Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Platte City is just four miles from Kansas City International Airport (MCI), which offers nonstop domestic flights and limited international service.The county’s median home value of $317,600 is well below the national average, making it an affordable option for retirees.Retirees can enjoy nearby wineries, antique shops, and museums, with easy access to larger events and cultural attractions in Kansas City.The area has a relatively low climate risk and experiences four full seasons, with hot summers and cold winters. While it might not be on your retirement radar yet, Platte City, Missouri, is a midwestern town with close proximity…

Key Takeaways Warren Buffett has often drawn on the concept of a “Mr. Market,” as created by his mentor, Benjamin Graham. The “Mr. Market” metaphor is intended to teach you to view market volatility more like a manic partner’s mood, rather than as a guide to the real value of stocks. Successful investing often means doing the opposite of the crowd: buying quality businesses when fear drives prices down and selling when fear of missing out (FOMO) pushes them too high. Buffett’s most important investment advice often involves a peculiar character investors need to understand: “Mr. Market is there to…

Stock futures rallied Monday after major indexes tanked to end last week, as President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post over the weekend that “it will all be fine” with China.  On Friday, Trump threatened “massive” tariffs on China, causing indexes to reverse early gains that saw the Nasdaq hit a fresh record high and end sharply lower. The tech-heavy Nasdaq tumbled 3.6%, or 820 points, the benchmark S&P 500 sank 2.7%, and the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.9%, or 878 points. All three indexes posted weekly declines of at least 2.4%, and after the stock market closed for the day, Trump…

Tariffs have put businesses and the customers they serve in a bind.In May 2025, 61% of midsize businesses and 59% of small businesses said tariffs would negatively affect them — up from 51% and 54% two months earlier, according to a survey by Bredin.Concerns about operating costs are rising: 74% of midsize businesses and 72% of small businesses now say tariffs will increase their costs. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing,…

Tariff concerns are looming over small businesses, but their ripple effect goes beyond balance sheets.As strategies unravel and survival mode sets in, the true crisis isn’t just financial — it’s emotional. And it’s a threat to the leadership structures for small businesses if left unmanaged.In today’s economic environment, small business leaders are carrying the weight of constant disruption; if left unattended, organizations risk more than profit loss — they risk leadership collapse. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters Profit and prosper with…

Key Takeaways Large towns with 100,000+ residents can give retirees access to cultural attractions, health care, and recreation without many of the inconveniences seen in the biggest cities.Spanning the Midwest, New England, the Southwest, and the Rockies, our four favorite large towns offer affordability, a rich local culture, strong health care networks, and year-round recreation.Toledo, Ohio, may be best for retirees wanting both urban and green spaces, while Springfield, Massachusetts, is attractive to seniors who love to travel. Albuquerque, New Mexico, can be a good choice for older adults prioritizing access to health care, and Pueblo, Colorado, may be a favorite…

Key Takeaways The average cost of renting in the U.S. is $2,072 per month. The average cost of a mortgage is slightly lower, at $1,907 per month. Still, prices vary across the country.The decision to rent or buy will be based on your needs and preferences. In general, renting offers more flexibility, and buying offers more security. But this can change.Retirement can be decades long. This might not be an either-or decision. You can do both. The age-old question of whether it makes more sense to rent or buy changes in retirement. Once you’re on a fixed income, downsizing might…

You don’t need to be a physicist to know that Sir Isaac Newton’s first law of motion is: “Objects at rest tend to stay at rest unless acted upon.”This is Newton’s description of inertia — and it’s also a law referenced recently at the Center for Retirement Research, by research fellow, Geoffrey T. Sanzenbacher. Also a professor of economics at Boston College, Sanzenbacher unpacked recent research on how inertia can affect retirement savings efforts.Ultimately, he found that inertia can both help and hurt your efforts in saving for your future — it all depends on the way you’re managing your…

A brief roller-coaster ride for mortgage rates caused yet another swing in demand. After dropping to a three-year low two weeks ago, rates then shot right back up again.As a result, total mortgage application volume declined 12.7% last week compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. The drop was mostly driven by a pullback in refinancing.Applications to refinance a home loan fell 21% for the week and were 16% higher than the same week one year ago. This, even though mortgage rates were 32 basis points higher last week than the year before.…

(World Oil) – Sable Offshore Corp. is seeking the Trump administration’s help to jumpstart a California oil project stalled by red tape. The Houston-based company’s effort to tap hundred of millions of barrels of crude off the coast of Santa Barbara have been stymied by state regulators’ opposition to reopening pipelines that funnel the crude to refineries. If state approval isn’t forthcoming soon, Sable is prepared to go all-in on a plan to use tanker ships to haul the crude away to other markets, said Chief Executive Officer Jim Flores. It’s “absolutely on Trump’s agenda,” Flores said in an interview.…