Author: Editor

This as-told-to-essay is based on a conversation with Shaun Chavis, 58, who is based in Baltimore. It has been edited for length and clarity.Since being laid off last June, I’ve applied for over 100 jobs, and I’m completely boggled by the responses I’ve received — or rather, the lack of them.With nearly 20 years of experience across journalism, communications, and marketing, I really did not expect to be out of work this long. But the reality is that I’ve only had one interview — I’m not even getting screening calls.Because I’m not the kind of person to just “spray and…

It’s hard to commit to financing a new home or renovation project if you’re not sure you’ll have a job to pay for it.Economic concerns like job losses and overall affordability continue to weigh on home improvement retailers, including Home Depot, which reported nearly flat comparable sales growth for both the quarter and full fiscal year on Tuesday.”Continued consumer uncertainty: That’s still the number one reason why people are telling us, our customers are telling us that they’re not investing, certainly, in large projects,” CEO Ted Decker said on an earnings call.”That has everything to do with consumer confidence and…

Roschetzky Photography/Shutterstock 2026-02-24T15:35:42.161Z Share Copy link Email Facebook WhatsApp X LinkedIn Bluesky Threads lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Impact Link Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. Mortgage rates dropped below 6% for the first time since 2022 on Monday. The drop came as Treasury yields fell in recent days amid new trade-war concerns. The president announced a 15% global tariff over the weekend, sparking a flight to safety in markets. Mortgage rates dipped…

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lora Pope, 36, a content creator and blogger, originally from Canada, who hosts three Airbnbs in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Pope was away during the violence in Jalisco, but was still in contact with her guests. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.Puerto Vallarta is my home base.I went there for the first time in 2021 while I was a full-time digital nomad. In 2023, I bought an apartment in Puerto Vallarta and obtained residency, but I still travel for about 6 months of the year.I own a one-bedroom condo…

When we purchased our home, we thought it needed only cosmetic updates — maybe a fresh coat of paint and updated appliances.So, we felt pretty good about tackling our first project as homeowners: replacing the floors in our main downstairs living space.We consulted specialists at a home-improvement chain, got measurements and estimates, and chose our luxury vinyl-plank flooring.Between supplies and labor, we were quoted just under $6,000 to replace all the flooring on our first floor, which included our living room, dining area, kitchen, coat closet, and half bath.Once demolition began, however, we realized this project was going to take…

Every day, firefighters in communities across the US risk their lives responding to emergencies. And in the age of worsening wildfires driven by the climate crisis, their jobs have become more important than ever.So how does pay correlate to such a key job? As we’ll see below, firefighter wages fluctuate dramatically across the 50 states, with some states recording six-figure earnings for the highest earners, while others in the 10th percentile of earners barely scratch the $25,000 mark.The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics provides data on firefighter wages. Using the most recent data from May 2024,…

After a few years of renting in Los Angeles, my partner and I were ready to buy something of our own.We wanted to move somewhere more affordable where we could have a backyard and still maintain our city lifestyle. After extensive online research, a few places met our criteria — and Atlanta was one of them.Neither of us had ever been to the Georgia city, but we figured we’d give it a try. It took us some time to get used to living here, but it’s become our home over the past four years.From the unexpected beauty of Atlanta’s nature…

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sarah Pardi, 35, who moved to Paris in 2023. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.I’ve been obsessed with France for as long as I can remember. I don’t even know where it started — there aren’t any French people in my family. Maybe I saw a movie about it as a kid. But I grew up very poor, so I wasn’t sure how I’d ever make it happen.When I turned 18, I was like, “Okay, I’m going to figure out how to start traveling.” At the time, I’d…

Growing up in the suburbs of southern California, I knew a few things to be true about my family. Most importantly, I knew that all we had were each other. Unlike my friends at school, we did not have any extended family. There were no big Thanksgivings, hangouts with our cousins, or sleepovers at our grandparents’ house. It was just us four, navigating the differences between the Western culture we lived in and the Eastern culture of our roots.I grew up in Los Angeles as the eldest daughter of an immigrant family. My parents had left their motherland in search…

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rikki Dimitriadis, 31, an American based in Miami. The details of her planned move to Dubai have been verified by Business Insider. This piece has been edited for length and clarity.I have a one-way flight from Miami to Dubai booked for April 1st. There, I’ll be starting a new job as a senior hairdresser, and I plan to live near the Burj Khalifa.Dubai is calling my name. Nothing can dampen my excitement about relocating, not even the recent Iranian strikes.I was in New York during 9/11, and it made me accustomed…