I’ve spent decades watching the “experts” in Washington kick the can down the road, but the road is getting shorter. If you’re counting on Social Security to fund your golden years, it’s time to stop looking at 2034 or 2035 as the magic “problem” dates. A recent analysis suggests the timeline for a major benefit … Read more

Most people treat the price tag like it’s a law of nature. It’s not. In most cases, that number is just a suggestion—a “starting point” for the conversation. If you’re not negotiating your recurring bills, your big-ticket purchases, and even your medical expenses, you’re essentially leaving a pile of cash on the sidewalk. I’ve spent … Read more

You’re standing in front of a giant wall of toilet paper, trying to figure out if you’re actually saving money or just paying for the privilege of buying a lifetime supply. Most people treat warehouse clubs like a religion, but let’s be real: they’re businesses designed to get you to spend. If you’re looking for … Read more

If you’re planning to downsize and fund your golden years with the equity in your home, you might want to check the calendar. It turns out that when it comes to real estate, timing isn’t just about the market — it’s about your age. A recent study suggests that once a seller hits 70, the … Read more

The idea that a single windfall can solve every problem is a persistent fantasy in America. We imagine that if the person sleeping under the bridge just had a few thousand dollars, they could rent an apartment, buy a suit and rejoin the workforce. It is a comforting thought because it suggests that poverty is … Read more

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Living on the Cheap. America’s best idea — our national parks — is even better when admission is free. Mark your calendar now for entrance fee-free dates for the coming year. On these dates, free entrance is available to 108 national parks across the country that normally charge … Read more

American consumers and companies paid nearly 90% of the cost of President Donald Trump’s tariffs through late 2025, according to a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The study adds to a growing body of evidence indicating American families pay a price for Trump’s import taxes, despite the president’s assertion that … Read more

Social Security benefits make a big difference in the wallets of many Americans. But these extra dollars can be a double-edged sword: While the additional dollars may close the gap on affordability this year, the benefit can increase your household income, meeting the threshold to pay taxes on those earnings. The federal government taxes Social … Read more

Two years after the Supreme Court said cities can punish homeless people for sleeping in public places, Alabama wants the high court to end protections for public begging. The constitutional issues are different. In 2024, the court said fining or jailing someone for sleeping outside when there are no available shelter beds doesn’t violate the … Read more

Shocked. Michelle Reiss never thought she’d hear the word cancer, let alone Hodgkin lymphoma, about herself. But that was the diagnosis the now 36-year-old faced in 2024. Questions swirled: What treatments were coming? Was she going to lose her hair? One of the first things she searched on Google was head wraps for chemo hair … Read more