Latest news with #FinanceBuzz
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
This Central Florida community has the worst community in the country, a study finds
If you live in Poinciana, you know – driving around the area is rough, especially along Poinciana boulevard. The bumper-to-bumper traffic pretty much at any point of the day adds up time and stress for drivers. 'I've gotten stuck in traffic for about three hours once,' said Emmy Torres, who was a long-time resident of Poinciana until she moved to Championsgate in late 2024. 'Traffic was a major problem for me.' Torres now doesn't have to deal with the congestion every day, but because her family still lives there, she has to drive to Poinciana – and it takes her about 40 minutes to go from her home to her father's home, just a few miles away. 'This is because we took the connector; if we hadn't, we would be there for about 1 h 15 min,' Torres said as she arrived at her father's house. Traffic along Poinciana Boulevard and its intersections, such as Pleasant Hill Road, at any time of the day is tricky - some drivers say they get stuck here for hours every week. A new study conducted by Finance Buzz found out Poinciana residents have the worst commute in the country, taking on average 51 minutes each way to do things like go to work or school – a total of more than 8h every single week. There is a silver lining - the widening of Poinciana Boulevard is already underway and should be finished by the end of next year, according to Osceola County. Back in April, the Florida Department of Transportation also announced they should start working on their project, called Poinciana Connector - later this year. FDot plans to add one congestion relief lane in each direction toward I-4. The project is expected to be complete by the second half of 2026. Worst commutes in the country, by Finance Buzz: Poinciana, Florida – Residents spend an average of 51 minutes commuting, the longest in the nation. This is likely due to workers traveling to Orlando, located about an hour away. Brentwood, California – Commuters here average 46.4 minutes one-way, making it the longest in California. East Orange, New Jersey – With an average one-way commute of 41.7 minutes, it's the longest in New Jersey. Temescal Valley, California – Residents spend an average of 47.7 minutes commuting, with 55.2% of commuters traveling 45 minutes or more each way. Antioch, California – Commuters in Antioch average 46.4 minutes one-way, with 49.7% of them spending 45 minutes or more commuting each wayBoulevard Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Editorial: Gas is cheaper this Memorial Day. So why does your wallet still feel lighter?
You pull into the gas station, surprised to see a $3.49 pump price staring back at you. That's cheaper than last summer. So why doesn't it feel like a win? Maybe because inside the grocery store, the steak for your Memorial Day cookout costs $16, and it wasn't even a pricey cut. And the soda aisle? A 12-pack costs $9. So the tank might be full, but the wallet still feels empty. Memorial Day is synonymous with cookouts and time spent outside — or in the garage, if you're a Chicago suburbanite. This weekend is our bridge to summer. For a long time, the big decision for Memorial Day was whether to stay home or hit the road to take advantage of the extra day off. The open road still calls Americans; AAA anticipates 39.4 million drivers will have traveled by car across the U.S. this holiday weekend and more will plan to travel in coming weeks as the kids gets out of school. Gas may be down, but AAA shows domestic flights today are 2% pricier versus 2024, when they hardly were cheap. So with prices rising across the board, many families now have to weigh whether travel is worth the squeeze. Many of us will have chosen a nice Monday gathering with friends and family. But sirloin steak is up 13% this year. Hosting a group of eight might cost you $30 more than it did last May. Add soda, chips, and burgers, and your backyard barbecue is suddenly flirting with triple digits — and that's before dessert. Restaurant dining on a road trip isn't cheap, either. Eating out costs are up 3.9%, and while the spike has come down from its peak, diners still notice a hefty increase on their bills. At some restaurants, the price spike is even more obvious. Take IHOP, once a reliable budget option: A milkshake now costs $7.99, up from $3.99 five years ago. The Two x Two x Two meal? It jumped from $5.49 in 2020 to $12.59 today, according to FinanceBuzz. And that's just the food. We don't make decisions about travel in isolation, we consider our ability to afford a trip. Other unavoidable costs —such as child care, which rose about 6% last year, and car insurance, up more than 20% — are taking even bigger bites out of household budgets and making it harder to justify expensive travel plans. It's not just higher prices — it's weaker buying power. Wages lagged inflation in 2021 and 2022, meaning people earned more but could afford less. Only recently have paychecks begun to stabilize. According to government data, the average worker's pay in April 2024 was about 4% higher than it was a year earlier. But once you factor in inflation, that boost disappears. In 2021 and 2022, prices rose so fast that paychecks couldn't keep up, meaning people could actually buy less even if they were earning more. Lately, because inflation has slowed, take-home pay is holding steady or rising slightly — but most people still haven't fully caught up. Until real wages consistently outpace inflation — and the cost of essentials stabilizes — it will continue to feel like 'everything's more expensive' even if paychecks are technically bigger. This helps explain why people are eating out less and cutting back on nonessentials. A recent KPMG survey found that nearly 4 in 10 consumers reported a decline in household income (double last year's finding) and 70% of respondents said they believe a recession is likely soon. Overall, the survey showed people plan to spend about 7% less on restaurants this summer, looking for ways to cut back costs. Still, KPMG's analysis shows Americans are still planning to travel this summer — and at an even higher clip than last year. That's the good news, and maybe it means that while we're tightening our belts at the moment, we're all hopeful that things won't stay this way forever. We've likely seen the peak of inflation. But not the peak of pain. Until wages rise faster than prices — and stay ahead — Americans won't feel like they're getting anywhere. This summer may be cheaper at the pump, but economic pressure still rides shotgun. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: Gas is cheaper this Memorial Day. So why does your wallet still feel lighter?
You pull into the gas station, surprised to see a $3.49 pump price staring back at you. That's cheaper than last summer. So why doesn't it feel like a win? Maybe because inside the grocery store, the steak for your Memorial Day cookout costs $16, and it wasn't even a pricey cut. And the soda aisle? A 12-pack costs $9. So the tank might be full, but the wallet still feels empty. Memorial Day is synonymous with cookouts and time spent outside — or in the garage, if you're a Chicago suburbanite. This weekend is our bridge to summer. For a long time, the big decision for Memorial Day was whether to stay home or hit the road to take advantage of the extra day off. The open road still calls Americans; AAA anticipates 39.4 million drivers will have traveled by car across the U.S. this holiday weekend and more will plan to travel in coming weeks as the kids gets out of school. Gas may be down, but AAA shows domestic flights today are 2% pricier versus 2024, when they hardly were cheap. So with prices rising across the board, many families now have to weigh whether travel is worth the squeeze. Many of us will have chosen a nice Monday gathering with friends and family. But sirloin steak is up 13% this year. Hosting a group of eight might cost you $30 more than it did last May. Add soda, chips, and burgers, and your backyard barbecue is suddenly flirting with triple digits — and that's before dessert. Restaurant dining on a road trip isn't cheap, either. Eating out costs are up 3.9%, and while the spike has come down from its peak, diners still notice a hefty increase on their bills. At some restaurants, the price spike is even more obvious. Take IHOP, once a reliable budget option: A milkshake now costs $7.99, up from $3.99 five years ago. The Two x Two x Two meal? It jumped from $5.49 in 2020 to $12.59 today, according to FinanceBuzz. And that's just the food. We don't make decisions about travel in isolation, we consider our ability to afford a trip. Other unavoidable costs —such as child care, which rose about 6% last year, and car insurance, up more than 20% — are taking even bigger bites out of household budgets and making it harder to justify expensive travel plans. It's not just higher prices — it's weaker buying power. Wages lagged inflation in 2021 and 2022, meaning people earned more but could afford less. Only recently have paychecks begun to stabilize. According to government data, the average worker's pay in April 2024 was about 4% higher than it was a year earlier. But once you factor in inflation, that boost disappears. In 2021 and 2022, prices rose so fast that paychecks couldn't keep up, meaning people could actually buy less even if they were earning more. Lately, because inflation has slowed, take-home pay is holding steady or rising slightly — but most people still haven't fully caught up. Until real wages consistently outpace inflation — and the cost of essentials stabilizes — it will continue to feel like 'everything's more expensive' even if paychecks are technically bigger. This helps explain why people are eating out less and cutting back on nonessentials. A recent KPMG survey found that nearly 4 in 10 consumers reported a decline in household income (double last year's finding) and 70% of respondents said they believe a recession is likely soon. Overall, the survey showed people plan to spend about 7% less on restaurants this summer, looking for ways to cut back costs. Still, KPMG's analysis shows Americans are still planning to travel this summer — and at an even higher clip than last year. That's the good news, and maybe it means that while we're tightening our belts at the moment, we're all hopeful that things won't stay this way forever. We've likely seen the peak of inflation. But not the peak of pain. Until wages rise faster than prices — and stay ahead — Americans won't feel like they're getting anywhere. This summer may be cheaper at the pump, but economic pressure still rides shotgun.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The least expensive airport to fly from in Texas: Data
(NEXSTAR) — Though the Lone Star State has dozens of major airports across its wide expanse, one Texas airport was recently found to be the cheapest to fly out of in the state. With air travel growing more expensive with inflation, it's not a bad time to shop around when buying tickets. To determine America's most inexpensive airports, personal finance outlet FinanceBuzz combed through 2024 U.S. Department of Transportation airfare data for the country's busiest airports. Overall, FinanceBuzz found the least expensive airport to fly from in the U.S is Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport in Florida, which had an average airfare cost of $265.32. Texas bill would cut school funding over teacher support for gender transitions Here in Texas, Dallas Love Field (DAL) was found to be the most cost-effective airport to fly from. The smaller of the two airports located in Dallas, Love Field has an average airfare cost of $337.15 — a $7.07 decrease from the previous year, says FinanceBuzz. Dallas Love Field was ranked as the 10th least-expensive airport nationally — the only Texas airport to rank quite so high. Here's how Texas' other airports fared (no pun intended): Cost rank Airport Average airfare $ change over previous year 32. San Antonio International Airport (SAT) $398.90 +$16.22 33. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) $398.98 +$28.68 35. Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) $406.23 -$3.11 38. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) $415.35 -$5.87 Earlier this year, Dallas Love Field and Dallas Forth Worth International were both named among the Best Airports by the Airports Council International. The council's annual Airport Service Quality report aims to recognize excellent customer experience from over 400 participating airports in 110 countries, according to the organization. Dallas Love Field was one of two airports recognized as 'best' in the 15-25 million passengers-per-year category, while DFW was among three airports recognized as 'best' that serve over 40 million passengers per year. 5 questions about Musk's new Texas towns, Starbase and Snailbrook Moreover, J.D. Power's 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Survey ranked DFW fifth nationally for overall customer satisfaction (in the 'mega airport' category). Bush Intercontinental, meanwhile, ranked 14th nationally, though it ranked below the national average for customer satisfaction. Alternatively, Dallas Love Field ranked fourth nationally for 'large airports' for overall customer satisfaction. Houston's Hobby Airport was also ranked sixth nationally, several spots ahead of Austin-Bergstrom International, which came in 11th nationally. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Which restaurant chains are seeing the biggest price increases?
It's no surprise as food prices rice that eating out has become more expensive. But how much more expensive? A new study from Finance Buzz found in the last five years that popular chains have hiked their prices by an average of 42%. That's double the national inflation rate. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Breakfast restaurants facing high egg prices saw the biggest increases. According to Finance Buzz, Waffle House nearly double their prices in the last five years (96%) and prices at IHOP rising more than 80%. Among other chains that topped the list were Texas Roadhouse at 46% and TGI Fridays at 45%. The good news? Egg prices are finally falling. But this week, the Federal Reserve warned that President Donald Trump's tariff policies are pushing inflation up again. 'There are going to be tariffs. And they tend to bring growth down,' said Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. TRENDING STORIES: 95.5 WSB's Scott Slade reveals cancer diagnosis, urges preventive care Pollen season has arrived. Here's what an Atlanta allergist recommends to do for relief Docuseries about Atlanta's 'Magic City' strip club to premiere this summer Labor costs and other factors are also hitting restaurants. Another potential factor: More Americans are eating alone these days. The World Happiness Report out this week found that 1 in 4 Americans now report eating all of their meals alone the previous day. The number is higher among those under the age of 25, who report an 80% increase in dining alone in recent decades. Doctors increasingly worried about loneliness and isolation in society are not surprised. 'People are more divided than they ever have been. If there's issues with mistrust, and we have these technological barriers that are keeping people isolated, we are living more so on screens and on phones, and less in person,' said Dr. Alok Patel, ABC News medical contributor. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
