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Shira Katz

Personal Finance Writer

439 Articles

About Shira

Shira covers personal finance with a bias for concrete numbers: what a change in rates, tariffs or energy prices actually does to a monthly budget. She is skeptical of miracle savings claims and tries to say plainly when an effect is too small to matter. Her goal is that readers finish a piece knowing what, if anything, to do next.

Areas of Expertise

Household budgeting savings credit consumer costs

Latest Articles

The 10 Cheapest US Counties for Retirees — and the Income Trap That Comes With Them
Personal Finance

The 10 Cheapest US Counties for Retirees — and the Income Trap That Comes With Them

Investopedia's county-level cost data shows retirees can live on as little as $2,372 a month in places like Cambria Coun...

Shira Katz 👁 7 💬 0
Mega-Sena Jackpot Rises to R$185 Million After No Winner
Personal Finance

Mega-Sena Jackpot Rises to R$185 Million After No Winner

No ticket matched all six numbers in contest 3,071. The next draw could offer R$185 million, but a R$6 simple bet has a ...

Shira Katz 👁 10 💬 0
Egypt's Banks Battle for Deposits With Savings Certificates Yielding Up to 22%
Personal Finance

Egypt's Banks Battle for Deposits With Savings Certificates Yielding Up to 22%

Egyptian state and private banks are offering three-year savings certificates with first-year returns as high as 22%, as...

Shira Katz 👁 12 💬 0
The Rise of Audio Eroticism: How Subscription Apps Turned Fantasy into a Multimillion-Dollar Industry
Personal Finance

The Rise of Audio Eroticism: How Subscription Apps Turned Fantasy into a Multimillion-Dollar Industry

Led by platforms like Quinn, which mimics Spotify's user-generated content model, and backed by Hollywood voices, audio ...

Shira Katz 👁 11 💬 0
Nearly Half of UK Working Women Report Financial Vulnerability, Hymans Robertson Finds
Personal Finance

Nearly Half of UK Working Women Report Financial Vulnerability, Hymans Robertson Finds

New research from Hymans Robertson Personal Wealth reveals 49% of working women feel financially vulnerable versus 35% o...

Shira Katz 👁 23 💬 0
Southwest Airlines Overhauls Rapid Rewards Loyalty Program for 2027
Personal Finance

Southwest Airlines Overhauls Rapid Rewards Loyalty Program for 2027

Southwest Airlines is simplifying its Rapid Rewards loyalty program with new elite status tiers, changes to its Companio...

Shira Katz 👁 25 💬 0
Used Cars With Hidden Modifications: The £1,000 Trap Buyers Inherit
Personal Finance

Used Cars With Hidden Modifications: The £1,000 Trap Buyers Inherit

Illegal or undeclared modifications left by previous owners can mean fines, MoT failures and voided insurance for unwitt...

Shira Katz 👁 20 💬 0
U.S. Grocery Unit Sales Show Modest Growth in September, Led by Frozen Foods
Personal Finance

U.S. Grocery Unit Sales Show Modest Growth in September, Led by Frozen Foods

U.S. grocery unit sales were nearly flat in September, but frozen foods, meat, and seafood posted gains, while fresh pro...

Shira Katz 👁 16 💬 0
The AI-Driven Job Revolution: How Workers Are Struggling to Keep Up
Personal Finance

The AI-Driven Job Revolution: How Workers Are Struggling to Keep Up

As AI rapidly transforms the workforce, workers returning from leave are finding themselves in a job they no longer reco...

Shira Katz 👁 22 💬 0
VA Disability Benefits Set for 3.6% COLA in 2027, Matching Social Security Increase
Personal Finance

VA Disability Benefits Set for 3.6% COLA in 2027, Matching Social Security Increase

Veterans receiving VA disability compensation will see a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment in 2027, pending congressional a...

Shira Katz 👁 1615 💬 0
Social Security's 3.6% COLA for 2027: Largest Raise in Four Years, Still Short of Seniors' Costs
Personal Finance

Social Security's 3.6% COLA for 2027: Largest Raise in Four Years, Still Short of Seniors' Costs

Social Security benefits will rise 3.6% in January 2027 — about $75 more per month — but advocates warn the increase lag...

Shira Katz 👁 23 💬 0
Market Corrections Arrive Every 2.2 Years on Average: How Investors Should Prepare
Personal Finance

Market Corrections Arrive Every 2.2 Years on Average: How Investors Should Prepare

Historical data shows market corrections average every 2.2 years with a 21% decline, yet US stocks have recovered from e...

Shira Katz 👁 19 💬 0
Bitdefender Cuts First-Year Prices Up to 50% on Three Security Plans
Personal Finance

Bitdefender Cuts First-Year Prices Up to 50% on Three Security Plans

Bitdefender is discounting three cybersecurity subscriptions for the first year, from a €29.99 VPN to a €99.98 family pl...

Shira Katz 👁 19 💬 0
Deutsche Rentner in Griechenland: Steuerfreundlichkeit mit Einschränkungen
Personal Finance

Deutsche Rentner in Griechenland: Steuerfreundlichkeit mit Einschränkungen

Deutsche Rentner ziehen in zunehmender Zahl nach Griechenland, wo sie von einem niedrigen Steuersatz von 7% profitieren ...

Shira Katz 👁 23 💬 0
US Grocery Food Safety Confidence Hits Record Low Amid Cyclospora Outbreak
Personal Finance

US Grocery Food Safety Confidence Hits Record Low Amid Cyclospora Outbreak

A new Gallup survey reveals that Americans' trust in grocery food safety has plummeted to its lowest level in history, w...

Shira Katz 👁 36 💬 0
Why Your Salary Raises Cost Four Times More Than They Pay You
Personal Finance

Why Your Salary Raises Cost Four Times More Than They Pay You

A report by the French Council of Economic Analysis (CAE) reveals that salary raises in France cost employers four times...

Shira Katz 👁 26 💬 0
Closing Protection Gaps Requires Long-Term View of Risk, Says Howden CEO
Personal Finance

Closing Protection Gaps Requires Long-Term View of Risk, Says Howden CEO

Howden's CEO Mike Dalby emphasizes the importance of understanding risks and making informed decisions, particularly in ...

Shira Katz 👁 27 💬 0
Trust Management Simplified: The Role of Letters of Wishes
Personal Finance

Trust Management Simplified: The Role of Letters of Wishes

A letter of wishes can provide guidance for trustees in managing trust assets, alleviating potential frustrations and co...

Shira Katz 👁 22 💬 0
A Mother's Career Demotion That Turned Into 17 Years of Free College Tuition
Personal Finance

A Mother's Career Demotion That Turned Into 17 Years of Free College Tuition

When five college tuition bills loomed at once, one mother traded half her salary for an entry-level college job — and u...

Shira Katz 👁 25 💬 0
Australia's Consumer Sentiment Hits 40-Year Low Amid Interest Rate Hike
Personal Finance

Australia's Consumer Sentiment Hits 40-Year Low Amid Interest Rate Hike

The latest Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index report shows Australians are feeling very pessimistic, w...

Shira Katz 👁 27 💬 0
Xiaomi's C701 Pro Security Camera: Aggressive Pricing Meets Capable Dual-Lens Detection
Personal Finance

Xiaomi's C701 Pro Security Camera: Aggressive Pricing Meets Capable Dual-Lens Detection

Xiaomi's new Smart Camera C701 Pro pairs a 4K wide-angle lens with a 3K x6 telephoto for hybrid 9x zoom, undercutting ri...

Shira Katz 👁 42 💬 0
State Crackdowns on Deed Theft Rise Amid Growing Real Estate Fraud
Personal Finance

State Crackdowns on Deed Theft Rise Amid Growing Real Estate Fraud

Twelve states have dedicated laws addressing deed theft, up from seven, as real estate fraud complaints surge. The FBI r...

Shira Katz 👁 22 💬 0
NBER Study Reveals How Millionaires Actually Invest — and It's More Conservative Than Expected
Personal Finance

NBER Study Reveals How Millionaires Actually Invest — and It's More Conservative Than Expected

A National Bureau of Economic Research study of over 1,000 millionaire investors finds portfolios dominated by equities ...

Shira Katz 👁 25 💬 0
Anker MagGo Power Bank 2 Pro Review: 25W Qi2.2 Wireless Charging With Active Cooling for Mobile Professionals
Personal Finance

Anker MagGo Power Bank 2 Pro Review: 25W Qi2.2 Wireless Charging With Active Cooling for Mobile Professionals

Anker's new 10,000 mAh magnetic power bank delivers 25W wireless charging — 67% faster than standard Qi2 — with a built-...

Shira Katz 👁 118 💬 0
A Multimillionaire's Case Against Spending to Look Rich
Personal Finance

A Multimillionaire's Case Against Spending to Look Rich

Tori Dunlap, founder of Her First $100K, explains why she still drives her 22-year-old Toyota RAV4 and refuses to spend ...

Shira Katz 👁 29 💬 0
A 50-Year-Old With $50,000 to Invest: Is a 0.80% Advisory Fee Worth It?
Personal Finance

A 50-Year-Old With $50,000 to Invest: Is a 0.80% Advisory Fee Worth It?

A single 50-year-old investor asks whether a big firm's 0.80% fee on $50,000 makes sense for long-term growth. Advisers ...

Shira Katz 👁 20 💬 0
Air France KLM Visa: A Status Tool for Loyalists, Not a Perks Card
Personal Finance

Air France KLM Visa: A Status Tool for Loyalists, Not a Perks Card

The $89 Air France KLM Visa skips free bags and priority boarding in favor of XP status boosts and Flying Blue miles — a...

Shira Katz 👁 28 💬 0
Morningstar Positions Its Investor Platform as an Antidote to Wall Street Hype
Personal Finance

Morningstar Positions Its Investor Platform as an Antidote to Wall Street Hype

Morningstar is marketing its Investor subscription — 200+ screening data points, proprietary ratings and portfolio analy...

Shira Katz 👁 20 💬 0
Your 401(k) Is Quietly Funding the AI Boom—and That Concentrates Your Retirement Risk
Personal Finance

Your 401(k) Is Quietly Funding the AI Boom—and That Concentrates Your Retirement Risk

Passive index funds now lean heavily on AI-era giants, and accounting quirks can make the boom look safer than it is.

Shira Katz 👁 60 💬 0
Unauthorised Overseas Charges Hit Chinese Mastercard Users; Banks Say Funds Protected
Personal Finance

Unauthorised Overseas Charges Hit Chinese Mastercard Users; Banks Say Funds Protected

Multiple Chinese cardholders reported foreign transactions after linking cards to Apple Pay. Banks say affected customer...

Shira Katz 👁 43 💬 0