Most financial experts agree that the best time to start using a credit card is 18, as long as one is equipped with the financial education to tackle the responsibility of taking on debt. The sooner someone can begin building a history with banks, the better.

In a country where taking part in the banking system is a necessary tool for ...Read more

While much of the recent conversation around caregiving in the United States has focused on the acute crisis of unaffordable child care and the challenges for parents, another issue is looming: caregiving for the country's fast-growing, aging and ailing population.

The U.S. population aged 65 and older grew five times faster than the total ...Read more

"It's hard to put a price tag, if you will, on the amount of human suffering that people are experiencing right now," Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. surgeon general, told All Things Considered in 2022, shortly after issuing an advisory that sounded the alarm on the epidemic of loneliness in the U.S.

Human connection keeps us healthy, but many ...Read more

Golfing among U.S. presidents is culturally embedded in the job—even if you come into the White House as a casual player. It's seen as a stress reliever for one of the toughest jobs in the world.

One of the first presidents to take up a club was William Howard Taft, who served from 1909 to 1913. Taft loved golf, so much so that it garnered...Read more

Since the green rush began, cannabis tourism has been in a particularly hazy territory. Forty states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana since the mid-90s, either for medical or recreational use, but the plant remains illegal at the federal level. According to the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2022, more ...Read more

Americans are increasingly breathing toxic air as ozone smog rises and wildfires become more common and intense due to climate change.

Poor air quality impacts more than your lungs. Despite decades of progress, a 2024 American Lung Association report found that 11.7 million more people are breathing unhealthy air compared to last year.

...Read more

In an era where the average American spends a considerable amount of their waking hours staring at a smartphone screen, app choices have become a mirror reflecting evolving social habits, consumer behaviors, and digital dependencies.

An estimated 98% of American adults own mobile phones, according to Pew Research surveys conducted in 2024, ...Read more

What do Mary, Olivia, and Jennifer have in common? They've each had a turn as the most popular name for American girls born over the past 100 years.

Many of today's most popular girls' names borrow heavily from decades—and centuries—past. To show this, Spokeo used data from the Social Security Administration on popular baby names to ...Read more

As America's population ages and some state populations are expected to decline, demographic shifts may profoundly reshape the country's colleges and universities.

Academics have long worried about the enrollment cliff, a multiyear decline in traditional college-aged students following an anticipated peak in 2025. Although the total number ...Read more

Christmas is the longest and most rollicking birthday celebration in Latin America.

Santa Claus and Rudolph are supporting characters in pageantry where Joseph, a pregnant Mary, and the donkey they rode to Bethlehem take center stage. Stories derived from the Bible surrounding Jesus' birth weave themselves into the folklore of the holiday ...Read more

Technology is helping some states and cities crack down on dangerous driving.

In particular, traffic cameras have spread throughout the nation. These are intended to ensure that drivers fully stop at red lights and maintain posted speed limits, both of which help motorists avoid major safety threats. About 340 communities throughout the ...Read more

Inflation has started to cool but prices remain high, and that's taking a toll on Americans' budgets.

According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, food costs have been particularly impacted (up 2.2% from the year before in July), causing people to rethink their grocery lists and shopping habits. Companies say customers ...Read more

A new federal financial aid application rollout was supposed to streamline a complex college application process for students and families. Instead, it created chaos. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA forms, which historically launched on Oct. 1, weren't released until Dec. 30, 2023, and had numerous technical difficulties....Read more

Right now, probably hundreds are playing a new trucking-centered Xbox game: Star Trucker, which launched in September 2024. It's the latest in a diverse collection of trucking simulation games that glamorize the open road—or, in this case, the open galaxy.

Trucking sims are nearly as old as video games themselves, and they have amassed a ...Read more

From E. coli traced to slivered onions on McDonald's Quarter Pounders to mass recalls of frozen waffles due to listeria risk, foodborne illness seems ever-present in the headlines. According to the Food & Drug Administration, foodborne illness affects 1 in 6 Americans every year—that's 48 million cases annually.

Data from the Centers for ...Read more

While the COVID-19 pandemic may already be in the rearview mirror for some, its legacy on America's roadways continues to be acutely felt today.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the national public health emergency changed driving patterns drastically, with "drivers who remained on the roads engaged in more ...Read more

For the first time in several decades, Americans are seeing a significant increase in the portion of their budgets dedicated to buying food.

That's according to a recent study from the Department of Agriculture's research arm, a finding that bucks a long-term trend in which advancements in food processing and production have kept food prices...Read more

The year 2024 has been marked by the deaths of numerous iconic figures in film, television, and music, leaving fans and industry members alike mourning these beloved stars' departures. Some, like James Earl Jones, lived long and illustrious lives, contributing decades of unforgettable work to their craft; others, such as Shannen Doherty and ...Read more

The portion of Americans contributing more than a third of their income to rent has been rising for the past two decades, and today, it sits at around half of all renters, according to recently released Census data collected in 2023.

Since 2021, the cost of housing has been one of the most persistent and potent forces driving a rising cost ...Read more

Nearly half of U.S. consumers are planning to brave the busiest travel period of the year by taking trips during the holidays. According to PwC, men are more likely to be out and about as well, with more than half planning to travel versus just 2 in 5 women. They plan to do it even as concerns for common travel mishaps remain. Among the biggest...Read more