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If you’re worried about high home heating bills as winter approaches, your mind won’t be eased by the September inflation report. Although price increases for electricity and natural gas eased somewhat for the month, they are still moving higher. Meanwhile, other data point to one of the most expensive winters for heating bills in recent memory. By Vance Cariaga CPI: September’s Consumer Price Index Shows Inflation Higher Than Expected After Fed Rate HikesSocial Security: 2023 COLA to Rise 8....

The average American loses 200 hours of sleep each year and has three nightmares per week because of debt, according to new research. By Josephine Nesbit Find: 9 Fastest Ways To Pay Down Debt, According To ExpertsSee: Should You Expect Any Additional Stimulus This Month? The survey, which was commissioned by National Debt Relief, asked 2,000 adults how debt affects their daily lives. The survey found an increase in anxiety (38%), stress (33%) and moodiness (32%) because of debt problems, Talker News Reported....

The U.S. wheat market has been turned upside down by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with wheat futures soaring so high so fast that many buyers are backing off, leaving farmers with a diminished market even though they have plenty of crops to sell. Meanwhile, a shortage of fertilizer threatens future crops. By Vance Cariaga See: Thanks to Inflation, 64% of Americans Now Live Paycheck to Paycheck Find: The Best Credit Cards for Foodies...

Does FedEx deliver on Christmas? Unfortunately, the answer is “no.” FedEx facilities all across the United States do not deliver on Christmas. There is no pick-up and no delivery on Dec. 25. All FedEx employees have the right to take the day off. By Sarah Horvath Shipping Deadlines Christmas Eve Deliveries Read: 3 Easy Tips to Turn Your Credit Woes into Wows Customers should be aware of key dates so that gifts can reach their destinations in time for Christmas....

Unlimited paid time off can seem like an amazing job perk. Theoretically, it means you can take a one-month paid vacation to Europe or take a mental health day whenever you need one. But in practice, is unlimited paid time off really all that it seems? By Gabrielle Olya Check Out: 11 Best Lucrative Side Hustle Ideas: Earn MoreSee: 22 Side Gigs That Can Make You Richer Than a Full-Time Job...

The shares of Big Lots took a hit yesterday, following Piper Sandler’s downgrading of the company to “neutral” from “overweight,” citing macro headwinds, notably the end of the fiscal stimulus and higher ocean freight costs. By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy See: Fourth Stimulus Checks Are Coming From These States — Is Yours on the List?Find: California to Issue More Stimulus Checks as Newsom Signs $100-Billion Recovery Plan The company’s shares recovered slightly today and were up 2....

By Gabrielle Olya Find Out: Why Buying Property in These Vacation Destinations Could Be a Great InvestmentSee: 3 Easy Tips To Turn Your Credit Woes Into Wows Here’s how much money you need to travel the world for a year, plus, tips for doing it on the cheap. More From Your Money: Choose a high-interest saving, checking, CD, or investing account from our list of top banks to start saving today....

Oklahomans who qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits report to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS), which oversees the program and also sends monthly payments. Payments are deposited into SNAP accounts according to the same schedule every month, including October 2022. By Vance Cariaga Stimulus Updates: Mark These 11 Dates on Your Calendar NowFind: This Credit Score Mistake Could Be Costing Millions of Americans SNAP benefits in the Sooner State are loaded onto Access Oklahoma Cards, its version of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards....

Employers are enticing Americans back to work by offering incentives and raising wages; however, more needs to be done to return to pre-pandemic conditions. U.S. companies hired the most workers in 10 months in June, but the unemployment rate rose to 5.9% from 5.8% in May, reported Reuters. By Josephine Nesbit See: Teens Are Taking High Paying Jobs, Filling Employment Gaps Left by Adults During COVIDFind: At Least 40% of Workers Are Contemplating Quitting Their Jobs...

Determining the appropriate amount to tip your ride-share driver can be a tricky balancing act. How much more should you tip if your driver helps you with heavy luggage? Or if your location is difficult to find? Should you reduce the tip if your driver chats loudly on the phone throughout the ride? What if the drive goes smoothly but the car has trash lying around and smells like fast food?...

Though the pandemic doesn’t look to be ending anytime soon, society has largely adjusted to the “new normal.” Air travel is still down from where it was in pre-pandemic times, but holiday spending is on the rise. According to a recent forecast from Deloitte, Americans will spend as much as 9% more on the holidays than they did in 2020 when they spent $1.2 trillion. By Nicole Spector More From Your Money: Choose a high-interest saving, checking, CD, or investing account from our list of top banks to start saving today....

During the pandemic, Congress granted waivers to schools to allow cafeterias to serve free breakfast and lunch to all students, regardless of financial need. The National School Lunch Program served meals to roughly 22.6 million children in 2020, with more than 75% of those free or at a reduced cost, according to The 19th. By Dawn Allcot SNAP Benefits: Can You Use EBT Card/Food Stamps To Purchase Hot Food?Explore: 7 Walmart Brand Items That Are Just as Good as Name Brands...

After a year of unrelenting climbs, market experts are finally claiming a peak on a roaring market. Market strategists from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Citigroup said recently that despite a booming economy with strong returns there is complacency in the market, writes CNBC. Additionally, profit-margin pressures, inflation fears, the fear of increased interest rates and taxes could also contribute to an eventual come-off they add. By Georgina Tzanetos Learn: What Is the GDP – and What Does It Have to Do With You?...

While a fourth stimulus check might not be in the cards, a new $3,600 benefit for millions of Americans will now be on its way come July. By Georgina Tzanetos See: You May Want to Opt Out of Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments – Here’s WhyFind: The Child Tax Credit Might Have to Be Paid Back – Unless You Take These Steps New direct monthly payments will be disbursed as part of an expanded child tax credit of up to $3,600 per child for working families, essentially creating a “fourth” stimulus check....

In the current tight labor market, employers have become very creative to attract workers. From sign-in bonuses to increased wages, companies are willing to up their ante. The new perk: “no vaccines needed.” By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy See: Pfizer Raises Earnings Forecast After CDC Approves Its COVID-19 Vaccine for Kids Ages 5-11Find: How COVID-19 Has Impacted Retirement Savings As of Nov. 5, fewer than 0.01% of job postings and about 0.01% of U....

A number of national companies have made settlements to class action lawsuits in recent weeks, including Apple, Wells Fargo and T-Mobile. Another that has been rolling out over the past few years involves communications giant AT&T. In 2019, they finalized a $60 million payout to wireless customers after an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission. By Selena Fragassi The FTC found that the company engaged in “data throttling,” reducing customer data speeds once they reached a certain limit of usage in a monthly billing period, while not notifying customers of the practice....

Since the start of the pandemic, Americans have lost nearly $500 million in COVID-related scams, according to data from the Federal Trade Commission. The agency is now warning that scammers may try to take advantage of families receiving monthly child tax credit payments. By Josephine Nesbit See: Moving Scams Are Up 91% From Last Year – Here’s How to Avoid OneFind: Crypto and Investment Scams Are Skyrocketing This Year According to federal data, more than 544,000 people filed a complaint — from fraud, identity theft, do not call and others — to the agency between January 1, 2020, and July 8 of this year....

College is so expensive that most parents can’t possibly afford to pay for it — but if they can, should they? By Andrew Lisa “There are decent arguments to be made both for and against parents paying their children’s tuition,” said Giovanni Braghieri, CEO and co-founder of MyConsultingCoach. “On one hand, refusing to pay for their children’s higher education is a valuable lesson in managing personal finances and being fiscally responsible....

The debate about when to start collecting Social Security retirement benefits typically centers on the advantages of waiting as long as possible to ensure the highest check vs. collecting early to start putting your money to work. If you need evidence of why you should delay, there’s this: A new study has found that waiting until you are 70 years old could boost your finances by more than $182,000. By Vance Cariaga See: What Is the Average Social Security Benefit at Age 62?...

If you are unhappy with your student loan servicer, is it possible to switch over to another lender? By Heather Taylor Borrowers may consider these options if they are having issues with their student loan provider. Reasons To Be Unhappy With Your Student Loan Provider There are several reasons why a borrower might feel unhappy with their student loan provider. Over the last few years, there have been transitions among student loan servicers....