DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ The top 10 U.S. cities where a $100,000 salary goes the furthest—half are in Texas
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

It turns out, that includes how far a $100,000 salary will get you, according to a recent SmartAsset study. A six-figure income offers the most purchasing power in El Paso, Texas, the study found. In El Paso, a $100,000 salary amounts to around $88,840 after taking out those expenses. One factor potentially fueling the Lone Star State's dominance is its tax friendliness, since Texas does not collect state income taxes. However, residents still pay federal income taxes and face some of the highest property taxes in the country.

Persons: Zers —, — Organizations: Council for Community, Economic Research, Census, Christi, Houston, Star Locations: Texas, U.S, El Paso , Texas, El Paso, Mexico, RentCafe, San Antonio, Lubbock

☆ ‘Parents need to talk about this’: The best way to teach your kids about AI, according to an education expert
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Although the majority of American kids are familiar with the concept of artificial intelligence, many would like help learning how to use AI-powered tools, per a new survey. And nearly 30% of students in that age range say they've used ChatGPT, OpenAI's AI-powered chatbot, to help with homework, according to the survey. Barchers has also written multiple children's books and college textbooks. "It's impractical to think that the kids are not going to try it," she tells CNBC Make It. "Parents need to talk about this."

Persons: Suzanne Barchers, Barchers Organizations: CNBC

☆ From Stanley Cups to snail mucin skin care—here’s the No. 1 way to keep viral TikTok products from draining your wallet
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

If you've spent any amount of time on social media apps like TikTok and Instagram, you're probably familiar with the seemingly endless stream of viral products popping up on your feed. And while something like a $45 Stanley Quencher cup or $25 bottle of COSRX Snail Mucin skin-care essence probably won't break the bank, regular, impulsive spending can seriously damage your finances if you're not careful. Americans spend hundreds on social-media driven impulse buysAmericans spend around $754 a year on spur-of-the-moment purchases made on social media platforms, according to Bankrate's September survey, the latest available data. While you shouldn't feel bad for treating yourself every now and then, you should be aware of how those purchases may be impacting your long term financial stability. How to get impulse spending under control

Persons: you've, Stanley Quencher, Gen Zers

☆ Bitcoin briefly reached its highest price in over two years—but investors should still tread carefully
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

On Tuesday morning, bitcoin briefly reached an all-time high price of $69,210, according to Coin Metrics. The new record had been a long time coming: It's been over two years since the cryptocurrency reached its previous high of around $68,982 on Nov. 10, 2021. One factor that appears to be fueling bitcoin's recent rise is the debut of bitcoin ETFs. The digital token's rise also helped boost the price of other virtual coins, including ether, which reached its highest price level since January 2022 on Wednesday. Although bitcoin's recent success may make it tempting to buy in, think carefully before adding it or any other cryptocurrency to your investment portfolio.

Persons: bitcoin, It's Organizations: Metrics, Securities and Exchange

☆ Credit card late fees will soon be capped at $8—why you should aim to pay on time anyway
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The days of double digit late fees for late credit card payments may be coming to an end. On Tuesday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule that will cap credit card late fees at $8. For the past decade, consumers have faced increasing credit card late fees with the average cost of a late payment rising from $23 at the end 2010 to $32 in 2022, according to the CFPB. However, the agency says many larger credit card issuers hiked those late fees each year without proving why the increase was necessary. I don't think $8 is enough of a deterrent [against making late payments]," he tells CNBC Make It.

Persons: Rohit Chopra, Ted Rossman Organizations: Consumer Financial, Federal, CNBC, American Bankers Association

☆ The most important step to take with your money if you're worried about layoffs, from a personal finance expert
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"The most important thing you can do is actually understand what you're going to do beforehand," she tells CNBC Make It. "That way, when you're under stress, you don't also have to stress yourself out by trying to figure all this stuff out on the fly." Here's how to make a plan now if you're worried about layoffs down the road. Make a list of expenses to cutStart by getting a clear picture of your expenses while you're still working and earning money. Then, create a list of which expenses you'd be able to cut immediately in the event you're let go from your job, Lester says.

Persons: Anne Lester, you'd, Lester, you'll Organizations: CNBC

☆ Once you hit this credit score, banks will 'fall all over themselves' to work with you, says money expert—it's not a perfect 850
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

It may be hard to imagine digging yourself out of $100,000 in credit card debt and boosting your credit score by 400 points. Khalfani-Cox boosted her credit score from the low 400s to a perfect 850 after spending three years paying down her debt. Although her credit score sits at 806 as of the last report date on Jan. 20, she says she still receives the same benefits as when she had a perfect 850. That's because Khalfani-Cox's most recent score still places her in the "exceptional" credit score category. "Once you're in the perfect credit scoring range, banks are going to fall all over themselves to do business with you."

Persons: Lynnette, Cox Organizations: New York Times, Resilience, CNBC

☆ Nearly 1 in 4 Americans with debt are putting less money toward credit card payments: 'People are really struggling'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Total credit card debt in the U.S. has reached a record high — but people are putting less money toward paying it down. Americans collectively hold $1.13 trillion in credit card debt as of the end of December, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's latest Household Debt and Credit Report. Debt holders say they put around $363 per month toward their credit card debt in 2023, slightly less than the $430 they paid monthly in 2022. How interest rates and inflation impact credit card debtOne reason people are contributing less is due to record-high credit card interest rates combined with elevated prices for everyday goods, says Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree. Making a plan to get out of credit card debt

Persons: Matt Schulz, Schulz, they've Organizations: Federal Reserve Bank of New, LendingTree Locations: U.S, New York, York

☆ If you invested $1,000 in Nvidia 10 years ago, here’s how much money you’d have now
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

For context, Nvidia makes powerful computer chips that power popular AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft's Copilot. As of market close on Feb. 21, the tech company's market cap sat at $1.667 trillion, putting it behind Alphabet's $1.779 trillion market cap. Nvidia's stock price has been on an upward trajectory so far this year. Although the company's stock price declined by nearly 3% during Wednesday's trading session, shares have surged by nearly 40% since the beginning of the year. Although short-term demand for Nvidia's AI chips has been strong, major companies such as Microsoft and Meta have indicated interest in buying them from other companies.

Persons: It's Organizations: CNBC, Nvidia, Wall, Microsoft, Apple, Meta

☆ The No. 1 money mistake to avoid if you're laid off: The 'long-term consequences' will be 'very painful’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"The long-term consequences of that are going to be very painful," she tells CNBC Make It. You'll generally need to pay income tax on any money you withdraw, which could result in a higher tax bill. You may derail your long-term retirement goalsIn addition to potentially facing a costly tax bill, cashing out your 401(k) may negatively impact your ability to meet your long-term retirement goals. When you withdraw funds invested through your 401(k), that money loses out on the opportunity to continue growing through the power of compound interest. On top of that, cashing out your 401(k) means you're essentially restarting your retirement saving journey.

Persons: Anne Lester, you've, Lester, Ed Slott Organizations: CNBC

☆ Apple calls its Vision Pro a ‘spatial computer’—here’s what that means
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Think of "spatial computing" as an umbrella term that refers to merging the digital world with the physical world in a seamless way. Instead, Apple refers to the Vision Pro as a "spatial computer." If you're in the U.S. and have an extra $3,500 lying around, you can now get Apple's latest gadget, the Vision Pro — but don't call it a virtual reality headset. While both augmented reality and virtual reality fall under the spatial computing umbrella, the two terms refer to different user experiences. Apple is positioning the Vision Pro as a full-on computer that could work as an alternative to your desktop or laptop, instead of a device that's mainly used for entertainment, he adds.

Persons: Apple, Louis Rosenberg, Rosenberg, they're Organizations: Apple, Vision, CNBC Locations: U.S

☆ 74% of Americans are confident they'll be able to retire by 64—here's how much they'll need to save each month
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Many Americans want to retire before turning 65, and they're pretty optimistic about achieving that goal. Nearly three quarters of American adults — 74% — are confident they'll be able to retire at 64, per New York Life's recent "Wealth Watch" survey. The average American thinks they'll need around $1.3 million to retire comfortably, according to Northwestern Mutual's "Planning and Progress" study. Taking that into account, CNBC calculated how much you would need to save each month in order to retire at 64 with $1.3 million. The calculations don't factor in common, but unpredictable, life events such as layoffs, promotions or market volatility.

Organizations: CNBC Locations: New York, Northwestern

☆ Why this self-made millionaire never touches her debit card—it's 'in a drawer'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

She makes sure to pay her credit card bills in full and on time each month to avoid costly interest charges. She racks up rewardsOne of Dunlap's favorite perks of only using credit cards for payment is rewards points. It boosts her credit scoreConsistently using your credit card and paying off your bills on time can help boost your credit score, Dunlap says. Since your payment history accounts for 35% of how your credit score is calculated, making on-time payments "benefits your credit score more than any other single factor," according to Experian. How to decide if only using credit cards may work for you

Persons: Tori Dunlap's, Dunlap Organizations: New York Times, CNBC Locations: Seattle, Paris

☆ It's too expensive to replace human workers with AI—for now, says MIT study
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

That's because it may be too expensive for companies to replace human workers with AI, according to a January study from MIT CSAIL, MIT Sloan, The Productivity Institute and IBM's Institute for Business Value. The study researched the technical requirements and characteristics an AI model would need in order to complete a job at the level a human could. Then, researchers examined whether it makes economic sense for a company to pay for the development of that AI system and deploy it instead of a human worker. The study found that the majority of the time, it would be cheaper for companies to continue to use human workers for those tasks rather than automate them with AI. There's likely to be a "more gradual integration of AI into various sectors," instead of a rapid replacement of human workers with AI bots, Thompson says in the study.

Persons: MIT Sloan, wouldn't, Neil Thompson, Thompson Organizations: MIT CSAIL, MIT, The Productivity Institute, IBM's Institute for Business, CNBC

☆ Florida is the No. 1 state to retire in 2024—No. 2 is nearly 2,000 miles away
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Florida has regained its status as the best state for retirees in 2024. That's according to WalletHub's latest "Best and Worst States to Retire" study. The state doesn't levy any income tax, which means income from Social Security and withdrawals from retirement accounts won't be taxed at the state level. If you prefer mountains over beaches, Colorado ranks as the second-best state for retirees, according to WalletHub. And although Colorado partially taxes income from Social Security and withdrawals from retirement accounts, the state allows for tax deductions for certain retirement income sources for qualified taxpayers.

Persons: WalletHub, Karen Magruder Organizations: States, Florida, Fort, University of Texas, Social Security Locations: Florida, Virginia, Popular Florida, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, St, Petersburg, Clearwater, Arlington, Colorado

☆ The S&P 500 hit another all-time high—but don't switch up your retirement saving strategy, says CFP
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Your 401(k) may look a little better than usual as tech stocks pushed the S&P 500 index to another all-time high as of market close on Thursday. But now's not the time to change up your retirement saving strategy. Your retirement saving strategy should be proactive rather than reactive. Since the stock market is, by nature, unpredictable, it isn't wise to base your long-term investment strategy on how the market is performing in the short term. "You can't predict exactly when that bull market becomes a bear market and vice versa," Shamrell says.

Persons: now's, You've, Douglas Boneparth, Mike Shamrell, Shamrell Organizations: Bone, CNBC

☆ Scammers can use AI tools to clone the voices of you and your family—how to protect yourself
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A robocall impersonating President Joe Biden urged New Hampshire voters not to participate in Tuesday's presidential primary — and it probably won't be the last AI voice scam this election season. "Of course, this will be used by foreign nation states just like the trolling farms they already have. "These messages appear to be an unlawful attempt to disrupt the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election and to suppress New Hampshire voters." Thanks to the rapid development of the type of AI technology used to clone and mimic people's voices, these types of AI-powered schemes are becoming more common — and scammers aren't just spoofing well-known public figures. In March, the Federal Trade Commission issued a consumer alert warning people that scammers could target them by using AI technology to clone the voice of a family member in order to convince them to send the scammers money.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden's, Biden, scammers Organizations: New, CNBC, NBC News, New Hampshire voters, Federal Trade Commission Locations: New Hampshire

☆ On ChatGPT's one-year anniversary, it has more than 1.7 billion users—here's what it may do next
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Nov. 30 marks ChatGPT's one-year anniversary, and quite a lot has changed since the popular AI chatbot debuted. As the ways people utilize the AI chatbot have changed, the technology itself has evolved too. Now, users are able to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus, which provides access to OpenAI's most up-to-date AI chatbot, ChatGPT-4. In February, Google announced its own AI chatbot called Bard. In November, Amazon unveiled its AI chatbot, Q.

Persons: chatbot, OpenAI, Greg Brockman, ChatGPT, Sam Altman, Altman, It's, What's Organizations: UBS, Microsoft, Google, YouTube, Amazon Locations: Brooklyn, New York, ChatGPT

☆ 10 most expensive places to retire in the U.S. based on home prices—over half are in California
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Housing expenses can be some of the highest costs retirees face during their post-work years — and those expenses can vary greatly by location. Based on home prices, California holds several of the most expensive places to retire, according to U.S. News and World Report's "2024 Best Places to Retire in the U.S." study. It used the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau to estimate each area's annual housing costs. Housing costs in the city have steadily risen over the past few years due to the growing population and a drop in new housing units, per the analysis. Here are the 10 most expensive places to retire in the U.S., based on home prices, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Organizations: U.S . News, U.S . Census, San Jose, San Francisco Locations: California, U.S, Puerto Rico, Jose , California

☆ Why buy now, pay later options aren't necessarily better than credit cards
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Buy now, pay later options accounted for around $6.4 billion of online spending in October, according to Adobe Analytics. But while they may offer attractive benefits, such as interest-free payments, they aren't necessarily better or safer than using a credit card. Buy now, pay later payment options essentially allow you to take out a microloan to make a purchase, then pay back that loan in installments. While that may seem like a deal, if you're using multiple buy now, pay later plans, the payments can really add up, Rossman says. If you're choosing between using a credit card or a buy now, pay later option, here's how to decide which is right for you.

Persons: Ted Rossman, Rossman Organizations: Adobe Analytics, CNBC

☆ 25% of Americans still have holiday debt from last year: 'If you're in a hole, stop digging,' says money expert
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

About 25% of Americans are still paying off holiday debt from 2022, according to WalletHub's November holiday shopping survey. But those already carrying a balance could find themselves sinking further into the red if they don't get a handle on their credit card debt. "If you're in a hole, stop digging," Ted Rossman, Bankrate's senior industry analyst, tells CNBC Make It. One reason you may want to avoid racking up more debt is that higher interest rates are making it more expensive to pay down. A higher interest rate means it could take longer and be more expensive to pay down your credit card debt.

Persons: Ted Rossman, Rossman Organizations: CNBC, Federal Reserve

☆ Here's how much money you need to save each month to retire with $2 million if you make $150,000 a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

American workers earning six-figure incomes have mixed feelings about whether they're saving enough to retire. Only about half of workers earning $100,000 or more feel that they're contributing enough to their 401(k)s to retire comfortably in the future, according to CNBC's August "Your Money" survey. You may also need more money saved up if you plan to retire in a state with higher costs of living. On average, Americans believe they'll need around $1.8 million saved by the time they retire, according to Charles Schwab's 2023 401(k) Participant Study. With this in mind, CNBC calculated how much you need to set aside each month if you earn $150,000 and want to retire with $2 million at 67.

Persons: CNBC's, Charles Schwab's Organizations: CNBC

☆ Worth the money: 3 self-care gifts under $75 to make your loved ones’ lives easier
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Annie Probert | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

From the frazzled parent to the overworked boss, we all know someone in our lives who deserves a little extra TLC. Nidra eye maskI hate sleep masks. Except, that is, the Deep Rest Eye Mask from Nidra ($25), which I bought very begrudgingly... before using it rigorously during my summer travels. Sunrise alarm clockI never thought I could be a morning person until I got my sunrise alarm clock from Amazon ($30). Long gone are the days of waking up in a state of panic due to my jarring phone alarm clock.

Persons: I'd, pang, — Cameron Albert, Deitch, Long Organizations: CNBC Locations: Cheyenne DeVon

☆ Bill Gates says today’s software is still 'pretty dumb,' but believes AI will ‘utterly change how we live our lives'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

However, despite its rapid development over the past few years, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates thinks today's software is still "pretty dumb," according to a Nov. 9 post on his blog, GatesNotes. Currently, we typically use apps to complete a singular task such as booking a flight or checking our bank account. However, Gates predicts AI will make using different apps unnecessary within the next five years. "In the next few years, they will utterly change how we live our lives, online and off," he says. But an AI agent would be able to use its knowledge of your preferences to book and purchase those things on your behalf.

Persons: Bill Gates, Gates, you've Organizations: Microsoft

☆ You can now build your own version of ChatGPT—here’s what to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

On Monday, OpenAI, the company that created ChatGPT, announced users will now be able to create customized versions of the viral AI chatbot. Typically, you would need to have a good understanding of coding and machine learning, plus access to large sets of training data, if you wanted to build a useful AI chatbot. But now, "anyone can easily build their own GPT — no coding is required," OpenAI said in its Nov. 6 blog post. "There could be funny chatbots, serious chatbots or chatbots that can give you personalized advice." For example, a famous chef may be able to build their own AI chatbot that has knowledge of their personal cooking style and recipes, says Lipson.

Persons: OpenAI, Hod Lipson, They're, Lipson, Warren Buffett Organizations: Columbia University, CNBC

Search resuls for: "Cheyenne DeVon"

25 mentions found