Latest news with #remoteworkers
Fast Company
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Fast Company
The household auto fleet is a money pit
There's a financial crisis hiding in plain sight: the American household vehicle fleet. Families are hemorrhaging money through car payments, insurance, fuel, maintenance, depreciation, parking, and registration. In many cases, this adds up to more than a family's annual savings—or the cost of sending a child to college every four years. Car ownership is nearly universal in the U.S., with 92% of households owning at least one vehicle. About 37% own two cars, and 22% own three or more. In 2023, the average annual cost to own and operate a new vehicle climbed to $12,182. For households with two cars, that's nearly $25,000 per year—a recurring expense that too often escapes scrutiny. Now consider how those vehicles are used. In 2021, more than half of all daily trips in the U.S. were under three miles. Nearly 30% were less than one mile. We're paying a fortune to go nowhere. The rise of remote and hybrid work has amplified the mismatch between cost and use. As of 2023, more than a third of U.S. employees worked remotely full time, with another 41% following hybrid work models. Pew Research Center reported that almost half of remote workers would look for a new job if their employer took this option off the table. Cars are parked roughly 95% of the time, depreciating as they collect pollen and bird droppings. And yet they demand monthly payments, insurance, fuel, and maintenance. The long-distance commute has been the primary reason for every working member of the family needing their own vehicle, but our travel habits have changed. What if owning fewer cars was a sign of more success? A growing number of families are experimenting with a car-lite lifestyle—ditching the second or third car and rediscovering local travel through bikes, transit, or walking. They're not doing it to make a statement. They're doing it to make ends meet—and to take back their time. At the center of this quiet shift: the e-bike. Part appliance and part liberation machine, e-bikes are redefining what a 'vehicle' can be. School drop-offs, grocery runs, commutes, and social visits—trips once assumed to require a car—are increasingly accomplished with battery-assisted pedaling. Terrain and distance fade as barriers. In 2022, more than 1.1 million e-bikes were sold in the U.S., nearly quadruple the number from 2019. E-bikes now account for over 20% of total bicycle sales in the U.S., and they represented 63% of revenue growth in the bike industry between 2019 and 2023. Bikes have become robust enough to handle everything from kid pickups to bulk grocery runs, and more cities are creating rebate programs to accelerate adoption. Replacing a car with an e-bike can save a household $120,000 over a decade—enough to wipe out debt, fund a college account, or boost retirement savings. And as infrastructure improves with more protected lanes, slower streets, and secure parking, the e-bike can graduate from practical to preferable. What if you spent less on movement and more on meaning? What if streets worked as well for bikes as they do for cars? What if getting around town felt like a lifestyle upgrade? For too long, success was measured by how many vehicles fit in your driveway. But those cars aren't status symbols—they're financial sinkholes. Remember, more than half of America's car trips are under a few miles. If you're going broke to go nowhere, the journey needs a new map.
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Tulsa's Economy Reaps Benefit of Remote Worker Program
For every dollar Tulsa spent to pay remote workers to move there, the Oklahoma city generated $4.31 in local economic benefits — more than double the return ratio of traditional incentive programs aimed at attracting large employers. That's according to a new study on Tulsa Remote, one of the first and largest programs in the US to lure new residents with financial incentives. Since 2018, more than 3,400 people have received $10,000 to relocate through Tulsa Remote, the majority of whom still live in the city today. Adding these new workers has boosted incomes for existing residents and created new jobs, while also building Tulsa's tax base, the study found. Fola Akinnibi and I look at what made the program work, and how the study's finding can be instructive for other cities. Today on CityLab: The Economic Benefits of Paying Workers to Move
Forbes
06-05-2025
- Forbes
‘Slow Summer Vacations' Are Trending In Popularity For 2025
Slow summer vacations are all the rage for getaways in 2025. getty Summer is just around the corner, and it's time to plan vacations if you haven't already. But the tanking economy, jammed airports, travel disruptions, canceled flights and flight delays--plus lost luggage claims up 18%--are causing vacationers to rethink how they want to spend time off. There's a new trend of vacationers opting out of the rat race for 'slow summer vacations.' Experts predict that summer 2025 memories won't be made at packed camps or faraway resorts but instead during slow mornings, spontaneous outings and unplanned afternoons at home. Almost one year ago to the day I was writing about 'hushcations' for in which younger workers were sneaking vacations without calling off work or disclosing their location to their employers. The 'hush movement' grew among remote workers across the country as they tried to find risk-averse ploys to combine remote working with their desire for job flexibility. Now, as summer nears, Americans hit a 15-year low in travel planning, according to Fortune, explaining that job insecurity from DOGE layoffs and tariffs are shattering 2025 vacation plans. Instead, they are turning to a different kind of break called 'slow summer vacations.' Vacationers this summer are shying away from packed schedules and pricey plans, scaling back activities, cutting costs and allowing more unstructured time for both kids and parents. Interest in the idea is rising, with Google searches for 'Slow Summer' up 30% over the past month. The movement stands in stark contrast to the typical American summer, which often revolves around packed schedules filled with camps, structured programs and costly vacations. This new summer pattern is trending in a parallel direction of how work rules are evolving from hustle culture to micro-retirements and a greater emphasis on flexibility, spontaneity and work-life balance. Five Aspects Of 'Slow Summer Vacations' I spoke with Brooks Lape of Start Your Recovery who describes how the 'slow summer' trend includes five aspects: Lape told me by email that many parents are now limiting organized activities to one or two per week maximum, compared to the typical four or five activities many families try to juggle. 'Families are creating 'activity-free days where the only plan is to have no plans, allowing for spontaneous family adventures or simply relaxing at home,' he says. 'This deliberate under-scheduling is helping families reduce the logistical stress of summer while creating space for more meaningful connections.' 2. Embracing boredom There's typically an initial "boredom detox" period of three to seven days where children may complain about having nothing to do. After the initial period of resistance, Lape finds that boredom eventually leads to greater creativity, self-direction and imaginative play. And kids begin developing their own games, returning to forgotten toys, or diving into creative projects. 'We've seen examples of children creating elaborate backyard obstacle courses, writing and illustrating their own books and developing neighborhood games that evolved over weeks of summer play," he states. Lape observes that families are establishing "tech-free zones" both in time and space to encourage outdoor exploration from bike rides at dusk to spontaneous backyard games and local adventures, children are reconnecting with the joys of close-to-home freedom. 'Many are connecting with other neighborhood families to create informal play groups that meet regularly at local parks or rotate between backyards,' he notes. 'We're seeing a resurgence of classic summer activities like catching fireflies, setting up lemonade stands, and organizing impromptu sports games that include children of various ages.' 4. Choosing budget-friendly fun Instead of splurging on costly entertainment, families are turning to simple pleasures—sprinklers in the yard, homemade popsicles, visits to the library and walks in nature. "With inflation concerns, families are embracing "experience challenges" like trying to visit every free museum, park, or splash pad in their area," according to Lape. 'Many are creating summer bucket lists focused on free or low-cost activities rather than expensive outings. There's increased interest in family skill-sharing, where parents teach children practical skills like cooking, gardening or basic carpentry through summer-long projects.' 5. Building flexible routines Rather than sticking to rigid schedules, Lape explains that many are adopting loose daily rhythms that allow room for spontaneity and following their children's interests—perhaps morning reading time, midday outdoor play and evening family activities—while remaining flexible enough to pursue spontaneous opportunities. He adds that many families are implementing "yes days" where kids get to make the decisions (within reasonable parameters), fostering autonomy and creating memorable experiences. The Mental Health Benefits of 'Slow Summer Vacations' Slow Summer vacations are providing something children desperately need but rarely get in today's achievement-oriented culture, according to Lape, which is unstructured time to play, daydream and process their experiences. 'When every moment is planned and directed by adults, children miss opportunities to develop intrinsic motivation and self-regulation. They become dependent on external stimulation and struggle with independent problem-solving,' he concludes. "The mental health benefits of slowing down include reduced anxiety, improved sleep, stronger family connections and the development of crucial coping skills.'
