Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways The new $895 annual fee requires that we get at least $75 per month in value just to break even.Quarterly credits, such as those for Resy ($100) and Lululemon ($75), expire if unused, making it something of a chore to track what to spend and when.The hotel credit jumped from $200 annually to $600 (split into two $300 semi-annual credits), potentially covering the entire fee—a real boon for two people who travel frequently. If you have an American Express (AXP) Platinum card, you probably got the same bad news my wife and I did today: The annual fee…

A minefield game, red flags and black minesgettyAs baby boomers age and continue to live longer than any previous generation, it seems as though the more we know about what’s ahead, the better prepared we will be to face the uncertainties of being an elder. Unfortunately, there is evidence showing that most people aren’t very knowledgeable about their own aging and therefore are making some uneducated assumptions and poor choices. As a society, that leaves us in a very vulnerable position, with a high probability of encountering some devastating minefields in the very near future.Minefield #1 – Lack of knowledge…

Key Takeaways Long-term unemployment has climbed to 25.7% as of August 2025, the highest in over three years, signaling tougher conditions for job seekers. Extended unemployment strains people’s savings, while also making it harder to reenter the labor force due to skill erosion and employer bias. Experts recommend networking, skill-building, and trying out contract work as strategies for landing a new role. The number of people considered long-term unemployed—or unemployed for 27 weeks or more—has ticked up this year, signaling a more competitive labor market for job hunters. As of August 2025, the percentage of long-term unemployed was 25.7%, the…

Key Takeaways Retailers may reduce discounts some this holiday season, a pattern that was spotted during Prime Day by companies that serve the ecommerce sector.Promotions may start sooner this year, and some 40% of surveyed consumers plan to start shopping by October, according to Simon-Kucher, a consulting firm.Many merchants are pulling back on promotions due to tariffs and other expenses. Already planning your holiday shopping? You’re not alone. But even early birds might need to look harder for deals this year. Retailers are likely to pull back on promotions, leading to a 2% year-over-year drop in the number of orders…

Key Takeaways Dueling bills to keep federal government operations running were shot down in the Senate Friday. How it resolves could have implications for Americans’ healthcare costs.Democrats say they won’t support keeping the government open unless Republicans agree to extend Covid-era health insurance subsidies that are about to expire.Extending the credits would allow 3.8 million more people to have health insurance by 2035 and would cost the government $350 billion, the Congressional Budget Office estimates. The latest battle over the government’s budget could determine how much you pay for health insurance in the years ahead.The Senate on Friday rejected Republican…

The race to commercialize flying cars is shifting from science fiction to investor reality. JPMorgan analysts see electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft entering a rapid growth phase, with the total addressable market for passenger air taxis alone projected to hit $100 billion globally by 2040. With test flights stacking up and regulators edging closer to certification frameworks, frontrunners like Joby Aviation Inc JOBY, Archer Aviation Inc ACHR, and Eve Air Mobility (subsidiary of Eve Holding Inc EVEX) are now jostling for pole position in the skies.Joby Leads With MilestonesJoby Aviation remains the sector’s most advanced player, thanks to…

Silver Futures (/SI) are consolidating around $42.48, holding slightly above the VC PMI mean of $42.31. This equilibrium level defines the balance point between buyers and sellers, with the market oscillating around it in a tight 15-minute range. The rejection of the recent low at $41.48 confirmed support at Daily Buy 1 ($41.66), signaling that buyers defended the lower boundary of the VC PMI structure.On the upside, Silver faces layered resistance: Daily Sell 1 ($42.32) has already been tested, and the market is now battling with Daily Sell 2 ($42.71). Beyond this, a confluence of Fibonacci retracements (61.8% at $42.90)…

Torsten Asmus | Istock | Getty ImagesLonger-term Treasury yields jumped this week, flying in the face of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cut, as bond investors didn’t get the assurances they sought.The 10-year Treasury yield jumped as high as 4.145% after briefly falling below 4% this week. The 30-year Treasury yield — closely followed for its connection to home mortgages — traded around 4.76%, up from a low of 4.604% earlier in the week.Stock Chart IconStock chart icon10-year Treasury yield, 1 monthThe Fed lowered its benchmark lending rate a quarter percentage point to 4.00%-4.25% at the end of its meeting…

Ready to travel but low on cash? Having a small budget shouldn’t prevent you from embarking on that vacation to Europe or beach getaway in the Caribbean. Instead, you’ll just have to be more savvy with your planning, scouring the internet for good deals on flights and entertainment, traveling during off-peak times, and using simple hacks to cut down on costs. We connected with travel experts who revealed how people can make the most of their vacations even while they’re on a budget. Use Websites To Find Deals on Flights Before you book an airline flight, check out Google Flights…

(Oil Price)– Sweden’s government will ask the Parliament to approve state loans worth $23.4 billion (220 billion Swedish crowns) to companies to build nuclear reactors in the Scandinavian country. Sweden plans to build two new nuclear reactors by 2035 in a hedge on low-carbon energy security, with 10 new reactors hoped for by 2045. The Swedish government moved to phase out nuclear power completely in 1980, but that decision was reversed by Parliament in 2010. Five years later, four aging reactors were shut down. Six of 12 reactors remain in operation in Sweden today. The country is now betting on small modular…