LA Times Today: As Gen Z and millennial women look to get money-smart, Dow Janes is trending upward
Dow Janes cofounder Laurie-Anne King joined Lisa McRee.
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New York Post
19 minutes ago
- New York Post
Dreading the back-to-school list? This $18 Amazon supply set has *almost* everything
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. Parents across the country are looking for creative ways to offset back-to-school costs, and one smart purchase could save them hundreds of dollars on supplies. A late July survey from U.S. News found that 85% of Americans are concerned about back-to-school prices, with the threat of tariffs impacting prices on basic supplies. The National Retail Federation estimated that school spending is expected to average around $858 per household in 2025. But, back-to-school shopping doesn't need to be chaotic, overwhelming, or outrageously expensive — if you know where to find the right deals. Take Amazon, for example, where shoppers can sift through a dedicated back-to-school section and snag the newly-released 44-piece School Supply Kit for just $18. It's on sale for 21% off today, right in time for the start of the school season. For a fraction of the national average, students will be stocked up on the majority of the essentials — that is, a bundle of colorful pens, pencils, sticky notes, scissors, highlighters, notebooks, glue sticks, and a plethora of other desk supplies that they'll need for staying on top of their studies this school year. Of course, it comes with backups for when they lose things, too. The Amazon Basics Student Success Kit is already flying off the shelves, with thousands of parents calling it a genius hack and time-saver, and others claiming that it has 'almost everything' you need to cross off the school supply list. Amazon Skip the trips to the stores, scavenger hunt through aisles, and disagreements over marker brands and pencil box colors. Thousands of parents are purchasing Amazon's new school supply set and rave about how well-curated it is for students of all ages. 'I picked up this 44-piece student success kit as a way to jumpstart the school year for one of our kids, and it really exceeded my expectations,' one shopper shared. 'It's rare to find a school supply set that feels both complete and practical without any fluff or filler, but this one does exactly that.' The stationery supplies are offered in a variety of shades for color-coding. Writing supplies are simple and neat, with plenty of room for labeling. Plus, parents say the addition of a ruler, scissors, and a sharpener rounds out the value, making it a very 'smart buy' ahead of the school year. This article was written by Miska Salemann, New York Post Commerce Journalist. As a Gen Z first-time mother of one, Miska tests baby, maternity and postpartum products ranging from stylish new kids clothes to long-trusted diaper brands with her daughter. She evaluates baby- and mom-approved products for practicality and quality, and consults medical and parenting experts to weigh in on safe ingredients, usage and more. Before arriving at the Post, she covered the lifestyle and consumer verticals for the U.S. Sun.
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
The numbers in Trump's EU trade deal are a joke
President Trump announced a trade deal with the European Union last month, proclaiming a 'generational modernization of the transatlantic alliance' that will 'provide Americans with unprecedented levels of market access' and is 'yet another agreement that positions the United States as the world's preeminent destination for investment, innovation, and advanced manufacturing.' The EU has been criticized heavily for folding to Trump. However, after many years of studying, practicing and teaching negotiations, I am not nearly so critical of the European strategy. Negotiating with Trump inevitably leads to three possible tactics: ignoring, retaliating or capitulating. Everyone goes for one or more of these tactics. But most have ended up at the last one, capitulating. The U.K. (like Columbia University, and perhaps soon Harvard) was much derided when it pioneered the capitulation strategy in May. But it is not necessarily a bad strategy when confronted by Trump. Alan Beattie of the Financial Times perceptively notes that 'Trump likes deals that aren't worth the handshake they're written on.' 'Roll with the punch,' he suggests, 'get the lowest baseline tariff you can, offer him some concessions with good optics but low impact, talk up the importance of the deal for the benefit of his ego and hope he moves on.' And so the EU has done. The U.S.-EU trade 'agreement' is apocryphal. Others have called it delusional. It is both — and thus important to understand. First, some context. In 2015, roughly the end of the Bretton Woods era for trade, the average weighted U.S. tariff against all goods was about 1.7 percent. Against EU goods it was 1.47 percent, versus 1.35 percent on U.S. goods into the EU. America currently imports more than $605 billion a year in goods from the EU. Trump's 'biggest deal ever made,' with a few exceptions, 'reduces' tariffs to 15 percent (steel and aluminum remain at 50 percent). However, it is not technically a deal. It is filled with numerous ' commitments ' such as 'work to address' and 'intend to work together,' or 'intend to address' and, curiously, 'take complementary actions to address.' This is the type of language used in a preliminary phase of a framework agreement, which would be the precursor to a serious trade negotiation. The White House is claiming that, first, that the EU will invest $600 billion directly in the U.S. during Trump's term (three times the rate it has invested in the past). This is, if not delusional, at least fantastical. The second concrete claim by the White House is that 'the EU will double down on America as the Energy Superpower by purchasing $750 billion of U.S. energy exports through 2028.' As Clyde Russell shows clearly in Reuters, these numbers simply do not make sense. But then, they need not. They serve their performative purpose well enough. Chalk up a specious victory and move on. Consider that in 2024, the EU imported 573 million barrels of crude oil from the U.S., which is valued currently at about $40.1 billion. The EU imported U.S. liquified natural gas in 2024 worth about $21.78 billion and bought about $2.67 billion in U.S. coal. So EU energy imports (at $64.55 billion) are about 26 percent of the $250 billion the EU is supposed to spend on American energy each year under the framework agreement. If the EU reaches the $250 billion a year goal, U.S. imports would account for 85 percent of its total spending on those energy commodities. While this appears to be a plus for U.S. producers, it would massively disrupt global energy markets (not to mention violate many long-term supply contracts). But more startling, it would exceed total current U.S. exports. Putting together the value of U.S. exports for all three energy commodities totals $165.8 billion, Russell calculates, 'meaning that even if the EU bought the entire volume it would still fall well short of the $250 billion.' Including nuclear adds a few billion dollars at best. Expanding to refined products, such as diesel? Perhaps another $10 billion. So the EU's commitment to buy $250 billion worth of American energy is entirely unrealistic and unachievable. 'The smart people in the room must know this,' Russell writes, so 'why agree to what is obviously a ridiculous number?' The only answer is the obvious one, and the most troubling. Substance doesn't matter, only performance. Where businesses must operate on substance and factual reality, politicians operate increasingly on attention-gaining performance. This may explain why Trump has done so poorly in business and so well in politics (and in the businesses he is generating based on politics). So, despite substantive criticisms of the EU team, they in fact made a perfectly understandable agreement. Specifically, when only attention matters and the substance of the deal is a mere side story of the performance, one can agree to almost anything. In this case, the more fantastical the better. Why didn't EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promise $900 billion? Trump would be even happier and Europe even less likely to uphold the 'agreement.' Smile, suck-up, sign, shrug and move on. The real negotiation is somewhere down the road; perhaps tomorrow afternoon. Well, maybe. Trump's authority even to make such a deal is still being litigated. The one unavoidable fact is that America has abandoned the rules-based trading system it carefully built over three-quarters of a century. It is a brave new world of U.S. trade 'agreements' based on rapid-fire, plainly meaningless commitments — but what a performance! Robert A. Rogowsky is professor of trade and diplomacy at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and adjunct professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. He is a former chief economist and director of operations at the U.S. International Trade Commission.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
70% of Americans Don't Think They'll Reach $1 Million for Retirement: 8 Things They Can Do Now
Hitting $1 million for retirement might feel out of reach, and most Americans agree. In fact, 70% say they don't think they'll ever get there. Learn More: Try This: But with the right steps now, building a more secure financial future is still possible. How People Feel About Saving for Retirement According to CNBC, a survey that was conducted by Schroders, an investment management company, shows that Americans who have an employer-sponsored retirement plan feel that they will need to have at least $1.28 million put aside for retirement. Only 30% of workers with a retirement plan will expect to have $1 million saved, 48% will possibly have $500,000 and only 26% think they will have $250,000 saved. Other studies find that 68% of Americans feel that they could work till they retire and still not have enough money for retirement. With bills, loans and other expenses that are unexpected, it may be tempting for some individuals to want to use funds that they would have put aside for retirement to help pay off debt. This may leave most Americans with a feeling of doubt about the actual ability to have enough money saved for retirement. Read Next: Ways To Boost Retirement Savings Americans need not despair because there are some easy ways to help build retirement savings. After enrolling in an employer's retirement savings plan, check whether it allows pre-tax contributions. These reduce taxable income by deducting money before federal income taxes are calculated. For instance, someone in the 12% tax bracket who sets aside $100 each pay period would see take-home pay reduced by about $88, plus any required Medicare, Social Security and state and local taxes, according to Merrill. Check whether an employer offers a 401(k) plan with contribution matching, and be sure to contribute enough to receive the full match. For example, if the employer matches 50% contributions up to 5% of an employee's salary, and the annual salary is $50,000 with a $2,500 contribution, the employer would add $1,250. If age 50 or older, look into catch-up contributions to IRA or 401(k) plans since yearly contributions are limited if under the age of 50. Consider opening a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA. With a traditional IRA, contributions may be tax deductible and are made pre-tax, which means potential investment earnings will be able to grow without taxes until withdrawals are made during retirement. With a Roth IRA, contributions are made after taxes and withdrawals will be free of federal taxes after age 59-1/2. Think about putting 1% or 2% of salary towards retirement savings, and then each year, raise the amount by 1% or 2% more, per This Is Pretirement. Any time extra money like a bonus or a raise happens, put at least half of the amount towards retirement. Contemplate delaying retirement as far as possible. Every year retirement is delayed before the age of 70 will increase the monthly benefits available. Reflect on possibly having a side job or hobby as a way to make extra money to save for retirement, according to This Is Pretirement. More From GOBankingRates Mark Cuban Warns of 'Red Rural Recession' -- 4 States That Could Get Hit Hard 6 Popular SUVs That Aren't Worth the Cost -- and 6 Affordable Alternatives 8 Common Mistakes Retirees Make With Their Social Security Checks This article originally appeared on 70% of Americans Don't Think They'll Reach $1 Million for Retirement: 8 Things They Can Do Now 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
