Shoppers embrace underconsumption core trend to build better spending habits
Are you tracking your monthly shopping budget? Last year alone, retail sales in the U.S. reached an all-time high of $5.2 trillion, according to the National Retail Federation. This is pushing some Americans to take a closer look at what they're spending, sparking the underconsumption core trend online. (Sponsored by AT&T Business)
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New York Post
23 minutes ago
- New York Post
Greedy restaurant slammed by internet over hidden living wage fee added to bill
A disgruntled patron posted a receipt from a recent trip to a restaurant that charged its guests a mandatory 'living wage fee' on Instagram threads — and the internet was incensed. 4 Despite the clarification at the bottom of the receipt, the original user captioned their post: 'WTF is a living wage fee?' @ / Instagram Tipping culture has long been a point of contention for Americans, and as prices continue to rise, the practice has become an even more controversial topic. But now it seems that businesses are taking things too far by tacking on extra fees such as this one — and people aren't happy about it. 4 'It's your job,' respond many in this camp when it comes to tip-demanding employees. FornStudio – 'Price increase without having to update the menu,' claimed one reply on the post. '[This] means I'm never eating at that restaurant again,' said another. Meanwhile, another commenter proposed an entirely separate issue of debate: the pooling of tips. 'If I wanna tip a person, I wanna tip that individual, not the entire team. This is unfair to the server and to me.' However, a few lonely restaurant-goers cut the restaurant, which remained unnamed in the post — and the growing industry trend — some slack, and fired back at fellow commenters. 'Y'all have been asking for no tipping, this is what it looks like. It could reflect in drink/food prices, but then you all would say the place was too expensive. No one is trying to trick you — if they were transparent about the service fee, STFU,' one empassioned viewer responded. 4 'Consumers pay wages via prices,' one user commented, acknowledging the lack of consequence for this specific charge as opposed to increased menu prices. MargJohnsonVA – 'Just include [the fee] in the cost of the food and drinks, like the rest of the world is doing, and pay the workers properly. Sincerely, a guy from Europe,' one aggrieved commenter suggested under the post. This response was the sole sentiment that united incensed restaurant patrons on both sides of the debate. 'Mind your European business,' advised one reply, while another said: 'Hey, stay out of our insanity!' For some small, family-owned restaurants, implementing charges like this living wage fee might allow the business to stay afloat and support their employees — especially amid a cost-of-living crisis. Durham, North Carolina-based Lula & Sadie's is one spot that charges a living wage fee to combat 'rising overhead costs, slim industry profit margins and a minimum wage that won't budge,' per the family-operated restaurant's website. 'The fee is transparently listed on our menus, website and posted around the restaurant.' Though local laws vary greatly in terms of tipping and charging policies in restaurants, New York City Consumer and Worker Protection rules, state that 'restaurants cannot charge a surcharge or other fee in addition to listed food or beverage prices,' but they can 'charge a bona fide service charge, but only if the charge is conspicuously disclosed to consumers before food is ordered.' 4 With general costs rising, both businesses and consumers struggle to meet new standards. Kittiphan – Examples of 'bona fide service charges' include splitting a meal on multiple plates, minimums per person and mandatory gratuity for large dining parties. That being said, 'living wage fees' are often considered service charges, depending on how they're disclosed and absorbed by the business. 'There is no law in New York State that specifically prohibits automatic gratuities. However, it is incumbent upon any restaurant including an automatic gratuity charge to provide—in advance—clear and conspicuous notice that an automatic gratuity charge will be levied and all terms associated with the automatic charge. If consumers are not provided advanced notice, [they] may have a claim under the NYS Deceptive Acts & Practices law, ' New York State's Division of Consumer Protection told News10NBC.
USA Today
25 minutes ago
- USA Today
People are moving to this region in the US the most in 2025, new report says
Hear this story In the midst of rising home prices, changing remote work trends and even climate change, Americans are moving into new homes in large droves, but where those new homes are is constantly changing. According to the 2025 Pods Moving Trends Report, the Southeast has risen to the top of the list of places where Americans are moving, while the coastal cities in the East and West continue to see people moving out. The report draws from Pods' long-distance move records between January 2024 and March 2025. According to the report, people are beginning to turn away from "megacities" in favor of "smaller, more breathable cities and towns with lower costs of living, easier access to the outdoors, and vibrant, self-contained cultural scenes." Here's what you need to know. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Where are people moving to in the US? With the Southeast becoming a popular destination for people moving, the majority of the cities rounding out the top five of Pods' list are in the same region due to their affordability and easy access to nature, according to the report. Here are the top five cities: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina/Wilmington, North Carolina Ocala, Florida Raleigh, North Carolina Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas North Carolina and Tennessee dominate the top 20, with nine cities between them among the most popular destinations for movers. Where are most people leaving? While the Southeast is experiencing an increase in people moving in, per the Pods report, California continues to see an exodus of residents, along with the surprising addition of Florida, once seen as a move-in hotspot. Here are the top five move-out cities: Los Angeles, California Northern California (San Francisco Bay Area) South Florida (Miami metro) Long Island, New York San Diego, California Among the top 20 move-out cities this year was Tampa Bay, Florida, which was not ranked in 2024. According to Pods, the inclusion of the Florida city could be an indication that the Sunshine State could be seeing a slower population boom due to increased costs and environmental risks. Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
5 Most Impactful Financial Changes To Make Today, According to Jaspreet Singh
A Pew Research Center survey found that only 37% of Americans believed their finances would be in better shape within one year. Many reported struggling to cover their medical care or housing costs and needing to get loans from loved ones. Explore Next: Check Out: If you're unhappy with your situation, you need to figure out exactly what to focus on so you can become more financially secure. This likely involves going beyond eliminating small, frequent expenses, like your daily premium coffee. A YouTube video from money expert Jaspreet Singh explained five changes that will have the biggest impact on your finances — start making these moves today. Singh said it's common to unknowingly pay too much in fees for your retirement account. Various funds have an expense ratio that you pay for annually, depending on your earnings and investments. While the fee might seem small, it could cost you hundreds of thousands or even millions. Singh gave examples of the VFIAX and GFACX funds with respective expense ratios of 0.04% and 1.36% and average returns of 12.5% and 12.6%. If you spent 30 years investing $1,000 per month in those funds, you'd reach $3.56 million with VFIAX versus $2.7 million with GFACX. That difference shows it's crucial to know what you're paying and change investments if needed. Trending Now: 'If you are paying higher fees, make sure the returns are justifying the fees,' Singh said. 'Because what we've seen through history is that, in general, high-fee accounts do not outperform the lower cost, lower fee, passively managed accounts when you look at it over the long run.' A report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics identified housing, transportation, food and health care as some of the largest household expenses in 2023. While you might think of cutting back on the less important stuff, Singh recommended targeting the major expenses if you're financially strained. For example, he said you could look for a cheaper place or vehicle and invest the savings. Other options could include splitting costs with a roommate and using alternative transportation, like carpooling or taking the bus. According to Singh, you might save up to $1,000 each month if you're strategic with your cuts. After you've built up wealth, you'll find it more realistic to spend money on fancier things without stress. Increasing your income goes hand in hand with cutting expenses to build wealth more efficiently. Singh explained that even getting your employer to offer a $5,000 raise has a major long-term impact when you look at the compound interest potential. He gave an example of investing your $5,000 raise every year for 30 years and getting a 10% average return, which he said would get you to about $1 million. If you change the timeline to 40 years, you'd reach about $2.4 million. 'This is the power of asking for that raise sooner rather than later and then taking that additional money and putting it to work,' Singh added. Getting yourself into a better financial position requires rethinking how you use your paycheck so that your money goes to work and makes you richer. Singh laid out three steps to take. First, he said you need to track your spending so you know where your pay is going every month. A budgeting app or a simple spreadsheet with your income and expenses will do the job. Singh recommended using categories for expenses, which you can identify from financial statements and noting the money you invested, gave or saved. After that, consider using the 75/15/10 plan to prevent overspending and ensure you're working toward your money goals. Singh explained that this limits your spending to 75% of your earnings and requires investing a minimum of 15% and saving at least 10%. With your plan in place, you can focus on investing as much as possible to build your wealth. That means making smart decisions with any extra money you get as well. 'One common trait that you will find amongst all successful people is that they were willing to take a risk on themselves,' Singh said. For you, this might look like finally getting started with investing, making your business dream a reality or getting a degree that helps you land a higher-paying job you love. It could also be as simple as getting a book that educates you on investing or offers career tips. Singh explained that this kind of risk-taking isn't easy but is worth it, so you should trust yourself and not let failure discourage you. He gave the example of how his parents wanted him to become a doctor from a young age, yet he found different opportunities as an entrepreneur and content creator. More From GOBankingRates I'm a Retired Boomer: 6 Bills I Canceled This Year That Were a Waste of Money This article originally appeared on 5 Most Impactful Financial Changes To Make Today, According to Jaspreet Singh Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
