SoFi Blog

There’s an old rumor floating around out there about how much to spend on an engagement ring, and it goes like this: When you’re ready to propose, you should spend the equivalent of two months’ gross salary on the engagement ring.

Two months? That’s a lot of money.

Well, we have good news: it’s simply not true. The two-month “standard” holds no weight or authority from any expert. In fact, it’s nothing more than an old marketing campaign that fed its way into the lexicon via catchy slogans and peer pressure. What’s more, the digital age has allowed us to grow into savvy shoppers who understand that making a large purchase based on hearsay isn’t the way to go.

If you’re already planning a destination wedding, or just starting to daydream about tying the knot under the stars on a beach in Bali, you’re not alone. Destination weddings are on the rise as couples look to make their big day an unforgettable experience, not only for each other but for family and guests. In fact, more couples than ever are choosing unique weddings over traditional black tie affairs, and a whopping 25% of couples chose destination weddings last year.

Destination weddings, which are technically any wedding held more than 100 miles or so from your home, are increasing in popularity for a few reasons. On one hand, more and more families are spread out, which means that you might pick a wedding venue that is an equidistant trip for most guests out of convenience.

On the other hand, many couples see destinations weddings as a chance to create the ultimate wedding experience for them and their guests, whether that means coming from California for a blow-out wedding at the New York Public Library, or meeting your friends for a weekend on the Riviera Maya for an oceanside ceremony.

As a freelancer, you can live anywhere, plan your own schedule, and work on a wide variety of projects. On the flipside, all that freedom means it’s up to you to meet your income needs.

If you’re looking to land higher-paying freelance tech jobs, you may want to consider working with agencies. Often, agencies turn to contract workers with specialized tech skills—like engineers, developers, designers, and other creators—to supplement their in-house teams.

Freelance rates for designers and other technical workers can be all over the map. But, because agencies are highly motivated to keep their clients satisfied, they often pay competitively to attract the best talent for the job.

When someone mentions artificial intelligence (AI) in the form of autonomous cars or smart home hubs, people can’t get enough. It’s exciting to think about the possibilities of these innovations. But it’s rare that AI in the context of the job search gets as much attention or enthusiasm—especially when you only think of it as the “robots” you have to get your resume past.

But beyond that, what is artificial intelligence in the context of job searching? AI is utilized in almost every aspect of the hunt, from optimizing job postings to uncovering salary insights to, of course, resume scanning software and applicant tracking systems.

What does that mean for job seekers? According to Jennifer Zamora and Stacey Perkins, career coaches at SoFi and Korn Ferry Advance, there are pros and cons to artificial intelligence’s impact on jobs and your search—and there are ways to work with it successfully. Here’s a breakdown.

When was the last time you assessed your value or negotiated your salary at work? According to a recent survey¹ conducted by SoFi, over half (57%) of respondents said they feel that they are underpaid, yet only 33% plan to ask for a raise this year.

The conversation surrounding financial independence often only focuses on cutting back to save money – eliminating a daily latte, or bringing lunch to work. Of course, being financially responsible is an important part of getting to financial independence. At SoFi, we believe there is another important dimension to this discussion: earning your way to financial independence. Earning more money gives you the opportunity to put it towards your financial goals faster, whether that means saving for your first home, paying down existing debt, or investing more. Our goal? To help you get your money right—and steer you toward an accelerated path to financial independence.