Jessica Hinks, The Everyday Advisor

10/30/2026

Filling the candy bowl is costing more this year! Candy and chewing gum prices have climbed 8.1% over the past year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Chocolate prices are up, too, though estimates vary by source. 🍫

But higher prices aren’t necessarily keeping Americans out of the candy aisle.

The National Retail Federation expects Halloween spending to reach $13.5 billion this year, with 96% of Halloween shoppers expecting to buy sweets.

10/23/2026

According to the AAA, the average gas price in Ohio per gallon is $4.39?! For families already managing rising everyday expenses, keeping the car tank full has been another share to keep in mind.🤔

10/16/2026

A surprise $90 deposit is landing for some Medicare enrollees this week. For roughly 40 million others, nothing is coming.

The payments are going to people in traditional Medicare Part B, which covers doctor visits, outpatient care, and preventive screenings. Medicare Advantage enrollees, people who pay income-related premiums, and those who already receive premium assistance are not eligible. Most deposits arrive through the Social Security Administration, while some beneficiaries will get a paper check later in October labeled “Medicare Improvement Fund Payment.”

10/07/2026

I was always a decent student. I listened to my teachers and earned good grades. Yet nearly every report card shared a common theme in the comments section:

“Jessica can sometimes rush through her work.”

“She is doing great, but I would encourage her to slow down.”

I’ll admit it: I lived at 2x speed.

I was always moving on to the next thing, always racing against myself. In my mind, fast meant I was winning.

I also hated the discomfort of making anyone wait on me. As a recovering people-pleaser, responding quickly felt like a responsibility. The problem was that speed came at a cost. My teachers noticed that my haste often led to avoidable mistakes.

In many ways, they were teaching me a lesson captured in an old English proverb:

Haste makes waste.

Read more...

Haste Makes Waste - The Everyday Advisor by Jessica Hinks, CFP® | Financial Planning for Everyday People | Money & Finance Tips

10/02/2026

More Americans are deciding that enjoying life now matters just as much as making financial progress for later.

A recent SoFi survey found that 72% of Americans would be willing to make slower progress toward their financial goals so they can spend more time with family, travel more, and prioritize meaningful experiences.

That doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning long-term goals. In fact, 59% of respondents said enjoying life is how they define financial progress, compared with 27% who pointed to owning a home.

The challenge is finding a balance between what matters now and what matters later. ✈️

09/25/2026

🏠 Homebuyers are stepping back as mortgage rates climb higher, fast.

09/18/2026

Did you catch the news? The Fed hiked rates by 0.25% on Wednesday, and it marks the first increase since 2023! They also indicated that more hikes could be on the way, according to their latest forecasts. 🤔

09/04/2026

In my latest blog, I share some of the most common retirement planning mistakes I see and why our team created The Ultimate Guide to Retiring from Marathon Petroleum to help bring more clarity to the process.

The goal isn't to tell you what to do. It's to help you ask better questions and make decisions with greater confidence.

Read the full blog here: https://theeverydayadvisor.com/retirement-planning-mistakes-mpc/

08/28/2026

Social Security is an important piece of the retirement puzzle, but for the average retiree, the monthly benefit is about $2,012 in 2026.💡 That's why retirement planning isn't just about when to claim Social Security, but also creating a plan that helps support the lifestyle you want for years to come!

08/21/2026

U.S. credit card debt is approaching a record high.🤯Americans’ credit card balances reached $1.26 trillion in the second quarter, rising by $21 billion, according to new data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. That puts credit card debt just below the all-time high of $1.28 trillion set late last year.