Klaus Vedfelt | Digitalvision | Getty Images From leggings to lip gloss, there’s a dupe for almost any brand-name product. Buying a knockoff used to be a consumer’s dirty little secret, largely because a “fake” was considered inferior to the real thing, not to mention the economic cost and intellectual property rights infringement. But brand imitators, … Read more
Overwhelming evidence suggests social media has a negative effect on self-esteem. That’s not only true for how people feel about their appearance and social status, but also their financial well-being and economic standing. A new term, “money dysmorphia,” aims to describe the distorted view of one’s finances that nearly one-third, or 29%, of Americans say … Read more
Many argue it’s harder today for young adults to make it on their own. In addition to soaring food and housing costs, millennials and Generation Z face other financial challenges their parents did not at that age. Not only are their wages lower than their parents’ earnings when they were in their 20s and 30s, after adjusting for inflation, but they … Read more
Hispanolistic | E+ | Getty Images Don’t expect the sofa you buy today to go the distance. “In the last 15 years, there’s been a shift to disposable furniture,” according to David Koehler, chairman of Johnny Janosik, a furniture retailer with stores in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. For most consumers, that’s okay. Attitudes have … Read more
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano and Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano seek counseling in HBO’s hit television series, “The Sopranos.” HBO | Hulton Archive | Getty Images Quiet luxury is out, and the “mob wife” era is in, according to Kayla Trivieri’s viral TikTok video. “Bold glamour is making a comeback,” she says. Think: Carmela Soprano … Read more
Tom Werner | Digitalvision | Getty Images As 2023 comes to an end, you may have just a few weeks left to use any leftover money in your health-care flexible savings account. Employer-sponsored FSAs allow you to save pretax dollars and use the funds for qualified medical expenses. An individual can save up to $3,050 … Read more
Sdi Productions | E+ | Getty Images Many people will soon be picking their health insurance plans for 2024: November is a common month for workplace open enrollment, and the public marketplace opens Nov. 1. But choosing a health plan can be tricky. In fact, a 2017 study found many people lose money due to … Read more
Picture this: You come home after a long day. As you approach your front door, you reach for your keys — but don’t feel them in your pocket. You quickly realize you’re locked out of your home. Luckily, on-call locksmiths are available to help. However, an emergency visit like this can cost as much as … Read more