Why we love this deal

As we head into late fall, you’re likely spending most of your free time outdoors while you can. For some, that includes working on their home’s curb appeal while the weather is nice. Not only does it give your front door an inviting feel, but it can also increase the value of your home. Plus, when you add accessories like walkway lights, they double as decor and safety measures. You can prevent tripping on steps, struggling to find the lock with your key, or just create a warm ambience.

If you’re looking for some solar lights to guide your path in the evening or at night, the Incx Waterproof Pathway Ground Solar Lights 12-Pack at Amazon is a quick and easy choice. These waterproof lights stick right in the ground, soaking up the sun during the day and lighting your path at night. This 12-pack is just $30 with this deal, pricing each light at less than $3 a piece. 

Incx Waterproof Pathway Ground Solar Lights 12-Pack, $30 (was $38) at Amazon

Why do shoppers love it?

Each light has eight energy-saving LEDs that can run for up to 10 hours at a time on a full solar charge, typically taking about eight hours to charge in full sun. The light sensor automatically turns the lights on once it gets dark and turns them back off when the sun comes up, allowing you to focus on other things besides turning the lights on and off at the right time. They’re super easy to install. They include a ground spike that connects to the light and makes it easy to push into the ground. There are no wires or batteries, creating a simple, no-fuss setup. 

Related: Walmart’s $33 waterproof solar lights stay lit up to 14 hours continuously

These lights measure 4.6 inches wide and feature a waterproof, snowproof, and sunproof design. The aluminum Chrome topper ring offers durability, and the improved plastic tips make it stable and easy to press into the ground. They’re great for lining the patio to prevent injuries, placing them around your garden to create a fairy garden vibe, or lining the driveway with them to more easily see your area when pulling the car in. They’re available in cool and warm lighting, both on sale. 

The pros and cons of these in-ground solar lights

Pros

• They are easy to install: They feature an easy two-step installation. Connect the ground spike to the light, and stick them in the ground wherever you want them.
• Brightness: Each light has eight bright, energy-saving LEDs to light your path.
• Versatility: These lights would be great in the garden, lining the driveway or the walkway to the door, around the fenced perimeter, around the pool, and more. 

Cons 

• In-ground only: These lights are designed to be in-ground lights and don’t provide other ways of installation.
• Contingent on the sun: Just like any solar light, these rely on sunny days to work and don’t have backup power; however, reviewers have said they’ve worked every night since installation.

One reviewer said, “These lights are top-tier! I cannot begin to explain the amount of money I’ve spent on bad solar lights, but these are the best. They actually work, they’re easy to install, and a great price. They’re super bright. Not a day goes by without them turning on, which is a major issue I’ve had with other lights. These are worth it.”

Another shopper said, “They also seem to be sealed very well; the sprinklers don’t seem to affect them. After a few months, they are still as bright as the first day.”

Shop more deals

• Wenaty Solar Spot Lights 12-Pack, $70 (was $80) at Amazon
• Gigalumi Hanging Solar Lights 12-Pack, $30 at Amazon
• Solpex Mini Solar Ground Lights, $20 at Amazon

The Incx Waterproof Solar Lights 12-Pack offers a bright and simple solution for dark corners and hard-to-see driveways. They’re durable, waterproof, and offer up to 10 hours of light off one sunny day’s worth of charge.

Why we love this deal

With great portability, a user-friendly touchscreen, and incredible battery life packed into a petite, lightweight screen, it’s no wonder that tablets are such a popular purchase. These days, you can access a lot of the same capabilities on a phone, laptop, or even an e-reader, but a tablet helps you stay entertained or work wherever you go without having to lug a heavy computer or deal with a small screen like the ones on other technology devices. And what’s even better is that a lot of times, you can often get a tablet for a much more affordable price than you could a smartphone or laptop, which is why people are choosing the former when they go shopping. For those looking for that long-lasting budget-friendly option to use at home or take on the go, look no further than Walmart’s latest deal. 

The $297 Mslstm 2026 Android 14 Tablet is now on sale for 49% off, which means you can get your own for only $149, and put that extra $147 toward something else on your list. 

Mslstm 2026 Android 14 Tablet, $149 (was $297) at Walmart

Why do shoppers love it?

As a 2026 model, this tablet runs on the newest Android 14 system, which offers more customization features, increased privacy and security measures, and a more user-friendly experience. It allows for things like an enhanced taskbar for better multitasking and overall navigation, quicker app performance, better connectivity support, and clearer, brighter displays that make everything from working, studying, and enjoying entertainment like gaming or streaming shows easier than ever. 

The device has a Unisoc T616 Octa-Core processor, which is a basic processor that still offers stable performance and fast processing speeds. With an 18-gigabyte (GB) random access memory, the tablet uses 6 GB of physical, high-speed RAM for short-term operations and data, sort of like in real-time interactions, and 12 GB for slower, internal storage (ROM) that acts as a “virtual memory” to store permanent things, like key software features or app information. It is expandable up to 1 terabyte (TB) with a portable flash memory card called a TransFlash (TF). 

The 11-inch tablet has an in-cell 2000×1200 resolution screen that delivers higher pixel density and quality, and a clear, vibrant picture. It has a 13-megapixel (MP) main camera, a 5MP secondary camera, and another 5MP camera along with quad stereo speakers. With the 9000 milliampere-hour (mAh) battery, the tablet can last for over three days, or around 30 hours of video playback with moderate use, before needing another charge. It can last up to 18 days on standby. 

Related: Walmart’s $200 2-in-1 tablet and keyboard performs ‘just like a computer,’ and it’s 50% off

Measuring only 6 millimeters thick, this tablet is the perfect portable accessory that lets you send emails, create documents, and even communicate by pairing other devices or using third-party apps, whether you’re in your home or commuting on the train. 

What to expect from a $149 tablet: Pros and cons

Pros

• Communication capabilities: While some tablets have limits on texting or calling capabilities, with an Android tablet, you can call and text by using methods like Google Messages or other third-party apps.
• Battery longevity: On a full charge, the tablet can be used for up to 30 hours of video playback or 18 hours on standby before needing a recharge.
• Portable: Its lightweight design which is only 6 millimeters thick and 11 inches wide, makes it perfect to grab and go. 
• Accessories: You receive a variety of accessories with your purchase, including a keyboard, case, and charger. 

Cons

• Processing speeds: Although the tablet is efficient at processing, it has a very basic, average performance, and might not be the best option if you’re someone who multitasks and has a lot of apps and programs going at once. 
• Slow charging: The battery life is strong, but some shoppers feel it takes too long to recharge.

Shoppers are impressed with the value and quality of the tablet. The screen is easy to navigate and looks crystal clear. It’s easy to set up and works with “good speed” according to lots of shoppers. Compared to other expensive models from well-known brands, this tablet offers ample storage space with no concerns or issues with running out. Shoppers are also pleased with all the accessories you receive with the purchase of the tablet. 

Shop more deals 

• Acer Nitro V 15.6-Inch Laptop, $1,030 at Walmart
• Qunler Digital Picture Frame, $56 (was $100) at Walmart

Technology might seem complicated to most of us, but the price of it can be one thing that isn’t overwhelming or confusing. Thanks to great deals like Walmart’s deal on the Mslstm 2026 Android 14 Tablet, you can focus on affordability and quality without adding even more stress to the shopping process. 

Why we love this deal

New bedding is always a treat. It’s the perfect way to refresh your bedroom, and when it’s affordable? Even better. Macy’s is having a sale on a lot of its bedding sets, and it’s a great time to upgrade not just your primary bedroom, but your guest room as well.

The Belvedere Reversible 8-Piece Comforter Set caught our attention, not just for its deep discount, but also because of its design. The eight-piece bedding set has a regular price of $100, but with 60% off during a limited-time sale, it’s only $40. The sale applies to every size, from twin to king, so you can score this deal for every bedroom in your home without having to pay more. 

Belvedere Reversible 8-Piece Comforter Set, $40 (was $100) at Macy’s

Why do shoppers love it?

This eight-piece comforter set comes with practically everything you need to make over your bed. Full, queen, and king sets come with a comforter, two shams, two pillowcases, a bed skirt, a flat sheet, and a fitted sheet, and the twin set comes with one less sham and pillowcase, making it a six-piece set.

The comforter comes in a beautiful lavender color scheme, with a medallion pattern on one side and a solid color on the other. The pattern features diamond-like shapes, giving any bedroom a sophisticated look, while the other is still vibrant in color but simpler in design. Plus, it’s machine washable, which makes it easy to clean.

Related: Macy’s is selling a $100 8-piece comforter set for $40

Details to know

• Sizes available: Twin, full, queen, and king.
• Material: Polyester.
• What does it come with?: One comforter, two shams, two pillowcases, one bed skirt, one flat sheet, and one fitted sheet. 

This Macy’s comforter set won shoppers over for its softness, design, and weight. One reviewer said it’s “very soft,” and another said it’s “so comfortable to lie on.” Customers said the design is “stylish,” highlighting the light lavender color and the diamond pattern.

Reviewers also noted how lightweight the comforter is. “The weight is light and allows air to flow while you sleep without you overheating,” a shopper said. That makes it a great option for summer and warmer weather. But if you want to use it year-round, you can layer it with extra blankets to get an extra-cozy feel.

Shop more deals

• Ameena Reversible 8-Piece Comforter Set, $30 (was $100) at Macy’s
• Isabella Reversible 8-Piece Comforter Set, $40 (was $100) at Macy’s
• Patchwork Reversible 3-Piece Comforter Set, $28 (was $80) at Macy’s

Macy’s has a lot of solid bedding options to choose from, and the Belvedere Reversible 8-Piece Comforter Set is one of them. With a sale price of only $40, it’s an incredible deal for the value, and you can use it in both primary and guest bedrooms. However, since it’s a limited-time deal, you’re going to want to add it to your cart before it’s gone.

That trade happens whether you pay attention or not. If you own a broad index fund, it can happen inside your 401(k) without a single click from you.

Tesla (TSLA) is big enough that plenty of people hold it that way. The automaker reported $28.05 billion in third-quarter revenue and delivered 486,532 vehicles.

SpaceX (SPCX) is worth about $1.83 trillion, and Tesla about $1.58 trillion. Elon Musk runs both, and he sees “a lot of merit” in combining them, he said on SpaceX’s Oct. 20 earnings call.

However, a subtle shift has emerged in how Wall Street talks about a deal. The question is no longer whether it makes sense. It’s what Tesla shareholders would actually get.

According to a Bank of America research report seen by TheStreet, Tesla holders should expect a premium if SpaceX buys the company, but a tough shareholder vote and China stand in the way.

What a Tesla-SpaceX swap would look like by the numbers

Terms haven’t been agreed upon, and a deal is far from certain. Musk himself called the Tesla vote “quite a high hurdle.”

Analyst Alexander Perry laid out the math in an Oct. 29 note titled “Thrusters included: Potential merger adds optionality on top of the autonomy ramp.”

“We think a logical structure could be an all-stock acquisition of Tesla by SpaceX, with Tesla shareholders receiving newly issued SpaceX shares,” wrote Perry.

Related: Elon Musk doubles down on the Roadster with SpaceX thrusters

At Oct. 20 closing values, a swap with no premium would leave Tesla holders with 42.4% of the combined company, Perry wrote. Musk would hold 36.3% of the economics and 55.6% of the vote.

Perry expects the Tesla board’s special committee to push for more. Here’s how his scenarios stack up:

• No premium: About $374 a Tesla share, with Tesla holders owning 42.4%
• 20% premium: About $449 a share, with Tesla holders owning 46.9%
• 25% premium: About $467 a share, with Tesla holders owning 47.9%
• 30% premium: About $486 a share, with Tesla holders owning 48.9%

Even at a 30% premium, Musk would keep 51.6% of the vote, the note showed.

Why the market already moved the math

Here’s the part I’d focus on. The stocks have moved since Oct. 20, and that changes the starting point.

More on Tesla and SpaceX:

• SpaceX shares soar on possible tie-up with Tesla
• Bank of America sends SpaceX stock investors strong signal
• Tesla stock sellers should pump their brakes, 5-star analyst says

Tesla closed at $399.81 on Oct. 30. SpaceX fell 6.4% that day to $134.72.

By my math, an at-market swap at those prices works out to about 2.97 SpaceX shares per Tesla share. That’s close to the 3.03 ratio in Perry’s 20% premium case.

Using the share counts in his note, Tesla holders would own about 46% of the combined company with no premium at all.

In other words, the market has already handed Tesla holders part of the premium Perry expects them to negotiate.

That cuts both ways. A committee asking for 25% on top of today’s price would be asking SpaceX for a lot more stock.

Given that backdrop, it’s easy to understand why Perry thinks the strategic case rests on shared costs rather than goodwill. The clearest example is Terafab, the companies’ joint chip project.

The companies “have yet to agree how to split Terafab’s costs, which Musk expects to exceed $100bn long term, and a merger would remove that negotiation,” wrote Perry.

The business ties already run deep. SpaceX bought $626 million of Tesla Megapacks through the third quarter, including $221 million in the third quarter alone, Perry wrote.

The vote and China could still stop it

Bank of America sees two big hurdles before any premium matters.

The first is the vote. Tesla’s charter requires approval from a majority of all outstanding shares, and abstentions and broker non-votes count against a deal, Perry wrote.

He pointed to 2025 as a warning. Tesla’s advisory proposal to invest in xAI drew 1.06 billion votes for and 916 million against, but it still failed on 473 million abstentions, the note showed.

By my math, abstentions made up about 19% of the votes cast on that proposal. A merger vote would face an even higher bar, because unvoted shares would also count as no votes.

The second hurdle is China. “We view China as the main regulatory risk as a potential deal would place Tesla’s Shanghai plant, which builds roughly half of its global vehicle output, under a major U.S. defense contractor,” wrote Perry.

He expects a firewall that keeps Tesla China’s data and staff apart from SpaceX’s defense work, the approach used by companies such as Airbus and Honeywell.

Much will likely depend, however, on timing. Bloomberg reported a push to announce a deal by the first half of 2027, Perry noted, though the companies haven’t confirmed it. Tesla’s Dec. 3 annual meeting doesn’t include a merger vote.

I’d also keep an eye on the money.

Perry forecasts negative free cash flow of $4.6 billion this year and $11.3 billion in 2027 as capital spending climbs to about $25 billion a year, the note showed. A cash-hungry Tesla gives SpaceX the upper hand at the bargaining table.

Perry kept his Buy rating and $460 price objective, about 15% above Tesla’s Oct. 30 close, by my math.

“We see a potential merger as additive optionality on top,” wrote Perry.

Related: Bank of America resets Tesla forecast as Robotaxi miles double

In guidance published on October 21, Vanguard highlighted three financial priorities couples should coordinate: paying down debt, building an emergency fund, and funding shared goals.

Ameriprise Financial’s 2024 research and Kansas State University’s 2012 findings highlight why those details matter. Issues that may demand a couple’s attention range from retirement-planning gaps to financial factors associated with divorce.

Each goal offers couples a practical self-check to reveal whether their financial conversations have moved beyond broad agreement.

Also read: Unhappy couples are staying married longer because divorce is a luxury

Debt, emergency reserves, and a household budget top Vanguard’s priority list

Vanguard’s framework gives married couples three targets that build on each other, each requiring the kind of specific conversation that broad agreement tends to skip.

Eliminating debt clears the way for shared milestones

Vanguard identifies debt elimination as the first financial goal because outstanding balances compete directly with shared milestones such as homeownership and education savings. 

Carrying high-interest debt while trying to build savings forces couples to work against themselves, and paying it off first frees up cash flow for the remaining goals.

An emergency fund absorbs unexpected costs 

Building an emergency fund is Vanguard’s second goal, with the firm recommending three to six months of living expenses in a liquid account funded through recurring automatic transfers. 

Without this buffer, a single unplanned cost can force new borrowing that undoes months of debt-repayment progress and restarts the cycle the first goal was designed to break.

A unified savings plan turns agreement into action 

Vanguard’s third goal is to create a unified long-term savings plan, which means building a household budget and committing a defined portion of each partner’s paycheck to shared priorities such as retirement or a child’s education. 

The emphasis on a single joint plan reflects Vanguard’s position that parallel individual efforts leave couples without a clear picture of where they stand as a household.

Ameriprise data reveals a gap between couples’ confidence and coordination

The Ameriprise Financial study puts hard numbers behind the coordination gap that Vanguard’s three goals are designed to close. 

The firm surveyed 1,510 American couples with at least $100,000 in investable assets as part of its Couples, Money & Retirement research, with primary respondents aged 45 to 70 who were either within 10 years of retirement or had retired within the last decade.

More Vanguard:

• Vanguard spotlights Roth IRA trap hiding in your income
• Vanguard’s global ETF flags a stark shift for investors
• Vanguard uncovers the real cost of early Social Security

While 91% of the couples surveyed reported sharing similar financial values, a substantial number still hadn’t agreed on retirement savings targets, lifestyle spending, or financial support for family members. Twenty-four percent had not agreed on how much they needed to save for retirement or how much to give to children and grandchildren. 

Another 25% held different expectations for hobby and travel spending in retirement, and 22% disagreed on general lifestyle spending.

Ameriprise found the disconnect runs deeper: 41% of couples surveyed lacked a financial plan, and 52% had not established an estate plan. 

An additional 39% had not determined how they would make up for the loss of their paychecks upon retirement, which deepened the planning challenge for couples approaching that transition.

Hidden accounts and delayed conversations add financial strain for couples

Ameriprise’s research uncovered that 14% of respondents kept a financial account hidden from their partner, with balances in those secret accounts frequently exceeding $10,000. 

Kansas State University research found that financial disagreements predict marital instability even among couples with sufficient resources. 

Marcy Keckler, a certified financial planner and former senior vice president of marketing and financial advice strategy at Ameriprise, tied those findings by Ameriprise to a broader pattern of deferred planning. 

<strong>Couples who are delaying important conversations or who are unable to communicate openly about money tend to have more difficulty planning for the future together. Thankfully, there is a lot they can learn from other couples who've navigated the path to retirement smoothly</strong>.

The Kansas State study reinforced that point, finding that money arguments tend to be more intense and longer-lasting than other marital conflicts, suggesting the cost of avoiding financial conversations compounds over time.

How couples can build financial alignment

Keckler recommended that couples who feel overwhelmed by financial conversations start by choosing a qualified financial adviser together. Participants in the Ameriprise study ranked that step among their top strategies for reaching financial compromise with a spouse.

Kansas State research showed that financial disputes early in a marriage were associated with lower relationship satisfaction years later, which can compound into further financial strain.

Nearly three-quarters of the couples surveyed by Ameriprise had been together more than two decades. These longstanding couples identified open communication about financial goals, healthy conflict resolution, and jointly choosing a financial adviser as their top three strategies for financial alignment.

Couples can put Vanguard’s recommendations into practice by agreeing on debt-repayment targets, setting emergency-savings goals, and establishing regular contributions toward retirement and other shared priorities.

Financial alignment requires more than shared intentions. Couples need specific dollar amounts, agreed-upon deadlines, and regular conversations to keep their financial plans on track.

Related: Schwab says your wedding could wreck key financial goals

Why we love this deal

As the holiday season approaches, the kitchen can become a bit busier than normal. Between preparing weeknight dinners, hosting family and friends, or just baking holiday cookies for the neighbors, having cookware that handles a range of recipes can help make everything easier and more streamlined, especially if it’s also easy to clean. Main courses, side dishes, and everything in between are made easier by versatile dishes that can be used in the oven or on the stove. 

The Bobby Flay Cast Iron Dutch Oven is a dependable, versatile, and durable dish that can last for years, offering an easy-to-clean option for stews, sourdough bread, roasting, and so much more. This $150 oven is on sale for a limited time for just $63 at Macy’s, and it’s perfect for holiday and everyday cooking. 

Bobby Flay Cast Iron Dutch Oven, $63 (was $150) at Macy’s

Why do shoppers love it?

Created through a partnership between GreenPan and chef Bobby Flay, this 5.5-quart Dutch oven offers traditional cast iron cooking with a durable enameled finish that can withstand high temperatures and daily cooking. It can be used on all stovetops and in the oven, and it’s safe to use up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows you to braise, fry, bake, sear, and more for a variety of dishes. It’s also super convenient for one-pot meals and keeping dinner warm for seconds, as the heat retention is great and distributes heat evenly throughout the pan. 

Related: Walmart’s $52 ceramic nonstick skillet is on sale for $27

The lid features a design that auto-bastes the food, with little droplets on the inside that collect moisture and drop it back down onto the food, instead of the moisture falling around the rim as most other pans do, which is great for slow-cooked dishes like pot roast. The enamel coating is chip resistant, stain resistant, and easy to clean. It also features large side handles for easier control, especially when the pot is hot. 

Details to know

• Sizes: This pot can hold 5.5 quarts, making it great for family stews and making sourdough loaves. 
• Self-basting lid: The lid features a design that bastes the food as it cooks, providing a juicier meal.
• Enamel: The enamel is stain and chip resistant, and easy to wash.

“This Dutch is by far the best pot I have ever owned,” one shopper wrote. “I use it all the time & it even makes the best breads. It’s very versatile, durable, and easy to clean.”

Another reviewer wrote, “It cleans very nicely and looks brand new after every cleaning. It cooks various dishes; for example, you can roast a whole chicken in this Dutch oven.”

Shop more deals

• GreenPan 8-Cup Rice Cooker, $50 (was $60) at Macy’s
• Tramontina 10-Inch Cast Iron Skillet, $62 (was $105) at Macy’s
• Cuisinart 3-Quart Round Dutch Oven, $65 (was $90) at Macy’s

The Bobby Flay Cast Iron Dutch Oven is a durable and versatile piece for any home cook. It can be used on the stovetop or in the oven up to 500 degrees, and the enamel cleans easily. At 58% off, this collaboration piece is also a great price! Shoppers can get it at Macy’s for just $63.

This is because divorce agreements do not override contracts with creditors, leaving former spouses exposed to financial obligations they may assume are settled, according to the University of Minnesota Extension.

Damian Turco, Founder and Managing Partner of Turco Legal, is licensed in Massachusetts and Florida and has handled hundreds of family law cases.

In an interview with TheStreet, he explained the financial traps separating couples often overlook, including lingering joint debts and complex compensation arrangements.

Also Read: Unhappy couples are staying married longer because divorce is a luxury

Joint debts can follow both spouses long after a settlement

The most pressing risk Turco identified involves joint debts, particularly mortgages, credit cards, and auto loans, in which both spouses signed the original agreement. 

A family court can assign payment responsibility to one former partner, but that ruling has no authority over the lender holding the original contract.

Divorce attorney Damian Turco warned in an interview with TheStreet that divorce does not automatically erase joint debt obligations.

<strong>A divorce court can allocate responsibility for a debt between spouses, but that generally does not rewrite the contract they previously signed with a bank or other creditor,</strong><br>

When the assigned spouse misses a payment on a joint debt, the creditor can still pursue the other borrower for the full balance.

The divorce agreement provides no protection from the original lender, the University of Minnesota Extension confirmed.

Turco recommended refinancing mortgages into one spouse’s name, paying off shared credit card balances, and closing joint accounts before the decree is finalized.

Turco said the goal should be to sever every financial connection between former spouses rather than leave shared liabilities for creditors to collect.

Unreported income and hidden accounts undermine fair settlements

Research shows financial deception between spouses is more common than most people assume, and it undermines a court’s ability to divide property equitably.

A 2021 National Endowment for Financial Education poll found that 43% of Americans who had ever combined finances with a partner admitted to at least one act of financial deception.

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Turco cautioned in the interview that suspicion alone never constitutes proof, which is why the discovery process becomes essential in these cases. Attorneys can compel sworn answers to written questions, take depositions under oath, and issue subpoenas to employers and financial institutions, he explained.

When standard discovery falls short, forensic accountants can trace money across multiple accounts, analyze tax returns and bank records together, and flag discrepancies.

Cryptocurrency holdings, closely held businesses, and multi-entity compensation packages often require this deeper forensic analysis beyond routine disclosure, Turco told TheStreet.

Courts can reopen divorce judgments when hidden assets surface and may redistribute property to favor the honest spouse, the California Courts’ Families Change guide notes.

Stock options, RSUs, and private businesses carry hidden division risks

Assets like stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), deferred compensation, and bonuses are common in divorce cases and raise two distinct legal questions. The first is what portion falls under state property division rules, and the second is what the interest is worth in practice, Turco explained.

Business valuation is nuanced in divorce because an appraisal created to raise capital uses different assumptions than one prepared for property division, he said.

Splitting every asset evenly does not always serve either party, and forced division can destroy the value it was meant to preserve, Turco noted. Giving both spouses ownership in a business that only one operates can create operational problems and may harm both parties financially.

Kara Duckworth, a Partner of Regis Group at Mercer Advisors, warned in a Kiplinger column about overlooked dangers in the division of assets. Two retirement accounts with identical statement balances can deliver very different income depending on whether they are pre-tax or Roth, Duckworth wrote.

Access to shared records can disappear quickly after a filing

Turco urged anyone considering or facing a divorce to begin organizing financial records as early as possible, ideally before a formal filing occurs. Access to joint accounts and shared statements can change rapidly once a spouse suspects that a filing is imminent, Turco warned.

The essential records include several years of personal and business tax returns, which can reveal income patterns and undisclosed accounts.

Bank, brokerage, retirement, and investment statements from every account either spouse can lawfully access round out the core list, Charles Schwab’s divorce preparation guide advised.

Turco recommended downloading copies of every statement you are legally entitled to access and saving them in a secure digital location before the proceedings begin. 

For spouses with business-owning partners, the needed records also include business financial statements, employment agreements, and RSU documentation, he noted.

Protecting your finances means acting before the final decree

Financial disclosure can involve thousands of pages, and when records arrive sorted and labeled, attorney time shifts from paperwork to strategy, meaningfully reducing legal fees, Turco said.

Engaging a financial adviser before a settlement is finalized can reveal blind spots that surface only after asset division concludes, Duckworth wrote.

Early preparation and professional guidance remain the most protective steps a separating spouse can take through the settlement process, Turco noted. 

Related: Divorce Under Pressure: Budget, Cash Needs, and Retirement Planning

As a paid member of both, I’m cautiously optimistic that the two companies largely meet different needs. In fact, I often forget to use them because my paid Uber Eats membership offers both food and grocery delivery.

It’s not uncommon for me to use the service to order dinner and then realize I need liquor from Total Wine, along with paper plates, Gatorade, and iced coffee from Target. Once you’re in an app that offers multiple services, it’s easier to solve multiple problems at once.

A combined DoorDash and Instacart could become a more viable Uber Eats competitor, and the company said the merged business will also be cheaper for consumers in one significant way.

DoorDash will combine its subscription programs

DoorDash CEO Tony Xu praised Instacart during DoorDash’s third-quarter earnings call.

“I think Instacart has built a great brand, and it’s a very unique brand where their audience is very, very loyal to that brand. And so we certainly will support it,” he said.

He also promised that the merger would financially benefit members.

“We certainly will bring value to consumers. For instance, for the same price that you pay for DashPass today, you’ll get access to two subscription programs, the Instacart membership program as well as the DoorDash membership program,” he said.

Xu acknowledged that he had to speak carefully because the deal was still pending approval, but promised more for members.

“And we have some other ideas, too. But a lot of the value in this partnership is really going to come in all things that I see as almost not visible to the consumer,” he added.

But, not all the value will be under the hood, Xu said.

“They’ll see the benefits in the form of faster delivery, lower prices, greater selection, higher quality, and accuracy of orders. Grocers will see the value in terms of extra sales. Shoppers will see the value in terms of greater earning opportunities. And communities will see the value in greater GDP,” he said.

Subscription is key for DoorDash

All three services charge the same $9.99 a month. The only gap is on annual billing, where Instacart+ runs $3 more.

Xu acknowledged that being a larger company will allow for greater investment.

“And that’s been very difficult when you’re a smaller player to invest in on your own. That’s what this combination is really about, where DoorDash and Instacart can give every retailer a fighting chance of competing in the modern-day era,” he said.

Subscriptions, he noted, have been very important for DoorDash.

“Overall, paid subscribers continue to set all-time records. The combination of the work that we’ve done in improving the product while continuing to drive subscription is what you’re seeing in terms of the growth that you’re seeing in the business. And again, the growth is coming from sustainable levers, which is user growth, subscription growth,” he said.

What DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart subscribers get

RTM Nexus CEO Dominick Miserandino has mixed feelings on the merger.

“I’m not exactly sure it will be a benefit, as choice and competition usually result in lower prices. On top of it, both DoorDash and Instacart have been getting hit with concerns on the extra fees,” he told TheStreet.

“Maybe, however, their merger will cause Uber Eats to also take a step in a positive direction to deal with the competition,” he added.

If the two delivery giants combine, DoorDash expects it to give Instacart customers access to more than 50,000 additional stores, on top of the nearly 100,000 already available through Instacart.

It will also eliminate the need to have two subscriptions.

Uber One ($9.99/mo. or $96/yr.)

• Delivery: $0 delivery fee on eligible food, groceries, and more.
• Order minimums: $15 at restaurants and non-grocery stores; $35 at grocery stores, where the discount tops out at 5%.
• Discounts: Up to 10% off eligible delivery and pickup orders.
• Rides: 6% back in Uber Cash plus top-rated drivers on eligible trips.
• Surge: Automatic discounts when riding during busy times.
• Support: Priority customer support
  • Source: Uber

DashPass ($9.99/mo. or $96/yr.)

• Delivery: $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible restaurant, grocery, convenience, and alcohol orders.
• Pickup: 5% back in DoorDash credits, with no service fees, on eligible pickup orders.
• Exclusives: Members-only discounts and items year-round.
• Caviar: Benefits work on both Caviar and DoorDash.
• Guarantee: If annual-plan savings come in under $96, DoorDash makes up the gap in promo codes.
  • Source: DoorDash

Instacart+ ($9.99/mo. or $99/yr.)

• Delivery: $0 delivery fees on orders of $35 or more, versus typically $3.99 or more for nonmembers.
• Pickup: 5% credit back on eligible pickup orders.
• Streaming: Peacock, which Instacart values at $59.99 a year.
• Family: Two customers can share one membership.
• NYT Cooking: A free year of New York Times Cooking, annual members only.
• Restaurants: The $0 delivery fee now extends to eligible restaurant orders.
  • Source: Instacart

Rob Lalka, professor of business at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business, said customers should pay attention to charges beyond the subscription price.

“What the average customer should look for now isn’t just price increases but other ways costs appear, in ways that aren’t always obvious: markups on popular items, higher service-fee percentages, ad placement, or memberships you pay to stop seeing fees, just to name a few examples,” Lalka told TheStreet.

Related: Verizon makes changes to be more like T-Mobile used to be

Why we love this deal

When we talk about essential products, tools definitely fall under that category. They might not be the most exciting purchase you make, but they come in handy whenever something in your home needs a bit of maintenance. There are the big jobs that require professionals, but sometimes, when it’s a loose hinge, a crooked cabinet door, or furniture that needs installing, a drill will do you just fine — plus, it’s far more affordable than calling in an expert. With the holidays coming up, you’re even more in need of a hefty set of tools to hang decor, and the HDJ Cordless Drill is on sale right now to help you with home inconveniences and holiday hanging. 

The $40 drill, which comes with an accessory kit, is on sale for 33% off as part of a Walmart Flash deal. Save a bit of money and get a great, reliable tool that doesn’t take up a lot of space but will offer you help in spades for just $27. 

HDJ Cordless Drill, $27 (was $40) at Walmart

Why do shoppers love it?

Powerful for all types of drilling activities, the lightweight 3.37-pound drill has a high-performance motor that drills through wood, aluminum, and even steel. It has a 25+1 position clutch, which means there are 25 distinct torque (twisting force) settings for driving things like screws, along with a dedicated setting for drilling, along with 3-in-1 functions, allowing the drill to also operate as a screwdriver and hammer drill — three functions for the price of one.  Powered by a rechargeable lithium-battery, of which you get two with your purchase, this drill has a two-speed transmission, one that goes 0-350 revolutions per minute (RPM) for driving purposes, and one that goes 0-1500 RPM for drilling. This two-transmission allows you to adjust for different applications and materials. It can drill up to 28 millimeters in wood, 12 millimeters in aluminum, and 12 millimeters in steel.

It utilizes a ⅜-inch auto-lock keyless chuck, which allows you to quickly change drill bits by hand without a key and automatically locks the bit into place to prevent slipping. The lightweight and compact handheld features an LED worklight to enhance visibility in dark corners or areas and a forward and reverse switch with a safety lock. It comes with a carrying case along with 28 drill heads and bits to swap out for different projects. 

Related: Bosch’s 9-piece $229 drill and driver kit with attachments is on sale for $142

Details to know

• Drilling capacity: It can drill up to 28 millimeters in wood, 12 millimeters in aluminum, and 12 millimeters in steel.
• Weight: 3.37 pounds.
• Power source: Lithium-ion battery. It operates with one but you receive two with your purchase.  

Shoppers like that it’s a great at-home tool that you can use even if you’re not super savvy with tools in general. “It does the job for smaller home stuff and won’t break the bank,” one shopper said. The two batteries allow you to easily swap out when one goes dead without stopping your work to wait and let it recharge, and it performs very efficiently without causing hand strain. “One battery lasted for an hour with plenty of juice left,” another shopper said. “Handy little drill that works great for my needs.” 

Shop more deals 

• Hyper Tough Brushless Cordless 50-Piece Project Kit, $40 (was $45) at Walmart
• Hoey Cordless Drill Set, $30 (was $50) at Walmart
• Workpro Cordless Drill Driver Kit, $46 (was $91) at Walmart

At only $27, the HDJ Cordless Drill is more than just a functional tool to help manage at-home chaos. It would even make the perfect gift this upcoming holiday season for the handy man always looking for a new tool to try out. 

The federal government is moving to automatically establish accounts for eligible children, but families may still need to take action to receive the $1,000 federal seed contribution. Meanwhile, new guidance could allow companies to contribute individual stocks to accounts originally designed to invest exclusively in low-cost index funds.

In an interview with me, Jeff Levine, chief planning officer at Focus Partners, explains what has changed, why automatic enrollment doesn’t necessarily mean a family can access all the account’s benefits, and what parents and grandparents need to know about the new investment rules.

The following interview was edited for brevity and clarity.

Why doesn’t automatic enrollment mean your child’s Trump account is ready to use?

Bob Powell: Jeff, the government may automatically establish a Trump account for your child, but that doesn’t mean you’ve received all the benefits. What’s changed, and what do families still need to do?

Jeff Levine: The federal government has decided to automatically enroll pretty much anyone it can identify as qualifying for one of these accounts.

There have been generous contributions made by individuals and organizations, but not everybody is establishing a Trump account. The question was whether those children would miss out.

The administration decided to automatically establish accounts for eligible children it can identify. That allows charitable contributions, such as those from the Dell family, to go into an account for the child.

But there’s an important distinction. You still have to claim the account to access it.

What happens to the $1,000 federal contribution if you don’t claim the account?

Powell: So what happens if parents assume the government has already taken care of everything?

Levine: If you haven’t claimed your account yet, you don’t get the $1,000 federal seed contribution. You can’t make your own contributions, and there are other restrictions.

There will be a shell account where charitable contributions that your child or grandchild qualifies for can be deposited.

These were supposed to be really simple, straightforward accounts, and they've gotten progressively more complicated over the last year or so.

But to access the account, you still have to go through a process similar to what families who established their own accounts went through. Now it’s a matter of claiming the account.

Why could automatic enrollment help families who need the money most?

Powell: Is automatic enrollment a positive development, even with those restrictions?

Levine: Overall, I think it’s a relatively positive step because not everybody is going to be aware of these accounts.

Typically, it’s the people who have the greatest means who end up getting that information, and they may need those dollars the least.

Absent automatic enrollment, they may have been the only ones to get it.

How can Trump accounts hold individual company stocks if they’re supposed to invest in index funds?

Powell: There’s another change that may surprise families. Trump accounts were supposed to invest in low-cost index funds. How can individual company stocks now end up in these accounts?

Levine: These were supposed to be really simple, straightforward accounts, and they’ve gotten progressively more complicated over the last year or so.

By law, Trump accounts were set up to invest in super-low-cost index funds. But a lot of companies wanted to contribute their own stock to these accounts.

The administration took what you might call a fairly liberal approach to interpreting the law.

Essentially, the interpretation is that the law restricts what Trump accounts can purchase, but not necessarily what they can hold.

That allows companies to allocate shares to charitable organizations that ultimately fund Trump accounts or work with the Treasury to contribute shares.

Can families sell company stock contributed to a Trump account?

Powell: If a company contributes its own shares, can the family sell those shares and invest the proceeds in an index fund?

Levine: What’s interesting is that those stocks, it looks like at least, will not be able to be sold until the child reaches age 18.

So they may have to hold on to those shares for the foreseeable future.

That means you may suddenly find company stock inside your Trump account and wonder how it got there, given the original investment restrictions.

Well, nobody knew these accounts could hold individual company stock until recently.

How much can families contribute to Trump accounts each year?

Powell: For parents and grandparents who are just learning about these accounts, remind us how the basic contribution and tax rules work.

Levine: These accounts were created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Individuals can contribute up to $5,000 a year. There’s no tax deduction for contributions made by parents, grandparents or other family members.

But the money grows tax-deferred. At age 18, the account essentially becomes an IRA.

It’s an interesting way to get a young person started saving for retirement.

What should parents and grandparents watch for next?

Powell: With automatic enrollment and new rules for company stock, are there likely to be more changes?

Levine: It seems like every month we’ve gotten new guidance about these accounts.

If the question is what’s the latest with Trump accounts, you could probably ask it every month, and at least for the foreseeable future, there will be something new.

More Personal Finance

• The year-end RMD trap: Why waiting until late December could cost retirees 25% 
• The “Gap Year” Roth: Early retirees slash lifetime taxes before RMDs hit
• Tax-loss harvesting guide: $3,000 limit & wash-sale rules

The stock he recommended viewers buy right now is GE Aerospace (GE), while the stock he feels will take longer to recover is Boeing (BA). One thing the two stocks have in common is that both fell after the companies reported their earnings this month. However, Cramer thinks the drop is a good chance to buy both companies.

Why Cramer still likes GE Aerospace after the sell-off

The value of GE Aerospace’s stock reached about $389 per share on August 6, 2026, but it has dropped roughly 23% since then. The major reason the stock dropped is rising jet fuel prices and higher interest rates, which make airlines cautious about ordering new planes. 

Also read: Mizuho makes bold call on SpaceX stock before key launch

Then GE Aerospace released its third-quarter report this month, and one of the numbers gave investors more reason to sell. The company’s reported free cash flow fell 14% from a year earlier, which is a concern when the company trades at about 37 times earnings. However, even with the free cash flow miss, GE’s commercial engines & services orders increased by 58%, its equipment orders rose by 235%, and the company’s commercial services backlog grew to $170 billion, according to the company’s earnings.

These strong numbers were the reason why Cramer said the drop was overdone. And he even told viewers that, “GE’s post-earnings pullback has created a buying opportunity,” pointing to the engine business in particular as the reason to stay patient.

Boeing’s slow recovery and what it means for investors

Boeing fell more than 10% on October 27 alone, which led it to a new 52-week low. The fall came after the company announced that it was lowering its cash flow outlook for the next few years.

Then Boeing‘s management added to the pressure when CEO Kelly Ortberg said the production line is now targeting 47 planes a month in early 2027, which is a delay to the company’s original timeline. The CEO said the bigger ramp to 52 planes a month will not come until the second half of 2027. That is a big deal to investors because the 737 Max is Boeing’s biggest source of commercial revenue. So a slower ramp would mean less cash coming into the business. 

Related: NASA doubles down on private space stations to replace ISS

However, even with all this, Cramer was not negative about the company. “We’re hopeful that this reset can be a clearing event,” he said, suggesting that the lower forecast may give the company a chance to beat expectations. Also, with the recent approval of the 737 Max 10, one of BA investors’ major worries has been settled.

More Aerospace Stocks

• Lockheed just landed one of the biggest defense deals in years
• The U.S. just fined two airlines over restricted Iraqi airspace
• New Boeing MAX 10 with special safety upgrade approved to fly travelers

In addition to that, Boeing’s record backlog of $612 billion in commercial orders and $101 billion in defense orders shows that customers still want its planes. The only challenge the company is facing is turning those orders into finished planes and actual cash. But even with the challenge, some Wall Street firms still support the buy call. Bank of America kept a Buy rating on the stock with a $235 price target on October 28. 

What this means for your portfolio

GE Aerospace’s pullback came from a cash flow miss investors already knew about, and Cramer believes the company’s engine business is still worth paying up for. So GE should be a more solid near-term pick. 

Boeing’s management told shareholders to expect a delay in its production timeline, and cut its free cash flow target. The company already has orders waiting. All it needs is to convert those orders into real cash.

More Stocks News

• Fidelity highlights a strategy to eliminate capital gains tax
• Cathie Wood buys $11.2 million of popular AI stock
• Wall Street just got a candid look at who is winning the AI race
• Jim Cramer issues ‘falling knife’ warning on top chip stock after Intel’s outlook

Why we love this deal

Jewelry can take your outfit from looking okay to looking put-together, sophisticated, and personal. With the right pieces, dresses can go from casual to holiday-ready, and can give drab work outfits a creative flair. The best pieces are those that are special enough to stand out and wear for big occasions but versatile enough to wear past a single event. A well-made pair can also last you years, and be a great hand-me-down or make a great holiday present.

Macy’s Opal and Sapphire Drop Earrings offer a gorgeous center opal that catches light and refracts light, while the smaller white sapphire above it adds charm and sophistication. Originally $175, this pair of earrings is on sale for 65% off. Shoppers can get them at Macy’s for just $61.

Macy’s Opal and Sapphire Drop Earrings, $61 (was $175) at Macy’s

Why do shoppers love it?

The earrings feature a lab-grown opal that offers a more affordable price compared to mined gems, with the same beautiful quality. Totaling about 1.5 carats, it hangs beautifully off the rose-gold fixture and is accentuated by a white sapphire in a studded setting. This lets the opal stand out while the accent stone still provides extra shine. The stones are set in 14K rose-gold-plated sterling silver that has a polished, shiny finish. The rose gold complements the purples in the oval and also brings out the warmer pink tones, adding color to your outfit. 

Related: Macy’s $325 birthstone necklace that comes in 12 colors is 70% off

The earrings measure about three-quarters in length, offering enough drop to look noticeable without being too oversized for less formal occasions. The leverback closure is easy to secure and stays put, making them a practical and comfortable solution for all-day wear or just for a dinner out with friends. The lab-grown stones are chemically, physically, and optically identical to the natural stones, but are created in a controlled environment to prevent inclusions and imperfections, offering a more perfect-looking stone. Participating Macy’s stores also offer free jewelry cleanings, so you can keep these earrings looking as good as the first time you wore them. 

Details to know

• Stones: The stones featured are a larger opal and a smaller white sapphire, offering color and shine.
• Material: The stones are set in 14K rose-gold-plated sterling silver that has a polished finish.
• Fastener: The leverback closure is comfortable and easy to use.

One shopper wrote, “The earrings are more beautiful than I was expecting to be. They look very expensive. They’re great quality.” 

Another buyer wrote, “​​The earrings are gorgeous. They look like real opals, and they aren’t heavy. I get compliments on them all the time.”

Shop more deals

• Macy’s Opal and Sapphire Ring, $88 (was $250) at Macy’s
• Macy’s Opal and White Sapphire Drop Silver Drop Earrings, $123 (was $350) at Macy’s
• Macy’s Opal and Sapphire Square Stud Earrings, $88 (was $250) at Macy’s

If you need some pizzazz to add to your holiday outfits this year, or to elevate your everyday attire, the Macy’s Opal and Sapphire Drop Earrings are a great choice. They’re comfortable and add a flair of color and shine to any outfit for just $61. Shoppers save 65% at Macy’s.

Why we love this deal

Before you start cooking, you need a sturdy set of pots and pans, and while a lot of these multi-piece sets can run pretty steep, they are worth the money in the end — especially when they go on sale. The GreenPan Dover Cookware Set, which includes pots, pans, and even a few utensils, runs for $300 typically, but during the Macy’s annual Friends and Family sale, you can get it for more than half off.

Right now, the 12-piece ceramic set is 58% off, saving you $174. Choose from four sleek colors and get the entire set for just $126 during the last days of this annual sale. 

GreenPan Dover 12-Piece Cookware Set, $126 (was $300) at Macy’s

Why do shoppers love it?

If you only had this set on hand you’d be more than able to whip up a meal. The full 12-piece set includes a 1.17-quart saucepan with a lid, a 2.24-quart saucepan with a lid, a 5-quart stockpot with a lid, an 8-inch frying pan, a 10-inch frying pan, and a 2.78-quart sauté pan with a lid — all made with a ceramic-coated aluminum base and stainless steel handles. The aluminum has excellent heat retention, heating up quickly and cooking foods evenly with little risk of hot spots that end up burning parts of your food. The ceramic glaze gives the pots and pans a nice glossy finish and makes them nonstick, so you don’t spend time during cleanup trying to pry burnt pieces of food off the sides, and GreenPan has a special Thermolon ceramic coating infused with diamonds that provides faster heating, more durability on a day-to-day basis, and makes them easier to clean. 

The lids are made with tempered glass, which allows you to see how your food is cooking without removing them and releasing heat, and they are specially designed to withstand high heat, while the stainless steel handles have an ergonomic design that’s comfortable and allows you to navigate with a hot pan seamlessly. Plus, you get two silicone cooking utensils — a solid turner and a slotted spoon.

Although all 12 items in this set are dishwasher safe, only the pots, pans, and lids are oven safe up to 350 degrees. 

Related: Macy’s is selling a $550 10-piece stainless steel cookware set for 54% off

Details to know

• Material: Aluminum with a ceramic coating, tempered glass, silicone, and stainless steel. 
• Includes: The set includes a 1.17-quart saucepan with a lid, a 2.24-quart saucepan with a lid, a 5-quart stockpot with a lid, an 8-inch frying pan, a 10-inch frying pan, a 2.78-quart saute pan with a lid, a solid turner, and a slotted spoon.
• Colors: Four.
• Care: Dishwasher safe. 
• Warranty: 2-year limited lifetime. 

“Best set of cookware that I have used in years,” one shopper said. It’s durable and cooks remarkably well, plus it’s well-designed and really nice appearance-wise. They hold up very well with lots of use, and they don’t stain or cause food to stick. “Great price and just enough pieces without overwhelming your cabinets.”

Shop more deals 

• Anolon EverLast Ceramic 11-Piece Cookware, $330 (was $717) at Macy’s
• Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron 6.5-Quart Deep Round Dutch Oven, $290 (was $460) at Macy’s
• T-Fal Initiatives Aluminum 18-Piece Cookware Set, $115 (was $460) at Macy’s

With a sale like this, you have the perfect excuse to throw out your dull and drab cookware and replace it with the GreenPan Dover 12-Piece Cookware Set. 

Investors who want to support charitable causes have another option that could help them avoid the tax bill.

Fidelity’s year-end tax-planning guide highlights a strategy of donating appreciated stocks directly to qualified charities rather than selling them first.

This allows donors to avoid capital gains taxes while charities receive the full market value of the shares.

Also Read: Vanguard, Fidelity name the smarter alternative to selling stock

How Fidelity’s strategy delivers a double tax benefit

The approach yields two tax advantages simultaneously, and both Fidelity Charitable and Kiplinger confirm its effectiveness for long-term holders. 

The donor avoids paying capital gains tax on the stock’s increase in value and, if itemizing his or her deductions, will qualify for a charitable tax deduction based on the shares’ full fair market value when donated, according to Craig Wear, founder and CEO of Q3 Advisor.

Wear explained that the savings grow sharply as the embedded gain increases. 

A $100,000 position with an $80,000 gain would incur $19,040 in federal tax at the combined 23.8% rate, so the charity would receive only $80,960 from a sale of the stock rather than the full amount from a direct transfer of ownership.

Donald Greene, National Donor-Advised Fund Executive at Bank of America Private Bank, said investors who donate their most-appreciated holdings directly to charity, rather than selling first, capture a benefit many overlook during year-end planning.

<strong>Charitable gain harvesting is a valuable tool that allows you to maximize your resources, so that you can fully realize your charitable vision and legacy,</strong>

The strategy goes beyond individual stocks to include bonds and mutual fund shares, provided the donor has held them for longer than one year, Fidelity confirmed.

What the 2026 deduction limits and rule changes mean

Contributions of long-term appreciated securities to a public charity are capped at 30% of the donor’s adjusted gross income (AGI), compared with 60% for cash gifts, according to IRS Publication 526. 

Any amount above the 30% threshold carries forward for up to five additional tax years, giving donors flexibility if a single gift exceeds the annual ceiling.

More Fidelity: 

• Dave Ramsey raises a $185K risk Fidelity pegs for retirees
• Fidelity’s data makes Suze Orman’s 401(k) warning hard to ignore
• Fidelity puts a stark number on healthcare in retirement

The 2026 tax year also introduced two changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) that affect charitable deductions for itemizers, Q3 Advisors reported. 

A new 0.5% AGI floor means only contributions exceeding 0.5% of adjusted gross income are deductible, and a separate provision caps itemized charitable deductions at 35% for taxpayers in the top 37% bracket.

Both changes reduce the net deduction for high-income donors with large gifts, while the capital gains tax savings at the core of the strategy remain fully intact.

Why most investors with appreciated stock still donate cash instead

A Fidelity study found that 80% of donors owned publicly traded securities that had appreciated in value, yet only 19% had ever donated those assets to charity. 

That gap has a real cost, because a direct stock transfer can increase the amount reaching the nonprofit by up to 20% compared with selling the securities first and donating cash, Kiplinger’s guide to tax-smart charitable giving confirmed.

Donors facing that obstacle can route the securities through a donor-advised fund (DAF), which provides an immediate deduction and allows donors to recommend grants to multiple nonprofits over time, Q3 Advisors noted.

Fidelity’s year-end guide also flags the strategy as a rebalancing tool, because donating the most-appreciated position trims concentration in a single name without being taxed.

What the IRS requires to complete the transfer

The donor must initiate a direct transfer of shares to the charity’s brokerage account, and the gift must arrive by December 31 to qualify for a deduction in the current tax year, Fidelity noted. 

The IRS requires a written acknowledgment from the charity for any gift valued at $250 or more, and donations above $500 require the donor to file Form 8283. 

Only long-term holdings qualify for the full fair market value deduction, so the shares must have been held for more than one year at the time of the gift, Fidelity confirmed.

What concentrated-position investors should weigh before year-end

Investors holding an outsized position in a single name face a year-end decision: donate those shares directly, or sell them and give cash. 

The optimal path depends on gift size, the donor’s adjusted gross income (AGI), projected AGI over the next five years, and the ability to itemize, according to an analysis by Anchin LLP. 

Appreciated securities face a 30% AGI deduction ceiling versus 60% for cash, yet donating in kind is generally more efficient because it avoids capital gains tax, Wear explained.

Fidelity recommended starting with highly appreciated stock, which offers the greatest potential tax benefit and can restore balance to a concentrated portfolio without triggering taxes. 

Donors who select the right holding, confirm their charity accepts stock transfers, and act before the end of the year have the key elements in place, Fidelity’s year-end guidelines confirmed.

Related: Fidelity highlights tax-free way to fund long-term care

American adults have been drinking less alcohol in 2026 for the second straight year, as only 54% of U.S. adults ages 18 and over said they drink alcoholic beverages, matching the all-time low from 2025, the lowest number since 1939.

The share of American drinkers has declined significantly since 2022 when 67% of U.S. adults drank alcohol, according to Gallup’s Consumption Habits survey.

The decline in consumption also led to a drop in supplier sales in the spirits industry, as sales fell by 2.2% in 2025 to $36.4 billion, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

When distillery sales drop, so does revenue. If the decrease in revenue is significant, it can lead to a bankruptcy filing.

2Bar Spirits files for bankruptcy

Bourbon whiskey distillery 2Bar LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize, facing a significant decline in revenue, which fell from over $489,000 in 2025 to over $182,000 in the first 10 months of 2026, according to court papers. The company generated over $381,000 in gross revenue in 2024.

2Bar did not indicate a specific reason for filing for bankruptcy in its Chapter 11 petition. The debtor’s distillery and tasting room continue operating as usual.

Founder and owner Nathan Kaiser, who opened the distillery in 2010, was not immediately available for comment.

The debtor filed its petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington on Oct. 30, listing about $156,000 in assets and over$1.07 million in debts, including about $813,000 in secured claims.

2Bar’s secured creditors include Washington Trust Bank, owed over $634,000; Small Business Administration, owed over $124,000; and TD Auto Finance, owed over $53,000.

The debtor’s largest unsecured creditors include Bank of America, owed over $54,000, American Express, owed over $47,000; US Bank, owed over $45,000; and Discover Financial Services, owed over $9,000.

Family distilled moonshine in Prohibition

2Bar‘s name was inspired by Kaiser’s family ranch in South Texas, which produced moonshine during Prohibition, according to the company’s website.

Today, 2Bar’s all-woman production team uses Pacific Northwest grain to distill its spirits at one of the first distilleries in Seattle to produce bourbon, the company’s website said.

The distiller’s bourbon whiskey has been recognized for its top quality as it was awarded Superior Gold Winner at the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition in 2025, according to 2Bar’s Instagram post.

Company offers 4 different bourbons

The distillery produces four bourbon whiskies: 2Bar Straight Bourbon Whiskey 40% ABV aged over three years, 2Bar Straight Bourbon Whiskey 50% ABV aged over four years, Wine Barrel Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey 45% ABV aged over three years, and Amaretto Barrel Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey 45% ABV aged over three years.

2Bar’s products are available at various Walmart, Albertsons, Safeway, Fred Meyer, Trader Joes, Total Wine, and BevMo stores, and over 50 other retailers throughout Washington.

Other distillers filed for bankruptcy

The bourbon maker’s bankruptcy follows other spirits distilleries’ Chapter 11 filings in 2026, including Legends brands distiller Spirits of the USA LLC, which filed its Chapter 11 petition on May 15; and Alton Distillery parent SVG 26 LLC, which filed bankruptcy on April 15.

Several distillers have filed for Chapter 7 liquidation as well, including Humble Baron on Sept. 14, 2026, and Rotten Little Bastard Distillery parent RLB Distillery Company, which filed on March 10, 2026.

“While total U.S. spirits sales edged down 2.2% in 2025, the spirits industry remains resilient, driven by innovative products that continue to spark consumer interest,” said Chris Swonger, CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council.

“Against a challenging backdrop of weakening consumer confidence and persistent economic pressures, American adults continue to choose distilled spirits, with ready-to-drink cocktails standing out as a clear favorite,” Swonger said.

Related: Grand Canyon hotel files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

At 10 years old, I had no idea the pizza was lousy and that taking me there was a chore for my parents. That was a lesson I learned a little later in life, however, when I had to take my son to the same venue.

Chuck E. Cheese, I learned as an adult, was not trying to win my business. It knew I had to be there and would probably still buy some pizza and maybe play some games to simply pass the time.

Adults paid the check and supervised the kids, but the chain was focused on making the experience work for the younger folks, not the adults chaperoning them.

That’s something Chuck E. Cheese wants to change with the summer 2025 launch of Chuck’s Arcade, a new part of the chain aimed squarely at nostalgic adults.

Chuck E. Cheese expands with Chuck’s Arcade

For decades, I have bored my wife with a joke about how, after dark, Chuck E. Cheese should transform into Charles Entertainment Cheese, a grown-up arcade. The chain hasn’t exactly followed my advice, but it has decided to go after adults.

Chuck E. Cheese has launched Chuck’s Arcade, a new concept that combines classic arcade games along with some new favorites.

“The arcade was created for adults and lifelong fans who grew up surrounded by the electric glow of arcade screens, the symphony of digital soundtracks and the thrill of chasing high scores with friends long into the night. Chuck’s Arcade is a modern-day love letter to the games and people who made Chuck E. Cheese great,” the company shared in a press release.

More Restaurants:

• Hooters closing more restaurants in bankruptcy comeback
• These are the True Food Kitchen locations closing in Chapter 11
• Oprah-backed chain closes 12 restaurants for good after filing Chapter 11

Chuck’s Arcade isn’t an expansion of hours at Chuck E. Cheese’s existing locations, it’s a whole new set of locations for the chain.

The chain has grown to 10 locations:

1. St. Petersburg, Florida
2. Trumbull, Connecticut
3. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
4. Tulsa, Oklahoma
5. Victor, New York
6. Buford, Georgia
7. El Paso, Texas
8. Nashua, New Hampshire
9. Salem, New Hampshire
10. St. Louis, Missouri

As a private company, Chuck E. Cheese does not share results, so it’s unclear whether these standalone arcades are working.

Chuck E. Cheese is making a mistake

While an arcade that mixes retro games with newer ones might work, Chuck E. Cheese has missed an opportunity. The chain’s core business tends to keep it busy during the day and into early evening hours.

My idea, to transform the chain after dark, would have allowed it to maximize its existing space without spending more on rent.

Back in my retail days, when I ran a large toy store, we found ways to bring in customers during less busy hours. We hosted Magic: The Gathering on Friday nights, created events for preschoolers and their moms on weekday mornings, and hosted charity events on weeknights.

Chuck E. Cheese could have done that and added revenue to its existing locations without taking on new rent obligations.

Chuck E. Cheese bets on the mall

While it’s not the plan I would have made, Chuck E. Cheese is betting that America’s remaining malls will offer some choice locations for its new concept.

Over the past decade, America has lost about 550 malls, taking the mall count from 1,500 to around 950.

“So when you get rid of the bad malls, what do you have left? The good stuff,” Naveen Jaggi, president of retail advisory services at commercial real estate firm JLL, told Yahoo Finance’s Brooke DiPalma.

Those remaining malls have seen an increase in traffic.

“Shopping mall visits were up in September: 5.6% year over year at open-air shopping centers (OASCs), 5.5% at indoor malls, and 4.1% at outlet malls,” according to the September 2026 Placer.ai Mall Index.

Gas prices, however, may have factored into which malls did well.

“Indoor malls and open-air centers, meanwhile, posted YoY gains throughout the holiday weekend. With travelers facing the highest Labor Day gas prices on record, some shoppers may have favored nearby malls and shopping centers over the longer drive to an outlet,” Placer.ai shared.

Chuck E. Cheese bets against at-home gaming

Chuck E. Cheese seems to be ignoring that it’s not the decline of malls that hurt arcades, but the rise of video game systems.

When I was a kid in the 1980s, my brother and I wanted nothing more than to go to the arcade at the sad mall near the Chinese restaurant where often ate. If we were lucky, after dinner, our parents would hand us some quarters so we could play Pac-Man, Defender, and the then-revolutionary Marble Madness.

At the time, however, our home videogame system was an Atari 2600. It was not nearly equal to games in the arcade.

Now, we have an Xbox, and it’s equal to what we can play at Dave & Buster’s or other nearby arcades. While my now-adult son and I visited that chain a few times once it opened nearby, it’s a novelty and not really worth the money.

Chuck E. Cheese bets on retro

RTM Nexus CEO Dominick Miserandino questions the chain’s strategy.

“It kind of feels like the old Chuck E. Cheese, but without as many parts. Will this be easier to implement? Will it be a revival of the old mall arcade and thereby attract a different audience?” he told TheStreet.

Chuck E. Cheese is betting on a mix of retro appeal and stronger malls with its new format. It’s actually leaning pretty hard into its past to, in theory, bring back customers from the 80s and 90s along with their kids.

“Adding to the experience, each arcade is overseen by an animatronic character such as Chuck E. Cheese or one of the other characters from Munch’s Make Believe Band — historic figures from the brand’s past, now standing watch as a nostalgic nod rather than performing,” the company shared.

“Select locations also feature exclusive retro-themed merchandise: classic logo apparel, collectible toys, novelty candy and prize redemption items, all celebrating the magic of winning that fans have always loved,” the chain shared.

Related: Wingstop leans on a $7-a-person game day deal as budgets tighten

Why we love this deal

Deciding what to wear every morning already takes enough time, but you can simplify the getting-ready process with a pair of go-to footwear. Everyday shoes need to be comfortable and supportive, but in the colder months, you’ll also want a style that delivers plenty of grip and traction, so you won’t slide around on slick sidewalks. Lace-up sneakers are a solid choice, but a casual slip-in shoe can get you out the door even faster. With a good-quality slip-on, there’s no bending over to fuss with the laces required — just slide your foot in, and it stays securely on. 

The Merrell Jungle Moc Shoes are a fan-favorite slip-on pair, racking up more than 2,000 perfect five-star ratings. Numerous shoppers mention buying this specific style again and again. It’s a great time to test out the footwear for yourself, because the Eggshell color is half off at REI, dropping the $110 retail price to just $55.

Merrell Jungle Moc Shoes, $55 (was $110) at REI

Why do shoppers love it?

Crafted with a pig suede leather upper, these casual shoes have a classic style that will match all kinds of outfits. For a design that’s convenient to slip on and off, the shoes are constructed with double stretch elastic panels, providing a fit that’s secure but easy to put on. Another benefit of the pigskin leather, besides its sleek look, is that it’s water resistant, so puddles and splashes won’t be a problem. “So smart, comfortable, and supportive,” is how one buyer described them. They raved, “Been wearing these for years, and they never fail me. I buy a new pair every year.”

Related: REI is selling $140 waterproof hiking boots for 50% off

Merrell has a loyal fan base because its shoes are constructed with premium materials, producing only footwear with top-notch quality, and these slip-ons are no different. The Merrell Air Cushion heel gives ample comfort, absorbing shocks with every step. The lightweight compressed midsole keeps things cushioned while providing arch support and stability. Your feet will even feel fresh, thanks to a breathable mesh lining and the Cleansport NXT treatment, which naturally controls odors. 

Details to know 

• Sizes available: The shoes come in women’s shoe sizes 6 to 11, including half sizes.
• Colors: The shoes are available in six colors, but only the Eggshell shade is half off.
• Material: Suede pigskin leather.
• Average shopper rating: 4.6 out of five stars.

You can feel confident about the quality of these shoes because an impressive 89% of shoppers recommend them. One reviewer wrote, “I simply will not buy anything else for my go-to winter slip-ons. They are comfortable from the first minute of wear, and based on the two previous pairs that I’ve owned, the shoes last through many years of tough wear.”

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The Merrell Jungle Moc Shoes are a highly rated everyday footwear style for their comfortable and supportive fit. Don’t miss your chance to add them to your closet while they’re available for only $55.

Bisignano is the first senior Trump administration official to personally contribute to the program, CNBC reported. But his donation also raises a bigger question: How many families are taking advantage of the accounts?

Millions of accounts have been created through automatic enrollment, followed by billions in private donations. Yet getting those funds to children still depends on a crucial step many families have not taken.

Also Read: Trump accounts hide a Roth IRA strategy worth a fortune

Bisignano’s family fund backs the Brooklyn neighborhood that shaped him

The Bisignano Family Fund deposited $250 into the Trump Account of every eligible child aged 2 to 8 in Brooklyn’s 11234 ZIP code.

The area covers his childhood neighborhoods of Marine Park, Mill Basin, Bergen Beach, and Flatlands, and includes one of the most densely populated ZIP codes in the country, the IRS reported.

Each $250 deposit went directly into a diversified index fund that tracks the performance of major United States companies and grows tax-deferred over the child’s lifetime.

Bisignano also serves as commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) and was tasked in July 2026 with leading the program’s national expansion. He described the gift as an investment in the community that formed his career and urged other donors to support children across their neighborhoods. 

<strong>Trump Accounts are transformational savings vehicles that will provide the next generation and future generations a strong financial foundation</strong>.

His donation drew attention to a challenge the program has yet to address: turning massive enrollment numbers into active family participation.

Fewer than 1% of 60 million auto-enrolled Trump Accounts have been claimed

The Treasury Department completed automatic enrollment for Trump Accounts on Oct. 1, creating accounts for roughly 60 million eligible children, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed. That push brought the program’s total past 70 million accounts.

Only about 164,000 accounts had been claimed in the first week after auto-enrollment, fewer than 1% of the newly created total. Helen Morrison, Benefits Tax Counsel at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, disclosed that figure at an American Bar Association tax meeting, Bloomberg Law reported.

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Parents must claim their child’s account through the official Trump Accounts app to access the $1,000 Treasury seed for eligible children born between 2025 and 2028, the Treasury Department clarified.

Families must also claim before they can receive contributions from outside donors or employers.

About 80% of the auto-enrolled accounts belong to families that earn less than $200,000 per year, Morrison said at the same conference. The claim gap falls hardest on the middle- and lower-income households the program was built to serve.

Private donors pour billions into Trump Accounts most families have not claimed

Private donors have committed billions to Trump Accounts since they launched on July 4, 2026, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Michael and Susan Dell committed $6.25 billion through their foundation to seed $250 in accounts for 25 million children ages 10 and under in ZIP codes with median household incomes below $150,000, the largest single private commitment to children in the United States, CNBC reported. 

Elon Musk pledged on X on Oct. 19 to give every child in America one of his personal SpaceX shares in 2027, a gift potentially worth more than $10 billion at the company’s Oct. 16 closing price of $146.03.

Altimeter Capital CEO Brad Gerstner, who helped design the program, pledged up to $100 million to deposit $250 into Trump Accounts for every Indiana child under age 5, Mirror Indy reported.

Bisignano announced on the same day as his Brooklyn donation that he would chair a new advisory council to expand participation, Bloomberg Tax reported.

Trump Accounts have received about $4.5 billion in combined contributions, roughly $1.3 billion from the $1,000 federal seed, more than $600 million from families and friends, and about $2.6 billion from philanthropic donors including the Dells and Ray Dalio, according to Bloomberg Law. 

Christopher Gandy, President of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), told InvestmentNews that private giving has outpaced the outreach needed to help families understand and use their accounts.

What claiming a Trump Account unlocks for families and grandparents

Once a parent activates their child’s account, the contribution structure extends beyond the initial government deposit, Gandy wrote in a column for InsuranceNewsNet. 

Family members, including grandparents, friends, and other relatives, can contribute up to $5,000 per year from all individual sources combined, while employers can add $2,500 in pre-tax salary deferrals, Bloomberg Law reported.

“Public policy can create opportunity, but trusted financial guidance helps families turn opportunity into lasting financial security,” Gandy said. 

Parents and grandparents who work with a financial professional can position a Trump Account alongside 529 education plans and retirement contributions, Gandy recommended.

The temporary regulations governing contribution rules and investment restrictions remain open for public comment until Nov. 30, meaning the structure could shift before those rules become permanent, Morgan Lewis reported. 

The Treasury Department has said that only after a parent downloads the official Trump Accounts app and completes the claim process can a child’s account begin receiving the federal $1,000 seed, employer deferrals, and private donor contributions.

Related: IRS CEO has good news for all Americans on Trump Accounts

Why we love this deal

Nothing feels better than starting your day off in an organized manner. Clutter can have a negative impact on some people’s moods, so messy drawers are the last thing you want to look at when you get up first thing in the morning. Luckily, Amazon sells great plastic organizing trays for all of your drawers. Whether you want to get your pantry, dresser, or sideboard drawers in tip-top shape, everyone’s favorite online stalwart has what you need. Right now, that takes the form of a 13-piece drawer organizer set that’s discounted in the lead-up to the holidays. If you don’t put this one in your cart quickly, it may disappear for good.

If $16 is all you’ll have to spend to get the Smartake 13-Piece Plastic Drawer Organizer Set, then it’s well worth it in our book. That’s a 20% discount off the usual price of $20, which is a small price to pay for your peace of mind. Having a tidy home is worth its weight in gold, so this deal should be a no brainer. 

Smartake 13-Piece Plastic Drawer Organizer Set, $16 (was $20) at Amazon

Why do shoppers love it?

This set is much more than just a few plastic trays. It’s a path to organization that can give you back valuable minutes of every single day. Included are 13 clear silicone bins of different sizes. There are two XL trays, seven narrow medium trays, one square medium tray, and three square small trays. They fit together perfectly like puzzle pieces to offer you the perfect combination for your storage and organization needs. They’re perfect for utensils, office supplies, makeup, or just about anything else that needs organizing.

In addition to the convenience of the clear construction, the trays have a few added features that allow you to use them as efficiently as possible. For starters, the bottom of each tray has four silicone non-slip pads at the bottom that keep them from sliding whenever you open or close your drawer. This is especially helpful in places like the bathroom where a need for nearly constant access to your items causes lots of movement. It also keeps the trays from bumping into one another, which could cause items to tumble from one tray to another.

The trays are also stackable. That means you can easily store them together when not in use, and they won’t take up too much space. Whenever you want to clean them, a quick wipe with a wet rag will do the job, thanks to the non-porous polyurethane composition of the trays. The set is available in either a 13-, 22-, or 28-piece combination. You may want to buy more than one set at this price, as they make great mix-and-match organizers.

Related: Amazon’s desk organizer has 3 drawers, 4 compartments, and a daily planner for only $13

Amazon shoppers were very happy with these organizers. One claimed they “have truly transformed my workspace and home organization.” The same buyer also praised the set’s “versatile design” and “durable quality.” 

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The Smartake 13-Piece Plastic Drawer Organizer Set is a smart buy for anyone who wants to get their drawers in order. At just $16, it’s a small price to pay to reduce household clutter. There’s no telling how long the sale price may last, so you’d be wise to buy yours sooner rather than later. 

The timing is hard to ignore. Plenty of employers have pointed to AI this year when trimming staff. Visa was among the latest in late July, when it moved to cut roughly 7% of its global workforce, or about 2,600 jobs. For the workers who receive those notices, the real question is how long the road back will take.

Goldman sees history repeating for AI-displaced workers

Goldman economist Pierfrancesco Mei found that workers displaced from AI-exposed jobs since 2025 needed roughly a month longer than other laid-off workers to land a new role, Fortune reported. They were also about 10 percentage points more likely to still be out of work a year after losing their jobs. A gap Mei said matched what the bank saw in past rounds of technological change.

Also read: Open AI’s Sam Altman has a chilling warning for young job seekers

This isn’t Goldman’s first look at the problem. In April 2026, Mei wrote that workers who lost jobs to technology took about a month longer to get hired again. And that they earned more than 3% less in real terms when they did.

He blamed what he called occupational downgrading. Many of those workers ended up in roles that required fewer of their analytical and people skills.

The newest findings rely on the Displaced Worker Supplement, a survey the government has run every two years since 1984 alongside the Current Population Survey, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It tracks what happens to people after an involuntary layoff.

Since the Displaced Worker Supplement does not ask whether AI cost someone a job, Goldman used a composite measure of AI exposure to identify likely displaced workers. The bank found no meaningful gap in outcomes for job losses before 2022, when broad AI adoption began to take hold.

Older workers carry the heaviest burden

Age matters a lot here. Laid-off workers 35 and older from AI-exposed jobs needed about five more weeks than other displaced workers to get back into full-time work. For those under 35, the delay was closer to three weeks. That also fits the old story, since older workers also had the roughest time in earlier tech shakeups.

The government’s broader numbers, which cover all kinds of layoffs, look much the same. Some 7.4 million workers were displaced between January 2023 and December 2025, up from 6.3 million in the previous survey. Among people who had held their jobs for at least three years, those 55 and older were far less likely to be working again by January 2026 than workers ages 25 to 54, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

There are signs that AI is nudging older professionals out the door too. Economist Geoffrey Sanzenbacher of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College found in June 2026 that older workers in highly AI-exposed occupations have been leaving their jobs at a faster clip since ChatGPT arrived in late 2022. A good share of those exits ended in unemployment, not retirement, according to the Center for Retirement Research.

Even those who find work again are often taking a pay cut. About 49% of long-tenured workers who were rehired into full-time jobs earned as much as or more than they did before, down from about 62% in the previous survey.

Young workers face a different kind of squeeze

Younger workers who do get laid off are faring better, at least for now. Goldman found that they took fewer temporary jobs on the way back to full-time work and were less likely to supplement their income with a second job. Mei flagged that as a relief, given how much concern has built up around AI’s threat to new graduates.

The bigger problem for young people may arrive before they are ever hired. Stanford researchers using ADP payroll data found in August that employment for workers ages 22 to 25 in the most AI-exposed occupations sits about 19% below where it would have been had it kept pace with peers in less-exposed jobs. The gap appears to stem mostly from less hiring, not layoffs.

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Harvard researchers found something similar inside companies. Firms that adopted generative AI cut junior headcount by about 7.7% within six quarters, while senior staffing held steady. And in a June survey by GMAC, a third of employers said they had used AI to handle some entry-level work instead of hiring a person, as reported by TheStreet.

Students appear to be adjusting their plans. Goldman found that college students are increasingly choosing majors that lead to jobs with lower AI exposure and stronger growth, though the bank cautioned that it is still too early to judge the full impact.

Economists remain split on how deep the damage runs

Employers are certainly talking about AI more than ever. Companies cited it in 120,136 announced job cuts through September, roughly 21% of all cuts and the top reason given this year, though it made up only about 9% of cuts in September itself, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Tech firms led all industries. In the spring, the number of AI-cited cuts hit the highest monthly level since Challenger started counting in 2023.

Not everyone is convinced AI is rewriting the labor market at scale. The Yale Budget Lab looked at employment patterns tied to AI exposure and found little deviation from earlier trends. Goldman’s own data has a blind spot, too: it only captures workers who held a job before losing one, which means some of AI’s impact may show up in roles that simply never get filled.

Related: Goldman Sachs has a new warning for the housing market for 2027

The tumor’s disappearance brings comfort.

And there’s the worry that it could return.

With an experimental cancer vaccine tailored to each patient’s tumor, Merck (MRK) and Moderna (MRNA) are attempting to solve that second issue.

Recurrence might signify much more to someone receiving treatment for melanoma than just discovering another worrisome area on their skin.

Melanoma can return near the original tumor, spread into lymph nodes or travel to distant parts of the body. The National Cancer Institute says advanced melanoma can spread to organs including the lungs, liver and brain, as well as bones and other tissue.

This may cause a patient who thought the illness had been cured to undergo scans, surgery, radiation, immunotherapy, or targeted treatment again.

The experimental vaccine developed by Merck and Moderna is intended to reduce the likelihood of such a result.

In a Phase 3 research study, the customized therapy decreased the risk of melanoma recurrence or mortality by 42% when combined with Merck’s Keytruda as compared to Keytruda alone.

Patients may be able to live longer without developing cancer again as a result.

For investors, it may also assist Merck in resolving one of the main issues plaguing its stock: Keytruda’s successor.

Merck’s cancer vaccine starts with the patient’s own tumor

The word “vaccine” can be misleading here.

Healthy individuals wouldn’t get this injection to avoid melanoma.

It is intended for those who have previously experienced cancer.

Scientists examine the genetic alterations in an excised melanoma tumor.

Each patient’s cancer may have a different combination of these mutations.

The information is then used by Merck and Moderna to develop intismeran, a customized mRNA therapy that instructs the patient’s immune system on the appearance of cancer cells.

Consider it a customized wanted poster for the immune system.

Keytruda then aids the immune system in its function by preventing cancer cells from using a defense mechanism.

This combination was examined in individuals with stage IIB through IV melanoma whose detectable tumors had been surgically removed in the Phase 3 INTerpath-001 study.

After a median follow-up of 24.6 months, intismeran plus Keytruda reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 42% compared with Keytruda alone.

It also reduced the risk of cancer spreading to a distant part of the body or causing death by 38%, according to Merck.

That distinction matters enormously to a patient.

Surgery is often an effective treatment for melanoma that stays localized.

The illness is much more complex as it spreads.

Stage IV melanoma may spread to the brain, spinal cord, lungs, liver, gastrointestinal system, bones, muscles, and distant lymph nodes, according to the National Cancer Institute.

In treatment, doctors may use combinations of immunotherapy, targeted medications, radiation, or further surgery.

The goal of Merck’s and Moderna’s new treatment is to reduce the risk of discovering cancer has returned to another part of the body, necessitating another protracted course of therapy.

“The potentially practice-changing advances in oncology presented at last weekend’s ESMO [European Society for Medical Oncology] meeting further clinically de-risk the substantial long-term opportunity of our late-phase pipeline,” Merck’s CEO Robert Davis said.

A crucial unknown remains.

Overall-survival statistics aren’t yet available.

According to the experiment, participants survived longer without distant spread or recurrence. It does not yet show that the treatment eventually prolongs life.

One of the most important things that physicians, patients, and investors will be keeping an eye on is that outcome.

Why Merck investors care about one patient’s recurrence

The customized cancer vaccination arrives at a crucial moment for Wall Street.

Keytruda is one of the most effective medications in the world.

But now it is turning into one of Merck’s greatest weaknesses.

Merck’s third-quarter revenues from Keytruda reached $8.6 billion, a 6% increase over the same quarter the previous year.

This indicates that one medication accounted for almost half of Merck’s $18.1 billion in quarterly sales.

But Keytruda’s U.S. patent protections start to expire in 2028, which is an issue.

Lower-cost rivals may ultimately gain market share and drive down costs when popular medications lose their patent protection.

For people who need less expensive medication, that is beneficial.

Losing exclusivity may be unpleasant for the company’s stockholders.

Therefore, before Keytruda’s dominance begins to wane, Merck needs its next generation of medications to grow into significant revenue producers.

This explains why investors responded favorably to Merck’s most recent performance.

The company improved its outlook, exceeded Wall Street’s forecasts for third-quarter sales and profitability, and said that recent trial breakthroughs may lead it to enhance its earlier projection of more than $70 billion in revenue from developing products by the mid-2030s.

According to Reuters, Keytruda sales of $8.6 billion beat analysts’ $7.73 billion estimate, while Winrevair sales nearly doubled to $694 million.

Reuters reported that Merck shares were up more than 4% in midday trading Thursday.

That might seem to be a straightforward revenue response.

The more important question is whether investors are becoming more confident that Merck has a solution to the Keytruda patent cliff.

One possible component of the solution is a customized cancer vaccination.

And unlike some pipeline drugs designed to replace an old blockbuster, intismeran actually uses Keytruda as part of the treatment.

This might enable Merck to create a new product based on the medication it now controls.

The cancer vaccine has already moved billions on Wall Street

Merck is not the only company whose stock was affected by the new treatment.

Moderna also benefited.

Although the firm gained notoriety for its Covid vaccine, investors have been wondering for years whether its mRNA technology may lead to another significant venture.

Moderna shares more than doubled in a single session after Merck and Moderna revealed in August that the customized melanoma vaccine was successful in the late-stage trial.

The move added about $30 billion to Moderna’s market value, according to Reuters.

That massive response demonstrates what Wall Street thinks may be at risk.

Even if customized mRNA cancer vaccines are limited to melanoma, there may still be significant potential.

The market may grow significantly if the same technology can treat other types of cancer.

Merck and Moderna are already researching the strategy beyond melanoma.

Compared to marketing a single traditional medication to millions of similar individuals, this approach presents a completely different financial opportunity.

The actual course of therapy must be tailored.

A tumor has to be examined.

It is necessary to identify relevant mutations.

Then, a vaccination has to be produced, especially for that patient.

Pharmaceutical production, genetic sequencing, diagnostics, and other segments of the biotechnology supply chain may see increased demand if the strategy gains traction.

However, customization also poses a problem.

It is effortless to produce millions of similar tablets.

Creating a unique cancer vaccine for every patient does not seem likely to be feasible, not with the current state of medical technology.

A patient recuperating from cancer surgery cannot wait forever for a customized therapy; thus, speed is crucial.

Cost will also be important.

If hospitals, insurance companies, or patients cannot realistically obtain a scientifically remarkable treatment, that will restrict its influence.

This situation implies that the commercial test is about much more than the effectiveness of the research.

Merck and Moderna must show that they can manufacture customized cancer treatments consistently, swiftly, and on a scale big enough to become standard medical care.

Merck’s cancer vaccine still has more to prove

In the end, Merck’s stock wager is a wager on preventing cancer.

The Wall Street math doesn’t matter to a patient.

Imagine that medical professionals inform you that the melanoma they removed may return.

Every follow-up scan suddenly carries more weight. A suspicious lymph node matters. A new unexplained symptom can become frightening. If melanoma returns somewhere distant, treatment can become substantially more complicated.

That is why a 42% reduction in the risk of recurrence or death gets attention. It doesn’t mean 42% of patients are cured. It doesn’t mean nobody receiving the vaccine will have their cancer return.

Additionally, it hasn’t shown that patients would live longer.

This indicates that individuals who received the customized vaccination in addition to Keytruda had a significantly reduced probability of recurrence or death throughout the research period compared to those who received Keytruda alone.

That is clinically meaningful. It is also financially meaningful for Merck. Merck’s current value rests heavily on Keytruda. Investors know that clock is running toward the drug’s patent losses.

Wall Street has more reason to think Merck’s profits won’t plummet when Keytruda finally encounters less expensive competition with each successful late-stage medication.

Thus, personalized cancer therapy connects two very distinct types of uncertainty.

A patient with melanoma wants to know whether the cancer will come back.

A stakeholder at Merck wants to know whether the company’s expansion will endure Keytruda’s patent cliff.

In the future, intismeran may be able to answer both questions.

The next benchmarks are important.

The therapy still has to be reviewed by regulators.

Results for overall survival need more time.

Merck and Moderna need to demonstrate that they can produce a customized vaccine fast enough for cancer treatment in the real world.

And whether this development is just a melanoma breakthrough or the start of something much bigger will be determined by studies in other malignancies.

The effect may go well beyond Merck’s stock price if those factors come together.

Cancer patients may get more individualized therapy based on the precise mutations causing their illness.

One of the next big markets for biotechnology might be customized medicine, according to Wall Street.

Additionally, Merck may be able to solve a multibillion-dollar issue by developing a vaccine one patient at a time.

Related: Bank of America has strong message for Merck stock investors

Why we love this deal

Maximizing your home’s storage space typically focuses on the interior areas, but there’s a lot to be gained from adding it outdoors as well. If you’re lucky enough to have a garage, it can still quickly fill up with your lawn tools and various sporting equipment. Rather than having this overflow take up your car’s parking space, consider an outdoor storage shed to streamline the clutter. Shed structures large enough to walk into are typically a few hundred bucks, but Amazon has deals, making it more affordable to invest.

Now available for under $200, the Aoxun Outdoor Storage Shed is on sale for just $180. This is a rare bargain, especially given its large frame and galvanized steel structure. This selection even has a weather-resistant coating for an attractive appearance that won’t be an eyesore in the backyard. 

Aoxun Outdoor Storage Shed, $180 at Amazon

Why do shoppers love it?

Constructed to withstand the outdoor elements, this steel shed has reinforced wall panels and a thickened roof. The completed design is so durable that it can take on Grade 6 winds, which reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, and be piled with up to 6 inches of snow. Whether it’s from melting snow or rainwater, the shed’s sloped roof will prevent pooling water from accumulating and causing rust spots. 

The unit features two double doors, so you can easily get in and out of the shed to grab your belongings inside. The doors stay securely closed with a stainless steel bolt lock, but for added protection, there’s also a spot to equip a padlock. Stepping inside the structure, you’ll find a spacious interior measuring 74 inches long and 48 inches wide, which is approximately 6 feet long by 4 feet wide, so you’ll have room for a wheelbarrow, toolboxes, and potentially a riding lawn mower. Additionally, this shed has a maximum height of just over 6.5 feet at its apex, so the taller folks won’t have to bend down too much to go in. 

Related: Amazon is selling a $400 6-foot outdoor storage shed for $290

“The inside space is very roomy and perfect for storing tools, yard equipment, or even larger items without any issues,” shared one shopper. They continued to praise the space, adding, “The doors open smoothly, and the ventilation helps keep the inside from getting too hot.”

Details to know 

• Dimensions: 49 inches deep, 75 inches wide, and 74 inches high. 
• Material: Alloy steel. 
• Is assembly required?: Yes.

The one thing you’ll want to consider about this storage shed is the assembly process. Due to the large size and heavy frame, which weighs 99 pounds, you will likely need a helping hand to construct this shed. However, nearly all storage sheds come disassembled, so it’s not an unexpected factor. 

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If you’ve been wanting to bring storage to your backyard, the Aoxun Outdoor Storage Shed is an excellent option, especially when it’s on sale for just $180 at Amazon. Just make sure to add it to your cart now to secure all the savings.

Launched in 2022, the program saw Restaurant Brands International commit $250 million to a “Royal Reset” involving restaurant technology, kitchen equipment, building enhancements, and high-quality remodels and relocations.

“This investment will work to enhance ongoing Franchisee investments to modernize the Burger King restaurant portfolio, and when combined with our brand re-positioning plan, menu enhancements, and focus on operational excellence, will help drive our overarching goal of improving the guest experience and attracting more traffic back to the brand over time,” the company shared in a press release.  

It’s an investment that has been working, but franchise operators have to make their own investments to receive corporate funds. That has become a problem, as rising beef prices have created a major drag on Burger King’s profitability.

Burger King tries to win with chicken

Burger King recently ran a series of commercials where it admitted that its chicken nuggets weren’t great. It showed the chain’s chef addressing the problem and improving the nuggets.

It’s framed in the commercial as an effort to fix a problem for customers, but in reality, it also helps solve an underlying problem for the chain. With beef prices elevated, Burger King needs more customers to order chicken.

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Those efforts have worked, according to CEO Joshua Kobza, who spoke during the chain’s third-quarter earnings call.

“Our new nuggets feature crispier breading, juicier chicken, and more premium packaging, and we paired them with the revamped sauce lineup. These improvements directly address an opportunity we identified through guest feedback, and the response has exceeded our expectations,” he said.

The nuggets, Kobza noted, have been a success.

“We’re attracting new guests, increasing nugget incidents, and closing the gap with competitors in a category that’s particularly important for kids and families,” he added.

Burger King has a beef problem

Burger King had a great quarter.

“In Q3, we delivered 3.8% same-store sales and 3% net restaurant growth, driving 6.2% system-wide sales growth and 6.7% organic adjusted operating income growth. This marks our fifth consecutive quarter of same-store sales above 3%,” Kobza shared.

Burger King sales were strong, and the CEO noted that the chain drove 19% of the company’s profits.

“After an awesome first half of the year, we accelerated our outperformance in the third quarter with U.S. same-store sales up 8.4% and system-wide sales up 7.5%. We widened our gap to burger QSR peers to nearly 10 points. And after years of hard work, we are incredibly proud to have reclaimed the #2 position in the U.S. burger category,” he said.

The CEO, however, shared a clear problem facing the chain that has slowed down its turnaround efforts and forced franchise operators to delay remodels.

Oppenheimer’s Brian Bittner asked about extending the timetable for remodels during the call, and CFO Sami Siddiqui answered.

“Yes. And Brian, I can jump in on your question around the timing of remodels. And I think we’ve talked about this a little bit in the past; it’s just beef costs and record-high beef inflation that have been a headwind to the system’s profitability,” he said.

That is creating problems for some franchisees.

“So despite the amazing progress on the top line, we’ve — our franchisees have had to manage through this. The good news is we’re starting to see a little bit of relief on that front, and we expect to see a little bit more next year. And I think that will naturally cause the pace of the remodels to pick up,” he added.

Beef prices are a road bump

While beef prices have been a drag on profitability for the chain, Burger King has made significant progress on its remodels.

“The uplifts are really good, but we’re still probably around 60% of the system done. So we’ve got a number of years in front of us and a lot of stores that still need to get to the right image there. So I expect that will be a driver for quite some time,” Kobza said.

Beef prices, however, will remain a concern as the USDA forecasts prices will be 8.6% higher for beef in 2026 compared to the previous year.

“Prices for beef have risen as U.S. consumption of beef has increased and domestic production has contracted,” according to the Kansas City Fed.

That’s not something Burger King can control, and RTM Nexus CEO Dominick Miserandino thinks that the company has shown the long-range vision needed to work through any pricing concerns.

“Burger King’s turnaround is a good reminder that there usually isn’t one magic promotion that fixes a restaurant chain. They’ve been putting money into the stores, improving operations, fixing the menu and getting franchisees healthier,” he told TheStreet.

Making an impact, he added, takes time.

“Eventually the customer notices. The growth in same-store sales tells you they’re not just getting existing customers to spend more. They’re giving people a reason to consider Burger King again,” he said.

Related: Chipotle is leaning on new menu items to bring diners back

She sometimes moves quickly in and out of stocks as their prices fluctuate. That’s what she just did with Tempus AI (TEM), buying shares right after selling them.

Last year, the flagship Ark Innovation ETF gained 35.49%, far outpacing the S&P 500’s return of 17.88% in the same period. So far this year, Wood’s flagship Ark Innovation ETF (ARKK) is up 4.98% as of Oct. 30, while the S&P 500 surged 10.73%, Yahoo Finance data shows.

Wood gained a reputation after the Ark Innovation ETF delivered a rosy 153% return in 2020. But her style also brings painful losses in bearish markets, as seen in 2022, when the ETF tumbled more than 60%.

Those swings have weighed on Wood’s long-term gains. As of Oct. 30, her Ark Innovation ETF has delivered a five-year annualized return of -7.66%, while the S&P 500 has an annualized return of 10.48% over the same period, according to data from Morningstar.

Cathie Wood remains optimistic about AI and tech revolution

Wood focuses on high-tech companies across artificial intelligence, blockchain, biomedical technology, and robotics. She believes these businesses have strong growth potential, but their volatility often causes fluctuations in the Ark’s funds.

Over the decade ended 2025, the Ark Innovation ETF wiped out nearly $5 billion in investor wealth, according to a report by Morningstar’s analyst Amy Arnott. That made it the fourth-biggest wealth destroyer among mutual funds and ETFs in the ranking. 

Wood defended her investment strategy after an audience member at a recent summit questioned ARK’s performance compared with the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ).

Related: Cathie Wood sells $16 million of surging tech stock

“Investors deserve to understand both their returns and the decisions behind them,” Wood said in a post on X on Oct. 5.

She argued that the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) and QQQ are built differently. QQQ tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index, while ARK actively invests in companies it believes are driving disruptive innovation across industries including healthcare, financial services, and transportation.

Wood has long been optimistic about AI, which she sees as a major driver of productivity, economic growth, and corporate profits in the years ahead. She has also pushed back against fears that AI could pose an existential threat to humanity.

In September, Wood reposted a post by David Sacks on X, saying he makes a good case that the “AI will kill humanity” headlines were orchestrated.

In August, Wood said U.S. corporate profits remain unusually strong, with domestic profits before tax at 13.2% of GDP, a level she said is near multi-decade highs. 

Some of that strength came from the massive monetary and fiscal stimulus during the pandemic, but Wood believes another factor is helping sustain margins today: companies are leaning into AI and productivity gains to protect them.

“I think we’re still early in seeing how far that can go,” she said, adding that companies that use AI effectively will “separate themselves from the ones that don’t.”

Not all investors agree with Wood’s optimism. Over the past 12 months through Oct. 29, the Ark Innovation ETF saw roughly $1.64 billion in net outflows, according to data from ETF research firm VettaFi. 

Cathie Wood buys $11.2 million of Tempus AI stock

On Oct. 30, Wood’s Ark funds bought a total of 154,521 shares of Tempus AI Inc. (TEM), according to Ark’s daily trading information sent to TheStreet. These shares were worth about $12.0 million based on the transaction price.

The purchase came right after two days of selling. Wood’s Ark Innovation ETF sold 7,625 Tempus shares on Oct. 29 and 58,371 shares on Oct. 28.

Tempus AI is a healthcare tech company that provides AI-driven diagnostic tools that help doctors make treatment decisions. It also sells the data generated from its tests to pharmaceutical companies for drug development.

Tempus shares fell 7.2% on Oct. 30, the day Wood made the purchase. The stock is up about 22% year-to-date, helped by a sharp rally in August after Merck (MRK) and Moderna (MRNA) reported positive late-stage trial results for their personalized cancer vaccine.

The company is set to report its third-quarter financial results on Nov. 2, Monday. Wood’s purchase could also be a bet on earnings. 

Tempus AI beat estimates in each of its last four reports. But its stock fell on all four earnings days.

Still, Wall Street is getting more bullish on the AI healthcare company.

On Oct. 14, JPMorgan analyst Casey Woodring raised the firm’s price target on Tempus to $70 from $45, while Bank of America lifted its target to $75 from $52 on Oct. 9, The Fly reported. Both firms maintained Neutral ratings on the stock ahead of the third-quarter earnings.

Canaccord was more bullish, raising its price target to $95 from $80 on Oct. 12 while maintaining a Buy rating.

The firm pointed to growing adoption of AI in life science tools, along with higher revenue estimates and improving margins, as reasons for the increase.

Canaccord said recent developments in the industry show that companies are stepping up efforts to use AI in drug discovery, which could create more opportunities for Tempus.

The firm also acknowledged concerns about the potential use of AI to develop biological weapons, but it believes sufficient safeguards are in place. It expects those concerns to be temporary and sees AI-related benefits helping drive revenue growth and margin expansion.

Wood has long been bullish on the combination of artificial intelligence and healthcare, calling healthcare “the most profound application of AI” in a March interview with Bloomberg.

“It includes the convergence of sequencing technologies, AI, and gene editing,” Wood said. “We have 35 to 40 trillion cells in our body generating data, and AI is a data project.”

Tempus AI has long been one of the top 10 holdings of Wood’s Ark Innovation ETF. As of Oct. 30, the stock ranks third.

Top 10 Holdings in the Ark Innovation ETF by market value and weight as of Oct. 30, 2026:

• Tesla (TSLA): $776.1 million, 10.77%
• SpaceX (SPCX): $443.6 million, 6.15%
• Tempus AI (TEM): $415.8 million, 5.77%
• Circle Internet Group (CRCL): $334.8 million, 4.65%
• CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP): $325.2 million, 4.51%
• Coinbase Global (COIN): $285.3 million, 3.96%
• Twist Bioscience (TWST): $260.0 million, 3.61%
• OpenAI Group: $249.4 million, 3.46%
• Shopify (SHOP): $225.3 million, 3.13%
• Nvidia (NVDA): $212.2 million, 2.94%

Other than buying Tempus AI shares, Wood’s latest trades included buying shares of Illumina (ILMN), Circle Internet Group (CRCL), Coinbase Global (COIN), Pacific Biosciences of California (PACB), Robinhood Markets (HOOD), Arcturus Therapeutics (ARCT), and Beam Therapeutics (BEAM).

She also trimmed positions in Bullish (BLSH), Eli Lilly (LLY), and CareDx (CDNA).

Related: Veteran fund manager revamps Alphabet stock price target after brutal sell-off

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Well, Craig, it’s so great to see you. Thanks for joining us in the program this morning.

Thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure. It’s always mine.

I always enjoy the research that you and the EBRI team put together, so it’s a pleasure to have you. You know, I wanted to talk about auto IRAs, and you in particular did, you and the eBrew team did some research about the decline in value of auto IRAs. So before we get into that research, do you have a general sense for how big a market we’re talking about?

Because my understanding is the auto IRA kind of came into practice during EGTRA in 2001, implemented in 2002, so there’s probably a lot there. So how big are we talking here?

Craig Copeland, Ph.D, Employee Benefit Research Institute

Well, we’re talking around about $30 billion in these accounts, and we have over 10 million to 20 million of these accounts out there. And it’s even expected to grow more because Secure 2.0 increased the dollar amount that was allowable for the auto IRAs or the forced out from the 401k plans of these small accounts up to 7,000. So that’s going to greatly expand the market since that change, because you’re going to get more and more accounts in that range from 5 to 7,000 than just being under 5,000.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Yeah, I mean, that is still, I mean, that’s a lot of money, that’s a lot of accounts. And I understand, we’re not going to debate the merits of the, I understand why the provision was there, you want to make sure that people can have their account, and it rolls over to something that could potentially earn interest. But let’s talk about what actually happens, because you and the team, as I said, did a lot of research here.

These accounts actually sit in an IRA, but they don’t do as well as you would think. They’re not as exposed to the market in some cases, right?

Craig Copeland, Ph.D, Employee Benefit Research Institute

Right, because the investment option that they have to go into is essentially a cash-like investment, because the whole idea of these accounts was to make sure they preserve value. And originally, the thought was that they would be moved quickly, so you didn’t want to put them into something that would turn around, lose money in the first couple of months, and then when you went to move it to wherever you want to, it had lost value. And unfortunately, during the, most of the later 2000s, 2010s, interest rates went down very, very low.

And there is a cost of maintaining accounts, regardless of the size. And once you have that standard fee size that they have for accounts, when you had money markets at rates that were less than a half a percent, if only like 0.1%, they were not able to cover the flat fees that it takes to administer account. And therefore, once you knitted out the fees, your account balance was going down in nominal dollars.

Instead of having $1,000, you may have had $950 or whatever it was, because of that virtually no interest covering the fees that it costs to administer the accounts.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

So clearly, unintended consequences here. Obviously, not obviously, but you create rules and regulations and have legislation, I think for the betterment. That was the intent here.

Maybe it didn’t work out that way in practice. As you were saying, I think a lot of these were invested in like money market accounts, right? So they were like money market mutual funds that to your point, raise very little return, as opposed to in a qualified retirement plan, like a 401k, you have a default of a QDIA, right?

A target date fund or something like that. That’s not the case here.

Craig Copeland, Ph.D, Employee Benefit Research Institute

Right. And because that’s the way the regulation was set up is that they have to go to a cash. So that’s where we’re at.

Yeah. The default in a 401k plan is a target date fund, which does have a great deal of equity exposure. And if you’re younger, it’s virtually the entire investment.

And that’s one of the things that the hope was, well, if you force them out and you send them a check, you’re giving them money, the money’s left the system. Plus there’s a tax penalty. Whereas if you rolled into the IRA, there’s no tax penalty.

It’s still in the system and a tax preferred vehicle. The hope wasn’t that people would keep track of the money and move it to their next employer, because one of the things that they allowed you to do was to move your IRA into an employer plan. If your employer allowed it, more and more employers are doing that.

Or you could actually go and invest it to take the time and invest it within that IRA as well to take advantage of the long-term higher returns that have prevailed in equity investments.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

So let’s talk about, you made a really good point. And as you were talking about, someone can go in to their account. Do people lose track of their account?

Because I’m a reform record keeper. When I used to do less than 5,000, 4,000, you had to send out letters and confirmations, but addresses weren’t updated unless you updated them. So have people forgotten about these accounts?

And if so, what is the impact to the overall retirement readiness of people?

Craig Copeland, Ph.D, Employee Benefit Research Institute

Well, I mean, they are still required to send out notifications. But the big thing is that you have to go through the plan administrator to change your address. So you still have to work with your former employer.

In a lot of cases, you don’t know what your former employer is. And many times when you change jobs, you’re also moving. So there’s a good chance that the address is not ever given to the plan administrator who gives it to the actual record keeper that does these things and gets the right address.

So they’re never notified. And sometimes when you’re notified, you don’t understand what it means or it’s something you’ll take care of later. And if you’ve moved in the meantime, you may not get that next statement that comes around to think about, oh, yeah, I still have that account and do something with that.

And the problem is not only do you lose track of it, so you may be sitting on money somewhere that could have been growing, particularly for a younger person that could, you know, by the time you retire, could have double, triple, potentially quadruple, depending on how much you invested over that 30 years. But then you lose it just whatever nominal amount, but then you weren’t ever invested in it. So it just really kind of potentially defeats the purpose of setting up this account if the money is not remembered and it’s not invested.

And, you know, in some cases, these accounts, if they’re left dormant for so long, end up in, you know, in the state lost fund programs. And therefore, you know, you don’t know where the money is at that point. And we really have these issues of not these assets not building up.

And therefore, that gets back to the retirement security. If that money that you save in these early jobs don’t compound and build up like you expect, then that changes the entire retirement security question because a lot of the job change does happen when you’re younger. And that gives you the longest time to have the compounding.

So if you miss out on those accounts, you’ve lost out of that investing early and that compounding that you would have by the time you retire.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

So are there ways, so say I had a former employer plan, I lost track of it because I didn’t update my state, my address, you know, are there ways for me to, and again, we’re kind of deviating a little bit from the research, but I guess the natural question is how do I find an account if I’ve lost one? Don’t they have databases to find forgotten?

Craig Copeland, Ph.D, Employee Benefit Research Institute

I mean, the Department of Labor was required to start a database of lost accounts.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Yeah.

Craig Copeland, Ph.D, Employee Benefit Research Institute

Unfortunately, the participation is voluntary. I say that unfortunately for people to be able to find them. I mean, it is costly to, you know, provide all that data to the Department of Labor.

So that’s one place to start. If your employer is still in business, they should be able to direct you toward where their money was sent, who was maintaining their rollover IRAs because they’re supposed to pick them through a fiduciary process. So they should be able to track it that way.

Otherwise, you know, as I said, some end up in the state lost fund programs. That’s another place to look. And in some cases, if you remember who your record keeper was, when he was active, you may go to them because they may be able to track where that money was sent.

And in some cases, they may also administer the rollover IRA as well, depending upon who that company is. So there’s four, you know, at least four ideas of trying to do it of how to find them. But even with that, it’s not always easy because if your employer’s gone, you don’t know where it is.

If it hasn’t gone to the state lost funds programs, you know, there’s another and you’re not required to send it to the lost accounts database that DOL is maintaining. So therefore, in some cases, you just may never know until. Until you maybe, I mean, something may happen, you know, at some point it may end up in the in the state lost program, lost funds programs.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

You almost have to be Sherlock Holmes. I don’t even know who the latest detective is, but you got to be. I grew up with Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes.

So you have to be really a net detective to find that information. Uh, is, is this an opportunity with the secure, secure 2.0 expanding the limit effectively from 5,000 upwards, which means more money is going to roll over. Is this an opportunity to create more automation?

And again, we’re, we’re kind of going away from, I recognize you’re not a record keeper, but you have deep insight into this issue. Is this an opportunity for kind of more connecting of the dots technologically? It seems like we could do it.

Craig Copeland, Ph.D, Employee Benefit Research Institute

Well, I mean, there is auto portability program that’s been established and is, is available to be used through this process. And it has to go through the IRA and, and then there’s, you know, a network of record keepers that can join to make this a fully automated process. However, the structure is allowed, but it’s not required.

So both the record keepers have to opt into the network and each plan, the plan you had your money in and the plan you were going to had to be, had to opt into the program too. So there is some structure to do it, but when it’s voluntary, it makes it hard because you really have to be able to find both plans on both sides to make it an automated process. Another hitch in the program is that there is a growing ability to do Roth contributions.

And since the way the process is set up, it has to go through an IRA, but a Roth IRA cannot be rolled into an employer plan. Only a traditional or a deductible can. So therefore, if it gets into the system as a Roth IRA, it’s stuck even under an automated process because the rules didn’t, you know, follow that, you know, now that there is the capability or the differences, there’s no more differences in the withdrawal rules from a Roth IRA versus a Roth K.

There seems like they should be able to be rolled over now because in the past, you know, you had to take withdrawals from a Roth IRA, excuse me, from a Roth K, but not from a Roth IRA. And now you don’t have to take withdrawals from either of them. So it seems like now would be the time to equalize all those because that’s another pool that even with an automated process that has been set up, it’s still stuck in the, in that auto IRA part until someone makes a decision to move that IRA into their own IRA or actually like really invest in the IRA it’s been rolled over into.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Yeah. It’s a, I think there’s an opportunity maybe when secure 3.0 eventually, you know, they’re, I know they’re working on a lot of different bills. Maybe that’ll be an opportunity to kind of quote unquote, clean this up.

Because as you said, more money is going to be rolling over. Craig, I can’t let you go without maybe a tease out of some research that you have coming down the pike, whether it’s related to IRAs. I know you do a lot of wealth strategy and wealth management research.

Can you give us a little bit of a tease of what you have coming down the pike?

Craig Copeland, Ph.D, Employee Benefit Research Institute

Well, I mean, one of the things that we’re looking at the impact of the student loan matching program and how that can help those individual student loans. We, we did, you know, one paper and showed the clear difference that those had student loans was much lower in both their contribution rates and the balances they’ve been able to accumulate. We’re also doing some work on potential on the financial wellbeing side of financial education in the workplace and how that’s correlated with better outcomes for those workers that participate in that education program.

So that’s a couple of the highlights that we have coming out. Hopefully both of them before the end of the year.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Yeah. And maybe you’ll come back again. I haven’t chased you off.

Hopefully you’ll come back, talk to us about that, Craig. We’re going to have to leave it there. Thanks so much for popping by the program, talking about your research.

And look, as I said, we look forward to having you back again very soon.

Craig Copeland, Ph.D, Employee Benefit Research Institute

Okay. Thank you.

Why we love this deal

A pair of warm and comfy slippers is an essential for staying cozy indoors this winter. Taking off uncomfortable shoes after a long day can be a heavenly experience, signifying it’s time to kick back and relax. You could always go barefoot or settle for socks, but the right house shoes take your downtime to the next level, with a comfortable fit that feels like slipping your feet into a plush and fluffy cloud. Of course, not all slippers are equal: In my opinion, the perfect pair has four characteristics: a soft and fuzzy fur lining, enough support to keep my feet happy, a sturdy sole with built-in traction, and a machine-washable design to keep them fresh.

You can find all these must-have features in the Ultraideas Memory Foam Hard-Bottom House Slippers, and they’re currently on sale for under $20 in four colors. 

Ultraideas Memory Foam Hard-Bottom House Slippers, $18 (was $22) at Amazon

Why do shoppers love it?

With over 18,000 perfect five-star ratings, these slippers are, without a question, shopper-approved, and it’s easy to see why. They have a classic style with a moccasin-inspired silhouette that’s brought into the modern day with suede uppers and a plush faux fur collar that continues to the interior, lining the shoes with fluffy softness. If the fuzzy lining wasn’t soft enough, the memory foam footbeds add even more comfort. The high-density foam offers support, but the shock-absorbing material also adds bounce and cushion to your step. “They are warm, cozy, comfortable, and so affordable,” raved one shopper. “The arch support makes them feel like very expensive slippers.”

Related: Macy’s is selling cozy $40 slippers for 44% off in 7 colors

If you need to check the mail or take out the garbage, these house shoes are up to the challenge with a hard rubber outsole. If it’s a little wet outside, the non-slip sole offers traction and durability, and since it’s not a cloth bottom like some slippers, they won’t get soggy. The house shoes are durable, so you can throw them in the washing machine without worry. Since most people go without socks when wearing slippers, a machine-washable design is key for keeping the footwear fresh after multiple wears. 

Details to know 

• Sizes available: The slippers come in women’s shoe sizes 5 to 12.
• Sizing note: The shoes run a bit smaller, so the manufacturer recommends going up a size if you’re a half size or plan to wear socks.
• Colors: Black, purple, gray and beige colors are on sale for under $20.
• Are they machine washable?: Yes.

One shopper calls these house shoes the “perfect winter slippers.” If your feet tend to get chilly in the cold weather, the same reviewer reported the shoes kept their feet “warm and comfortable.”

Shop more deals

• Coface Memory Foam House Slippers, $25 (was $36) at Amazon
• LongBay Warm Memory Foam Bootie Slippers, $19 (was $22) at Amazon
• Litfun Genuine Suede Fur-Lined Slippers, $40 (was $62) at Amazon

The Ultraideas Memory Foam Hard-Bottom House Slippers are a solid choice for winter with a cozy lining and ample cushioning and support. Keep your feet toasty for less while they’re on sale for just $18.

Investors did not like everything they heard, and some of them made that clear in a hurry. Alphabet suffered a sharp post-earnings sell-off, falling more than 8% in after-hours trading following its October 28 earnings release. The growth is real. So is the bill.

Elon Musk sees a shakeout coming for neoclouds

Elon Musk set the tone on October 25 with a warning for neoclouds, the companies that rent out AI computing power. He wrote on X that more than 200 of them face “guppy-level death and consolidation,” with few likely to survive.

Also read: Elon Musk’s latest move brings good news for Nvidia investors

His argument comes down to debt. Lenders, he said, are wary of backing companies that make nearly all their money from AI data centers. SpaceX carries about $40 billion in debt to buy GPUs, but it also earns money from Starlink and rocket launches. In his view, that outside business is what makes the difference.

Some traders read the remarks as a sign that Musk might go bargain hunting among beaten-down neocloud stocks. He shut that idea down quickly, saying SpaceX was not looking to buy any of them and calling it “pointless,” as reported by Reuters. In other words, he expects the weaker names to fade on their own rather than be rescued.

The bigger players, meanwhile, still have room to borrow. Microsoft CFO Amy Hood said the company is fortunate to have access to debt markets and has plenty of options to tap financing when conditions suit it. Leasing is one of the tools it is using, and Hood still expects Microsoft to stay free cash flow positive in fiscal 2027.

Meta raises cash as Nvidia steps in

Meta picked a different route to fund its AI ambitions. It priced 40 million Class A shares at $625 each on October 26, raising $25 billion, up from the $22.5 billion it planned at launch. Orders came in at roughly five times the shares on offer, according to Reuters.

The spending behind the raise explains the hurry. Meta’s capital expenditures hit roughly $35 billion last quarter, outpacing its approximately $33 billion in operating cash flow and pushing free cash flow to negative $2.1 billion for the first time since 2012.

Nvidia is investing $3 billion in Meta’s offering, and the two are expanding their partnership. Meta plans to use more Nvidia Vera Rubin systems, Vera CPUs and Spectrum-X networking for its next wave of AI agents, and the companies will work to cut the cost of training and running Meta’s Muse models, as reported by TheStreet. The chipmaker is starting to look as much like a backer of its customers as a supplier.

Jensen Huang also had tougher questions to answer. On October 29, he described Nvidia’s business with Singapore-based Megaspeed International as normal after U.S. authorities reportedly began investigating a former Megaspeed executive. 

He said Nvidia had checked that its chips were not illegally sent to China and that his talks with the former executive were typical of those with Chinese customers, as reported by Bloomberg.

Alphabet and Microsoft show the cost of growth

Alphabet’s quarter showed both sides of the AI trade. Google Cloud revenue more than doubled from a year earlier to about $30.7 billion, yet free cash flow was negative $9.1 billion as capital spending outpaced operating cash flow. Earnings per share also missed estimates by a wide margin.

Capital spending is the reason for the pressure. Alphabet spent about $51.4 billion in the quarter and guided full-year spending to $195 billion to $205 billion.

More Wall Street:

• Nvidia and Micron are about to lord their successes all over Wall Street
• Nvidia, Palantir, and Alphabet send waves through Wall Street
• Wall Street elites will pocket windfall from record $46 billion profits

Microsoft had a smoother week than most. Revenue rose 19% to $92.3 billion and Azure grew 48%, beating forecasts, while capital spending reached $39.4 billion. Satya Nadella described enterprise AI adoption as a long-term opportunity rather than a quick quarterly boost, according to Microsoft.

Amazon bets demand will keep up

Andy Jassy sounded the most confident of the whole group. AWS grew 39.3% in the third quarter, its fastest pace in nearly five years, and its backlog hit $578 billion. Amazon is now installing an AI accelerator about every 14 seconds, and customers are taking new capacity nearly as fast as it comes online, Amazon reported.

That confidence carries a big price tag. Amazon maintained its full-year 2026 capital spending forecast at about $220 billion, and Jassy said spending will rise meaningfully in 2027, as reported by TheStreet. Jassy also said the AWS investment should yield a far larger revenue and free cash flow business than the company expected just a couple of years ago.

Put together, the week drew a clear line. The giants can still raise money and keep growing, while smaller players without other revenue may struggle to keep up, a split Musk spelled out when he said debt markets have largely closed to them. For now, Wall Street seems willing to reward growth only when the cash story holds up.

Related: Kevin Warsh sends a strong warning sign on rates to Wall Street

Why we love this deal

Who doesn’t love a comfortable outfit? Whether it’s spring, summer, fall, or winter, feeling good in an outfit is a top priority. But during the colder months, an outfit that keeps you warm in style is one of the best you can find, and if it’s budget friendly, it only makes it that much better. Lounge sets are the perfect way to achieve comfort and style in just one purchase. Walmart has plenty to choose from, and our latest discovery is on sale for under $30.

The Weekease 3-Piece Lounge Set is on sale for just $25. The Walmart bestseller was originally $41, but with a limited-time sale, you can get it for nearly 40% off. Unlike other lounge sets that come with two pieces, this set comes with three, so you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck without having to spend a ton of money.

Weekease 3-Piece Lounge Set, $25 (was $41) at Walmart

Why do shoppers love it?

Trying to put together a go-to outfit can take a lot of time, money, and effort. You have to individually source the pieces, trying them on and making sure they go well together. And if you happen to find a lounge set at a store or online, the pieces may match, but most of the time you have to buy everything separately. Luckily, this lounge set from Walmart can give you a put-together look in no time.

Many lounge sets come with a top and a bottom, but this set comes with a little more. In addition to a top and a pair of pants, you also get a long cardigan to complete the look. The top is a crewneck tank top that you can wear year-round, adding more layers the colder it gets. The pants have a jogger-style silhouette with tapered legs, offering comfort and a more refined look compared to loose and baggy options. The cardigan is on the longer side, almost looking like a thin, elevated robe that hits around the middle of the calf, depending on your height.

Related: Walmart is selling a 4-piece accessory set with a tote bag, crossbody bag, wristlet, and wallet for $32

Details to know

• Sizes: From women’s small to 2XL.
• Colors: Black, Army Green, Dark Gray, and Khaki.
• Includes: Long cardigan, crewneck tank top, and pants.

According to Walmart shoppers, this lounge set is “very comfortable,” and they love its “comfy and casual” look. One shopper said it’s a “nice outfit for fall,” with smooth fabric. Another customer highlighted the material as well, saying it has a “very soft, buttery feeling.”

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• Fantaslook Lounge Set, $30 (was $63) at Walmart
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Lounge sets are an effortless way to look good and feel good. They’re designed for comfort, whether you’re at home or out and about. The Weekease 3-Piece Lounge Set is a cozy option on sale for $25, and it’s a deal you don’t want to miss.

Why we love this deal

It seems like there is never enough storage in the kitchen or bathroom. Instead of shoving your pantry staples into overflowing cupboards or playing Tetris to fit toiletries on the cramped countertops, consider adding a storage cabinet to your setup. Storage cabinets are a practical way to maximize space in smaller areas. This is especially true if you go for one with a tall and narrow design, so it fits even into tight corners that are otherwise unused.

One that fits the bill is the Weefon 6-Shelf Farmhouse Storage Cabinet, and it’s on sale for just $95 at Amazon. We love this selection because it has a classic look with recessed panels on the doors and ample room with six rows of shelving and a handy pull-out door. In the past, you’d have to pay $120 to add this storage furniture to your home, but it’s more affordable to invest while it’s discounted to under $100. There is also a sleek, solid black version and a brown option that looks like rustic wood.

Weefon 6-Shelf Farmhouse Storage Cabinet, $95 at Amazon

Why do shoppers love it?

When you’re short on space, you don’t have extra room for bulky furniture, which is why this storage furniture is so great. It measures 67 inches tall, 11.8 inches deep, and 15.8 inches wide, giving it a compact footprint. Thanks to the narrow design, you can tuck it away in awkward, unused spaces, like behind the bathroom door or in a tight spot near the fridge. Despite the compact size, it’s still quite roomy since it stands over 5 feet tall, so you can fill it up with snacks, kitchen linens, bathroom cleaner, or your skincare arsenal. 

“I’m actually using it in my kitchen, and it works perfectly for extra storage,” one shopper wrote. They also raved that “the shelves and drawers provide plenty of space to organize pantry items, and it helps keep everything neat and accessible without taking up too much room.”

Related: Walmart’s 5-tier storage cabinet that’s ‘perfect for small spaces’ is only $40

The recessed doors along the top and bottom of this storage cabinet provide an elegant look that will blend with a variety of decor, whether your home leans cottagecore or coastal cabin. Between the doors, there’s a convenient pull-out drawer, which is great for organizing your smaller items, like kitchen utensils or travel-size cosmetics. Each door hides three rows of shelving, and two of the shelves are adjustable, so you can accommodate even taller items, like bottles of olive oil or mouthwash. 

Pros and cons of the $95 farmhouse storage cabinet

Pros

• It’s a budget-friendly storage piece. At under $100, it’s not impossible to find a storage cabinet, but this selection has a larger size and a more attractive design than many comparable options. 
• It has a compact footprint. If you’re in a tiny apartment or small house, this option is a smart choice for its narrow design.
• It has a timeless appearance. Farmhouse-inspired designs, like this one, are classic. This means in a few years, it won’t start to look dated.

Cons

• Assembly is required. The majority of furniture you buy online needs to be assembled, so this isn’t unusual, but it can still be a time-consuming process. 
• It’s not solid wood. Except for the handles, the storage cabinet is constructed with engineered wood, which doesn’t have the same durability and lifespan as real wood. 

Shop more deals

• Vasagle Bathroom Storage Organizer, $55 (was $70) at Amazon
• Pozdeg Tall 2-Door Storage Cabinet, $110 at Amazon
• Iwell Tall Narrow Storage Cabinet, $110 (was $130) at Amazon

Streamline your space for less while the Weefon 6-Shelf Farmhouse Storage Cabinet is on sale for just $95 at Amazon. This limited-time deal won’t last long, so snag it for yourself before time runs out.

Why we love this deal

Farmhouse design is all about classic comfort, and there are many ways to infuse its charm into your space. Farmhouse cabinets are one of our favorites, blending the style’s timeless designs with practicality perfectly. But if you want to lean into the comfort aspect, a farmhouse bedding set is just what you need. Farmhouse bedding looks and feels cozy, with light colorways and classic patterns. Plaid is a popular farmhouse bedding design, and there are some beautiful options at Macy’s that can help you get the charming farmhouse look without breaking the bank.

The Emmett Plaid 8-Piece Comforter Set is on sale at Macy’s for just $40. With 60% off its regular price of $100, you save big on eight pieces that would otherwise cost significantly more if you purchased everything separately.

Emmett Plaid 8-Piece Comforter Set, $40 (was $100) at Macy’s

Why do shoppers love it?

Plaid is as classic as it gets. You can use the pattern regardless of the season, whether it’s in the spring or summer during the warmer months, or when the temperature gets colder in the fall and winter. This comforter set features plaid with shades of light gray, white, and blue, creating a bright and airy color combo. During the fall and winter, it would look great paired with more texture and layers, like a knit or faux fur blanket. Thanks to its reversible design, you also get a solid tone on the other side, with a soft, light blue/light gray color. It’s perfect for anyone who likes to change up their bedding frequently, without taking up extra room in your linen closet to fit extra comforters. 

The shams match the comforter set, with plaid on one side and a solid color on the other. The bundle also comes with its own sheet set, saving you the hassle of having to find one that matches. It includes a flat sheet, a fitted sheet, and two pillowcases that have the same light hue as the solid side of the comforter. Additionally, you get a bed skirt, which doesn’t usually come with a standard sheet set. This addition ties the look together, hiding away anything under your bed to look clean and mess-free.

Related: Macy’s is selling a $205 French farmhouse quilt set for $72

Details to know

• Sizes: Queen and king.
• Color: Gray, blue, and white plaid.
• Comes with: Comforter, two standard shams, a bed skirt, a flat sheet, a fitted sheet, and two standard pillowcases.

Macy’s shoppers say the comforter is “warm,” but “super lightweight,” making it an excellent pick for all seasons. Others noted how “beautiful and soft” it is, with one customer highlighting that it’s “a great deal for eight pieces.”

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• Leslie 8-Piece Comforter Set, $40 (was $100) at Macy’s
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• Casual Plaid 8-Piece Comforter Set, $40 (was $100) at Macy’s

Get that farmhouse flair for only $40 while the Emmett Plaid 8-Piece Comforter Set is on sale from now until Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Why we love this deal

Dressers are one of the easiest ways to get your home in order. They’re commonly used in bedrooms to keep clothes and bedding in check, but they’re far more versatile than just a bedroom staple. Dressers can be used in living rooms and dining rooms, and when you get into different-sized dressers, they can be even more multifunctional. Mini dressers take the convenience of a dresser and size it down to fit into all sorts of small spaces, making it a must-have organizer you never knew you needed.

Take the Furnulem 3-Drawer Mini Dresser with Charging Station. It’s compact enough to fit in a bedroom, but it can also be used in a college dorm room, an entryway, and beyond. It also has extra features that make it even more useful than just storage. It was originally $48, but thanks to a limited-time deal, you can get the versatile dresser for only $40. 

Furnulem 3-Drawer Mini Dresser with Charging Station, $40 (was $48) at Amazon

Why do shoppers love it?

This mini dresser features three drawers that you can use to store extra clothes, small essentials, crafts, office supplies, and more, depending on where you use it. Above the three drawers is an open shelf, and on top of that is an additional surface, giving you both closed and open storage options. The open shelf is ideal for putting your glasses, a book, or your phone, and the top tier can easily hold a cozy table lamp.

In addition to all of the storage it provides, the mini dresser also has a built-in charging station. With two AC outlets and two USB ports, you have a small hub to charge your phone, laptop, tablet, and more. It’s incredibly convenient, especially since that means you won’t have to move around furniture to reach a wall outlet. The charging station piece can be positioned in the front of the dresser for extra easy access, in the back of the dresser, or not be used at all, making the design even more versatile.

Related: Amazon is selling 15-drawer dresser that’s 7 feet long for $120

Details to know

• Overall dimensions: 15.74 inches long by 11.5 inches deep by 28.3 inches high. 
• Drawer dimensions: 15.7 inches long by 11.5 inches deep by 5.3 inches high.
• Charging station: Two AC outlets and two USB ports.
• Material: Metal, wood, and plastic.

Amazon shoppers say they’re impressed with the mini dresser. “It feels solid, looks great, and has way more storage than I expected,” one customer said. “The built-in charging station is a game changer — I can charge my phone, watch, and earbuds all in one place without cords everywhere.”

Reviewers highlighted the size, saying it’s compact, and it “fits perfectly in small spaces,” like bedrooms and dorm rooms. With assembly, shoppers shared that it was easy and simple with clear instructions.

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• Huuger Mini Dresser with Charging Station, $30 (was $40) at Amazon
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Dressers can be pricey, but if you need something small and affordable, the Furnulem 3-Drawer Mini Dresser with Charging Station is an excellent choice. On sale for only $40, it’s a deal you’re going to want to add to your cart before it’s gone.

Why we love this deal

It’s happened to all of us — we open our cabinets to grab food containers, seasonings, or cooking utensils, only for everything to come sliding out when you’re digging around looking for what you need. Cabinets provide a lot of storage space, but many people don’t utilize it to its full potential. The tiny upper shelves that wiggle around and barely hold anything are outdated, which is why we’ve found a way better storage solution that offers practical and easy storage space. 

The Homtell Expandable Cabinet Organizer offers customizable space for any cabinet. With a smooth rail system, you can easily pull organized shelves out to find what you need, then slide them back in again for seamless storage. For just $36 during a Walmart Flash deal, this is a great option for anyone who struggles to keep their cabinets organized in the kitchen, bathroom, or pantry. 

Homtell Expandable Cabinet Organizer, $36 (was $40) at Walmart

Why do shoppers love it?

These pull-out organizers act as drawers that slide on smooth rails, allowing you to pull each drawer out to find what you need, instead of pulling all the items out individually until you find what you’re looking for. They measure 21 inches deep and offer an adjustable width that ranges from 13 inches to 20.8 inches wide, allowing them to work in a variety of cabinets. They can be set up in a flash, using either adhesive tape or screws, making them a long-lasting option for renters who need a temporary solution and for homeowners looking for something more permanent. 

Related: Walmart’s 5-tier storage cabinet that’s ‘perfect for small spaces’ is only $40

The three-rail system works to ensure a smooth and stable option that won’t buckle under heavier weight, while the carbon steel frame and thick boards help keep your items secure and in place. They’re scratch-resistant, resistant to high temperatures, and can easily be wiped off in case of spills or dust. They’re ideal for the kitchen, bathroom, or even standalone pantries, and can fit everything from canned food and seasonings to kitchen appliances to makeup brushes and hair dryers. 

Details to know

• Size: These expandable cabinet drawers can go from 13 inches wide all the way to 20.8 inches wide to fit a variety of cabinets. 
• How they work: These pull-out organizers act as drawers that slide on smooth rails, allowing you to pull each drawer out to find what you need.
• Materials: The carbon steel and thick boards prevent wobbling, even while holding heavier pots and pans. 

One shopper said, “I love the fact it is adjustable width-wise, and I also like the choice to either stick the glides to your cabinet bottom or screw them down. My husband screwed them down, but had I been alone, I would have stuck them to the cabinet floor with the very tacky adhesive. It’s a great product.”

“This was easy to assemble and is sturdy,” wrote another reviewer. “It’s perfect for my appliances. The microwave, air fryer, ice maker, coffee grinder, and blender all fit on this four-tier shelf.”

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• Eclaron 2-Pack Under-Sink Organizer, $27 (was $43) at Walmart
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The Homtell Expandable Cabinet Organizer offers easy storage that keeps your items in better shape and makes them easier to find. The two options for installation offer easy access no matter what type of home you live in, and at just $36, it’s super affordable. Get this deal for a limited time during Walmart’s Flash deal.

Why we love this deal

With fall finally here and mornings getting cooler, some warm and cozy slippers can set the tone of your day. They’re ideal for cold mornings when you’re making coffee, long stretches of time working on home projects, or quick trips outside to grab the mail. Starting your day off or ending your day in comfort can help create parts of the day you look forward to, allowing you to relax during the day and make daily tasks feel less tiring. They’re especially handy on hardwood floors or cold tile, which can be an unpleasant way to start the day.

The Goewy Fuzzy Suede Slippers are a comfortable option that keeps your feet warm without overheating, while also looking stylish enough to wear out for quick errands with some jeans and a sweater. With prices starting at $10, they’re a smart purchase for fall and we can’t help but notice that they look similar to high-end brands.

Goewy Fuzzy Suede Slippers, From $10 (was $26) at Amazon

Why do shoppers love it?

The exterior of these slippers uses a durable and breathable faux suede, while the inside is lined with coral fleece faux fur for comfort and warmth. The slip-on design is comfortable and easy to use, and the large fur collar traps warmth so your feet stay toasty, even on cold floors. The combination gives the slippers a super soft, insulated feel without having an over-complicated design. The insole adds another layer of comfort, using faux rabbit fur and high-density memory foam that offers cushioning and supports your feet for all-day comfort. 

Related: Amazon is selling fuzzy slippers for just $10 that are ‘beyond comfortable’

The soles feature a thermoplastic rubber construction that stays quiet while walking around the house, allowing you to go about your day without waking up the household, and also provides an anti-slip texture that can help prevent accidents. They can be worn outside for short trips to the mailbox, picking up the kids from school, or relaxing in the backyard, and pair well with pajamas or jeans for a casual and comfortable fall look. The classic shape is reminiscent of higher-end slippers, while the embroidery webbing adds character and a pop of color. They’re available in a variety of colors, but the light brown color offers the best deals in sizes 7 through 10. 

Details to know

• Sizes: They offer double sizes from 5/6 to 11/12. 
• Color: Choose from tons of colors, with the light brown color being the best deal. 
• Materials: The faux suede and fur are breathable but hold in warmth during cold weather, and the soft sole is slip-resistant and quiet. 

“I am absolutely shocked that I got such high-quality slippers for an unbelievably low price,” wrote one buyer. “I actually bought two pairs. They are beautiful, so well made, cozy, very supportive, and won’t slip.”

Another shopper wrote, “I needed some basic house slippers, and I’m so glad I bought these. My kids wear Uggs, and what I can say is that side by side, they’re close to the same. These have a thick memory foam sole in them that I didn’t expect. They feel the exact same as my kids’ brand that’s just like them! I wanted similar comfort but without the price tag.”

Shop more deals

• Weweya House Slides, $10 (was $15) at Amazon
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The Goewy Fuzzy Suede Slippers are perfect for fall, mimicking the popular slipper style that’s been trendy for years, while keeping an affordable price tag as low as $10. Shoppers can save up to 62% at Amazon.

Why we love this deal

A pearl necklace is a timeless choice. It has a classier appearance than a standard pendant necklace, making it a stellar selection when you’re dressed to impress. You could pair it with a blouse when you want to jazz up your business casual office attire, but it’s nice enough to wear for the most formal occasions, like a wedding or a ritzy holiday party. A classic string of pearls is the most traditional variation of this jewelry, but depending on your clothing and other accessories, it may feel a bit dated. For a modern twist, we suggest a pearl station necklace, which looks great worn by itself or layered with other pieces. 

Adding a modern pearl necklace to your cart is more affordable while the stunning Effy Cultured Freshwater Pearl Station Necklace is 65% off. Discounted to under $300, shoppers can save over $550 on the highly rated jewelry.

Effy Cultured Freshwater Pearl Station Necklace, $298 (was $850) at Macy’s

Why do shoppers love it?

Featuring 21 cultured freshwater pearls, this necklace is simply captivating. The pearls each measure approximately 5.5 millimeters, which is similar in size to a green pea, so they’re large enough to make a statement without overwhelming your outfit. If you’re unfamiliar with cultured pearls, they’re real pearls that are produced on a farm, rather than found in nature, making the gemstone easier to source.

Another thing to love about this pearl jewelry is that the chain comes in 14-karat yellow gold, white gold, or rose gold, so you can choose the metal that best matches your current jewelry collection. With more than half off, you could even get it in two hues for less than the price of one originally.

Related: Macy’s $325 birthstone necklace that comes in 12 colors is 70% off

A station necklace separates the pearls, rather than stacking them all together, giving this selection that trending dainty and delicate look. Dainty jewelry provides understated elegance, not demanding attention, but elevating your ensembles. If you ever want more drama, you can wear this style with longer pieces, like a locket or personalized initial necklace. Despite the delicate look of this jewelry, the premium materials make it a solid choice for everyday wear. 

Details to know 

• Necklace length: Approximately 18 inches long.
• Closure type: Spring ring clasp. 
• Metal choice: The pearl necklace comes in 14-karat rose, white, or yellow gold. 
• Average shopper rating: 4.5 out of five stars.

“Perfect gift,” is how one shopper described this necklace, writing, “The craftsmanship is impeccable, and the pieces are very uniform! The gold between the pearls shines so brightly.” Another reviewer raved, “I bought this for my wedding day and was so happy! It is really just a timeless, elegant pearl necklace that accentuates the neckline.”

Shop more deals

• Effy Cultured Freshwater Pearl Station Bracelet, $228 (was $650) at Macy’s
• Effy Cultured Freshwater Pearl Triple Drop Earrings, $228 (was $650) at Macy’s
• Effy Cultured Freshwater Pearl Lariat Necklace, $525 (was $1,500) at Macy’s

Don’t miss your chance to score the Effy Cultured Freshwater Pearl Station Necklace for $298. The matching pieces are also on sale, but only for a few days longer.

Eli Lilly (LLY) is beginning to demonstrate what occurs when that barrier is removed.

More than 500,000 people have joined a Medicare pilot offering eligible older adults and people with disabilities access to obesity drugs for $50 a month, according to Reuters.

For Lilly, this increased access contributed to yet another huge quarter.

The pharmaceutical business increased its sales prediction for 2026 to between $91 billion and $92 billion after reporting $24.4 billion in third-quarter revenue, up 39% from the same period last year.

Lilly’s market worth might increase by over $80 billion after shares surged 7.5% on Thursday and hit a record.

The fact that Zepbound and Mounjaro are selling well isn’t the only intriguing aspect for investors.

In fact, Lilly’s realized prices decreased throughout the quarter.

The business gained a lot more clients to make up for it.

This might indicate the next stage of the weight-loss medication boom: reduced costs could not be detrimental to Lilly if they significantly expand the market.

Eli Lilly is trading price for millions of potential patients

Lilly’s third-quarter results demonstrate the strength of that trade-off.

Worldwide revenue increased 39% to $24.4 billion.

Sales volume rose 53%, while realized prices declined 15%, according to Eli Lilly’s earnings release.

This indicates that even though Lilly made less money per unit on average, it sold a lot more medications.

In the U.S., revenue increased 34% to $15.1 billion. Volume rose 41%, while realized prices declined 7%.

Sales of Lilly’s obesity medication Zepbound reached $5.35 billion in the third quarter, a 49% increase over the same period last year.

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Approved for Type 2 diabetes, Mounjaro brought in $10.72 billion, a 65% increase.

Those are huge figures already.

However, because insurance coverage and cost have generally limited obesity therapy, the potential market remains considerably larger.

That may decide if a prescription becomes a real therapy for a typical patient.

A doctor may suggest a medication for weight reduction, but it won’t help if the patient has to pay hundreds of dollars each month.

That computation is altered when insurance coverage is increased.

Reuters reported that Lilly’s Medicare pilot offers eligible older Americans and people with disabilities obesity medication for $50 per month. More than 500,000 customers have already enrolled in the program.

Therefore, Lilly may be able to reach clients who previously could not afford its products by agreeing to a cheaper price.

One patient paying less may negatively impact pricing.

On an income statement, hundreds of thousands of additional patients may seem quite different.

Lower prices are becoming part of Lilly’s growth story

The traditional pharmaceutical model often rewards companies for maintaining high prices on successful drugs.

Weight-loss medications might be evolving differently.

Because there are so many prospective patients, Lilly could increase overall sales even if it sacrifices some income per prescription.

Its most recent quarter illustrates this dynamic.

According to Lilly, the 15% drop in realized price was more than compensated by the 53% rise in global sales volume.

The disparity was considerably more noticeable outside of the United States.

Revenue increased 47% to $9.3 billion as volume jumped 76%, despite realized prices falling 29%, according to Lilly.

Mounjaro’s foreign sales reached $5.7 billion, a 93% increase.

The addition of Mounjaro to China’s National Reimbursement Drug List, which helps increase access but typically requires drugmakers to accept lower prices, contributed to part of the price decrease.

The pattern is important because it illustrates the potential evolution of Lilly’s opportunity.

It is not necessary for the business to charge the maximum amount to every patient.

To get access, begin therapy, and continue taking its medications, it needs a sufficient number of patients.

For someone who is having trouble paying for therapy, it is a much more relevant scenario.

Additionally, it could be a more effective business strategy for Lilly.

More money may be made from a less expensive medication that serves a much wider population than from a more expensive medication that is only accessible to a small number of patients.

Eli Lilly’s weight-loss boom is getting even bigger

Wall Street’s response indicates that investors are beginning to think the technique is effective.

Lilly shares rose 7.5% Thursday to $1,389 after touching a record $1,408.34.

The rally potentially added about $80 billion to a company already worth roughly $1.2 trillion.

For a firm the size of Lilly, such a stock rise is impressive.

Examining management’s expectations makes the explanation more apparent.

From its initial range of $85 billion to $87 billion, Lilly increased its full-year sales expectation to between $91 billion and $92 billion.

That is a $5.5 billion increase in projected yearly income over the company’s initial projection at the halfway mark.

Additionally, Zepbound is not the only component of the company’s obesity business.

According to Reuters, Lilly has introduced Foundayo, its oral obesity therapy, and is still working on retatrutide, a next-generation injectable medication that, in midstage testing, resulted in an average weight reduction of around 24%.

This allows Lilly to reach individuals who may not want, be able to pay, or be eligible for the same therapy in a variety of ways.

Patients who are hesitant to utilize injections may find pills appealing.

Increased insurance coverage may attract individuals who were previously unable to pay for medical care.

Having enough medication readily available for everyone who needs it is another issue that has continually hampered the business and may be addressed by increasing production capacity.

To make it happen, Lilly is making significant investments.

The business is still growing its manufacturing operations in the United States, including initiatives in Virginia and Texas.

In the end, such factories are important to patients because the weight-loss boom won’t be fully widespread until pharmaceutical companies can produce enough dosages at costs that consumers or their insurance companies can afford.

Lilly’s biggest opportunity may be making weight loss less exclusive

There is still a major risk in Lilly’s strategy. Lower prices only work if additional volume is large enough to compensate. The latest quarter shows that happening. It doesn’t guarantee it will continue forever.

Additionally, competition is becoming fiercer. While several pharmaceutical firms are developing injectable and oral obesity therapies, Novo Nordisk continues to be a significant competitor.

Governments and insurers may have more power to drive down pricing when additional medications hit the market.

That may be excellent news for patients.

It increases the significance of scale for Lilly.

The business must continue to draw in new clients more quickly than falling costs reduce earnings.

So far, that equation is working. Third-quarter volume rose 53%. Revenue rose 39%. Zepbound sales rose 49%. Mounjaro sales rose 65%.

Additionally, Lilly increased its projected yearly income by billions of dollars while accepting lower actual pricing.

For this reason, the Medicare pilot’s 500,000 new patients could end up being more significant than Thursday’s record stock price.

For many years, the weight-loss drug boom was partially a tale of exclusivity and scarcity: although there were exceptional medications, many individuals who desired them were unable to afford them due to their high cost and lack of coverage.

The most recent data from Lilly suggests a different stage.

Each prescription may become less profitable if insurance, governments, and pharmaceutical companies are able to make obesity therapy accessible to a substantially wider audience.

However, the number of prescriptions might be far higher.

This implies that medications previously considered expensive specialist items may become more widely available to those struggling to pay for treatment.

It explains why declining prices do not always translate into declining earnings for Lilly investors.

Making weight-loss medications affordable for millions of Americans might be the largest potential.

Related: Goldman Sachs resets Eli Lilly 12-month stock price target before earnings

Why we love this deal

A packed lunch rarely tastes as good as a recipe that’s hot off the stove. Heating leftovers in a microwave during your break can go a long way, but there’s a better solution for warm and tasty meals. An electric lunch warmer is like a mini slow cooker, with just enough room for a single meal. It heats leftover food slowly, making it taste more like a freshly cooked meal. Plug it in when you arrive at the office, and by lunchtime you’ll have a steaming bowl of grub ready to go. It also eliminates waiting in lines for the microwave, which can take away from your precious free time. 

I gave my mother, who works in an office, the Crock-Pot Electric Lunch Crock Food Warmer as a Christmas present a few years back, and she still uses it on a near-daily basis. If you want to try it out for yourself, or gift it to a loved one, now’s the time, as all three colors are on sale with half off, bringing the total cost to just $30. 

Crock-Pot Electric Lunch Crock Food Warmer, $30 (was $60) at Macy’s

Why do shoppers love it?

Crock-Pot has outdone itself with this upgrade on the standard lunchbox. The 20-ounce food warmer is no bigger than a traditional lunchbox, measuring 6.6 inches long, 6.6 inches wide, and 6.4 inches tall, so it will fit inside a larger work bag. Since it has a tight outer lid, you don’t have to worry about spilling soup or stew while you travel. The container also has a soft-touch exterior and rubberized coating, so it won’t get dented or clang around with other objects. The design also has a convenient handle built in, so you can also easily carry it around without a bag. 

Related: Walmart’s $52 ceramic nonstick skillet is on sale for $27

The 20-ounce size holds 2.5 cups’ worth of food, giving you just the right portion for a workday meal. Slow cookers, as the name implies, don’t instantly warm your food. They cook low and slow to evenly distribute the heat, so you’ll want to plug in the container at least an hour before you eat. While it requires being plugged into the wall, the electric cord is removable for improved portability and practicality. The inner storage container and lid are dishwasher safe, so after your day’s over, cleanup is also a breeze. One shopper explained their process: “I plug it in when I get to my desk. By lunchtime, I have a great lunch that tastes freshly cooked.”

Details to know 

• Dimensions: The lunch warmer has a 6.6-inch diameter and stands 6.4 inches tall.
• Power source: Outlet.
• Capacity: Approximately 20 ounces.
• Average shopper rating: 4.7 out of five stars.

Shoppers are obsessed with the convenience this Crock-Pot lunch warmer brings to their day. “I can put my leftovers in this, put the lid on, and take it to work without it spilling,” wrote one shopper. “Then it heats my lunch up perfectly and evenly.”

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For just $30, the Crock-Pot Electric Lunch Crock Food Warmer is an affordable way to upgrade meals at work or the office. This limited-time special ends this weekend, so don’t wait to snag it for yourself or a loved one.

The grocery giant plans to open approximately 110 new stores by 2029, introducing three redesigned formats that prioritize fresh food, prepared meals and online grocery orders.

The changes mark a shift away from the one-stop shopping experience offered by some of Kroger’s larger stores. Those stores traditionally carried everything from groceries to clothing and household merchandise, and now that will change.

Kroger wants to make fresh food and convenient meal options the centerpiece of its supermarkets as shoppers increasingly look for ways to save time and money.

During its Investor Day last week on October 20, Kroger CEO Greg Foran outlined the company’s plan to become what he calls “America’s favorite grocer.”

“We are making value more visible and focusing resources closer to the customer where we see the highest returns,” Foran said. 

For shoppers, however, the biggest changes may come down to what they see, or rather no longer see, in grocery aisles.

Kroger’s new stores will change how shoppers buy groceries

Kroger’s redesigned stores will come in three sizes, each intended to serve different shopping needs and markets.

According to the company’s Investor Day presentation, the formats include:

• 99,000 square feet: A full-scale format designed for high-volume markets with strong customer demand.
• 75,000 square feet: A flexible format intended to serve a broader range of markets.
• 50,000 square feet: A smaller design that allows Kroger to expand into communities where a large store may not make sense.

Mary Ellen Adcock, Kroger’s executive vice president and chief merchant and marketing officer, said the redesigned locations will deliver a “food-first experience.”

This means expanding spaces dedicated to fresh produce, meat, seafood, ready-to-cook meals and Kroger’s own private-label products.

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At the same time, the company wants to reduce space allocated to general merchandise and apparel, categories it thinks are less important to its core grocery customers.

The new layouts will be a departure from some of Kroger’s larger Marketplace stores, which have usually emphasized a broader selection of nonfood merchandise.

Kroger is also planning to introduce the new designs in its existing stores by remodeling them––meaning the changes won’t be limited to newly opened supermarkets alone.

The timing is apt, given the broader shift in how Americans approach meals.

An October 2026 report by FMI The Food Industry Association found that 56% of households combine home-prepared food with food prepared outside the home for dinner at least once a week.

The study, which surveyed 1,480 U.S. grocery shoppers, also highlighted interest in:

• Meal bundles – meaning complete meals
• Heat-and-eat side dishes
• Family-size prepared options.

Kroger is responding by planning to introduce more than 100 ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat meals over the next year. Its meal offerings are already available in more than 600 stores.

During the Investor Day presentation, Foran said Kroger already offers prepared meals priced at around $6 to $10, as well as $20 family meals and sushi platters.

The strategy positions Kroger to compete more directly with restaurants for customers looking for convenient dinner options without cooking from scratch.

Kroger to lower everyday prices and change grocery pickup

The new layouts aren’t Kroger’s only planned changes.

The company is also redesigning areas used to fulfill online grocery orders, with additional capacity for pickup and delivery services.

Kroger is investing in artificial intelligence, digital shelf labels and other technology to improve store operations.

Digital shelf labels are already installed in approximately 1,100 stores, with Kroger planning to expand their use to more than 2,400 locations by 2029.

But convenience alone may not be enough to win shoppers over.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, grocery prices rose 1.8% over the 12 months ending September 2026, while prices for meals away from home increased 3.5%.

With food costs continuing to rise, shoppers may need more than a convenient store layout to make Kroger their preferred grocery destination.

Kroger says it is also planning to invest $5 billion in customer value through 2029, including lowering everyday prices and simplifying promotions.

During the Investor Day presentation, Adcock acknowledged that some promotional offers had become unnecessarily complicated, requiring shoppers to navigate multiple prices and conditions to secure discounts.

The company plans to gradually shift some of its promotional spending in order to lower everyday shelf prices, both online and in stores.

Kroger isn’t eliminating coupons or promotions but wants customers to recognize savings without having to navigate as many complicated offers.

The retailer is also expanding its budget-focused Smart Way private-label brand, with plans to introduce 1,000 additional items over the next three years.

Early tests involving lower prices and simpler promotions have already produced encouraging results, the company says, with Kroger reporting increased customer visits and stronger sales at participating stores.

With shoppers increasingly choosing private labels over national brands, Kroger might benefit from adding to its existing private-label offerings.

However, those changes will take time to reach customers across its network.

Kroger expects to roll out its revised everyday-pricing approach at approximately 250 stores by the end of 2026 and around 700 stores by the end of 2027, with broader deployment planned for 2028 and 2029.

As for the 110 new stores, Kroger intends to prioritize markets where it sees growth opportunities, although it has not provided a complete list of locations or opening dates.

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However, every housing market is different. Redfin and Home Economics analyzed housing market data and found that the holiday season (think early November to mid-December) is the best time of year to buy in seven major U.S. metro areas.

Redfin defines the “best” time to buy in these cities as the period when buyers have access to the most new listings, the greatest inventory, and the strongest deals.

Read more: Mortgage rates could still rise even after Fed holds rates steady

Three of the seven cities’ peak times are in early November: Riverside, Calif., Tampa, Fla., and Milwaukee.

The other four cities reach their peak buying windows in mid-December: Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and West Palm Beach, Fla.; and Detroit.

“There’s a tradeoff to shopping for a home late in the year: Buyers may have fewer fresh listings to choose from, but they also face less competition, and many sellers are ready to make a deal,” said Redfin Senior Economist Asad Khan.

Redfin reveals why the holidays are a good time to buy in Florida and California

Four of the seven cities are in Florida, and one is in California. Redfin research found that housing markets in warmer climates tend to experience less seasonal volatility. In other words, home-buying activity doesn’t fluctuate as dramatically throughout the year.

Riverside, Calif., has a warmer climate than many parts of the country. Riverside’s “cool season” — meaning the average daily high is below 72 degrees — begins Nov. 23, according to Weather Spark. House hunting in early November, while the weather is still comfortable, could be ideal for buyers.

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Redfin’s research also found that seasonal swings were smaller primarily in Florida cities.

“South Florida’s biggest wave of buyers–retirees and seasonal residents–often show up after the new year, when the weather is sunny and comfortable in Florida but cold in the Northeast,” wrote Redfin.

That seasonal influx of buyers could make the post-holiday period more competitive. Buyers who start looking in November or December may have an opportunity to negotiate with sellers before that additional demand arrives.

Why winter weather can give Midwest homebuyers an advantage

Personally, I was surprised that Milwaukee and Detroit topped the list for holiday home-buying. When I imagine myself in the Midwest during the holidays, I picture it being cold at best, waist-deep in snow at worst.

But that winter weather could be exactly what works to these two metro areas’ advantage.

“Those northern metros have a fairly short selling season: Cold-weather markets compress the window for touring and closing on homes; sellers keep at it later into fall, trying to close a deal before the depth of winter hits and buyers hibernate,” wrote Redfin.

Many sellers view late autumn as their last opportunity to sell before winter brings the housing market to a near standstill. This can give buyers more negotiating leverage, potentially allowing them to secure a better deal.

Redfin also noted that Milwaukee is one of only five sellers’ markets in the U.S. right now. That makes the early-November buying window particularly interesting for buyers who might otherwise face stiff competition in this market.

The best time to buy a house is when you’re ready

If you live in one of these seven metro areas and are ready to buy a house, you’re in luck. November or December could offer you some great opportunities.

However, don’t force anything if you aren’t ready to buy yet, whether because you can’t comfortably afford monthly mortgage payments or you don’t think you’ll stay in one house for at least several years.

And if you shop for a home and still don’t find a place you love, don’t force yourself into buying just because the data says it’s a good time to buy.

Trying to time the housing market is a lot like trying to time the stock market. You can study all the available data, but you can’t predict exactly how the market will behave or whether the perfect opportunity will come along.

Only buy a house when it makes sense for your family, finances, and lifestyle.

Related: Here’s the monthly payment on a $1 million house at today’s rates

Why we love this deal

When the temperature drops, tasks like taking the dog for a walk or running errands can be too cold. Gloves can help, but if your hands are already cold, they don’t do much, and they can make it difficult to check your phone or use doggy bags or a leash. Having some extra warmth during your outings can make it more enjoyable, allowing you to focus on your experience instead of rushing to get back home where it’s warm. 

The Yankucat Pocket Hand Warmers offer a super easy and convenient way to keep you warm during early morning walks , long evenings with friends and family, and provide a way to still enjoy the backyard in the cold weather without large electric heaters. These chargers are on sale for just $20, saving shoppers 60% at Walmart. 

Yankucat Pocket Hand Warmers, $20 (was $60) at Walmart

Why do shoppers love it?

Each warmer measures less than 2 inches by 1 inch by 4 inches, making them easily accessible and small enough to keep in your pocket, purse, or car. The magnetic design allows them to connect when you’re carrying them together, keeping them in one place, and separate when in use, making it a practical setup for all-day warmth. They heat up in as little as two seconds, and offer three adjustable settings that range from 95 degrees to 131 degrees Fahrenheit. Controlled by a single button, you can switch between the different settings. 

Related: Amazon’s $110 hanging patio heater warms in 3 seconds

They’re rechargeable and can be used again and again, saving you money versus one-use hand warmers and helping the planet. A full charge takes as little as two hours and can deliver up to nine hours of warmth. Charging them any time at home, overnight, or at the office allows you to keep them ready for any occasion. They use graphene heating technology and intelligent temperature control that provides consistent heat without overheating. The shape is comfortable to hold for long periods and makes them easy to slide into your pack or jacket pocket on the go. 

Details to know

• Sizes: These measure less than 2 inches wide by 4 inches tall, making them easy to hold and fit in your pocket. 
• Charge time: They take as little as two hours to charge and can last up to nine hours on the low setting.
• Modes: The temperatures range from 95 degrees to 131 degrees Fahrenheit on low, medium, and high heat settings.

While this specific item doesn’t have reviews, the company gets a 4.8-star rating, providing trusted sales. They also have free extended holiday returns through January 31st, offering peace of mind in case they don’t turn out as expected. 

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The Yankucat Pocket Hand Warmers offer quick-charging, fast-heating, easy-to-carry warmth that you can take anywhere. The multiple warming options make them comfortable to use during cool fall evenings or super cold winter nights, and at just $10 each, this $20 2-pack is a great deal at Walmart. 

Why we love this deal

Keeping up with cleaning can be difficult with everything else going on. Work, errands, and other responsibilities often come before cleaning, but in households with pets or kids, floors seem to collect dust as quickly as you clean them. Having some assistance with routine cleaning can free up time, and help keep your place cleaner, even while you’re away. 

The Prettycare 3-In-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop combo not only sweeps and vacuums away dust, but also washes tough dirt off floors. With adjustable suction levels, water-flow settings, and a dual-tank for dust and water, the 73% off price tag is definitely worth it. Originally $300, shoppers can get this vacuum for just $80 for a limited time during Walmart’s Flash sale. 

Prettycare 3-In-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop, $80 (was $300) at Walmart

Why do shoppers love it?

This vacuum combines mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming into one device that reduces cleaning time by 30%. The 2-in-1 tank holds 400mL of dust and 250 mL of water, allowing it to vacuum up debris while mopping. The high-powered suction can clean dirt and debris off the floor while staying at a lower noise volume, and offers six cleaning modes, including auto, spot, edge, scheduled, manual, and bow-shaped path cleaning, allowing you to choose what needs the most cleaning. 

Related: Why choosing the right vacuum cleaner is crucial for your home and health

The simple controls can be used via voice command, an app, or a remote control. It works on Wi-Fi and includes infrared sensors to help avoid obstacles, furniture, and stairs, and at just 3 inches tall, it can reach beneath furniture, like sofas and beds, where hairballs and dust bunnies can easily accumulate. It also features a 15-degree climbing angle to roll over carpets, tile, and flooring changes. The vacuum has up to 150 minutes of runtime, and returns to the charging port automatically for convenience. 

Details to know

• Run time: It can run up to 150 minutes and recharges itself.
• Size: At about three inches tall, it easily fits under lower furniture where cleaning can be more difficult. 
• Cleaning: It features vacuuming, mopping, and sweeping technology for quick and efficient cleaning. 

One reviewer wrote, “I’m really happy with this robot vacuum and mop! It’s easy to use with the remote, cleans the floors nicely, and the mopping feature is a great bonus. It saves me so much time and keeps the floors clean with very little effort. Comes with all accessories and a remote, so we can connect with the phone for easy access.”

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The Prettycare 3-In-1 Robot Vacuum offers quick and efficient cleaning and maneuvers around obstacles easily, offering a simple and dependable option to keep your house clean. It easily fits under furniture to snag dustballs, and has no trouble transitioning from carpet to hardwood. At 73% off, it’s a fantastic deal. Shoppers can save $220, paying just $80 for this robot vacuum at Walmart for a limited time. 

Ford (F) shares jumped on Thursday in the after-market hours after the automaker delivered better-than-expected adjusted earnings and raised the bottom end of its annual profit outlook.

For shareholders, that was welcome news.

For someone walking into a dealership, Ford’s results revealed a less comfortable trend.

From a previous forecast of around $2 billion, Ford now anticipates increased commodity expenses of nearly $2.5 billion this year. The cost of steel, copper, computer chips, gasoline, and transportation is all rising.

These pressures come at a time when Americans are already paying near-record prices for brand-new cars.

The average new vehicle sold for $50,562 in September, just $52 below the record set in December 2025. The typical monthly payment climbed to $776, according to Cox Automotive.

This friction is driving Ford’s most recent rally.

Despite growing expenses, Ford is managing to safeguard its earnings. However, there could be another reason buyers are holding out for far less expensive automobiles.

Ford absorbs billions in costs while protecting profit

Ford reported third-quarter revenue of $49.5 billion and net income of about $2 billion.

Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes, a measure Ford uses to track its underlying operating performance, increased slightly to $2.7 billion from $2.6 billion a year earlier.

Additionally, Ford raised the low end of its full-year adjusted operating profit forecast.

In contrast to its prior estimate of $10 billion to $11 billion, the business now anticipates between $10.5 billion and $11 billion.

Ford said its cost-cutting efforts, growing software and services businesses, and improving operations helped it navigate the quarter.

That explains why investors reacted so violently.

Ford’s core profitability has remained steady, even as uncontrollable expenses have put pressure on it.

The most apparent example is the cost of commodities.

As the cost of steel, copper, and other commodities surged, Ford raised its forecast of the year’s commodity headwinds by almost $500 million to around $2.5 billion.

Transportation costs have also increased due to rising fuel prices, and computer chips continue to be a significant expenditure for cars that use a lot of software.

Those figures could seem a long way from the showroom to an automobile customer.

They’re not.

The truck’s body is made of steel. Copper is used in automobiles that are becoming more electric. Everything is controlled by chips, including safety features and entertainment systems. Diesel prices drive up the cost of transporting parts and completed cars nationwide.

Someone ultimately has to pay for those inputs as they become more expensive.

“We are intensely focused on driving efficiencies throughout our business,” Ford CFO Sherry House said.

Ford’s job is to prevent all of those higher costs from eating into profit.

The issue facing consumers is that maintaining prices is one way automakers safeguard earnings.

Ford’s rally comes as new cars approach record prices

Ford expects its pricing to finish about 1% higher this year, according to Reuters.

That does not imply that Ford will increase each car’s sticker price by 1%.

Automobile prices reflect the models that buyers purchase, incentives, trim levels, and other variables.

However, the larger market already demonstrates why affordability is still an issue.

The average American paid $50,562 for a new vehicle in September, according to Kelley Blue Book, up 0.9% from August and only $52 below December 2025’s all-time record.

Even those who purposefully look for less expensive cars aren’t completely avoiding the market.

In September, the average price of a compact automobile was $27,977, up 3.2% over the previous year. The average price of subcompact SUVs increased by 1.5% to $31,213.

The average price of full-size pickup trucks, a crucial market for Ford, was $67,573.

At that point, Ford’s profits narrative turns into a tale about family budgets.

Most households don’t use cash to purchase a car.

They provide the funding.

The average monthly new-vehicle payment reached $776 in September, the highest since December 2023, according to Cox Automotive. Buyers needed about 35.7 weeks of median income to purchase the average new vehicle.

Incomes have increased, and interest rates have somewhat decreased.

However, in September, rising car costs overshadowed part of that gain.

Therefore, a prospective buyer of an F-150 or Bronco sees something different than a Ford shareholder, who perceives the corporation effectively safeguarding its profits.

Automobiles are still costly.

Furthermore, there is no reason to believe that manufacturers suddenly have billions of dollars to cut costs based on Ford’s most recent cost estimate.

Ford still needs Americans to keep buying

Ford’s robust stock response has another flaw.

Its U.S. vehicle sales were down 8.6% through the first nine months of the year, according to Reuters. The decline partly reflected Ford phasing out its Escape SUV as well as weaker electric-vehicle and hybrid sales.

This necessitates a delicate balance.

Ford aims to safeguard the price it gets for every car.

However, it also needs a sufficient number of customers to continue purchasing them.

Americans have already begun to shift toward less costly car models in response to demands to be more affordable.

According to Kelley Blue Book, the industry’s total year-over-year price increase in September was comparatively small due to increased sales of less expensive models.

In other words, even if producers aren’t making significant price reductions, customers are adjusting their choices.

A person may decide to purchase a smaller SUV instead of the larger one they originally intended to purchase.

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A customer could choose a less expensive trim.

Some could decide to go into the secondhand market or hang onto an older car for another year.

For Ford, sustaining high prices is only effective as long as buyers continue to find the product to be worthwhile.

There is proof that the business is still able to set prices.

Automakers continue to profit from strong demand, especially in appealing areas, according to RBC Capital Markets analyst Tom Narayan, who spoke to Reuters.

Ford’s F-Series continues to be essential to that approach.

Ford is purposefully controlling full-size truck inventories more strictly, aiming for around 55 to 60 days of supply rather than the more common 80 to 100 days, according to CEO Jim Farley.

This is important because overstocked dealerships often force manufacturers to provide higher discounts.

Ford seems committed to avoiding that cycle again.

Disciplined inventories may benefit margins for investors.

It may not be as encouraging to consumers who are expecting that surplus supply would drive down costs.

Ford’s stock win doesn’t solve the affordability problem

Ford’s most recent quarter demonstrates why a positive carmaker earnings report does not always convert into positive news for consumers.

The shareholders identified several positive aspects.

Ford beat adjusted earnings expectations, generated $4.7 billion in adjusted free cash flow and raised the bottom end of its annual profit outlook.

In response, the stock increased by 12.4% on Thursday.

However, the situation is different for the family seated across from a salesman at a dealership.

Already, the typical new automobile costs over $50,000.

The average monthly payment is close to $800.

Additionally, one of the largest manufacturers in America is informing investors that the cost of the materials required to construct such cars is rising significantly.

By reducing internal costs, managing inventory, increasing software and service sales, and increasing production efficiency, Ford can combat those challenges.

Investors expect management to do just that.

However, Ford may feel less need to aggressively reduce cars to address growing expenses as it becomes better at safeguarding profits.

Both approaches carry risks.

Customers may put off purchases or trade down if affordability declines too much, ultimately reducing Ford’s pricing power.

That makes one figure more significant than the stock rise on Thursday.

Despite a fall in U.S. sales, Ford anticipates that pricing will be healthy.

Ford can endure billions of dollars in increased expenses without losing its profit margins as long as consumers continue to accept those prices.

Ford’s profits indicate that Americans may still have to wait for new vehicle costs to fully decline.

Related: Ford sets 2027 goal to dethrone Toyota in certified used cars

Why we love this deal

One of the lesser-discussed aspects of home shopping is how much built-in cabinetry there is. While storage space is definitely a consideration for buyers and renters, it’s most often far lower on the list of deal breakers than natural lighting, neighborhood, and yard size. Most homebuilders and realtors know this, which means storage space becomes a very small part of the overall equation. Thanks to Walmart, you can correct this injustice with a standalone farmhouse storage cabinet. In fact, one of the retailer’s most impressive corner pantries is currently on sale for a great price.

The Vabches Tall Barn Door Corner Cabinet can slide into just about any corner of your home for just $91. Standalone cabinets typically come at a premium price because people often shop for them in a sudden moment of need. That’s why this 57% off discount is so enticing. It allows you to get a great deal on new cabinetry before you’re in a tight squeeze.

Vabches Tall Barn Door Corner Cabinet, $91 (was $210) at Walmart

Why do shoppers love it?

If you like the ability to store items both behind closed doors and also display them out in the open, then this cabinet is a stellar choice. It has a large closed cabinet at the bottom, an open cubby in the center, and a glass-door cubby at the top. This allows you the freedom to store multiple types of things at the same time, regardless of whether you want them to be visible or not. That makes it a wonderful option for kitchen storage, especially if you have good china you want to show off. Its design is all about versatility and adaptation, so even though it’s a great kitchen hutch, it’s really suited to any room in the home.

Made from waterproof and durable engineered wood, the cabinet is built to last no matter where you put it. It has a triangle-shaped footprint that adds storage without taking up too much room. Many corners become wasted space, but a cabinet with this design makes it functional. Not only will it hold a lot of things, but it’s a visual anchor and a focal point for any room you place it in. Few furniture items look good tucked away in corners, and they tend to result in awkward design choices. This cabinet solves that problem and makes practical use of otherwise underutilized square footage.

Aesthetically, it’s not just the size of the pantry that catches the eye. The lower dual barn doors add a bit of traditional farmhouse charm to the cabinet, while the clear upper doors highlight the depth within. While we’re partial to the white colorway, there are also gray and black variants from which to choose. At this price, you may want to consider buying more than one, given how many empty corners most homes have.

Related: Walmart is selling a $110 farmhouse storage cabinet for just $60

Walmart customers were extremely pleased with this hutch. One said, “I really liked this corner cabinet,” adding that “It’s easy to assemble and looks very good.”

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If you want to get the most out of every corner of your home, then the Vabches Tall Barn Door Corner Cabinet is the way to do it. For just $91, you can have a whole new storage option for your overflow items, and you can improve the look of your room at the same time.

Medicare Advantage premiums are expected to fall next year, while Medicare Part B premiums are projected to rise more modestly than some retirees may have feared, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Prescription drug coverage, however, comes with a higher annual out-of-pocket limit and deductible in 2027.

Meanwhile, major insurers are reducing their coverage in some areas, leaving certain counties and limiting provider choices while cutting extra benefits like dental care in some regions.

The result for 2027 is that two neighbors in the same county could pay sharply different amounts starting in January 2027, depending on which plan they end up in after the shuffle.

KFF research published in September 2024 found that nearly 7 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries had not compared their coverage options during open enrollment for 2022. The finding highlights how many beneficiaries historically remain with existing coverage without evaluating alternatives.

Also read: Medicare Open Enrollment 2027: Don’t Let These 5 Mistakes Cost You

CMS projects a 16.5% drop in Medicare Advantage premiums for 2027

Average monthly Medicare Advantage premiums are projected to fall 16.5% from $14.37 in 2026 to $12 in 2027, CMS announced. The agency also projects that prescription drug premiums bundled into Medicare Advantage plans will fall from $11.32 to $7, a 38% decline after federal rebates.

Standalone prescription drug plan premiums move in the opposite direction, climbing from $35.09 in 2026 to about $36 in 2027. These figures show why lower Medicare Advantage premiums do not necessarily translate into lower overall healthcare spending for every beneficiary.

Enrollment in Medicare Advantage is expected to reach 34 million in 2027, representing about 47.4% of all Medicare beneficiaries nationwide. Access remains broad, with more than 99% of enrollees having at least one plan option and 97% having 10 or more.

CMS also estimates that roughly 8 in 10 Medicare Advantage enrollees will keep their current plan at the same or a lower premium. That assurance does not apply to every county, since some insurers have narrowed their service areas or restructured their benefits for 2027.

Drug caps, physician premiums, and state-level gaps widen 2027’s cost picture

The maximum out-of-pocket cost that Medicare Part D enrollees pay for covered prescription drugs rises from $2,100 in 2026 to $2,400 in 2027.

The standard annual deductible also climbs from $615 to $700, with 25% coinsurance applied until spending reaches the new cap, according to Medicare’s Contract Year 2027 rate announcement.

The Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration, a temporary subsidy program CMS launched in July 2024 to offset premium increases driven by the Inflation Reduction Act’s benefit redesign, ends after 2026, removing the buffer that kept standalone Part D costs lower in recent enrollment cycles, CMS confirmed.

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The standard Medicare Part B premium is projected to rise from $202.90 to $209.50 per month in 2027, an increase of $6.60. AARP’s analysis of the Medicare Trustees Report confirms the figure, with the agency expecting the Part B deductible to rise from $283 to $292.

Average Medicare Advantage premiums also mask steep state-level variation that national headlines rarely capture during the fall enrollment push.

Wyoming leads the nation at $69.23 per month, while Mississippi’s figure drops to $4.08, according to an analysis of CMS data by Becker’s Payer Issues.

Open enrollment becomes the annual chance to lock in lower premiums

Medicare’s annual open enrollment period runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026, with all plan changes taking effect on January 1, 2027, CMS showed. The window gives beneficiaries roughly 8 weeks to join, drop, or switch Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans for next year.

Juliette Cubanski, Vice President and Director of the Program on Medicare Policy at KFF, told the Associated Press that defaulting into last year’s plan risks missing cheaper options.

She described the window as the beneficiary’s main annual chance to catch savings or avoid worse coverage.

<em><strong>An opportunity to evaluate the coverage they have and see if there might be better options for them in terms of accessing the care that they need at possibly a lower cost,</strong></em>

Insurer footprints keep shifting behind the premium headlines, with UnitedHealthcare alone exiting counties that cover 600,000 members in 2026, Reuters reported.

Nearly 3 million Advantage plan members had to replace coverage for 2026 after insurers exited markets, according to a JAMA research reported by Reuters. 

Early 2027 figures suggest another 3.2 million individual-plan enrollees face the same scramble this fall, CNN confirmed.

How to secure 2027 Medicare savings before the December 7 deadline

The Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov allows beneficiaries to compare available plans using their prescription medications and preferred pharmacies.

The tool can help identify differences in monthly premiums, deductibles, prescription drug costs, and estimated annual expenses, according to CMS.

Beneficiaries should also review their insurer’s Annual Notice of Change, which outlines adjustments to premiums, copayments, covered services, prescription drug formularies, and provider networks taking effect in January.

Nancy LeaMond, AARP’s Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer, urged beneficiaries to shop around and compare their coverage options as healthcare costs and Medicare benefits change for 2027, the Associated Press reported.

KFF recommends that beneficiaries confirm their current doctors remain in-network and compare total annual costs, including deductibles and coinsurance, to catch the changes that national premium averages do not reflect.

For beneficiaries whose plans are being discontinued, reviewing replacement options before the December 7 deadline is particularly important.

Ultimately, the biggest Medicare savings in 2027 may not come from simply choosing the plan with the lowest advertised premium. Comparing prescription drug coverage, provider access, supplemental benefits, and expected out-of-pocket expenses could make a much greater difference to a retiree’s annual healthcare budget.

Related: Retirees may be ignoring a Medicare blind spot before 2027

I’ve watched prices drop to levels that looked attractive, only to see them keep falling. I have learned to be careful and not to rush into a trade simply because something looks cheap.

Jim Cramer offered “Mad Money” viewers a similar warning on Oct. 29, 2026, specifically about Lam Research stock (LRCX).

If you want to buy 100 shares of Lam, I don't want you to buy more than 25 right now. You buy 25, and then you wait another five days because right now the stock is in free fall, and I don't want you to get hurt.

Cramer had nothing but praise for the company itself, calling Lam Research “the best in the game of capital equipment.” The warning is about timing, not the business, and the trigger is Intel.

Also Read: Intel CEO reveals a PC problem as Goldman cuts stock target

Intel’s bad night became Lam’s bad day

“We have some bad numbers from Intel, really bad numbers, and I’m kind of bummed out about it,” Cramer said.

Intel reported Q3 fiscal 2026 results on Oct. 29 and guided Q4 revenue to between $15 billion and $16 billion, well short of the roughly $17.1 billion analysts expected.

Non-GAAP EPS guidance is $0.25 compared with a $0.43 consensus. Gross margin is expected to fall to 38% from 44.1%. Client PC revenue is projected to drop more than 20% from $8.1 billion as high memory prices choke PC demand. 

An Oct. 14 fab explosion in Israel, which killed two workers, carries an estimated $300 million hit, with a similar impact expected in Q1. Intel shares fell roughly 30% on Oct. 30 and trade at $63.

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I covered Intel in early September when Mizuho reset its price target to $92, and the debate then was whether the AI server story could offset PC weakness.

This quarter answered part of that. Data-center revenue is guided to about $8.4 billion, surpassing PC revenue, but the PC side dragged everything down.

Intel matters to Lam because it buys Lam’s etching and deposition tools. When chipmakers begin to tighten budgets, spending on new equipment is often among the first things to slow. 

A strong Lam Research September 2026 quarter that still carried a warning

Lam’s own numbers were good. In Q1 fiscal 2027, reported Oct. 21, revenue hit a record $8.22 billion, up 54.4% year over year, beating the $8.14 billion consensus, according to ZACKS.

Non-GAAP EPS was $2.20, up 74.6%. Non-GAAP gross margin was 52.4%, and operating margin was 40.2%. Systems revenue rose 61.6% to $5.73 billion on foundry and NAND demand. 

The stock fell anyway. On the earnings call, CFO Doug Bettinger said the December-quarter revenue guide of $8.6 billion would have been higher without near-term supply chain constraints, with some shipments possibly slipping into March.

Shares dropped more than 11% on that disclosure, according to Yahoo Finance.

As a trader, I’ve learned that even when a company’s fundamentals look strong, the market can still punish its stock over short-term concerns. That’s why I try not to rush into a falling stock. A good business doesn’t always mean it’s a good time to buy.

Why Lam is not just an Intel story

Intel is a major customer, but not Lam’s only one. Lam also sells to TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix and carries heavy exposure to NAND and DRAM, a market Intel left years ago. If TSMC takes share Intel loses, it tends to buy more Lam equipment.

The wider sell-off has added pressure. Amazon‘s weaker Q4 outlook stoked fresh doubts about the durability of AI-driven capital spending, the demand engine under Lam’s growth. 

I wrote about that spending theme with Micron and SanDisk, where the thesis was memory tightness. The same logic helps Lam on the NAND side, which is why Cramer still likes the company.

His advice is therefore about pace instead of direction. Buying 25 shares now, then waiting a few more days, is a great way to avoid catching a falling knife while still owning a position if the stock steadies.

If Lam keeps sliding, you have cash to buy lower. If it rebounds, you are in.

The next questions for you as an investor are whether supply constraints ease enough to pull shipments back into December, and whether Intel’s weak guidance spreads to other equipment customers.

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Creative furniture making is a vastly underrated art form. From storage sofas to rocking chairs with hidden footrests, innovative furniture design can make life far more convenient. It can also give you an increased sense of security. After all, despite solar-powered security cameras and smart doorbells, you can never be completely confident that an intruder will never make it into the sacred confines of your humble abode. If that happens, though, there are ways to be sure that your most precious possessions are safe from would-be burglars.

According to the US Department of Justice, there are approximately 1 million burglaries nationwide every year. You may think that you’re not at risk, but the truth is that we all are. These home invasions happen at all times of the day and night and in every type of neighborhood. However, in addition to the aforementioned security measures, there’s furniture you can buy to be sure that your most important items are never discovered, even if the unthinkable happens. If you’re wondering where you can find this type of item, look no further than Amazon. It sells multiple beautiful nightstands with hidden drawers throughout. One of them is even currently on sale.

Yatiney Nightstand with Hidden Compartment

The Yatiney Nightstand with Hidden Compartment is a wonderful way to keep your things secure while giving you a convenient end table for your end-of-day relaxation. It’s made from durable, lightweight engineered wood and has dimensions of 15.7 inches long by 11.8 inches wide by 23.6 inches high. It has a small lower cabinet with a door, a middle open cubby, and a moderately sized countertop. However, the real value in this nightstand is what you can’t see. If you pull the countertop forward, it reveals a hidden drawer underneath. This is the perfect spot to hide jewelry, important papers, or other valuable items that you wouldn’t want an intruder or kids to find. What’s more, the nightstand is currently a few dollars off, and it’s available for just $38.

Advantages of a hidden drawer nightstand

You may not typically think of a nightstand as being one of the most important pieces of furniture in your home, but the above model could change that. A nightstand with hidden storage offers the benefit of inconspicuous subterfuge. It allows you to keep cherished things hidden from view, thereby protecting your privacy and your valuables at the same time. It’s even convenient for keeping items safe from the hands of little ones. If you have children or pets, a hidden nightstand drawer will come in more handy than you even realize. Do you want your kids to stop stealing the batteries from your bedroom remote? Problem solved.

Additionally, this type of drawer just helps to keep your space clean and organized. Rather than having papers, smartphones, pens, etc. lying out on the nightstand, you can just keep them in the drawer. This frees up space on the nightstand’s countertop and gives your bedroom a fresh and clean aesthetic. Nobody likes clutter, and a hidden drawer nightstand can save you from having to look at it ever again. These nightstands also tend to be relatively affordable due to their small size. That allows you to buy two or more at a time, creating matching sets for anywhere in the home.

More hidden compartment nightstands

Even though we think the Yatiney Nightstand with Hidden Compartment is quite possibly the best nightstand on Amazon, you may think otherwise. If so, we’re sure you’ll find something else at Amazon that tickles your fancy. The following list includes some of our favorite alternative hidden drawer nightstands that can dress up your space while keeping your treasures safe. Take a look at the list and find the best one to suit your needs.

Lazzanto Sliding Top Storage Nightstand

Hoobro Hidden Compartment Nightstand with Charging Station

Mazefur Hidden Compartment Nightstand Set

Wlive Nightstand with Sliding Top Compartment

TheStreet Shopping is your guide for shopping insights and advice. We look beyond the price tag to find the best value in home, tech, and wellness gear based on product features and real-world use. Read more about our Editorial Standards and How We Choose Our Shopping Deals.

Due to weak results and concerns about the store’s customer traffic, Bank of America analyst Robert F. Ohmes downgraded SFM from Buy to Underperform. He also reduced his price target on the stock from $100 to $47.

After the downgrade, SFM shares fell about 22% on October 29, closing near $48. That is just a bit above the price target BofA downgraded to.

Why fewer shopper visits are the real worry for Sprouts

Sprouts sells fresh produce, organic foods, vitamins, and healthy snacks. It runs 504 stores across 25 states, and its shoppers are usually people who care more about wellness and are willing to pay higher prices for better options. However, Sprouts now seems to be losing those shoppers.

Also read: Cramer recommends buying 2 stocks he says he normally wouldn’t

In its third quarter, the company’s transactions fell 3.3%, and Ohmes said the reduced transactions that started with casual shoppers have now reached loyal ones. “Softness in the less engaged customer cohort has now spread to core customers,” he wrote. That’s a big worry for investors because these loyal shoppers are the grocers’ steadiest source of sales.

The effects of fewer shoppers showed up in Sprouts ‘ third-quarter results. The company earned only $1.21 per share, below Wall Street’s $1.23 estimate. Its same-store sales also dropped 0.9%, even though a recent Cyclospora outbreak that wasn’t related to Sprouts trimmed 0.6% off same-store sales.

Price cuts come as Walmart and Costco gain more grocery share

Sprouts plans to start cutting some prices starting in January, mostly on basic items like regular produce and meat. The grocer is making this move because many shoppers now see places like Walmart (WMT) and Costco (COST) as cheaper options for buying organic food.

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Costco recently passed Kroger to become the second-largest U.S. grocer by spending share. Walmart still leads the group with more than 20% of U.S. market share, according to Numerator. So Sprouts is feeling the pressure from these businesses. CEO Jack Sinclair acknowledged the pressure in the company’s earnings release, saying, “We are increasing investments to enhance affordability and deepen customer engagement, while building on the differentiated assortment and experience that define Sprouts.”

Related: Starbucks CEO reveals what he thinks will keep customers coming back

However, it is not certain that the January price cuts alone will fix the problem, and Ohmes shares that doubt. He wrote that the upcoming price cuts “lack depth and breadth to improve transactions meaningfully.” He also warned that the company could feel more margin pressure in 2027 due to the price cuts.

What investors should consider before adding or selling SFM

Sprouts opened 15 new stores in the third quarter of 2026, and its newer locations are beating expectations. The business also has a healthy cash flow, so its management can fund the price cuts without taking on more debt. That could be a signal for current shareholders not to panic about the downgrade. 

For investors considering buying the stock while the price is low, I suggest waiting for proof that the January price cuts can bring shoppers back before buying in.

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Why we love this deal

The last thing you want is your phone to die in the middle of an important phone call especially if you’ve been on hold for two hours and are next in the queue. The only way to ensure this never happens (again) is with the use of a portable power bank. If it happens to be solar-powered, that’s even better. Amazon is selling a device at a discounted rate, and we think it’s a powerful product, regardless of the price. 

The Yelomin Portable Solar Power Bank is on sale for only $18, down from the regular price of $20. It’s a convenient charger that you can take on the go and never worry about running out of juice again.

Yelomin Portable Solar Power Bank, $18 (was $20) at Amazon

Why do shoppers love it?

For those who’ve never owned a solar power bank before, this is the perfect place to start. The Yelomin model is rugged, easy to use, and technologically impressive. The outer shell of this sturdy little power bank is made of a durable, lightweight polyurethane plastic. It’s dustproof, shock resistant, and has a water resistance rating of IPX7. That means it can be submerged in fresh water for up to a meter, and it shouldn’t suffer any internal damage. These are all incredibly useful features for a portable power bank, as you never know exactly what type of situations you might find yourself in. Its 9.5-ounce lightweight construction also makes it easy to throw in your bag or pocket and take on the road.

While portability is one of the charger’s biggest selling points, it’s far from the only one. Included with the power bank are two standard USB ports and a USB-C port. You can use all three at the same time if needed for charging multiple devices. What’s more, it has a built-in dual LED flashlight, which makes it a great option for campers and hikers. The lights have a standard mode, an emergency flashing mode, and even a strobe function. The free metal carabiner is convenient if you want to clip the charger onto your belt loop or a backpack when you take it on the road. 

This amazing little power bank has a capacity of 38,800 milliampere-hours, which means it’s a high-grade charger that can typically recharge a smartphone six to eight times on a single charge. It also allows you to use it with larger devices like a laptop or tablet. While the fastest way to top off the power is by plugging it into a grounded power source, you can also use the side-mounted solar panels as a backup. This makes it a wonderful tool in an emergency situation. If you’re stranded on the side of the road, or you’re stuck without power after a natural disaster, this power bank can charge using only the power of the sun and keep your devices running for hours. It also includes a hand crank for manual charging. 

Related: Amazon’s $36 portable solar charger uses unlimited renewable energy

Many Amazon customers touted the benefits of this charger. One said, “can’t leave my home without it,” before praising it as “durable”. The same buyer added, “It works really well and automatically starts charging when it detects sunlight.” 

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If you want to keep powered up no matter the situation, then the Yelomin Portable Solar Power Bank is the way to do it. You’ll only spend $18 if you put one in your cart right now. This deal has us juiced, and we’re sure it’ll do the same for you.

The stock has at least held up better than most. When AI and chip stocks lost more than $1 trillion in combined value during one week in mid-October, Nvidia fared better than many of its peers. Now one of its biggest customers has offered a fresh reason for optimism. Microsoft’s latest report showed where its AI money is going, and much of it is landing on chips.

Microsoft’s spending tilts heavily toward chips

Microsoft reported its fiscal first-quarter results on October 28, posting revenue of $92.3 billion, up 19% from a year earlier, while its Azure cloud business grew 48%, according to Microsoft. Net income rose 32% to $36.6 billion. Strong cloud demand like that is exactly what keeps chip orders flowing.

Also read: Nvidia has a stake in SpaceX that came from an unexpected place

The detail that matters most for Nvidia came in the spending breakdown. Roughly three-quarters of Microsoft’s $45.2 billion in quarterly capex went toward “short-lived assets,” a group that includes CPUs, GPUs, and data center networking gear. That works out to roughly $34 billion in a single quarter, much of it on the kind of hardware Nvidia sells.

Microsoft isn’t easing off, either. The company expects capex to top $50 billion in the second quarter and has guided for about $170 billion in calendar-year spending, with the increase driven by CPUs and GPUs. It also said it expects to remain cash-flow positive.

Microsoft is spending because customers keep asking for more. Capex, including finance leases, actually came in a bit below analyst forecasts, yet the company guided for Azure growth of 49% to 50% next quarter and said Copilot users jumped 50% from the prior quarter, SiliconANGLE reported. “We still have demand that exceeds supply,” chief financial officer Amy Hood said.

Why this matters so much for Nvidia

Nvidia leans heavily on customers like Microsoft. In its fiscal second quarter, Nvidia’s revenue more than doubled to $96.2 billion, and its data center business brought in $89 billion of that, up 117% from a year earlier, according to Nvidia. That means data centers account for about 92% of total sales. Net income rose 126% to $59.7 billion.

That concentration cuts both ways. Strong cloud spending can send Nvidia’s results soaring, but any pullback by the biggest buyers would hit it hard. That’s why investors pore over every capex update from Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta.

The near-term outlook looks solid. Nvidia has guided third-quarter revenue to about $108 billion, give or take 2%, without counting any data centre compute sales to China, as reported by Nvidia. Its next report, due in November, will show whether Big Tech’s spending is still flowing through to its top line.

The CPU angle adds another wrinkle. Nvidia recently launched its first stand-alone CPU, called Vera, built specifically to power AI agent workloads. If Microsoft’s spending on CPUs keeps rising, Nvidia now has a product to compete for a share of that money too.

The AI spending fears haven’t gone away

Not every tech giant got the same reception this week. Alphabet’s shares fell about 10% after hours following a disappointing search business and negative free cash flow, while Microsoft rose more than 5% partly due to positive free cash flow. Even so, Alphabet plans to lift 2027 capital spending above this year’s $195 billion to $205 billion forecast, which is more good news for chip suppliers.

The split shows what investors want now. Capital.com analyst Daniela Hathorn said the Alphabet and Microsoft results offered “competing narratives” on whether AI is paying off. Spending alone no longer earns applause. Companies have to show it’s turning into revenue.

The bigger picture still favours chipmakers. Goldman Sachs expects the five largest U.S. hyperscalers to lift AI infrastructure spending to $1.2 trillion in 2027, up from roughly $800 billion this year, according to TheStreet. Its model shows capex growth stepping down to 54% in 2027 and just 12% in 2028. The bank also estimates these companies need about $300 billion in yearly AI revenue just to break even.

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Other big customers are lining up too. Elon Musk said SpaceX’s new computing capacity next year will be mostly Nvidia’s Vera Rubin chips, and Jensen Huang has pointed to at least $1 trillion in orders for Blackwell and Vera Rubin through 2027.

What it means for Nvidia shareholders

The stock has lagged its own business. Nvidia gained 239% in 2023, 171% in 2024 and 39% in 2025, but its forward price-to-earnings ratio had fallen to about 23.2 by July, trading near parity with the S&P 500. That’s a sharp change from years of trading at a steep premium.

Microsoft’s numbers suggest the spending story is still intact. One of Nvidia’s largest customers put about three-quarters of its quarterly capex into chips and networking gear and plans to spend about $170 billion in fiscal 2027, according to Microsoft. With commitments like that on the table, it’s hard to argue that demand is drying up anytime soon.

There are risks. Nvidia depends on a small group of very large buyers, and many of them are now borrowing to fund the build-out. Morgan Stanley estimates AI-related global debt issuance will approach $570 billion in 2026, as reported by TheStreet. But for now, Microsoft is giving Nvidia shareholders exactly what they hoped to hear: the money is still flowing toward chips.

Related: Microsoft is offering 60,000 employees a way out

On October 28, 2026, Chipotle reported Q3 results, and according to its SEC filing, the chain’s comparable restaurant sales grew 2.1%, beating Wall Street expectations. The company beat expectations even after the business was potentially linked to a Salmonella outbreak in the U.S., which caused its stock to fall back in August.

Investors clearly liked the stock’s Q3 performance, as CMG climbed more than 8% on October 29 before closing around $31 per share. Bank of America analyst Sara Senatore also maintained her Buy rating and $53 price target on CMG after the Q3 report.

Why the brisket return matters for Chipotle’s comeback

Chipotle confirmed that its Mesquite-Smoked Brisket will return to U.S. and Canadian menus on November 5, 2026, right in the heart of football season.

That matters because the last time the brisket launched on Chipotle’s menu back in September 2024, it increased the chain’s customer transactions by 4% and the average amount customers spent during a single visit, NRN reported.

Also read: Domino’s Pizza may have a franchisee problem

That’s one reason Senatore believes the fresh menu items can boost the company’s fourth-quarter performance. She wrote in a BofA research note shared with me that Chipotle’s “more proactive approach to driving traffic, more frequent menu innovations, revamped loyalty, social media marketing” is working.

And since the chain’s September comparable sales were up 3.8%, she feels confident that the November launch can further lift fourth-quarter trends.

Why Bank of America still sees CMG stock as a bargain

In her note, Sara Senatore trimmed Chipotle’s 2027 earnings forecast slightly to $1.37 per share. But that is mostly because of the higher labor costs tied to new apprentice managers. Even with the trimmed forecast, she still expects Chipotle’s comparable sales to grow by about 3.8% next year, which supports her Buy call. Her $53 price target also suggests she expects the stock to rise substantially from its current level near $31. 

Related: McDonald’s just did something not seen in decades

Bank of America sees CMG as a bargain because the stock has fallen about 17% so far in 2026 and it now trades at 13.8 times forward EV/EBITDA. That is lower than its five-year average of nearly 25 times. Usually, that kind of discount on a brand this strong is worth watching.

The concerns investors shouldn’t ignore

Chipotle‘s Q3 report also had its weak spots, which investors should consider. The company’s restaurant-level operating margin fell to 23.3% from 24.5% a year earlier, which means Chipotle is making less profit on every dollar of restaurant sales. The company’s earnings per share also dropped by about 7% to $0.27.

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However, Chipotle’s management still believes their plans are paying off. Scott Boatwright, the company’s CEO, told investors that “three consecutive quarters of positive comparable transaction growth demonstrate that our Recipe for Growth strategy is working.” The question now is whether that progress can hold up once the potential holiday brisket boost fades.

What CMG investors should watch over the next two quarters

The next two quarters will play an important role in Chipotle’s fresh menu plan. The November brisket launch has to drive enough traffic to offset areas where the business isn’t doing so well. So investors should watch same-store sales when Chipotle’s fourth-quarter report comes out. 

Investors should also track Chipotle’s high-efficiency equipment rollout to see whether installations continue as planned. Senatore wrote that each upgraded unit could gradually add “the additional 5 entrees per day that equate to a point of comp.” That could be a boost to the company’s numbers.

Related: Ross Stores has a plan to win over TJ Maxx shoppers

Why we love this deal

Small spaces can get cluttered so quickly, which is why they’re one of the most important places to make storage a priority. The tough part is finding an organizer that works with the room. But with areas like a small bathroom or a tiny kitchen, permanent fixtures can make the task even harder. Between toilets and built-in cabinets, you’re limited to the kinds of storage you can use. Thankfully, tall and narrow cabinets are made for areas just like this, and you can usually get a great deal on them if you know where to look.

The Walsunny Tall Storage Cabinet is on sale for just $75 at Walmart. It’s a top-rated pick with shoppers eyeing it as we write this. Normally, you can get the storage cabinet for $144, but thanks to a limited-time Flash deal, it’s 48% off.

Walsunny Tall Storage Cabinet, $75 (was $144) at Walmart

Why do shoppers love it?

At over 5 feet tall, this storage cabinet makes the most of a small space. It measures 15.7 inches long, 11.8 inches wide, and 64 inches tall, to be exact, which takes up little floor space while capitalizing on vertical storage. The cabinet has both open and closed storage, with two one-door cabinets, one open shelf, and one drawer. Each cabinet has two shelves, giving you five shelves in total. One of the shelves in each cabinet space is also adjustable, so you can customize the height based on your storage needs. With three height levels to choose from, you’ll be able to store taller items, like paper towels or cleaning supplies, if needed. 

The cabinet is made of medium-density fiberboard that’s coated with a finish that’s resistant to water and moisture. This feature makes it especially great for bathrooms or kitchens, where the cabinet might come into contact with excess humidity or liquid. 

Related: Amazon is selling a 2-drawer farmhouse storage cabinet for just $61

Details to know

• Dimensions: 15.7 inches long by 11.8 inches wide by 64 inches tall.
• Colors: White, gray, black, and green.
• Material: Medium-density fiberboard.

Walmart shoppers praise this storage cabinet’s design and versatility. One shopper said it’s “sturdy and beautiful,” and added that it’s great beyond a bathroom. “I use mine in my bedroom to store all of my perfumes and facial products,” they said, and claimed that it works beautifully for their needs.

In addition to a bedroom and a bathroom, a customer said they used it in their laundry room and shared that it has “very easy, step-by-step instructions.” Another reviewer used it in their kitchen with limited cabinet space, and wrote, “This cabinet was perfect for my overflow of pantry items.”

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Add storage where you need it most with the Walsunny Tall Storage Cabinet. On sale for just $75, it’s a smart buy for small spaces.