Author: Money Mechanics

Raising a family is one of life’s most rewarding journeys, but it’s also one of the most expensive.As of 2023, raising a child from birth to the age of 18 could cost an average of $331,933, according to Northwestern Mutual.Between child care, housing costs and saving for college tuition, it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up. As a financial planner and a parent, I know firsthand how overwhelming it can be to juggle it all. 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…

We manage more of our financial lives through screens than ever before. We tap phones to pay for purchases and use apps instead of cash.Digital payments are fast, convenient and arguably safer than carrying wads of cash, but with this speed and convenience comes an element of risk.What happens when systems go down? Or, worse yet, what happens when someone breaks into the system? 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, taxes,…

Key Takeaways The Consumer Confidence Index declined in September to its lowest level in five months.Consumer assessments of business conditions fell amid rising worries about the job market after recent reports showed that employers have slowed hiring.Consumers also expressed more concern about inflation, even as their expectations for price increases declined. The job market is slowing and Americans are paying attention. The Consumer Confidence Index fell by nearly four points to 94.5 in September, the lowest reading since April, amid weakening perceptions of the labor market, according to a report released Tuesday by the Conference Board. The Present Situation Index,…

Key Takeaways Lawmakers in Congress failed to pass a measure keeping the U.S. government funded by a midnight deadline, meaning the government will shut down.Some offices will close. Crucial functions like the military and Social Security will continue.With federal workers home without pay, the economy will take at least a temporary hit. Key economic reports could be delayed. The federal government has shut down for the first time in more than six years.A midnight deadline came and went without Congress passing a measure to keep the government open. Republicans and Democrats in Congress are at a standoff over healthcare funding:…

Here are some interesting questions for bugs of the world to ask themselves: Can there be quarterly window dressing in the gold market? Would a US government shutdown be bullish or bearish for the nation’s fiat and bonds? What would a shutdown mean for gold? Here are some more questions of importance: Can there be peace in Gaza? From a technical standpoint, how important is $3800 for gold? Is the resignation of the CEOs of the two biggest gold companies (on the same day!) just a coincidence? To begin to address these items, the weekly gold chart. The beautiful triangle…

Susan Collins, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, speaks during the National Association of Business Economics (NABE) economic policy conference in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, March 30, 2023.Ting Shen | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesBoston Federal Reserve President Susan Collins on Tuesday expressed support for the recent interest rate cut, but showed some skepticism on the extent of future moves as she sees continued threats from inflation.Speaking in New York, the central bank policymaker noted risks to both higher inflation and a softening labor market that are keeping officials on their toes.”In my view, a bit of easing…

The U.S. Department of Energy has taken equity stakes in Canadian company Lithium Americas and its Nevada mining joint venture with General Motors as part of a renegotiation of a federal loan. Under the new terms, the U.S. government will take a 5% equity ownership in Lithium Americas and a 5% ownership in the Lithium Americas-GM joint venture. The equity stakes will be acquired through no-cost warrants, which are financial instruments that give the government the right to purchase shares at a set price. The new terms came out of a renegotiation with the DOE’s Loan Programs Office over a…

Key Takeaways Over 450 Starbucks (SBUX) locations in the U.S. closed this week, about 1% of its total locations in North America. The “grab and go” revolution might be overtaking Starbucks’ traditional coffee shop model. From renovated stores with actual seating to baristas writing on cups again, Starbucks is betting on becoming your “third place” even as customers increasingly just want their coffee fast. Starbucks is closing about 1% of its company-operated North America stores as part of CEO Brian Niccol’s dramatic $1 billion restructuring plan, Niccol announced last week. The cutback, he wrote, is “necessary to build a better,…

Earlier this year, when President Trump’s tariff-induced market volatility spurred the “sell America” trade, investors vacated large-cap U.S. equities and sought out alternative trades that could minimize the fallout. But it turns out that not all of those outflows ended up overseas.  U.S. small caps, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, saw massive inflows as uncertainty gripped the market. With an average daily trading volume of 5.1 million, small caps saw inflows between 7.2 million and 9.5 million every day between April 3 and April 9. As a result, the Russell 2000—and its often overlooked basket of small-cap stocks—saw…

Key Takeaways You can simplify your investing by using a separately managed account (SMA) or a robo-advisor.An SMA suits those who have firm and identifiable investment goals, but these accounts are limited to a single asset class.A robo-advisor is a tech tool that will map out a strategy to achieve your investment goals.You can handle your investments yourself, but you’ll need the right mindset, some skills and knowledge, and ample time. It’s not always necessary to pay top dollar for the services of a financial advisor when technology stands by ready to streamline the investing process. Separately managed accounts (SMAs) and…