Sanitation: Feeling the affordability squeeze? You're not alone

On the Money

By Lauren Young, Digital Special Projects Editor

Inflation, affordability and war are just a few of the issues dominating the headlines right now — and their effects are being felt everywhere, from the grocery store to the gas pump to your retirement account.

Navigating it all can feel overwhelming, which is exactly why I started this newsletter. My goal is to break down the news that matters most to your financial life, so you can make smarter, more informed decisions, no matter what the markets are doing.

Please reach out to me with your personal finance questions at onthemoney@thomsonreuters.com. While you’re at it, be sure to follow our On the Money coverage. And connect with me on LinkedIn, where I’m always posting the latest Reuters news.

That happy feeling of declaring "Mahjong!" Courtesy Heather Liebler/Handout via REUTERS

🀄 5 ways mahjong can teach us about money

Before we dive into the headlines, I have an important question for you: Do you play mahjong?

Mahjong is soaring in popularity, especially among young people who are looking for screen-free fun. But did you know the game mirrors many of the decisions people face in their financial lives — making a plan, managing risk and pivoting when the unexpected happens?

If you play — and even if you don’t — read my recent article and share your thoughts about mahjong by emailing me at onthemoney@thomsonreuters.com.

📚 Read. Watch. Listen

📹 Video of the Week

Should your portfolio trade like Trump? What does Truth Social’s decision to halt a bitcoin ETF plans mean for cryptocurrency and the broader markets? Watch the conversation about the Patriot economy here.

💸 Is inflation the most important political issue for Americans?

Will inflation derail the mid-term elections? REUTERS/Ken Cedeno/File Photo

What starts at the checkout line often ends at the ballot box.

The war in Iran is driving up the price of gasoline and groceries, making inflation one of the defining issues in U.S. politics right now.

With the midterms just months away, be sure to listen to this conversation on our Econ World podcast, starring host Carmel Crimmins. She talks to Sally Buzbee, Reuters U.S. editor, and U.S. economics editor Dan Burns about the political and economic consequences of America’s affordability crisis.

🧠 Can soft skills beat AI?

Ally Krinsky, a 25-year-old AI product manager. Courtesy Ally Krinsky/Handout via REUTERS

AI may be grabbing a lot of attention, but when it comes to success, soft skills matter more than you think.

One Gen Z AI product manager we profile notes that technical skills helped launch her career — yet communication, judgment and relationship-building are helping her move up the ladder.

In fact, more than 86% of Gen Z and 85% of millennials say soft skills are important for career advancement — higher than the percentage who said AI skills are essential, according to Deloitte's 2025 Gen Z & Millennial Survey.

What do you think? Which soft skill matters the most? Share your thoughts at onthemoney@thomsonreuters.com.

👶 What happened to the baby boom?

The U.S. needs more babies to fund its social safety net. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

The U.S. is getting older — and having far fewer babies. Here's why that matters to your wallet.

First, fertility rates are at a record low and trailing what’s needed for the population to replace itself. Current projections show that by around 2030, deaths will exceed births each year.

All of this is important to the economy as well as the sustainability of social safety nets, particularly programs for the elderly like Social Security and Medicare that are the foundations of the U.S. social compact. The more working-age people who pay taxes into the system to support a given number of retirees, the more sustainable the system is over the long run.

Check out this informative Reuters graphic which looks at these demographic trends, and why they matter to your money.

Speaking of babies: The U.S. is about to roll out Trump Accounts with $1,000 in seed money for children born between 2025 and 2028 who have a valid Social Security number.

If eligible, be sure to download the app ahead of the official launch in July.

Don’t forget to subscribe to this newsletter! Even better, share it with a friend!

💬 A$K Lauren

I have lots of personal finance ideas, but the very best stories come from readers! What personal finance questions do you have about saving, spending, healthcare, credit and more? Write to me at onthemoney@thomsonreuters.com.

This newsletter was edited by Franklin Paul.

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