Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Side hustles are getting more popular because they help you make extra money and can fit around your busy schedule.With ChatGPT, you can make some extra income without advanced skills.ChatGPT opens the door to a wide range of beginner-friendly income opportunities, including tutoring, virtual assistance, content writing, and social media management. Working a side hustle to earn extra income has never been more common and accessible than it is now. As the cost of living continues to rise, more people are turning to tools like ChatGPT to work smarter, streamline everyday tasks, and generate extra income without adding…

Key Takeaways Panama tops International Living’s 2025 Global Retirement Index, offering an easy Pensionado visa, dollarized economy, and broad retiree discounts.Mexico ranks in the top 25 worldwide for retirement finances in the 2025 Natixis Global Retirement Index, thanks to its affordable healthcare, proximity to the U.S., and well-established retiree hubs.Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru deliver some of the lowest costs of living and most accessible pension visas in Latin America, where a typical $2,000 monthly Social Security check can comfortably cover housing, healthcare, and everyday expenses. Your Social Security check will reach a average of $2,056 come 2026. Head south, though,…

Saks Global, the parent company of the historic luxury department store Saks Fifth Avenue, recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The move occurred a little more than a year after the company purchased Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman in a debt-fuelled takeover. The FT’s Wall Street editor Sujeet Indap and the US investment editor Eric Platt walk through how that acquisition played a role in the bankruptcy and whether more highly leveraged companies will seek bankruptcy protection in 2026. Clips from ABC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Warner Brothers The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts.- – -…

With Silver prices reaching new highs almost daily, one might wonder, how high can silver go? Well, if 1980 is any indication, based on inflation-adjusted prices, it still has a ways to go. Back then, Billionaire Oil tycoons Nelson Bunker Hunt and his two brothers, William Herbert Hunt and Lamar Hunt, decided there wasn’t enough Silver to go around, so they began buying silver. Today, JPMorgan is trying to do the same.  In response, COMEX has raised margin requirements (which broke the Hunt’s stranglehold in 1980), but may not work this time. We’ve created a chart and table of historical silver prices…

Industry reports and the growth of voice model companies in the Indian market suggest that there is a growing demand for voice AI solutions in the country. Voice is a popular medium for communication among people and businesses in India. That’s why enterprises and startups are eager to use voice AI to be more efficient at customer support, sales, customer acquisition, hiring, and training. But recognizing market demand is one thing — proving businesses will pay is another. Y Combinator rejected the application from Bolna, a voice orchestration startup built by Maitreya Wagh and Prateek Sachan, five times before finally…

Key Takeaways Demand from hyperscalers support “higher pricing” for Sandisk, Citi said in a report published Monday.Shares of Sandisk rose almost 10%, and are close to almost doubling in just the first few weeks of the year. The hottest tech stock in the S&P 500 this year got even hotter today, marking continued enthusiasm for a pocket of the AI trade even as U.S. markets sputtered to start the trading week. Shares of Sandisk (SNDK) hit a new intraday record high on Tuesday, pushing its year-to-date returns to about 90%—outperforming the so-called Magnificent 7, as well as the broader market,…

Key Takeaways The easiest and most likely way to become a millionaire is through consistent saving and long-term investing. Keith and Sandra saved as much as they could and deployed it on tried and tested strategies rather than get-rich-quick schemes. The secret to their success was also shared goals, regular communication, and resisting lifestyle inflation. “Millionaire at 30” sounds like a headline for a story about a lucky investment in crypto or a big inheritance. It doesn’t have to be that way, however. For many people, the best way to reach the seven-figure club is through disciplined spending and unremarkable,…

Key Takeaways Although investors may be reacting to headlines by selling American assets, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser doesn’t expect the strategy to endure.Fraser said on CNBC Tuesday that she doesn’t see obvious investment alternatives. The move away from American assets isn’t likely to last, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser said. On Tuesday, U.S. stocks plunged, the dollar fell and bond prices dropped, sending Treasury yields sharply higher, while investors piled into gold and silver. These are the sort of immediate reactions that are to be expected after recent headlines, Fraser said on CNBC Tuesday, when trading resumed after the White House…

key takeaways Geography now defines middle-class life as much as income does.Shrinking middle class numbers reveal deeper shifts in how Americans define stability.Budgeting realistically, diversifying income, and controlling lifestyle inflation are keys to financial stability today. If starting a family, buying a house, or just thinking about purchasing a car feels impossible—you’re definitely not alone. What used to define “middle class” feels further out of reach for Millennials and Gen Z than ever before. Rising costs, stagnant wages, and where you live all play huge roles in whether big life milestones feel doable—or merely like dreams. So has the middle…

Key Takeaways President Donald Trump’s latest threats to seize Greenland have raised uncertainty about a potential trade war between the U.S. and Europe.Trump’s threatened tariffs on Europe could drag down U.S. economic growth by an entire percentage point next year, Goldman Sachs forecasters estimated.Uncertainty has been a major drag on the economy since Trump launched his tariff campaign last year, as businesses put hiring plans on hold. The uncertainty that roiled the economy and undermined the job market in 2025 flared up again this weekend after President Donald Trump renewed his threats to seize Greenland from U.S. ally Denmark.Trump stoked…