Lifestyle

6 days ago

How the rich pass on their wealth. And how you can too

Death and taxes may be inevitable. A big bill for your heirs is not. The rich have made an art of avoiding taxes and making sure their wealth passes down effortlessly to the next generation. But the tricks they use – to expedite payouts to heirs and avoid handing money to the government – can also work for people with far more modest estates.

2 weeks ago

What to know about student loan repayment plans and collections

It's been a confusing time for people with student loans. Collections restarted, then were put on hold. At the same time, borrowers had to stay on top of changes to key forgiveness plans.

2 weeks ago

Why some women choose Galentines over Valentines. And how they might celebrate

Galentine's Day became a pop culture phenomenon with a 2010 episode of the TV comedy "Parks and Recreation" that celebrated female friendships around Valentine's Day. Amy Poehler's character, Leslie Knope, gathered her gal pals on Feb. 13.

2 weeks ago

Renters use ‘rent now, pay later’ services to manage monthly payments, but fees raise concerns

Rent can eat up an entire paycheck at the start of the month, so a growing number of renters are turning to a financial product that promises relief by letting them split the bill — for a price.

3 weeks ago

Backyard vegetable gardens are healthy for people and the planet. Here’s how to start yours

If you want healthy food, experts say to eat what's local, organic and in-season. Those foods benefit the planet too, because they are less taxing on the soil and they don't travel as far. It doesn't get more local, organic and in-season than a backyard vegetable garden.

3 weeks ago

With caviar McNuggets and heart-shaped pizza, fast food chains hope to win Valentine’s diners

It's a tale as old as time, or at least as old as TikTok: chicken nuggets lovingly topped with a dab of caviar. McDonald's is embracing the trend this Valentine's Day with a limited-time McNugget Caviar kit. The free kit, which will be available on McNuggetCaviar.com on Feb. 10, pairs a one-ounce tin of Paramount's Siberian sturgeon caviar with a $25 McDonald's gift card to buy McNuggets.

4 weeks ago

Where are those darn keys? Tricks for remembering where you put things

With a scarf dangling from your coat pocket and those gloves left behind at the coffee shop, there are simply more things to lose in winter. That's not counting your misplaced keys at home or those exasperated moments looking for your phone when you say, "I just had it!"

4 weeks ago

Being a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about it

Being a night owl can be bad for your heart. That may sound surprising but a large study found people who are more active late at night — when most of the population is winding down or already asleep — have poorer overall heart health than the average person.

4 weeks ago

Eating snow cones or snow cream can be a winter delight, if done safely

As the recent winter storm recedes, residents of lesser-affected areas might be tempted to whip up bowls of "snow cream" — snow combined with milk, sugar and vanilla — after seeing techniques demonstrated on TikTok. Others might want to try "sugar on snow," a taffy-like confection made by pouring hot maple syrup onto a plate of snow.

4 weeks ago

What travelers can expect as Southwest Airlines introduces assigned seats

Southwest Airlines passengers made their final boarding-time scrambles for seats on Monday as the carrier prepared to end the open-seating system that distinguished it from other airlines for more than a half‑century.

4 weeks ago

Shoveling snow? Over-exertion and cold temps can raise your heart risks

Pennsylvania health officials announced three snow-removal related deaths Sunday. All were between the ages of 60 to 84. The Lehigh County coroner's office cautioned people to take breaks and avoid over-exerting themselves.

4 weeks ago

Sleep-tracking devices have limits. Experts want users to know what they are

Your watch says you had three hours of deep sleep. Should you believe it? Millions of people rely on phone apps and wearable devices like rings, smartwatches and sensors to monitor how well they're sleeping, but these trackers don't necessarily measure sleep directly.

Recent Headlines

1 day ago in Local

District 18 Legislative Forum Saturday in Yankton, Charter Schools & Property Taxes Dominate

District 18 legislators held a forum Saturday in Yankton. Here is the audio……

2 weeks ago in Local

SOUTH DAKOTA SENATE ADVANCES MEASURE ASKING VOTERS TO AUTHORIZE MOBILE SPORTS BETTING

PIERRE, S.D. (Makenzie Huber / South Dakota Searchlight) – The South Dakota Senate voted 23-10 on Wednesday to approve a…

2 weeks ago in Local

LAWMAKERS ENDORSE ADDING SCHOOL COACHES AS MANDATORY ABUSE REPORTERS, BUT NOT CLERGY

PIERRE, S.D. (Seth Tupper and John Hult / South Dakota Searchlight) – Debates about which types of authority figures should be…

2 weeks ago in Local

LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL WOULD REQUIRE DATA CENTERS TO GET PERMITS FROM NEIGHBORING CITIES AND COUNTIES

PIERRE, S.D. (Meghan O’Brien / South Dakota Searchlight) – A legislative proposal related to a situation in the Sioux Falls…

2 weeks ago in Local

FEDERAL JUDGE DECLINES TO INTERVENE IN SD ATTORNEY GENERAL’S FIGHT AGAINST ABORTION ADS

NEW YORK (Meghan O’Brien / SD Searchlight) – A federal judge declined to intervene Wednesday against South Dakota Republican Attorney General…