On this episode of Your Cheddar hosts Kristen Scholer and Tim Stenovec break down some of the biggest stories in the world of personal finance.
Have you ever heard of the phrase "money can't buy happiness?" Well, that may not be true. According to a recent report by Purdue University, there is actually an optimal amount of money to be happy in life and it's $95,000 a year. The study also found that people who make $60,000-$75,000 a year are a little less happy, but have "emotional well-being."
Plus, U.S. households are carrying record levels of debt. According to the Federal Reserve, outstanding household debt rose by $193 billion to more than $13 trillion last year. Student loans are mostly driving that debt. However, the Reserve says Americans are mostly keeping up with their payments, which is always a good thing!
At some 940-pages, the legislation is a sprawling collection of tax breaks, spending cuts and other Republican priorities, including new money for national defense and deportations.
Chris Versace, CIO at Tematica Research, joins to discuss earnings season trends, Flash PMI signals, Walmart’s strategy updates, and Nike’s evolving outlook.
Andrew Nusca, Editorial Director at Fortune, dives into WhatsApp’s first-ever ads rollout —and how Meta’s ad push intensifies its showdown with OpenAI.
Ben Geman, Energy Reporter at Axios, joins to discuss the latest Middle East tensions, Brent crude price swings, and why gas prices aren’t falling with oil.
Al Root, Associate Editor at Barron's, joins to discuss Tesla’s robotaxis going live in Texas—what it means for autonomy, safety, and the EV race ahead.
Dena Jalbert, M&A expert and CEO of Align Business Advisory Services, on the state of U.S. M&A: deals worth $1–$10 billion (including debt) are surging.