The Crazy Amount of Money America Spends on Valentine's Day
Americans are expected to spend a near-record $20 billion this Valentine's Day, but what are they shelling out all that money for? Lisa Rowan, Writer at The Penny Hoarder, joins Your Cheddar to discuss how you can keep the love in your wallet this Valentine's Day.
If you can believe it, Americans will spend $4.7 billion on jewelry, $3.7 billion on an evening out, $2 billion on flowers and $1.8 billion on candy! But because of supply and demand, a lot of the usual Valentine's Day gifts go up in price. Rowan says you may want to avoid going to a restaurant or booking a hotel room for a romantic evening because prices could increase up to 30%.
So what should you do if you don't want to break the bank but still want to give your partner a little something? Rowan suggests thinking about what their hobbies are and aligning with something they love to do. Maybe its a smaller gesture, but it will mean more than flowers or candy.
If you're looking for food that's good for you and the planet, look no further than the new Isle of Us café and marketplace in the Upper East Side. Cheddar's own Shannon LaNier is on the scene with more.
The price of one kitchen staple is dropping at a historic rate. In May, egg prices had their largest monthly decline in 72 years. Ricky Richardson, CEO of South Carolina-based Eggs Up Grill, joined Cheddar News to discuss the state of play in the egg industry as prices fall while food costs overall are on the rise again. Egg prices are "returning to more normal levels now, we're running down about 40% on a year-over-year basis," he said.
Eric Lynch, managing director of Scharf Investments, joined Cheddar News to discuss market trends and what lies ahead as the Federal Reserve paused interest rate hikes.
On this edition of Stretching Your Dollar, AJ Ayers, certified financial planner and co-founder of Brooklyn Fi, provided some tips on how to boost your credit score.