| |  | | April 1, 2026 | | | | | | | | |
Editor's Note: On the Money won't publish on the Good Friday holiday, but we'll be back in your inbox on Monday. | | | | | | | | What If You Don't Buy a House? (It's Allowed) | | | By Ben Kesslen
Is the "rent until you buy" playbook officially outdated? Not only are many prospective buyers priced out of the homes and neighborhoods they want to live in, but insurance and upkeep are tough pills to swallow at today's costs. Here's why people are waiting until they're 40 to buy their first home, and what every tenant should consider if they're making the choice to rent. | | | | | | | | |  | | A Fresh Start for Spring | If life has you feeling behind, try taking bite-sized steps forward. With money, that often means setting specific, achievable goals.
What should be on your to-do list this month? Here are three suggestions for April.
| ◦ | If you haven't filed yet, the deadline is April 15. | | ◦ | Reminder: It may be worth exploring tax-loss harvesting strategies if you had capital gains last year. |
| 2. | Harness the spring cleaning vibe. | | ◦ | Just as you clear out your home in April, take some time to de-clutter your finances. Start by using a free budget app to see how your spending is tracking so far this year. | | ◦ | Audit your automatic expenses to avoid "subscription creep." | | ◦ | Then zero in on any utilities, phone plans, or insurance premiums that have gone up in the past year. Carve out a half hour to call your provider and/or comparison shop to see if you can get a better deal. |
| ◦ | In honor of Financial Literacy Month, take a step back to think big picture about your finances. Start by calculating your net worth — the sum of everything you own minus everything you owe. This will give you a clear baseline to measure your progress for the rest of the year. | | | | | | | | | | $15 | That's roughly how much more it costs Americans to fill a car with gas since the war with Iran began a month ago.
A gallon of unleaded averaged $4.02 in the U.S. as of Tuesday, just over $1 more than when the war began at the end of February, according to AAA data. In California, the worst-hit state, the average has shot up to $5.89 from $4.64. That means filling up a 15-gallon tank now costs about $60 nationwide, and $88 in California.
Even though gas prices are climbing across the country, here are some things you can do to keep your fuel costs down. | | | | | | | | SoFi Plus Just Got a Big Upgrade | | | A note from Katie Wells, EVP & Group Business Unit Leader, Member
We designed SoFi Plus with one goal in mind: to help our members accelerate toward their financial goals. Today, I'm excited to share what that looks like in practice.
One of the new benefits generating the most excitement is 4.50% APY on up to $20,000 in a savings account¹ — a rate that puts real money back in your pocket. We've also added a 1% match on eligible deposits into brokerage and robo accounts as well as on crypto purchases. And for everyday spending and borrowing, SoFi Plus subscribers continue to get a 10% boost on credit card rewards, double rewards points, and loan discounts across personal loans, student loan refinancing, and home loans.²
All for $10 a month.³
There's one more benefit — and it might be the most meaningful of all: unlimited one-on-one sessions with SoFi's certified financial planners, scheduled whenever you need them, at no extra cost. Finally tackle that debt payoff plan. Figure out if you're actually on track for retirement. Get a straight answer on whether to refinance. For most people, this kind of guidance has always been out of reach. With SoFi Plus, it's included.
That's what we mean when we say we're here to help you get your money right — not someday, but right now.
I hope you'll give it a try. | | | | | | | | | | | Informed investment decisions start with informed insights. Here's what's making headlines:
🧳 JetBlue (JBLU) hiked its baggage fees to counter higher fuel costs triggered by the Iran war. While some U.S. airlines have already raised ticket prices to offset their costs, this could be a sign that customers will also start to see increases in flight add-ons. (New York Post)
🌶️ McCormick (MKC) agreed to buy Unilever's (UL) food business in a deal that values the Unilever unit at nearly $45 billion. Unilever's Hellmann's and Knorr brands will expand McCormick further into spreads and condiments. The spice giant already owns Frank's RedHot sauce and French's mustard. (CNBC)
💡 In a multi-year push to get more Main Street customers, JPMorgan Chase (JPM) announced an "American Dream Initiative" that includes lending $80 billion to small businesses and supporting entrepreneurs. (Yahoo Finance) | | | | | | |  | | ChatGPT or Claude? Here's how to decide which chatbot is worth your money. (MarketWatch) | | | | | | | | | | | Intel, insights, and inspo for your money. | | On the Money cuts through the noise of day‑to‑day financial news to bring you a more thoughtful point of view on what's important in this moment — and how it impacts your bottom line. We value your trust above all. | | | | | | | | | | Did you find today's newsletter valuable? | | | | |
| | | | | 1SoFi Savings is a tiered-rate account for SoFi Plus Subscribers. Earn 4.50% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on up to $20,000 in one SoFi Savings account, and 3.30% APY on all other Savings balances with a paid SoFi Plus subscription. Promotional APY boost offers cannot be combined on balances earning a 4.50% APY. Rates are current as of 3/31/26. APY is variable and subject to change at any time. There is no minimum balance requirement. Fees may reduce earnings. Terms apply at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#sofi-plus. See additional rates and information at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.
²SoFi Plus: SoFi Plus is a premium membership that gives members access to our best rewards, benefits, and more when they pay the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee. Benefits are subject to change and may not be available to everyone. All terms and conditions applicable to the use of SoFi Plus apply. To learn more about SoFi Plus and available benefits and terms, please see the SoFi Plus page.
³$10 subscription fee: Subscribers are billed every 30 calendar days based on the initial date of subscription.
| INVESTMENTS AND DIGITAL ASSETS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED ‑ ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED ‑ MAY LOSE VALUE |
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