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DSM Financial DSM Financial provides financial concepts and money management strategies to consumers and businesses

Understanding financial concepts and money management can be intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. At DSM Financial, we provide financial strategies that are easy to understand, and more importantly, easy to execute so you can begin securing your financial future today. We look forward to helping you craft a financial plan that is as unique as you are. The professionals at DSM Financial provide

financial services for families and businesses, designing "unbiased solutions" for them to reach their long and short-term objectives and goals.

02/11/2026

A Need to Know MAT
02-09-2026 Edition

1. PAY TO PLAY - The highest cost of a 30-second Super Bowl LX ad this year was $10 million, a new all-time record. The average price of a 30-second ad is $8 million—about the same as last year. Nearly 40% of advertisers for this year’s game did not advertise last year. Among the newbies is Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, as well as Grubhub. In this era of media fragmentation, the Super Bowl remains one of a dwindling number of live TV events with a reliably huge, captive audience. [source: bloomberg.com]

2. PARKING LOT - There is currently $7.7 Trillion on the sidelines in money markets and cash that could be moved into stocks. $7.7 Trillion is one-tenth of the size of the entire U.S. stock market. This extended run of money market popularity has been fueled in part by their relatively higher yields over the past few years. Investors could see this cash hoard expand even more in the coming months as new tax incentives, such as a higher standard deduction and higher state and local taxes (SALT) deduction caps, could add even more money to consumers’ wallets. [source: horizoninvestments.com]

3. GILDED GETAWAYS - Demand for luxury cruise experiences is surging as ultra-wealthy travelers pay for unprecedented opulence at sea. Four Seasons Yachts and Regent Seven Seas Cruises operate the world’s most luxurious fleets of large capacity luxury cruise ships with many new ships in development. Four Seasons Yachts penthouse suites sell for $50,000 a night, featuring amenities like private gyms and hot tubs, panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, gilded spiral staircases, plus bespoke services that blur the line between hotel and yacht. Regent Seven Seas Cruises forthcoming ship, due to launch in December, will feature the largest all-inclusive, ultraluxe cruise ship suite to ever exist—9,000 square feet—which includes a private massage room, an ocean-facing bar, and a butler, and has already been fully booked for six of its first 13 voyages. The boom reflects a broader expansion of high-end cruising as operators add new ships and amenities to cater to a growing affluent market. [source: wsj.com]

4. THE CHEAP SEATS - New Hampshire state legislators are paid a mere $100 per year since voters etched it into the state constitution in 1889. Granite State lawmakers are the lowest paid in the U.S., with their counterparts in most states having salaries of around $50,000. Many past bids to boost pay for NH lawmakers by amending the constitution have failed. Now, there is a new bipartisan push to delete the pay language from the state’s foundational document. [source: wsj.com]

5. BUYING BOYCOTT - Fueled by popularity on social media, many more consumers joined the new trend of pledging to eliminate purchasing anything that is nonessential for the whole month of January. Thrifty challenges have gained in popularity in general with Google searches for “No Buy January” hitting a five-year high in December, driven largely by Gen Z and millennials. [source: wsj.com]

6. PASS THE SUNBLOCK - The residents of Utqiagvik, Alaska—the northernmost town in North America, located about 300 miles above the Arctic Circle—just saw the sun for the first time after more than two months of darkness due to the “polar night,” a seasonal phenomenon created by the tilt of the Earth’s axis where the sun does not appear above the horizon for 65 days each year. For Utqiagvik’s roughly 5,000 residents, the return of daylight following weeks of sub-zero temperatures and total darkness inspires celebrations, with locals marking the sun’s return through traditional dances, songs, and rituals—including blaring the Beatles song “Here Comes the Sun.” [source: npr.com]

7. CLEAN SWEEP - The annual Best Places to Work winners for 2026 has been released by Glassdoor, which ranks U.S. and U.K. workplaces based on feedback straight from the source—anonymous employee reviews submitted to the platform. The No. 1 spot in the U.S. went to Crew Carwash, a family-owned car wash with locations throughout Indiana and Minnesota, which earned standout reviews for its supportive leadership, career growth opportunities, and team culture. The chain dethroned Bain & Company, a consulting firm that claimed the top spot for the seventh time in 2025 (this year, it ranked No. 8). To determine the rankings, Glassdoor looks at key factors like culture and values, career opportunities, compensation, leadership, work-life balance, and diversity. Rounding out the top five are fast food chain In-N-Out Burger, chip maker Nvidia, tax services provider Ryan, and realtor Keller Williams. [source: glassdoor.com]

- Reproduction of Any Kind Prohibited without Express Permission -
Written and Copyrighted © 2026 Mark A. Timmick. All rights reserved. Email [email protected] for subscription information. Although content is developed or drawn from sources believed to be reliable, the information has not been verified as accurate and could contain errors. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

01/14/2026

Need to Know.
A Need to Know MAT
01-12-2026 Edition

1. BAGGING RIGHTS - Trader Joe’s tote bags, which sell for $2.99 in the U.S., have joined the ranks of international status items like shopping bags from London’s Daunt Books and Marks & Spencer groceries, Paris’s Shakespeare and Company bookstore, as well as Harvard, Yale, and Oxford University sweatshirts. Trader Joe’s tote bags were recently spotted on re-sale platforms like Depop and Korea’s Karrot market for thousands of dollars. Status-hungry collectors value geographic exclusivity (can’t be bought online easily), limited availability (imparts scarcity in a world of easy, accessible overconsumption), low original price (signals insider access, not wealth), and cultural literacy (you have to know why it matters). [source: wsj.com]

2. BUY YOUR WAY IN - New York City just passed the 1-year anniversary of charging drivers $9 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours, and the data shows that congestion pricing is doing what it intended. There were 27 million fewer cars entering the congestion zone compared to the previous year, ridership rose across subways, buses, and railroad lines, and the number of people seriously injured in crashes is down by 8.6% in the zone compared to down by 1.6% in the rest of the city. The toll raised $550 million in new revenue, which will be allocated to public transit infrastructure improvements, and polling shows the majority of New Yorkers view the policy favorably overall. [source: nytimes.com]

3. NICKEL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS - The U.S. government, through the U.S. Mint, has stopped producing new pennies for general circulation, with the last coins struck at the Philadelphia Mint on November 12, 2025, ending more than 230 years of production. The decision was based on the determination that pennies are no longer widely needed and the fact that production costs far exceed their value. In 2024, the Mint reported it cost about $3.69 to produce and distribute a 1-cent coin, including materials, manufacturing, staffing and overhead. The government says it will save tens of millions of dollars annually by no longer producing pennies. Existing pennies remain legal tender. [source: usmint.com]

4. USED AND ABUSED - The average life expectancy in circulation of a $1 bill is 7.2 years, while $5 and $10 bills last even less at about 5.8 and 5.7 years. U.S. paper currency is made from a durable blend of 75% cotton and 25% linen, but bills still degrade after repeated handling and can withstand only about 4,000 double folds. Larger denominations circulate less and last longer — $20 bills average 11.1 years, $50 bills 14.9 years, and $100 bills about 24 years. $5 and $10 bills last the shortest because they are used more frequently for everyday cash transactions, when $1 bills often sit idle in tip jars, cash drawers, or wallets for longer periods and circulate more slowly outside the banking system, delaying the ability to replace. [source: federalreserve.gov]

5. SOUND OUT - There are now over 2,000 “Silent Book Club” chapters worldwide. What began as two friends quietly reading their own books together in a San Francisco wine bar in 2012 has expanded into a global organization with chapters in 62 countries. The Silent Book Club is built on a simple concept: members bring their own books to a set location at a set time and read independently while in the company of other book worms. In practice it’s not 100% silent since many chapters do things like quick intros at the start with name plus what you’re reading, then a set “silent reading” block, then optional socializing afterward (or you can “read and leave”). What makes it better than a traditional book club: no required reading or forced interactions — making the semi-social format low-pressure compared to traditional book clubs and the perfect “introvert’s happy hour.” [source: axios.com]

6. TURN THE PAGE - Although bookstores have been regaining popularity, overall, printed book sales are still sliding — down 1% last year to 679 million copies — with a trend to keep falling, but that’s not saying books are any less popular today overall. Digital audiobook sales were up by 24% in 2024, reaching $1.1 billion, with audiobooks now reflecting 11.3% of the total book market. Best-selling non-fiction titles from celebrity authors (like Jeremy Renner, Nate Bargatze, and Brooke Shields) sold more audiobooks than hardcover texts. The same goes for recent top-selling fiction titles like Karin Slaughter’s “We Are All Guilty Here,” Callie Hart’s “Brimstone,” and S.A. Cosby’s “King of Ashes.” While audiobooks have been around for decades, having authors routinely read their own stories — and layering in sound effects — is a relatively new experience that is generating wider interest. [source: wsj.com]

- Reproduction of Any Kind Prohibited without Express Permission -
Written and Copyrighted © 2026 Mark A. Timmick. All rights reserved. Email [email protected] for subscription information. Although content is developed or drawn from sources believed to be reliable, the information has not been verified as accurate and could contain errors. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

11/18/2025

By the Numbers... A Need to Know MAT
11-17-2025 Edition

1. BANKING ON BETTER - Aiming to test and showcase a new “community-investment” model, JPMorgan Chase has invested $2 billion over 11 years in Detroit – including $1.8 billion in commercial loans and $200 million in philanthropy – with the intention of reviving a city that filed for bankruptcy in 2013. These efforts have boosted consumer and small-business banking activity and spurred new corporate financing. The city’s first new skyscraper in nearly half a century is now being built, symbolizing its progress. The bank also plans to expand its Detroit presence by doubling employees in its call center that serves the city. The Detroit initiative will serve as a blueprint for similar investments in cities such as Baltimore, Atlanta, and Birmingham. [source: cnn.com]

2. SLIPPERY SLOPE - The Hektoria Glacier on the Antarctic Peninsula retreated about 25 km between January 2022 and March 2023, including shrinking by nearly 50% in just two months–around ten times the previous rate for a grounded glacier. Scientists report the rapid collapse was driven by warm ocean water reaching the glacier’s shallow sediment base after protective sea ice broke up. Although Hektoria is relatively small, its retreat raises concern because it sits on bed conditions similar to larger Antarctic glaciers, suggesting other glaciers could melt faster than expected and potentially accelerate global sea-level rise. [source: cnn.com]

3. DUAL-ING DEGREES - Seeking to be more competitive in the job market, more U.S. college students are double-majoring. About 12% of 2023 - 2024 graduates earned more than one credential, up from 6% a decade earlier. Double majors surged 334% at Harvard, 317% at Belmont University, and 169% at UC San Diego between 2014 and 2024. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, double majors are up 25%, with nearly 60% of computer science students choosing data science as their second major, a field the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects will see strong growth. [source: washingtonpost.com]

4. DIPLOMAS OPTIONAL - Palantir Technologies, the maker of popular data analytics and AI-driven software tools, now offers a “Meritocracy Fellowship” that hires a limited number of tech talent directly out of high school. Palantir argues that colleges are failing to produce qualified tech workers because, according to CEO Alex Karp, many graduates “have just been engaged in platitudes,” leaving them with theoretical training that is disconnected from real-world skills, and because college admissions rely on “flawed criteria” that don’t reliably identify talent. They say graduates often lack the practical and cultural experience needed, requiring heavy retraining for some—something it views as harder than training high-school hires from scratch. Palantir believes younger recruits offer a clean slate, can be shaped from day one to align with its culture, cost less initially, develop stronger long-term company loyalty, and avoid the misplaced academic ideology that it feels colleges instill. [source: wsj.com]

5. ANCIENT AWE - The Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza officially opened on November 1, 2025, after more than three decades of planning and construction. The more than $1 billion facility spans over 5 million square feet and houses more than 50,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts, including the full collection of Tutankhamun’s treasures for the first time under one roof. The museum, situated near the Pyramids of Giza, was inaugurated with a ceremony attended by dozens of foreign leaders and is promoted as the world’s largest museum devoted to a single civilization. [source: cbsnews.com]

6. CREDIBILITY FOR SALE - Expert witnesses appear in roughly 80% of U.S. court trials, with no caps on fees, where high-profile cases can use 6 - 10 or more experts per side, such as the Depp-Heard trial, which paid out over $1 million in fees to experts for testimony. A 2017 Idaho murder case paid $210,000 to one psychologist. Experts typically bill hourly – averaging $425/hr for case prep and $550/hr for depositions and trial testimony – resulting in an average of $13,000 per case with 25 hours of work. Medical specialists like surgeons can charge the most, earning up to $1,400/hr, with lower skilled niche experts earning around $225/hr. The expert-witness industry exceeds $300 million nationally, with directories like SEAK listing more than 2,300 specialists and selling a one-day training seminar for $1,295, promising experts they can double their income. Success as an expert relies heavily on traits like confidence, poise, and eye contact (salesmanship), which jurors perceive as signs of credibility. 77% of experts reported a client’s lawyer pressured them to shape/change testimony to be more favorable to their client. [source: thehustle.com]

- Reproduction of Any Kind Prohibited without Express Permission -
Written and Copyrighted © 2025 Mark A. Timmick. All rights reserved. Email [email protected] for subscription information. Although content is developed or drawn from sources believed to be reliable, the information has not been verified as accurate and could contain errors. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

10/21/2025

By the Numbers...A Need to Know MAT
10-21-2025 Edition

1. BORROWED TIME - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued a warning that the U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio will rise from 125% in 2025 to 143% by 2030. In comparison, Japan is 237%, France is 113%, Germany is 64%, and India is 55%. The more debt a country has, the more of its tax revenue has to be allocated to paying interest on the debt rather than on services. The IMF’s “debt-at-risk” framework suggests that for advanced economies, the risk of debt becoming unsustainable (inability to pay the interest on it and still run the country) rises significantly at around 134%, especially during adverse economic circumstances. “Not more than 50-60% debt-to-GDP ratios” is cited as a prudent rule of thumb, but what truly matters most is whether the debt is on a stable or declining path. [source: ft.com]

2. ZEN AND THE ART OF DEBT - Japan can sustain a far higher debt-to-GDP ratio (237%) than most other countries because its debt is overwhelmingly held by domestic investors, including its central bank and pension funds, which drastically reduces the risk of capital flight in adverse conditions. Ultra-low interest rates and persistent deflation keep government borrowing costs minimal, allowing debt to be rolled over and maintained cheaply. A strong trade surplus, high household savings rates, and institutional stability further support investor confidence with higher debt-to-GDP ratios, like in Japan. Unlike nations reliant on foreign financing (30–35% of U.S. Treasuries are held by foreign investors) only 6–8% of Japan’s debt is owned by foreign investors, enabling it to manage enormous debt levels without triggering inflation, currency collapse, or loss of trade market access. [source: imf.org]

3. CHEW ON THIS - Jerky has long dominated the dried-meat market, but its growth has slowed as individually wrapped, dried-meat sticks – like Chomps, Duke’s, and Slim Jim – have surged in popularity. Sales of dried-meat snacks (excluding jerky) rose 10.7% in 2024 to $3.3 billion, adding nearly $1.2 billion (+57%) since 2020. Chomps alone produces about 2 million sticks daily yet can meet only 85% of customer demand. With 10–12 grams of protein per stick – roughly two eggs – these snacks appeal to health-conscious consumers and are luring fans away from chips and bars. [source: fooddive.com]

4. GOURD OF THE RINGS - Morton, Illinois (population 18,000) proudly calls itself the Pumpkin Capital of the World, a title it’s defended since 1978 despite rival claims from California and Texas. Morton is home to Libby’s canning factory, now celebrating 100 years in operation after opening in 1925 to process corn and peas, but which has shifted entirely to pumpkins, and today produces about 85% of the world’s canned pumpkin supply – enough for 72 million pumpkin pies annually. Employing roughly 200 people, the Nestlé-owned factory anchors the town’s economy and identity, keeping manufacturing alive in a small Midwest town. [source: thehustle.co]

5. PORTA-PROFIT - The U.S. portable-toilet rental market generated $3.36 billion in revenue in 2023 and is projected to reach $5.35 billion by 2030, an almost 7% annual growth rate. Standard units currently dominate, while luxury restroom trailers – with sinks, lighting, and A/C – are the fastest-growing segment. Startup costs range from $8,000–$30,000 for basic setups, generating $100+ weekday and $150+ weekend rental rates per unit, while high-end trailers costing $40,000 can yield $6,000/month in income. Well-run operations earn 30–40% profit margins, with typical owner earnings of $50,000–$100,000+ annually. This growth is fueled by rising sanitation needs across construction and outdoor events, stricter hygiene standards, and customer demand for cleaner, more comfortable mobile facilities. [source: grandviewresearch.com]

6. FIT FOR ROYALTY - Startup company Throne Labs now offers high-tech, “smart bathrooms” that include touchless flushing toilets and running water sinks, ventilation or air conditioning, separate urinals, and baby-changing stations that are fully self-contained using solar power and no direct sewer or water hookups. While there is no charge to use a Throne Labs restroom, you do need an app to unlock the door to gain access, which creates user accountability (cleanliness tracking). There are more than 20 sensors that monitor cleanliness and usage patterns, detect misuse, and automatically trigger cleaning requests or shut-down orders if needed. If you leave the bathroom worse than you found it, you could be suspended or banned because your “user rating” falls too low, just like Uber drivers can rate customers. Throne Labs targets public spaces for long-term use rather than traditional event or construction rentals. [source: freep.com]

7. PRAY IT FORWARD - Dame Sarah Mullally has been appointed the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and will become the first woman ever to hold the position, marking a milestone in the 1,400-year history of the Church of England. She is a former nurse who became England’s Chief Nursing Officer before entering ordained ministry. Her appointment comes at a moment of serious internal challenge for the church – declining attendance, debates over gender and sexuality, and the need to rebuild trust following abuse scandals. [source: nytimes.com]

- Reproduction of Any Kind Prohibited without Express Permission -
Written and Copyrighted © 2025 Mark A. Timmick. All rights reserved. Email [email protected] for subscription information. Although content is developed or drawn from sources believed to be reliable, the information has not been verified as accurate and could contain errors. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

10/06/2025

By the Numbers
A Need to Know MAT
10-07-2025 Edition

1. HEAR ME OUT - In a counterintuitive trend, about 40% of adults under 45 today use subtitles at least “often” when watching TV and movies, and about 30% in adults older than 45. The reasons are they find it easier to understand dialogue, especially in noisy or unclear audio conditions, they want to follow along more closely, especially when speech is fast, accented, or has complex vocabulary, they find it helpful while multi-tasking during shows, and they prefer reading in conjunction with hearing for clarity or comprehension. Surprisingly, those 60 and older are much more likely to say they “never” use subtitles. [source: apnews.com]

2. MECHANICAL MACHINATIONS - Chinese factories installed about 300,000 new robots last year – more than the rest of the world combined – compared with 34,000 in the United States. China now operates over 2 million robots, five times the U.S. total. This surge reflects a heavily government-subsidized push to make automation central to EV production, exports, and daily life for Chinese citizens. The shift, however, threatens manufacturing jobs, with estimates that up to 70% could eventually be affected by intelligent automation. The drive is partly a response to demographic pressures, as China’s falling birthrate and shrinking labor force will compel factories to rely more on machines going forward. [source: nytimes.com]

3. SEA CHANGE - Kroger grocery stores now sell about 1 million Sushi rolls per day across the chain. Kroger has sold sushi since 1991 but has seen sales jump by 50% since 2019. What for U.S. sushi lovers was once a splurge they could only get in a restaurant, is no longer the case thanks to better infrastructure for storing and transporting frozen seafood which allows for ordering it to-go and picking up at grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and entertainment venues. In 2024, the grocery store sushi market was worth $2.8B, up 7% from 2023. Sushi is now mainstream in the American diet. [source: nytimes.com]

4. THE LONG GAME - Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners became the seventh player in MLB history to hit 60 or more home runs in a regular season, belting two solo shots at an end-of-season home game with his parents in attendance. A switch-hitter, Raleigh recorded 11 multi-homer games and broke Mickey Mantle’s 1961 record of 54 home runs by a switch-hitter. The only others to reach 60+ are Babe Ruth (1927), Roger Maris (1961), Mark McGwire (1998, ’99), Sammy Sosa (1998, ’99, 2001), Barry Bonds (2001), and Aaron Judge (2022). Notably, McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds were linked to or suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs to achieve their records. [source: reuters.com]

5. POWER TRIP - Stargate – the OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank AI venture capital project backed by the White House – announced a $400 billion plan to build five new data centers to power OpenAI’s expansion. Part of a $500 billion U.S. AI initiative, total spending could reach $1 trillion on energy and infrastructure. Each center will use about 7 gigawatts of power (enough for 8 million homes) at roughly $50 billion per gigawatt. The plan adds to a 1,100-acre Abilene, TX site, soon the world’s largest data center, with fiber optic cable long enough to reach the moon and back. Experts warn the growth could outpace demand and revenue, but CEO Sam Altman insists it’s justified and says, “We are growing faster than any business I’ve ever heard of before.” [source: apnews.com]

6. WHEELS OF FORTUNE - The skateboard that legendary Tony Hawk used to make history in 1999 with a famous 2.5 turn trick has recently sold at auction for a record-breaking $1.15 million. The collection up for sale also included an autographed Frosted Flakes cereal box that went for $512, and the scraped knee pads he wore to make history in 1999, which went for $57,000. [source: apnews.com]

7. THE RIGHT STUFF - NASA’s newest class of 10 astronaut candidates is the first in history to be majority women, made up of six women and four men. The group includes military personnel, scientists, and even a former Ultimate Frisbee pro. Given the timing of this class, some could eventually walk on the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis program, and one could be one of the first Americans to walk on Mars. [source: bloomberg.com]

8. A DYING BREED - NFL teams are averaging just 3.6 punts per game this year, the fewest in history, down from 4.5, because offenses are starting with better field position from new kickoff rules, coaches are increasingly willing to go for it on fourth down instead of punt, and field goal kickers are getting more accurate from long range making it the more frequent choice over punting. Together, these trends are making the punter increasingly irrelevant. [source: wsj.com]

- Reproduction of Any Kind Prohibited without Express Permission -
Written and Copyrighted © 2025 Mark A. Timmick. All rights reserved. Email [email protected] for subscription information. Although content is developed or drawn from sources believed to be reliable, the information has not been verified as accurate and could contain errors. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

As the holidays approach and the weather gets colder, keep these financial tips in mind!
11/21/2024

As the holidays approach and the weather gets colder, keep these financial tips in mind!

Keep these facts in mind!
11/07/2024

Keep these facts in mind!

Stay informed! Check out these essential insights.
10/24/2024

Stay informed! Check out these essential insights.

10/22/2024

A Need to Know MAT
10-21-2024 Edition

1. PENSION BUMP - Social Security payments are getting a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2025. COLA’s have averaged 2.6% over the past decade. Also, the maximum taxable income for assessing the Social Security payroll tax against is going up from $168,600 to $176,100 in 2025. [source: ssa.gov]
2. MAX IT OUT - The maximum contribution allowed into a 401k plan will increase by $500 (2.17%) in 2025 to $23,500. For those age 50 and older, the “catch-up contribution” will stay the same in 2025 at $7,500, making the total contribution for people age 50+ $31,000. Starting brand new in 2025 (as a result of Secure Act 2.0 passed in Dec. 2022) people ages 60-63 will be allowed a higher “catch-up contribution” of $11,500 (150% of the regular catchup contribution amount). This brings the maximum total 401k contribution for people 60-63 up to $35,000 in 2025. [source: ssa.gov]
3. CHAINED TO IT - While 98% of employees say that taking a lunch break improves their performance, 51% say it makes them feel happier, and 49% say it increases mental clarity and lowers potential burnout, only 38% of workers actually take a lunch break away from their desks every day, citing fear they
won’t have enough time to get their work done (23%) and having too many meetings to take a break (19%) as key reasons. On the upside, 30% of workers indulge in a small daily treat, the most popular being candy or chocolate, with 76% enjoying a treat at least once a week. [source: businesswire.com]
4. SCAREFEST - Halloween spending hit a historic high in 2023, with Americans spending $12.2 billion on Halloween-related merchandise and activities. In 2024 Halloween spending is projected to be lower at $11.6 billion, but with 50% saying they plan to spend more this year. Halloween-themed "fright nights" at amusement parks also continue to grow in popularity. Universal parks will spend $100m+ to produce their Halloween Horror Nights offering this year, which will attract 1.5m visitors this season. “Fright Nights” are popular because people like the adrenaline rush that “fear in a safe environment” provides. It can also be a way to bond with others over an emotionally heightened shared experience. [source: newsweek.com]
5. CHECKING OUT - In the U.S., the use of paper checks has declined significantly over the past 20+ years, dropping to 4% of all payments in 2022, compared to 13% in 2009. 25% of consumers over 65 still prefer checks for bill payments, compared to only 7% of those aged 18-44. Because of low volume, slow speed of payment, and the fraud risk, many large retailers like Target, Whole Foods, Aldi, Old Navy, Lululemon, Gap, and Athleta no longer accept checks. Interestingly, 40% of all commercial business-to-business payments in the U.S. are still conducted via paper check, despite the wide availability of digital payment solutions. [source: atlantafed.org]
6. COLD COMPETITION - Olympic snowboarding legend Shaun White is spearheading an effort to launch “Snow League” to offer snowboarders and freeskiers year-round competition, sponsorship, and sustainable careers. Snow League aims to provide athletes with world title and Olympic qualification
opportunities, addressing the financial strain they face in the current fragmented competition landscape. The inaugural season will feature 36 athletes from 15 countries, competing for a record-high $1.5 million prize pool, with the goal of elevating snowboarding visibility and sponsorship deals. Recreational snowboarding participation in the U.S. was up 10% last year. [source: bloomberg.com]
7. FORGET BABYSITTING - A research report found that nearly every U.S. high school has at least one teen earning $10k+ from online side hustles. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, Etsy, Fiverr, and Upwork enable teens to monetize content, sell handmade products, or offer freelance services like
graphic design, coding, writing, and video editing. Teen influencers also earn significant income through sponsorships, ads, and affiliate marketing, just by having a loyal followership. [source: fortune.com]
8. MADE FROM SCRATCH - According to the 2023 Global Entrepreneurship Index, the U.S. ranks #1 in the world in supporting new business startups and innovation, and The World Bank ranks it highly for ease of doing business with very low barriers to entry. In 2023, around 5 million new business applications were filed in the U.S., a significant increase driven mainly by technological advances. U.S. businesses attracted over $200 billion, or 50%, of global venture capital investment. Additionally, 16% of all working-age U.S. adults were involved in some form of early-stage entrepreneurial activity in 2022, reflecting the strong culture of entrepreneurship. [source: gemconsortium.org]

- Reproduction of Any Kind Prohibited without Express Permission -

Written and Copyrighted © 2024 Mark A. Timmick. All rights reserved. Email [email protected] for subscription information. Although content is developed or drawn from sources believed to be reliable, the information has not been verified as accurate and could contain errors. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

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