Personal finance

Just months ago, we were coveting Loro Piana cashmere baseball hats and $300 Smythson notebooks in the name of “quiet luxury” and justifying such expensive purchases using “girl math.” But in 2024, there’s a new idea taking hold that overtly rejects the urge to overspend and promotes speaking up about saving money — welcome to

A customer shops for eggs in a Kroger grocery store in Houston, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images News | Getty Images Egg prices are on the rise again, after having fallen from record highs hit in 2023. Average egg prices jumped by 8.9% from November to December, following a 2.2% rise the prior month,

GlobalStock | Getty Images When you invest toward retirement, experts often like to say you are letting your money work for you. But how much can you realistically expect to earn on your money? The annual rate of return — defined as the percentage change in an investment’s value — is an estimate of the

Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images The cost to raise a child has become expensive for parents in the U.S. As tax season approaches, it’s smart to pay attention to tax breaks related to children and care expenses. Costs for child care have increased significantly due to inflation. Many child care centers also bumped their

Jackyenjoyphotography | Moment | Getty Images The start of 2024 has not been kind to workers in industries that opened the year with layoffs. Google has cut several hundred jobs in its central engineering, hardware and assistant teams. Amazon is shedding hundreds of positions across its Prime Video, MGM Studios, Twitch livestreaming and Audible divisions.

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images The fourth quarter estimated tax deadline is Jan. 16, and you could have a surprise bill or owe a penalty if you don’t send a payment, according to the IRS. While many employers withhold levies from every paycheck, other income — such as freelancing, small business or investment earnings

Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani attends a press conference on his presentation after signing a 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on Dec. 14, 2023. Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images Roughly a month after Shohei Ohtani signed a $700 million contract with Major League

Consumer spending remained remarkably resilient throughout 2023, even in the face of prolonged inflation and high interest rates. But that’s unlikely to continue, according to Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist at the National Retail Federation. “A year ago, many commentators were skeptical and calling for a recession, but the recession never came. With each passing month,

Erin Collins, national taxpayer advocate at the Taxpayer Advocate Service, speaks at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing in Washington, D.C., on May 19, 2021. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images After a few difficult years, the IRS has boosted taxpayer service and technology with an infusion of funding. But there’s still room for improvement —

Mihtiander | Getty Images People age 50 and older are nearing the final stretch when it comes to planning for retirement. Yet, 62% of those in that age cohort have not consulted a professional to help plan for their golden years, according to a recent survey from AARP. The top answer for why, with 41%,

Abraham Gonzalez Fernandez | Moment | Getty Images Student debt often makes it harder for people to save for retirement. But that may soon change. A provision in the Secure 2.0 Act of 2022, which had a delayed effective date of Jan. 1, 2024, allows employers to match workers’ student loan payments with contributions to

Consumers shop in Rosemead, California, on December 12, 2023. Frederic J. Brown | Afp | Getty Images The annual inflation rate edged higher in December following two months of declines. However, that reversal likely isn’t cause for concern — and may be somewhat misleading, economists said. “We’re still making progress in the inflation fight,” said

In this article BTC.CM= Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Recep-bg | E+ | Getty Images The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday approved the first U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds. But experts urge caution before piling into the long-awaited ETFs. The agency signed off on 11 bitcoin ETF applications, including funds from BlackRock,

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former biotech executive Vivek Ramaswamy pose together onstage at the third Republican candidates’ U.S. presidential debate of the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign hosted by NBC News at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, U.S., November 8, 2023.  Mike Segar

Tanya Constantine | Getty Images Once you start Social Security retirement benefits, you are generally guaranteed to receive monthly checks for life. But that will stop once you die — with some exceptions for your loved ones. A one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 may be available, provided your survivors meet certain requirements. For example,

Boy_anupong | Moment | Getty Images After higher yields in 2023, investors are bracing for interest rate cuts that could put a damper on shorter-term savings. Federal Reserve officials expect three quarter-percentage-point cuts in 2024, according to December meeting minutes released Wednesday. But there’s lingering uncertainty over when, or if, those changes may occur. More

Some types of debt can haunt you. “Buy now, pay later” loans, especially, can be hard to track, making it easier for more consumers to get in over their heads, some experts say — even more than credit cards, which are simpler to account for, despite sky-high interest rates. Over the holidays, the use of installment

Nora Carol Photography | Moment | Getty Images This is the time of year for making — and breaking — resolutions. With high inflation, rising interest rates, and economic uncertainty, two-thirds of American adults are making resolutions to improve their finances this year, according to a survey by Fidelity. Some of the most common include

Su Arslanoglu | E+ | Getty Images Are your unused gift cards gathering dust? You may be able to exchange those cards for cash. Gift cards are among the most popular gifts during the winter holiday season: 44% of consumers planned to give one as a gift in 2023, ranking second only to clothing, 56%,

Americans are increasingly leaning on their credit cards. Altogether, card balances now total $1.08 trillion, according to the latest quarterly report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a new record. “Over the past two years, Americans’ credit card balances have skyrocketed 40%,” said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate. “While Americans are managing