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- The financial advantage of renting over buying is growing
Elevated home prices arent affordable at these interest rates By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs September 28, 2026 The typical U.S. renter pays $1,066 less each month than a new homeowner pays for a mortgage, taxes and insurance, according to Zillow.That works out to $12,792 a year, and Zillow estimates renters who invest the difference could earn another $322 during the first year.Renting is currently cheaper than buying in all 50 of the nations largest metropolitan areas, with some of the biggest gaps occurring in expensive West Coast markets.For years, Americans have been told that buying a home is one of the surest ways to build wealth. But with mortgage rates and home prices remaining elevated, renters may have a significant financial advantage at least in the short term.A new Zillow analysis finds that the typical U.S. renter paid $1,948 a month in August, compared with $3,014 for the typical new home buyer's mortgage payment, property taxes and homeowners insurance. That leaves renters with an average monthly advantage of $1,066, or $12,792 over a year.Zillow's homeownership calculation assumes a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 6.67% with a 10% down payment on a typical home. It does not include some additional expenses homeowners may face, including maintenance and closing costs.The gap between renting and buying has also been widening. Zillow said the typical monthly cost for a new buyer increased by $140 over the previous six months, while typical rent increased by just $32."The idea that renting is a consolation prize is outdated," Zillow Chief Economist Mischa Fisher said, arguing that renters who save and invest the difference between renting and buying can potentially improve their financial position.What happens if renters invest the difference?Of course, renters only receive the full financial benefit if they don't simply spend the money they save.Zillow calculated what would happen if a renter invested the $1,066 monthly difference at a return equal to the 10-year Treasury yield, which it put at 4.68% as of August.Under that scenario, the investment would generate an additional $322 during the first year. Assuming rents and homeownership costs remained unchanged, Zillow said the accumulated savings and investment returns could reach about $72,000 after five years.That calculation is illustrative rather than a guarantee. Rents, home prices, mortgage rates, taxes and investment returns can all change, and homeowners may benefit from rising property values and from building equity as they pay down their mortgages.Biggest… [TheTopNews] Read More.7 hours ago - Nearly eight in 10 Americans take supplements, Pew survey findsVitamins and minerals lead the list, while older adults are the most likely to use supplements By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs September 28, 2026 Nearly eight in 10 U.S. adults say they currently take at least one supplement for their health, according to a Pew Research Center survey.Vitamins and minerals are the most common, and supplement use is especially widespread among older adults.Most people who take supplements consider them important to their health, though the survey did not test whether the products improve health.Supplements have become a routine part of health care for many Americans. In a Pew Research Center survey, 78% of U.S. adults said they currently take at least one supplement for their health.Vitamins and minerals were the clear favorites: 67% of adults said they take them. Protein supplements came next at 31%, followed by omega oils at 25% and herbal supplements at 19%. Another 35% reported taking a supplement outside those four categories, such as melatonin or probiotics. Respondents could report taking more than one type.Supplement use rose with age. Among adults 65 and older, 85% said they take at least one, compared with 67% of adults under 30. The gap was particularly large for vitamins and minerals: 81% of older adults take them, versus 48% of the youngest adults surveyed.Protein supplements followed the opposite pattern. They were used by 37% of adults ages 18 to 29 and 35% of those ages 30 to 49, compared with 23% of adults 65 and older. Women were also somewhat more likely than men to report taking any supplement, 82% versus 74%.Many users see supplements as importantPew also asked people who take each type of supplement how important they consider it to their health. Among vitamin and mineral users, 62% said those products were extremely or very important, while another 33% called them somewhat important. Among omega oil users, 63% rated the products extremely or very important. The corresponding figures were 51% for herbal supplement users and 44% for protein supplement users.Those answers describe peoples views, not the medical benefits of the products. The National Institutes of Health says some supplements can help people get nutrients they need, but supplements cannot replace a varied diet. Their benefits differ by product and by a persons health needs.There are safety considerations, too. Unlike medications, dietary supplements do not receive FDA approval for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed. Some can… [TheTopNews] Read More.7 hours ago
- Consumer sentiment sinks as Americans grow more worried about pricesRising fuel costs and inflation concerns are putting additional pressure on household finances By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs September 28, 2026 The University of Michigans Consumer Sentiment Index fell to 48.1 in September, down 7% from August and 12.7% from a year ago.Consumers expectations for the economy deteriorated sharply, with the Expectations Index falling 10.1% in a single month.Inflation worries intensified, with consumers expecting prices to rise 4.6% over the next year, up from 4% in August.American consumers became significantly more pessimistic about the economy in September as higher prices, rising fuel costs and concerns about the future weighed on household finances.The University of Michigans final September Surveys of Consumers showed its closely watched Index of Consumer Sentiment falling to 48.1, down from 51.7 in August and 55.1 in September 2025. That represents a 7% monthly decline and a 12.7% drop from a year earlier.The final number was slightly better than the preliminary September reading of 47.8, but it still put consumer confidence at its lowest level in four months. Sentiment has fallen about 15% since January.The biggest deterioration was in consumers' expectations for the future.The university's Index of Consumer Expectations fell to 46.3, down from 51.5 in August, a 10.1% monthly decline. The Current Economic Conditions Index slipped more modestly, to 50.9 from 51.9.Household finances are under pressureJoanne Hsu, director of the Surveys of Consumers, said consumers' assessments of both their current finances and their expected finances over the coming year weakened by about 10% during September.High prices remain a major concern.About 55% of consumers said high prices were hurting their personal finances, compared with 53% in August and 44% a year earlier, according to additional survey findings. Mentions of gasoline prices also increased, with 31% of consumers bringing up fuel costs.Consumers also appear increasingly concerned that the pressure won't disappear soon."Consumers do not believe that relief from high gas prices is on the horizon," Hsu said, adding that respondents generally expect gasoline prices to keep rising in both the short and long term.Trade concerns also resurfaced. The share of consumers spontaneously mentioning tariffs rose from 24% in July to 35% in September. The survey found that worries about elevated fuel prices and renewed trade disputes contributed to a sharp deterioration in expectations for near-term business conditions.Inflation expectations jumpOne of the more significant findings for consumers and potentially for Federal Reserve policymakers was a sharp increase in expected… [TheTopNews] Read More.7 hours ago
- New NHS-style social care system could take decades, Dilnot says
Sir Andrew Dilnot, who proposed reforms 15 years ago, says the cost of such a scheme would be "very substantial". [TheTopNews] Read More.8 hours ago - How Do You Open a Dolly Parton Hotel Without Dolly Parton?
The country music star’s last hospitality project is opening in Nashville, dedicated to her career as a songwriter. Will Dolly being there in spirit be enough? [TheTopNews] Read More.9 hours ago - ‘I take my pillow everywhere’: An expert’s guide to finding yo...Dr Chris McCarthy talks through the four considerations you need to make before buying your pillow. [TheTopNews] Read More.19 hours ago
- Pennsylvania Measles Outbreak Grows to Nearly 900 CasesState health officials said 55 new cases had been reported since Wednesday. In all, 890 measles cases have been reported across 39 counties so far this year. [TheTopNews] Read More.23 hours ago
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