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Saving Strategies
Average Age of First-Time Home Buyers: 40, a Record, and What It Means
The median first-time home buyer is 40, a record high, up from 33 four years earlier (NAR 2025). The trend, homeownership by age, and what a later start costs.
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Budgeting & Money Management
Average Funeral Cost: Burial vs Cremation, Itemized, and the Help Available
A funeral with viewing and burial has a median cost of $8,300, or $9,995 with a vault; with cremation, $6,280 (NFDA). Itemized costs, your FTC rights, SSA and VA help.
Retirement Planning
Average Retirement Income: What Retirees Actually Live On, by Age, Household and Source
Households headed by someone 65+ had a median income of $59,680 in 2025 ($4,973 a month), per Census. Couples, singles, by age, and where the money comes from.
Budgeting & Money Management
Average Wedding Cost: What Couples Actually Spend, and the Median Nobody Quotes
The average US wedding cost $34,000 in 2025, but the median was $24,000 (The Knot survey). Costs by category, region and guest count, and how to budget.
Investing Basics
BND vs BNDX: US Bonds, or Hedged International Bonds Alongside Them?
BND (0.03%) owns US dollar bonds; BNDX (0.07%) owns non-dollar bonds hedged back to dollars. 6.3% overlap, SEC yields 5.07% vs 3.83%, 2022: -13.15% vs -12.87%.
Investing Basics
BND vs FXNAX: The Same Bond Market in Two Wrappers
BND (0.03%) and FXNAX (0.025%) both track the US Aggregate bond market. 71.8% overlap, 5.7 vs 5.76-year duration, near-identical returns. Pick by account.