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☆ My boss and I were good friends. Then I got laid off.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Tess Martinelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Angelica Miller, a 31-year-old recruiter from Arizona who was recently laid off. My last boss and I were friends. We became friends instantlyBefore she became my boss, she was my peer. My coworkers and boss have been nothing but kind to me, but I can't help but feel skeptical of their authenticity. I don't have any regrets about being friends with my boss, but I definitely won't do it again.

Persons: —, Angelica Miller, It's, I've, I'd, it's, Miller, Tess Martinelli, tmartinelli@businessinsider.com Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Arizona, California

☆ A millennial who made nearly $200K working 20 hours a week says secretly working multiple jobs gave him the confidence to start his own business
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Then he had an idea: He could look for extra work to boost his income and professional skills. AdvertisementPatrick, who's 34 and based in California, made nearly $200,000 last year secretly working two full-time remote jobs and doing additional freelance work on the side. While some companies may be OK with their employees taking on extra work, doing so without approval could have consequences. Then, in 2022, Patrick started a second full-time remote job while retaining three freelance clients. He said his freelance work has turned into a full-fledged business — he established an LLC last December.

Persons: —, Patrick, it's, jugglers, He's Organizations: Service, Business Locations: California

☆ I went on a secret holiday for a month without telling my boss, using a mouse jiggler to avoid suspicion. I'd do it again.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I've also started "quiet vacationing," which is when your employer is under the impression you're working but you're secretly taking time off. Although I've considered leaving my job, I'm in a golden cage. Because I spend a lot of time doing nothing, I started quietly taking time off for travel without taking PTO over the past two years. Why are we having regulations about the hours that I'm online or where I'm working from? The world can't function if no one has a job, but your job doesn't need to be your entire life.

Persons: —, I'm, I've, I'd, it's, It's Organizations: Service, Business, San Locations: San Francisco, Europe, Italy

☆ I quit teaching and broke into tech with a coding boot camp. It's given me the life I dreamed about.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

One of my friends had done a coding boot camp and told me she really enjoyed it. The boot camp was intenseI quit teaching after summer school in 2021 and started the boot camp in August. The boot camp provided us with a career coach, but some of my classmates never broke into tech or returned to what they were doing. The boot camp seemed like the only way for me to transition into techI'll be done paying off the boot camp in October. I saw the boot camp as the best way to learn the skills I needed to transition into tech.

Persons: —, Xavier Carrillo, wasn't, We'd, wouldn't, could've, Carrillo, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Business, Baruch, New York City Teaching, General, Apple, YouTube Locations: New York City, New York, Ecuador, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ Boomers who want to transfer wealth to their adult kids should make sure their finances can pass a stress test
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

So, how do you know if you're in a position to be able to start passing down your wealth? But even average baby boomers, who have a net worth of around $1 million, are getting in on early wealth transfers. Griffith said the first thing someone should do before transferring wealth is to look at their retirement resources and do something she calls a "stress test." That includes considering what the portfolio might look like when the markets are most volatile and declining. Griffith said a wealth advisor can help complete a stress test using specific software that looks at various simulations of what could happen to a person's finances.

Persons: boomers, Michelle Griffith, Griffith, it's Organizations: Service, Business, Financial, Citi, Wealth Management

☆ I broke into tech as a teacher after going to a coding boot camp. Now I have a 6-figure job and work-life balance.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

One of my friends had done a coding boot camp and told me she really enjoyed it. The boot camp was intenseI quit teaching after summer school in 2021 and started the boot camp in August. The job search was roughAfter the boot camp ended, looking for a job was very difficult. The boot camp seemed like the only way for me to transition into techI'll be done paying off the boot camp in October. I saw the boot camp as the best way to learn the skills I needed to transition into tech.

☆ A millennial dad's $0 student-loan payments gave his family some breathing room. Then courts blocked Biden's repayment plan leaving 8 million borrowers like him in limbo.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Throughout his repayment, Pedrick has been on an income-driven repayment plan, which calculated his payments based on his five-figure salary. "And I was really thankful not to have to pay my student loan payments at that point." Earlier this year, two separate groups of attorneys general filed lawsuits to block the SAVE plan. The department is still carrying out account adjustments, during which it brings borrowers' payments up to date to bring them closer to relief. Are you concerned about the future of your student-loan payments?

Persons: Alan Pedrick, he's, Pedrick, Joe, He's, Biden, — Pedrick, Bill Cassidy, Biden's, Cassidy, Miguel Cardona, Cardona, it's, I'm Organizations: Service, Business, GOP, SAVE, forbearance, Education Department, Senate, Republican

☆ A boomer living on $1,680 Social Security and SNAP struggles to afford food: 'It has kept me very isolated.'
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

What's more, her $23 in SNAP doesn't go very far at the grocery store — maybe it covers a few packages of frozen vegetables, a carton of milk, and some chicken. AdvertisementShe relies on her Social Security for income — an amount that comes out to $1,680 a month, according to documents viewed by BI. AdvertisementOn her limited income, Rita said she can feel lonely. Are you living paycheck to paycheck on Social Security? Have you chosen to take Social Security early or delay benefits?

Persons: —, Rita hasn't, Rita, She's, it's, wouldn't, hadn't, she's Organizations: Service, SNAP, Business, Social, BI, Income, Northwestern Mutual, Social Security, Security Locations: Pekin , Illinois, Chicago, Pekin

☆ When my wife died at 39, I raised our daughter alone. My parenting style is 'whatever gets us through the day.'
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Jane Ridley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

My wife, Alison, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in 2012 — the same year she gave birth to our daughter, Annabel. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Danes with his late wife, Alison, and their daughter, Annabel. AdvertisementMy parenting has become the "whatever it takes to get through the day" style of parenting. Do you have an interesting story about your parenting style that you'd like to share with Business Insider?

Persons: —, Peter Danes, Alison, Annabel, Peter Danes Annabel, I've, It's Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Australia

☆ Boomer Loves Retirement, Living in DC, Gets Government Benefits
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Cole is an example of what retirement can look like with a good savings plan and a variety of government assistance programs. Her prior government role left her with a hefty retirement benefit; she still gets healthcare. She's taken advantage of a few water aerobics classes in DC and was swimming up at a pool near Capitol Hill. "The last season," what she calls the "senior season" of life, is the best, Cole said. "I know people think they're in a good season now, but live long enough to get that Medicaid card," she said, adding: "I don't have nobody to tell me what to do.

Persons: —, Carol Cole, she's, Fred —, Cole, scot, didn't, Carol, Harris Teeter, Ross, She's, It's Organizations: Service, Fiat, Business, Produce, Kennedy Center, DC, Amtrak Locations: Washington, Charlottesville , Virginia, bam, It's, San Francisco, Chicago, Denver, Reno, Vegas

☆ A 'peak boomer' working in Germany plans to retire in the US because he believes the healthcare is better
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( John Towfighi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewAfter a decade of working abroad, George said he'll return to the US to retire. While he said the healthcare system is great on average, it's becoming more difficult to manage the bureaucracy of insurance filings as an American abroad. "You can pretty much get anywhere by train or bus within Germany," George said. Before he retires to the US, he said he'll try to appreciate all the perks of living abroad. Are you an American living or working abroad and considering retiring in the US?

Persons: —, George, he'll, George hasn't, he's, Munich George Organizations: Service, Alliance, Lifetime, Income, Social Security, Business Locations: American, Munich, Seattle, Medicare, Germany, Philippines, America, Europe, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Ukraine, New York, Chicago, Mallorca, Sicily, Dubai

☆ A millennial who's been looking for a job for over 4 years says his degrees have offered little value: 'I can't get anything even at minimum wage'
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Andy Kiersz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

He's even expanded his job search to restaurant and retail jobs — e.g. AdvertisementHesmondhalgh shared why he thinks his job search has been so challenging and what he plans to do moving forward. AdvertisementIdeally, he'd land a job in journalism — the field he has two degrees in. He thinks he's struggled to land journalism roles because most of the positions he's looked at require three to five years of formal newsroom experience, and he doesn't have that. Going forward, Hesmondhalgh said he plans to continue his job search for as long as necessary.

Persons: —, Roland Hesmondhalgh, He's, Hesmondhalgh, hasn't, he's, it's, he'll Organizations: Service, Florida Institute of Technology, Business, Georgetown, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Supreme, US Capitol Locations: Virginia, Washington, DC, Arlington , Virginia

☆ Wages have outpaced inflation since 2020 but many consumers still feel burdened by prices
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( John Towfighi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewAmerican consumers have been frustrated by high prices over past years, but there's some good news: wages have outpaced inflation since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2020, average hourly wages for most US workers have risen faster than the consumer price index, meaning income has maintained its purchasing power against rising prices. While wage gains have outpaced inflation, it can be difficult for consumers to feel the growth, and plenty of people still miss the "good old days" of lower prices. Since spring 2023, year-over-year wage growth for production and nonsupervisory workers has consistently been above inflation. While US consumers adjust to higher prices, strong wage growth should help ease affordability concerns, Krugman wrote.

Persons: —, Sarah Foster, Foster, Paul Krugman, Krugman Organizations: Service, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business, Michigan Ross, Economic Policy Institute, Federal Reserve, New York Times Locations: jtowfighi@businessinsider.com

☆ My wife makes $500,000 a year and I'm a stay-at-home dad. It's been difficult to fit in with the mom crowd.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ken Mac, a 43-year-old stay-at-home dad in the Chicago area. AdvertisementWhen I told my coworkers I was resigning to become a stay-at-home dad, they were shocked that I'd leave such a well-paying job. Related storiesHowever, I feel the impact and reward of my job as a stay-at-home dad more than I did as an engineer. It also underscores the demands of being a stay-at-home parent — there are no breaks, no sick days, and no PTO. This always prompts a pause before I reveal I'm a stay-at-home dad.

Persons: —, Ken Mac, It's, Andrea, I've, I'd, wasn't, Ken, isn't, aren't, would've, Lauryn Haas Organizations: Service, Business, lhaas@businessinsider.com Locations: Chicago

☆ Tesla's cars are starting to look pretty basic — and that's a problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But people looking for a flashy new design in Tesla's more traditional car lineup are stuck waiting for now. The Model S and Model X used to be the ultimate status symbol. In 2020, TikTok star Addison Rae made headlines when she was spotted in her bright pink Tesla Model X. And the design of the Model S and Model X hasn't been meaningfully updated since 2021. "If you start announcing some great thing, it affects our near-term sales," Musk said on Tuesday.

Persons: —, Tesla, Addison Rae, Brian Moody, Elon Musk, Tesla's, Edmunds, Ivan Drury, that's, Moody, Musk, Osborne, Stephanie Valdez, Valdez, Streaty Organizations: Service, Business, Cox Automotive, Streaty, Cox Automotive Industry, EV

☆ A Californian details the pros of living in England and how the culture compares to the US
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The pros and cons of living in EnglandAs someone who loves being outdoors, Andrea finds the English countryside beautiful. "It's something that I feel like you don't really get in America because it's so classically England. "I think you don't really get to see that much in two weeks," she said. "You don't get to experience that much, and you don't really know what it's like to live there. Advertisement"I feel like that's something that's not really talked about very often when you're moving to a different country," she said.

Persons: Andrea, Zoe Sugg, Alfie Deyes, It's, London, she's, it's, that's Organizations: Service, Business, University of Leicester, US, Valentine's Locations: California, England, Southern California, LA, London, Instagram, America, mhoff@businessinsider.com

☆ I was kicked out of high school, so I turned to the Marines for a way forward. Now, I'm a corporate lawyer with degrees from Stanford and Harvard.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Elle Hardy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

At 17, I was kicked out of high school because I skipped class to work at my fast-food job and hang out with my friends. I was always interested in the MarinesAfter getting kicked out of school, I enlisted in the Marine Corps. AdvertisementI got my GED and took 15 units of entry-level community college classes, like English 101 and US History. AdvertisementI left the military and began classes at a community collegeTragically, our first daughter died during birth. It's pretty amazing that a Black kid from a low-income family who didn't finish high school was able to achieve all of this.

Persons: —, Andrew Hanson, I'd, Stanford, I've, they've, Lauryn Haas Organizations: Service, Business, Marines, Marine Corps, School of Infantry, Tragically, Stanford, Columbia, Department of Justice, Harvard University, Department of Veterans Affairs, Harvard Locations: Virginia, Chicago, Camp Pendleton , California, Iraq, New Orleans, California, Washington, Cambridge , Massachusetts, Skadden, Slate, lhaas@businessinsider.com

☆ Philadelphia is experimenting with guaranteed income pilots for pregnant people and housing insecure families
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewPhiladelphia has joined the national guaranteed basic income wave — with a focus on pregnant people and families experiencing housing insecurity. AdvertisementPhilly Joy Bank hopes to improve birth outcomesThe Philly Joy Bank pilot will offer $1,000 a month for 18 months to pregnant people beginning in their second trimester. It is a partnership between the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the Philadelphia City Fund — with funding coming from the city and various foundations. Guaranteed income programs like Philly Joy Bank "should be the standard, not the exception," Coaxum said. Participants will pay about 30% of their personal monthly income toward housing, then they will receive guaranteed income to cover any remaining balance.

Persons: —, ALICE, Nia Coaxum, It's, Coaxum, Dawn Benson, Benson, Noah Sheidlower Organizations: Service, Philly Joy Bank, Business, Nonprofit United, Philly, Bank, Health, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Denver, Philadelphia Community Action, Philadelphia City Fund, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, city's Department of Public Health, Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation, University of Pennsylvania, BI Locations: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, America, Area, Chicago, San Antonio , New York City, Tioga, Cobbs

☆ I'm an American mom who raised my kids in Spain. They considered going to the US for college but changed their minds.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Erin Liam | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But the more we compared the European college experience to that of the US, the more we were drawn to Europe. Going to college in Europe, however, would allow him to meet people of different backgrounds. After taking a gap year in 2021, Gavin decided to pursue a degree in Culinary Entrepreneurship at Technological University Dublin in Ireland. AdvertisementAs a Wyoming resident, Gavin would have paid $5,190 for tuition at the University of Wyoming, excluding other costs. However, he considered the University of New Hampshire, where tuition costs $36,170 yearly for out-of-state students, excluding housing and other fees.

Persons: —, Jackie Baxa, Gavin, Baxa, Kaden, he's, we've, It's, He's, We've, Erin, eliam@businessinsider.com Organizations: Service, Business, Entrepreneurship, Technological University, European Union, Technological University of Dublin, Housing, University of Wyoming, University of New Locations: Spain, Seville, Europe, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, Technological University Dublin, Ireland, Dublin, Milan, Amsterdam, Wyoming, University of New Hampshire

☆ A New Hampshire couple who wants to retire by age 35 shares the 'house-hacking' strategy that's grown their net worth to over $800,000
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewIn 2019, at the age of 23, Lauren Simpson and her husband Ian decided to pursue an ambitious goal: retire by age 35. The rest is from the equity they've built in four properties they've purchased over the last three years: one primary residence and three rental properties. These properties also provide the couple with rental income that they put toward their savings. When someone buys a second home or investment property, mortgage lenders often require a downpayment of at least 10%. In addition to buying investment properties, Simpson said she and Ian have done whatever they can to grow their savings.

Persons: —, Lauren Simpson, Ian, Simpson, Roth, they've, New Hampshire — Simpson, we've Organizations: Service, Business, FIRE, Roth IRA, baseball Locations: New Hampshire, Florida, —

☆ I only lost 30 pounds on Ozempic. After switching to the keto diet, I lost 120 more and reversed my diabetes.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Jane Ridley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I now weigh 155 pounds — 12 pounds lighter than I did when I graduated high school at 18. I'd been borderline diabetic for a few years — but I ignored my doctor's warnings to offset it with diet and exercise. In total, I lost about 30 pounds over the course of two years. I lost an average of 2 pounds a week after initially losing moreI also started exercising. The most I lost in a week was five or six pounds, Then, as time went by, it would be around two pounds a week.

Persons: —, Dan Brown, It's, We'd, I'd, Brown, Mom didn't Organizations: Service, Wyoming ., Business, Food and Drug Administration Locations: Wyoming, American

☆ I'm a ghostwriter for big names in business and Hollywood. The interview process is emotional, but I know what makes a great story.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Elle Hardy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. I didn't even know what a ghostwriter was or if there was a business for it. Working with successful people usually means they're extremely busy, so sometimes we have to wait for them to find time for everything. Sometimes the interview process can be difficult for clientsWhen we address topics like trauma and relationships, it can be a lot for the client to process. AdvertisementVery often, as they go through the interview process, they become more comfortable talking about difficult things later on.

Persons: —, Loren Stephens, I'm, It's, We'll, Al Azus, Aki Gonzalez Aleong, Jeff Margolis, Barbara Walters, I've, Leo Daughtry, Lauryn Haas Organizations: Service, Business, North Carolina State Rep, lhaas@businessinsider.com Locations: Los Angeles, Boston, North Carolina, I'm, LA

☆ Leaving India and working in tech in the US changed me. I feel too foreign here and too foreign there.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

It was because I knew that working in Big Tech in Silicon Valley would change me into a different person and I'd never move back. It's been 11 years since then, and I think I've gotten happier with my life here now that I've worked at a few different jobs in Big Tech. But despite this, working in the US suits me better than working in India because of my individualistic mindset. Some people back home think very competitively — they've hinted that they think I'm just plain lucky, and if they had the opportunity, they'd do it too and much better. Even if I had all the resources to go back to India, it'd be different — I've grown apart from who I was.

Persons: Uday Padyana, I'd, It's, I've, India I've, I'm, it's, they've, there's, —, haven't, would've, India I'm, could've, it'd, Jeff Bezos's, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Big Tech, Big, Business, PayPal, Uber Locations: Silicon Valley, India, Big Tech, Silicon, Atlanta, Washington , DC, American, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ Amazon could help fix its troubled grocery business — by expanding it
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-21 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But Amazon, which has also spent four years opening Amazon Fresh stores and trying to build its grocery delivery business, hasn't been as disruptive to existing players like Walmart and Kroger as some feared it would be. To better serve the middle, Amazon could consider acquiring a grocery chain that already exists to boost its store network, Grewal said. Besides selling groceries, Amazon could use the stores to fill pick-up and delivery orders, much as they already do with Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods. AdvertisementOthers have also said that acquiring more stores could give Amazon the boost it needs to succeed in the grocery business. Do you work for Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh, or another part of Amazon's retail operations and have a story idea to share?

Persons: —, hasn't, it's, Dhruv Grewal, Grewal, Bernstein, Andy Jassy, Jassy Organizations: Service, Foods, Walmart, Kroger, Business, Babson College, Amazon, Albertsons Locations: Seattle

☆ My partner grew up rich, and I didn't. We almost broke up over my insecurities, but compassion and honesty have gotten us through.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-21 | by ( Tess Martinelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Geneviève Laforce, a 24-year-old content creator from Montreal, whose partner grew up wealthy. We've learned that managing a relationship with someone who grew up so differently requires constant compassion and open communication. I've been able to broaden her worldview and provoke a deeper sense of compassion for those who are struggling. If money complicates your relationship and you want to tell your story, please email Tess Martinelli at tmartinelli@businessinsider.com.

Persons: —, Geneviève Laforce, It's, We've, isn't, I've, she's, They've, Tess Martinelli Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Montreal, tmartinelli@businessinsider.com

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