SoFi Blog

Remember the long, cold winter days you spent cooped up inside wishing for sunnier, warmer weather? Those days are now a distant memory as the summer heat starts to take hold.

Sure, you could sit in the air conditioning, but who wants to spend all summer inside? And sometimes, fighting the crowds for a spot at the local pool, beach, or lake can be a headache.

If the rising temperatures have you searching for “cold places in July,” this list could be just what you’re looking for. Summer vacations don’t have to be all beaches and hot, humid days. Here are some cool weather summer vacations that could help you beat the heat this summer.

Congratulations, you’re having a baby! Soon, your entire life will be filled with baby bottles, diapers, and … so many sleepless nights. Before you welcome a new life into the world, your to-do list will likely keep expanding.

From preparing the nursery and assembling a crib to creating a birth plan and baby-proofing the house, there is a lot to take care of. And we know it can be completely exhausting. While you are hustling to get everything ready before you bring your little one home, you might want to take a minute to slow down and enjoy this process. One way parents are doing this is by celebrating with a babymoon.

A babymoon is an excursion you go on with your significant other just before the birth or adoption of your child. It’s a time to kick back and relax just one last time. Sure, this trip sounds like another expensive baby-related item, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few ideas on how to plan, where to go, and ways to finance your last getaway as a twosome without going overboard on the budget.

There are over 5.1 million photos tagged with #vanlife on Instagram as of this writing. There are photos taken in the backs of vans and showing toes poking out of plush comforters that open up to sweeping beaches. They show dogs wearing handkerchiefs around their necks in converted vans, tiny kitchens, and adorable couples who’ve struck out on their own in rolling tiny spaces.

There’s no real way to tell how many people are actively living a van life, since no van life census exists. But it’s hard to deny that the trend has been growing and more and more folks are taking their tiny house dreams on the road. Maybe you’ve just landed a remote job. Maybe you’re looking for a huge project. Or maybe you’re just looking for a change in scenery (and another change and another change).

Regardless of your motivation, you might be about to make a huge change and you want to give some time and thought to the real cost of van life. Here are some costs and van life essentials to think about.

The decision for who pays for the wedding is not something to gloss over. Seriously, in this day and age, it’s all over the map, and is ultimately up to the happy couple and their families.

In other words, keeping your expectations in check until you’ve heard from everyone involved is probably wise. Your parents may not be prepared to pony up nearly as much as you thought. And your friends may balk if you expect them to pay for formalwear, too many parties, or travel for a destination wedding.

Times are changing. Turns out, the average bride and groom in the U.S. pay almost as much toward their wedding expenses (41%) as the bride’s parents do (45%).

If you feel claustrophobic whenever you enter the loo, you might be racking your brain for ideas about how to make a small bathroom look bigger. Many apartments and homes have small bathrooms—but there are often ways to make better use of the space, or to decorate it so that it doesn’t feel as cramped.

Chances are, you spend a lot of time in your bathroom. It’s likely where you start and end your day, so you want it to be a place you can relax in and enjoy. With a few small changes, you could change your bathroom from a cramped space you avoid to a sanctuary where you can decompress.

Whether you want to get creative with paint or color schemes, add some mirrors, or completely gut the space and renovate it, there are lots of ways to make a small bathroom look bigger.