What you think you know about money may not be as accurate as you assume. This is often the case for North Carolinians who’ve been raised by financially illiterate parents. According to an Ipsos study, 36% of Americans lack financial literacy. Of those who self-reported being financially literate, the financial quiz they took showed that…
Middle-class life in America always had its struggles. But it also came with certain expectations. A modest home. A reliable car. A family vacation now and then—even if it was just a road trip around Missouri. But look around today, and those expectations are shifting fast. With rising costs and stagnant wages, the middle class…
ALDI has a serious fan club, and for good reason. The prices are low, the snacks are delicious, and the private-label items are surprisingly high quality. But shopping at ALDI isn’t like shopping anywhere else. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to make mistakes that cost you time, money, or patience—especially if you’re new to…
Texas residents used to feel good about rounding up their bill by a few dollars, helping the person serving them. Now, these same people are viewed as stingy. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a Texan who doesn’t work in the service industry and who’s happy with the current tipping trend in the United States. There’s…
Grocery shopping used to be something Ohio residents did without overthinking. You grabbed what you needed, maybe splurged on a snack, and got out. But now? Every trip feels like a financial gamble. You look at your cart, then at the receipt, and wonder how a few bags of food just wiped out your budget….
Budgeting didn’t always have to mean cutting back on fun for Americans in the 1970s. It meant knowing how to make the most of what you had. These are some of the smart money moves from the ’70s that we encourage you to try. Shopping With Cash Only In the 1970s, people didn’t rely on…
Credit cards can be great financial tools when in the right hands. You can use them to build your credit score and rack up rewards like airline miles or cash back on purchases. While it’s tempting to use your credit card for every major expense, there are some things Illinois residents are better off paying…
Many Vermont employees worked hard to gain bragging rights about their typing speed or their knack for spreadsheets. But now? A robot can do it better, faster, and without ever needing a lunch break. Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the job market in ways most Americans never saw coming. That doesn’t mean every job is…
Gen X was the first generation to grow up with mall culture, cable TV, and easy credit. For many, that mix led to some big-ticket splurges that seemed smart at the time. These are the poor purchases that Texas’ Gen X may not talk about, but definitely remember. Timeshares They Rarely Used Back in the…
Some money habits stick around long after they’ve stopped being useful. From how we save to how we spend, things have shifted for Indianans who are old enough to say they grew up “back then.” If you’re still following these outdated rules, it might be time to rethink your approach. Always Paying With Cash to…
