Practical money advice covering budgeting, saving, debt, and investing
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July's CPI came in slightly cooler at 3.4%, and the coverage called it good news. But prices are still rising faster than pay, gasoline is up 24.6% from a year ago, and shelter drove two-thirds of the increase.
The July 29 decision was a fifth straight hold, but the vote was 9-3 and all three dissenters wanted a hike. That's the most hawkish FOMC split since 2016, and it changes what you should do with savings and debt.
Delinquency rates, lending standards, and savings rates are published free every quarter, and they tell you when credit is tightening months before you feel it. Here's how to read them and act early.
The CPI headline almost never describes your actual cost of living. Here's how to read the report the way an economist does, find the categories that affect your budget, and ignore the rest.
The unemployment rate can fall while the job market gets worse. Here's how to read employment data for the signals that actually predict your job security, your raise, and when to build cash.
The Federal Reserve is expected to leave rates at 3.50%-3.75% on July 29, the fifth consecutive hold of 2026. That freeze is quietly costing borrowers and rewarding savers who act on it.
Pump prices dropped roughly 50 cents in a month after peaking at $4.56 in May. That's a real raise for driving households, and it will quietly disappear into everyday spending unless you capture it deliberately.
June's inflation report showed grocery prices up 2.7% overall, but that average hides a brutal split: beef and fresh vegetables surged while eggs collapsed. Here's how to shop the gap.
June payrolls came in at 57,000 against expectations near 115,000, and prior months were revised down by a combined 74,000. Here's how to read a cooling job market and what to change before it reaches you.