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The labor shortage that occurred in the wake of COVID-19 has been well documented, especially in terms of how it impacted the ability of large corporations to find and retain workers. Major employers ranging from McDonald’s and Walmart to Bank of America have had to offer higher pay and other perks just to fill their payrolls. By Vance Cariaga Less attention has been paid to how small businesses have coped, but they faced the same challenges — and often had a tougher time of it because losing even one employee could have a huge impact....

The past year took millions of Americans on dizzying financial rollercoaster rides, but none more so than the richest man in the world. Most famously — or infamously — Elon Musk added a multibillion social media giant to the portfolio of corporations he controls, and he leveraged his ownership of Tesla to do it. No matter your position on Twitter in the Musk era, the purchase gave the world a peek into how corporate titans move money to pull off deals worth tens of billions of dollars....

The gender gap in knowledge concerning all things related to cryptocurrency investment is nothing new — however, there are encouraging signs that women are increasingly participating in the space, according to a new survey. By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy See: As Russia Invades Ukraine, is Bitcoin Still a Safe Haven Compared to Gold? Find: Bitcoin Rises as US Imposes Additional Sanctions Against Russia A new BlockFi survey, “Real Talk: Women x Crypto 2....

Americans are cutting back on spending this year and many say they can’t even afford a vacation because of inflation. According to a survey commissioned by Outdoorsy, an RV rental marketplace, 56% of Americans believe they can’t spend any extra cash on a getaway due to inflation, Talker News reports. By Josephine Nesbit Find Out: States Whose Economies Are Failing vs. States Whose Economies Are ThrivingRead: 9 Bills You Should Never Put on Autopay...

As the economy continues to recover from the pandemic, consumer spending has skyrocketed. Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan told CNBC on Monday that transaction volumes on credit and debit cards as well as with Zelle payments have grown by 20% so far in 2021 compared to 2019. By Josephine Nesbit See: Signs We’re Bouncing Back: 6 Ways Americans’ Spending Has Changed Since Last Year Find: The Ultra-Rich Are Saving Their Money Instead of Spending It – Now the Middle Class Is ‘Buried’ In Debt...

Citi® ThankYou rewards is the program Citi offers for its rewards credit card customers. Flexible, lucrative and easy to use, ThankYou points can be converted to cash back, statement credits or — to really maximize your earnings — used for travel through the Citi portal or any of Citi’s travel partners. By Dawn Allcot About ThankYou Points Earning Points Redeeming Points What Are Citi ThankYou Points? Citi offers ThankYou points as rewards for many of their credit cardholders as well as some qualified checking account holders....

After Zillow — a leading online real estate marketplace, pushed its home-buying division — Offers, last year, the company has since decided to drop the program and sell the remaining inventory. However, the continued presence of large-scale institutional “iBuyers” — or instant buyers — has led to the average buyer being squeezed out of the real estate market by big investors. By Josephine Nesbit See: Exactly How the Pandemic Has Reshaped Real Estate Priorities Find: Real Estate Investing Guru Mindy Jensen Says To Avoid These Types of Properties...

There’s so much to think about when choosing a home to buy: location, floor plan, property taxes, whether you’ll have any nosy neighbors poking around. If you have children, choosing a home in a reputable school district might also be at the top of the list. It is for 53% of buyers with kids, according to a 2019 report from the National Association of Realtors. By Casey Bond See: Explore the Cost of Education in the United StatesFind Out: Can You Afford Education in America at These Prices?...

The American Rescue Plan provided an additional $37 million to boost a program for elderly citizens who might need extra help with groceries and food each month. By Georgina Tzanetos SNAP Benefits: Can You Use EBT Card/Food Stamps To Purchase Hot Food?Check Out: 3 Easy Tips To Turn Your Credit Woes Into Wows The Commodity Supplemental Food Program provides low-income elderly individuals with supplemental nutritious food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture each month....

Medicare recipients can now get up to eight free COVID-19 tests per month from participating pharmacies and healthcare providers, the Biden administration announced on Monday. By Vance Cariaga See: You May Be Spending Too Much on Medicare If You’re Not Using These ProgramsFind: Medicare and Taxes — How Your 2023 Medicare Premiums Are Affected by Your 2021 Tax Filing The tests will be available to more than 59 million Americans enrolled in Medicare Part B, including those enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said on its website....

Did you know Americans eat more than 28 billion chicken wings per year? More than half (54%) choose the traditional, bone-in variety. Only 46% like crispy breaded, boneless wings. By Dawn Allcot See: Where You Can Clip Coupons as Inflation Drives Food Prices Higher Than EverFind: 9 Dollar Tree Items To Stock Up On This Summer The 50 States of Wings survey, released by PantryandLarder.com in time for National Wing Day on Friday, July 29, 2022, revealed other insights about wing consumption, as well....

The tight labor market that became one of the biggest economic stories of the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be loosening up considerably. By Vance Cariaga More Layoffs? Management Positions Could Be Next on Chopping BlockPassive Income: This Side Hustle Is Perfect for Introverts Job cuts in January 2023 hit their highest point in more than two years amid a slew of layoffs in the tech sector, according to a new report from outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas....

NerdWallet is a platform that brings together financial tools to help people make smarter decisions. Many paid tools and resources support the NerdWallet brand. The company’s revenues have been growing nicely over the last couple of years as it has increased in size and continues to do so. By Scott Jeffries About Nerdwallet Should You Invest Is It Worth It Buy or Hold NerdWallet stock went public on Nov. 4, 2021, and now trades on Nasdaq with the ticket NRDS....

Discover Bank is an online-only bank offering a range of accounts and services. It is backed by the financial might of its parent company, Discover Financial Services, which is best known for its credit cards. Discover Bank expanded its offerings in 2013 to include checking and savings accounts. By Cynthia Measom Cashback Debit Card Competitive Rates How To Open a Discover Bank Account Is It Time To Switch To Discover Bank?...

Just in time for the holidays. Uber announced it is expanding its Uber Travel product globally, following a North American debut this past spring- enabling customers to earn 10% cash back in Uber Cash. By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy See: How Long $1 Million in Retirement Will Last in Every StateLearn: If Your Credit Score Is Under 740, Make These 4 Moves Now Uber Travel enables customers to organize hotel, flight and restaurant reservations, by linking travel plans from Google, Outlook and Hotmail email accounts, according to a Nov....

President Biden announced on Dec. 22 that the student loan repayment pause has now been extended until May 1, 2022, citing the ongoing COVID-19 crisis as the reason for the extension. Student loan payments and collections on defaulted student loans have been paused — with interest rates temporarily set to zero — since the beginning of the pandemic. By Josephine Nesbit See: How Gen Z Plans To Avoid Student Loans Find: Student Loan Moratorium Ending: What Are Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plans and How Do You Apply?...

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, is a federal program managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP is the largest federal nutrition assistance program, but it’s operated and administered at the state level. By Josephine Nesbit SNAP Benefits: Can You Use EBT Card/Food Stamps To Purchase Hot Food?Find Out: This Credit Score Mistake Could Be Costing Millions of Americans SNAP provides low-income households with monthly benefits that can be used to purchase eligible food items....

According to the latest available data, 41.5 million Americans receive SNAP benefits, with an average benefit amount of $217.33 per person. These benefits cover a wide variety of food items, including fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, breads, cereals, snack foods and nonalcoholic beverages. But there are a number of items SNAP benefits do not cover. Here’s a look at the items you cannot buy using SNAP benefits. By Gabrielle Olya SNAP Benefits: How Long Do They Last?...

For shoppers looking to make major savings and get everything they need in one trip, dollar stores have got you covered. While these stores offer shoppers great deals on everything from party supplies to baby clothes, it’s important to be aware of what items offer the best deals and how to score the most savings. By Maddie Duley Be Aware: 11 Things You Should Never Buy at WalmartSee: 50 Ways You’re Throwing Money Away...

Under President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, individual borrowers who earned less than $125,000 in 2020 or 2021 will see up to $10,000 or $20,000 of their federal student loan debt forgiven. As of Sept. 29, 2022, some loans may no longer qualify. By Josephine Nesbit Zelle Facebook Marketplace Scam: How To Recognize and Avoid This ScamStudent Loan Forgiveness: Mark These 4 Dates On Your Calendar Now According to new guidance from the Education Department, it will no longer allow borrowers who have federal student loans that are owned by private entities to qualify for loan forgiveness, CNBC reported....