and witnessing friends and family members experience job loss can make a person nervous. It’s why car dealerships and travel companies are offering job loss insurance, reassuring consumers that it’s okay to buy a new car or book a cruise.

But wiggling out of a major purchase means little if you still can’t afford to pay your mortgage after job loss.

Worst-case scenario planning
This made me think about what my financial situation would look like if I lost my job, if my husband lost his, or if somehow we both found ourselves unemployed. What is our worst-case scenario? Could we cover the essential bills? And for how long?

This is the process I used to create a worst-case scenario snapshot of our finances. I’ll use fictional couple Michael and Kay as an example. Their combined monthly income after taxes is $5,000. Michael makes $2,000 per month, and Kay brings in $3,000 per month. They have an emergency savings fund of $10,000.

Step one: Assess current expenses
First, they’ll look at their current monthly budget:

Mortgage: $1,100
Food & Dining: $500
Bills & Utilities: $325
Gas & Fuel: $300
Vacation Savings: $200
Massage Therapy: $150
Gym: $100
Property Tax: $100
Health/Prescriptions: $140
Clothing: $100
Auto Insurance: $45
Home Insurance: $30
Donations: $30
Netflix: $18
Personal Care: $25
Misc: $120
Retirement Savings: $834
Other Savings: $883

Step two: Cut expenses
Next, Michael and Kay examine their fixed and discretionary expenses and determine where they could cut back, if needed. They eliminate savings and clothing from the budget right away. They decide that they could cut back on food by $100 if they quit eating out, and they could live without massage therapy and gym memberships. This lowers their monthly expenses to $2,633.

Mortgage: $1,100
Food & Dining: $500 $400
Bills & Utilities: $325
Gas & Fuel: $300
Vacation Savings: $200
Massage Therapy: $150
Gym: $100
Property Tax: $100
Health/Prescriptions: $140
Clothing: $100
Auto Insurance: $45
Home Insurance: $30
Donations: $30
Netflix: $18
Personal Care: $25
Misc: $120
Retirement Savings: $834
Other Savings: $883

Step three: Evaluate possible scenarios
If Michael lost his job, their monthly income would be $3000. With monthly expenses of $2,633, they’d have $367 left at the end of the month and wouldn’t have to dip into the emergency fund except in case of emergencies.

If Kay lost her job, their monthly income would be $2000. They’d either need to cut back more, or use the emergency fund to make up the $633 difference. If they used the emergency fund, it would last for about 15 months — barring any unforeseen expenses.

If both Michael and Kay lost their jobs and had to live off of the emergency fund, their savings would last for about three months.

Other expenses and income
In a real-life scenario, you’ll also need to account for health insurance. Whether you’d get coverage under your spouse’s plan, an individual policy, or through COBRA, you’ll need to add the premium into your financial game plan.

Unemployment benefits, if you qualify, are another factor in your worst-case scenario budget. Don’t forget that unemployment benefits are taxable. To avoid a ginormous tax bill on April 15, have federal income taxes withheld or pay quarterly estimated taxes on your unemployment income.

Next steps
Depending on your outcome from this exercise, you might decide it’s not time for a new car or a cruise because you need a bigger emergency fund. Or maybe you can relax because you’re right on track with your savings goals.

Either way, it’s a good idea to know where you stand and what your game plan will be if you were to experience job loss.

Have you created a worst-case scenario budget? Do you feel prepared to weather a job loss (either your own job or your partner’s)?

Source: getrichslowly.org

Apache is functioning normally

April 30, 2023 by Brett Tams

One of America’s crown jewels, Yosemite National Park has been leaving visitors awestruck since it became a national park in 1890.

The monoliths of Half Dome and El Capitan, the ancient sequoias of Mariposa Grove, and North America’s tallest waterfall, Yosemite Falls, are just a few of this vast California park’s emblematic attractions that make it one of the country’s best national parks. What makes Yosemite so appealing (and crowded) is that its signature features are easy to access and available pretty much year-round.

Not surprisingly, with close to 3.5 million visitors per year, lodging options within the park’s boundaries come at a premium. Within easy reach of the park, there are several amenity-rich wilderness lodges, quaint bed-and-breakfasts and lavish boutique hotels that cater to multigenerational families, couples looking to disconnect, and adventure-seeking solo travelers.

From budget-friendly in-park lodges to a flashy European-style retreat, here are some of TPG’s favorite places to stay in and around Yosemite National Park.

Ahwahnee Hotel

Yosemite National Park, California, USA

AL GOLUB/THE AHWAHNEE/FACEBOOK

Best for: Travelers looking for historic lodgings in an unrivalled location within Yosemite National Park.

Why stay here: A cherished national landmark, the Ahwahnee is a paradigm of “parkitecture” design. A wide selection of classically appointed rooms, suites and cottages can accommodate groups, couples and solo travelers — and paying up can even get you a view of Half Dome.

Best way to book: The Ahwahnee is operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts. Book directly (and well in advance) for the best prices.

A cherished national landmark, The Ahwahnee has been the hotel of choice for celebrities, heads of state and royalty visiting Yosemite for generations.

Located on the southern fringes of Yosemite Valley, the location couldn’t be better, and even just a stroll across the grounds reveals the park’s hallowed attractions: Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point.

Constructed in 1929 of sugar pine logs and rough-cut granite, The Ahwahnee is a paradigm of National Park Service-rustic, or “parkitecture.” Magnificent public spaces with beamed ceilings and colossal stone fireplaces are filled with Native American artworks, Arts and Crafts furnishings and art deco influences.

While the 121 standard rooms don’t have quite the same wow factor, they are clean and spacious with classical detailing, rustic wood furnishings and spectacular views. Suites and junior suites on the upper floors have private fireplaces and/or balconies, and the presidential suite where President John F. Kennedy stayed has a king bedroom, living area and parlor with a sleeper sofa and a large balcony with views of Glacier Point.

What you are really spending up for here, though, is the stately ambiance, unbeatable location and time-honored rituals. The Ahwahnee Dining Room oozes history and charm, with emblematic stonework, iron chandeliers, Native American design motifs and floor-to-ceiling windows framing spectacular views of the valley. Dress the part (that’s required; no T-shirts or flip-flops) and dine on Yosemite’s finest cuisine. Menu favorites include Acadian spiced tiger prawns with smoked cheddar polenta, roasted tomatoes and seasonal herbs ($25), and New Zealand lamb chops with black garlic miso sauce, carrot-yuzu puree, arugula and pickled cucumber ribbons ($27).

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Rates at The Ahwahnee range from $521 per night for a standard room up to $1,242 for the presidential suite.

Rush Creek Lodge

Groveland, California, USA

KIM CARROLL/RUSH CREEK LODGE AND SPA AT YOSEMITE/FACEBOOK

Best for: Families with young kids and teens who will love the pools, zip line, nightly s’mores, hiking and biking trails, and day and nighttime programming led by the on-site recreation team.

Why stay here: This classic summer resort is close to Yosemite National Park’s southern entrance and has accommodations that can work for groups of all sizes, including two-bedroom hillside villas that sleep up to six guests.

Best way to book: Book directly with the lodge for the best rates, deals and packages.

Nestled amid 20 acres of woodlands, less than a mile from Yosemite’s west entrance, the 143-key Rush Creek Lodge combines rustic charm with modern conveniences and a fun-loving summer camp vibe.

Impressive amenities and round-the-clock programming are what really distinguish this property. There are zip lines for kids, a 60-foot embankment slide, bocce ball, nightly s’mores around the fire, live bands, themed parties and karaoke. By day, the fantastic pool area is the hub of the action, with a 2,400-square-foot saltwater pool and a large family-friendly hot tub. The guided recreation program includes full-day and half-day Yosemite hiking tours, horseback riding and mountain biking, among other wilderness adventures.

After a day on the trails, parents can indulge in a signature massage at the Wellness Center (80 minutes, $235) or just relax in the Aromatherapy Steam Room or Himalayan Salt Block Sauna.

Related: TPG’s favorite national parks: A month-by-month guide

Rush Creek’s rooms, suites and hillside villas all come with large decks, and most have sunset views. Standard rooms, which start at 400 square feet, are appointed with simple, natural wood furnishings and modern tiled bathrooms. Family-pleasing conveniences include air conditioning, a Keurig coffee maker, a refrigerator, hypoallergenic feather pillows, Alexa devices and Earth Therapy bath products.

Larger hillside villas are a great option for groups. Sleeping up to six people, they are configured with a separate bedroom with a king bed, a large sitting area with a queen sofa bed and a cast-iron gas fireplace.

The Restaurant at Rush Creek serves modern American fusion fare, such as king salmon with bok choy, soy glazed shiitake mushrooms and yuzu-ginger butter ($30) and bison chili mac with cavatappi, bison chili and smoked gouda ($28). Dinner and a late-night menu are also available in Rush Creek’s lively Tavern.

Rates at Rush Creek Lodge start at $340 per night.

AutoCamp Yosemite

Midpines, California, USA

AUTOCAMP/FACEBOOK

Best for: With Airstream suites that sleep up to six people and safari-style tents, AutoCamp is a unique option for groups and families craving an elevated glamping experience near Yosemite National Park.

Why stay here: Plenty of lifestyle amenities and creature comforts, including full bathrooms, air conditioning and heating, sleek gathering spaces and wholesome dining options.

Best way to book: Book directly with AutoCamp for the best prices, discounts and packages.

Located in the town of Midpines, about 40 minutes west of Yosemite National Park, AutoCamp is one of the more established glamping companies, with nine locations across the U.S.

Offering a mix of Airstream Suites and Luxury Tents, the setup is perfect for nature lovers who enjoy boutique amenities and creature comforts — as well as those partial to midcentury modern design icons.

Custom 31-foot Airstream Suites feature a queen bed, a kitchenette, a bathroom with walk-in shower, and a patio with a fire pit and shaded dining area. For families, Premium BaseCamp Suites combine the Airstream Suite with a deluxe canvas tent. There are also Luxury Tents and Classic Cabin Suites — compact pine cabins with a bedroom, galley-style kitchenette with a dining table, sitting area and a stylish bathroom with a walk-in shower and Ursa Major organic bath products.

The AutoCamp experience can be as social or secluded as you want it to be. There’s a clubhouse for happy hour gatherings, a seasonal, heated outdoor swimming pool, daily activities on-site (including yoga classes), live music, fireside s’mores, and wine tastings with local wineries.

Kids age 5 and up can attend the AutoCamp Yosemite Forest School, where scavenger hunts, nature art, science projects and visits from wildlife experts inspire curiosity in Yosemite’s history and landscapes.

The Kitchen serves healthy, local fare with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Campfire items and grill kits are available at the General Store for guests that prefer to light a fire and dine on their private patio beneath the stars.

Airstream Suites at AutoCamp Yosemite start at $292 per night. Classic Cabin Suites start at $519.

Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite

Groveland, California, USA

EVERGREEN LODGE YOSEMITE/FACEBOOK

Best for: Travelers of all ages looking for great value and a lively, summer camp-style ambience.

Why stay here: A variety of comfortable, well-equipped cabins, activities galore and resort-style amenities, just a mile from Yosemite National Park.

Best way to book: Book directly for the best rates, discounts and seasonal packages.

Just a mile from the western entrance of Yosemite National Park, surrounded by the towering pines of Stanislaus National Forest, Evergreen Lodge (a sister resort to Rush Creek Lodge, listed above) is a classic Yosemite resort built in the 1920s.

Significantly upgraded and expanded since the early 2000s, it’s one of Yosemite’s most popular family resorts with a surfeit of amenities, including zip lines, a large saltwater swimming pool and a hot tub.

Daily programming and wellness-focused activities range from yoga, fishing and hiking to arts and crafts, basket-weaving and nightly s’mores. There are plenty of cozy indoor and outdoor spaces to retreat to, or gather with new friends and trade stories.

Across the 88 accommodations, there’s something for every type of traveler and budget. Deluxe Cabins with vaulted ceilings start at 400 square feet and are appointed with simple wooden furnishings and a few decorative nods to the surrounding landscape (plaid throws and Western-themed artworks). It’s the thoughtful touches, though, that really sets them apart — a comfy king bed, a large sitting area with queen sofa bed, a cast-iron gas fireplace, air conditioning, a spacious bathroom with walk-in shower, Wi-Fi, Alexa devices, refrigerator, and a Keurig coffee maker. For families, there are more spacious one-bedroom Cottages and Family Cabins, as well as smaller (250-square-foot) Vintage Cabins, perfect for budget travelers.

At Evergreen’s lively main restaurant, the modern American menu showcases locally sourced meat, fish and produce, and satisfies gourmands as well as less adventurous palates. Perennial favorites include braised bison short ribs ($38), crispy pork belly ($30) and pan-seared salmon ($32), as well as salads, burgers, chicken tenders and grilled cheese sandwiches.

The historic, all-wood Tavern — a local institution for nearly a century — is an atmospheric setting for a pre- or post-dinner cocktail or beer, and it packs in the crowds for live music on the weekends.

Rates at Evergreen Lodge start at $335 per night.

Château du Sureau

Oakhurst, California, USA

CHATEAU DU SUREAU/FACEBOOK

Best for: Francophiles and gourmands looking for an elegant, luxurious hotel with impeccable service, haute cuisine and French flair.

Why stay here: A secluded, intimate boutique hotel with sumptous public spaces and richly appointed rooms featuring canopy beds, wood-burning fireplaces, antiques and Empire-style decor.

Best way to book: Book through our partner Skylark to enjoy elitelike benefits and on-property credits.

Located 16 miles from Yosemite National Park, this intimate, elegant retreat combines haute cuisine, impeccable service and sumptuous accommodations amid the majestic landscapes of the Sierra Nevada.

Part of the Relais & Chateaux hotel collection, a luxurious Old World aesthetic runs through individually styled rooms and public spaces, which are spread over 9 acres of delightful gardens. The 10 individually styled guest rooms feature four-poster beds dressed with plush pillows and luxe linens, fireside reading nooks with desks, walls hung with tapestries, Empire-era furnishings, a smattering of antiques, and modern, marble-clad bathrooms with soaking tubs.

Hidden behind a private, gated entryway, Francophiles will swoon for the palatial two-bedroom Villa du Sureau. At 2,000 square feet, it features a grand salon with a wood-burning fireplace and a Steinway & Sons piano, two king bedrooms, a library and office, a private Roman spa, a lavish tiled bathroom with a marble tub and a separate steam shower, and a private garden.

As you’d expect of a Relais & Chateaux property, the on-site restaurant is a destination unto itself. The Elderberry House has garnered a loyal following for over 30 years, serving three- and six-course menus ($95/$155) that incorporate seasonal produce from local farms — an amuse-bouche of sea urchin and sweet pea followed by ahi tuna with sorrel, for example, and then an entree of local steelhead trout with lemon thyme nage and snap peas.

The cozy, stone-walled Cellar bar is a great place to start the evening with a cocktail (perhaps an Elderflower Sour with gin, lemon juice, elderflower syrup and egg white, $17).

At the Spa du Sureau, you can book a range of European-inspired treatments, facials and massages or take a dip in the heated outdoor swimming pool.

A major draw of this property is the complimentary perks, including a copious daily breakfast and such welcome beverages and treats as a bottle of wine and a house-baked Gugelhupf cake. There’s also nightly turndown service and daily housekeeping (not always a given these days).

Rates at Chateau du Sureau start at $395 per night.

Blackberry Inn Yosemite

Groveland, California, USA

BLACKBERRY INN YOSEMITE/FACEBOOK

Best for: Couples looking for a peaceful (adults-only) retreat that invites relaxation as much as adventure.

Why stay here: Located 13 miles from Yosemite National Park, on 36 acres of forest, this charming, intimate lodge features just 10 classically appointed rooms with wraparound porches.

Best way to book: Book directly with Blackberry Inn for the best rates, seasonal discounts and packages.

A secluded, adults-only sanctuary, The Blackberry Inn Yosemite is set on 36 acres bordering Stanislaus National Forest, just 12 miles west of Yosemite’s Big Oak Flat park entrance.

With meticulous attention to detail, warm service and a peaceful ambience, it’s a great nesting place for discerning travelers looking to truly disconnect and immerse themselves in the area’s natural splendor.

Behind an egg yolk-yellow facade, wrapped with a white porch, the 10 elegant rooms and suites with vaulted ceilings start at 350 square feet and are individually designed with classical furnishings and decorative touches — solid wood furniture, refined wing armchairs, floral duvets, plush drapes and carpeting, and a smattering of antiques and landscape paintings. All rooms are appointed with luxury linens, a separate sitting area with recliners and fireplaces — suites also have deep soaking tubs. At every turn, there are beautiful views of Stanislaus National Forest and the innkeeper’s Arabian horses grazing on the property.

Beyond the refined rooms and personal service, the inn is known for its delicious homemade breakfast, served on fine china in the elegant dining room or on your private patio or porch (if you reserve a suite).

Rooms at Blackberry Inn Yosemite start at $290 per night, including breakfast. Children over 13 years are welcome and there’s a two-night minimum stay (although single nights are often available).

Tenaya at Yosemite

Fish Camp, California, USA

TENAYA AT YOSEMITE/FACEBOOK

Best for: A great option for families with four-legged friends in tow, Tenaya has a variety of accommodations, indoor and outdoor pools, and diverse dining options that cater well to picky eaters.

Why stay here: Tenaya’s peaceful location, just a mile from Yosemite’s southern entrance, is hard to beat. A daily calendar of on-site activities and experiences keeps the whole family entertained.

Best way to book: Book directly with Tenaya for the best rates, discounts and seasonal packages.

This attractive lodge, just 2 miles from Yosemite National Park, is an appealing option for multigenerational families looking for a streamlined and activity-rich national park experience.

One of the largest lodges in the area, Tenaya comprises 223 guest rooms, 26 suites, 53 cottages and 50 creekside cabins extending across 75 wooded acres bordering Sierra National Forest at an elevation of over 5,000 feet. Drawing many repeat visitors, the AAA Four Diamond-rated property boasts exceptional amenities, a prime location and outstanding tours and activities for all ages.

Inviting public spaces set a homespun tone with earth-hued walls, large windows framing forest views, beamed ceilings, hardwood floors bedecked with Western-style rugs and walls decorated with landscape paintings and Native American motifs.

Premium rooms are kitted out with simple furnishings and give off cozy, mountain vibes. Extended queen and king rooms have an additional 100 square feet, a small living area with plush chairs and a sleeper sofa that’s perfect for smaller families.

Larger families or those looking for a little more luxury might want to consider spending up for a suite, which offers major upgrades in style, size, character and amenities — high ceilings, a soothing neutral color palette, hardwood floors, contemporary design-forward furnishings, a fireplace, and a swanky bathroom with soaking tub. There are also accessible rooms and adults-only suites with private patios and gardens.

For adventure seekers, biking and hiking trails lead directly from the property into Sierra National Forest. Guests can sign up for on-site and off-site activities and daily tours (additional fees apply), including gold panning, guided hikes, mountain biking, archery lessons and horseback riding. Telescopes are also available for stargazers.

There are five dining venues, including a pizzeria and Jackalope’s Bar & Grill (the main restaurant), which offers chef-driven cuisine as well as bar-food staples. The Ascent Spa has 12 treatment rooms and offers reasonably priced facials, body wraps and massages (90 minutes for $180).

Rates at Tenaya at Yosemite start at $269 per night.

Yosemite Valley Lodge

Yosemite National Park, California, USA

SAM ISAAC/YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE/FACEBOOK

Best for: A short walk from Yosemite Falls, this cozy lodge is a comfortable base for families that value location, convenience and a budget-friendly price tag.

Why stay here: This property offers a variety of accommodations, several dining options and a seasonal outdoor pool — not to mention spectacular surrounding natural beauty.

Best way to book: Yosemite Valley Lodge is operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Inc. Book direct (and well in advance) for the best prices.

This popular, no-frills NPS lodge frequently books up 12 months in advance, largely due to its prime location — it’s the closest property to Yosemite Falls and many of the park’s most popular hiking trails start near the lodge. It’s also considerably cheaper than nearby Ahwahnee, making it a good budget option at a time when lodging prices in and around U.S. national parks have soared.

For nature-loving families and couples that value location over luxurious amenities, it ticks a lot of boxes. There are 245 simple hotel rooms (many recently updated) across three room categories — Traditional Rooms, Bunk Rooms and Family King Rooms. All share a homely aesthetic and provide a clean and functional place to bed down at the center of the action. There is no air conditioning, Wi-Fi or TVs in any room categories.

The Mountain Room restaurant serves sustainably sourced modern American cuisine — steak and seafood, as well as vegetarian and vegan options — along with iconic views of Yosemite Falls. At the canteen-style Base Camp Eatery, you can get your caffeine fix, fuel up for the day on casual fare and head out with some packable grab-and-go items.

There is also a seasonal swimming pool on the grounds, and bike rentals to explore the area — the lodge is located just a 5-minute bike ride, or 10-to-15-minute walk, from Yosemite Village’s shopping, dining and visitors center.

Rates at Yosemite Valley Lodge start at $329 per night.

Wawona Hotel

Yosemite National Park, California, USA

TONY SECKER/WAWONA HOTEL/FACEBOOK

Best for: Budget-conscious travelers looking to disconnect and explore in and around Yosemite National Park, a 40-minute drive away.

Why stay here: Victorian-era charm, a tranquil location, an outdoor pool and comfortable rooms that are far from generic.

Best way to book: Wawona Hotel is operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts. Book directly for the best prices as well as special offers and packages.

Dating to 1856, the Victorian-style Wawona Hotel is located within Yosemite National Park’s more secluded recesses, some 45 minutes from the valley floor. Open during the winter season (December through March), it’s popular with snow-sports enthusiasts visiting nearby Badger Pass, as well as nature lovers keen to view the famed sequoias of Mariposa Grove — namely the 1,800-year-old Grizzly Giant and the California Tunnel Tree.

There are 50 standard rooms with en suite bathrooms and 54 budget-friendly rooms with shared bathrooms. While they are spare and compact and, some may say, fusty in design (floral bedding, heavy carpeting and simple furniture), with rates from $157 per night, you won’t find anywhere cheaper (apart from camping) within the park. It’s certainly a hot ticket, with rooms selling out 6 to 12 months in advance.

For active types, there’s an array of adventures close by: hiking trails, mountain biking, golf and horseback riding, as well as a seasonal outdoor pool on the property. Public spaces are a joy to return home to, with a light-filled sunroom, cozy dining room filled with period detailing, wide verandas and patios overlooking lovely gardens, and daily rituals such as live classical music and cocktails in the cozy lounge, fireside gatherings and summertime barbecues.

Rates at the Wawona Hotel start at $157 per night.

Related reading:

Source: thepointsguy.com

Apache is functioning normally

April 30, 2023 by Brett Tams

In more than 600 episodes of The Simpsons, one thing has remained unchanged: Marge and Homer’s home at 742 Evergreen Terrace.

The iconic TV house set in the imaginary town of Springfield has maintained more or less the exact same layout and decor since we first laid eyes on it three decades ago.

Well, the imaginative team over at Angi thought they’d fix that, and traded the Simpson’s simple décor style — that has been synonymous with American suburbia since the first show aired back in 1989 — for a more contemporary look.

So they teamed up with interior design consultant Pat McNulty — who provided them with the latest trends in furniture, colors, décor accessories — to recreate the Simpsons family’s rooms in line with 2019 interior design trends.

To help you visualize what the rooms were like beforehand, they also made sure to provide renderings of the Simpsons home pre-makeover, for comparison.

The Simpsons living room – BEFORE. Image credit: Angie’s List

The Simpsons living room – AFTER. Image credit: Angie’s List

Every room in the Simpsons house gets an updated look

The Simpsons is the longest-running primetime scripted series in television history, surpassed in overall longevity only by daytime soaps, Sesame Street, and late-night shows.

With the home of the Simpsons standing as grounds for most of the action in the series, it’s no wonder it reached such critical success that there are people out there building their own homes based on the iconic Simpsons house.

The Simpsons house is a light pink (later in the series, the house becomes light brown) two-story detached house with an attached garage, basement, and loft.

As we’ve seen repeatedly on the show, the arched front door leads directly into the foyer, opening into the sitting room to the left, and the dining room to the right, both of them featuring bay windows.

P.S.: If you want to build your own version of the Simpsons house (complete with the family car, dent included) check out our article on The Coolest Movie Homes You Can Build from LEGOs.

The living room and the kitchen stand at the back of the house. Towards the house’s rear, we’ll also find stairs to the basement, which are replaced by a closet in some episodes.

Though rarely seen, there is also a hallway off the kitchen leading to a recreation room.

The Simpsons kitchen – BEFORE. Image credit: Angie’s List

The Simpsons living room – AFTER. Image credit: Angie’s List

The second story of the house features the bedrooms, including Marge and Homer’s bedroom (with an ensuite bathroom), Bart’s bedroom, Lisa’s bedroom, and Maggie’s bedroom.

The Simpsons master bedroom – BEFORE. Image credit: Angie’s List

The episode “Lisa’s Wedding”, set fifteen years in the future, shows a wooden addition to the second floor, built (rather poorly) by Homer, which functions as a guest bedroom, but Homer warns Lisa and her fiancé that, “If the building inspector asks, it’s not a room. It’s a window box“.

Bart Simpson’s bedroom – BEFORE. Image credit: Angie’s List

Bart Simpson’s bedroom – AFTER. Image credit: Angie’s List

Lisa Simpson’s bedroom – BEFORE. Image credit: Angie’s List

Lisa Simpson’s bedroom – AFTER. Image credit: Angie’s List

The backyard of the house is surrounded by a wooden picket fence and a low box hedge.

It features a patio and Bart’s treehouse, from which The Simpsons annual “Treehouse of Horror” Halloween specials take their name. Occasionally, there is a hammock tied to two trees near the fence that borders Ned Flanders’s backyard.

And while the outside did not get its own makeover, the most striking update to the Simpsons’ house is likely the bathroom redesign.

Arguably the most outdated room of the house, the bathroom and its blue tiles, paired with its green, yellow and pink accents, were completely overhauled to ditch the ’80s design in favor of a much more sleek and contemporary look:

The Simpsons bathroom – BEFORE. Image credit: Angie’s List

The Simpsons bathroom – AFTER. Image credit: Angie’s List

The Simpsons house rendering is part of a series of visual content campaigns commissioned by Angie’s List, with the goal of inspiring homeowners by introducing new ways of thinking about the spaces in their homes.

Now, if the Simpsons were real, I’m pretty sure they would have been inspired by the incredible new look of their home.

More homes from movies and TV shows

The Real-Life Home Alone House: Then and Now
The ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ House Isn’t Even in Bel-Air
Richie Rich’s House is Actually the Biltmore Estate, America’s Largest Home
Is it Real? The Story Behind Tony Stark’s Insane Malibu Mansion in the Iron Man Movies

Source: fancypantshomes.com

Apache is functioning normally

April 30, 2023 by Brett Tams

What’s the newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship? It may seem like a strange question to ask, but it’s something that matters if you’re in the market for a Royal Caribbean cruise.

The newest Royal Caribbean ship is typically also the Royal Caribbean ship with the most bells and whistles and the most up-to-date cabins, restaurants, bars and attractions. It’s what you want if you want the very latest and greatest in a vessel for your Royal Caribbean cruise vacation.

Right now, the newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship is Wonder of the Seas. It debuted in March 2022. Although it’s just about one year old, it’ll soon be supplanted as the newest Royal Caribbean vessel by the much-awaited Icon of the Seas — the first of a new class of vessels for the line. Icon of the Seas begins sailing in January 2024.

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter.

Other relatively new Royal Caribbean ships include Odyssey of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas. All began sailing in the last five years.

In all, Royal Caribbean operates 26 cruise vessels. On average, the line comes out without about one new ship a year, and it typically keeps vessels in its fleet for around 20 to 30 years before retiring them from the fleet. The oldest Royal Caribbean ship, Grandeur of the Seas, is 27 years old.

In general, Royal Caribbean’s newest ships are far bigger and much more amenity-packed than its older ships. If you crave a lot of activities in a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation, you’ll want to stick to vessels built in the last 15 or so years.

The newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship is Wonder of the Seas. As noted above, it debuted in March 2022. Measuring 235,600 gross tons, it’s the biggest cruise ship ever built. It’s also loaded with more restaurants, bars, showrooms and deck-top attractions than you’ll find on any other ship at sea.

TPG sent a three-person team, at our own expense, to review Wonder of the Seas and all its new features after it began sailing. For more on the ship, see the following guides and reviews from these staffers:

What is the oldest Royal Caribbean ship?

The oldest Royal Caribbean cruise ship is Grandeur of the Seas. Unveiled way back in 1996, it’s not just the oldest Royal Caribbean ship but the smallest Royal Caribbean ship — far smaller than the newest Royal Caribbean vessels. Measuring just 73,817 gross tons, it’s just a third the size of Wonder of the Seas and has far fewer venues.

Except for a rock climbing wall, Grandeur of the Seas has none of the gee-whiz deck-top attractions found on bigger Royal Caribbean vessels, such as skydiving simulators and giant water parks. For the most part, its top deck is lined with pools, whirlpools and sunning areas, as is typical for ships built in the 1990s.

That said, Grandeur of the Seas has a loyal following among Royal Caribbean fans who prefer smaller and more intimate ships.

What new Royal Caribbean ships are coming?

Royal Caribbean currently has four new cruise ships on order. The first to arrive will be Icon of the Seas in January 2024. As noted above, it’s the first of all-new class of vessel for the line that, as of now, will be made up of three ships (Royal Caribbean could order more Icon-class ships in coming years — we’ll see). Two more ships in the series are due in 2025 and 2026, respectively.

The Icon-class vessels are being built at the giant Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.

Related: The ultimate guide to Icon of the Seas itineraries, attractions and more

In addition, Royal Caribbean has a sister vessel to Wonder of the Seas on order for delivery in 2024. To be called Utopia of the Seas, it’s the sixth and final vessel in the line’s groundbreaking Oasis-class series that began rolling out in 2009. It’s currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France.

What is the newest Royal Caribbean ship available for booking?

Icon of the Seas is the newest Royal Caribbean ship that you can book right now. While the ship isn’t yet sailing, its initial sailings scheduled for January 2024 already are on sale, as are future sailings through April 2025. The three other Royal Caribbean ships on order have yet to open for bookings.

What is the newest class of Royal Caribbean ships?

The Icon class is the newest class of Royal Caribbean ships. It’ll be made up of at least three vessels, the first of which (Icon of the Seas) is due to debut in January 2024.

At 250,600 tons, Icon of the Seas will be more than 6% bigger than the biggest Royal Caribbean ships currently at sea. It’ll hold up to 7,600 passengers — a new record for a passenger ship. That’s about 7% higher than the maximum capacity of Wonder of the Seas, which can hold up to 7,084 passengers.

The bigger passenger capacity is in part due to the ship’s greater focus on family travelers. Icon of the Seas is being built with a lot more cabins that have plenty of extra bunks to accommodate families with many children. It’ll also have more amenities geared to families, including a new-for-the-line outdoor “neighborhood” called Surfside dedicated to families with young children.

What’s the difference between newer and older Royal Caribbean ships?

Newer Royal Caribbean ships generally are bigger than older Royal Caribbean ships — sometimes much bigger. As a result, they have room for a lot more onboard venues and attractions than the line’s older vessels.

On Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest Oasis-class vessels, for instance, you’ll find three separate main pool areas, a kiddie splash zone, surfing simulators, a miniature golf course, a basketball court and even a zip line. And that’s just on their top decks. Inside the vessels, you’ll find more lounges, bars, restaurants and shops than you can imagine — plus huge casinos, spas and showrooms with Broadway-style shows. They even have indoor ice skating rinks.

In short, they’re like giant floating versions of the megaresorts you find in the Orlando area or Las Vegas, and they appeal to people who like a megaresort experience.

Related: The ultimate guide to Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean’s older ships are a half to a third smaller and lack many of the above features. They have a much more intimate feel, at least in the pantheon of relatively big, mass-market ships, and they hold far fewer people. While Oasis-class ships can hold more than 6,600 passengers with every berth full, the line’s four oldest vessels (known as the Vision class) are only designed to carry about 2,000 passengers at double occupancy.

That makes them a good choice for someone who wants to try Royal Caribbean but isn’t eager to travel with huge crowds. The oldest ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet thus appeal to a subset of Royal Caribbean fans who prefer more intimacy in a cruise vessel and don’t mind giving up some onboard amenities to get it. They are also often less expensive to sail on, on a per-day basis.

Related: Don’t miss out on these Royal Caribbean loyalty perks

In addition, because of their size, the oldest ships at Royal Caribbean are able to operate itineraries to places that aren’t as easy for big ships to visit. Not all ports in the world can handle a ship the size of Wonder of the Seas.

Note that all Royal Caribbean ships are renovated and upgraded on a regular schedule every few years, so even the oldest Royal Caribbean cruise vessels have newer carpeting, updated furniture, modern decor in cabins and other updates. In many cases, they also have had entire eateries and bars renovated over the years with concepts that first debuted on newer vessels.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

Source: thepointsguy.com

Apache is functioning normally

April 30, 2023 by Brett Tams

Save more, spend smarter, and make your money go further

Investing columnist Matthew Amster-Burton has been answering questions from the Mint.com Facebook page and Twitter. This week: questions about which funds to choose in your retirement plan.

Josh asks: I just received my 401(k) packet from my job; it has a lot of selections for my retirement. I don’t want to just pick any plan. Would my financial institution be able to sit down with me and instruct me on the best plan for my retirement?

Ah, what could be more fun than sitting by the fireplace with your significant other, a glass of wine, and a six-page printout of the mutual funds offered by your new 401(k)? Other than taking an icepick to your spleen, that is.

It’s hard to find intelligent, unbiased advice on how to choose investments for your retirement. Here’s why:

Most 401(k)s offer investment advice and, by law, the advice can’t be driven by what will make the advisor or your employer the most money. However, when I say “most” 401(k)s, I mean about 60% of them. Most workers don’t bother to take advantage of the advice, and who can blame them? There’s no reason to believe the advice will actually be unbiased or, more to the point, good.

Professional financial advisors charge professional-grade fees, typically a percentage of your assets or several hundred dollars an hour, depending on their fee model. Some advisors make money by selling commissioned products, but they’re not going to give you free 401(k) advice, because they can’t make any money on it. Instead, they’re going to encourage you to put less money into your 401(k) and more into their commissioned products.

I’m not bashing all financial advisors, by any means. If you’re looking to build a relationship with a trusted financial advisor, that’s fine–just be prepared to pay what they’re worth.

But if you just want some 401(k) help and most of the advice out there is bad, expensive, or both, where should you turn? Is it possible to get inexpensive, quality advice that will apply to your 401(k) and your financial goals? Yes.

First, go ahead and sign up for the 401(k) and direct your contributions to the money market or stable value fund while you decide what to do next. This is a low-risk and low-return fund, like a savings account—a good place to get the employer match and park your money while you get educated:

You can read a short book on investing that will help you get started. It’s called Elements of Investing, by Malkiel and Ellis. It’s inexpensive, jargon-free, and to the point. Your public library probably has it.

Your 401(k) might be supported by FutureAdvisor, a free investment advice service I wrote about recently. Their recommended portfolios are pretty good and they’re adding more 401(k) support all the time.

The smartest investors on the net hang out at a site called Bogleheads, named for Vanguard founder John C. Bogle. Post your 401(k) options on the “Help with Personal Investments” forum and you’ll get solid, unbiased recommendations, most likely within an hour.

Diego asks: I’m 29 and got my first job while finishing my PhD. I have a 401(k) but don’t know how to distribute my contributions.

With current low interest rates, low capital gains taxes, baby boomers retiring, and technology companies moving abroad, US stocks don’t seem a good option in the long run.

U.S. bonds are too safe, giving barely to enough gains to compensate for inflation and international stock options are all in Europe, which seems rather unstable. Should I just stop contributing?

Diego, I like your outlook. Not because I particularly agree or disagree, but because it reminds me of the famous 1979 Business Week cover story called, “The Death of Equities.”

In 1979, a lot of people argued that the U.S. economy was toast. Recession? Check. Inflation? Obscenely high. Regular investors were getting out of the market in disgust. It all added up to an obvious conclusion: the U.S. stock market was poised for years of disappointing returns—perhaps a permanent bear market.

Over the next twenty years, U.S. stocks had their biggest, longest sustained bull market ever. By 2000, it looked like you couldn’t possibly lose money in stocks. Oops.

My point is: your market analysis could be correct. But the fact that everything looks bleak doesn’t mean it’s a bad time to invest. It could turn out to be a terrific time—or not.

Nobody can predict future market returns, least of all me, but you can always find an excuse not to invest. There’s no good excuse for giving up the instant tax break you get by contributing to your 401(k).

Jon asks: Is it pointless to invest in two target date retirement funds (of the same target year) at the same time?

Hmm, those last two answers were pretty long-winded. Let me see if I can rein it in for Jon’s sake. Here goes:

It doesn’t provide any diversification benefit. But if you have a good (meaning “cheap”) target-date fund in your 401(k) and another good one in your IRA, it’s fine. Go for it.

Do you have a burning personal finance question for Matthew Amster-Burton? Visit the Mint.com Facebook fan page and ask away!

Matthew Amster-Burton is a personal finance columnist at Mint.com. Find him on Twitter @Mint_Mamster.

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Apache is functioning normally

April 30, 2023 by Brett Tams

Medicare coverage gives good health care coverage to any senior that is over the age of 65. The government program has allowed millions of Americans to get the health care that they wouldn’t be able to afford through a private insurance company.

The program with Medicare is that it doesn’t pay for everything. In fact, there are plenty of major health care expenses that the program won’t pay for, and those bills could drain your savings account. The two Parts of Medicare will pay for things like inpatient care, services from doctors, and preventative services, but there are dozens of gaps in the coverage, and that’s where Medicare Supplemental plans come in. These insurance policies give you additional coverage that could protect your retirement savings accounts.

What is a Medicare Supplement Plan?

There are several ways that you can protect yourself from expensive hospital bills, but a Medigap plan is one of the best ways to do that. These policies are sold by private insurance companies, and they fill in all of those holes that original Medicare doesn’t cover. When you’re shopping for additional health care, it’s vital that you make the best decision for your family.

There are ten different Medigap plans that you can choose from (depending on which state that you live in), and all of them are going to cover different expenses or a portion of expenses that Parts A and B don’t cover. Medigap plans will plug in the holes of Medicare. It can be confusing trying to decide between the ten available plans, but it’s vital that you get the perfect supplemental coverage for you and your loved ones.

These Medigap plans don’t replace your traditional Medicare coverage. You will still have to pay the premiums for your traditional coverage. These plans work in addition to your coverage, unlike Part C Medicare, which replaces your plan and you only pay one premium.

Medigap Plan A Explained

Now that we have discussed the basics, we can start looking at the specifics of Medicare Supplement Plan A. I know that shopping for insurance coverage can be a confusing and frustrating task, especially when you’re dealing with anything related to Medicare, but that’s why I am here to help.

Medigap Plan A is going to be the most basic of the options. Plan A is going to leave behind more coverage gaps than the other options available. One of the advantages of Plan A is that it’s going to be the most affordable plan. It gives less protection, but it keeps more money in your pocket.

With Plan A, you’ll get the basic supplemental coverage that every plan offers, like paying for Part A coinsurance and an additional 365 days of hospital costs after your original Medicare benefits have been used up. If you’ve ever had a stay in a hospital, you know that it can be a massive bill. In fact, having to stay in the hospital for a day or two can easily equal thousands and thousands of dollars. If you ever have an extended stay, you could easily rack up tens of thousands of medical bills.

Part A will also cover any Part B copayment or coinsurance fees that you would be responsible for. Some of the plans, like Plan K or L, will only pay for half or 75% of those coinsurance fees, but Plan A will cover all of them. In most cases, that will not be a huge expense, but it could add up to a dangerous bill the more that you use your Medicare Part B coverage. Similarly, Plan A will also pay for any Part B preventative care coinsurance bills that you would encounter. Medicare Part B pays for preventative care treatments, like depression screenings, HIV screenings, Diabetes screenings, and much more. If you have additional Medicare supplemental coverage, then you won’t’ be required to pay the copayments, those will be paid for you. In most cases, the copayments would only be around $20, but that’s, more money in your pocket.

The other coverage areas of Medigap Plan A are, the first 3 pints of blood and Part A hospice care coinsurance. All of the other gaps in Medicare won’t be covered by Plan A. As you can see, Plan A can be an excellent insurance plan to have, but there are plenty of services and treatments that you will still have to pay for out-of-pocket.

One of the most notable portions that Plan A doesn’t cover is Medicare part B excess charges. Whenever you go to the doctor and get any treatment or service, there is a pre-approved amount that Medicare will pay for. Legally, the doctor or hospital is allowed to charge 15% more than what Medicare has approved, and that rate above the approved amount is the excess charges. If you don’t have Medigap coverage, then you would be responsible for those bills. In most cases, excess charges are not going to be a huge financial strain., but you never know what treatment that you will need.

Choosing a Medigap Policy

Deciding between the ten plans can be difficult. You want to ensure that you have quality health care, but you don’t want to pay for additional coverage that you don’t need. There are several key categories that you will need to consider to ensure that you’re getting the best plan possible.

The first thing that you should look at is your finances and your budget. The goal of your Medigap policy is to ensure that your retirement savings aren’t drained by medical bills, but your supplemental insurance policy shouldn’t break your bank every month. Before you apply for any Medigap plan, you should take a long and hard look at your budget to determine how much you can afford every month.

The next thing that you should look at is your health and family history. The older that you get, the more money that you’re going to spend on health care and medical costs. Before you purchase any Medigap plan, you should look at your chances of having any severe health problems. If you have a family history of poor health or severe health problems, then you will should invest in a more comprehensive Medigap plan, like a Plan F. On the other hand, if you’re in decent health and you have a healthy family tree, then you can consider taking a risk by purchasing a small Medigap policy.

Enrolling in a Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plan

Once you’ve to decide when kind of policy that you want, enrolling is easy. All that you will need to do is contact a Medigap insurance agent, and they will walk you through the process. The WHEN you apply is going to be the most important factor.

It’s vital that you take advantage of the Medigap Open Enrollment period, which is a 6-month window that starts the month that you turn 65. During this period, the insurance company can’t reject your application, regardless of your health. During open enrollment, the plans are guaranteed acceptance. If you’re in poor health, this could be your only option to get supplemental coverage.

Another benefit of enrolling in the six months is that the insurance company can’t charge your more for your coverage. Typically, the insurance company is going to review your health and any conditions that you have, and depending on your health, they could charge you much higher premiums. During the Open Enrollment Period, you’ll get the lowest rates, regardless. Open enrollment can save you thousands of dollars every year.

If you’ve already missed that window, don’t worry, there is still an excellent chance that you can get affordable Medigap coverage. You can’t put a price on the peace of mind that supplemental coverage will give you.

Any Questions?

I know that navigating the Medicare waters can be difficult, especially because they keep changing. If you have any questions about Medigap Plan A or any of the other plans, you should check out my other posts. I have plenty of information about Medigap and supplemental coverage. It’s vital that you have all of the information that you need to make the best choice for your health care needs.

If you’re still confused, you can contact me or an experienced Medigap insurance agent. Those agents can answer any questions that you can or point you in the right direction.

Source: goodfinancialcents.com

Apache is functioning normally

April 30, 2023 by Brett Tams

Save more, spend smarter, and make your money go further

Summer is an extremely popular time to move. Many people avoid moving during the other months due to their kids being in school and not wanting to disrupt the school season. Once school’s out in May or June, then people start their journeys to their new homes and cities. Another reason people often move in the summer is that it’s much more pleasant than trying to move in the cold, rain, snow, or ice! Whether you are moving cross-town or across the country, here are a few tips to save money while moving.

Consider when you’re moving

As we mentioned, most people move during either the late spring, summer, and early fall. And based on the laws of supply and demand, it’s likely to cost more to move then vs. moving in the offseason, all other things remaining equal. If you have kids whose school schedules you don’t want to interrupt, you may not have a choice in what time of year you move.

Even if you’re moving during peak moving season, you might consider saving some money by not moving on the weekend. Again, weekends are when many people move, so many moving companies will charge more for a weekend move. If you have the flexibility to do so, consider moving during the week. If you’re using a professional moving company, ask them if they will give a discount if you move during the week.

Don’t move everything you have

Once you’ve figured out when you’re planning on moving, it’s time to figure out WHAT you’re moving. No matter how much stuff you think you have, you actually have way more. It’s amazing how much you accumulate over the years. Make sure you carefully measure the dimensions of your new home to figure out what will fit. Sell, donate or give away anything that won’t fit in. The earlier that you start the process, the better off you will be.

If you have the flexibility to start moving a few weeks or months before you need to move, you’ll have the time to be able to sell things you don’t want to take with you. If you’re not able to have a garage or yard sale yourself, you might have a friend or family member that is having one. See if they will let you sell some of your items at their sale either on a commission or for a fixed price. If you put it off until the last minute, you’re likely to find yourself giving things away for free or, worse, paying someone to haul it away.

Whether you are moving within your same city or to a new city will have an impact on how much you need to get rid of. When you move long-distance, you’re limited to whatever gets shipped or put on the truck. For shorter moves, you can make multiple trips. Whether you’re moving to a smaller or larger place plays a big part as well. In any case, it’s a good idea to try and downsize as much as possible.

Saving money on packing supplies

There are a few ways that you can save money on packing supplies like boxes. The best way to save money is to get boxes from someone who moved a week or two before you did. They’ll likely be happy for someone to take their boxes away. Unless you know someone that’s recently moved, there aren’t a lot of places to reliably get free moving boxes. One option can be Uhaul — while their boxes aren’t free, they will buy back any boxes that you don’t use. That way you don’t have to worry about overpaying for boxes.

Pack it (or move it) yourself

Another great way to save money while moving is to move things yourself. Now is a great time to call in those favors to get help from your friends, family and church. Of course, the feasibility of moving yourself will depend a lot on your specific situation. Where you’re moving, how much you have to move, and how many people you can call on will be major factors in whether moving things yourself is even possible.

Even if you are hiring a moving company, you can still save money by doing the packing yourself. Most moving companies will pack things for you, but it definitely drives up the cost. Remember that if you do pack things yourself, you may be responsible for any items that are damaged during the move.

The Bottom Line

Moving can be a stressful time, so it depends on your own specific situation how much you want to focus on saving money vs. saving your time. If you can be flexible, try to move during the week and/or during the offseason. The next most important thing to save money while moving is to start early and downsize your possessions as much as possible. The sooner you start, the more time you’ll have to sell the things you can’t take with you. If you can find someone who moved shortly before you, ask if they have any moving boxes you can use, and pack and move as much as you can yourself to save money while moving.

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Dan Miller is a freelance writer and founder of PointsWithACrew.com, a site that helps families to travel for free / cheap. His home base is in Cincinnati, but he tries to travel the world as much as possible with his wife and 6 kids. More from Dan Miller

Source: mint.intuit.com

Apache is functioning normally

April 30, 2023 by Brett Tams

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

Scroll through TikTok’s finance feed and you’ll come across viral videos on “infinite banking.” The concept is making a splash on social media, fueled by celebrities like rapper Waka Flocka Flame.

But infinite banking is nothing new. The term was coined by economist Nelson Nash in the 1980s and outlined in his 2000 book, “Becoming Your Own Banker: Unlock the Infinite Banking Concept.” The strategy involves tapping into the cash value of certain life insurance policies like whole life and treating it as a personal bank.

Nash promoted infinite banking as a path to financial freedom and wealth creation. But it’s a little more complicated than Waka Flocka Flame and TikTokkers claim.

How infinite banking works

Whole life insurance policies usually last your entire life and have a cash value component that grows at a guaranteed rate over time. This rate of return varies among insurers, but it’s typically around 5%, Barry Flagg, a chartered life underwriter in Tampa, Florida, and the founder of the life insurance research company Veralytic, said in an email.

Once your policy has accumulated enough cash value, you can begin to take out loans against the funds — and that’s where the concept of “banking on yourself” comes in.

When you pay your life insurance premium, a portion goes to the policy’s cash value component. Infinite banking takes it one step further: Policyholders pour extra money into the cash value to speed up growth. They then treat it as a personal line of credit and borrow against the policy’s cash value to pay for large purchases instead of relying on traditional lenders or dipping into savings.

But cash value life insurance can be complex and pricey, and infinite banking is a nuanced concept. For these reasons, it’s best suited to high net worth individuals with a high risk tolerance to match, Flagg says.

Turning your policy into a personal bank

This strategy has perks. For example, you don’t have to qualify for a cash value loan in the same way you do for traditional loans. The money within cash value policies is liquid, and there’s no requirement to repay the loan by a set date — or at all. If you don’t, though, your insurer will subtract the amount you borrowed from the policy’s death benefit, leaving your beneficiaries with a lower payout when you die.

Under infinite banking, the cash value is collateral for the loan and the life insurance policy is tied to it. This means you risk losing your coverage if you don’t watch the cash value closely. Insurers charge interest on cash value loans, too.

“If you were truly borrowing from yourself, you wouldn’t be paying yourself interest,” says Daphne Jordan, an Austin, Texas-based certified financial planner and wealth adviser at Pioneer Wealth Management Group.

What’s more, infinite banking is expensive. For example, a healthy 40-year-old man can expect to pay $7,028 per year on average for a $500,000 whole life policy, according to Quotacy, an online life insurance brokerage. In most cases, he’d pay premiums every year for the rest of his life.

The financial obligations don’t stop there. Infinite banking only works when policyholders overfund the cash value. For a 40-year-old man in good health, that means contributing money beyond the $7,028 paid in annual premiums. It’s common practice in infinite banking to allocate around 10% of your income to the cash value each month, which is no small commitment.

Another downside of infinite banking is time. It can take years or even decades to build the cash value you need to start taking out loans without penalty.

Think about your priorities

The primary purpose of life insurance is to leave money to your loved ones when you die, not build wealth.

For Jordan, wealth creation is a science, and it starts with taking care of the basics.

Think paying off debt like student loans and credit cards and building an emergency savings fund. Aim to open a high-yield savings account at a bank insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., or FDIC, or at a credit union backed by the National Credit Union Administration, or NCUA, and save enough money to cover three months of living expenses.

Focusing on your retirement comes next. Jordan recommends directing at least 10% of your income into a tax-advantaged retirement account, like a 401(k) or Roth IRA, before exploring something like infinite banking.

“When you’re on an airplane, they always tell you to put the oxygen mask on yourself before helping others,” Jordan says.

“The way you do that with building wealth is to get rolling on saving for the unexpected and saving for your future self.”

This article was written by NerdWallet and was originally published by The Associated Press.

Source: nerdwallet.com

What is a cashier’s check?

Financial Services Offered by Walmart

Walmart Check Cashing Services

Money Orders

Bill Pay Services

Prepaid Debit Cards

Walmart Credit Card

Tax Preparation Services

Money Transfers

Can I get a cashier’s check at Walmart?

Can I cash a cashier’s check at Walmart?

Where can I get a cashier’s check?

Traditional Banks and Credit Unions

Online Banks

Non-Bank Financial Service Providers

Specialized Apps or Financial Technology (Fintech) Companies

Comparing Cashier’s Checks, Money Orders, and Personal Checks

Cashier’s Checks

Money Orders

Personal Checks

Fees and Costs Associated with Cashier’s Checks

Conclusion

Every room in the Simpsons house gets an updated look

More homes from movies and TV shows

1. Wonder of the Seas

2. Odyssey of the Seas

3. Spectrum of the Seas

4. Symphony of the Seas

5. Harmony of the Seas

6. Ovation of the Seas

7. Anthem of the Seas

8. Quantum of the Seas

9. Allure of the Seas

10. Oasis of the Seas

11. Independence of the Seas

12. Liberty of the Seas

13. Freedom of the Seas

14. Jewel of the Seas

15. Mariner of the Seas

16. Serenade of the Seas

17. Navigator of the Seas

18. Brilliance of the Seas

19. Adventure of the Seas

20. Radiance of the Seas

21. Explorer of the Seas

22. Voyager of the Seas

23. Vision of the Seas

24. Enchantment of the Seas

25. Rhapsody of the Seas

26. Grandeur of the Seas

What is the newest Royal Caribbean ship?

What is the oldest Royal Caribbean ship?

What new Royal Caribbean ships are coming?

What is the newest Royal Caribbean ship available for booking?

What is the newest class of Royal Caribbean ships?

What’s the difference between newer and older Royal Caribbean ships?

Browse Related Articles

What is a Medicare Supplement Plan?

Medigap Plan A Explained

Choosing a Medigap Policy

Enrolling in a Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plan

Any Questions?

Consider when you’re moving

Don’t move everything you have

Saving money on packing supplies

Pack it (or move it) yourself

The Bottom Line

Browse Related Articles

How infinite banking works

Turning your policy into a personal bank

Think about your priorities