QCA.news - Quad Cities news and view from both sides of the river

Friday, September 11th, 2026
	Moline could allow drive-up cannabis dispensaries Moline's Planning Commission is recommending new rules that would let dispensaries offer drive-up windows, curbside pickup and hours as late as 2 a.m. The proposal now heads to City Council, where it needs three reviews before it can pass.
	UnityPoint Health names Jenn Crimmins Executive Director, Rural Health Partnerships UnityPoint Health has announced that Jenn Crimmins has been chosen to fill the newly created role of Executive Director, Rural Health Partnerships. She will be responsible for developing, leading and sustaining strategic partnerships to strengthen access to local, high-quality and financially sustainable health care in rural communities. “People who live in rural areas deserve dependable [...]
	4 Your Money \| The Math Gets Harder on the Way Back One of the most overlooked realities of investing is that market losses and gains are not symmetrical. John Nelson, Financial Planner at NelsonCorp Wealth Management, shares insights on how steep declines demand significantly higher growth rates to return to break even.
	Mail-in voting: What to know Here's what to know about each state's rules for mail-in voting and deadlines when voters must return their ballots
	Argrow's House fundraiser will celebrate resilience, healing, hope Argrow’s House of Healing and Hope invites the public to its ninth annual Fundraising Gala: Shimmering Hope, at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, at the J Bar & Holiday Inn & Suites, 4215 Elmore Ave., Davenport, according to a news release Argrow's House is a safe space in the greater Quad Cities region, where free [...]
	25 Years Later: KWQC Journalists Reflect on the Day That Shook the Nation On the 25th anniversary of September 11, four veteran KWQC TV6 journalists reflect on the shock, confusion, and responsibility of covering America’s darkest day from the Quad Cities newsroom.
	‘Just one grain of sand’: Retired Moline firefighter reflects on volunteering at Ground Zero On Sept. 11, 2001, former Moline firefighter Mike Radford watched in disbelief as the attacks unfolded across the country. Then, he jumped into action.
	Iowa teen who ran toward Ground Zero after 9/11 attack reflects 25 years later Most people alive on Sept. 11, 2001, remember where they were when the attacks happened. While thousands of people in New York City ran away after the attack, an eastern Iowa 18-year-old ran toward it.
	‘We’re shutting down the airport,’ QCIA police chief recounts working at airport on 9/11 The Quad Cities International Airport's police chief was just 25 years old on Sept. 11, 2001, working as a young officer. Now, he's recounting his experience working at the airport on a day that changed aviation.
	Iowa businesses, farmers feel impact of ongoing US-Canada trade war The US-Canada trade war is straining Iowa's economy, affecting farmers' crop sales, truck drivers' fuel costs and small businesses facing steep tariffs on goods.
	Black Hawk College celebrates 80 years, unveils new mascot The college marked its 80th anniversary, revealed its new mascot and reflected on decades of growth and community connections on Thursday night.
	Dry Friday ahead of daily rain chances Temperatures this week were still mostly above average, but not as hot as last week. Rain chances will be on the increase across the Quad Cities starting this weekend. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	'It wasn't just that the planes hit the buildings’: Workers reflect on life on the Rock Island Arsenal on 9/11 The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, brought lasting changes to the Rock Island Arsenal, and changed the lives of those working there.
	25 years after 9/11, flying continues to transform in the US and the Quad-Cities A quarter of a century after 9/11, security measures for the Quad Cities International Airport continue to evolve to meet ever chaning threats.
	24 new movies worth checking out this fall A Social Network follow-up, the real-life origin story of the movie Rocky, and more movies our critics are looking forward to this fall.
	Special Weather Statement until FRI 9:00 AM CDT Patchy Dense Fog Affecting Morning Commute
	US diesel prices soar past $6 a gallon, deepening strain for hauling everyday goods Diesel prices in the U.S. has hit yet another record, soaring past $6 a gallon on average as Washington's war with Iran disrupts the world's flow of fuel
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	On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, a divided U.S. gathers to remember and grieve The U.S. marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Events will honor those lost, at a time when Americans are divided about the meaning and legacy of the terrorist attacks.
	The U.S.-Canada trade war is creating a headache for auto-parts makers For decades, the U.S. and Canadian auto supply chains have been tightly woven together. The trade war is threatening to unravel a complex system.
	They cleaned up ground zero. Now many are hiding from ICE After 9/11, thousands of rescue and cleanup crews went to work at ground zero. They were exposed to toxic debris and experienced psychological trauma. Today, many say they live in fear of deportation.
	Cook review: 'Generation 9/11' examines how ripples from the attacks continue We need to remember and we need to teach the coming generations not to forget. "Turning Point," a Netflix documentary series directed by Brian Knappenberger, focuses on geopolitical events and their global effects that continue to ripple out from them. The "Generation 9/11" segment is especially poignant because so many survivors discuss their losses. The [...]
	Human rabies exposure cases on the rise: CDC The CDC said it has received a rise in reports of human rabies exposure cases this summer, prompting an alert to healthcare providers.
	Why Houthi military gains in Yemen may further increase gas prices A Houthi advance along Yemen's Red Sea coast could help push gas prices up even more as the Iran-backed group also launches attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities
	Why Houthi gains in Yemen could push gas prices even higher A Houthi advance along Yemen's Red Sea coast could help push gas prices up even more as the Iran-backed group also launches attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities
	Alison Krauss cancels tour, which included QCA, because of health concerns A popular singer-songwriter has canceled her appearance that was scheduled for Friday at The Adler Theatre, Davenport, according to a Facebook post from The Adler: “It is with great regret that Alison Krauss & Union Station have announced the cancellation of our upcoming tour dates," the post says. "After consulting with medical professionals, Alison has [...]
	Hong Kong court sentences 3 Tiananmen vigil organizers to prison The activists were sentenced to about 5 to 7 years in prison in a case widely seen as a barometer of the city's eroding freedoms as Beijing clamps down on dissent.
	Iran-backed Houthi rebels seize strategic Red Sea port in Yemen The rebel group took over Yemen's port of Mokha, an area vital to controlling shipping through the Red Sea, Houthi and Yemeni officials said. Mokha is about 50 miles from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Thursday, September 10th, 2026
	Lincoln and Cartwright This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.If the following story is not true, it should be. It involves two Illinois folk heroes, Abraham Lincoln and the…
	Muscatine Art Center holds meet-and-greet with new director Kelly Lao takes over after the center suffered severe cuts earlier this year.
	Whiteside County Animal Control to euthanize dog that bit owner The dog, named Starsky, reportedly bit his owner twice, with the injuries requiring stitches.
	Aledo man charged with first-degree murder after uncle found dead 31-year-old Terrence Fetter of rural Aledo was denied pretrial release in the case.
	Illinois announces new income eligibility for school meals The Illinois State Board of Education has announced new income eligibility for the National School Lunch Program. The new guidelines went into effect at the start of the summer. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says the school lunch program allows the highest-poverty schools in the nation to serve free breakfast and lunch to [...]
	Aledo man charged with first-degree murder after uncle found dead in Mercer County home 31-year-old Terrence Fetter of rural Aledo was denied pretrial release in the case.
	'Mexican Roots' exhibition opens soon at Figge Art Museum, Davenport Spirits, animals, devils and the dead take many forms in "Mexican Roots: Masks, Prints, and Traditional Arts of Mexico," a new exhibition opening Sept. 12 at the Figge Art Museum. Through masks, prints, ceramics, woodcarving, sculpture, and cartonería (papier-mâché), Mexican Roots explores an artistic story shaped across centuries. Following the Spanish conquest of Mexico, Indigenous [...]
	The Riverside will bring folk harmonies to Cambridge The Riverside will bring its warm, engaging blend of folk music, rich harmonies and intimate storytelling to Ca d’Zan House Concerts in Cambridge on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Presented by Crossroads Cultural Connections, the all-ages concert will begin at 7 p.m., after an optional community potluck dinner at 6 p.m. Bishop Hill Creative Commons will serve [...]
	Moline Public Library seeking applications for student trustee Applications are due by Sept. 18.
	Iowa governor issues harvest proclamation The proclamation goes into effect immediately and continues through Oct. 10.
	Judge declines to block Illinois’ ‘medical aid in dying’ law ahead of Sept. 12 start Illinois is set to become the first Midwestern state to allow terminally ill patients to seek life-ending medication from their physicians when the law goes into effect on Saturday.
	Davenport City Council approves nearly $400K settlement with former assistant city attorney in 6-5 vote The move settles a lawsuit filed by Mallory Bagby, who worked for the city from October 2017 through July 2024.
	Charges dropped against 2 Mercer County School District employees in student records case The case also involved the district superintendent, who was acquitted last month.
	Free 9/11 concert in Davenport aims to encourage first responders You're invited to the free concert on Sunday, Sept. 13 at Berean Baptist Church. Music begins at 5 p.m. and is open to all first responders, veterans and public.
	Illinois to expand access to grocery stores Illinois is making more than $26 million available to expand access to grocery stores. Through the Illinois Grocery Initiative Grant Program, more than $20 million dollars of that will be allocated for new stores in areas with limited access to fresh food, also known as food deserts. The state is offering $750,000 for energy-efficient equipment [...]
	Iowa officials push student voter registration in QCA schools Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate visited a few schools in the area to promote the Carrie Chapman Catt Program.
	Iowa governor orders flags be flown at half-staff in remembrance of 9/11 Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff on September 11.
	Tour of the Heartland returns, benefiting Gold Star families The annual bike ride will take place out of Geneseo on Saturday, Sept. 19. Riders can choose between four 25-mile loops, all benefiting a military nonprofit.
	Regalia flag store reflects on surge in patriotism after 9/11 25 years after 9/11, Regalia is reminding everyone what it was like days after the attacks, while also spilling out patriotism in the process through flags.
	Federal judge rejects blocking Illinois' end-of-life law A federal judge rejected a request to block Illinois' medically-assisted end-of-life law. The End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act (Deb's Law) is set to officially take effect September 12. Disability rights advocates wanted to delay the law from taking effect. Opponents argue the law doesn't provide enough protection for people with disabilities. Illinois claimed [...]
	United Way Quad Cities helps repaint Wells Elementary School playground surface for Day of Caring More than 1,100 volunteers are working on projects across the Quad Cities.
	The Heart of the Story: Small town, BIG dreams Our Quad Cities News is partnering with award-winning journalist Gary Metivier for The Heart of the Story. Each week, Gary showcases inspiring stories of everyday people doing cool stuff, enjoying their hobbies, and living life to the fullest. Stories that feature the best of the human condition. Gary Metivier takes us back to dig a [...]
	New poll shows water quality is top issue for Iowa voters ahead of November election Iowa ranks second in the nation for new cancer cases. A new poll shows voters could think about that statistic as they head to the ballot box this November.
	‘Sit down before you fall down,’ Experts discuss heat safety after Iowa marching band death The death of a University of Iowa marching band member is raising questions about the physical demands of marching band and the risks of performing in extreme heat.
	Iowa GOP Chair: State’s Republican presidential caucuses remain first in 2028 The Iowa GOP Caucuses will start the presidential nominating process in 2028.
	'The Current' turns 3 years old! September 7 marked three years since we launched The Current! It runs from 4 - 5 p.m. every weekday, with live interviews, local news, sports and weather.
	Davenport City Council approves nearly $400,000 settlement with former assistant city attorney Mallory Bagby alleged she was harassed and discriminated against, including claims that she faced retaliation for her complaints.
	'Roasted QC' to become 'The Snack Shack' as it prepares for new Illinois THC beverage regulations New Illinois regulations cap the amount of THC in a beverage at 0.4 milligrams.
	Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office unveils new details in fatal UTV crash The Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office is revealing what led up to an August UTV crash that resulted in the death of a ten-year-old and a school principal.
	Attorney general reaches settlement to reduce Nicor Gas request by 63% The office of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul secured a settlement agreement with Nicor Gas this month that will reduce the northern Illinois gas utility’s $221 million rate request by $139 million, or 63%.
	Davenport's Berean Baptist Church to host 9/11 encouragement concert The free concert is meant to honor and encourage all first responders, military members or anyone in need of community around the anniversary of 9/11.
	Opening delayed for Aledo's aquatic center The new aquatic center in Aledo will open later than anticipated. Construction is expected to wrap up by the end of September, with the center opening to the public in May 2027. The $6.4 million center will a pool, a splash pad, locker rooms and concessions. The splash pad, called Bucket Bay, should be done [...]
	Iowa secretary of state enlists QCA businesses in trafficking fight Iowa resources are coming to the Quad Cities area to fight human trafficking.
	Some light showers coming for this weekend After some light showers from yesterday, another chance of showers is approaching our weekend. Temperatures have been comfortable as we see low 80s for today and are expecting more temperatures like that tomorrow just in time for Friday Night High School Football. Then come the weekend temperatures are still expected to stay in range of [...]
	Two new charges filed in Rock Island County child sex abuse materials case The new charges bring the total counts against Benjamin Morris to 32.
	Aledo man accused of killing uncle to remain jailed before trial 31-year-old Terrance Fetter is accused of killing 63-year-old Gregory Johnson.
	Crime Stoppers: Man wanted by Iowa Department of Corrections for probation violation, failure to appear in court Marcus Ferrell is wanted by the Iowa Department of Corrections, 7th District High Risk Unit, for probation violation on convictions for theft and identity theft.
	Crime Stoppers: Man wanted by Iowa Department of Corrections for escape Treye A. Coleman is wanted by the Iowa Department of Corrections, 7th District High Risk Unit, for escape from Davenport Residential Corrections Facility.
	Crime Stoppers: Man on BMX bike wanted in food truck burglary Moline police are looking for a man in connection with a food truck burglary.
	Quad Cities Bicycle Club taking a 'Tour of the Heartland' next Saturday The ride will begin and end at the Geneseo Brewing Company. It raises money for the families of fallen soldiers.
	Help Alzheimer's care, support and research at the Walk to End Alzheimer's An estimated 7.4 million Americans 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's disease, and you can help raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Megan Olsen joined Our Quad Cities News with details on the Walk to End Alzheimer's - Moline/Quad Cities. For more information, click here.
	This summer was hot. August shattered global heat records Scientists say that August was the hottest month ever recorded globally. In the U.S., summer temperatures also shattered heat records.
	From a senior expo to Civil War reenactments, here's Dani's Weekend Rundown for Sept. 10-13 It's a busy weekend in the Quad Cities region! Here's a look at several events taking place in our very first edition of Dani's Weekend Rundown.
	Lawsuit challenges intimidation of DHS observers across the country The sweeping lawsuit brought by Common Cause argues federal agencies are illegally surveilling and intimidating people who try to peacefully observe federal immigration enforcement activity.
	Hawkeye Marching Band plans honor for Derek Phillips at next football game Phillips died Tuesday morning after suffering from sudden cardiac arrest at Saturday’s football game.
	Vintage race cars will turn back time at Davenport Speedway SR Promotions will host the Mississippi Valley Vintage Race Car Association’s Hawkeye Futurity at Davenport Speedway, on Saturday, Sept. 12. The Hawkeye Futurity will feature vintage race cars. All vintage racers are welcome. Generations of racing will be represented, including Caged Sprints, Non-Caged Sprints, Midgets, Super Modifieds, Jalopies, and Vintage Late Models. An open test [...]
	Sheriff: Illegally altered firearms showing up on Quad-Cities streets In one five-year period, the ATF recovered more than 31,000 'switcher' conversion devices nationwide.
	Heartburn after taking your pills? 8 medications that might be the cause Heartburn after taking your pills? 8 medications that might be the causeMany people experience heartburn, chest pain, and indigestion, but fewer think that their medications might be the cause. Even so, many common prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications can directly harm the lining of the esophagus and stomach. This can lead to pill esophagitis — an irritation of the lining of the esophagus, caused by medication — and ulcers.GoodRx, a platform for medication savings, examined the most common medications that cause heartburn, along with what you can do about it.Key takeaways:Certain medications can irritate and erode the lining of the esophagus or stomach, leading to inflammation or ulcers. This can cause heartburn, chest pain, and difficulty swallowing.Many of these medications — like doxycycline, clindamycin, and ibuprofen — have alternatives that may be gentler on the stomach.If your medication is causing heartburn, there are things you can try. Examples include drinking a full glass of water when you take your medications and staying upright for 30 to 60 minutes after swallowing your pills.1. Doxycycline and other tetracyclinesAntibiotics — especially tetracyclines — are the most common cause of esophagitis. Tetracyclines are very acidic and directly irritate the esophagus and stomach lining, often causing pain within hours of taking it.Doxycycline is one of the main culprits. It can even cause ulcers (sores) in the lining of the esophagus and stomach. One way to help minimize this is to take doxycycline and other tetracyclines with food.2. ClindamycinClindamycin is another common antibiotic that can cause irritation and erosions in the esophagus. One small but revealing study examined people who reported pain with swallowing after taking clindamycin. All of them had visible esophageal ulcers when they were examined with endoscopy, which uses a camera to look inside the gastrointestinal (GI) system.3. AspirinMany people take a daily aspirin for heart disease. It prevents platelets from clumping together, which can help prevent the type of blood clots that lead to strokes and heart attacks.But aspirin also disrupts something called prostaglandins — molecules that help protect the gut lining. Prostaglandins travel all around the body and help heal injuries, like irritation of the esophagus. So aspirin can lead to both esophagitis and bleeding in the GI tract.If you take a daily aspirin, check with your healthcare team to make sure you need it — and that you’re taking the lowest possible dose. Lower doses of aspirin carry a lower risk for esophagitis.4. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDsNonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — including ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) — also affect prostaglandins. They’re one of the common causes of ulcers in the esophagus and stomach. This can lead to symptoms like heartburn, stomach pain, or dark stool (if the ulcers are bleeding).If you take NSAIDs and you’re having these symptoms, ask your healthcare team about switching to a different NSAID, like celecoxib (Celebrex). This NSAID works slightly differently, and it’s easier on the esophagus and stomach.5. BisphosphonatesBisphosphonates are a class of medications that treat osteoporosis. Common examples include alendronate (Fosamax) and ibandronate (Boniva).Bisphosphonates have a long history of leading to complications in the esophagus — including inflammation, irritation, and ulcers. They may also lead to narrowing of the esophagus (esophageal stricture).Risedronate (Actonel) may have fewer GI side effects compared to alendronate, so it may be the safer option.Given the risk of esophageal stricture, it’s important to contact your healthcare team right away if you experience:Chest painNew or worsening heartburnDifficulty swallowingA feeling that food is getting stuckPain with swallowing 6. Potassium supplementsSome people with low potassium levels need to take a supplement. This is usually either potassium chloride or potassium citrate. Both of them can irritate the esophagus and cause heartburn.Solid forms, like capsules and tablets, are more likely to cause irritation, so if this is an issue, talk to your healthcare team about switching to a liquid form of potassium.7. Iron supplementsFerrous sulfate — found in most OTC iron supplements — can cause direct injury to the esophagus. It’s similar to tetracyclines, as ferrous sulfate becomes very acidic when it dissolves in saliva. This means it can injure the lining of the esophagus or stomach as it dissolves.The good news is that there are options for iron supplementation that may be easier on the gut. This includes Feosol natural release or supplements containing ferrous fumarate.8. QuinidineQuinidine is an older medication that treats abnormal heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation (A-fib). Like bisphosphonates, it can injure the esophagus and lead to a stricture. But the good news is that there are many alternative heart medications that are more common these days.How to avoid heartburn from your medicationHeartburn typically improves within a few weeks after stopping the offending medication. But there are things that you can do to prevent or reduce the chances of it happening in the first place:Don’t lie down right after taking these medications. Stand or sit upright for at least 30 to 60 minutes after taking them. And don’t take them before bed.Drink enough fluids when you take your medication. Try to take your pills with at least half a cup of water (4 oz) instead of a small sip (1 oz). Ideally, you can take medications with a full cup of water (8 oz) to minimize the risk of pills getting stuck in the esophagus and causing damage.Consider taking your medication with food. But talk to your pharmacist first, because some medications should be taken on an empty stomach.Talk to your healthcare team about alternatives. Some medications may be available in different forms that are easier on the digestive tract and cause less irritation.Treat minor heartburn symptoms. This includes OTC and home remedies, as well as avoiding trigger foods.Taking OTC antacids can help, but some of these may interact with your medication. Your healthcare team may recommend a protective medication, like a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). PPIs block acid that can cause further irritation and prevent healing. Examples include omeprazole (Prilosec), pantoprazole (Protonix), and esomeprazole (Nexium).Frequently asked questionsWhat is the safest heartburn pill?There are three main types of heartburn pills: antacids, H2 blockers, and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Each has their own risks and benefits. For occasional heartburn, antacids and H2 blockers typically work best. But if you have more frequent or long-term heartburn, PPIs might be the best and safest option for you.What medication causes severe heartburn?Any medications in the list above can cause severe heartburn. But one of the most common offenders are tetracycline antibiotics, like doxycycline. This medication can cause severe heartburn within hours of taking it. On the other hand, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can wear down your stomach lining over time, which can also eventually lead to severe heartburn.How do you sleep with heartburn?If you’re experiencing heartburn when you sleep, you should elevate your head and torso while sleeping. There are special wedge-based pillows that can help with this. Another option is to place the head of your bed on risers to create an incline.You should also avoid:Taking your medications right before bedtimeLarge meals too close to bedtimeAlcoholThe bottom lineHeartburn and indigestion can be painful and disrupt important parts of your day, like sleeping and eating, but many people dismiss these symptoms as a temporary upset. If you’re experiencing heartburn, don’t ignore it. It may be caused by one of your medications, which can cause damage to the lining of your esophagus and stomach. And there may be alternative treatments that will protect your GI tract and help reduce your symptoms.This story was produced by GoodRx and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	New ‘breakthrough’ drug approved to treat pancreatic cancer Patients taking the drug nearly doubled their survival time, with fewer severe side effects.
	Shimmering Hope gala raises funds for Argrow's House Argrow’s House of Healing and Hope is hosting its 9th annual fundraising gala: Shimmering Hope on Thursday, September 17th at 6 p.m. at J Bar & Holiday Inn & Suites, 4215 Elmore Avenue in Davenport. Guests can honor women survivors while enjoying live music, food, inspiring stories and updates on the new Argrow’s House Food Truck program, catering, bath & [...]
	Volunteers roll up sleeves for United Way’s Day of Caring Thirty volunteers from Rhythm City Casino and John Deere worked to clean up Youth Hope in Moline.
	New details released on Mercer County murder, victim identified The man who was killed on Tuesday in Mercer County has been identified.
	Illinois governor’s race shifts to Texas Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican Darren Bailey both traveled to Dallas this week for events around the midterm Republican National Convention.
	GOP keeps Iowa’s First in the Nation status for presidential nominations Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann says the state will keep its First in the Nation status through 2028.
	How to calculate accounts payable How to calculate accounts payableControllers can calculate the accounts payable (AP) formula quickly, but applying it to a real ledger takes judgment. At close, invoices sit in multiple states, and ERP sync gaps can leave the balance sheet showing one figure and the aging report another. Getting the number right is what makes it defensible to your CFO and auditors, because AP errors flow into current liabilities, working capital, and operating cash flow.The ending AP balance starts with three inputs that trace to source records. It has to tie to both the balance sheet and the cash flow statement before it holds up under review. The AP subledger, summarized in accounts payable reporting, provides the vendor-level detail that should support the reported balance.The controls that address common accounting reconciliation breaks matter as much as the formula itself, since the same tie-outs that anchor the financial close process become the audit workpapers auditors will request. This guide from Brex can help inform your decision. Consider working with an appropriate professional advisor based on your specific circumstances.How to calculate accounts payableThe standard roll-forward formula calculates ending AP from three inputs. Using the same three inputs each period lets your team reconcile the roll-forward to source records before reporting.The standard roll-forward formula is:Ending AP = Beginning AP + Credit purchases − Supplier paymentsFor example, a company begins the period with $45,000 in AP, posts $30,000 in credit purchases, and pays suppliers $35,000. The company ends the period with $40,000 in AP. Each input generally trace to a specific source record, and pulling the wrong report can produce a balance that may not tie to the ledger.Tracing beginning AP to the prior period’s reconciled balanceBeginning AP is the closing AP balance from the prior period’s reconciled trial balance or GL control account. The ending balance of one period becomes the beginning balance of the next, so an error in one close compounds forward into later periods. The figure is only reliable if the prior period went through accounts payable reconciliation and the controller signed off on it.In a multi-entity accounting structure, teams tend to pull beginning AP by entity before consolidating. A consolidated figure can hide an entity-level break, such as one subsidiary’s uncleared vendor invoice, that surfaces later as an intercompany mismatch. Entity-level validation keeps the roll-forward from masking the exact place where the error started.Isolating credit purchases from total period expensesCredit purchases cover the invoices posted to the control account during the period, including vendor invoices and AP-posted adjustments such as vendor credit notes netted against them or invoice reversals. Expenses booked directly to the GL without an AP entry generally stay out, and so do payroll and taxes payable, which live in separate liability accounts. A common input error is pulling total expenses for the period instead of the transactions that specifically affect the payables control balance. Those two figures diverge whenever spend bypasses AP, and the difference can break the formula and send reviewers looking for a non-existent vendor issue.Matching supplier payments to cleared AP disbursementsThe payment register is the usual starting point, with cleared disbursements confirmed against the cash-disbursement journal or bank reconciliation report. The cash-disbursement journal is the accounting log of payments made from cash accounts. The input covers only disbursements that cleared the AP account through ACH payments, wire transfers, checks, or virtual cards.Payroll runs, tax remittances, and direct GL journal entries that bypass the AP subledger generally don’t belong in this input. Including non-AP cash outflows subtracts too much from the roll-forward and understates ending AP. An understated AP line carries into current liabilities, so completeness testing typically focuses on missing obligations.How to calculate average accounts payableAverage accounts payable smooths out the roll-forward’s ending balance into a figure that supports the turnover and days-payable ratios later in this article. The formula is Average AP = (Beginning AP + Ending AP) / 2.Using the earlier example, a company with $45,000 in beginning AP and $40,000 in ending AP has an average AP of ($45,000 + $40,000) / 2, or $42,500. Both figures come from the same reconciled period-end balances used in the roll-forward, since an unreconciled starting or ending balance skews every ratio built on top of it.How ending AP connects to financial statementsOn the balance sheet, ending AP flows directly to the accounts payable line under current liabilities. The reported figure should tie to the control balance, which in turn ties to the vendor subledger total. A gap anywhere in that chain means one layer needs investigation before you report the balance.On the cash flow statement, the period-over-period change in AP appears as an operating cash flow adjustment. An increase in AP is a source of cash because the company paid out less than the obligations it incurred, and a decrease is a use of cash. Balance sheet and cash flow tie-outs support the completeness of the calculation, and the same relationship between AP movement and cash underpins AP forecasting for corporate cash management.How to validate your accounts payable balanceA calculated balance still needs proof before it goes on the balance sheet. Controllers usually run the checks below before finalizing AP each period. Each check catches a different failure mode, such as a missing accrual or a cutoff error.Tying the AP subledger to the GL control accountThis check compares the vendor subledger total, meaning the sum of open vendor balances on the aging report, against the GL AP control account balance as of the same period-end date. In a properly configured close, the two typically agree before you certify the close. When they diverge, the layer where the break occurred points to the cause. Common causes could be a direct journal entry to the control account, an unposted subledger transaction, or an intercompany entry routed to the wrong entity.Timing matters. Running either report as of the current date lets post-close activity, such as a payment that clears the next morning, contaminate the comparison and mask a break that belongs to the period you’re certifying.Reconciling the AP aging report to the balance sheetThe AP aging report buckets open invoices by how long they’ve been outstanding, into current, 30-day, 60-day, and more than 90 days. The recorded total across buckets should equal the payables control balance on the balance sheet. Differences often trace to timing issues, unapplied vendor credits (credits that haven’t been matched to an invoice or payment), or heavily aged items that may no longer be valid obligations.A heavy balance in invoices more than 90 days outstanding signals entries to investigate before you report the balance. A stale open item may be a miscoded payment or a genuinely unpaid bill, and each calls for different handling.Checking for invoices in mixed statesThe standard formula assumes an invoice is recorded or paid. At close, invoices sit in several different states. They can be received and approved but unpaid, received but not yet approved, partially paid, or disputed. Each state generally requires a documented treatment under the company’s accounting policy and applicable standards, and that treatment must remain consistent from one period to the next.Companies generally record or accrue received-but-not-yet-approved invoices in the period in which the goods or services are received, subject to their accounting policy and applicable standards. Approval is an internal control over authorization, and it doesn’t change when the expense recognition principle says the obligation was incurred. If the invoice isn’t in the subledger, AP may be understated, so controllers commonly record it or accrue the liability before closing.Partially paid invoices keep the unpaid portion in AP, and the open remainder continues to age until cleared. Confirming that the AP team applied the payment to the correct invoice matters, since a misapplied payment distorts both the vendor balance and the aging.Disputed invoices need a documented policy. The policy can accrue while the dispute is open or hold the item outside AP pending resolution, depending on the facts and applicable accounting framework. The chosen treatment applies the same way in the first quarter as it does in the fourth. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) treats inconsistent treatment across periods as a comparability problem.A dispute over the amount generally doesn’t erase a contractual obligation once goods or services have been received. Companies commonly evaluate whether an accrual is appropriate based on the facts, their accounting policy, and the applicable reporting framework. Consult a qualified accounting professional for specific treatment decisions.Accrue for GRNI obligations not yet invoicedGoods received not invoiced (GRNI) obligations can arise when a company receives goods or services, but no supplier invoice has been posted yet. For example, a subscription renewal that a vendor delivered in December but doesn’t invoice until January creates a GRNI obligation for December. The liability exists even though nothing shows in the subledger. A GRNI accrual records the estimated liability in the period the goods or services were received, then reverses the following period when the actual invoice posts to AP.Controllers who skip the accrual can understate current liabilities and overstate net income for the period. At the audit, the directional risk for payables is understatement. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) auditing standard AU-C 330, part of its clarified auditing standards, directs auditors to respond to assessed risks with targeted procedures.For AP, the assessed risk is missing obligations, so auditors test completeness for payables, whereas they test asset accounts for existence instead. Before closing AP each period, controllers commonly run the GRNI open items report in ERP software such as NetSuite ERP. They then accrue received-not-invoiced lines with T-accounts, the debit-and-credit view of an accounting entry, by debiting the expense or asset account and crediting the accrual liability. That entry gives reviewers a clear trail from receipt to accrual to invoice reversal.Reconcile operational AP views against the financial recordAP operations teams often work from a tool that shows invoices as awaiting approval, in transit, or scheduled for payment. The operational views may not match what’s recorded in the GL. Comparing the operational queue to the accounting record can turn workflow status into close evidence.An invoice that shows as open in the AP tool with no GL record could mean an unrecorded liability. That mismatch can arise when invoice capture software and ERP posting run in separate tools, or when a bill payment fails silently between systems. Brex customers can see failed bill payments surfaced directly on the Bills page and by email, with guidance on what to fix and retry. Brex syncs bills to supported ERP integrations at bill creation or approval, depending on configuration.In any AP automation setup where capture and posting live in different tools, the comparison becomes a standing close step. Controllers commonly record or accrue any open invoice that lacks a subledger entry before the period closes.Accounts payable best practices for a defensible closeA defensible AP balance depends on a handful of close-period habits as much as it depends on the formula itself. Each practice below targets a specific way the balance can drift, toward either an overstatement or an understatement. Building these checks into every close catches the drift before it reaches the balance sheet. A fuller rundown of these habits lives in accounts payable best practices.Checking for duplicate invoices before every closeA duplicate check before closing AP matches on vendor, invoice number, amount, and date. Duplicate delivery is more common than fraud, such as when the same invoice arrives via both email and the vendor portal. A duplicate invoice entry inflates credit purchases and overstates the ending AP.Manual entry error is another common source, especially when a vendor resends an invoice after a payment inquiry. Teams void or reverse confirmed duplicates before finalizing the balance. Validating invoice numbering at entry, automating duplicate detection, and matching invoices on PO-backed purchases are the upstream habits behind preventing duplicate payments in accounts payable, and invoice matching against the purchase order catches most of the rest before they reach the ledger.Reviewing for unrecorded liabilities every periodA subsequent-payments review catches obligations incurred during the period that never entered the AP subledger. An unrecorded liability understates AP and overstates net income, the same completeness failure the GRNI review targets.The review traces each post-period payment back to whether the company recorded the liability in the correct period. Obligations that crossed the cutoff unrecorded get catch-up accruals. A controller who has already run this test has ready support when auditors ask for evidence of a completeness search over post-period invoices and payments.Setting and communicating a hard cutoff dateTeams can set a hard cutoff date for AP entries each period, recording each invoice with a receipt or service date on or before the cutoff in that period. A cutoff error records an invoice or payment in the wrong period. For example, an invoice for December goods posted in January understates December AP, while a payment that cleared in December but posted in January overstates it.When the invoice hasn’t arrived but the obligation exists, the accrual goes in and reverses once the invoice posts. Aligning department leaders on the cutoff ahead of the month-end close keeps late submissions from turning into period errors.Restricting direct journal entries to the AP control accountJournal entries posted directly to the GL payables control account move the GL balance without updating vendor details. The control account and the aging report then show different totals, and the tie-out breaks. Restricting direct journal entries to the control account keeps this from happening. AP adjustments run through the subledger instead, as a credit memo, an invoice reversal, or a properly coded entry that updates both records at once.A pattern of frequent direct entries signals a control weakness. Tightening posting access is worth documenting in the control file, alongside the other habits covered above.Accounts payable turnover and days payable outstandingA validated AP balance also feeds two ratios your CFO may ask about. The turnover ratio measures how often the company pays down its payables, and days payable outstanding (DPO) converts that rate into days. Both draw on the average AP figure calculated earlier in this article. A fuller set of related accounts payable metrics can round out the picture for your close checklist.Calculating the accounts payable turnover ratioThe AP turnover ratio measures how many times a company pays off its average AP balance in a given period. It answers whether the company is paying vendors in line with stated payment terms or whether AP is building up faster than purchasing activity explains. The ratio equals net credit purchases divided by average AP. Net credit purchases, or total credit purchases minus returns and allowances, work better here than cost of goods sold (COGS), which only matches the cost of purchases when inventory levels hold steady.A higher ratio means the company pays suppliers faster, and a lower ratio means it pays more slowly, though neither is inherently better on its own. The trend across consecutive periods, compared against industry peers, may tell more than a single reading. A sudden drop can flag a cash flow problem or an invoice backlog before it surfaces elsewhere.Calculating days payable outstandingDPO translates the turnover ratio into something more intuitive, the average number of days a company takes to pay suppliers after receiving an invoice. For example, a DPO of 34 means a company pays invoices, on average, 34 days after receipt. DPO equals average AP divided by net credit purchases, multiplied by 365, or alternatively, 365 divided by the AP turnover ratio.No single DPO benchmark applies across industries. The figure varies by industry, competitive position, and supplier relationships. A company with strong negotiating power can extend days payable outstanding to preserve cash, while a company with fewer supplier options might pay faster to maintain vendor goodwill. DPO means the most against industry peers, and a sharp move in either direction could be a prompt to find out what changed.Get your accounts payable calculation close-readyCalculating AP takes minutes when the prior close is reconciled and period activity is clean. The bigger consequence is reporting confidence, because the AP number affects current liabilities, working capital, and operating cash flow. That confidence comes from catching breaks before the balance is reported, not after.Many finance teams use the roll-forward calculation as the backbone of the close, since it forces every other AP figure to reconcile against it. The subledger-to-GL tie-out often happens early in the close rather than at the end, because differences are still easy to trace back to their source when they're caught early. Teams can use AP automation to connect invoice capture, approvals, ERP posting, and payment evidence.FAQs about calculating accounts payableIt’s recommended to consult a qualified professional for your situations in addition to the information below.What is the formula for accounts payable?Ending AP equals beginning AP plus credit purchases minus supplier payments. Beginning AP is the prior period’s closing GL balance. Credit purchases are the invoices posted to the AP control account during the period, and supplier payments are the disbursements that cleared the AP account. An error in any input flows straight into the balance sheet.How do you calculate average accounts payable?Average accounts payable equals the sum of beginning and ending AP, divided by 2. The figure is the denominator in the AP turnover ratio and feeds days payable outstanding. Both inputs typically come from reconciled period-end GL balances, because an unreconciled starting or ending balance skews the ratios and can make vendor payment trends look better or worse than they are.What’s the difference between accounts payable and accrued liabilities?Accounts payable represents a supplier invoice with a known, exact amount. Accrued liabilities are costs a company has incurred but hasn’t yet received a bill for, so the amount is an estimate until the invoice arrives. Once that invoice posts, the estimated accrual reverses, and the exact amount moves into accounts payable.This story was produced by Brex and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	North Scott Sports Program — Fall 2026
	A fossil feather from the age of dinosaurs may explain why only some birds survived An extremely well preserved fossil feather could reveal why some birds survived the dinosaur-killing asteroid, and others did not.
	What US students actually need to sign a lease in Europe What US students actually need to sign a lease in EuropeYou have found the perfect apartment in Lyon or Berlin. The photos look great, the price is right, and you are already imagining your life there. Then the landlord sends over the lease, and suddenly you are staring at words like Meldezettel, garant, and indice de référence. You start wondering if you need a local bank account, a local guarantor, or just a lot of luck.European rental systems are not built for Americans. They assume you have local income, local credit history, and a local bank account. None of which you have. For tenants without local income, an insurance-backed rent guarantee is one alternative to a traditional local guarantor. This guide from HousingAnywhere covers ten major destinations in alphabetical order. HousingAnywhere The most common hurdle for U.S. students is not the deposit or the bank account. It is the guarantor. Landlords in most European countries want someone local who can cover the rent if the tenant cannot. International students rarely have that.Several workarounds exist, but that depends on the country:State-backed schemes: France offers Visale, a free guarantor service for students.Rent guarantees: In some markets, rent guarantee can replace a traditional local guarantor that covers the landlord against missed rent payments and property damage.Bank guarantees: Some banks offer this service, though it typically requires funds to be locked in an account.Upfront rent: Paying several months of rent in advance is a common alternative in Italy, Portugal, and the Netherlands.The availability of these options varies by country and city. The table above provides a general guide, but specific landlord requirements may differ.FranceFrench landlords rarely budge on the guarantor requirement, and they are unlikely to accept a U.S.-based co-signer. The state-backed Visale scheme exists specifically to fill this gap. It is free and designed for students, making it the most practical route for most American renters. For those who prefer a paid alternative, insurance-backed options are also available.Deposits in France are capped at one month of rent for unfurnished places and two months for furnished. You will need a French bank account to set up automatic payments. Leases typically run one year for furnished properties and three years for unfurnished, with shorter student contracts available. Notice periods are one month in high-demand cities like Paris and three months elsewhere for unfurnished leases. Furnished properties generally require only one month.One detail worth knowing: The indice de référence des loyers (IRL) is the official benchmark that French landlords use to calculate annual rent increases. If your lease includes a revision clause, the landlord can raise the rent once per year, but the increase cannot exceed the percentage change in the IRL. Checking the published IRL against any rent increase notice is a simple way to ensure the landlord is not overstepping the legal limit.GermanyGermany is relatively relaxed about guarantors compared to its neighbors. The bigger hurdle is the Schufa credit check, which new arrivals simply do not have a history for. A scholarship letter or bank statement showing sufficient funds usually does the job instead. The deposit is capped at three months of cold rent, meaning rent without utilities.Rent is almost always paid by standing order, so opening a German bank account early is worth prioritizing. Leases are typically open ended rather than fixed term, which is good news if you value flexibility. The standard notice period for tenants is three months. In Berlin, insurance-backed guarantor alternatives are available for tenants who need one.SpainSpanish law caps the standard deposit at one month of rent. In practice, landlords in Spain frequently ask international students for additional security on top of that, such as a bank guarantee or several extra months held in reserve. Your U.S. payslip carries little weight here, so expect to negotiate.A Spanish bank account is generally required for direct debit payments. Standard leases run one year and renew automatically up to five years. Tenants can typically end the lease early after the first six months with about thirty days of written notice. In Barcelona and Madrid, insurance-backed alternatives to a traditional guarantor are available.AustriaAustria’s rental system comes with a catch that catches many newcomers off guard. Signing the lease is only half the battle. Within three days of moving in, you are legally required to register your address with the local authorities. Miss that window, and you could face a fine. The deposit usually runs up to three months of net rent. If you do not have local income, expect to be asked for a guarantor. You will also need an Austrian bank account for payments.Watch out for the contracts. Most are fixed term with a three year minimum, and you cannot break them in the first twelve months. After that, you owe three months of written notice. Open ended contracts exist but are rarer. At least with those, you only need one month of notice.BelgiumBelgium’s deposit system is unusual. Your money goes into a blocked bank account that requires both you and the landlord to sign off before anyone can withdraw from it. It is a secure arrangement, but setting it up takes time, so do not leave it until the last minute. Plan on two to three months of rent for that deposit.Standard leases in Belgium default to nine years by law. That sounds daunting, but student and short term leases are common and considerably shorter. If you do sign a standard lease and leave early, you will pay a penalty: three months of rent in year one, two in year two, one in year three, and nothing after that. A guarantor may also be requested if you cannot prove steady local income.IrelandIrish landlords and agencies are particular about guarantors. They usually require someone with local income and residency, and U.S.-based co-signers are rarely accepted. If a guarantor is not an option, expect to be asked for a larger deposit or several months of rent upfront.Deposits in Ireland generally run one to two months of rent. You will need an Irish bank account for direct debit payments. Leases are typically for twelve months, though shorter terms are available in purpose-built student accommodation. Fixed-term contracts cannot be ended early unless a break clause is written in. One important note: Landlords are legally required to register tenancies with the Residential Tenancies Board. Confirm that registration has been completed before handing over any money.ItalyItaly has a legal requirement that catches many international students off guard. Your lease must be officially registered with the tax authorities. An unregistered lease offers no legal protection, regardless of what was verbally agreed. Confirm the landlord handles this registration before you sign anything.Foreign students often get asked to pay several months of rent upfront in place of a guarantor. Deposits typically run up to three months of rent, and you will need an Italian bank account once the lease is signed. Standard long-term contracts run four years with automatic renewal, while student-specific contracts are shorter. Notice periods vary by contract type, so read the specific clause rather than assuming a default.NetherlandsThe Dutch rental market moves fast, and competition is fierce. Landlords in the Netherlands frequently ask for proof of income at three or four times the monthly rent, which is unrealistic for most students. A guarantor or an upfront payment is often the more practical route. Having a Dutch or European bank account ready to transfer funds quickly can be just as important as your paperwork.Deposits are not capped by law but usually land around one to two months of rent. Lease lengths range from short furnished contracts to indefinite ones. Fixed term contracts generally cannot be ended early without a specific break clause, while indefinite contracts typically require about one month of notice.PortugalPortugal’s rental market has tightened considerably, and many landlords now ask international tenants for several months of rent upfront instead of a local guarantor. This effectively becomes the default path for most U.S. students. Deposits otherwise run one to two months of rent.You will need a local bank account for rent transfers. Leases commonly start at one year with automatic renewal, and Portuguese law requires tenants to give notice well before the renewal date to avoid rolling into another full term. The exact deadline scales with the length of the contract, so confirm that date rather than assuming a standard number.United KingdomUK letting agencies are often unwilling to accept U.S.-based guarantors, as they typically require someone with UK residency and income. Guarantor insurance services exist as a paid substitute and are widely used by international students. Fees and coverage terms vary, so read the fine print carefully.Deposits are capped at five weeks of rent and must be placed in a government-approved protection scheme. A holding deposit, capped at one week's rent, secures the property while your application is processed. Standard tenancies run twelve months, with shorter terms available in purpose-built student accommodation. Fixed-term contracts generally cannot be ended early unless a break clause is written in.The one thing that trips everyone upAcross all these countries, students stumble in the same two places. Getting approved at signing. And getting out cleanly at the end.At signing, European landlords cannot evaluate your U.S. credit or income. So they will default to one of three workarounds. A local guarantor substitute like Visale or an insurance service. A bank guarantee. Or a pile of cash upfront. Figure out which one your destination expects before you start viewing places.At the end, the killer is always the notice period. Students assume they can just give thirty days and walk away. Then they get hit with a penalty or an automatic renewal. Read that clause before you sign. Not after.Before you fall in love with an apartment, ask the landlord or agency directly about their specific requirements for international tenants. Get it in writing if you can. Some landlords are flexible. Others are rigid. Knowing which one you are dealing with before you invest time and energy will save you a lot of headaches down the road.This story was produced by HousingAnywhere and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How to control sweat on your wedding day How to control sweat on your wedding dayYour wedding day is exhilarating, emotional, and ... a little sweaty. Between the nerves, long hours, warm venues, and the layers of formal wear, both stress sweat and heat sweat are likely to make an appearance. The right preparation, sweat defense, and fabric choices can make the difference between feeling self-conscious and feeling unstoppable.Whether you’re the bride, groom, part of the wedding party, or a guest, Degree Deodorant shares how to find the best wedding day antiperspirant to keep you cool, dry, and photo-ready from arrival to the last dance. Why weddings trigger stress and heat sweatThere are two main types of sweat glands at work on your wedding day, as R&D Manager Bivash Dasgupta explains: “Eccrine sweat glands are found over most areas of the body and produce watery sweat. Their primary function is to regulate body temperature. Apocrine glands produce an oily sweat and are found in body areas with hair follicles, like your underarms and groin area, and they are activated by an emotional response. This fatty and oily sweat doesn’t have odor on its own, but when certain skin microbes feed on it, they break it down to produce a strong odor.”A wedding puts both systems into overdrive. The emotions of the day trigger apocrine gland activity, while the physical realities of heat, movement, and formalwear encourage eccrine sweat. This combination is more noticeable because it lingers longer on your skin and clothing compared to heat-induced sweating alone.That’s why a product that works for your daily commute might not hold up under wedding conditions and nervous sweating. When choosing the best wedding day deodorant, what you actually need is dual protection: odor control and sweat reduction. That’s where antiperspirants come in.Clinical-strength antiperspirants take things a step further and are designed specifically for high-stakes occasions like weddings. “Clinical strength antiperspirants are antiperspirants that offer the highest level of sweat protection available without a prescription,” Unilever R&D scientist Matt Annecharico explains.Trial your antiperspirant weeks beforeThe best defense against wedding-day stress sweat starts early. Trial your antiperspirant two to four weeks before the event to make sure your skin tolerates the formula and that the protection matches your sweat level. This is especially important for those prone to heavy or nervous sweating.If you’re going to be using a clinical-strength formula, switch to it a week before the big day. These antiperspirants use aluminum-based active ingredients that reduce wetness at the source.Timing mattersApply your antiperspirant at night when your sweat glands are less active, allowing the ingredients to absorb properly and get to work.More top tipsWhen it comes to staying fresh, confident, and comfortable on your wedding day, there are a few more things that can really help.Stay hydratedDrink plenty of water throughout the week. This will help regulate your body temperature and balance skin bacteria. Cut back on caffeine and alcohol the day before, as they are common sweat triggers.Freshness on the goPack a travel-size dry spray for touch-ups during the day.Tips for the wedding party and guestsFor the wedding partyTrial your antiperspirant 2–4 weeks ahead. Clinical-strength is a good move for the day.Layer a stick and dry spray for the ceremony.Use an anti-stain product to keep your outfit fresh and protected. Anti-stain technology is essential when you're dressed in white, black, or posing for photographs.Build a touch-up kit with a travel-size dry spray, blotting tissue, water bottle, and mints. For guestsA 72-hour antiperspirant applied the morning of the wedding is usually enough for most people.For outdoor or summer venues, choose one with anti-stain technology to prevent stains on your outfit.Best wedding fabrics for staying cool and confidentFabric can make or break your comfort level. Some materials trap heat and moisture, while others allow better airflow and help you stay cooler throughout the day. Sweat visibility also varies depending on fabric type, garment color, lining, thickness, and fit. Here is an overview of common wedding fabrics and how they typically perform: Degree Deodorant LinenLinen is a lightweight, highly breathable fabric that helps keep you cool in warm weather. It absorbs and releases moisture quickly, making it especially comfortable in humid conditions. It’s popular for menswear, including casual suits, jackets, and shirts. While less common in traditional bridal gowns, linen can work beautifully for casual, beach, or boho-inspired weddings.Lightweight woolA strong option for grooms, groomsmen, and tailored guest looks. Lightweight wool offers good breathability while still looking polished and structured. It’s one of the best choices for formal summer suits, because it balances airflow, comfort, and elegance without looking overly casual.Cotton and cotton blendsComfortable, breathable, and easy to wear for long celebrations. Cotton can be used for casual wedding attire and guest outfits, offering softness and natural airflow. Cotton blends are often used for shirts, dresses, and relaxed wedding attire, but breathability varies depending on the level of synthetic fiber content.Chiffon and tulleLight, airy, and floaty fabrics that work beautifully for bridesmaid dresses, guest attire, and layered bridal looks. Chiffon and tulle are popular for their soft movement and delicate appearance. While their sheer structure can allow some airflow, breathability depends on layering and lining, especially in bridal gowns, where many layers are often used.SilkLuxurious and naturally breathable, silk can help regulate temperature depending on the weave and weight of the fabric. It’s a popular choice for bridalwear and elevated guest outfits thanks to its soft drape and elegant finish. But silk can show moisture in certain weaves, like smooth or glossy finishes, and lighter colors.SatinGlossy and glamorous, satin delivers that classic formal wedding look. Its breathability depends on the fiber it’s made from (such as silk or polyester) and the tightness of the weave.PolyesterPolyester is less ideal for hot-weather weddings compared to natural fibers, as many polyester fabrics can retain heat and feel less breathable in warm or humid conditions. In fitted or glossy finishes, sweat may also become more visible.Synthetic liningsEven if the outer fabric is breathable, dense synthetic linings can trap heat underneath. For lighter linings, look for moisture-wicking fabrics, light cotton linings, or lightweight technical blends that can improve airflow.Wedding day tacticsWhen the big day arrives, technique is everything.Apply to clean, dry skinAlways apply your antiperspirant to clean, completely dry underarms after your morning shower or bath. Antiperspirants bond best when there’s no moisture.Layer formatsUse your tried-and-true stick first, let it set, then add a quick-drying dry spray to lock in coverage without residue. Then feel free to spritz on your favorite perfume or cologne.Use key checkpointsReapply before the ceremony, group photos, and the reception. You’ll thank yourself later.Mind the clothesThe groom and groomsmen should apply their products before putting on their shirts. The bride and bridesmaids should apply before stepping into their dresses to avoid awkward marks.These tips can make a difference when you’re standing under the lights, posing for photos, hugging, or dancing, helping you stay fresh throughout the event.FAQsHow do I stop sweating on my wedding day?Trial a clinical-strength antiperspirant in the days before your wedding and apply it at night for best results. On the day, stay hydrated and keep a travel-size product on hand for quick touch-ups if needed.How to prevent BO on my wedding day?Use an antiperspirant to help with stress sweat instead of a deodorant. Antiperspirants reduce sweat, while deodorants only mask odor. Aluminum-based actives are a good choice for stress-related sweating.How to avoid sweat stains on a wedding dress?Choose an anti-stain antiperspirant that helps prevent yellow and white marks. Apply to dry skin and allow 60–90 seconds before stepping into your wedding dress.Does satin show sweat?Yes, satin can visibly darken when damp, especially in fitted styles or under heat and stress sweat. For summer wedding dresses, choose chiffon, silk or tulle, which feel lighter and are more breathable and forgiving when it comes to sweat visibility.Your wedding day deserves your full confidence. With smart preparation, breathable fabric choices, and antiperspirants designed for high-pressure moments, you can stay comfortable and in control all day and feel as great as you look. No matter how hot the spotlight gets.This story was produced by Degree Deodorant and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Charges against Mercer County school IT workers dismissed The dismissal comes after the district’s superintendent was found not guilty in July.
	4 reasons to plan now for holiday spending 4 reasons to plan now for holiday spendingWhile we’ve barely put away the sunscreen and summer gear, the holiday season “creep” is slowly making its way into stores and online. And for many people, it’s not only the most wonderful time of the year, but also the most expensive. Whether you expect to spend on gifts, holiday décor, meals, or travel, you’re likely to spend less if you start planning—and saving—early.Rather than waiting to think about the money you’ll need to spend in December, here are four reasons from Forbright Bank to start planning now.Take Advantage of DiscountsAs the first official shopping day of the holiday season, Black Friday is known for widespread retail sales and promotions. However, many retailers also offer discounts over Labor Day weekend and in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. By planning early for the gifts and décor you plan to purchase for the holidays, you can be ready to take advantage of these sales when they’re offered.If you’re thinking about traveling for the holidays, you also may get a better deal by planning early. Airline and hotel prices often fluctuate based on demand, so if you know your plans, you can watch for the best deals and book when the prices look right.Act now: Make a list of all the purchases you’ll want to make for the holiday season. Be as specific as you can. When you know what you need to buy, you can more easily track the prices and purchase when they drop.Save Now to Avoid Using CreditSpending money on the people you love can make the holidays more enjoyable—but if that means racking up a pile of credit card debt, it can put a damper on starting the new year on the right foot. To avoid this, consider saving a little money every week from now until mid-December, so you’ll have the funds to buy the gifts you need.The earlier you start planning, the more time you have to set money aside—and to earn some interest on your savings. Even small amounts can add up when you begin before the holiday rush. For example, saving a little from each paycheck now may help cover gifts, travel, meals or seasonal activities later without relying as heavily on credit.Automating your savings via recurring deposits from your checking account can make this even easier. Forbright Bank data shows that customers who use recurring deposits more frequently over a year experience five times the savings growth of those who use them less frequently or not at all.Act now: Set up a weekly or monthly automatic recurring deposit into a high-yield savings account designated for holiday spending. If you save $100 every week for the next three months, you’ll have $1,300 set aside for the holidays by the time December arrives.Avoid OverspendingWhen you’re caught up in the spirit of the holidays, buying just one more thing may feel harmless in the moment. A gift here, a meal out there, an extra decoration or last-minute shipping fee, and suddenly your holiday spending is higher than expected.Planning now gives you a better chance to set a realistic budget before the season gets busy. Start by making a list of the people, events, travel plans, and extras you’ll likely spend money on. Then assign a dollar amount to each category to see the full picture before purchases begin. If the total feels too high, you still have time to adjust, compare prices, scale back, or spread the purchases out over the next few months.A holiday budget doesn’t have to take the fun out of the season. It just helps you decide what matters most and spend with more confidence. When you know your limits ahead of time, it’s easier to avoid impulse buys, keep credit card balances manageable, and enjoy the season without worrying about post-holiday financial stress.Act now: Take 10 minutes to create a holiday spending list. Include gifts, travel, entertaining, decorations and any other seasonal expenses you expect. Then estimate how much you’d like to spend in each category before holiday shopping begins. Even a simple budget can help you stay on track.Reduce Last-Minute Financial StressHoliday spending can feel more stressful when decisions are made all at once. If you wait until the last minute, you may end up with fewer choices, higher prices, or a greater temptation to use credit for unplanned purchases.Starting early gives you room to make thoughtful decisions, compare options, and decide where you want your money to go before the season becomes hectic. A little planning now can help make the holidays feel more enjoyable and less financially overwhelming.Act now: Start a simple holiday planning checklist today. Add important dates, travel plans, gift ideas and expected expenses. Having a plan in place now can help you avoid rushed decisions and unexpected costs later in the season.DisclaimerThis article is for general information and education only. It should not be considered financial or tax advice. This story was produced by Forbright Bank and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Changing US crime rates: What the data reveals Changing US crime rates: What the data revealsCrime statistics in the U.S. have shifted considerably in recent years, and the most recent data points in an encouraging direction. Figures from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and independent research both suggest broad declines in violent and property crime, though the numbers come with important caveats about how crime data is collected and reported.PeopleFinders takes a closer look at recent trends and what they actually tell us.National Crime Rate TrendsAccording to the FBI‘s Crime Data Explorer (CDE) — the agency’s interactive dashboard for its Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program — both violent and property crime in the United States declined significantly between December 2024 and November 2025.Reported crime in every tracked category showed a year-over-year reduction. In fact, official statistics have reached their lowest levels in decades, following a record high in the early 1990s.Violent crime rates fell by 10.0% overall:Murder: down 18.2%Robbery: down 18.7%Sexual assault: down 7.8%Aggravated assault: down 8.1%Property crime declined by 12.1% overall:Motor vehicle theft: down 22.8%Burglary: down 14.9%Larceny: down 9.4%Crime Trends Across Major CitiesA report by the Council on Criminal Justice tracking violent, property, and drug offenses across 40 major U.S. cities through 2025 largely reinforces FBI findings. Of the 13 offense categories studied, 11 declined from 2024 to 2025. The only type of crime that increased was drug crimes (by 7%), while sexual assault held flat.Here are some of the key findings explored in the report:Homicide data suggests these types of crimes dropped by 21%, which translates to roughly 922 fewer deaths than in 2024Gun violence and robberies fell 22% and 23%, respectivelyCarjackings dropped by 43% compared to last yearMotor vehicle theft fell 27% after several years of elevated ratesShoplifting dropped by double digits after years of public debate over rising retail theftViolent crime overall dropped to pre-pandemic levels, with 25% fewer homicides than those reported the year prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemicAggravated assault, sexual assault, domestic violence, gun assault, car jacking, and robbery were also lower in 2025 compared to 2019If the FBI‘s forthcoming nationwide data confirms these trends, the U.S. homicide rate could fall to around 4 per 100,000 residents, the lowest level in over a century of national tracking.Limitations of City-Level Crime Report DataA quick internet search reveals multiple sources citing different cities as the safest or most dangerous, based on FBI datasets and other data sources. Depending on where you look, you might see Memphis, Detroit, and Baltimore topping lists of the most dangerous cities in America.While these articles sound compelling, it’s important to remember that data can paint different pictures depending on which data points are collected and how they’re analyzed.Moreover, crime reports may not represent every American city or jurisdiction, and they may not include all offenses. For example, previous versions of the CCJ report did not include sexual assault. Similarly, the FBI‘s transition to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) created coverage gaps, with major cities like New York, Jacksonville, and Atlanta among those that didn’t submit data for 2024.Furthermore, official statistics only capture crimes reported to law enforcement agencies, and a significant portion, particularly violent crimes and sexual assaults, go unreported entirely. In fact, the Bureau of Justice Statistics‘ National Crime Victimization Survey, which tracks crime victimization including unreported incidents, doesn’t always align with FBI figures, underscoring that no single source offers a complete picture.Finding Local Data Beyond National ReportsIf you want a clearer sense of what’s happening closer to home, check the website of your city’s police department to see if they provide monthly incident data. Alternatively, online tools allow you to run criminal records searches to learn more about the people in your area. You could also run a reverse address lookup to find information about homes in your neighborhood and their owners.Why Crime Rates May Be DecliningThe numbers are encouraging, but they raise an obvious question: What is actually driving the crime decline? CCJ researchers point to a few patterns worth noting.Data shows that alcohol consumption has been falling steadily, drug overdose deaths have declined sharply in recent years, younger people are spending more time at home, and daily transactions are increasingly cashless.Each of these could plausibly contribute to fewer crimes: less alcohol means less aggression, fewer overdose deaths may signal reduced drug market violence, less time in public means fewer opportunities for offenses to occur, and carrying less cash makes robbery less worthwhile. Still, researchers are careful not to attribute the decline to any single cause.What the data suggests is that crime is not a fixed feature of American life. It responds to shifts in how people live and to socioeconomic factors that criminologists and policymakers must study carefully before anyone can draw definitive conclusions.Could Your Neighborhood Be Different?Public safety at the neighborhood level is influenced by factors that national data simply can’t capture, from local public health conditions to the number of police officers patrolling a given area. Even federal government databases are only as complete as what gets reported.This story was produced by PeopleFinders and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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	Girl math, loud budgeting, moneymaxxing: Were these trends worth trying? Girl math, loud budgeting, moneymaxxing: Were these trends worth trying?Every few months, a new money phrase takes over TikTok, and suddenly everyone’s either Moneymaxxing, “loud budgeting” their friends out of brunch or admitting they “doom spent” their tax refund on a weighted blanket and a flight to Cabo.These trends look like jokes, and some of them are jokes. But string them together and they tell a pretty accurate story of how people actually felt about their money and the economy from 2020 through 2026.Here, Finder provides the real timeline: when each trend started, what it actually means, whether it’s still worth trying and how it played out for the people who did it.Manifest money (2020)What it is: Using affirmations, mantras and abundance mindset rituals to try to attract wealth, no spreadsheet required.What it’s about: Say it, believe it, receive it. TikTok’s #MoneyManifestation corner leans on Law of Attraction ideas: Visualize the bank balance you want, repeat a mantra and the universe allegedly handles logistics.How it started:Took off in November 2020 when TikTok user King Soon posted a money mantraResurges every year around big “portal dates” like 8/8, when numerology fans say wealth energy peaksRides the same wave as celebrity manifestation talk from stars like Ariana Grande and Dua LipaStill around? Yes, it’s arguably the most durable trend on this list, resurfacing with new hashtags every year since 2020.How it turned out: The positives about this trend are that it costs nothing and can nudge people toward a more optimistic, action-taking mindset. On the other hand, this isn’t an actual financial strategy. Wishing for more money isn’t a substitute for a well-thought out plan to better your situation.Vibecession (2022)What it is: The gap between what the economic data says and what everyday life feels like.What it’s about: Financial educator Kyla Scanlon coined the term in a June 2022 newsletter, calling it “the vibes of a recession, but maybe not the economic reality of one.” Unemployment was near a 50-year low and GDP kept climbing, but consumer sentiment cratered anyway.How it started:Coined by Scanlon while she was writing about Americans’ inflation and recession fearsBecame a mainstream economics term almost overnight, landing in the New York Times and Dictionary.comBasically the mood board every other trend on this list gets built fromStill around? The word itself has cooled off, but the mismatch it describes hasn’t; consumer prices are still running well ahead of pre-pandemic levels.How it turned out: There’s no personal “outcome” here since it’s a mood, not a money move. However, it did give people language for something real they were feeling. Consumer prices are about 29% higher than they were in February 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI Inflation Calculator, meaning $1,000 in pre-pandemic spending power now costs roughly $1,290.86.The numbers behind the vibe: The Fed’s own data backs up the mismatch. Only 63% of U.S. adults said they could cover a surprise $400 expense with cash, down from a high of 68% in 2021, according to the Federal Reserve’s 2025 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking. Just 55% had three months of expenses set aside in a rainy-day fund, per the same report. And 68% of Americans were living paycheck to paycheck as of August 2025, according to PYMNTS Intelligence.Quiet luxury (2023)What it is: The old money, logo-free aesthetic. Think unbranded cashmere and quiet tailoring that signals wealth by hiding it, instead of showing it off.What it’s about: A reaction against loud, logo-heavy status symbols, fueled almost entirely by HBO’s “Succession” and a cost-of-living crisis that made flashy spending feel tone-deaf.How it started:Driven by HBO’s “Succession,” whose ultra-wealthy Roy family wore expensive, logo-less basics like an unbranded Loro Piana cashmere hatGoogle searches for “quiet luxury” jumped 614% over the course of the yearGwyneth Paltrow’s understated wardrobe during her 2023 ski-crash trial added fuel to the trendStill around? Not as a headline trend; by early 2024, fashion critics and Paris Fashion Week had already called it outdated in favor of louder styles. However, the less flashy instinct carried straight into loud budgeting.How it turned out: This trend nudged people toward investing in fewer, better-made basics instead of fast fashion. However, quiet luxury pieces were often just as expensive as logo-heavy ones, if not more so. It was a trend about the wealthy and not designed as a money-saving one for everyone else.De-influencing (2023)What it is: Creators telling followers what not to buy, flipping the usual haul or recommendation video on its head.What it’s about: Pushing back on overhyped products, hidden sponsorships and the sheer volume of must-haves flooding social feeds.How it started:Sparked in January 2023 after viewers accused beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueira of wearing false lashes in a mascara ad, an incident nicknamed “mascaragate”The #deinfluencing hashtag hit roughly 208 million views by late February 2023 and grew to more than 1.3 billion views by January 2024Arrived directly on the heels of #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, the impulse-buy hashtag it was reacting againstStill around? The specific hashtag has cooled, but the instinct evolved directly into underconsumption core and no-buy years.How it turned out: A good mindset to help people gauge whether they really need something, and it gives you permission to ignore hype. It made “I don’t need that” content genuinely popular. On the other side, critics pointed out de-influencers often still recommended cheaper alternatives, meaning the trend redirected spending more than it actually reduced it.Girl math (2023)What it is: Deliberately illogical “math” used to justify spending: cash purchases don’t count, returns are “profit,” anything under $5 is free.What it’s about: Pure comedy about a real habit: rationalizing purchases.How it started:Started on a New Zealand radio show, “Fletch, Vaughan & Hayley,” in July 2023Went viral on TikTok in August 2023 after a user’s video nudged the internet from “girl dinner” to “girl math”Spun off “boy math” almost immediately as the internet’s responseStill around? As a meme, mostly retired, but the underlying habit of rationalizing spending never left.How it turned out: This trend actually got people discussing those small money decisions they’d normally hide. However, some pointed out it leaned on old stereotypes about women being bad with money, and taken too literally, “girl math” logic is a fast way to blow a budget on purchases that only feel free.Soft saving (2023)What it is: A slower, gentler approach to saving that prioritizes today’s quality of life over maxing out a retirement account.What it’s about: A rejection of hustle-culture, FIRE-style extreme frugality, in favor of “the soft life’s answer to finance.”How it started:Popularized by Gen Z starting around 2023, per Intuit’s Prosperity Index StudyClose to three in four Gen Zers say they’d rather have a better quality of life than extra money in the bankTied to broader economic pessimism: many in this group doubted long-term financial goals were realistic at allStill around? Yes, and it’s held up better than most; later surveys through 2025 and 2026 kept finding similar numbers.How it turned out: A positive trend that could help prevent burnout and create more room for actual joy and flexibility in a budget. But, taken too far, it can mean under-saving for retirement or emergencies at exactly the age when compound interest matters most.Cash stuffing (2023)What it is: The envelope budgeting method, but aesthetic — cash divided into labeled envelopes or a decorative binder for each spending category.What it’s about: Using physical cash and envelopes to see your progress and organize spending.How it started:Not new at all, Dave Ramsey has taught a version of this for close to two decades#CashStuffing videos have racked up billions of combined views since 2021Popularity has even nudged real-world cash usage back up in places like the UKStill around? Yes, and it’s one of the more sustainable trends here. It’s old-school budgeting with better branding.How it turned out: This trend/budgeting method makes overspending hard, since you use the cash in the envelope, lets you see your progress and forces you to budget. It works especially well for impulse spenders. On the downside, cash at home doesn’t earn interest, and carrying or storing it comes with real theft and loss risk.Loud budgeting (2024)What it is: Saying out loud, without shame, that you don’t want to spend money instead of quietly pretending you can’t afford something.What it’s about: The opposite of quiet luxury, the hushed old-money aesthetic that dominated 2023.How it started:Coined by comedian and writer Lukas Battle in a TikTok posted December, 2023His go-to example: Skip the $40 bar tab, tell your friend you don’t want to spend it and invite them over insteadFramed as “I don’t want to spend,” not “I don’t have enough”Still around? Yes, and financial commentators generally think it has staying power, since it’s financial boundary-setting with a catchy name.How it turned out: Talking about money out loud tends to build accountability and can make saving feel less isolating. However, it can tip into performative frugality, and not everyone finds it comfortable to announce their budget to friends and family.Money dysmorphia (2024)What it is: A distorted view of your own finances that doesn’t match reality. For example, feeling broke despite a healthy income or feeling behind despite solid savings.What it’s about: Comparing your financial life to a curated highlight reel of other people’s wealth on social media.How it started:Named and popularized by a 2024 Intuit Credit Karma survey conducted with Qualtrics, widely covered starting in January 2024The survey found 29% of Americans experience it, rising to 43% of Gen Z and 41% of millennialsNearly 40% of people who reported money dysmorphia actually had more than $10,000 in savings, well above the U.S. medianStill around? Yes, coverage through 2026 keeps finding similar or higher numbers, and the term has stuck as shorthand for financial anxiety that doesn’t match the actual numbers.How it turned out: This trend gives the feeling a name and has helped some people separate perception from their real financial picture. But oddly, 95% of people who experience it say it actively hurts their finances by holding them back from saving and pushing them toward overspending.Doom spending (2024)What it is: Impulsive purchases, often items people don’t need or can’t afford, made to cope with anxiety about the economy or the news.What it’s about: Chronic online exposure to bad news translating directly into bad spending habits.How it started:The behavior itself isn’t new, Fortune traced a version of it back to “live for today” attitudes of the late 1960s, and reminiscent of YOLO from early 2010s39% of millennials admits to doom spending according to Intuit Credit Karma studyStill around? Yes — it tends to spike around elections, tariff news and holiday shopping seasons.How it turned out: Impulse spending can give you a short-term mood boost and a sense of control in an uncertain moment. But spending without a care can land you in more debt that offsets the emotional payoff. Total U.S. household debt hit a record $18.8 trillion in the second quarter of 2026, and credit card balances climbed to $1.26 trillion, with 6.97% in serious delinquency (90+ days past due), a level not seen since the Great Recession.Underconsumption core (2024)What it is: Content that celebrates using what you already own. For example, the nearly empty lotion bottle or the years-old phone case instead of buying more.What it’s about: A direct reaction to years of haul culture and viral product recommendations, wrapped in a cost-of-living crisis that made buying less feel both financially necessary and culturally cool.How it started:Originated on TikTok in the summer of 2024Positioned as an evolution of de-influencing and old-school “normcore” minimalismDistinct from generic minimalism because it celebrates lived-in, used items rather than a curated empty aestheticStill around? Yes, and it’s aged well because it doesn’t require buying anything new to participate.How it turned out: It’s one of the few viral trends here that’s genuinely free to try and tends to save people money without much downside. A few folks have noted a little irony in “aspirational” underconsumption videos still shot on expensive cameras, phones and curated homes.Buy now, pay later boom (2024)What it is: Installment payment BNPL services like Klarna, Afterpay and Affirm that split a purchase into interest-free payments at checkout.What it’s about: Making bigger purchases, and increasingly everyday ones, feel smaller and easier to say yes to.How it started:Usage exploded during the pandemic as more shopping moved online, then kept climbing every year afterShoppers spent $18.2 billion using BNPL during the 2024 holiday season alone, according to Adobe Analytics.Increasingly used for groceries and other everyday essentials, not just discretionary splurges, drawing scrutiny from regulators and financial advisorsStill around? Yes, and still growing.How it turned out: Interest-free installments can genuinely help people manage cash flow for planned purchases, and delinquency rates have generally stayed below credit cards. But it’s not all great: About a third of BNPL users have a credit score below 620, a rejected credit application or a delinquent loan, and because most providers don’t report to credit bureaus, “phantom debt” can pile up across multiple apps without anyone tracking the full picture.Revenge saving (2025)What it is: Aggressively rebuilding savings, often as a direct reaction to years of revenge spending splurges on travel and experiences after the pandemic.What it’s about: Fear of layoffs, tariffs and a recession that kept threatening to arrive.How it started:The U.S. personal savings rate climbed from 3.5% in December 2024 to 4.5% in May 2025Some Reddit users trace the term to Chinese social media, where it described a similar pandemic-recovery patternStill around? Yes, the underlying caution has stuck as job-market and tariff headlines keep rolling in.How it turned out: Bigger emergency funds and a real sense of financial security for people who followed through. But taken to an extreme, it can mean skipping meaningful experiences or over-restricting spending out of fear rather than an actual plan.No-buy year and low-buy challenge (2025)What it is: A self-imposed rule to stop buying nonessential items for a set stretch of time.What it’s about: Resetting an overconsumption habit and freeing up cash for savings, debt or basic needs.How it started:Intuit Credit Karma found 44% of Americans had adopted a low-buy lifestyle and 42% had gone full no-buyMore than half of Gen Z said they’d tried or considered oneStill around? Yes, and January “no-buy” resolutions have become an annual TikTok ritual.How it turned out: Author Ashlee Piper, who ran her own version of the challenge, says she paid off $22,000 in debt and saved $36,000. However, strict no-buy rules are hard to sustain long-term, and some people rebound into a spending spree the moment the challenge ends.Recession indicator memes (2025)What it is: A joking catchphrase — “that’s a recession indicator” — slapped onto anything from flash mobs to a pop star’s new single as tongue-in-cheek proof the economy is tanking.What it’s about: Turning real economic anxiety into a running internet bit, the same way people joke about doomscrolling.How it started:Traces to an April 2024 tweet joking that a viral flash-mob trend felt “very 2008 Obama era,” comparing it to the Great RecessionExploded through 2025 on X and TikTok, tagging everything from a pop star’s music career to people wearing business casual to nightclubsDespite the meme’s intensity, economists tracking official recession indicators said the U.S. wasn’t actually in one, based on standard metrics like GDP and unemploymentStill around? Yes, and it tends to flare up any time economic headlines get worse, functioning almost like a running economic mood ring for the internet.How it turned out: Overall, it’s a low-stakes joke and a way for people to process real economic anxiety together, and a form of collective coping. On the other hand, some economists have warned the joke could become a bit self-fulfilling, since enough public pessimism about spending can itself contribute to an actual slowdown. Courtesy of Finder Moneymaxxing (2026)What it is: Optimizing every corner of your finances — high-yield savings, cashback stacking, bill negotiation, credit card points — to squeeze the most value out of every dollar.What it’s about: The “-maxxing” suffix, borrowed from looksmaxxing and other self-optimization trends, applied to money instead.How it started:Trending through 2026, with coverage from CNBC, Yahoo Finance and Good Morning AmericaRelated offshoot “pointsmaxxing” focuses specifically on credit card rewards and pointsLanding during a real affordability squeeze: 72% of Gen Zers and more than half of millennials still rely on their parents for financial support, and young adults now don’t expect full financial independence until age 37Still around? It’s the newest trend here, so the jury’s still out, but multiple financial experts are calling it more durable than the usual trend cycle.How it turned out (so far): Jack Howard, head of money wellness at Ally Bank, told CNBC it focuses on “creating everyday habits” rather than chasing quick fixes, and it works even without a raise. But treating every transaction like an optimization problem can get exhausting, and some critics note it risks turning money into a constant background stressor rather than something you occasionally just don’t think about.The through-line no one’s saying out loudZoom out on all these trends and a pattern shows up fast: they’re about the same handful of feelings, rebranded every year or so.Anxiety about affordability. Vibecession, doom spending, money dysmorphia and soft saving are all reactions to the sense that the numbers on paper don’t match daily life.A need to talk about money without shame. Loud budgeting, girl math and cash stuffing all turn a private, often embarrassing topic into something public and even fun.Whiplash between spending and saving. Revenge spending gave way to revenge saving. Doom spending gave way to no-buy years. Quiet luxury gave way to loud budgeting. The internet keeps overcorrecting in both directions because actual financial security still feels out of reach for a lot of people.A hunger for control. Cash stuffing, underconsumption core, no-buy years and moneymaxxing are all, at their core, attempts to make an overwhelming financial picture feel manageable again.Coping through humor. Girl math, recession indicator memes and even money manifestation all use jokes or wishful thinking to make a genuinely stressful topic easier to sit with.Frequently asked questionsWhy do so many money trends start on TikTok specifically?TikTok's format rewards short, punchy, relatable framing, and money is one of the few topics almost everyone has strong, private feelings about. Millennials and Gen Zers often get financial advice from social media, so the platform has become a lot of people's actual source of financial information.What's the difference between doom spending and revenge spending?Doom spending is impulsive buying meant to cope with anxiety about the economy or the news, and it tends to spike around bad headlines. Revenge spending is different: it specifically describes the post-pandemic splurge on travel and experiences people felt they'd missed out on during lockdowns.Why do these trends keep swinging between ‘spend more’ and ‘spend less’?When people feel like the future is uncertain, trends like doom spending and girl math tend to spike. When that anxiety turns into fear of a recession or job loss, the pendulum swings to revenge saving and no-buy years. The vibecession trend explains the feeling that while the economy has looked fine on paper for years, a lot of people haven't felt fine at all.This guide has been edited by Bethany Hickey and reviewed by Richard Laycock, a member of Finder's Editorial Review Board.This story was produced by Finder and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	5 high-risk professions where one accident could mean financial ruin 5 high-risk professions where one accident could mean financial ruinFor many skilled tradespeople, business can run smoothly day after day until one single accident changes everything. All it takes is one slip, one dropped tool, or one big spill to trigger a lawsuit large enough to wipe out years of hard work. An established business can vanish with just one claim.Most small business owners operate with tight margins, but many general liability claims can easily reach six figures. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are several trades whose injury and illness rates were well above the private industry-average of 2.3 per 100 full-time workers (meaning the odds of something going wrong for these trades are much higher).General liability insurance doesn’t prevent accidents from happening, but it does play a big role in whether a small business can recover. Having the right coverage (and right policy) is often the difference between a bump in the road and financial ruin.Thimble took a look at five high-risk trades backed by real occupational data with examples of claims that can occur for each, revealing how important coverage can be for these popular professionals.Why general liability insurance matters for trade workersInsurance is a need because business inherently comes with risks, usually referred to as exposures in the insurance world. Every profession has a different risk exposure profile because of the activities they perform, where they perform them, and more.The National Safety Council’s summary shows that certain fields experience more nonfatal (and fatal) injuries and accidents than others. Because claims come from these injuries and accidents, these numbers reflect the physical, on-site nature of trade work and the real risks associated with them.Since general liability coverage helps protect businesses from claims that arise from third-party bodily injury, property damage, and their associated legal costs, it could prevent you from paying a claim out of pocket.1. Residential roofingDriven by falls from heights, falling tools and debris, as well as property damage risk, residential roofers and roofing contractors record a nonfatal injury and illness rate of 2.4 per 100 full-time workers according to the BLS.Consider a residential roofing crew replacing shingles on a home. If a piece of old decking slides off the roof and strikes the homeowner walking around below, causing bodily injury requiring surgery (and missing work for a few months), the homeowner can sue the contractor for medical costs incurred, lost income, and pain and suffering. The case settles for $1.8 million, which is more than most small roofing businesses carry in cash reserves, but a $2 million general liability policy could cover the business.2. Handyperson servicesHandy work can span a very wide range of activities, from electrical to plumbing, to structural or finishing tasks, making it difficult to classify neatly into a dataset. According to BLS data, occupations that perform installations, maintenance and repair (like handy people) accounted for 9% of the national total occupational fatalities in 2024. A handyperson’s exposure multiplies when they take on a wide range of tasks across different client properties – plus a repair can go wrong or cause damage that isn’t discovered until days or weeks later, and by then, it can be more severe. While part of the job security for handy people is the versatility of the work they can perform, this also means the list of things that can go wrong can be longer.Consider an example where a handyperson is hired to fix some cabinets in a residential kitchen, but in the process of bringing in his equipment, he damages the property (like hardwood floors, windows, or even valuable possessions like antiques) that he was not hired to work on. He can be held liable for the damages – but if he has a general liability policy, the policy could potentially cover the claim and associated investigation or defense costs.3. LandscapersAccording to the BLS, landscaping services record a nonfatal injury and illness rate of 3.0 per 100 full-time workers (higher than the private-industry average of 2.3 per 100). This figure is high enough that it spurred the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to launch a regional emphasis program targeting tree and landscape services who experience worker fatalities due to falls, striking incidents, and even electrocution. Beyond worker safety, landscaping crews work on third-party properties which can be easily damaged while operating heavy mowers, trimmers, blowers, and even excavators. Debris can be unpredictable, utility lines could be struck, or property can be damaged without warning.Consider a landscaper mowing along a property boundary when a mower blade launches a rock into a neighbor’s yard, striking a child playing nearby. If the child suffers an injury, the family can sue the landscaping company for medical costs, long-term care expenses, and other damages. The claim could be costly, even in the millions, depending on the severity of the bodily injury or property damage.4. Janitorial and cleaning servicesJust above the private-industry average of 2.3, janitorial and cleaning services record a nonfatal injury and illness rate of 2.5 per 100 full-time workers, and 7% of fatalities annually, according to BLS data. A freshly mopped floor without proper signage, a cleaning chemical that damages clothing or flesh, or breaking property during the process of cleaning can all generate significant claims. Low margins and high foot traffic in environments where injuries are more likely make janitorial and cleaning crews especially vulnerable to one bad claim turning into a business-ending lawsuit.Consider a janitorial crew that finishes mopping a hallway in a medical office building and places a wet floor sign – but it falls over. Minutes later, a patient slips and breaks their hip, requiring surgery and weeks of rehabilitation and care. She sues the cleaning company for $1 million, citing medical expenses, rehab costs, and loss of a quality of life. Most cleaning companies do not have that kind of cash and end up folding in a scenario like this.5. PaintersBecause painters work at heights, in occupied homes and businesses, and near expensive surfaces and furnishings, it can create meaningful third-party property damage and bodily injury exposure. While the fatality rate for painters is not as high as the other professions listed (1.6 vs 2.3 or higher), the injury rate alone doesn’t tell the whole story. Painters use ladders, scaffolding, chemicals, and many more documented sources of general liability claims.Consider a two-person painting crew spraying exterior paint on a home when wind carries overspray onto the neighbor’s new car and outdoor furniture, causing costly damage to the property. Meanwhile, the neighbor is also claiming the paint fumes caused an aggravated respiratory response, and a bodily injury claim gets added. A standard general liability policy could cover this.What these professionals and examples have in commonWhile accidents are often unpredictable, the financial outcome of these accidents depend almost entirely on whether the business is prepared for them (i.e., insured).Broad trade categories like construction, installation and repair account for more than a third of all occupational deaths in the U.S., according to BLS data. But those aren’t the only trades that experience significant risk and therefore severe financial consequences. The size of a business does not equal the risk exposure it faces (nor the ability to survive a claim).Because insurance can’t prevent accidents and injuries, it’s best to focus on what it’s protecting and how to survive postincident. Consider the risks your profession or trade expose you to, and what limits you need to adequately protect your business.This story was produced by Thimble and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Quad Cities Votes Together offers bipartisan information National Voter Registration Day is September 15 and OneTable QC has announced a new local campaign to help more Quad City residents access the necessary information to participate in elections. Quad Cities Votes Together is a 100% nonpartisan civic engagement campaign led by OneTable QC. It brings local nonprofits and community partners together to make [...]
	How long does fresh dog food last in the fridge? How long does fresh dog food last in the fridge?Switching to fresh dog food means giving your pup better ingredients and better nutrition, but it also means handling their food more like you handle your own. That starts with knowing exactly how long fresh dog food stays safe in the fridge. Unlike dry kibble, fresh food is perishable. Storing it the right way keeps it tasty, safe, and ready when your dog is hungry, Ollie reports.Key TakeawaysUnopened pack, in the fridge: Use within 4 days.Opened pack: Use within 4 days.Leftover portion in the bowl: Refrigerate right away and use within 24 hours.Unopened pack, in the freezer: up to six months.Never leave fresh food out at room temperature for more than 30–60 minutes.How Long Does Fresh Dog Food Last in The Fridge?So, how long does fresh dog food last in the fridge? Here’s a simple breakdown:Unopened Packs: Once a sealed pack is in the fridge, it’s good for up to four days.Opened Packs: Once you open a pack or container, plan to use it within four days for the best quality and safety.Partially Served Meals: If your dog doesn’t finish a portion, cover and refrigerate it right away, and aim to use it within 24 hours.These storage times are part of what keeps fresh food safe and nutritious, with no guesswork.How to Store Fresh Dog Food ProperlyTo get the most out of fresh dog food, follow a few simple fridge rules:Keep the food in its original sealed pack until you’re ready to use it. Once opened, transfer leftovers to an airtight container if needed.Store it in the coldest part of your fridge, ideally at 40°F or below.Always refrigerate fresh dog food right after opening or serving. Don’t leave it sitting out on the counter for long stretches.Feeding a clean, balanced diet helps support a healthy gut — and happier poops.How to Tell if Fresh Dog Food Has Gone BadFresh dog food doesn’t have artificial preservatives, so it’s important to know when it’s no longer safe to serve. The good news is that the signs are usually obvious.Look for these red flags:Off Smell: Fresh food should smell like real meat and veggies. A sour or rotten odor means it’s time to toss it.Strange Texture: If the food feels slimy or sticky, bacteria might have started to grow.Discoloration: Unusual color changes or mold spots mean it’s no longer safe.Refusal to Eat: If your dog suddenly sniffs and walks away from food they normally love, trust their instincts and check for spoilage.When in doubt, throw it out. Keeping a clean fridge and following storage times helps you avoid these issues altogether.Can You Freeze Fresh Dog Food?Yes, you can. Freezing is a great way to extend the life of fresh dog food if you’re not going to use it within a few days.How Long: Unopened fresh dog food can be stored in the freezer for up to six months.How to Thaw: Move frozen packs to the fridge and thaw for 24 hours before serving. Never refreeze food once it’s been thawed.This keeps your dog’s meals fresh and avoids waste.Tips to Keep Fresh Dog Food Safe LongerA few small habits can help you get the most out of every pack of fresh food in your fridge.Store Toward the Back: Keep fresh dog food in the coldest part of your fridge, not in the door where temperatures can fluctuate.Use Clean Scoops and Bowls: Always use clean utensils to portion food and wash your dog’s bowl after every meal.Don’t Leave Food Out: Put away any leftovers within 30 to 60 minutes to keep bacteria from growing.Rotate Packs: Use older packs first so nothing sits too long.These steps make it easy to keep every bite safe and fresh for your pup.Store Smart, Feed FreshFresh dog food gives your dog real nutrition without fillers, but it also needs a little more care than dry kibble. By storing it properly and following fridge and freezer tips, you keep every meal safe, tasty, and good for your dog’s health.Frequently Asked QuestionsHow long does fresh dog food last in the fridge unopened?Sealed fresh dog food is good for up to 4 days in the fridge.How long is fresh dog food good for once opened?Use opened packs within four days for best taste and safety.Can I freeze fresh dog food?Yes. You can freeze unopened packs for up to six months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.How do I know if my fresh dog food is spoiled?Look for a sour smell, slimy texture, odd color, or if your dog suddenly refuses it.This story was produced by Ollie and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Americans unknowingly overpay $54 billion every year on car loans. See which drivers are defying the odds Americans unknowingly overpay $54 billion every year on car loans. See which drivers are defying the oddsAmericans overpay an estimated $54 billion a year on their car loans, according to an analysis from Caribou. Most drivers don't shop around for auto loan rates the way they would for a mortgage, and that often means they pay more than they need to. Refinancing an auto loan gives drivers a chance to lower their monthly car payment through a lower rate, extended term, or both.Caribou's data on car refinance loans shows which drivers are saving the most, by state, fuel type, vehicle style, and generation.States with the biggest refinance paydaysSome of the biggest refinancing wins are concentrated in a handful of states, and loan size is a key reason. Consumers who start with larger loans tend to see larger savings when they refinance. Drivers from Louisiana, New Mexico, and Washington post the highest average monthly savings after refinancing. These states also carry some of the highest average original loan balances in the country. Drivers can use an interactive state savings tool to see how much customers in their area are saving on average. Caribou Diesel and EV drivers pull aheadAcross fuel types, diesel vehicle owners see the highest savings, averaging $234 a month by refinancing. Diesel vehicles tend to carry higher price tags and larger loan balances, which may explain why their owners see larger gains from refinancing.EV owners saved an average of $190 a month by refinancing, up from $176 the year before. Used EV values have also climbed, up more than 5% since the start of 2026, according to Recurrent, which could be giving EV owners a better starting position when they refinance. As a car's value rises relative to what's still owed on it, the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio drops, and a lower LTV generally puts a borrower in a stronger position to refinance into a better rate. With used EV values climbing, EV owners refinancing today may be doing so from a more favorable LTV position than they were a year ago.By comparison, gas and hybrid vehicle owners still see meaningful savings, averaging $156 and $119 a month, respectively.Coupes and trucks see the strongest savingsVehicle body styles that tend to carry higher loan balances also usually see the strongest savings from refinancing. Coupes, including popular sports cars like the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette, average $184 a month in savings. Pickup trucks, one of the most commonly financed vehicle types in the U.S., average $183 a month. Both outpace sedans, SUVs, vans, hatchbacks, and wagons. Caribou Gen Z wins on rate, millennials win on paymentGen Z borrowers (ages 18-31) are refinancing against a difficult backdrop. Many are carrying auto debt alongside student loans and housing costs. In Caribou's Car Loan Sentiment Survey, 35% of Gen Z respondents said they'd struggled to make a car payment on time in the past year, more than twice the rate of baby boomers (13%).Despite that pressure, Gen Z sees the steepest interest rate reductions of any generation, averaging 5.34 percentage points by refinancing. Younger drivers often finance their first car with limited credit history, which can mean a higher starting rate. After establishing a payment history and building their credit, these drivers are often able to unlock lower auto loan rates.Millennials are experiencing the biggest monthly payment savings of any generation, averaging $174 a month. Extra breathing room in the monthly budget is a welcome sign for many millennials who are also managing competing financial priorities, from young children to aging parents. In the Car Loan Sentiment Survey, when asked what they'd do with an extra $150 back in their pockets each month, millennials’ top three answers were paying down other debt, building emergency savings, and covering everyday expenses like groceries and gas.The common thread for drivers paying less: refinancingThe details differ from one driver to the next, but the outcome is the same. None of these drivers changed their car. They changed their rate. Refinance dollar volume grew 100% between Q2 2024 and Q2 2026, reaching $4.4 billion in Q2 2026, according to Experian. More drivers are catching on that a car loan signed at the dealership isn't necessarily the best rate available today, and that it can pay off to check to see what they could save.MethodologyCaribou’s analysis of annual auto loan overpayment combines Caribou’s data on average monthly refinance savings with TransUnion’s industry data on auto loans eligible for refinance.Fuel type, vehicle style, generation, and national refinance trend data reflect consumers whose auto refinance loan was funded through Caribou between April 1, 2026, and June 30, 2026, who had an existing auto loan on their credit report, and who selected an offer to reduce their monthly payment. State-level loan data uses the same criteria over a longer window, July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. States with fewer than 100 funded loans have been excluded from this analysis.This story was produced by Caribou and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	From Blue Skies to America’s Darkest Day \| Remembering 9/11 We share stories from those on the ground following the attacks in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania and look at how that day is still being remember.
	Choosing the right scissor lift for your project Choosing the right scissor lift for your projectWith numerous scissor lift heights, sizes and power sources, choosing the right machine for each application can be challenging. When you understand which details to focus on, you can determine the exact lift you need for each project. This comprehensive guide from Herc Rentals helps you differentiate between different types of scissor lifts and select the ideal one for each need and application.Key TakeawaysChoosing the right scissor lift is essential for equipment maneuverability, jobsite safety and operational efficiency.Electric scissor lifts, rough terrain scissor lifts and diesel scissor lifts are the main types from which to choose.Consider your application, jobsite overhead clearance, ground conditions and weight requirements before renting a lift.Select a scissor lift based on working height, which refers to the platform height plus approximately six feet (6') to account for workers.Remaining within a scissor lift's weight requirements is crucial for safety and stability.Why Is It Important to Choose the Right Scissor Lift?Choosing the right scissor lift type and size is crucial for the following reasons:Maneuverability in narrow spaces: A scissor lift must be the right size and height for indoor applications. This precaution allows your team to safely maneuver in narrow spaces, travel through tight doorways and keep projects on schedule.Stability: Choosing the right scissor lift weight capacity for each application is vital for stability. Exceeding the weight can potentially cause the lift to tip over.Safer, more efficient performance on rough terrain: Rough terrain requires larger, more powerful scissor lifts to navigate slopes and avoid tipping. Rough terrain scissor lifts have special features, such as four-wheel drive (4WD), oscillating axles, deep tread tires, higher ground clearance and enhanced tilt sensors, to help operators work on rough terrain.Floor protection: Using scissor lifts with non-marking tires and optimized weight distribution protects facility floors from potential damage, such as scuffs, indentations and cracking.Air quality: Indoor applications require quiet, zero-emission electric forklifts to maintain air quality and indoor sound levels.Factors to Consider Before Renting a Scissor LiftBefore renting your lift, you'll want to consider these essential decision criteria: Herc Rentals Required working height: Determine the exact height your workers must be able to reach to complete a project, plus the scissor operators’ height. More on that below.Lift type: A scissor lift's type determines its specific design, capabilities, maneuverability and the surfaces upon which it can operate. For example, some lifts are built specifically for flat surfaces and indoor use, while others are for rugged outdoor applications.Power source: Power source indicates what fuels a scissor lift's motor or engine. Common power sources are electric batteries and diesel or gas engines. They impact a lift's emissions, noise levels and operational duration.Focusing on all three of these factors is essential because they work together to support your application. The required working height establishes your initial boundaries, which helps you determine the appropriate lift type. Finally, your jobsite's environment finalizes your power source choice.Types of Scissor Lifts and How They DifferLearn about different scissor types and how they differ from each other.Electric Scissor LiftsElectric scissor lifts are ideal for various work environments, but especially on hard, level surfaces in indoor areas, such as warehouses, retail spaces, data centers and interior construction sites. Since they have zero emissions, electric scissor lifts are the only safe option for enclosed spaces. They also operate quietly. You can find electric scissor lifts in standard and compact sizes.A slab scissor lift is a specialized type of electric scissor lift with a low ground clearance, compact chassis and non-marking tires. These features make slab scissor lifts perfect for smooth, firm and level surfaces such as concrete or finished flooring that require extra protection.You can also opt for a dual-rated slab scissor lift, with a dual-zone control system for indoor and outdoor use.Diesel Scissor LiftsDiesel scissor lifts run on diesel fuel and offer longer run times than electric forklifts. These scissor lifts are designed for use on firm, level ground such as stadiums, parking lots and large-scale outdoor construction sites.A diesel scissor lift's emissions make it unsuitable for enclosed spaces, but its robust chassis and powerful engine help it handle tough outdoor applications. While electric scissor lifts are expanding in range, diesel remains an essential option for demanding situations.Rough Terrain Scissor LiftsRough terrain scissor lifts are larger, heavier and more powerful machines that excel at navigating rough terrain such as sand, dirt and mud.A rough terrain scissor lift features pneumatic tires that can grip uneven ground without popping. Some models also include oscillating axles and a 4WD system for excellent traction, stability and maneuverability on uneven terrain. Rough terrain scissor lifts come in electric and diesel models.Choosing the Right Scissor Lift HeightCalculating the lift height you need for a job is one of the most important factors when selecting a scissor lift. Selecting the right lift height enables your workers to reach their work areas safely and comfortably, whether they retrieve pallets from shelves, paint walls or install roof components.Understanding Platform Height vs. Working HeightPlatform height is how high a scissor lift's platform rises. Working height is the lift's platform height plus approximately six feet (6'), which accounts for the height of an operator standing and working from the platform. For example, you would need a platform height of roughly 14 feet if your workers need to work 20 feet above the ground.To ensure you select a scissor lift with the ideal reach for your application, pay close attention to its working height. You need a lift with a working height that matches the height your workers need to access, whether it's the top shelves in your warehouse or outdoor construction framing.Common Scissor Lift Working Heights and Their Ideal ApplicationsThe three most common lifts available for rent are compact electric scissor lifts, electric scissor lifts and rough terrain scissor lifts. Each type offers its own maximum working height: Herc Rentals 26-foot maximum working height: Compact electric scissor lifts can have a maximum working height of up to 26 feet, and they are the most maneuverable models. These battery-powered lifts are designed for lightweight tasks, such as running IT cables or warehouse picking. Their smaller platforms, lower weight capacities and shorter heights make them perfect for crowded indoor spaces.45-foot maximum working height: Electric scissor lifts offer working heights up to 45 feet. These lifts are also battery-powered, but they can support heavier weight and carry more workers than compact models. An electric scissor lift is ideal for larger indoor projects where your team has more space to work with.53-foot maximum working height: Rough terrain scissor lifts have maximum working heights of up to 53 feet and the largest weight capacity. These powerful lifts are best for working on outdoor projects with significant heights and uneven ground, such as utility work or bridge construction. You can find diesel, gasoline and hybrid options.Overhead Clearance and Weight CapacityThe lift you choose must be able to safely fit under structural elements and through doorways at partial and full extension. Measure the spaces at your facility or jobsite from the lowest point of each doorframe to the floor. Do the same for structural elements that the lift must pass under.Weight capacity is another vital consideration. A lift platform's weight capacity indicates the total weight it can handle, combining tools, workers and materials. Staying within a platform's weight capacity is crucial for safety and OSHA compliance. Consider the full weight of your lift operators and the tools and materials they will need with them on the platform.Additional Scissor Lift FeaturesYou can also consider various features you may need for certain tasks. Scissor lifts often come with a combination of features, such as:Extra decks or extendable work platformsAutomatic parking brakesExtendable guardrailsIntegrated motion alarmsAC outletsTool trays or storageUSB portsHow to Choose a Scissor Lift for Your Application?Once you understand the lift type, height and weight capacity you need, assess your specific application.Construction SitesOn construction sites, the type of lift you need often changes as the project progresses. Because of this, you may need to rent different scissor lifts at different phases of the same project.Early-stage construction tasks, such as steel erection, often require rough terrain lifts due to uneven ground. Your team will typically need electric or slab lifts once you start working on an enclosed, floored building. Construction crews often depend on electric and slab lifts for mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-in. For exterior cladding work, the type of lift you need depends on whether the ground is level.Warehouses and Distribution CentersElectric slab lifts are often the perfect solution for warehouse and distribution center work. Consider these factors when choosing a lift for your facility's needs:Aisle width: Narrow scissor lifts are necessary for navigating tight racking environments and crowded spaces. Measure your aisle widths to select a lift that can easily move in each workspace.Floor load ratings: Your building's floors must support a lift's total weight, including workers and materials on the platform. Compare your facility's floor load ratings to the machine's total working weight before selecting a model.Battery life: Maximizing uptime is essential in a busy warehouse or distribution center. Consider a scissor lift's battery life to ensure it can last an entire work shift or multiple shifts with quick charging. Choosing a lift with an adequate battery life for your needs helps ensure continuous operation, productivity and workflow efficiency.Facilities Maintenance and Property ManagementElectric lifts are best for most interior maintenance jobs. As a facility or maintenance manager, you may need to rent a lift on short notice for reactive maintenance tasks. Whether you need to access the roof, work on lighting or maintain an HVAC system, having a trusted rental partner with a broad inventory is essential. With a wide selection from which to choose, you can find the exact lift type, height and weight for every maintenance job.When a Scissor Lift Isn't the Right ToolWhile scissor lifts are excellent options for many commercial and industrial applications, they are not the best option for every job. A scissor lift moves vertically, allowing operators to move up and down but not horizontally. A boom lift may be necessary if your workers need to work at irregular angles. Articulating or telescoping boom lifts are best in situations requiring horizontal reach.Scissor Lift Rental vs. PurchasingWhen you know the scissor lift type, size and weight necessary for your application, you can opt to rent or purchase the machine.When to Rent a Scissor LiftScissor lift rental has a lower up-front cost than a purchase, requires no long-term storage and allows you to swap models as needed. It also reduces your maintenance requirements because the rental company handles equipment maintenance for you.Renting is the best option for:Temporary projects: If you have a temporary project or task that requires a type of lift you don't typically use, renting allows you to use the lift without making a significant investment.Short-term or seasonal work: Your team might perform certain work seasonally or for a short period each year. Renting a scissor lift is often the most cost-efficient option in these cases.Model testing before purchase: You can test different scissor lift models before deciding on a final purchase. Rent a lift or multiple lifts to determine how well they work on your jobsite and meet your needs.Lack of transportation or storage: Renting equipment can help you save costs on long-term storage and equipment transportation. You can work with a rental company that delivers equipment directly to your jobsite.When to Buy a Scissor LiftBuying a scissor lift is often the best option when you plan to use the equipment regularly and for an extended time. When you use the equipment often, your initial investment delivers a higher return on investment.Choose the Right Scissor Lift for Your NeedsChoosing the right scissor lift for each application results in safer, more productive and more efficient operations. When you consider your project's application, jobsite conditions, overhead clearance and weight requirements, you can match it to the perfect machine.OSHA DisclaimerOSHA requires mobile work platform operators to receive training and authorization before operating scissor lifts. Each operator should complete a thorough pre-use inspection, use proper fall protection and follow the lift's manufacturer load limits. It's also important to comply with all applicable American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/Scaffold and Access Industry Association (SAIA) A92 standards. Employers must ensure each mobile work platform operator receives training on the specific equipment they operate.This story was produced by Herc Rentals and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Friday, September 11th, 2026

Thursday, September 10th, 2026