#cost-of-living

#cost-of-living

With a customer base that's spending less in the face of a cost-of-living crisis and rising operational costs (including higher rents and energy prices, a VAT rate of 20%, and increases in National Living Wage and National Insurance contributions), restaurant owners are watching profit margins get thinner and thinner. Richard H. Turner of Bodean's broke it down like this: "25 years ago, you would be trying to hit a 20% net profit.

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

MarketBeat.com's new report, which surveyed more than 3,000 parents, found that an increasing number are charging their adult children interest on family loans. "The Bank of Mom and Dad has always been generous, but even generosity comes with boundaries," says Matt Paulson, founder of MarketBeat.com. "What's striking is that while most parents don't expect repayment - and certainly not at commercial interest rates - inflation and rising costs are starting to reshape how families think about money."

Until very recently, it looked like the teens of the 2020s were behaving very differently. In 2023, more than a fifth of Gen Zers were sober and only one in 10 had tried a Class A drug, with many turning away from drink and drug-induced depravity in favour of healthier, more wholesome activities like gym dates and ' grandma crafts'. But a new IWSR survey, released in June, indicates that famously sensible ' generation clean ' are back on the booze.

As President Donald Trump openly contemplates sending military forces into more American cities, the leading congressional Democrats almost invariably describe his actions as an attempt to create a "distraction" from something else - whether that's the cost of living, the massive Medicaid cuts he signed into law, or the controversy around the Jeffrey Epstein files. That reflex captures the overwhelming preference of top DC Democrats to frame the 2026 election on familiar partisan grounds, particularly the charge that Trump has failed in his core 2024 promise to bring down the cost of living for average families.

Overtourism protests moved outside of Europe this summer, as residents of Mexico City took to the streets to march against rising costs of living in neighborhoods popular with digital nomads and international visitors.

When we finally paused to ask ourselves why we were living that way, the answer was simple: money. We needed to earn enough to sustain our expensive lifestyle, which meant working jobs that left us depleted, sacrificing our mental health, and rarely having quality time as a family. So we made a bold decision: My wife quit her job, I stayed on in a remote position, and we left the city behind to lower our cost of living .

Nestled along the Ohio River with a vibrant mix of historic charm and modern living, Cincinnati offers homebuyers a city rich in culture, opportunity, and neighborhood pride. Cincinnati's housing market is somewhat competitive. Homes receive about 3 offers and sell in roughly 43 days. The median sale price was $294,243 in July 2025, up 7.0% year over year, with a median $185 per square foot.

Seniors in 41 states are projected to have more expenses than income during their golden years, putting them at risk for outliving their retirement savings, according to a new study by Seniorly, an assisted living online marketplace. The amount they're missing, on average, over the course of their retirement years: $115,000. RELATED: Leaving California: Where's the best state to move to in 2025? In California, the gap between projected income and expenses for retirees is far higher: $337,000. Along with the Golden State, three other states New York, Hawaii and Alaska have the nation's highest retirement gaps, where people's income likely can't keep up with expenses.

Affan Kurniawan was killed on Thursday after an armoured police vehicle ran into him outside Indonesia's House of Representatives, as riot police were dispersing crowds who had gathered to demand higher wages, lower taxes and the removal of allowances for politicians. Motorcycle taxi drivers gathered outside Jakarta Mobile Brigade Corps headquarters on Friday to protest against Kurniawan's death, and students urged protesters to rally later outside police headquarters in the capital city.

I don't know my parents' financial situation, but it's playing on my mind that maybe this is favouritism?

For more and more Americans, living abroad isn't just a fantasy-it's becoming a practical, affordable lifestyle choice. Whether you're a digital nomad, a gap-year adventurer, or someone simply seeking a reset, spending a year abroad can be transformative. And the best part? There are over a dozen countries that offer visa-free or long-stay entry for U.S. citizens for up to a year.

SmartAsset found that Massachusetts is the most expensive state for a family of four to live comfortably. A Massachusetts family's income needs to be $313,747 to live comfortably, SmartAsset reported. Last year, a four-person household needed an income of $301,184 to do so. Meanwhile, the most expensive state for a single person to live comfortable is Hawaii with a $124,467 salary needed. For single individuals, Massachusetts is a close second with a yearly income of $120,141 needed.

Cortland, New York offers a median home listing price of $192,500 and a median home sale price of $215,000, making it significantly cheaper than New York's averages.

The decline in beach attendance in Italy is attributed to high private beach concession prices, with beachgoer numbers down by 15% to 25% in June and July.

The UK housing market recorded its fastest monthly growth of the year in July, with prices rising by 0.4% according to the latest figures from Halifax.

Nearly one in five people aged 55 and over and on low incomes say they want to retire but can't because of housing costs, according to a survey by Crisis.

Estonia snagged the top spot with a score of 79.41. "The Baltic nation combines reasonable living costs (55.9 cost index) with strong health care (77.7 index) and impressive safety levels (76.5 index)," the report stated.

Moving from Vancouver to Birmingham seemed economically wise, as rent and living expenses were significantly lower at first, making it appear that we could save money.