The Money Section | Is eggflation over yet?

͏Plus, are you getting shortchanged at work? ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ [The Charlotte Observer]( February 8, 2023 • Issue #19 [The Money Section] This week, we’re looking at the lowest unemployment rate in decades and what it means for the stock market, the growing share of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, and predictions for the market in February. More jobs, higher rates? [Unemployment]( Getty Images The U.S. economy added 517,000 jobs in January as the unemployment rate fell to 3.4% — the lowest level in more than 50 years. While this is good news for workers, it could be a bad signal for anyone hoping for lower interest rates. [Read more.]( 😮 Caught by surprise. The U.S. added over a half million jobs in January, driven by increases in most industries, including restaurants and healthcare. Economists and forecasters were way off in their predictions, as they were expecting less than 200,000 new jobs. [Here’s why labor market forecasts often miss the mark.]( 👩🏽 💻 Same job, different title. Companies routinely inflate workers' titles to avoid paying them in full for overtime work, according to researchers from the University of Texas and Harvard Business School. Just by being creative with the wording, companies saved a total of $4 billion in overtime payments a year. [Read more.]( Not enough to save. [100k]( Eddie Lee / Money; Getty Images Roughly 64% of US consumers lived paycheck to paycheck in December 2022 — an increase of 9.3 million people compared to a year earlier — according to a joint report by ​​PYMNTS.com and Lending Club. Surprisingly, most of the increase is driven by those earning more than $100,000 per year, a group that is finding it harder to cover their expenses. [Read more.]( 🚘 Higher rates for car owners. Inflation may be starting to ease, but drivers won't see a break on their insurance this year. According to a study by the financial services company Bankrate, the price of full coverage car insurance jumped to $2,014 a year in January, up 13.7% from a year earlier. [Read more.]( 🛒 How to survive food inflation. Over the past year, as food prices overall have risen more than 10%, discount dollar stores have become a key destination for affordable essentials, including perishable and nonperishable goods. In this article, savings experts share their top tips to cut costs [no matter where you shop.]( A good month for stocks. [Stocks]( Getty Images The S&P 500 is up 6% since the beginning of the year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up about 1.8%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the month with gains of more than 11%. But will the rally continue? Here’s what history says about [how the market tends to perform in February.]( 📈 A cooler market. Mortgage rates have eased closer to 6%, a sign the housing market is finally cooling off. According to Freddie Mac, lower rates mean the market is now open to 3 million borrowers who'd been priced out. Furthermore, markets expect the Fed to stop hiking rates, which could help mortgages [become even more affordable.]( 🏠 Workers leave but havoc remains. The throngs of remote workers who flocked to rural communities throughout the pandemic have begun to thin as employers push a return to offices. But for many of the towns remote workers descended on, the housing crisis they fueled has remained. [Read more.]( Smart Money Move Save money by avoiding last-minute shopping on Valentine’s Day [Flowers] [Flowers]Thinking of buying your loved one flowers for Valentine’s Day? Better act fast – you’re not the only one. In 2022, consumers spent $2.3 billion dollars on flowers alone. That’s a lot of bouquets. Ordering flowers ahead of time can have several benefits, not least of which is saving money. Some providers can charge anywhere from $20 to $100 for same-day delivery. Also, flower arrangements tend to sell out quickly, leaving you with few options if you decide to buy last-minute. Feeling the love yet? Just click below to pre-order now from a top Flower Delivery Company and get this Valentine’s Day started off on the right foot. [View the Best Flower Delivery Companies of 2023]( Stories we're reading this week - [Auto Insurers Are Refusing to Cover Some Cars Because They're Stolen So Frequently]( - [The Junkification of Amazon Why does it feel like the company is making itself worse?]( - [Can ChatGPT Save You From the Agony of Writing a Cover Letter?]( - [Beware these 5 financial red flags in a romantic partner]( - [The 10 Most (and Least) Affordable Cities for Rent on a Minimum Wage]( - [This Is What Netflix Thinks Your Family Is]( The Money Section is written in partnership with Money Research Collective This email was sent to {EMAIL} because you are signed up to receive marketing emails or newsletters from The Charlotte Observer. If you no longer wish to receive emails of this type, you may [unsubscribe]( or [update your email preferences](. We are unable to monitor replies to this email. Please [contact customer service]( if you have any questions or concerns. [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Service]( | [View in Browser]( Copyright © 2023 The Charlotte Observer. All Rights Reserved. 9140 Research Drive, Charlotte, NC 28262