The financial news that actually matters
A general consumer finance category covering everyday money decisions, budgeting, saving, debt management, credit behavior, and personal financial improvement strategies.
Americans who carry a balance on their credit cards are now paying a record-high annual percentage rate of 22.17%, according to the Federal Reserve’s own data on commercial bank card plans. That figure applies specifically to accounts assessed interest, meaning cardholders who revolve a balance from month to month rather than paying in full. The…
Owners of certain Ashley Furniture mattresses now have a limited window to file claims tied to allegations that the products released fiberglass fibers into homes. The claims process runs through July 17, giving affected buyers a narrow deadline to seek a remedy. The complaints trace back to at least one federal consumer safety filing that…
Roughly 225,000 Jeep, Ram, and Dodge vehicles still on American roads carry Takata airbag inflators that federal regulators say could kill their occupants in an otherwise survivable crash. On Feb. 11, 2026, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told owners of those vehicles to stop driving them immediately until a free dealer repair is completed….
Owners of certain Toyota Tundra trucks face a direct safety risk after the automaker issued a recall covering more than 43,000 vehicles because of engine debris that can stall the motor without warning. The recall, filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under campaign number 26V320, targets Tundras with manufacturing contamination that can cut…
American shoppers absorbed higher prices on thousands of imported goods after tariffs on Chinese products took effect, but the refund checks now heading back from the federal government will land in corporate accounts, not consumer wallets. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is processing duty refunds that flow to the importer of record, typically the retailer…
American households carrying credit-card debt face a growing squeeze. About 13% of outstanding credit-card balances have now fallen 90 or more days past due, the highest share recorded since 2011. That figure, tracked by the New York Fed, signals that a meaningful slice of borrowers is not just missing a single payment but falling into…
American households face an average summer cooling bill of $778 this year, an 8.5 percent jump that lands as roughly one in six households already report falling behind on electric payments. The collision of rising retail electricity prices, hotter weather forecasts, and existing payment stress puts millions of family budgets on a direct path toward…
More than a million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator owners now face an unusual and urgent directive: park outside and away from any building. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall covering 1,076,999 vehicles from model years 2021 through 2025 after confirming that an electrical defect can trigger fires even when the ignition…
The U.S. men’s national team kicks off its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Paraguay today at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with resale ticket prices starting near $710. The Group D fixture arrives just hours after stadium workers finalized a tentative labor deal that averted a strike at the venue. For fans weighing whether…
Cardholders who picked up the phone and asked their credit card issuer for a lower interest rate had remarkably good odds of success last year, with a prior-year survey wave recording an 83% approval rate. That figure has since dropped, but the core finding holds: most people who request a rate cut still get one,…