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November Fed meeting preview: The Fed eyes another rate cut as elections, hurricane uncertainties loom

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Imagine driving a car with a windshield so muddy that your only choice is to look through the rearview mirror. It’s challenging to discern where you’re going solely based on where you’ve been. When judging what to do with interest rates, however, the Federal Reserve has no other choice.

The U.S. economy is looking a little bit brighter ...Read more

Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS

Las Vegas' housing crisis taking center stage this presidential election

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

The Las Vegas Valley’s affordability and housing crisis is taking center stage this presidential election, a UNLV political scientist, said.

One demographic, in particular, should be paid close attention to as the election nears: Latinos, said John Tuman, executive associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and professor of political ...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: My Newly Discovered, Super Helpful Household Tips

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

Having lived and breathed time- and money-saving tips for over three decades now, I thought I knew it all. I cannot fathom how many thousands of tips and tricks my readers have shared together with all I've discovered on my own (borne out of desperation or just plain frugality). So far, I've learned enough to fill three hefty published books ("...Read more

Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Microsoft buys North Carolina megasite near the Research Triangle, but won't say why

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

One of the world’s most valuable companies took a North Carolina megasite off the market this week as Microsoft notified local officials on Thursday it had completed a $27 million purchase of the Person County Mega Park.

The 1,350-acre site sits below the Virginia border, about an hour’s drive north of Durham. Person officials said they ...Read more

Real estate Q&A: How do I convince HOA to enforce 'quiet time' rules?

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Q: My downstairs neighbor often hangs out on his porch, which is directly under ours, and due to his drinking and smoking pot, we hear loud, explicit conversations into the early morning hours at least twice a month. Our bylaws state that “quiet time” is between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., but the HOA says they can only send him a reminder letter. I...Read more

Nelvin C. Cepeda/The San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS

San Diego's life science office buildings are sitting vacant. 'We just oversubscribed on space'

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

A couple of years ago, life science companies were fighting for office leases and developers couldn’t meet the demand fast enough. But now, that hunger for square footage has diminished, and the region’s available office and lab buildings have swelled to an all-time high.

The county’s total vacancy rate climbed to 20.4%, according to a ...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: Tasty Ways to Stretch Your Budget with Thrifty Meals

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

These days, grocery prices can make you feel like you need a financial adviser just to navigate the supermarket aisles. But instead of cringing every time you see the price of your favorite items, there's a better solution -- thrifty meals that don't sacrifice taste or nutrition. I'm talking about meals that fill us up, make us smile, and don't ...Read more

Timothy A. Clary/AFP/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/TNS

The obscure earthquake flaw in California homes, and how to know if you have it

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

LOS ANGELES -- There could be hidden earthquake flaws in your single-family home in California — enough to be ruinous and possibly deadly in the next big earthquake.

One of the dangers may come as a surprise to homeowners, as even relatively newer homes may have this defect.

The soft-story seismic defect in houses

Built before 2000, they're...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: Realistically Simple Ways to Make Your Car (Virtually) Unstealable

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

I know what you're thinking. "Unstealable"? That's a pretty bold claim. But hear me out. You might not be able to make your car completely theftproof, but you can make it such a pain to steal that thieves will take one look, roll their eyes and move on to an easier target.

LOCK YOUR DOORS AND WINDOWS (NO, SERIOUSLY)

This is where I hit you ...Read more

RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post/TNS

Landlords pile 'junk fees' on Colorado renters, sometimes adding hundreds to advertised prices

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Franklin Ramirez felt duped.

When he moved to Denver a little more than a year ago, he was told monthly rent at his two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in the downtown Civic Lofts building cost $2,355.

Then came the monthly fees.

Ramirez pays nearly $25 a month for “valet trash,” in which someone collects garbage outside the apartment ...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: Productive Hobbies That Will Make You Smarter and Happier

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

Let's be honest. Most of us have dabbled in hobbies that didn't quite lead to anything. We've all spent a little too much time scrolling social media or binge-watching shows (I see you, entire weekend lost to Netflix). But what if your hobbies could actually make you smarter? I'm talking about productive hobbies -- the ones that not only fill ...Read more

Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Trump vs. Harris: How tariff policy impacts your portfolio

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Tariffs have been a political economic talking point throughout the 2024 presidential election.

Although former president Donald Trump and vice president Kamala Harris offer different campaign proposals, the Republican and Democratic parties have both leveraged tariffs in recent years in an attempt to safeguard American manufacturers against ...Read more

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images North America/TNS

Social Security benefits in 2025: 5 big changes retirees should plan for

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

If you’re retired or planning to retire soon, it’s important to have a plan for your retirement income. For most people, Social Security will play a significant role in this plan, so staying up to date on the latest benefits information is crucial.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced several key changes to the ...Read more

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act became law 50 years ago. Here are 6 ways it makes America better today

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

I am a single Black woman, and I can apply for a credit card all by myself.

Thankfully, this is an easy (and obvious) declaration for me to make today. Unfortunately, it wasn’t so long ago that things were a lot more complicated. Before 1974, it was perfectly legal for lenders to deny me credit based solely on my gender and race.

The Equal ...Read more

Zvonkov Eugene/Dreamstime/TNS

Medicare benefits in 2025: 4 big changes every enrollee should know

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Big changes are coming to Medicare in 2025, and they could make a major difference in your prescription drug costs.

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare beneficiaries will see the most significant updates to the program’s drug coverage since it was first introduced in 2006.

These updates are seen as a big win for many ...Read more

Evgenii Mainagashev/Dreamstime/TNS

Study: Care for one infant costs at least 10% of a family's yearly income in 48 states

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

A typical week for Diana Carter, a 34-year-old entrepreneur with three kids based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and her husband, involves coordinating day care drop-offs and pick-ups for their middle child.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg: They also homeschool their oldest son and have family stop by multiple times weekly to help care...Read more

Company pays off debts in 'random acts of kindness'

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

When the letter came, Sonia Wignall didn’t believe it.

Why would she? Her debt was a stress-inducing albatross on her financial health and a stain on her credit rating. And, yes, she owed that $33,000 for a good reason, as she borrowed the money when she’d been forced to cut back on work to care for her dying father. But, really, who was ...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: Ask Me Anything: Toilet Paper Pricing, Rust Spots on Linens, Rusty Lettuce

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

Over the years I've received thousands of money-saving tips from readers -- many of which I've shared in books, newsletters and this column. And there are plenty that I've not shared for a variety of reasons, but mostly because they don't work. Some work so poorly, they end up costing time and money and not saving a thing! Today's first question...Read more

Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group/TNS

Bay Area home sales fall in September, even as mortgage rates decline

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

While the Bay Area might have seen a second summer in September, home sales were already cooling down.

Home sales in the nine-county region hit their lowest level since March, declining 9.4% from a month earlier, even as mortgage rates trended down, according to recent data from the California Association of Realtors. The average rate for a 30-...Read more

Real estate Q&A: What should I watch for during search for rental apartment?

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Q: I recently graduated and landed a good job. I am about to rent my first apartment and want to make sure I don’t make a mistake. What should I look out for? — Christine

A: Renting a home is a significant commitment, not only because of the legal agreements involved but also due to the time and effort it takes to find and settle into a new...Read more

 

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