Turning a House Into a Home: The Benefits You Can Actually Feel

There’s a lot of conversation about home prices, mortgage rates, and affordability right now – and those things are important. But if you’re thinking about buying a home, it’s worth remembering something the headlines rarely talk about: people don’t buy homes just for financial reasons. They buy them for their lives. Because while homeownership can absolutely be a smart long-term financial move, it also comes with some emotional benefits spreadsheets just can’t capture. Maybe that’s why a 2025 survey from Fannie Mae notes : “Consumers were twice as likely to mention lifestyle benefits (67%)—like security, customization, and outdoor space—than financial benefits (34%) when explaining why their homes have become more important in recent years.” Here are a few reminders of what owning a home gives you that renting never will. 1. A Milestone You Get To Be Proud Of Buying a home is a big deal. First home, fifth home – it doesn’t matter. It’s a moment you’ll remember. And when you final...

The Valentine’s Day Gifts Your Significant Other Actually Wants to Receive

 


Flowers, cards, candy… it’s all some of us can come up with for a Valentine’s Day gift. But, really, you’re better off saving your money. No one really wants these things—we all know it.

Instead, try one of these unique gifts this year that your loved one actually wants to open.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bouquet

A box of chocolates? Nice. Chocolate fondue for dessert? Sure. A Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bouquet? YES, thank you this is the gift of our dreams! Walmart is selling these bouquets, with orange flowers interwoven throughout, for $44, or you could order them from Amazon.

Art, Featuring Your Pet

If your significant other is obsessed with their pet—we’re talking wants to lay on a pillow with their pet’s face or wear their pet on their clothing—then boy, do we have a gift for you. The company Pop Your Pup sells apparel, accessories, home goods, and wall art—all with your beloved pets face. All you have to do is select the product you want and upload a photo!

An Experience

There’s really no gift better than one that you’ll remember for the rest of your life, and whether it’s sky diving or something a little less daring, Groupon is a one stop for anything your significant other could possible want to do. Turning hot glass into art? They’ve got it. Discount tickets to a monster truck jamboree? You bet.

A Class Taught by Their Favorite Celeb

Your creative writing professor in college may have been the worst (you totally didn’t deserve that C on the final)—but what if your class was taught by 19-time New York Times best-selling author James Patterson? MasterClass is a program that offers a month-by-month or yearly subscription to hundreds of classes taught by experts in the field. You can get guitar lessons from Carlos Santana, learn the rule of thirds from Annie Leibovits, and practice your free throws with Steph Curry. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving.

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