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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

Meta's Muse Can Budget, Cancel Subscriptions and Negotiate Bills — With a Privacy Catch
Personal Finance

Meta's Muse Can Budget, Cancel Subscriptions and Negotiate Bills — With a Privacy Catch

Meta's new AI agent promises everyday users up to $1,000 in savings, but identity-theft experts say the data-sharing ris...

Shira Katz 👁 93 💬 0
Newskill Neith Zephyr Gaming Chair: €130 Off at PcComponentes With 180° Recline and 4D Armrests
Personal Finance

Newskill Neith Zephyr Gaming Chair: €130 Off at PcComponentes With 180° Recline and 4D Armrests

The Newskill Neith Zephyr is discounted by €130 at PcComponentes, pairing a 180-degree recline, 4D armrests and included...

Shira Katz 👁 25 💬 0
Chilean Pensioners Withdrew US$61 Million in Freely Available Surplus in H1 2026
Personal Finance

Chilean Pensioners Withdrew US$61 Million in Freely Available Surplus in H1 2026

AFP data show 3,138 withdrawals in the first half, up from US$58 million a year earlier, though the long-term trend rema...

Shira Katz 👁 27 💬 0
58% of Peruvians Are Hunting a Second Income — 20% Already Earn Through AI
Personal Finance

58% of Peruvians Are Hunting a Second Income — 20% Already Earn Through AI

A new Activa survey finds 58% of Peruvians are actively seeking extra income, and 20% have already earned through an AI-...

Shira Katz 👁 24 💬 0
The Quiet Money Habits Wealthy Americans Use to Build and Keep Wealth
Personal Finance

The Quiet Money Habits Wealthy Americans Use to Build and Keep Wealth

From modest cars to disciplined budgeting, the 'stealthy wealthy' favor understated choices. Here's how those habits tra...

Shira Katz 👁 35 💬 0
Brazil Extends Online INSS Sick Pay Rule to 90 Days Until September 2027
Personal Finance

Brazil Extends Online INSS Sick Pay Rule to 90 Days Until September 2027

The government renewed Atestmed rules that let workers receive temporary incapacity benefit for up to 90 days without an...

Shira Katz 👁 22 💬 0
Harvest's Secondary Bond Funds Top China Ratings, but Returns Hide Equity Risk
Personal Finance

Harvest's Secondary Bond Funds Top China Ratings, but Returns Hide Equity Risk

Harvest led China's latest secondary bond fund ratings with one-year returns up to 39.6%. A closer look at fees and draw...

Shira Katz 👁 32 💬 0
Good Credit Score, Loan Rejected? 7 Reasons Lenders Still Say No
Personal Finance

Good Credit Score, Loan Rejected? 7 Reasons Lenders Still Say No

A high CIBIL score opens the door, but lenders still check income, existing EMIs, job stability, enquiries and documents...

Shira Katz 👁 24 💬 0
Capital One's LaGuardia Lounge: A $395 Annual Fee, a $125 Add-On, and the Real Value
Personal Finance

Capital One's LaGuardia Lounge: A $395 Annual Fee, a $125 Add-On, and the Real Value

A firsthand trip through Capital One's restaurant-style LaGuardia Landing shows strong food, but the card's value now hi...

Shira Katz 👁 25 💬 0
What Workers Can Do When Health Insurance Costs Are Eating Their Raises
Personal Finance

What Workers Can Do When Health Insurance Costs Are Eating Their Raises

An insurance industry veteran explains why premiums are surging and how workers can ask employers about individual cover...

Shira Katz 👁 24 💬 0
Chase Ink Business Unlimited review: simple 1.5% cash back that can become travel points
Personal Finance

Chase Ink Business Unlimited review: simple 1.5% cash back that can become travel points

Chase's no-annual-fee Ink Business Unlimited earns 1.5% cash back and becomes far more powerful when paired with an Ulti...

Shira Katz 👁 19 💬 0
Germany's Early-Retirement Fight: Who Still Gets the 45-Year Full Pension
Personal Finance

Germany's Early-Retirement Fight: Who Still Gets the 45-Year Full Pension

Berlin is debating whether to scale back the 'Rente ab 63' benefit for long-serving workers. Here are the costs, the pol...

Shira Katz 👁 25 💬 0
Gold Rate Today: 22k Prices Drop at Tanishq, Malabar, Joyalukkas and Kalyan
Personal Finance

Gold Rate Today: 22k Prices Drop at Tanishq, Malabar, Joyalukkas and Kalyan

22k gold jewellery rates fell by Rs 170 per gram across major Indian chains on September 5, 2026. Here is what the publi...

Shira Katz 👁 27 💬 0
How to Book Cheap Flights: The 21-Day Rule, Midweek Fares and Direct-Booking Protections
Personal Finance

How to Book Cheap Flights: The 21-Day Rule, Midweek Fares and Direct-Booking Protections

Flight prices now shift by algorithm, but specific booking windows and midweek travel can still cut costs. Here's what H...

Shira Katz 👁 95 💬 0
Russian Savers Pile Into Real Estate Funds as Deposit Rates Fall
Personal Finance

Russian Savers Pile Into Real Estate Funds as Deposit Rates Fall

As Bank of Russia rate cuts erode deposit yields, retail money is shifting into closed-end real estate funds; managers s...

Shira Katz 👁 32 💬 0
Real Estate Without Keys: Russia’s Wealthy Shift to Closed-End Property Funds
Personal Finance

Real Estate Without Keys: Russia’s Wealthy Shift to Closed-End Property Funds

Falling rates are reviving property investment, but wealthy Russians increasingly use closed-end real estate funds for s...

Shira Katz 👁 28 💬 0
Last Day to Apply for 8th Pay Commission Consultant Positions: Eligibility, Pay and Online Process
Personal Finance

Last Day to Apply for 8th Pay Commission Consultant Positions: Eligibility, Pay and Online Process

The 8th Central Pay Commission closes applications today for 20 contractual consultant and young professional roles, off...

Shira Katz 👁 28 💬 0
Delta Platinum Amex: What the $350 Annual Fee Actually Buys
Personal Finance

Delta Platinum Amex: What the $350 Annual Fee Actually Buys

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express pairs a companion certificate and Medallion status boost with a $350 annual...

Shira Katz 👁 24 💬 0
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business: A $650 Card for Delta Loyalists, Not Everyday Spenders
Personal Finance

Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business: A $650 Card for Delta Loyalists, Not Everyday Spenders

Lounge access, a companion certificate and Medallion credits can justify the fee for frequent Delta flyers, but the card...

Shira Katz 👁 27 💬 0
After Paying $20,000 for Drives, a Photographer Used AI to Stop Buying More
Personal Finance

After Paying $20,000 for Drives, a Photographer Used AI to Stop Buying More

Allen Cooley saw a 4TB drive jump from $400 to $1,200, spent more than $20,000 on storage in 2025, then built a Claude-p...

Shira Katz 👁 33 💬 0
French TV Host Loses €9,000 in Caller-ID Bank Scam
Personal Finance

French TV Host Loses €9,000 in Caller-ID Bank Scam

Agathe Lecaron says a fake call displayed her bank’s name, and a second scam targeted her mobile operator. Her bank refu...

Shira Katz 👁 36 💬 0
Investing.com’s August Offer Promises ‘Off-Radar’ Picks—the Fine Print Deserves a Second Look
Personal Finance

Investing.com’s August Offer Promises ‘Off-Radar’ Picks—the Fine Print Deserves a Second Look

The promotional page touts WarrenAI, ProPicks and one-month gains in Palantir and Joby. Before subscribing, retail inves...

Shira Katz 👁 31 💬 0
Investing.com's Spanish-Language Risk Notice: What It Tells Retail Traders
Personal Finance

Investing.com's Spanish-Language Risk Notice: What It Tells Retail Traders

The platform's legal disclaimer details high risks in financial instruments and crypto, margin dangers, and a caveat tha...

Shira Katz 👁 33 💬 0
What South Africans Should Know Before Paying for a Prop Trading Challenge
Personal Finance

What South Africans Should Know Before Paying for a Prop Trading Challenge

Pass rates of 5–20%, challenge fees of R5K–R20K and 40–45% tax on profits reshape the real economics of funded trading i...

Shira Katz 👁 33 💬 0
Inside InvestingPro's September 2026 UK Stock Screen: Five Names to Test
Personal Finance

Inside InvestingPro's September 2026 UK Stock Screen: Five Names to Test

Wise, GSK, MONY, Intermediate Capital and 3i Group make this month's FTSE 250 list. The data looks attractive—but the up...

Shira Katz 👁 37 💬 0
Investing.com Most Active Stocks Page: A Screening Tool With Strict Risk Warnings
Personal Finance

Investing.com Most Active Stocks Page: A Screening Tool With Strict Risk Warnings

The page is built as a volume- and volatility-based screening tool, but its own disclosures warn that prices may be indi...

Shira Katz 👁 33 💬 0
Mega-Sena Draw 3050 Rolls Jackpot to R$30 Million After No Six-Number Winner
Personal Finance

Mega-Sena Draw 3050 Rolls Jackpot to R$30 Million After No Six-Number Winner

Thursday's Mega-Sena contest produced no top prize winner, lifting the next jackpot to R$30 million. A basic six-number ...

Shira Katz 👁 52 💬 0
He Lost £30,000 to Day Trading. An ADHD Diagnosis Helped Him Quit.
Personal Finance

He Lost £30,000 to Day Trading. An ADHD Diagnosis Helped Him Quit.

Itay Greenberg spent eight years chasing markets, borrowing on credit cards and losing roughly £30,000. His exit came on...

Shira Katz 👁 62 💬 0
A Mother Spent Thousands on Cheerleading Instead of a College Fund — Without Regrets
Personal Finance

A Mother Spent Thousands on Cheerleading Instead of a College Fund — Without Regrets

A parent who spent thousands on elite cheerleading instead of a college fund says she has no regrets — and now her daugh...

Shira Katz 👁 43 💬 0
At 70, Raising a Grandson: The Numbers That Keep Ruth Olinger Working
Personal Finance

At 70, Raising a Grandson: The Numbers That Keep Ruth Olinger Working

Ruth Olinger reports $10,400 in annual day care and $1,500 monthly Social Security. Her fixed costs show why retirement ...

Shira Katz 👁 54 💬 0