ALL THE MONEY NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW | |
Good morning and Happy Friday! This is Betty Lin-Fisher with Friday's consumer-focused edition of The Daily Money. |
You might be familiar with the Consumer Price Index, which is reported each month by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of goods. It is often used as a barometer of the state of the economy. |
But could gifts, tips and the Tooth Fairy give us some insights, too? |
Empower, a financial services company, has a new study of the "going rate" of several items such as gifts for birthdays, holidays and weddings. Empower's Rebecca Rickert says Americans are stressed by higher prices and are expressing "gift fatigue" and "no gift" policies, in addition to changes in tipping habits and allowances. | Stylishly packaged boxes with gifts. PavelIvanov, Getty Images/iStockphoto |
You could have missing 401(k) money |
Did you know that more than $2 trillion is sitting in forgotten or left-behind 401(k) retirement savings accounts? That is an average balance of $66,691, reports my colleague Daniel de Visé. |
Even more startling is that those 31.9 million accounts represent nearly one quarter of assets held in 401(k) plans. |
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Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which breaks down complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here. | | A new Empower study offers the "going rate" for gifts, tips after surveying consumers. | | More than $2 trillion sits in forgotten or left-behind 401(k) accounts, with an average balance of $66,691, according to a new report. | | | | The FTC's fraud reporting website and registry that lets you opt out of telemarketing won't be available during the shutdown, the agency said. | | | | It can be daunting to consider all the things you have to do to make your home natural disaster-proof. Here's how to start and where to look for help. | | | | Don't stress about finding the perfect gift. This tip can help you find the perfect gift any time of year. | | | | Data shows more than half of U.S. women experience some degree of dysmenorrhea, the medical term for a painful period. | | | | American Airlines is rolling out a new booking tool that lets people search for flights by experience type, not airports. | | | | The Postal Service said the move is part of a strategic effort to revitalize the agency. | | | | Crocs and M&Ms have a new limited-time collection of footwear and charms coming Oct. 9. Available will be two pairs of crocs and a 7-pack of charms. | | | | Our app gives you award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, eNewspaper and more. | | | | | Sign up for the news you want | Exclusive newsletters are part of your subscription, don't miss out! We're always working to add benefits for subscribers like you. | | | | | |
