Author: Money Mechanics

Being frugal is generally a great thing. It’s a way of being more intentional about how you spend so that you can build wealth faster by avoiding wasteful spending habits. But there are some seemingly frugal habits that are never worth it and some that only make sense when you’re in the wealth-building phase of your life.In the pursuit of maximum savings, you may have been practicing the following frugal habits. If so, that’s fantastic. They definitely helped you get where you are today.But as you approach retirement or otherwise reach the level of wealth you’ve been working toward, it…

In April, the Nantucket Planning Board approved three workforce housing dormitories across the island in an effort to provide housing for employees of two local companies—but it was not without controversy.“It is such a major impact on this neighborhood,” board member Joe Topham said of one proposal. “I just really have a problem with the number of people that would be within this dwelling.”The project in question would allow an existing single-family home on Waydale Road to be used as workforce housing for up to 16 people—a practical midisland location for workers, but one neighbors worried would bring too much…

Two of the three main equity indexes opened lower on Wednesday as escalation of the war in the Middle East cast a “risk-off” pall on markets. Investors, traders and speculators eased back into “risk-on” names as the trading session evolved, with focus on the first two Magnificent 7 revelations of the earnings season. Midday momentum ebbed, though, and all three indexes closed lower.”From this point forward,” President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social before the opening bell, “any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone,…

Scams are on the rise. Total fraud losses reported by adults ages 60 and older have surged about fourfold between 2020 and 2024, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Imposter scams have been the most reported type of fraud, with losses in the billions.”There was a dramatic increase in the number of older adults reporting losses of over $100,000, and that was often to investment scams, romance scams, and imposter scams,” says Christopher Brown, an attorney at the Federal Trade Commission.Scammers pretend to be someone you trust to convince you to part with your money or personal information. As widespread…

Movement Labs, the developer behind the Movement blockchain, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. after months of turmoil triggered by its controversial token launch and a failed effort to revive the project. Court filings show MVMT Labs filed for Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on July 15.  The company is seeking to restructure under court supervision while continuing operations. Initial hearings have already been held, with creditors required to file claims by Sept. 14. The bankruptcy follows a turbulent year for the project, which was rocked by allegations…

In-brief analysis July 22, 2026 Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Weekly Petroleum Status Report Note: Commercial crude oil inventories do not include crude oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). For the week ending July 17, 2026, commercial crude oil inventories (excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) increased 2.0 million barrels to 411.7 million barrels, 6% below the previous five-year (2021–2025) average. Gasoline inventories increased 0.8 million barrels, 7% below the five-year average. Distillate inventories increased 1.4 million barrels, 10% below the five-year average. Propane/propylene inventories increased 6.3 million barrels, 34% above…

Weekly Crude Oil Storage as of July 17, 2026 U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) increased by 2.0 million barrels from the previous week.  At 411.7 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are 6% below the five-year average for this time of year, according to the EIA crude oil and petroleum weekly storage data, reporting inventories as of July 17, 2026. Summary of weekly petroleum data for the week ending July 17, 2026 U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged 17.1 million barrels per day during the week ending July 17, 2026, which was 58…

Article published at 9:10 a.m. CTJJ Kinahan is Senior Vice President, Head of Retail Expansion and Alternative Investment Products at Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe).Key Takeaways:Alphabet, Tesla and IBM will report after the bellSuper Micro Computer shares pop amid strong forecastCrude oil continues its upward path as Middle East war intensifiesInvestors were balancing the earnings-packed calendar that has a handful of potential market-moving results after the session ends with higher oil prices and the instability in the Middle East on a couple fronts.Given the market sentiment in recent weeks, at the end of the day the only thing that will…

“Nvidia, Nvidia, Nvidia. SpaceX, SpaceX, SpaceX. But of course, Nvidia. Micron, sure, and let’s Apple too. But when it comes right down to it, Nvidia, SpaceX, Meta, Alphabet, SpaceX, Nvidia, Alphabet and Nvidia.”If that’s what it feels like to turn on CNBC, check out your favorite investing website or scroll through your financial social feeds … I agree. I’ve spent more than a decade in financial media, and I’ll be the first to admit that we don’t just talk about the stocks people follow — we drown them in related content.And at the cost of ignoring some duller but still…

As of this week, e-bike riders in New Jersey will need to register their bikes, have driver’s licenses and, for some bike types, get insurance. Essentially, your e-bike is going to be regulated a lot more like a car or motorcycle.If you’ve been using your e-bike as a way to save on transportation or give your kid a way to get around town before they’re old enough to get a driver’s license, these new regulations might seem like a hassle. But the changes come in response to a spike in e-bike related accidents in the state.The new law aims to…