SoFi Blog

Maybe you love sports. If so, transforming your basement into a rec room where you can, say, shoot pool and watch football games on a big screen with your best friends may feel like a dream come true. Or, maybe you just need an extra bedroom and/or more bathrooms for your growing family. Either way, read on.

No matter what extra room you want in your home, basement remodeling makes good sense because you can handle the renovations without needing to add an addition onto your house. “Sure,” you might think, “but you haven’t seen MY basement. The floors and walls are concrete, and we store all of our extra stuff down there.”

Well, that sounds just like a normal basement, pre-remodel. And in this post, we’ll share steps to help you turn that cold concrete into a livable (and even lovable!) living space, as well as providing information about a typical basement remodel cost. We’ll start out by sharing inspirational remodeling ideas, so you can solidify what you want your finished basement to look like, and then we’ll do some reverse engineering for you, including an excellent way to finance your remodeling project.

There are few things as exhilarating as finally finding the right person and deciding to commit to a life with each other. If you’re basking in the warm glow of a recent engagement, enjoy every minute of hazy happiness before the realities of planning a wedding sink in. Planning can be exciting, full of cake tastings, dress fittings, and venue visits. But all of those price tags can really add up. As you begin planning your wedding, it’s important to know what to expect.

The average cost of a wedding in the United States in 2017 was $33,391. According to the Knot, who polled 13,000 couples in their annual wedding study , this number is actually on the decline, down from about $35,000 in 2016. And this doesn’t even include the honeymoon!

What Caused the October Stock Market Decline?

One thing that’s always kind of freaked me out is how quickly things can turn on a dime. I know, that’s the way life goes sometimes, but it still can feel a bit unnerving. And evidently, I’m not alone, at least if this past month is any indication.

Prior to this past October, the economic data hitting the news read like an investor’s dream. The US economy was booming, wage growth was picking up steam, inflation was contained, and American stocks were on track for another year of double-digit returns.

Most economies outside of the US were also doing very well—in fact, every single major economy was displaying expansionary tendencies. It’s not often that synchronous growth occurs around the globe, but everyone seemed to be playing their part and marching ahead. Life was good.

Then, October came through like a wrecking ball. Everyone got spooked—weeks before the actual ghouls and goblins came out to play, and in turn, stocks took a dive. Things were going so well prior to this, so what happened?

As we reflect upon Latina Equal Pay Day, it’s important to look at the full backstory. The core issue behind it is not just about equal pay for women. According to a recent study, the early November timeframe represents just how far Latina women have to work on average into the year to make as much as white, non-Hispanic males during the prior year.

Do you dream of a white picket fence and kids running around in the backyard? Or maybe hanging out on the stoop of your own urban brownstone in the heart of the action? Perhaps lounging in your oceanfront condo? Owning a home is a cornerstone of the American Dream, and the appeal is easy to see. A home is a place to make your own and perhaps raise a family. It can provide security, both financial and emotional. And as the saying goes, renting means you’re paying someone else’s mortgage.

Even though a fair amount of people aspire to own a home, not everyone is able to make that dream come true. The homeownership rate among Americans is 64% , down from close to 70% before the 2008 recession. Purchasing a house is one of the biggest expenses you’ll have in your life, and it’ll take some careful planning. That’s compounded by the fact that housing prices are on the rise in many parts of the country.

Saving enough for a down payment can seem intimidating, especially when you might have to balance that with student loans, retirement planning, and other financial commitments. But being a homeowner is possible if you think ahead and make the right savings and investment plan to buy a house.