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Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). Plus, the existing TD Double Up℠ Visa Credit Card and TD Cash Credit Card each got a makeover, with customer-friendly updates that make it easier to earn maximum rewards. Here's a look at the new TD credit cards and existing card improvements to help you decide if they're worth it. TD credit card changesNew TD credit cardsThe new TD Clear and TD FlexPay Credit Card aren't for folks who love to earn and use credit card rewards for free travel or cash back. Enter the newly remodeled TD Cash Credit Card: While it's always offered strong bonus categories, they were previously fixed.

☆ Restaurants embrace premium reservations to target big spenders
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

When cities and states rolled back lockdown rules, many implemented new orders for restaurants to help with contact tracing, such as requiring customers to book tables in advance. As a result of those pandemic-fueled changes, restaurants and the companies that help them book their tables are targeting big spenders with premium reservation options to drive higher sales. About two-thirds of SevenRooms' restaurant clients use its software to promote special experiences or sell upgrades when customers book reservations. Page said the move toward premium restaurant reservations can partially explain why it feels like it's so much more competitive to book a table in advance these days. "I kind of don't like the whole 'Disney FastPass line' of restaurant reservations," he said.

☆ How to talk about mental health across generations
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Julia Chan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

We are born to connect, so if we don’t do that, that’s probably the biggest hit on your mental health. Gen Z is moving the needle when it comes to bringing mental health up everywhere, like language, workplace, to their bosses. There’s a little bit more wiggle room to talk about mental health. What you can do in each generation is match mental health resources. We are going to talk about mental health, damn it!” The goal is for you to connect with your family member and understand what makes them tick.

Biden called Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Jerusalem, where he is on a diplomatic trip, to invite him to a May 9 White House meeting. Biden also extended invitations to House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican leader Mitch McConnell. Biden has steadfastly said he will not negotiate over the debt ceiling increase, but will discuss budget cuts after a new limit is passed. A White House official said Biden, who had previously said he wouldn't meet McCarthy at all to discuss the debt limit, would "stress that Congress must take action to avoid default without conditions" on May 9. The bill has no chance of passing the Democrat-controlled Senate and the White House has said Biden would veto the legislation if it did.

House Republicans passed a bill to raise the debt limit last week that includes steep spending cuts which the Democratic-controlled Senate and Biden say they will not approve. Biden has steadfastly said he will not negotiate over the debt ceiling increase, but will discuss budget cuts after a new limit is passed. In 2011, a similar debt ceiling fight took the country to the brink of default and prompted a downgrade of the country's top-notch credit rating. The Republican bill would implement $4.5 trillion in spending cuts - or about 22% - in exchange for a $1.5 trillion increase in the U.S. debt limit. It has no chance of passing the Democrat-controlled Senate and the White House has said Biden would veto the legislation.

After hitting the $31.4 trillion borrowing cap on Jan. 19, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen previously told Congress Treasury would keep up payments on debt, federal benefits and make other outlays at using cash receipts and extraordinary cash management measures. The Republican bill would implement $4.5 trillion in spending cuts - or about 22% - in exchange for a $1.5 trillion increase in the U.S. debt limit. It has no chance of passing the Democrat-controlled Senate and the White House has said President Joe Biden would veto the legislation. The White House has asked Congress to raise the debt limit without conditions; administration officials are already making plans to negotiate with Republicans over the president's 2024 budget plan. What we can’t see is that the debt limit be used by a part of Congress to hold an entire agenda of unrelated items hostage to this threat of default," she said.

☆ I got to play the latest 'Legend of Zelda' game early. Here's a preview of the biggest game the year.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( William Antonelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom," Nintendo's biggest game this year, is releasing May 12. Last week, Nintendo invited Insider to play a demo of the game. Here are my first impressions of "Tears of the Kingdom," a wonderfully creative game that delivers on its hype. There are few games that have built more hype and anticipation than the newest Zelda game, "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom." "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" releases on May 12.

☆ A top tip for central banks: talk less, smile more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Ben Winck | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Investors hang on central bankers’ every word, hoping to gain an edge for their next trade. But with consumer prices rising at the fastest pace in decades, central bankers can’t easily cut borrowing costs, either. Chatty central banks are a relatively new phenomenon. Investors are also more sensitive to central banks today than in years past. Still, being more careful about what’s said, and how it’s said, could help central banks better balance their priorities.

☆ Swiss mega-bank has scope to shrink to greatness
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Liam Proud | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In UBS (UBSG.S), which is rescuing Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) in a government-brokered deal, they almost have one. The combined Swiss mega-bank will start out with a $1.7 trillion balance sheet, making it the 10th largest Western bank, based on Refinitiv data. Credit Suisse was in the process of running down, selling or carving out trading and investment-banking businesses with risk-weighted assets (RWAs) of $68 billion. Credit Suisse CEO Ulrich Körner was hamstrung by large losses, which drained capital and limited how quickly he could shrink. The emergency combination of UBS and Credit Suisse has created a banking giant.

Your credit limit is the maximum amount you're allowed to spend on a credit card. Credit card issuers extend a credit limit based on debt, income, and ability to repay the amounts you charge to your card. Your credit limit is your borrowing capacity, or the amount of money you can charge to your credit card. And if that's not possible, you can consider moving your existing balance to a balance transfer credit card before you approach your credit limit. Increase your credit limit by requesting an increase from your card issuerWhat to know about going over your credit limitGoing over your credit limit is a worst-case scenario, and most alternatives are a better choice.

☆ A stock trader who made $8 million in 2 years shares how he's betting on AI stocks and the strategy he's using to trade hot themes this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The experience is similar to trading stocks related to bitcoin during 2017 and 2018's crypto bull run. The hype brings with it a lot of trading opportunities for long and short positions because AI stocks get overbought. For AI stocks, he believes C3.ai (AI) is the head. He's expecting another rally for the sector this year or next, which could send AI stocks to new higher levels. "I'll just explain it as, my mom is not texting me asking me about AI stocks.

☆ The FAA is warning flyers of a 45% increase in flight delays this summer in NYC and DC as it deals with staff shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Bianca Giacobone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The FAA anticipates a 45% increase in flight delays at East Coast airports in the summer of 2023. The agency is blaming a post-pandemic shortage of air traffic controllers at key New York facilities. Airlines will be temporarily allowed to give up slots and times at airports in New York and DC. The agency expects overall delays in the New York region to increase 45% in the coming months compared to summer 2022, according to a recent press release. Last summer saw over 40,000 delays recorded at the New York area airports and the highest yearly percentage of delayed flights of the past seven years.

☆ George W. Bush misrepresented our work at CIA to sell the Iraq invasion. It's time to call him what he is: 'A liar.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Two former CIA officials spoke to Insider before the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. They gave a firsthand account of the George W. Bush administration's attempts to misrepresent intelligence and assert a connection between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda. The closest they came was this alleged, and apparently nonexistent, help that Iraq gave al-Qaeda [via Atta] in bringing about the attacks. Alice: Today, people say that Bush was looking to justify the invasion of Iraq. Pretty soon it became clear that the administration was focused on this alleged meeting between Atta and Iraqi intelligence in Prague.

☆ The Earth has tilted on its axis differently over the last few decades due to melting ice caps
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Aylin Woodward | Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Earth's axis — the invisible line around which it spins — is bookended by the north and south poles. But their geographic locations aren't fixed: As the Earth's axis moves, so do the poles. If you average out thousands of years of observation the Earth's axis points in a single direction — toward the North Star, also known as Polaris. The recent change to Earth's axis won't affect our everyday lives, but it could slightly tweak the length of our days. But let's be clear that this would be a tiny, tiny, tiny effect," he said.

☆ 41% of adults are preparing for a recession. It's time to stress-test your income, advisors say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Yet many Americans — 41% — have taken steps to prepare for a possible economic downturn, according to a survey by Morning Consult. Still, there are a few steps advisors say you should take now to make sure you are prepared to weather a downturn. Barry Glassman president of Glassman Wealth Services"Stress-test your income against your ongoing obligations," Glassman said. The upside for conservative investors is they are now able to get higher interest rates on their cash. Reduce your debtsHigher interest rates mean consumer debts are climbing higher.

☆ Some Republicans want Gen Z to retire later to avoid outright cuts to Social Security: 'Does it really make sense to allow someone who's in their 20s today to retire at 62?'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Several Republicans have said recently that they want to raise the retirement age for younger generations. Social Security is rapidly approaching insolvency, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating that the fund will become unable to make all of its payments starting in 2033. Social safety net programs like Medicare and Social Security have been a partisan battleground for Democrats and Republicans for decades now, with Republicans eyeing big cuts for both programs. There are going to be no cuts in Medicare, Social Security." The White House has continued to criticize Republicans for not being publicly consistent about their goals for Social Security and Medicare.

☆ This Isn't What Millennial Middle Age Was Supposed to Look Like - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Jessica Grose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +25 min

Things have been difficult for her family, she says, but one thing she isn’t worried about: a midlife crisis, looming just over the horizon. One of our questions was about whether they had experienced a midlife crisis and how they would define the term. Many people said they felt they couldn’t be having a midlife crisis, because there was no bourgeois numbness to rebel against. “Who has midlife crisis money?”The traditional midlife crisis, as presented in popular culture, at least, unfolds amid suburban ennui. We just increase our Lexapro.”Was the midlife crisis ever even real?

☆ UK's Hunt to keep tight budget with eye on 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( William Schomberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

He and Hunt told investors that Britain was not ripping up the economic orthodoxy after all. It's the election timetable," Resolution Foundation chief executive Torsten Bell said in a panel discussion about the budget this week. Until now, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has been less pessimistic about growth than the Bank of England (BoE). Last month, the BoE said GDP would show no growth at all over 2024 and 2025 after a 0.5% fall in 2023. Hunt has said he will lay out economic growth measures in the budget, including ways to address the fall in the size of Britain's workforce.

☆ What to do if Supreme Court strikes down Biden's student loan forgiveness plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Demonstrators in favor of canceling student debt gather outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 28, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesKeep your payments on holdThe Covid pandemic-era policy suspending federal student loan payments and the accrual of interest is still active. Those are the ideal ways to postpone your federal student loan payments, because interest doesn't accrue. For example, full-time teachers who work for five consecutive years in a low-income school may be eligible for up to $17,500 in loan forgiveness under the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program. And lawyers in Texas who work for specific legal aid programs may be eligible for the Texas Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program.

☆ A flight attendant’s secrets to surviving long-haul flights
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

CNN —Any air travel can be stressful, but facing down a long-haul flight can be especially intimidating. Flight attendants on long-haul flights are provided with spaces to rest. Flight attendants need to be alert throughout the journey, so they will take it in turns to refuel via mid-flight power naps. Flight attendants will greet a returning colleague with a cup of tea or coffee. For flight attendants, Major says, that will involve working over periods in excess of 24 hours.

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☆ Car buyers rejoice: Discounts are making a comeback — but you might have to ask for them
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Car buyers didn't see the end-of-year blowout sales in November and December that they had been used to in holiday seasons' past. Instead, shoppers had to settle for new and used vehicles with markups above sticker price and no wiggle room. That puts discounts now at around $1,297, about 1% higher than the same time in 2022, Deutsche Bank analysts estimated this week. Where buyers might find the best incentivesLuxury vehicles saw the highest incentives at 6.2% in January, KBB said. "There's also some loyalty cash, and there's a pretty decent amount of rebates on some of the higher end vehicles.

☆ Credit Suisse finds new genre of loose crisis talk
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Reuters reported on Monday that financial regulator Finma is reviewing remarks the Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) chair made in a punishing period late last year. He said in early December that outflows during October, mainly in wealth management, had “completely flattened out”, “partially reversed” and “basically stopped”. He could argue that the outflows had indeed stabilised when he spoke, but then deteriorated again afterwards. Either way, the usual argument for speaking up is to counteract negative rumours, which in Credit Suisse’s case swirled on social media. Credit Suisse’s 6% share fall after the Reuters report suggests that silence might have been a better guard against both risks.

☆ UK government runs unexpected budget surplus in January - ONS
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Britain's government ran an unexpected budget surplus in January, reflecting strong income tax receipts that could give finance minister Jeremy Hunt a little more leeway than he thought as he prepares his annual budget. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Tuesday reported a seasonal budget surplus of 5.42 billion pounds ($6.51 billion) in January, a month in which millions of Britons pay their income tax receipts. A Reuters poll of economists had pointed to public sector net borrowing, excluding state-owned banks, of 7.85 billion pounds for January. The ONS reported self-assessment income tax receipts of 21.9 billion pounds, the highest January figure since monthly records began and 5.5 billion pounds more than last year. The government spent more than 10 billion pounds on its energy support for households in January, while it also paid 2.3 billion pounds to the European Union to settle a dispute over customs duties.

☆ UK government runs unexpected budget surplus in January: ONS
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Britain's government ran an unexpected budget surplus in January, reflecting strong income tax receipts that could give finance minister Jeremy Hunt a little more leeway than he thought as he prepares his annual budget. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Tuesday reported a seasonal budget surplus of £5.42 billion ($6.51 billion) in January, a month in which millions of Britons pay their income tax receipts. The ONS reported self-assessment income tax receipts of £21.9 billion, the highest January figure since monthly records began and £5.5 billion more than last year. "This suggests that the Chancellor will have some wiggle-room in the budget to fund near-term tax cuts and/or spending rises," said Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at consultancy Capital Economics, of the January surplus. The figures, which are not adjusted for inflation, showed the tax receipts were offset by £6.7 billion of interest payable on index-linked government bonds, the highest January total on record.

☆ Scoring the best deals on Presidents' Day holiday sales: 3 smart money moves to make as you shop
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Sharon Epperson | In Sharoneppersoncnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"For two reasons – the impact of inflation during a pandemic era and interest rates – what appears to be a deal may not be." Before you charge the purchase to a credit card, remember this is one of the most expensive ways to borrow money. The annual percentage rate on a credit card is at an all-time high of nearly 20%. Credit experts say that a cash-back rewards credit card with a 0% interest introductory offer may be an even better deal. Look for lower loan rates at a credit union: Many car brands offer Presidents' Day deals that lower the purchase price or interest rates or make lease deals more attractive.

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