All articles tagged with #money
Burger King will roll out improved chicken nuggets on Sept. 1, made with 100% white meat, crisper breading and an enhanced marinade, and served in a box for a better experience. A new Special Savory Sauce joins refreshed Honey Mustard, Buffalo and Sweet & Sour sauces, following thousands of customer texts and tests—including kid testers—to boost quality and flavor.
The August 26 Social Security payments go out this week; beneficiaries born between the 21st and month-end receive on Aug. 26, with the standard Wednesday schedule depending on birthdate. SSI recipients typically get payments on the first business day of the month (August’s SSI was issued July 31 since the 1st fell on a Saturday); remaining 2026 SSI dates are Sept. 1, Oct. 1, Oct. 30, Dec. 1, and Dec. 31. The piece also notes an expected Social Security funding shortfall by 2032 and policy ideas, including capping annual benefits at $100,000, to shore up the trust fund.
An Albany, Georgia Walmart shopper who found $30 on the floor prompted social-media backlash after police posted his photo; the man later returned the cash and the caller chose not to pursue charges.
Costco will offer Medicare Advantage in two states and a Medigap plan in one state through a SCAN Group partnership; the exact rollout states haven’t been disclosed, but SCAN already serves Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Washington, where Costco operates many stores. This expands Costco’s services beyond groceries and aligns with moves by rivals like Walmart to broaden warehouse-club healthcare offerings, targeting its substantial population of baby boomer shoppers.
State Farm has begun issuing a $5 billion dividend to auto-insurance customers—the largest in its history—with payments averaging about $100 per vehicle and varying by state and premiums. Eligible policyholders are those with an active personal auto policy in 2025 across more than 49 million vehicles. Recipients will be notified by email or letter, and a toll-free number is available for questions; the company announced the dividend earlier this year and payments are ongoing until complete.
Millions of Social Security recipients will receive August benefits this week, with payments going out on Wednesday, Aug. 19 for those born on the 11th–20th of any month. Generally, birth-date-based timing puts 1st–10th on the 2nd Wednesday, 11th–20th on the 3rd Wednesday, and 21st–31st on the 4th Wednesday each month; SSI is usually paid on the first, though August’s dates were affected by weekends. The article also outlines the rest of 2026’s payment calendar and notes long-term funding concerns for the program’s solvency around 2032.
A Russian-born gamer who fell in love with World of Warcraft defied his parents’ worries about gaming, dropped out of university, and turned in-game success into real income—earning a full month’s salary in two nights through play and item sales, then transforming that skill into gaming businesses Overgear and LF Group. By 27 he was a millionaire, using gaming as a path to provide for his family while learning that money isn’t happiness. He now encourages parents to support children’s curiosity when it doesn’t ruin their life, and emphasizes balance and purpose beyond wealth.
No one matched all six numbers in Saturday's Powerball drawing, so the jackpot resets at $35 million for the next drawing on Monday, Aug. 17 (with a $15.2 million cash option); last week's $1.04 billion Illinois win pushed Powerball to its eighth-largest prize, and the game has since expanded to the United Kingdom with different ticket prices and prize structure.
USA TODAY debunks the viral claim that a 1982-D Small Date penny could be worth $18,000–$25,000, noting only two such coins have been publicly confirmed (2016 and 2019). The rarity stems from a transitional year when the Mint shifted from copper to zinc and created several penny varieties; the genuine 1982-D Small Date weighs 3.1 g, while common 1982 pennies weigh 2.5 g. With 10.7 billion pennies minted, unicorns like this are vanishingly rare, and many online listings misrepresent weight or mint details. Buyers should beware of scams on sites like eBay and prefer major auction houses with NGC holders; the safest bet for a “small date” is rolling 1982-D coins or mint bags, though the odds of finding one remain extremely slim.
Empower’s analysis of over five million 401(k) accounts shows the average balance is about $351,242, up roughly 11% year over year, with balances rising with age and peaking in the 60s; about one in five savers has at least $1 million, and the average for people in their 50s is around $1.07 million. The findings highlight the power of compounding and employer matches, which can significantly boost growth. Yet surveys show lasting retirement anxiety: many Americans expect to need about $1.2 million to retire, expect only about $500k or less on Day One, and worry about Social Security funding as projection suggests funds could be tighter by 2032, underscoring ongoing concerns about retirement readiness.
The first round of August Social Security payments will be issued on August 12 for beneficiaries born 1–10, following the SSA’s standard Wednesday schedule. Social Security benefits are typically paid on Wednesdays based on birthdate. Because August 1 fell on a Saturday, SSI payments for August were sent on July 31. The article also lists SSI dates for the rest of 2026 (Sept. 1; Oct. 1; Oct. 30 for November; Dec. 1 and Dec. 31 into January 2027) and notes ongoing long-term funding concerns for Social Security, though payments will proceed on the normal schedule this month.
Powerball's jackpot has swelled to an estimated $748 million (cash value $325.1 million) for the next drawing after no ticket matched all six numbers since May. Monday's drawing produced 8, 30, 41, 48, 54 and Powerball 4, with a 2x Power Play. Tickets cost $2. The next drawing is Wednesday, Aug. 5 around 10:59 p.m. ET. Players can choose Quick Pick or manually select numbers.
Barnes & Noble says the viral posts claiming $1 books are real are false and likely phishing scams; the retailer urges customers to view legitimate promotions only on its official site or in stores.
A UK couple discovered more than £1,000 in cash from the 1970s hidden inside a paint can in the cellar of their pre-1900s home, providing a welcome windfall that helped with bills after the wife lost her job; the find went viral on TikTok, and the piece notes other surprising discoveries homeowners have made in old houses.
Social Security checks for July 22 will be issued this week per SSA rules: people born between the 21st and the end of their birth month will receive their benefits on July 22, with the remainder following the SSA calendar—birthdays 1–10 on the second Wednesday, 11–20 on the third Wednesday, and after the 20th on the fourth Wednesday. SSI payments go out on the first business day of the month, and those who receive both Social Security and SSI get Social Security on the third day and SSI on the first. The article also notes a potential funding shortfall by 2032 and discusses a proposal to cap benefits at $100,000 to shore up the retirement trust fund.