#personal-finance

#personal-finance

Many Americans have visions of $2,000 stimulus checks dancing in the heads thanks to the president's promises. The Trump administration seems resolute in delivering a welcome boost to middle-class taxpayers, a cool $2,000 per person, funded by the influx of tariff revenues from trade partners. But the Treasury has yet to sign on the dotted line, and there's no 100 percent guarantee that the stimulus package will see the light of day.

Influencers are incentivized to make you feel behind so you keep buying. The problem is not influencers as people, it is the culture of constant consumption that social media amplifies. When spending becomes a performance, it distorts reality. she tells EL PAIS. You see the purchase, not the credit card bill. You see the lifestyle, not the insecurity behind it. Influencer spending can create pressure, comparison, and shame, all of which keep people from focusing on long term financial health.

Cuban's origins are fairly humble. He was raised in a middle-class family in Pittsburgh and once had a job selling garbage bags door-to-door around his neighborhood (yes, you read that correctly). He bootstrapped his way up, starting with bartending and software sales before founding MicroSolutions, which he sold for $6 million in 1990, and later co-founding Broadcast.com, acquired by Yahoo for $5.7 billion in stock during the dot-com boom.

Christmas is just around the corner and while we all try to buy things early to help spread the cost, it still adds up to the same amount in the end as Lucy Nevins knows too well. She estimates that she won't get much change from €2,000 over the festive season as she buys gifts for family and friends, and stocks up the cupboards with treats to cater for visitors and her own family.

Most of us like to believe we're too sophisticated to confuse money with purpose. Yet a surprising number of people, especially younger generations, slip into that trap without ever consciously choosing it. The idea that "my purpose is to make money" has become so pervasive that it rarely gets questioned. It's simple, it's measurable, and on the surface, it makes sense.

Retirement already appears financially realistic once the second trust opens up in the next few years. Both trusts have the potential to grow over time, further increasing the amount available for withdrawal. A 5 percent annual draw from the 10 million dollar trust alone provides 500,000 dollars per year. The Redditor also noted that the current trust provides about 200,000 dollars in tax-free distributions, which brings the total to roughly 700,000 dollars per year.

A payout worth several million dollars can tempt anyone, but experts say it is important to compare guaranteed income with potential investment results before deciding. Financial planners often point out that lump sums offer flexibility, control, and the ability to leave remaining funds to heirs. However, they also come with risk. Managing a large investment requires discipline, steady returns, and a clear understanding of how long the money needs to last.

If your 2026 plans involve getting or updating your car, here are the best ways to pay for it

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it is a time when we can give thanks for all of the blessings in our lives, but there is no pressure around gifts, maybe just a little anxiety about putting the whole meal together and of course, managing family drama. This Thanksgiving, I was feeling especially grateful for you, the folks who read this column, who along with podcast/radio listeners, and television viewers send me questions and feedback.

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

Adulthood often involves a lot of learning that goes beyond what we were taught in school. From managing finances, cooking, and home maintenance to navigating the workforce, managing your personal life, and dealing with complex social situations - there's so much we have to figure out along the way. However, learning all these things are essential life skills that we usually end up using for the rest of our lives.

Orman developed her financial expertise the hard way. After borrowing $50,000 to open a restaurant, she lost the entire sum when a Merrill Lynch broker placed her money into risky options trades without her consent. Determined to understand what went wrong, she took a job at Prudential Securities, learned the industry from the ground up, and eventually rose to a VP-level position before striking out on her own.

The planning seems to take forever, everything's more expensive than you thought it would be, and stress can quickly reach "Should we even be doing this?" levels. All of that leads up to a single day - closing day for buyers or the wedding itself - that goes by in the wink of an eye. And that one day isn't an end, it's a beginning.

With a dozen New York Times best sellers, an Emmy winning television show, and a widely followed podcast, Suze Orman has built a media empire by sharing her signature approach to personal finance and money management. From Broke Restaurateur to Financial Advice Queen Orman developed her financial expertise the hard way. After borrowing $50,000 to open a restaurant, she lost the entire sum when a Merrill Lynch broker placed her money into risky options trades without her consent.

Seeing the spiritually-attuned High Priestess appear alongside this week's gorgeous new moon feels like a highly auspicious reflection of this lunation's power - as well as the power you have within you to manifest new things in your life. This is arguably the witchiest card in the zodiac, so it's calling you to tap into your divine feminine power to start spell-casting or simply visualizing exactly what you want to see in your financial future.

Like many, I had been operating under the old-school "cover your plate" mentality when attending weddings, meaning the gift I gave should be enough to offset the cost of my meal. However, I couldn't even afford to give her half that amount as a wedding gift. I was in my mid-20s and barely earning enough to pay my bills. That year alone, I had six other weddings to attend, all at five-star hotels or posh venues.

We all have a relationship with money, and for most of us, it's... complicated.

Happy Birthday: Simplify your life. Distance yourself from drama, taking on more than you can handle and changes at home that are likely to cost more than you anticipate. Excess is the enemy, making this a good year to consider minimalization across the board. Donate what you no longer use, size down or cut back on expensive subscriptions or other promotions you no longer have the time or desire to pursue. Your numbers are 9, 14, 21, 27, 32, 35, 46.

The Six of Swords depicts two tired and downtrodden-looking people being rowed across a body of water by a helpful samaritan. The water behind them is choppy, indicating struggle and hardship - but what lies ahead looks much more serene. Just like the two characters sitting in the boat, you're leaving a difficult situation behind this week when it comes to money, and you can look forward to much more stable circumstances in the near future.

My husband and I live in a very high cost area. I am currently unemployed in a highly competitive field, though with many promising prospects that could coalesce in the next few months (or not! we live in unprecedented economic times!). His very low six-figure income supports us both, plus a special needs pet. The thing is, he wants us to buy a house. My husband is tired of renting, which he considers "paying off someone else's mortgage," and wants to get serious about buying a home.

As the name suggests, overpaying your mortgage is when you pay more than your contracted or agreed monthly payments. Why do this? Well, it's not just about getting the entire thing paid off quicker; it's also about reducing the overall interest you're due to pay. "Most mortgages are on an annuity basis, so you're paying capital and interest," says Hennessy. "Every month, the interest hits the capital balance that's outstanding on your mortgage, and it calculates in that mortgage repayment how much is interest.

When faced with a difficult problem - and how to spend money in a way that will improve your life certainly is - it can help to work backward, reducing and excluding what doesn't work until what's left over is a decent approximation of favorable traits. Evolution works in similar ways, so thoroughly destroying what doesn't work that what's left over tends to work quite well.