Happy Friday, MarketWatchers! Here are your top personal finance stories of the day.
Personal Finance
Sorry, millennials: Not everyone is happier spending money on experiences over stuff
Your social class might determine how happy you are with your purchases.
Women say they’re less likely to succeed if they raise their voices and express emotion
Over the last week, Americans were riveted by Christine Blasey Ford’s poise and Brett Kavanaugh’s anger.
Don’t have a 401(k)? State governments have a retirement plan for you
Ten states, in an effort to head off a crisis, have started IRAs for workers without access to 401(k) retirement-savings plans.
Here’s what it would take to make college tuition-free
The free-college movement is making inroads, but funding and equality are big stumbling blocks.
Brett Kavanaugh’s GoFundMe page raises $603,770, surpassing $540,000 raised for Christine Blasey Ford
Donors have poured into campaigns supporting both Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh.
There are still fewer public school teachers than there were before the Great Recession, and that’s a problem
Earlier this year, teachers in Arizona, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and West Virginia protested for better wages and school funding.
Middle-class Americans need an airtight estate plan for their children
In addition to a will, you may also want to set up a living trust to avoid probate.
5 unexpected ways raising the minimum wage can change your life
Amazon said it will raise its minimum wage to $15 this fall for all U.S. workers.
What is rent-to-own and how does it work?
If you can’t qualify for a mortgage or lack a down payment, this arrangement might be for you.
Here are the best new ideas in money
In this series we explore the next phase of money’s evolution, profiling 12 ideas with the potential to rethink money, upgrade its operating system and unlock exciting new possibilities.
Are rum drinkers ready to spend $250 for this bottle?
A pricey offering from Mount Gay has a Scotch-like appeal.
Elsewhere on MarketWatch
Consumer credit grows $20.1 billion in August, fastest pace in three months
Consumer borrowing expanded at a $20.1 billion rate in August, the fastest pace in three months, according to the Federal Reserve on Friday.
Job creation, wages slip in September as unemployment falls to 48-year low
The U.S. unemployment rate sank to a 49-year low of 3.7% in September as the economy added 134,000 new jobs, setting the stage for a strong holiday season to finish out what’s been stellar year for the U.S. economy.
Trade deficit jumps to 6-month high as soybean shipments plunge
The nation’s trade deficit rose 6.4% in August to a six-month high as Americans increasingly confident in a growing U.S. economy snapped up a record number of imports.
With Kavanaugh vote, McConnell and Republicans strike a blow at the U.S. Constitution
Republicans in Congress are willing soldiers in Trump’s authoritarian campaign, writes Chris Edelson.
Unemployment rate near or at record lows for almost all groups of Americans
The U.S. unemployment rate fell in September to 3.7% and dropped to the lowest since 1969, showing that it’s a great time for almost anyone to get a job.
The Fed and the markets are looking at different economies
Why is the Federal Reserve so hot to raise rates when the market is so meh?
Fed’s Williams: Rising bond yields reflect the strength of the U.S. economy, not inflation jitters
The rout in U.S. Treasurys this week that sent yields soaring is just a sign that market participants are coming to terms with a strong economic outlook, a key Federal Reserve official said Friday.
Kavanaugh’s nomination advances to final vote
The Senate voted Friday to advance the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, with the judge narrowly clearing a key hurdle amid a highly charged battle over sexual misconduct allegations that has riveted Washington and the nation.
Fed will be more confident in its interest-rate-hike plans after September jobs report
The September jobs report just reinforces the Federal Reserve’s plan to continue to raise interest rates at a gradual pace.
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