Tag: personal finance

Closing Prices for Crude Oil, Gold, and Other Commodities (May 25)

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for July delivery fell $2.51 to $71.83 a barrel Thursday. Brent crude for July delivery fell $2.10 to $76.26 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for June delivery fell 5 cents to $2.67 a gallon. June heating oil fell 6 cents to $2.35 a gallon. June natural gas fell 9 cents to $2.31…


How to Set and Vet Money Goals Midyear

If you set money goals for 2023 back in January, now can be a smart time to check in on your progress. And if you didn’t, it’s not too late to create goals for the next six months and beyond. “If you don’t have your goals, everyone is so busy with life that a year…


How Much to Sock Away in a 401(K)

By Lisa Gerstner From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Stashing enough in an employer-sponsored retirement plan to get the full match is a no-brainer—it’s free money toward your retirement. Employers often match contributions up to about 3–5 percent of an employee’s salary. However, figuring out how much to contribute to a 401(k) beyond the match and how…


How Major US Stock Indexes Fared Wednesday

Wall Street fell again, part of a worldwide swoon for stocks as worries about the economy pile higher. The S&P 500 fell 0.7 percent Wednesday after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Republicans and Democrats remain far apart in efforts to prevent a default on the U.S. government’s debt. The main U.S. stock index is on…


Closing Prices for Crude Oil, Gold, and Other Commodities (May 24)

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for July delivery rose $1.43 to $74.34 a barrel Wednesday. Brent crude for July delivery rose $1.52 to $78.36 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for June delivery rose 6 cents to $2.72 a gallon. June heating oil rose 5 cents to $2.41 a gallon. June natural gas rose 8 cents to $2.40…


How to Lower Your Personal Loan Payments

By Baruch Mann (Silvermann) Personal loans are a great way to access funds for various business purposes, but if the payments are too high, they can become a burden on your cash flow. With rates increasing, you may find that your personal loan repayments have become more expensive. Whether you have just one personal loan…


What You Need to Know About Social Security If a Loved One Dies

Gosh, I hate getting old! Even though my wife and I are relatively fit, when you’re in your late 70s, you can’t help thinking about the inevitable. We’re all going to die. And even though my wife is a few years older than me, I figure I’m eventually going to be the first to buy…


The Victorian State Budget Targeting Big Business, Housing Investors and Private Schools

The Victorian state government will target big business, housing investors and private schools as the main drive to collect tax revenues as outlined in its new budget report released on May 23. But despite the targeted taxes, Treasurer Tim Pallas has denied the state budget is steeped in class warfare. “Nobody’s engaging in a terminology…


Closing Prices for Crude Oil, Gold, and Other Commodities (May 23)

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for July delivery rose 86 cents to $72.91 a barrel Tuesday. Brent crude for July delivery rose 85 cents to $76.84 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for June delivery rose 1 cent to $2.66 a gallon. June heating oil fell 1 cent to $2.36 a gallon. June natural gas fell 8 cents…


How Major US Stock Indexes Fared Tuesday

Stocks slid on Wall Street as the U.S. government creeps closer to the edge of a potentially disastrous default on its debt. The S&P 500 fell 1.1 percent Tuesday as Democrats and Republicans still haven’t agreed on a deal to keep the U.S. government from running out of cash. Washington is facing a deadline as…