NEW YORK (AP) — With the end of 2024 around the corner, you might be reflecting on financial goals for 2025. Whether you're saving to move out of your parents' house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated, said Courtney Alev, consumer advocate for Credit Karma. “Entering a new year doesn’t erase all our financial challenges from the prior year," Alev said. “But it can really help to bring a fresh-start mentality to how you’re managing your finances.” If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they're attainable for your lifestyle. Here are some tips from experts: Think about how you currently deal with finances — what's good, what's bad, and what can improve. “Let this be the year you change your relationship with money,” said Ashley Lapato, personal finance educator for YNAB, a budgeting app. If you feel like money is a chore, that there's shame surrounding the topic of money, or like you were born being “bad at money,” it's time to change that mentality, Lapato said. To adjust your approach, Lapato recommends viewing money goals as an opportunity to imagine your desired lifestyle in the future. She recommends asking questions like, “What do my 30s look like? What do my 40s look like?” and using money as a means to get there. Liz Young Thomas, head of SoFi Investment Strategy, added that it’s key you forgive yourself for past mistakes in order to move into the new year with motivation. When setting your financial resolutions for 2025, it's important to establish the “why” of each, said Matt Watson, CEO of Origin, a financial tracking app. “If you can attach the financial goal to a bigger life goal, it’s much more motivating and more likely you’ll continue on that path,” Watson said. Whether you're saving to buy a house, pay off credit card debt or take a summer vacation, being clear about the goal can keep you motivated. Watson also recommends using a tool to help you keep track of your finances, such as an app, spreadsheet, or website. “After three years of inflation, your pay increases are likely still playing catch up to your monthly expenses, leaving you wondering where all the money is going," said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate. "Make that monthly budget for 2025 and resolve to track your spending against it throughout the year." McBride said that you may need to make adjustments during the year as certain expenses increase, which would require cutting back in other areas. “Calibrate your spending with your income, and any month you spend less than budgeted, transfer the difference into your savings account, ideally a high-yield savings account,” he said. “Interest rates aren’t likely to come down very fast, so you’re still going to have to put in the hard work of paying down debt, especially high-cost credit card debt, and do so with urgency,” McBride said. Start by taking stock of how much debt you have now relative to the beginning of the year. Hopefully you’ve made steady progress on paying it down, but, if you’ve gone in the other direction, McBride encourages making a game plan. That includes looking into 0% balance transfer offers. “You have more power over credit card interest rates than you think you do," said Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree. “Wielding that power is one of the best moves you can make in 2025.” A 0% balance transfer credit card is “a good weapon” in the fight against high card APRs, or annual percentage rates, he said. A low-interest personal loan is an option as well. You may simply be able to pick up the phone and ask for a lower interest rate. LendingTree found that a majority of people who did that in 2024 were successful, and the average reduction was more than 6 points. When planning for your financial resolutions, it’s important to consider how you’re going to make your goals sustainable for your lifestyle, said Credit Karma's Alev. “It really is a marathon, not a sprint,” Alev said. Alev recommends setting realistic, practical goals to make it easier to stick with them. For example, instead of planning to save thousands of dollars by the end of the year, start by saving $20 a paycheck. Even when your plans are achievable, there are times you'll get derailed. Maybe it’s an unexpected medical bill or an extraordinary life event. When these situations happen, Alev recommends trying not to feel defeated and working to get back on track without feeling guilty. “You can't manage what you can't see, so set a New Year’s resolution to check your credit score monthly in 2025," said Rikard Bandebo, chief economist at VantageScore. “Be sure to pay more than the minimum on your credit accounts, as that's one of the best ways to boost your credit score.” Bandebo also advises student loan borrowers to make all payments on time, as servicers will begin to report late payments starting in January, and missed payments will affect borrowers' credit scores. Automated changes, like increasing workplace 401(k) plan contributions, setting up direct deposits from paychecks into dedicated savings accounts, and arranging for monthly transfers into an IRA and/or 529 college savings accounts all add up quickly, McBride said. Your financial goals can encompass more than just managing your money better — they can also be about keeping your money safe from scams . A golden rule to protect yourself from scams is to “slow down,” said Johan Gerber, vice president of security solutions at Mastercard. “You have to slow down and talk to other people if you’re not sure (whether or not) it’s scam,” said Gerber, who recommends building an accountability system with family to keep yourself and your loved ones secure. Scammers use urgency to make people fall for their tricks, so taking your time to make any financial decision can keep you from losing money. Your financial goals don’t always have to be rooted in a dollar amount — they can also be about well-being. Finances are deeply connected with our mental health, and, to take care of our money, we also need to take care of ourselves. “I think that now more than any other year, your financial wellness should be a resolution," said Alejandra Rojas, personal finance expert and founder of The Money Mindset Hub, a mentoring platform for women entrepreneurs. "Your mental health with money should be a resolution.” To focus on your financial wellness, you can set one or two goals focusing on your relationship with money. For example, you could find ways to address and resolve financial trauma, or you could set a goal to talk more openly with loved ones about money, Rojas said. —— The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.DETROIT (AP) — Starting in September of 2027, all new passenger vehicles in the U.S. will have to sound a warning if rear-seat passengers don't buckle up. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday that it finalized the rule, which also requires enhanced warnings when front seat belts aren't fastened. The agency estimates that the new rule will save 50 lives per year and prevent 500 injuries when fully in effect, according to a statement. The new rule will apply to passenger cars, trucks, buses except for school buses, and multipurpose vehicles weighing up to 10,000 pounds. Before the rule, seat belt warnings were required only for the driver's seat. Under the new rule, outboard front-seat passengers also must get a warning if they don't fasten their belts. Front-center seats will not get a warning because NHTSA found that it wouldn't be cost effective. The agency said most vehicles already have warnings for the outboard passenger seats. The rule also lengthens the duration of audio and visual warnings for the driver's seat. The front-seat rules are effective starting Sept. 1 of 2026. Rear passengers consistently use seat belts at a lower rate than front passengers, the agency says. In 2022, front belt use was just under 92%, while rear use dropped to about 82%. About half of automobile passengers who died in crashes two years ago weren’t wearing belts, according to NHTSA data. The seat belt rule is the second significant regulation to come from NHTSA in the past two months. In November the agency bolstered its five-star auto safety ratings to include driver assistance technologies and pedestrian protection. Safety advocates want the Department of Transportation, which includes NHTSA, to finish several more rules before the end of the Biden administration, because President-elect Donald Trump has said he’s against new government regulations. Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, urged the department to approve automatic emergency braking for heavy trucks and technology to prevent impaired driving.
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Shane Beamer has no doubt about where his surging, 16th-ranked Gamecocks belong in the postseason — chasing a national championship. “It's hard for me to say we're not one of the 12 best teams in the country,” a giddy Beamer said Saturday after watching his team pull off another late miracle, courtesy of quarterback LaNorris Sellers, to defeat No. 12 Clemson 17-14. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Northern Territory Don't miss out on the headlines from Northern Territory. Followed categories will be added to My News. Fluorite and battery hopeful Tivan will begin copper and lithium exploration at its Sandover project’s Dneiper prospect in December after securing agreements with the Central Land Council. The Darwin-headquartered company announced on Thursday it had secured a mineral exploration deed with CLC at Dneiper on behalf of traditional owners and Native Title holders. Located about 100km north of Alice Springs, Tivan’s Sandover project covers about 8000km with 14 tenements including 10 approved exploration licenses. In a statement to the ASX on Thursday, Tivan said the mineral exploration deed sets out how the company will conduct exploration activities at Dneiper to reflect the rights and interests of Native Title Holders, including at cultural heritage and sacred sites. Grant Wilson, executive chair of Tivan, photographed in Central Australia. The deed also provided for employment, training and business opportunities for Native Title holders at Dneiper as well as “a mechanism for economic participation” during the exploration phase. Also on Thursday, Tivan announced it had acquired a “highly prospective” high-grade fluorite prospect in the Sandover which it said would complement its existing Speewah fluorite resource in WA’s Kimberley. Tivan paid Investigator Resources Limited almost $1.5m for the prospect, with Tivan’s executive chairman Grant Wilson taking to social media to talk-up the Sandover’s potential for fluorite extraction. “We looked everywhere for high-grade fluorite and found it in our own backyard,” he tweeted. “Tivan Limited will be the sole supplier from Australia potentially for the next 50 years. A generational transaction and fantastic for the Territory and Japan.” In June, Tivan and Japanese resources servicing company Sumitomo Corporation formed a strategic alliance around the provision of fluorite from the Speewah project. One of Tivan’s Sandover sites. Tivan wants to become the first Australian company to produce commercial grade fluorspar products, which are widely used in manufacturing. Mr Wilson hopes to use earnings from fluorite sales, which was recently added to the Australian Government’s critical minerals list, to in-part bankroll the company’s plans to develop a battery manufacturing plant at Middle Arm sustainable development precinct. The junior player has several irons in the Sandover fire, with high-grade lead and silver prospects also identified at Aileron . “Tivan is delighted to have secured its first formal agreement with the Central Land Council, on behalf of the traditional owners and Native Title Holders, at Sandover,” Mr Wilson said. “The agreement carries additional signal value following our announcement earlier today of the acquisition of the Sandover fluorite project. Many of the traditional owners that we have engaged with throughout this year will be involved as we seek a similar agreement for our new project, considerably reducing the time frames involved. “We will keep shareholders advised as the eagerly awaited commencement of ground-disturbing works at the Sandover Project commences”. Tivan will hold its annual general meeting in Melbourne next week. More Coverage ’Exceptional’: What’s next after stunning NT silver strike Camden Smith ‘Potentially historic’: Why new lead find could be huge for Territory Camden Smith Originally published as Tivan-CLC ink deal to access the Sandover for copper prospecting Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories News ‘My soul left my body’: Grieving mums find connection in the darkest times After the tragic death of their babies, these Territory mums are raising awareness of a lifeline for parents in their darkest hour – a club nobody wants to join. Read their stories. Read more News Inquest to examine drug driver’s death 48-hours after he was sent back to jail A disabled Territorian who was sentenced over the death of a boy while driving high may have suffered a seizure 48-hours after losing his freedom, the Territory coroner has heard. Read more
Reveel Named Winner of 2024 Top Software & Tech AwardWhile going through the photo collection at the Niagara History Center, I noticed an image that I had not seen before. From the car in the photo, it appears the picture was taken in the 1950s. The sign on the building says “Towpath Inn.” There is nothing in the Lockport City Directories for the Towpath Inn during that time period yet there are newspaper ads from 1954 announcing that the restaurant is “Under New Management.” The address in the ads is 5 Mill St. so that is where my search began. In 1870, Michael Enright moved to Lockport and was granted a license to sell liquor “on Mill street and on Lake avenue, saloons.” Enright was born in Ireland in about 1836. He is listed in the 1871 Lockport City Directory as “Enright Michael, saloon, res. Canal near Mill st. bridge.” In other sources he is listed as a “grocer” which very often went hand-in-hand with a saloon, especially along the Erie Canal where boatmen were looking for a drink and provisions. In 1888, Enright and his son John purchased Joseph G. Norman’s Niagara Brewery on Van Buren Street near Lake Avenue, with the younger man overseeing the operations there. A fire in April 1890 badly damaged the brewery but within a month Enright had the business up and running again. Eight years later, father and son had another problem to deal with when “some person or persons to them unknown” accused them of selling “scab ale and porter” made by non-union workers and asked people not to patronize them. The Enrights defended themselves by assuring the public that “all men in the employ [of their breweries]...are members of the Federation of Labor and are Union men...” A reward of $100 ($3,800 in 2024) was offered for information on who “circulated said reports and posted said notices.” Another, more serious incident occurred on Aug. 14, 1901, when 37-year-old John Enright was found unconscious on the towpath under the Cady Street bridge across from the Thompson mill. He died later that day. Thus began a public debate as to whether his death was accidental, from falling off the bridge, or if he was robbed and murdered by “hoboes” or some canal boatmen. The coroner finally ruled the death accidental. Less than a year later, on March 7, 1902, Michael Enright died at age 66. He is buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery. In about 1893, a few years after Michael Enright had acquired the Norman Brewery, James Eagan was the proprietor of a saloon at 5 Mill St. although the actual property transfer did not take place until 1895. Eagan was born in Newfane in 1861 but lived most of his life in Lockport. His obituary stated that he operated a tavern on Mill Street for 30 years, retiring in 1920, which coincides with about the time he started as proprietor of Enright’s saloon. Like Enright, Eagan also ran a grocery out of the building at 5 Mill St. In 1894, a brief mention in the Lockport Daily Journal stated that he “has about closed out his grocery stock, but may replenish it, should canal business improve so as to warrant it.” Most newspaper reports of Eagan’s saloon concern his repeated violation of the Sunday excise law prohibiting the sale of liquor on that day. Several other saloons were also cited. In 1905, the Rev. Jay Johnson of the Second Methodist Episcopal Church on Clinton Street took out warrants for the arrest of four saloon keepers, including Eagan, for violating the excise law and selling liquor to a minor. On at least one occasion, Eagan claimed that he was exempt from the excise law because he was operating a hotel, not a saloon; other times he just paid the fine. Like the owner of the Upson Coal Building featured last week in Niagara Discoveries, in 1910, Eagan was faced with the prospect of moving his saloon “at least a dozen feet” to the north to accommodate the expanded Erie Barge Canal. How that feat was accomplished is not mentioned but considering how many structures lined the canal at that time, it must have been an arduous task. Eagan retired from the saloon business in 1920 and lived at 471 East Avenue until his death in 1945. He is buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery. The next longtime owner of 5 Mill St. was Leo Marcinek. He was born in Poland in 1896 and came to Lockport in 1913. During his 30-year ownership, starting in 1923, the most noteworthy event occurred in April of 1924. This was during the era of Prohibition and Marcinek was described as a “soft drink proprietor.” The business was raided by the police and Marcinek was arrested, not for any liquor violations, but for hosting an illegal poker game in the back room of his establishment in which two of the players were wanted for swindling and counterfeiting. Marcinek was later released with a warning “not to allow card playing in his place in the future.” Once Prohibition ended in 1933, and through the early 1950s, Marcinek’s Restaurant was regularly advertised in the newspaper for its food and dancing. Leo Marcinek died in 1955 and is also buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery. In 1954, it was announced that the “Towpath Inn” was open under the new management of Archie and Mary Chateauneuf. Archie Chateauneuf was born in 1915 in Massachusetts and died in Los Angeles in 1963 although he had lived in Niagara County for about 40 years. Mary is not mentioned in his obituary although two children are listed. Not much could be found about Mary. How long the Chateauneufs managed the Towpath Inn is uncertain. In 1954, Archie portrayed a canal boatman in a short documentary film about the Erie Canal. Maybe he’d been bitten by the acting bug because he left for California in 1957. After this brief revival of a restaurant/dance hall at 5 Mill St., the following years saw the decline of the building. In 1960, there were ads in the classifieds for pianos and other musical instruments being sold out of the “Barge Hotel” at that address. There were also ads for rooms to rent there. At an Urban Renewal meeting in 1968, 5 Mill St. was used as an example of the deplorable housing conditions in Lowertown. The building at 5 Mill St. came to a tragic end exactly 100 years after Michael Enright first established a saloon and grocery there in 1870. On the night of April 4, 1970, a fire started next door at 7 Mill St. which then spread to the old Towpath Inn building which was still being used as a sometime bar and restaurant. Seven children were sleeping at 7 Mill St. while some of their parents were next door at 5 Mill St. The fire spread so quickly that efforts to save the children were thwarted by heavy smoke and flames. Of the seven, only one child was rescued; the other six, ranging in age from 20 months to six years, all perished in the fire. The children were all cousins. Despite reports of a firebomb being thrown into the home, it was determined that the cause was electrical in nature. The fire once again brought to light the substandard housing conditions in Lowertown and local activists called for a “rent strike” in Lockport. A few years later, urban renewal destroyed most of that housing but it was not replaced with new units. Both of the Mill Street buildings were demolished after the fire. It is now a grassy lot with nothing to indicate the tragedy that took place 54 years ago.