The Paper Ceiling Roughly 70% of US job postings require a bachelor’s degree. But less than 50% of the workforce has one. That means millions of workers are locked out of well-paying jobs and benefits […]
Mortgage Costs During 2020 and 2021, prospective homebuyers were looking at interest rates close to 3%. Today, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage sits above 7%. With many buyers now priced out of the housing market, […]
Disappearing Mirage Mitsubishi (MSBHF) will reportedly discontinue its classic subcompact hatchback, the Mirage, in 2025, according to Automotive News. This will send the last car on the lot with an average transaction price under $20,000 […]
Sweater Weather Pumpkin Spice Lattes and crisp autumn winds go hand in hand. But this year, Starbucks (SBUX) decided to bring on the cozy sooner, releasing their iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte six days earlier than […]
Rising Sushi Sales Americans love their readily available sushi. While some enthusiasts might turn up their noses at the idea of buying a sushi roll from the grocery store, supermarket sushi sales rose 70% in […]
Debt Dilemma According to TransUnion (TRU), Americans are juggling average credit balances of $5,947 — a near 20% increase year-over-year, reaching levels not seen in a decade. Last quarter, the nation’s total credit card debt […]
Price Hikes Once a refuge for cord-cutters seeking to escape the high costs of cable television, streaming platforms are introducing price hikes eerily reminiscent of expensive cable packages. Leading this charge are Hollywood’s major studios, […]
Family Finances America’s families have been struggling with rising costs. But even as consumer price inflation has begun to level off this summer, childcare costs are still surging. As pandemic-era federal aid programs come to […]
Tinsel Takeover Brace yourselves — winter holiday shopping is about to kick off. “Christmas Creep” describes the phenomenon of retailers selling holiday products weeks ahead of their respective seasons. If it seems like it comes […]
Cameras Off, Please! Zoom (ZM) and other video calls are a mainstay of the modern workday. While smiling into a camera may be exhausting for remote workers, there is a new reason to keep cameras […]
Workforce Waltz According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US added 187,000 new jobs in July — mainly in health care, social assistance and financial services industries. On the back of this news, the […]
Diva Dollars This summer, the economy is experiencing a girl power boom. With Beyoncé and Taylor Swift embarked on highly lucrative tours and the smashing success of Mattel (MAT) and Warner Bros’ (WBD) Barbie blockbuster, it’s clear […]
Walmart’s New Ad Venture Digital advertising platforms have proven incredibly lucrative for tech and ecommerce giants. But can the same prove true for physical retail locations? Walmart (WMT) is on a mission to find out, […]
Updated Rules For millions of Americans, outliving their retirement fund is a serious concern. After two years of record-high inflation, this may be truer now than ever. Since most nest eggs are tied to the […]
Fighting Longer, Hotter Summers In states like Florida and Alabama, families are accustomed to keeping their AC running 24/7, especially during the summer months. But, with summers becoming hotter and more intense, pricey AC bills […]
Propelling Progress Sky’s the limit…or is it? Joby Aviation (JOBY) has been cleared for takeoff toward a new reality for the transportation industry. The FAA has given the green light for the electric vertical takeoff […]
The Newest Investment Boom Since the introduction of ChatGPT, companies of all sizes have started investing in artificial intelligence in an attempt to capitalize on the game-changing technology. But is AI really the future? Investors […]
What’s an Employment Contingency? In the last quarter, 53% of real estate agents reported an increase in buyers implementing an “employment contingency” in their contract. This is a protective clause that allows homebuyers to back […]
Smaller Checks So far this year, the Internal Revenue Service has refunded approximately $172 billion to taxpayers — $16.4 billion less than in 2022. On an individual level, average refund checks have been for $2,903. […]
Rage Is All the Rage If you feel your employer undervalues or underappreciated you, it might be tempting to send out a slew of job applications as soon as you’re off the clock. This phenomenon […]
Restaurant Subscriptions In 2023, you don’t just buy things — you subscribe to them. Subscription services for repeat purchases like razors and vitamins are already commonplace, especially as more shoppers move online. The appeal of […]
Here Comes the Bill First, here comes the bride. Then, here comes the bill. Couples planning to tie the knot this year will shell out an average of $29,000 for the ceremony, according to wedding […]
Increasing Food Costs Conventional personal finance wisdom will tell you cooking meals at home, instead of eating out, is one of the best ways to save money. But, seeing as the cost of groceries increased […]
Workers Unite Worker strikes soared last year, according to a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2022, strikes involving more than 1,000 workers reached the second highest level in two decades. In fact, […]
60 Million Freelancers During the pandemic, many Americans got used to working remotely. Geographic independence and technological proficiency fostered fresh ideas about modern ways to make a living. Freelance work and its promise of lifestyle […]
Value Miss With food costs way up since last year, some Americans are turning to fast food as a budget-friendly way to satisfy their appetites. But a recent survey by investment banking company Stifel (SF) […]
Inflation’s Downward Trend Ever since peaking at 9.1% last June, the rate of inflation in the US has been on a reassuring downward trend. It hit 6.5% in December. Despite this good news, in the […]
What are Roths? Roth accounts — whether a Roth IRA or a Roth 401(k) — are common retirement plans that have a different tax treatment than a traditional Roth or 401(k). You deposit after-tax funds […]
Sharing Isn’t Caring In 2017, Netflix (NFLX) infamously tweeted, “Love is sharing a password.” But the company has since changed its stance on passwords, if not love. Now, its long-announced plans to crack down on […]
ChatGPT Plus In 1967, Texas Instruments (TXN) created the first handheld electronic calculator and changed the way that mathematicians crunch numbers. In 2022, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT and might have done the same for writers, engineers, and […]