Author: Money Mechanics

(Image credit: Getty Images)Buying in bulk can offer valuable savings, helping to combat the continuously rising grocery prices we’re facing and helping you spend less on groceries. Understanding what to buy in bulk is key to getting a good deal, though, since bulk buys can backfire and actually cost you more.When buying in bulk, your total spend on an item might be higher, but you should be paying a lower price per unit. Storage challenges and spoilage risks can eat into your savings, highlighting the importance of careful planning and strategic buys.Deal psychology can also prompt you to overbuy and…

Thanks to the war in Iran, gas prices are soaring, with the cost per gallon for premium fuel topping $5.00 in some places. Even a gallon of regular gas will set you back $3.98 per the national average, according to AAA.Retirees and snowbirds heading back north or across the country are in for a bit of shellshock at the pump. After all, the price of a gallon of gas may be a $1.00 or more higher than what they paid a mere month ago.”It’s very remarkably unpredictable as to what the next chapter will be,” in regards to the price…

Each week in our Ask the Editor series, Joy Taylor, The Kiplinger Tax Letter editor, answers questions on topics submitted by readers. This week, she’s looking at four questions on the IRS and how the 2026 tax filing season is going so far. (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Tax Letter or subscribe.)1. Calling the IRSQuestion: I have been trying to reach the IRS on its main toll-free number (800-829-1040), but I can’t reach a live person. Is this the norm?Joy Taylor: Yes. Unfortunately, taxpayers and tax professionals are having a difficult time trying to reach the IRS by…

(Image credit: Getty Images)After briefly dipping earlier this year, average 30-year mortgage rates have jumped from roughly 5.99% to around 6.38% in a short window, according to Freddie Mac.That is not a dramatic spike compared to the highs of 2023, but it is enough to rattle a housing market that was already on edge heading into the spring buying season.For buyers, sellers and homeowners hoping to refinance, the latest move underscores a frustrating reality: the housing market is not following a smooth recovery path. Instead, it is reacting in real time to inflation concerns, global instability and shifting expectations about…

(Image credit: Getty Images)If you’re a lifelong saver, a coupon clipper, a DIYer or someone who still hears your parents’ voices saying, “We’re not stopping for dinner — we have food at home,” you might belong to a very special club: The group we call Midwestern Millionaires.Just because you might not be from the Midwest does not mean your values can’t resonate with the Midwestern Millionaire’s.We’ve worked with thousands of retired military families, first responders, federal workers and government employees across the country who share the same deeply rooted values: Work hard, save diligently, spend wisely and create a life…

Dyadic International, Inc. Q4 2025 Earnings Call Summary – Moby Shifted corporate strategy from a development-stage platform to a commercial, product-driven model focused on life sciences, food, and bioindustrial markets. Completed a corporate rebranding to Dyadic Applied Biosolutions to align the organization with its new commercialization and product-launch objectives. Leveraged the DAPIBUS and C1 platforms to produce animal-free recombinant proteins, addressing market shifts away from traditional animal-derived inputs. Established a capital-efficient commercial model utilizing profit-sharing arrangements and OEM distribution to minimize infrastructure investment while maximizing market reach. Advanced the Life Sciences portfolio as the most mature segment, targeting high-growth areas…

Markets rallied on Monday following comments from President Donald Trump. Investors hope the worst of the impact of the war with Iran is over. Which S&P 500 stocks on discount should you focus on in case of a sustained rebound? The fell to 6,472.52 last Friday, its lowest level since late August 2025. It then started the new week with a strong bounce, rising 1.15% on Monday after positive comments from President Donald Trump about the Iran situation. Over the weekend, Trump had worried markets by warning Iran. But on Monday, he said he had productive talks with Iran, which…

Housing demand was fine before the war! Housing demand was running very smoothly this year, having its best start in years, even with the snow events. We saw multi-year highs in purchase apps and in our weekly pending home sales.Purchase application data has been positive year over year for every week this year, but last week we saw a hit in demand: week-to-week data declined 5%, and year-over-year growth slowed from 12% to 5%. Our weekly pending sales data, which will be updated over the weekend in the Housing Market Tracker, was coasting with growth for a long time once…

Thank you to Brookings for the invitation to speak to you this evening. Before we sit down, I thought I might offer some context for our conversation by outlining my views on the outlook for the U.S. economy and the implications for monetary policy.1 I will also touch briefly on regulatory matters. As you know, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) met last week and chose to maintain the current setting of monetary policy—a decision I supported. The U.S. economy has thus far remained resilient, despite having experienced a series of shocks over the past year. But these shocks have…

Brent crude (BRN00) is trading at $108.50 per barrel Thursday, up 6.19% on the session. West Texas Intermediate (CL00) sits at $95.04, up 5.23%. has surged 7.87% to $4.321. Gasoline futures are up 4.21% to $3.139. WTI Midland is at $97.70, up 4.81%. Murban Crude — the Abu Dhabi benchmark — is at $109.30, up 3.77%. is at $3.002, up 1.69%. The OPEC Basket is at $117. One month ago, Brent was trading at $71.28. One year ago it was $73.89. Thursday’s price of $108.50 represents a 48.49% surge in 30 days and a 43.25% gain year-over-year. To find a…