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☆ I've been a flight attendant for 9 years. Here are 4 things I want travelers to know before their next flight.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Brittany Smith | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

I've been a flight attendant for 9 years, so there are a few things I think passengers should know. Many early-career flight attendants don't have a set schedule and may have to rush to the airport. AdvertisementI've been a flight attendant for almost 10 years, so I've encountered plenty of misconceptions about this career. andresr/Getty ImagesBeing a flight attendant requires flexibility, especially when first starting out in the career. We prioritize maintaining a safe environment, not serving drinksBeing a flight attendant is more than serving sodas and taking food orders.

Persons: I've, —, you've, We're, Brittany Smith, aren't Organizations: Service

☆ How to find a hobby
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

But if that's not for you — or if you're struggling to find something to do outside of work — experts shared how to find a hobby. The big storyA guide to finding a hobbyRobyn Phelps/InsiderHaving a hobby can help people tackle their work and personal life with more energy. Treat finding a hobby like a projectYou likely won't find the perfect fit immediately, Laura Vanderkam, the author of "168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think," told me. Or if they're also trying to find a hobby, ask what the people around them do for fun. Be patient but proactiveAdvertisementVanderkam told me that finding a hobby just takes a bit of time, experimentation, and being open to different things.

Persons: —, that's, Robyn Phelps, I've, Alexis Haselberger, Laura Vanderkam, It'll, Vanderkam, Haselberger, they're, she's, Joey Hadden, andresr, Kornmesser NASA's James Webb, Gen, Patrick Pleul Organizations: Service, Business, Orient, Express, Volkswagen, Ford, Tesla, LinkedIn, ESO, ESA, Hubble, Kornmesser NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, IKEA, Getty, Ikea Locations: Venice, Brandenburg, Schönefeld, Dahme

☆ UK inflation rate surprises with rise to 4%, led by alcohol and tobacco
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Andresr | E+ | Getty ImagesLONDON — U.K. inflation unexpectedly nudged upwards to 4% year-on-year in December, fueled by a rise in alcohol and tobacco prices. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a modest decline in the annual headline CPI to 3.8%, after November's sharper-than-expected fall to 3.9%. The closely watched core CPI figure — which excludes volatile food, energy, alcohol and tobacco prices — came in at an annual 5.1%, above a 4.9% Reuters forecast and unchanged from November. "This unexpected rise in inflation is a timely reminder that the struggle against soaring inflation is not yet over, particularly given stubbornly high core and services inflation," said Suren Thiru, economics director at ICAEW. "While inflation may rise again in January, following the increase in Ofgem's energy price cap, it should fall at a decent pace thereafter, aided by the expected drop in energy bills from April and lower food inflation."

Persons: Jeremy Hunt Organizations: Reuters, National Statistics, British, Bank of England Locations: U.S, France, Germany

☆ IRS announces 2024 retirement account contribution limits: $23,000 for 401(k) plans, $7,000 for IRAs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Andresr | E+ | Getty ImagesThe IRS has announced new 2024 investor contribution limits for 401(k) plans, individual retirement accounts and other retirement accounts. The employee contribution limit for 401(k) plans is increasing to $23,000 in 2024, up from $22,500 in 2023, and catch-up contributions for savers age 50 and older will remain unchanged at $7,500. The new amounts also apply to 403(b) plans, most 457 plans and Thrift Savings Plans. The agency also boosted contribution limits for IRAs, allowing investors to save $7,000 in 2024, up from $6,500 in 2023. Catch-up contributions will remain unchanged at $1,000.

Persons: Roth Organizations: IRS

The current exemption limit is $12.92 million for estates of individuals and $25.84 million for the combined estates of married couples. About 0.1 to 0.2% of estates of people who died in recent years have been subject to federal tax. A common strategy is to trim your estate's value before Dec. 31, 2025, and then keep it below the exemption limit, if feasible, or as low as possible to minimize tax exposure. This would assure substantial resources for their grandkids' educations while reducing the couple's combined estate by $1.7 million. While getting organized to reduce your estate's value by making gifts, it's a good idea to get updated real estate appraisals.

Persons: it's

☆ Despite interest rate hikes, nearly 70% of middle-income Americans haven't switched to higher-yield savings
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Andresr | E+ | Getty ImagesAfter years of low interest payouts, savings accounts now are paying higher yields, after a series of interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve. Despite inflation concerns, nearly 70% of middle-income Americans haven’t moved savings to higher-yielding accounts, according to a new survey from Santander. Meanwhile, the top 1% of savings accounts were paying above 4.5%, as of July 25, according to DepositAccounts, compared to a 0.42% average for traditional banks. "For many of them, the juice just isn't worth the squeeze," said Dallas-based CFP Brandon Gibson, wealth manager at Gibson Wealth Management. Brandon Gibson Wealth manager at Gibson Wealth Management

Persons: Kevin Brady, Brandon Gibson, There's Organizations: Federal Reserve, U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wealthspire Advisors, Gibson Wealth Management, Brandon Gibson Wealth, Gibson Wealth Locations: Santander, New York, Dallas

☆ 4 strategies for avoiding taking on too much student debt in college
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Steve Prezant | The Image Bank | Getty Imageswatch nowHere are four strategies high school seniors, and their families, can consider to avoid ending up deep in debt. "To reduce student loan debt, enroll at a less expensive college," Kantrowitz said, adding that public colleges often "provide just as good a quality of education." Families can continue saving in a 529 plan while their child is enrolled in college, Kantrowitz said. Meanwhile, more than $6 billion in scholarships are awarded to college students each year, according to Kantrowitz. According to calculations by Kantrowitz, around 1 in 8 college students has won a scholarship.

☆ Big Tech is pursuing 'the year of efficiency.' It could get supercharged by AI.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Matt Turner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

On the agenda today:But first: Why Big tech's new focus on efficiency could have far-reaching impacts. Tech jobs aren't coming backTech giants have been slashing jobs. Companies from Meta to Salesforce have cut jobs in the recent months in the pursuit of efficiency and profit margins. Also read:Whistleblower docs: Jane RobertsSupreme Court Justice Chief Justice John Roberts and his wife Jane Roberts arrive for a 2018 State Dinner at the White House. At least one of those firms argued a case before the chief justice after paying his wife hundreds of thousands of dollars.

☆ Twitter and Apple are cracking down on return-to-office mandates. Other tech companies will likely start too.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Major tech companies are taking in-person work pretty seriously. They were early return-to-office tech companies. So their crackdowns give a glimmer of how tech companies issuing similar mandates now will enforce them going forward. Amazon, Oracle, Salesforce, and many other tech companies recently announced the end to remote work. Check out our list of major companies with return-to-office mandates — they could eye policy enforcement soon.

☆ Should you be worried about your money, your bank or the U.S. banking system? Experts weigh in
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

However, the unexpected shutdowns of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank have many consumers concerned about their deposits, their bank and the U.S. banking system. Here, experts answer what a bank run is, how FDIC insurance works and whether your deposits are still secure. andresr | E+ | Getty ImagesThe short answer is "possibly," according to Stacy Francis, a certified financial planner and president and CEO of Francis Financial in New York. "This is happening, in part, because of the Federal Reserve's sharp rise in interest rates," Francis said. Further, "many banks are seeing large withdrawals from cash depositors who are looking [for higher rates] to make more money," Francis added.

☆ How eliminating noncompete agreements could make it easier for workers to change jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Marguerite Ward | Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Some 30 million workers are subject to noncompete agreements, according to the FTC. The FTC estimated that some 30 million workers are subject to noncompete agreements. In theory, noncompete agreements protect companies from having high-level executives with inside info jump to competitors or start rival shops. Thousands of workers could soon switch jobsMany low-wage workers are subject to noncompete agreements, which the FTC said stifles wages and innovation. andresr/Getty ImagesEnforceable or not, noncompete agreements scare many workers into staying in their current roles, recruiters said.

☆ ‘Porch pirates’ stole an estimated 260 million packages in the last year. How to prevent theft on your doorstep
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Andresr | E+ | Getty ImagesYou may not be the only person eager for packages to arrive at your house. Over the last year, an estimated 260 million delivered packages were stolen, according to a report from SafeWise, an online guide to security and safety products. The total annual lost to this type of theft is an estimated $19.5 billion, according to SafeWise. "The other aspect of this crime that makes it unique and likely to continue increasing is that there's very low risk and very low skill involved," Stickle said. If possible, you should sign up to receive an email or text message when your package is supposed to arrive and when it's actually delivered, Murray said.

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