OpenAI lanza el modo de agente ChatGPT: Lo que podría significar para el sector de los viajes
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Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
I quit my job, divorced my husband, and moved to Italy to retire. I miss my kids, but I'm happier and healthier here.
Cindy Sheahan quit her job, got divorced, and began traveling abroad for a bigger, fuller life. She's visited more than 50 countries, but one city stole her heart: Palermo, on the island of Sicily. Sheahan told Business Insider she's happier, healthier, and saving more money in Italy. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cindy Sheahan, 64, who retired from real estate in 2017 and left Colorado to travel abroad. In 2025, Sheahan settled in Palermo, Italy. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. In 2017, I was at a crossroads. A lot of people I knew were dying, and I started thinking: You really don't know how many days you get or what's promised to you. I figured I'd start traveling abroad. My company was kind enough to let me take a sabbatical while I sorted out my world. It turned out to be a mistake for them, because I decided I wasn't coming back. Once I stepped out the door and visited places I had only dreamed of and ate food I had only read about, it was ridiculous to think I was going to go back to my "normal life." I wasn't getting any younger. I figured I could always work again if I wanted to. But right now? I wanted to climb a waterfall in Cambodia and ride a motorbike in Vietnam. So I quit my job, retired, and divorced my husband. We had 30 years together and raised our amazing kids. But I didn't want just to walk the dog, play pickleball, and tend a garden. I wanted a bigger life. I thought living abroad would be temporary, but I was wrong After the divorce, I moved into a small apartment in Colorado with a monthly rent of $1,700. I still have it and rent it out to traveling nurses abroad. In the beginning, I thought I'd travel the majority of the year, come back to the States, and live a "normal" life there for one month a year. For some time, I did that. I've visited nearly 50 countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Madagascar, Turkey, Cyprus, and the more popular spots, like France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece. After being a mom to four kids, it's amazing to travel alone. Eating, sleeping, and reading when you want to is nice. You can go back to the same restaurant twice or visit a museum. You have no one to apologize to or explain yourself to. I remember sitting on a bench in front of Picasso's famous painting Guernica in the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid. Who knew I could sit and look at it for half an hour without anyone saying: "Oh my God, can we go? Are you done?" It was a sense of freedom that was incredible. The US was no longer for me After seven years of full-time backpack and hostel traveling, I was ready to set up a home base. I wanted to put my toothbrush on my own sink and put my clothes on a hanger somewhere. I knew I didn't want to live in the US anymore. Not only did I feel empowered abroad, but I also felt that the US no longer aligned with my values. I wasn't into the US's overconsumption. With the divisive political climate and the ridiculous gun culture, there was no way in hell I'd live there after experiencing a more peaceful life in so many other countries. Palermo, Italy, has my heart In 2022, moved to Portugal on a retirement residency visa. After about 11 months, I realized I could apply for Italian citizenship through ancestry, and the process would be faster in Italy than in the US. That was a game changer. For some time, I explored different parts of Italy, trying to determine where I wanted to live. I lived in a small medieval village in Umbria, and visited Bologna, Milan, Torino, Rome, and Florence. Then I went to Palermo, a city on the island of Sicily, and it hit me: I had found my soul city. Palermo is a feast for the senses. There's laughter, joy, noise — it's completely lovely. I moved to the city in October 2024. I didn't want to live in the suburbs — though living in the outer areas will always be less expensive and, in some ways, more authentic. So, I chose to live in the city center. I live in an area where I can walk for about 15 minutes and be at a cathedral, the gardens, or in the neighborhoods where all the restaurants, markets, and festivals happen. Palermo has a vast and active expat community. I feel safe in my neighborhood. I have a good friend who lives by the local train station, about a 30-minute walk from my apartment. I walk back from her house all the time late at midnight, and there's no stress — I'm not walking with my keys in my hand. My apartment is about 1,100 square feet, and I pay around $800 monthly plus a $100 condominium fee. It came completely furnished and is gorgeous. I have three sets of French doors that open onto three separate balconies. The floors are terrazzo with border patterns, and there are medallions on the 12-foot-high ceiling. My bathroom is spacious, which is hard to find in Italy, where showers are often the size of a phone booth. The apartment building dates back to the early 1930s. Although it is old, compared to some other buildings in Italy, it feels relatively new. Life is more affordable in Italy I couldn't afford my lifestyle if I moved back to the US. I receive $1,500 a month in Social Security. It's not enough to cover rent in Denver, but abroad, it easily covers my housing and much more. Daily expenses are affordable in Palermo. I love that I can go to the grocery store and not break the bank. You can buy tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, and everything else for a song. Healthcare is also much more affordable in Italy. In 2024, while traveling in Tunisia, I broke my foot. When I returned to Italy, I had two sets of X-rays and two appointments with an orthopedic specialist, and the total cost was less than $150. At the time, I wasn't even on the national healthcare system. Now that I'm an Italian citizen, I'm fully covered, which means there's no charge for general care. If I need to see a specialist, like a dermatologist, I might pay around $40. I am happier in Italy than I'd ever be in the US Living in Italy, I make a new discovery every day. That sense of wonder and joy has become a regular part of my life. I feel like I outgrew a lot of people and places in the US. Don't get me wrong, I desperately miss my friends and family, especially my kids. But they're all able to travel, and they'd much rather visit me somewhere fun than grab a drink at a bar in Denver. My quality of life has improved in Italy. I walk almost everywhere, so my blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol are in better condition. I eat better, I've made new friends, I've cut down on expenses, and most importantly, I'm happy. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Vegas is not fun anymore': $9 cups of coffee and pricier rooms are steering travelers away from the vacation mecca
For decades, Las Vegas was considered a destination of bargains galore, offering 99-cent shrimp cocktails, $10 steak dinners and shows that cost no more than the price of a drink. But those days are long gone. Instead, think $9 cups of coffee, $100-a-person buffet spreads and a movie ticket that can set you back a whopping $279. 'Vegas is not fun anymore': $9 cups of coffee and pricier rooms are steering travelers away from the vacation mecca 'He cannot match my spending': I'm 65 and have $7 million. My boyfriend is 73. Should he release equity from his home so we can enjoy retirement? America's 63 million family caregivers are mostly unpaid, stressed and begging for help Dow left behind as S&P 500 soars to record after record. What gives? 'His income is limited': Should I pay $800 a month towards my husband's $67,000 student debt? It's prices like these that have some Vegas regulars saying the tourist and gambling mecca has lost its appeal. 'Vegas is not fun anymore,' said Amrita Bhasin, a retail-industry entrepreneur who has traveled there frequently for business as well as pleasure. Her pet financial peeve? The resort fees that hotels charge, which she said can add as much as $50 a day to the tab. Such complaints are coming at a time when Vegas has seen a sizable drop in visits. In June, hotel occupancy rates fell 14.6% versus the prior year, according to CoStar, a global provider of real-estate data, analytics and news. They were down 12.3% for the current month through July 19. Among the city's major hotel and gaming operators are such corporate giants as Caesars Entertainment CZR and MGM Resorts International MGM. Both companies declined comment for this story. Vegas tourism officials don't deny that the city is going through a dry spell, but they say it's reflective of tourism declines nationwide, particularly as foreigners hesitate to come to the U.S. 'Very little of the drop is a Vegas issue,' said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Hill pointed to a significant decline in travelers from Canada as a critical factor, since Canadians have traditionally been the city's biggest international market. Specifically, Hill said the number of Canadian visitors has declined around 20% in Las Vegas. That dovetails with a broader U.S. trend, which shows a decline of nearly 19% in visits by our northern neighbors. David Cárdenas, a tourism expert who teaches at the University of Nevada's William F. Harrah College of Hospitality in Las Vegas, said foreigners are staying away from Vegas and other U.S. destinations for a host of reasons, from weak exchange rates to concerns about U.S. immigration policies under President Donald Trump. Canadians have also been particularly incensed over Trump's comments about making the country the 51st U.S. state, as has been widely reported, and that may be playing a role in their decision not to travel to the U.S. But plenty of travelers say Vegas has simply become a budget buster. And hospitality experts who know the city say the high costs are definitely a factor in the tourism slump. Philip Knott, an asset-strategy adviser and hospitality executive who has worked for companies operating and investing in Vegas, is one of those who view it that way. 'Vegas is now seen as overpriced,' he said, pointing to everything from expensive dining to hidden charges at hotels. 'All of those things are impacting booking.' Even without those hidden charges, hotels have gotten much pricier over the years. In 2015, the average daily room rate in Vegas was $124.42, according to CoStar. In 2024, it was $209.54, an increase of nearly 70%. It's not just about room rates, however. Visitors point to a variety of things that are hitting them in the wallet. Like that $9 cup of coffee, which is what you'll spend for a regular-size brew at Café Belle Madeleine, located in the Paris Las Vegas resort, a Caesars property. Or that $100 buffet, which is roughly what you'll pay for the spread on a weekend, including tax, at the Bacchanal, located at Caesars Palace. What about that $279 movie ticket? Technically, that's the price of a VIP package for what's called the Sphere Experience, a screening of the Darren Aronofsky film 'Postcard from Earth' plus a few preshow attractions at the Sphere, the $2 billion Vegas entertainment venue that opened in 2023. Even if you don't opt for the VIP treatment, a basic ticket starts at $89 for upcoming shows, according to what's listed on Ticketmaster. Officials with the Sphere didn't respond to a MarketWatch request for comment. Of course, value-conscious travelers will still find ways to save on a Vegas vacation. Lisa Nicole Jackson, a Los Angeles resident who visits Vegas about three times a year, said she always hunts for deals — and usually finds them. For example, she attended the Sphere Experience for free as part of a hotel package. Still, Jackson admits that there is the occasional reminder of how expensive Vegas can get these days. Her prime example: a $17 smoothie. Jackson also said she doesn't like the resort fees that hotels charge, especially when she feels the service and amenities aren't commensurate with the tacked-on cost. An example she cited was hotel pools that close relatively early in the day — 'like 6 p.m.,' she said of a recent experience. Vegas tourism officials say that deals can readily be found for hotels, particularly during the summer, which is considered the off-season in the city. And sure enough, one of the big deals being promoted right now by some establishments is waiving those pesky resort fees. 'We've got an offering for every budget,' said Hill of the city's Convention and Visitors Authority. As for things like that $9 cup of coffee, he said: 'You're not paying $9 for the coffee. You're paying $9 for the setting.' There's a reason that Vegas has a $9 cup of coffee, experts say, and that those $10 steak dinner deals of yesteryear are largely gone: Vegas hotels no longer rely as heavily on gambling revenue. Those steak-dinner deals were often loss leaders aimed at getting people inside to play the slots or hit the craps table. Now Vegas is about the setting, with elaborately themed hotels — yes, Paris in Nevada — along with restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs and performances by star entertainers. In the upcoming week alone, Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson and the Backstreet Boys are in town, and there are ongoing engagements by the likes of David Copperfield and Penn & Teller. The Vegas of today also demands a highly qualified workforce, one that requires good salaries and benefits, says Tony Abou-Ganim, a renowned bar professional who's been based in Vegas for more than 20 years and is now a managing partner at Libertine Social, a craft cocktail establishment at Mandalay Bay. 'It takes a $9 cup of coffee to provide that,' said Abou-Ganim. 'In turn, hopefully the guest experience is elevated.' But experts say there's no disputing that such costs can make Vegas seem out of reach for many middle-class travelers — the very same vacationers who helped put the city on the tourism map. As for Bhasin, the entrepreneur who has been a Vegas regular, she's fairly certain she'll be cutting back on her trips to the city, in large part because of the cost. Her next vacation there is with family, but she says the plan is actually to visit national parks far from the famed Vegas Strip. 'The only reason we're flying into Vegas is because the flight was cheaper,' Bhasin said. My ex-husband's benefit will be $2,600 at retirement age, and mine is $2,200. Can I claim on his record instead? 'If I was writing the checks at Coke, I wouldn't write the check for this,' one expert says about cane-sugar Coke Homeowners in these states are the winners if Trump ends capital-gains taxes for home sellers Newly built homes are cheaper than previously owned homes as builders ramp up price cuts Social Security Administration quietly corrects blog on taxation of benefits — but confusion persists Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
'If You Can't Pay For The Trip, You Shouldn't Take It': Expert Warns Against Buy Now, Pay Later Travel Trend
This summer, millions of Americans are planning trips — and a growing number are using buy now, pay later services to help cover the cost. These short-term installment loans, offered by companies like Klarna and Affirm, are being used to pay for flights, hotels, cruises, and even event tickets. According to a NerdWallet survey, 18% of summer travelers planned to use BNPL this year. Klarna reported a 50% year-over-year jump in travel bookings, and Affirm (AFRM:NASDAQ) said its travel-related volume rose 38% in late 2024, topping $1 billion. While BNPL may seem appealing — especially when it comes with no upfront costs or interest — experts caution that it's not always a smart choice. Don't Miss: Be part of the breakthrough that could replace plastic as we know it— $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. It's Not Just Luxury Travel Anymore BNPL was once associated with high-end purchases, but that's changing. Andrew Lokenauth, founder of told CNBC that many of his clients now use BNPL to pay for basic travel, such as visiting family or attending weddings. "It's not just luxury vacations anymore," he said. "I've worked with over 100 clients drowning in BNPL travel debt, and it's not pretty." BNPL loans typically have zero flexibility — miss a payment, and you might face late fees or damage to your credit score. Even Affirm, which doesn't charge late fees, began reporting pay-over-time products to credit bureaus this year. Trending: This AI-Powered Trading Platform Has 5,000+ Users, 27 Pending Patents, and a $43.97M Valuation — The Debt Can Outlast the Trip The biggest risk with BNPL travel financing is that the fun may end, but the debt lingers. NerdWallet found that 30% of travelers who used credit cards for summer travel in 2024 still haven't paid off their balances. The average credit card interest rate, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, is over 22%. BNPL doesn't charge interest in many cases, but it can still lead to overextension. A recent Consumer Finance Protection Bureau report found that 63% of BNPL borrowers had more than one loan at a time — also known as "loan stacking" — at some point in 2021 and 2022. Disney vacation planner Jackie Steele said he's seen more clients use BNPL to pay for Disney trips, sometimes to make last-minute travel happen or to upgrade their experience. "I always caution people — especially younger adults or families on tight budgets — to look beyond the monthly breakdown," he told Caution and Have a Backup Plan Some travelers say BNPL made their trips possible. One traveler told CNBC she used it to book a last-minute trip to Miami, calling it a "lifesaver." But when she missed one payment reminder, she was hit with extra fees. Some experts say that BNPL can work if used wisely. Fiserv Head of Embedded Finance Sunil Sachdev told CNBC that the service has matured in recent years and, so far, hasn't resulted in widespread defaults. Still, Lokenauth doesn't sugarcoat it: "If you can't pay for a vacation outright, you probably shouldn't take it." Smart Alternatives for Summer Travel Before reaching for BNPL, consider alternatives. According to NerdWallet, 91% of travelers are already looking for ways to save — such as using credit card points or choosing budget hotels. "Travel rewards aren't fine wine — they don't get better with age," NerdWallet spokesperson Sally French says. "In fact, with airlines and hotels constantly tweaking their loyalty programs to a level that's usually not in your favor, your points could be worth less next summer than they are right now." No matter your destination this summer, planning ahead — and paying responsibly — can help you avoid turning your dream vacation into a long-term debt burden. Read Next: Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article 'If You Can't Pay For The Trip, You Shouldn't Take It': Expert Warns Against Buy Now, Pay Later Travel Trend originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
