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As the Federal Reserve works to curb inflation, experts are forecasting for a mild recession.
Here’s when they say that downturn may start, following the latest jobs numbers.

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It has been well reported that an economic downturn could be coming.
But the big question is when might a recession happen, and how bad could it be?

Many Americans fear an economic downturn could be as bad as the 2007 to 2009 Financial Crisis, a recent Nationwide survey of 2,000 adults found.
To that point, 68% are expecting a recession in the next six months, and 80% of those respondents expect it to be severe.
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Yet, predictions from various experts are not as dire.
“We’re not expecting that,” Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, said of the firm’s outlook for the U.S. economy.

A recession is typically defined as a period when gross domestic product declines for two consecutive quarters.
“We’re still in the camp that we get a recession,” she said. “We think it’s been delayed, but not canceled.”

At Raymond James, the current forecast calls for a “very, very mild” recession, according to chief economist Eugenio Aleman.
“Our biggest issue today is whether it starts in the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of next year,” Aleman said.
For now, the firm is leaning towards the fourth quarter, he said.
“It will all depend on how strong the slowdown in employment is,” Aleman said.

Slower employment growth expected

Friday’s new jobs numbers showed private jobs creation in June reached the lowest level since December 2020, Aleman noted.
Nonfarm payrolls rose 209,000 in June, while the unemployment rate was 3.6%, the U.S. Department of Labor said Friday. 
That’s after ADP reported this week that private sector companies added 497,000 jobs in June — more than double expectations.
So far this year, the economy has created 85% of all of the jobs that were created in 2019, according to Aleman.

We’re still in the camp that we get a recession. We think it’s been delayed, but not canceled.

Kathy Bostjancic
chief economist at Nationwide

“Unless the economy starts to grow again, there is no reason why employment is so strong,” Aleman said.
A “very, very large slowdown in employment growth” is expected for the second half of the year, he said.
Employers have announced 458,209 job cuts so far in 2023, according to Challenger, Gray and Christmas, a 244% increase from the 133,211 cuts announced through June 2022.
Other economic indicators to take into account to gauge where the U.S. economy is headed, including new government inflation data due out next week. That may help determine whether the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates.
Raymond James is predicting a 1.3% growth rate for 2023 and 0.6% for 2024 — which coincides with the firm’s forecast for a  “very, very mild recession,” Aleman said.

Inflation ‘really weighs on the consumer psyche’

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Nationwide’s consumer survey points to shaky confidence in the American economy.
While recent bank failures may bring back echoes of the 2008 crisis, inflation is actually the bigger factor that is weighing on people’s minds, Bostjancic said.
Even if people still have steady income, they are still faced with prices that are significantly higher than they were a few years ago, she said.
“That really weighs on the consumer psyche,” Bostjancic said.

To cope with high inflation, Nationwide’s survey found more than half of respondents are eating out less, with 54%. Others said they are driving less, 37%; delaying a major purchase 32%; and relying more on credit cards, 23%.
Yet as higher interest rates make carrying debts more expensive, experts are cautioning consumers that they should strive to pay balances down rather than take on more debt.
Auto loans and credit cards may be two weak points for consumers as household budgets tighten, experts warn.
Repayment of federal student loans, set to begin in the fall, may also weigh on consumers’ ability to make discretionary purchases, Aleman noted.

To get ahead of those risks, experts recommend those who can find the wiggle room to set aside more cash to prepare for future expenses or an unexpected job loss.
While it remains to be seen whether the Federal Reserve will continue to raise rates, the increases that have already happened put savers at a significant advantage.
That includes the possibility of 5% or more interest on online savings accounts, according to Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.
“We haven’t seen returns like that in 15 years,” McBride said. More

When federal student loan borrowers start making payments on their debt again in the fall, many will find they have a new, more affordable option.
Here’s what to know.

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When federal student loan borrowers resume their payments in the fall, they’ll find another repayment option available to them.
The U.S. Department of Education said borrowers can enroll in “the most affordable repayment plan ever created” later this summer, and before the over three-year-long pause on federal student loan payments concludes.

According to the Education Department, the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan, is an income-driven repayment plan that can cut borrowers’ monthly payments in half, and will leave many people with a $0 monthly bill.
“The SAVE plan is very generous to borrowers, almost like a grant after the fact,” said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz.
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But there’s a catch: Some of these benefits won’t fully go into effect until next summer, due to the timeline of regulatory changes.
The new SAVE plan replaces one of the existing income-driven repayment plans, which cap borrowers’ bills at a share of their discretionary income with the aim of making the debt more affordable to pay off.

Instead of paying 10% of their discretionary income a month toward their undergraduate student debt under the previous Revised Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan, or REPAYE, plan, borrowers will eventually be required to pay just 5% of their discretionary income. Borrowers who make under $15 an hour won’t need to make any payments, the department says.
Kantrowitz provided an example of how monthly bills could change with the overhauled option.

Previously, a borrower who made $40,000 a year would have a monthly student loan payment of around $151. Under the SAVE plan, their payment would drop to $30.
Similarly, someone who earned $90,000 a year could see their monthly payments shrink to $238 from $568, Kantrowitz said.
Most borrowers should qualify for the plan as long as their loan is in good standing.

Halved payments won’t go into effect until July 2024

The reduction in payments on undergraduate loans to 5% from 10% of discretionary income will be available to borrowers in July 2024, when the SAVE plan is fully implemented.
At that point, borrowers who have both undergraduate and graduate loans will pay a weighted average between 5% and 10% of their income based upon their original principal balances, the Education Department says.
But borrowers who enroll now in the SAVE plan — or before bills restart in the fall — should see certain benefits sooner.

A higher share of their income will be protected from their monthly payment calculation, for one. As a result, single borrowers earning less than $32,805 a year will not have to make any payments.
“This will allow them to focus on food, rent and other basic needs instead of loan payments,” the Education Department said.
In addition, under the SAVE plan, the agency will cease charging any interest that is not covered by the borrowers monthly payment.
Married borrowers who file their taxes separately also will no longer be required to include their spouse’s income to get their payment calculation. More

With higher prices causing financial strain, Americans are cutting back.
Now, more consumers are embracing the “little treat” lifestyle with less expensive indulgences.
Amazon Prime Day, Target Circle Week and Walmart+ Week could be good opportunities to get some retail therapy without breaking the bank, experts say.

Prime Day, competitor sales start soon

Amazon’s highly anticipated Prime Day starts at 3 a.m. ET on July 11 and run through July 12.
Competitors such Walmart, Target and Best Buy are also holding overlapping deal events — Best Buy’s “Black Friday in July” event will run July 10 to 12, while Walmart+ Week starts July 10 and goes to July 13. Target Circle Week offers an even longer stretch of deal days July 9 to 15.

Meanwhile, other retailers like Macy’s, Nordstrom, Sur La Table and Wayfair are cutting prices by 50% or more throughout the month.
“Inflation is pressing consumers to start early and find the deals from retailers willing to offer the door buster promotions that will drive traffic and excitement in a challenging environment,” said Matt Kramer, KPMG’s consumer and retail sector leader.

‘Lipstick index’ is back as form of retail therapy

Over the last six months, higher prices have led nearly 80% of consumers to cut back on nonessential goods, like entertainment, home décor and clothing, according to a recent CNBC and Morning Consult survey.
Still, nearly 80% of adults said they intend to shop on Amazon Prime Day, a survey by The Vacationer found. And, 70% of consumers said indulging in retail therapy can have a positive impact on your mental state, according to a separate report by shopping rewards site Smarty.
The theory goes that even in tough times, consumers might rein in their spending, but will still buy small luxuries.

The so-called lipstick index was initially coined by former Estee Lauder chairman Leonard Lauder after the bursting of the dot-com bubble in the early 2000s sent the economy reeling. Lauder noticed that women substituted costlier luxury items for smaller indulgences like lipstick.
“Many consumers shop on Prime Day to get their mid-year ‘retail therapy,’ but it’s important to spend smart so that the stress relief of going shopping doesn’t turn into an impulse purchase bill to pay off,” said Vipin Porwal, Smarty’s CEO.
To that end, here’s how to navigate the summer sales without breaking the bank.

What to buy on Prime Day

The best deals will be on Amazon’s own devices, such as 75% off the Amazon Fire TV 43-inch Omni Series. But it’s also a good time to find discounts on other popular personal tech from brands like Apple, Fitbit, Samsung, Google and Sony, according to BlackFriday.com.
Look for a wide selection of back-to-school essentials on sale, including children’s clothing, backpacks and tablets, according to RetailMeNot’s shopping experts.

Expect home and garden deals to dominate.

Julie Ramhold
consumer analyst at DealNews.com

For those interested in saving money on everyday goods, some of the best-selling items on Prime Day in previous years have included apparel, beauty products, kitchen essentials, toys and outdoor gear.
This time, “expect home and garden deals to dominate,” said Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst at DealNews.com.

How to take advantage of Prime Day deals

To take advantage of Prime Day deals, you must be an Amazon Prime member. 
You can sign up for an annual or month-to-month membership or, if not yet sure, a free trial. For the first time, Amazon will also offer invite-only deals where members of its Prime subscription club can request an invitation to access discounts on items that typically sell out fast. (CNBC’s Select has more on how to avoid the membership fee in time to score Prime Day deals.)

Amazon workers sort packages for delivery in New York on July 12, 2022.
Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Then, scroll through upcoming deals and set up deal alert notifications on Amazon or through your Alexa device so you’ll know when the price drops.
When a deal is live, add the item to your cart immediately. Some intermittent “Lightning Deals” sell out quickly, Ramhold said. Once a sale item is in your cart, you’ll have 15 minutes to decide whether to complete the purchase.
If there is a specific product you are set on and you don’t see it in upcoming sales, you can create a wish list and Amazon will alert you if it does become part of a Prime Day deal.

Where to find the best price beyond Amazon

Other retailers may have better deals without a membership required, according to consumer finance expert Andrea Woroch. Plus, most offer free shipping or curbside pick up.
A price-tracking browser extension such as CamelCamelCamel or Keepa can help you keep an eye on price changes and alert you when a price drops.
Some of Woroch’s top picks include $181 off the Beats Studio3 wireless noise cancelling headphones or $242 off the iRobot Roomba wi-fi connected robot vacuum at Walmart and $350 off the Lenovo 15.6-inch Touchscreen IdeaPad 3i laptop or $130 off a Dyson V8 Origin Cordless Stick Vacuum at Target.
Woroch recommends stacking discounts, for example, combining credit card rewards with store coupons and then using a cash-back site such as CouponCabin.com to earn money back on those purchases.
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Without yearly inflation adjustments for income thresholds, more investors are paying the net investment income tax than a decade ago.
The levy may apply to capital gains, interest, dividends, rents and more once your so-called modified adjusted gross income, or MAGI, exceeds $200,000 for single filers or $250,000 for married couples filing together.
The 3.8% tax may apply to the lesser of two thresholds: your actual net investment income, or your MAGI minus the net investment income tax threshold.

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Higher earners are more likely to owe an extra levy on investment earnings than a decade ago. But there are ways to reduce your tax bill, experts say.
Enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act health-care expansion, the 3.8% net investment income tax applies to capital gains, interest, dividends, rents and more once your so-called modified adjusted gross income, or MAGI, exceeds certain thresholds. MAGI can be higher than adjusted gross income because it adds back the foreign earned income exclusion.

While dozens of tax code provisions adjust for inflation every year, the thresholds for net investment income tax have remained the same since 2013 — MAGI above $200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for married couples filing together.
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“It’s been around for a while, and the rules haven’t changed since it went into effect,” said Brian Schultz, a certified public accountant and partner at Plante Moran in Southfield, Michigan. “But the cost of inflation and incomes have trended up since then, so it’s become more of an issue.” 
An estimated 7.3 million taxpayers paid nearly $60 billion in net investment income tax in 2021, compared with 3.1 million taxpayers paying $16.5 billion in 2013, according to the Congressional Research Service.

How the net investment income tax works

It’s possible you may owe net investment income tax along with regular income taxes, said certified financial planner Jim Guarino, a CPA and managing director at Baker Newman Noyes in Woburn, Massachusetts.

“Some folks refer to the net investment income tax as a type of stealth tax because taxpayers may not discover they owe this tax until they are preparing their income tax returns,” he said.
Here’s how it works. The 3.8% net investment income tax applies to the lesser of two thresholds: your actual net investment income, or your MAGI minus the net investment income tax threshold, he said.

For example, let’s say a married couple has a MAGI of $260,000 and $50,000 net investment income. The calculation would be $260,000 minus the $250,000 threshold, which means the tax applies to the $10,000 excess.
By comparison, if the same married couple has a $300,000 MAGI and $15,000 net investment income, subtracting the $250,000 threshold from their MAGI leaves $50,000. So in this case, the tax applies to the $15,000 net investment income.
You can also trigger the tax from a one-time income boost, such as the sale of a business or home sale with profits above the capital gains exclusions, Schultz said.

‘Awareness and planning are integral’

With many investors unaware of the net investment income tax, “awareness and planning are integral,” Guarino said, noting that it may be challenging for do-it-yourself tax preparers.
Investors who may be subject to the tax may consider strategies such as buying municipal bonds, which avoid federal taxes on interest and may bypass state and local levies, depending on where you live, he said. More

Nearly one-third of Americans feel tipping culture has gotten “out of control,” according to a recent Bankrate report.
“It’s more than fatigue, it’s irritation,” says tipping expert Michael Lynn.
As the negative sentiment takes hold, some businesses are opting out of digital touch-screen payment systems with predetermined options.

“Honestly, I think the prompt irritates most people,” said Lyn James, owner of Flowers & Cappuccino by Lasting Visions in Bowman, North Dakota.
James said that’s why she opted out of the tip screen when she implemented her store’s contactless point-of-sale system. Although gratuity can vary greatly, “most folks will leave at least a dollar on a latte,” she said.

“If the customer is happy, they are generous with their tips.”

Tip fatigue and tip creep ‘may be understating it’

In most cases, consumers face more opportunities to tip for a wider range of services than ever before, a trend also referred to as “tip creep.” But recent surveys show shoppers are experiencing “tip fatigue” and starting to tip less — while resenting tipping prompts even more.
“The terms may be understating it,” said Michael Lynn, a professor of consumer behavior and marketing at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. “It’s more than fatigue, it’s irritation.
“It’s not tip creep, it’s tip gallop,” he added.
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Two-thirds of Americans have a negative view about tipping, according to a recent report by Bankrate, particularly when it comes to contactless and digital payment prompts with predetermined options that can range between 15% and 35% for each transaction — and 30% said “tipping culture has gotten out of control.”
“You have to go out of your way to not tip, and that’s what a lot of people resent,” said Ted Rossman, Bankrate’s senior industry analyst.
Many feel the pressure to tip has increased over the last year, NerdWallet’s consumer budgeting report also found.

You have to go out of your way to not tip, and that’s what a lot of people resent.

Ted Rossman
senior industry analyst at Bankrate

“We’ve had the option of tipping for a long time because of tip jars, but you could kind of ignore it,” Cornell’s Lynn said. “The technology is making it harder to say no, and it’s making it harder to tip a small amount.”
However, fewer consumers now say they “always” tip when dining out compared with last year, according to Bankrate, or for other services, such as ride-shares, haircuts, food delivery, housekeeping and home repairs. 
“During the pandemic, there was a groundswell of feeling thankful; now, a lot of people are saying ‘enough,'” Rossman said.

Some business owners opt out of tips

Lyn James is the owner of Flowers & Cappuccino by Lasting Visions in Bowman, North Dakota

As a negative sentiment takes hold, more business owners like James may scale back on suggested tip amounts or eliminate tip prompts entirely to appease customers, according to Molly Burke, senior analyst at Capterra, covering retail and restaurants. 
“Small businesses can deactivate the tip screen or customize the amounts they show on the tip screen or just ask customers to skip it,” she said.
Matt Vizcaino, owner of Tortugas Homemade Pizza in Birmingham, Alabama, said he and his staff voted to forgo tipping prompts. “I understand some people’s frustrations,” he said. “I do also understand tips are not ‘needed’ in all situations.”
Now diners leave an average of 25% when they dine in, he said, but only about a third tip on carry out, and when they do, the tips average 5% to 10%.

How much the experts tip

Tipping 20% at a sit-down restaurant is still the standard, etiquette experts say. But there’s less consensus about gratuity for carryout or other transactions that didn’t involve a tip at all in the past.
“I often get asked how much I tip, and I don’t,” Lynn said of most point-of-sale tip prompts. “Sometimes you tip to reward good service but only at restaurants do I tip out of obligation.”
“Outside of restaurants, I tip for delivery and if I’ve had a good experience,” he added.  

“You should feel free but it’s still Ok not to tip,” according to Jaime Peters, Maryville University’s assistant dean of accounting, finance and economics. “It really is a tip; it is not obligatory.”
Peters said she primarily tips 20% in a sit-down restaurant, but less for other transactions.
While tipping at full-service restaurants has held steady, tips at quick-service restaurants by guests fell to a five-year low of 16.7% in the first quarter of 2023, according to Toast’s most recent restaurant trends report.
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After federal student loan payments restart in the fall, borrowers will be spared for 12 months from the harshest consequences of falling behind.
President Joe Biden announced the provision easing borrowers back into repayment after the Supreme Court struck down his forgiveness policy.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently warned that roughly 1 in 5 student loan borrowers could struggle when their payments resume.

U.S. President Joe Biden is joined by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona as he announces new actions to protect borrowers after the Supreme Court struck down his student loan forgiveness plan in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on June 30, 2023 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty

Extra protections follow Supreme Court decision

This aid is not another payment pause extension

Former President Donald Trump first announced the stay on federal student loan bills and the accrual of interest in March 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. and crippled the economy. The pause has since been extended eight times.
The latest announcement by Biden is not another extension of that policy.
Even if the president wanted to prolong the relief, the recent bipartisan agreement to raise the federal debt ceiling included a provision that officially terminates the more than three-year-long pause at the end of August. (Borrowers’ official due date will depend on their loan terms.)

However, borrowers will be spared from many of the usual consequences of missing a payment until October of next year.
For example, loans will not go into default and delinquencies will not be reported to credit reporting agencies, said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. Late fees won’t be charged, either.
“The 12-month on-ramp is similar to a forbearance in many ways,” Kantrowitz said.
But as is the case with a forbearance, interest will continue accruing on your debt while you don’t make payments. As a result, Kantrowitz recommends borrowers start repaying their bills, if they can.
“Doing otherwise will eventually hurt them,” he said. More

A majority of U.S. workers say they don’t fully unplug from their jobs, and 17% say they stay fully connected when away from work, according to a recent survey.
Fear of missing out is one reason many professionals stay plugged in or don’t take vacation time. 
Some employers periodically shut down entirely to give employees a chance to recharge.

Melanie Langsett is taking the days around July 4 to relax, catch up with friends and celebrate her son’s birthday. She’s using a benefit her employer, Deloitte, calls “Collective Disconnect” days.
These are times, in addition to other paid time away from the office,  when the entire workforce is off at the same time, giving employees the chance to truly unplug. 

“I’ll be taking full advantage,” said Langsett, the leader of rewards, recognition and wellbeing for Deloitte U.S., in an email. “It’s so important that leaders walk the talk and model behaviors that show that they are using the offerings provided by the organization, and this includes vacation time.”
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The benefits of time away from work

More employers are recognizing the need to reduce employee burnout, as employees report overall better mental health, increased job satisfaction, and being more engaged and productive upon returning from vacation.
Yet it’s still a challenge for many workers to disengage from the office. More than half, 55%, of U.S. workers say they don’t fully unplug from their job, and 17% say they stay fully connected away from work, according to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll of more than 2,000 workers on behalf of Ceridian, a human resource technology company.
“In order to maintain your overall health, you need to take time for yourself time to replenish, time to recharge yourself and time to disconnect,” said Michelle Bonam, Ceridian’s vice president of organizational effectiveness. “And if you don’t disconnect, you don’t truly get that time.” 

Why some professionals don’t take time off

Fear of missing out is one reason why many professionals stay plugged in or don’t take vacation time. 
“The pay-for-performance culture in the U.S. drives the belief that you negatively impact your own performance if you miss out on an opportunity while taking time away from work,” said Langsett.

In order to maintain your overall health, you need to take time for yourself.

Michelle Bonam
vice president of organizational effectiveness at Ceridian

Increased workloads upon return and expectations to attend meetings and return emails on vacation also keep many professionals from taking time to unplug. Stress around increased layoffs can also increase the fear of not being essential. 

Best practices to help employees recharge

Leaders should give clear guidelines for how the work will get done.
“Fundamentally, your job wouldn’t exist if that role wasn’t needed within the organization,” said Bonam. “Work with your employees, to let them know if something is truly critical and you really need them to respond, how you will get in touch with them while they’re on vacation.” 
Managers should also identify the people who can make decisions in someone’s absence.

The benefits and challenges of remote work

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Eighty-four percent of employees surveyed say remote work makes it easier to get away. The flip side of that is that it also makes it harder to completely unplug.
“I get the sense that they’re okay with that, because they’re enjoying that flexibility of being able to work remotely,” said Bonam.
Ceridian provides its employees with two wellness days a year, when almost the entire company gets the day off.
It is also working to establish “refresh days” at the team level. “That way, at least the people that you work closely with on an ongoing basis, they’re all disconnected on that day, and that it results in a higher degree of replenishment on those days,” she said. Bonam has already taken a weeklong vacation and has another break planned for the fall.  More

Amid pent-up demand for travel, a record number of people are expected to hit the road this July 4 holiday.
While gas prices are lower than they were last year, they are still high compared to historical averages.
These tips can help drivers save money at the pump.

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A record 43.2 million people are expected to travel by car this July 4 holiday, according to AAA, the motoring and leisure travel membership organization.
The good news for those drivers is that gas prices around the country are lower than they were last year.

The national average for a gallon of gas is $3.54 as of July 3, down from $4.81 one year ago, according to AAA.
Last year’s high prices prompted politicians on the state and federal level to call for gas tax holidays.
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Though gas prices are currently still high compared to historical averages, drivers have no plans to cut back on road travel, according to AAA.
That’s as this summer is proving to be a particularly popular travel time. The busier season has not been without complications, including mass flight disruptions leading into the July 4 holiday.

A recent Bankrate survey found 63% of adults plan to take a summer vacation this year, up from 61% last year.
“People want to go somewhere, they want to do something,” said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate and CreditCards.com. “There’s still a lot of pent-up demand that backed up during the pandemic.”

That demand has helped push categories like airfares and hotels higher this year, Rossman noted.
Bankrate’s survey found 80% of travelers are planning to adjust their plans due to higher prices.
Opting to drive instead of fly was one of the more common changes, according to Rossman, in addition to choosing cheaper accommodations or destinations and traveling for fewer days.
Travelers who are hitting the road by car or other vehicle may also look for ways to cut costs on gas.

1. Be proactive about finding lower prices

Those hitting the road this weekend may want to fill up if they’re passing through the least expensive markets, according to AAA’s recent ranking of the top 10 least expensive markets.
That includes Mississippi, with prices around $2.97 per gallon; Louisiana, $3.08; Alabama, $3.10; Tennessee, $3.10; Arkansas, $3.11; South Carolina, $3.17; Texas, $3.18; Oklahoma, $3.22; Georgia, $3.23; and North Carolina, $3.25.
Drivers everywhere may save by using apps to help them find better gas prices, such as Upside or GasBuddy, according to Rossman.

2. Look for a good gas rewards credit card

Aabejon | E+ | Getty Images

Some credit cards may give you up to 5% cash back on gas, according to Rossman. That includes brands such as Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back, he said, which are offering that rate between July and September.
Sam’s Club also offers certain cards that will allow consumers to earn money back on gas.
It is also worthwhile to check the perks your existing credit cards may offer, Rossman said.
“You may have a good gas rewards credit card and not even realize it,” Rossman said.

Of note, it is generally best to avoid gas-branded cards, which may come with high 30% annual interest rates and limited discounts on gas purchases, he said.

3. Try stacking discounts

Drivers should also look to stack offers where they can. For example, a credit card may offer 5% cash back on gas, and a gas station app may provide a 10% offer per gallon, Rossman said.
“That’s two ways to save instead of one,” he said.

4. Double-check your car rental coverage

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Rental cars are also comparatively cheaper this year, Rossman said.
If you’re thinking of renting a car, be sure to double-check whether your credit card may already offer insurance coverage.
“A lot of times, credit cards have various travel perks built in that people may not even realize they have,” Rossman said, which may also include provisions for trip delays or cancellations as well as lost or delayed luggage. More