Category: Career and Relationships

With rising inflation many states are raising the minimum wages for workers, often above the mandated federal minimum. This is good news for lower-income workers, where the minimum wage is barely enough to survive on. Note that the federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 and remains unchanged this year. However…

As the world gets back to a new normal after countless months of pandemic induced change many working professionals are finding it difficult in adjusting back to the way things used to be. In particular going into the office on a regular basis while trying to balance personal/life commitments has…

A few years ago working from home was relatively new and mainly something that technology or consulting companies offered. However, following the pandemic and with millions of workers effectively working remotely for over a year, the discussion of flexible working - which includes location and/or schedule flexibility - has become…

I owned a second-tier franchise for one year before selling it for a $170,000 loss. That's an expensive way to learn what franchisors don't put in the pitch deck, but it means I know exactly what I'm talking about here. Franchises sell an appealing story: brand recognition, a proven system,…

With millions of Americans unemployed and many coming to this site to get information on enhanced unemployment benefits, I thought it would be helpful to provide some positive news around several companies that have publicly announced that they’re implementing massive hiring plans over this summer as the economy and consumer…

Working part-time while on unemployment isn't just allowed — it's something most states actively want you to do. The alternative, where every shift you pick up wipes out your entire benefit, discourages work and makes a job search harder. States recognized that problem decades ago. In 2026, the rules work…

With a slowing economy, government and private sector reductions in force, and the prospect of a downturn always around the corner, you may get into work one of these days and hear that your position has been made redundant. Are you prepared for this scenario and its likely impact on…

With a general slowing of the economy it is at times like this we need to most careful of protecting our financial livelihood, which for most people is derived from their jobs. Positions that seemed safe just a few months ago are at risk due to company collapses and corporate…

The national unemployment rate was 4.2% in June 2026, and the economy added just 57,000 jobs that month — well below expectations, with leisure and hospitality actually losing jobs while healthcare and professional services kept growing. It's a mixed, uneven labor market, and it makes the question of where the…

"What's hers is hers, and what's mine is hers — that's how we share our money!" That joke lands because most couples never actually spell out how they handle money. Each partner just assumes the other shares their views, and that assumption is usually wrong. Money is one of the…

Unless you are a senior executive of a Fortune 500 company you probably won't be seeing a double digit raise this year. According to the seventh annual Compensation Planning Survey by Buck Consultants, workers who were among the highest-rated at their firm got average raises of 4.3%, an increase of…

Teachers play such an important role in our lives. We can all remember a great teacher who directly or indirectly had a bearing on where our lives went and what we achieved. I see this even more clearly as I see my son go through elementary school. Last year he…

A 529 plan is the best-known college savings tool, but it's rarely the whole answer. Between financial aid, scholarships, work-study, and a few savings vehicles most people overlook, there's usually more room to close the gap than families assume. I've written separately about choosing a 529 plan in detail, so…