Saving
You have likely heard the siren song of the “tax friendly” state. It usually sounds something like this: “I’m moving to Florida (or Texas) as soon as I retire so the government stops touching my pension.” It’s an understandable impulse. When you’re living on a fixed income, seeing a chunk…
In January 2026, Robert Kiyosaki posted an exuberant message to his millions of followers on X: “Gold soars over $5,000. Yay!!!! Future for gold $27,000.” That week, gold was trading near $5,005. Five months later, in June 2026, gold was trading around $4,000. Did he really mean gold would climb…
Burlington is set to open 12 stores across six U.S. states in July as their expansion to more than 1,000 locations continues. The openings in July come as Burlington plans to open more than 100 stores by the end of 2026. In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, Burlington CEO…
(This story was originally published July 23, 2025.) Evelyn Juarez is a proud card-carrying executive member of Costco. She jokes it’s the only black card she owns. Every week, her heels click up and down the warehouse aisles as she hunts for deals, stocks up on groceries and grazes on…
Americans are spending more than ever to get away. Some 45% say they’re boosting their travel budgets this year, according to travel-insurance marketplace Squaremouth, and roughly one in four is doing it specifically to splurge on a premium or bucket-list trip. Airfare isn’t helping. International fares out of the U.S.…
Homeownership comes with a constant stream of anxieties. Is that crack in the driveway serious? Why is the window foggy? When you see a “defect,” the instinct is to call a pro immediately. But after 30 years of inspecting homes, I can tell you that not every imperfection requires a…
I sit on the back porch of my waterfront home in Fort Lauderdale, watching the boats go by, and it certainly looks like paradise. I bought my place here in 2001 for $440,000. Today, Zillow tells me it’s worth north of $1.5 million. I’m living the dream. But the reality…
We all love the thrill of a $1.50 hot dog and a cart full of bargains. But the “Costco Effect” can easily backfire. When you buy a 10-pound bag of something you can’t finish, you aren’t saving money; you’re just buying expensive trash. For the average household (1-3 people), certain…
SoNelly / Shutterstock.comThe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a government program formerly known as food stamps, is designed to help low-income Americans buy nutritious food. However, not every eligible food item is what you’d call super-nutritious. For example, you can use SNAP benefits to buy a fountain soft drink —…
M-Production / Shutterstock.comIt feels great to have someone else do the cooking for you, but it’s not great for sticking to a budget. Whether you’re stopping at drive-throughs or sitting down at your favorite restaurant, dining out adds up. For the latter, you may have looked to bottomless or all-you-can-eat…
