Author: Money Mechanics

Once you find a bank account you like, you rarely switch to another. In fact, the average person keeps the same account for 17 years, Bankrate found.What causes this long-term loyalty? One reason is that switching bank accounts, especially checking accounts, can be a complicated process. You must update direct deposits and change every automatic bill payment you make. As a result, many people prefer not to go through the hassle of switching.But is this loyalty costing you opportunities to earn better returns? This is where the trend of “soft switching” comes in. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal…

When your gift list gets longer but your holiday gift budget stays the same, it’s time to get creative about shopping for everyone on your list. While rising prices make it feel impossible to get something everyone will love without overspending, there are plenty of budget-friendly gift ideas out there.One of the best-kept secrets for finding under-$20 gifts that will put a smile on people’s faces is Amazon Haul. The home of “crazy low” prices and deeply discounted finds, Amazon Haul is a place where everything you see costs $20 or less.Sure, you won’t find the newest Nintendo Switch for…

Stock futures pointed sharply higher Thursday, a day after AI darling Nvidia (NVDA) reported quarterly results above analysts’ lofty expectations.  Futures associated with the tech-heavy Nasdaq, benchmark S&P 500, and blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average were up a respective 1.4%, 1%, and 0.4%. Yesterday, the Dow and S&P 500 snapped four-session skids ahead of Nvidia’s earnings, while the Nasdaq ended higher for the first time this week. After the bell Wednesday, Nvidia’s fiscal 2026 third-quarter results blew past Wall Street expectations and the company also issued rosy revenue guidance for the current quarter, with CEO Jensen Huang saying sales of its AI Blackwell platform are…

As the holidays approach and the year begins to wind down, it’s tempting to shift into cruise control. Between family gatherings, end-of-year deadlines and gift shopping, financial check-ins often fall to the bottom of the list. But before you officially switch into vacation mode, carving out just a little time to take care of a few smart money moves can make a big difference.Think of this as a quick financial reset (not a full overhaul). The goal isn’t perfection; it’s progress. By reviewing where your money went this year and making some intentional decisions before December 31, you can lower…

Key Takeaways Florida, South Carolina, Illinois, and Delaware top the list of states with the most foreclosure activity, which includes default notices, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions, according to a report from real estate data firm ATTOM. Foreclosure activity in October rose by nearly 20% year-over-year.  In many states across the U.S., homeowners are struggling to keep up with their housing costs. As of October, foreclosure activity had risen by 19% when compared with the same month last year. It was 3% higher than September’s levels. That said, foreclosure activity is “below historic highs,” according to a report by real estate…

If you’re among the nearly one in four Americans who are providing financial support to an aging parent, chances are you’re feeling the squeeze — emotionally as well as financially.That’s the conclusion of two recent surveys, which found that the cost of lending parents a hand is making it tough for many adult children to reach their own money goals and leaves some of them feeling conflicted about the help they’re giving.About three-fourths of those helping out parents, a partner’s parents or both with expenses such as groceries, housing and medical bills said that doing so prevents them from paying…

Thank you, President Schmid, for the kind introduction and for the invitation to speak here today.1 It is an honor to be in Kansas City and in the beautiful 10th District. I welcome the opportunity to attend events like this one because I believe it is essential for Federal Reserve policymakers to share their views with the public and, just as important, to hear directly from business leaders, workers, and families about how they are experiencing the economy. In many ways, the Kansas City region is a perfect place to make those connections. Sitting at the confluence of the Kansas…

Our latest video features the third panel discussion of the day at Artemis London 2025, a session focused on the non-catastrophe opportunities in ILS, from our fourth catastrophe bond and insurance-linked securities (ILS) conference in the City of London, UK, held on September 2nd 2025.More than 220 attendees joined our Artemis London 2025 conference to hear insightful talks and benefit from valuable networking, with over 120 organisations represented across a mix of ILS industry participants, insurance and reinsurance specialists, institutional end-investors and those considering allocating to the asset class, entities looking for efficient risk transfer, and service providers to the sector.…

Home sellers outnumbered buyers by a record 36.8% in October, giving buyers who were in the market room to negotiate.  The number of buyers in the market dropped 1.7% to the lowest level on record aside from the start of the pandemic amid high housing costs and economic uncertainty. The number of sellers dropped 0.5% to the lowest level since February as sellers retreated in response to low buyer demand. The strongest buyer’s markets are in Texas and Florida, while the strongest seller’s markets are in the Tri-State area. San Francisco quickly shifted to a balanced market. There were an…

Autonomous electric tractor startup Monarch Tractor warned staff Thursday it may need to lay off more than 100 employees, or possibly even ‘shut down,’ according to a company-wide memo obtained by TechCrunch. The memo comes after Monarch Tractor was already cutting some positions over the last few weeks at its California corporate facilities and remote teams in India and Singapore, according to multiple former employees who spoke with TechCrunch on the condition of anonymity. Monarch Tractor was founded in 2018 by a team that included a former top executive at Tesla’s first gigafactory and Carlo Mondavi, a scion of the…