MoneyWatch

Are you finding it difficult to financially cope with the rising prices of consumer goods and services? Are you using your credit cards to cover the cost of everyday purchases and making minimum payments to keep those cards active? Doing so can result in ever-growing credit card balances and minimum payments. And, those growing minimum payments will only exacerbate your …

The timeline to replenish Social Security is being extended. The federal retirement program said Monday it may not need to cut benefits until 2035, one year later than previously forecast, because of stronger performance by the U.S. The new projection, from the Social Security Board of Trustees’ annual report,amounts to “good news” for the program’s 70 million beneficiaries, said Martin …

As a beginner investor, you may have heard that it’s wise to invest in gold. And that’s for good reason. Gold has a storied history as a safe investment asset and currency alternative that consumers, corporations and governments alike have leaned on throughout history. While gold has a meaningful home in most investment portfolios, it’s not necessarily the perfect asset …

Following disappointing reports for January, February and March, all eyes will turn to the Bureau of Labor Statistics next week to determine whether there’s been any success in lowering the inflation rate. Currently stuck at 3.5%, inflation is more than a full percentage point above the Federal Reserve’s target 2% goal. Inflation has not only resulted in interest rates hitting …

Between the high interest rates and extra fees that credit cards come with, it can be remarkably easy to find yourself facing issues with credit card debt. After all, if you’re carrying a credit card balance (or two) from month to month, just one minor hardship, whether it’s a job loss, medical issue or emergency home repair, can lead to …

Luxury fitness chain Equinox is putting a price on the ultimate luxury: longer life. The company on Monday introduced a membership that, for a hefty $36,000 a year, includes more than 100 tests aimed at enhancing health and extending people’s longevity. In all, the “Optimize by Equinox” membership costs $42,000 a year. The $36,000 yearly fee doesn’t include a regular …

A range of white confectionary products sold nationwide is being recalled because the treats could be contaminated with salmonella, a potentially dangerous bacteria, an Iowa company said Monday. The recalled items were sold in retailers including Dollar General, HyVee, Target and Walmart, Sioux City-based Palmer Candy stated in a recall notice. The company was notified by its liquid coating supplier …

The Condé Nast union said Monday it has reached a tentative labor agreement with the publisher’s management just hours ahead of theMet Gala, which is chaired by Anna Wintour, the company’s global chief content officer and editorial director. The agreement, which still needs to be ratified by union members, was reached after months of bitter negotiations had failed to yield …

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway gathered for its first annual meeting in an Omaha arena on Saturday, bringing together shareholders for the first time since the death of longtime vice chairman and right-hand manCharlie Munger. Tens of thousands of shareholders filled the arena eager to vacuum up tidbits of wisdom from billionaire Buffett, who famously dubbed the meeting “Woodstock for Capitalists” …

Hiring across the U.S. slowed in April, a sign the Federal Reserve’s efforts to shackle economic growth and curb inflation is chilling the labor market. American employers added 175,000 jobs last month, well below expectations of roughly 232,000 and off dramatically from the blockbuster job creationin March, when employers added a surprising and upwardly revised 315,000 jobs. The nation’s unemployment …