Author: Smart Wealthhabits

Arena Creative / Shutterstock.comAfter a tumultuous few years of booming prices, rapid declines and fluctuating mortgage rates, the US housing market has a new set of dynamics in 2026. Due to persistently high mortgage rates and widespread inflation, demand for residential real estate has stagnated in many parts of the country. Affordability remains a major hurdle, especially for first-time buyers who are struggling with high prices…

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett speaks to the press outside the West Wing of the White House on February 11, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the United States added 130,000 jobs in January.Anna Moneymaker getty imagesKevin Hassett, President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser, said Thursday that getting even a single oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz would provide “a big chunk of what’s missing” amid a global supply crisis caused by the US-Israel war in Iran.Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, made the claim as traffic through the key…

Micropixistock/Getty Images/iStockphoto Commitment to our readers The GOBankingRates editorial team is committed to providing you with unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methods to evaluate financial products and services – our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our review methodology for products and services. 20 yearshelp you get rich trusted by millions of readers Stock market fluctuations are a normal part of investing. Although it can be scary to see your portfolio drop by several percentage points in a single day, letting emotions into your investment decisions often…

A soldier from the 1st Infantry Division is seen with a ‘US Army’ sticker on his uniform during a military training at the Nowa Dęba training ground in Nowa Dęba, Poland, on April 12, 2023. Artur Vidak Nurfoto | getty images selective service system The U.S. plans to automatically register eligible American men between the ages of 18 and 26 for the U.S. military draft by December, nearly half a century after that group became law to mandate mandatory registration for the draft, a government filing shows.The SSS proposal would implement a requirement in the National Defense Authorization Act passed…

SDI Productions/Getty Images Commitment to our readers The GOBankingRates editorial team is committed to providing you with unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methods to evaluate financial products and services – our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our review methodology for products and services. 20 yearshelp you get rich trusted by millions of readers To join a credit union, you usually need to qualify under that credit union’s membership area, complete an application, verify your identity, and make a small initial deposit. Credit unions are member-owned financial…

Eric Isaacson | DigitalVision | getty imagesMaine is set to enact the first statewide ban on data center construction, a move that could clear the way for other states to adopt similar measures and put the brakes on the growing industry.Lawmakers in Maine greenlighted the text of a bill this week to halt the construction of data centers in the state until November 2027. The measure, which is expected to receive final passage in the next few days, also creates a council to suggest possible guardrails for data centers to ensure they do not lead to higher energy prices or…

Discover the most effective financial strategies for the current year with our curated list of 25 Ways to Save Money in 2026. From optimizing your digital subscriptions and mastering high-yield savings to smart home efficiency and strategic grocery shopping, this guide offers a comprehensive roadmap for American families looking to build a resilient safety net, combat inflation, and achieve real financial peace of mind. When the calendar changes, the tendency to reset our finances becomes a powerful driver of change. Saving money is rarely about a big windfall; Instead, it is a disciplined collection of small, deliberate changes that add…

Kate_Sept2004 / iStock.com Commitment to our readers The GOBankingRates editorial team is committed to providing you with unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methods to evaluate financial products and services – our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our review methodology for products and services. 20 yearshelp you get rich trusted by millions of readers Most states offer some type of property tax relief for seniors – but that could mean exemptions, tax credits, withholdings or deferrals. According to real estate experts, these states offer the best deals…

Ligora / iStock.com Commitment to our readers The GOBankingRates editorial team is committed to providing you with unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methods to evaluate financial products and services – our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our review methodology for products and services. 20 yearshelp you get rich trusted by millions of readers Jumbo certificates of deposit may still be useful for savers who want to lock in a fixed return on large cash balances. As of April 9, 2026, the strongest verified jumbo CD in…

Are you having trouble getting discovered on TikTok? TikTok is a fast-moving platform that moves from one trend to another as quickly as the first trend came. This can be difficult to maintain. Needless to mention, it’s been more than five years since the app first became popular during the pandemic. By now most of the fields are filled with competition. In this post, we share tips on how to use TikTok SEO to get found on the platform. 1. Create better TikTok content You can make some small changes with your captions, profile, and publishing schedule, but none of…