• The US economy added 228,000 jobs in March, exceeding the forecast.
• The unemployment rate surprisingly increased to 4.2%.
• Confidence in the job market and the economy has fallen.

The US economy added 228,000 jobs in March, far surpassing the forecast, and unemployment unexpectedly jumped.

Job growth was expected to be 137,000, and the unemployment rate was expected to hold steady at 4.1%. Unemployment instead rose to 4.2%, and has consistently been at least 4% for almost a year.

Federal government employment fell by 4,000 in March. DOGE and its unofficial leader Elon Musk have pushed for large-scale federal employment cuts, with a wave of terminations for probationary workers, who were in their roles for only a short period of time, coming in February and early March.

However, a court ruling put a hold on many of those cuts, and the bulk of those workers remain in legal limbo.

Agencies have begun developing more extensive plans to reduce the size of their workforces. Thousands of workers at agencies in the Department of Health and Human Services are expected to see their jobs cut; terminations started Tuesday.

Workers at other agencies are bracing for what's next. Federal government cuts will likely affect the overall job counts in future releases.

Americans have been losing confidence in the US economy, adding to an emerging vibecession amid a cooling but still fairly strong labor market.

University of Michigan data shows consumer sentiment has declined for the year's first three months. The Conference Board's Present Situation Index, which is based on what people think about business and job market conditions, took a hit, data up to March shows. Consumers aren't feeling great about what's to come, either.

"Consumers' expectations were especially gloomy, with pessimism about future business conditions deepening and confidence about future employment prospects falling to a 12-year low," Stephanie Guichard, senior economist for global indicators at The Conference Board, said.

The Federal Reserve uses labor market data as a key input for its interest rate decisions. Fed chair Jerome Powell said in a press conference on March 19 after the Federal Open Market Committee decided to hold interest rates steady that unemployment "remains low and has held in a narrow range for the past year," and wage growth is surpassing inflation.

The next scheduled interest rate decision is in May, meaning plenty more data about economic activity will be available before the Committee makes its next call. CME FedWatch, which estimates the likelihood of future Fed moves based on market trades, shows the chance of rates holding steady or being cut in May is roughly a coin toss.

Powell said in the March press conference after the interest rate decision that the administration is making big changes to trade, immigration, fiscal policy, and regulation and is uncertain about what this will mean for the economy. Trump announced on April 2 his latest tariff plans, which could mean consumers could soon face higher prices.

"We do not need to be in a hurry to adjust our policy stance, and we are well-positioned to wait for greater clarity," Powell said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

• At the end of 2023, I decided to travel around Europe to find a new place to call home.
• I visited cities in Spain, Greece, and the UK before settling in the perfect spot.
• I've now been living in London for a few months, and couldn't be happier with my move.

By the time I turned 18, I'd lived in four different countries — England, Kuwait, China, and the United Arab Emirates.

Sparked by my desire to live in one place — and the draw of reasonable university fees — I moved to my "home country" of the Netherlands, where my parents were from but I'd never lived before.

For almost 10 years, I lived there and ignored the growing sense of restlessness within me. However, I couldn't say I was truly happy.

Knowing it was time for a change, I decided to start thinking about moving somewhere else.

So, at the end of 2023, I gave up my apartment, stored my belongings in my mom's basement, and decided to travel the world to find my new home.

I started my journey in Spain

My first stop was Xàbia, Spain, a coastal town where I spent five weeks petsitting a red lab in a stunning house overlooking the ocean.

Here, I saw what it would be like to live somewhere I could spend my weekends at the beach or hiking.

I loved being in a place with an abundance of sunshine, but ultimately, it didn't feel like home. So, I decided to move on to my next destination.

Next, I spent two weeks in Belfast

I had never visited Northern Ireland before, and I immediately fell in love with the country's dynamic energy. I loved the comedy clubs, cozy pubs, and history lining the streets.

However, I felt like something was missing, and didn't find enough variety in the restaurant scene to satisfy my cravings. So, I continued my search.

I headed to Kythira, an island in Greece

Every year, my friends and I take a two-week vacation to a different Greek island.

So, when we traveled to Kythira, I was curious to see if it was a place I'd want to call home.

I pictured spending a year on the sandy beaches with the sun shining down on me. After a long day of work, I could even take a dip in the ocean.

However, after talking to locals, I learned the island was pretty empty outside the summer season. So, I realized I'd always be chasing that summer holiday feeling.

After struggling to find a place that felt like home, I decided to return to the country I was born in

After several misses, I decided to try England, the place where I was born and lived until I was three. However, I'd only visited a few times in the years since.

I spent three weeks dogsitting in a small village in Bedfordshire, which is north of London. The idyllic countryside beckoned me, with long walks in the forest, Sunday roasts in the same pub, and evenings spent reading in the garden.

I yearned for this tranquil existence, but recognized it wasn't time for me to live this type of lifestyle yet. With my isolating work and single status, finding my people in such a small village would be hard.

So, I decided to try two weeks in Cambridge, a city I'd heard so much about. I loved working in various cafes, visiting museums on weekends, and meeting people my age.

However, Cambridge is a student city at its core, which didn't feel right for where I was at during this part of my life.

I finally ended up settling in the perfect city

Finally, I spent a month in London when my sister asked me to watch her pomsky.

I assumed the expensive, busy, and overwhelmingly gray city wasn't for me based on previous short visits. However, during this trip I got to see another side of London.

I loved the large parks that made me forget I was in a city, the dazzling theater scene, and the cozy cafés where I could type away without feeling lonely.

I grabbed coffee with fellow journalists I met online and recognized a potential community. Because London is a highly populated city, I felt like I had the best chance of finding my tribe — something I'd been missing for the past few years.

After a few months in London, I couldn't be happier

I've been in London for a few months now, and still feel like I'm trying to find my feet. However, I'm slowly building a community and even reached out to high school friends who ended up in London after university.

I always visit the same local café, where I sit with my laptop and a dirty chai at least twice a week. I avoid crowded areas like Soho and Liverpool Street and push myself to visit a large park every weekend.

Sometimes, I feel like Carrie from "Sex and the City," and other times, I feel far less glamorous and far more cold.

I didn't think I could be happy in such a busy and urban setting, but I've loved carving out my piece of the city, and I plan to keep doing so.

• A Virgin Atlantic flight diverted halfway through its journey from London to Mumbai.
• The Airbus A350 landed at an airport in Turkey and didn't take off for another 40 hours.
• Passengers spent the first night in the departure lounge before hotels could be arranged.

Airline passengers have been delayed nearly two days after a medical emergency forced an unexpected stopover.

Virgin Atlantic Flight 358 took off from London Heathrow Airport at midday Wednesday and was scheduled to land in Mumbai around nine hours later.

However, data from Flightradar24 shows the Airbus A350 turned around over Turkey four hours into the journey.

It diverted to Diyarbakır Airport, which is also used as a military base and doesn't usually accommodate large, wide-body planes like the A350.

The airport is around 2,300 miles as the crow flies from Mumbai and 2,100 miles from London.

An airline spokesperson told Business Insider that one of the passengers was severely unwell and was helped by local medical teams after leaving the plane.

The A350 also required technical inspections, which appear to have exacerbated the delay.

Some passengers took to X to complain about the ordeal, sharing a video of the disgruntled crowd.

One user said that 12 hours after landing, passengers were yet to receive "proper food or accommodation."

In an X post, the airline said customers had to stay in the departure lounge overnight because it was outside the airport's operating hours — while refreshments, including water, were provided.

There were also difficulties with immigration requirements before airport authorities "made an exception to allow passengers to leave the airport temporarily," another post from the airline said.

"The majority of our customers were provided with overnight hotel accommodation ahead of their onward journey today," the Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told BI Friday. "We'd like to sincerely apologize for the delay and any inconvenience caused."

They added that, after receiving the necessary technical approvals, the flight was set to continue at noon local time on Friday — almost 41 hours after landing in Diyarbakır.

The Airbus A350 is scheduled to land in Mumbai at 8:30 p.m. local time Friday.

• Beast Industries generated $473 million in revenue in 2024 and expects to about double that in 2025.
• MrBeast said of his net worth that he's a billionaire on paper but has under $1 million in the bank.
• Jimmy Donaldson's company is eyeing expansions in media, CPGs, and software, per a pitch deck.

MrBeast has shaped the creator economy more than any other YouTuber, with mind-bending competitions and gargantuan cash giveaways that have yielded a multifaceted business known as Beast Industries.

MrBeast — whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson — solidified his status as YouTube's most-subscribed creator with videos like "$456,000 Squid Game in Real Life!" He is now looking to expand his business across three overarching categories: media, consumer product goods, and software.

Business Insider gained insight into Beast Industries' portfolio and future aspirations through a February 2025 pitch deck sent to prospective investors.

A representative for MrBeast did not respond to requests for comment from BI.

Beast Industries' media segment refers to the 26-year-old's YouTube presence and his hit Amazon Prime show, "Beast Games." His CPG business includes chocolate company Feastables, the packaged food brand Lunchly, and a collectible action figure line dubbed MrBeast Lab. On the software front, Donaldson operates Viewstats, a social media analytics platform for fellow creators.

In 2024, Beast Industries "generated $473 million in revenue" — marking 114% year-over-year growth compared to revenue of $221 million in 2023, according to the deck. The company is forecasting revenue of $899 million in 2025.

Donaldson tends to reinvest his earnings in his businesses. MrBeast's net worth is unknown, but he said in a February 2025 interview on the "Diary Of A CEO" podcast that while he's a billionaire on paper, he has less than $1 million in his bank account. That implies that MrBeast's stake in Beast Industries comprises much of his net worth.

Bloomberg reported in February that Beast Industries was raising money at a $5 billion valuation.

Here's a closer look at the inner workings of Donaldson's burgeoning business empire.

How MrBeast got rich

Donaldson posted his first YouTube video in 2012. He now has over 380 million YouTube subscribers and, according to the pitch deck, clocked an average of 3 billion views a month. His viewership spans the globe, with 70% hailing from outside the US, he said in a March 2025 interview on the Colin and Samir YouTube channel. Accordingly, his content is dubbed into more than 40 languages.

On YouTube, creators typically make money from the ad revenue-sharing program AdSense and through brand deals. Donaldson's videos have featured integrations from brands like Yahoo Sports, Samsung, and Shopify.

In total, Donaldson's media business — including his high-budget YouTube channel as well as his Amazon series — accounted for $226 million in revenue in 2024, per the deck.

Donaldson's 10-episode "Beast Games" deal was valued at $100 million, according to the deck. The show marked Prime's biggest unscripted series launch ever, despite the fact that the production faced criticism over its safety protocols and a spate of negative press.

And at the end of the day, the show wasn't a moneymaker for the YouTuber, who said he was out tens of millions of dollars from his own pockets due to the show's costs.

MrBeast's growing business empire

Beyond YouTube, Donaldson has had varying success in the food business. MrBeast Burger, a ghost kitchen company with which he's no longer involved, spawned a legal battle with his partner in the venture, Virtual Dining Concepts.

Elsewhere, Feastables — a chocolate company that emphasizes ethical sourcing practices — appears to be thriving. It drove $215 million in net revenue in 2024, up from $96 million in 2023, per the deck. Donaldson is exploring expansions into milk and ice cream under the Feastables moniker.

Donaldson's toy business, MrBeast Lab, drove $65 million in net sales within its six months of launching, according to the pitch deck.

And he collaborated with YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI on Lunchly. The packaged lunches generated $5 million in sales in their first 11 weeks on shelves, and the brand is set to expand into 13 additional national retailers in June 2025.

MrBeast's philanthropy, investments

Philanthropy has also been a key component of Donaldson's content ethos, though those efforts have sometimes garnered controversy for MrBeast.

A separate YouTube channel exclusively dedicated to MrBeast's charity work counts over 27 million subscribers.

Previous social media-fueled charity campaigns to plant more trees and clean the oceans — dubbed #TeamTrees and #TeamSeas — raised $22 million and $32 million, respectively, according to the deck.

MrBeast's business future

Donaldson has big ambitions for Beast Industries' future: by 2029, the company is forecasting revenue of $4.8 billion.

In media, Donaldson is exploring ways to be off-camera, according to the pitch deck, including with animation. An in-house writers' room — with backgrounds in novels, gaming, comics, TV, and film — is also developing "Beast Universe" IP for licensing across toys, gaming, comics, and merch.

In the CPG space, Donaldson is exploring new product launches in three categories: health and wellness (such as vitamins, electrolytes, and protein powder), personal care (soap, lotion, creams, and ointments), and beverages.

Donaldson is also forecasting big gains for Feastables — to the tune of $375 million in net revenue in 2025.

On the software front, the deck said Donaldson is exploring a video game platform, a loyalty program offering early video access and exclusive content to subscribers, a creator platform to help other YouTubers replicate his success, and a fintech offering dubbed Beast Financial.

• AppLovin confirmed a preliminary bid in an SEC filing to buy TikTok's business outside China.
• China's ByteDance faces a Saturday deadline to divest TikTok's US operations.
• AppLovin joins a long list of suitors who have put in last-minute bids.

Adtech company AppLovin has submitted a last-minute bid to acquire TikTok's operations outside China, joining a crowded list of suitors a day before a US TikTok ban is set to take effect.

AppLovin confirmed it submitted a preliminary "indication of interest" to President Donald Trump in a Thursday SEC filing.

The company, which helps developers market and advertise their apps, said in the filing that "there can be no assurance" that a transaction involving TikTok would proceed.

It's unclear exactly how AppLovin would finance or structure a deal, given TikTok's vast scale. TikTok's US operations are estimated to have a sale value of $40 billion to $50 billion.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives has previously suggested TikTok's global valuation could exceed $100 billion, potentially reaching $200 billion if its algorithm is included in the calculation. AppLovin has a market capitalization of just over $89 billion.

The bid places AppLovin among a growing list of late-stage suitors vying for TikTok as US lawmakers push for the app's separation from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.

This week, Amazon put in a last-minute bid to buy TikTok, The New York Times reported. And on Wednesday, Reuters reported that a consortium led by OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely had submitted an intent to bid on TikTok.

They add to a flurry of other names that have been linked to buying TikTok.

Oracle has emerged as a leading contender, according to multiple reports, with a deal reportedly involving oversight of TikTok's US user data.

The YouTuber MrBeast said in January that he was part of a group making an all-cash offer for TikTok's US operations.

Other parties linked to a TikTok deal include Microsoft, Walmart, video-sharing platform Rumble, and AI startup Perplexity.

TikTok's future in the US has been uncertain since April 2024, when Congress mandated ByteDance divest TikTok's US business or face a nationwide ban. After taking office in January, Trump extended that deadline by 75 days.

The White House has been directly involved in deal talks as national security concerns remain central to negotiations.

On Wednesday, Trump introduced an effective 54% tariff rate on Chinese imports. The president told reporters on Air Force One on Thursday it gives the US "great power" to negotiate and a potential bargaining chip in a TikTok deal. On Friday, China announced a 34% tariff on all products imported from the US.

• Trump's new tariffs give China room to play the foil to the US and bolster its hold on the region.
• Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar hold great strategic value for China as it seeks to expand its influence.
• On Friday, China responded to Trump's tariffs with a 34% tariff on all goods imported from the US.

President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs are expected to cut deep against both friend and foe, but several of the nations that stand to suffer the most are right on China's doorstep.

Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar are on track to face tariff rates of 49%, 48%, and 45%, respectively.

All three have maintained close economic and political ties with China, which must itself contend with a total tariff rate of 54% — the highest out of anywhere in the world. China's response was swift: On Friday, Beijing retaliated against Trump's tariffs with a 34% tariff on all goods imported from the US.

Only Lesotho, Madagascar, and Vietnam, which the US is targeting with rates of 50%, 47%, and 46%, have to deal with a higher or equal level of import taxes.

Analysts and researchers who study the area told Business Insider the tariffs will likely push China's allies closer to Beijing, giving Chinese leader Xi Jinping an opportunity to strengthen his hold on a region that his country greatly values.

"Strategically, the US is now handing a victory to China in the US-China competition," said Vina Nadjibulla, the vice president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

"If the US is preoccupied with competing with China, it is ceding ground and losing influence by essentially making China the only possible alternative for many of these economies," she added.

The White House, US Treasury Department, and US State Department did not respond to requests for comment from BI for this story.

Is Trump punishing ties to China?

While many of the nations at the top of the tariff list hold close ties with Beijing, US allies are hit, too.

"Traditional US allies such as the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and even Australia were all subject to these tariffs," said Baogang He, a professor of international relations at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia.

Trump's rates appear to be tied to US trade deficits with each country, though the president has characterized the tariffs as reciprocal to taxes imposed by those nations.

"The rates are all about trade deficits," said Emily Kilcrease, a senior fellow who studies the US-China relationship for the Center for a New American Security.

Cambodia's export surplus to the US is worth $12.34 billion, Laos' is worth $760 million, and Myanmar's is worth $580 million.

Ian Bremmer, the founder and president of Eurasia Group, said at the World Economic Forum in January that he foresaw Trump targeting China through third-party countries that Beijing is using to manufacture goods to be shipped to the US.

"The only way the Chinese economy is succeeding right now is through their $1 trillion export surplus," Bremmer said at the time. "And so you see Trump and his team focusing a lot on Mexico, and India, and Vietnam. The other conversations they are having bilaterally, one of the top priorities is: squeeze China coming in. That's very hard for China to respond to."

Bremmer told BI on Thursday that he stands by his earlier comments.

"Absolutely. And the Chinese government has felt the same way about the United States pushing Mexico hard on getting Chinese pass-through trade out of the economy," Bremmer said.

Countries such as Mexico, Cambodia, and Vietnam have been key players in a manufacturing network known as "China+1," which emerged in response to Trump's restrictions on Chinese exports during his first administration.

To circumvent those measures, Chinese firms diversified their supply chains by sending raw materials to friendly countries and having the host nations manufacture products instead. The goods could then be exported to the US at lower costs.

China+1 at risk

Trump's tariffs will likely stifle China+1 among Beijing's close allies.

Cambodia, for example, relies largely on China+1 for its exports of clothing, sporting goods, luggage, and other products.

"Cambodia has no raw materials. All the raw materials, the supplies have to come from mainly China, even buttons or threads," said Mu Sochua, a former Cambodian minister who works in exile due to her criticism of the incumbent government.

"In a week from now, if Cambodia cannot negotiate to have the tariffs go down significantly, there will be an immediate economic crisis," she added. She added that if factories there shut down or pause production, over a million factory workers could lose their livelihoods.

Vietnam, a major base for making Chinese-partnered goods, is likely to try negotiating its 46% tariff with the US. Hanoi has asked Washington to pause the taxes and come to the table, and Trump has said he is open to discussion on his tariffs.

Beijing's opportunity

Vietnam balances its ties more evenly with the US and China, and its relationship with Beijing suffers from disputes over the South China Sea.

Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar are far deeper in China's camp.

China works closely with Myanmar's ruling junta and opposing rebel factions to maintain access to vast rare earth mineral reserves in the country's north. Myanmar is also the only geographical barrier between China and the Indian Ocean.

The Trump administration has shown little interest in extending influence over Myanmar. The US was absent from the list of parties sending aid to the country after a devastating earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28.

Meanwhile, Cambodia hosts a naval base built by China on its southern coast — an important facility that would extend China's reach into Southeast Asia and on Taiwan's flank.

Cambodia's long-ruling and iron-fisted prime minister, Hun Sen, also enjoys close personal ties with Beijing. The country's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment from BI.

Kilcrease of CNAS said the incentives for China's allies to look to Beijing are already shaping up on paper.

"We did some back-of-the-envelope math, and it appears that most countries in the world now face a higher tariff rate from the US than from China," she said. "So, yes, there is a significant risk that these countries move closer to China."

Beijing is also generally well-received in Southeast Asia, said Kristina Fong, the lead researcher on the region's economic affairs at Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

She cited a study of attitudes among over 2,000 Southeast Asians conducted by her institute in early 2025.

"56.4% of Southeast Asian respondents cited China as Southeast Asia's most influential economic power. China was the choice for all ASEAN countries," Fong said.

The ball is in China's court

In the interim, the ball is in Beijing's court, said Austin Strange, an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong's Department of Politics and Public Administration.

"China's government, at least in the short term, can make public relations gains — just as in other areas of foreign policy, such as international development — by presenting itself as a stable, reliable partner amid US foreign policy upheaval," he said.

Beijing's state media reported last weekend that its authorities agreed with South Korea and Japan to issue a joint response to any US tariffs. However, Tokyo has said its leaders simply met to share views. Seoul said reports of a team-up were "somewhat exaggerated."

"But I expect China and other economies to continue to find workarounds," Strange added. "They have, after all, had months if not longer to prepare, as Trump has consistently pledged to levy sweeping tariffs."

• For my family's first trip to Disney World, we splurged on all-inclusive packages and extras.
• We thought doing this would prevent us from having more arguments about spending.
• Instead, my husband and I acted like monsters, obsessed with getting our money's worth on the trip.

Money has always been a minefield in my marriage.

My husband compares prices on toothpaste and won't toss a tube until every last drop has been squeezed from its lifeless body. I, on the other hand, operate on, ahem, vibes.

This difference in spending styles is especially pronounced when we travel. On vacation, I don't want to agonize over whether a $17 cocktail is worth it — I just want a lychee martini in my bloodstream as soon as possible.

And, more often than not, instead of having honest discussions about vacation spending, my husband and I just avoid them.

So when we planned our first-ever Disney World trip over February break, we thought we had cracked the code: Go all-inclusive.

We booked a room at Disney's Contemporary Resort and opted for the Disney Dining Plan. The idea was that if everything was prepaid, there'd be no decisions left to argue about.

Going all-inclusive quickly turned us into theme-park economists

At first, our plan totally worked! We tapped our MagicBands without a second thought to bickering over $12 Mickey-shaped pretzels.

When our 3-year-old had a full-scale meltdown at Chef Mickey's character dinner, we didn't feel the sting of wasted money — we just laughed and accepted that oversized cartoon heads on human bodies are, objectively, the stuff of nightmares.

But while the all-inclusive plan helped us avoid fights, it also unleashed something unexpected: the unrelenting need to maximize.

Suddenly, we weren't just skipping the money bickering — we were fully committed to extracting every ounce of value from our prepaid adventure.

This is how we found ourselves at 7 p.m., dragging two very sleepy children back into Magic Kingdom because, dammit, we paid for those full-day passes.

That's also how we ended up on The Little Mermaid ride, each adult cradling a completely unconscious child, whispering to ourselves, "This is the magic."

By day two, our warped logic had fully taken over. Did we need to be there for rope-drop at Epcot after staying out late for the Magic Kindom fireworks? No. But we could, and it was included, so we must.

Ironically, the very thing meant to reduce stress drove us into full-blown vacation optimization mode.

Fortunately, there are ways to find the sweet spot for sanity

By the time we left, my husband and I were both relieved and deeply aware of our own absurdity.

Yes, the all-inclusive plan helped us avoid our usual debates over spending, but it also made us act like we were strategizing for a corporate retreat rather than enjoying a vacation.

If you and your partner approach spending differently, especially on vacations, here are a few things I've learned:

Agree to a budget ahead of time — but allow some flexibility

Before you book anything, have the hard conversations upfront and decide on a spending plan together.

If one person needs a clear budget to feel comfortable, set that one in advance. If the other (hi, it's me) wants some spontaneity, build in a little wiggle room for guilt-free indulgence.

For example, next time, we'll establish some "no-questions-asked" splurge zones so our family can chug every mug of LeFou's Brew at Gaston's Pub without thinking too much about how it's basically just apple juice with a lot of ice.

Give kids their own spending budget

Walking the parks, it's easy to go overboard every time your kid begs for yet another $35 light-up fairy wand (especially knowing you could get almost the same thing back home at the dollar store).

For our younger kids, we told them they could each pick one souvenir under $40. My friend with older children actually gives them cash to buy whatever they want within that amount. Anything they don't spend is theirs to keep.

This is a sensible way to curb impulse buys on things you know are overpriced without having to argue.

Consider prepurchasing souvenirs

Another friend takes this a step further — she buys Disney-related toys on sale before they leave, hides them in her luggage, and surprises the kids with them throughout the trip.

It's a genius compromise between splurging and budgeting.

Remember not every expense needs to be optimized and that time itself is a valuable asset

An all-inclusive package can be great if it prevents constant cost calculations, but don't let it force your schedule.

Sometimes the best use of your vacation budget is simply resting — lounging in the shade with a Frozen ice cream shaped like Olaf's head.

Time is its own kind of currency, and spending it well is just as important as spending money wisely.

Balance efficiency with actual enjoyment

Yes, Disney is expensive, and yes, you'll want to make the most of yor trip — but the goal is still to have fun, not to create a perfectly executed itinerary.

Your kids won't remember if you got your money's worth on lunch. However, they will remember if you were relaxed enough on the Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger ride to enjoy shooting that infrared laser cannon at Buzz's arch-nemesis. (And hopefully, they'll forget the expletives you uttered every time you missed).

Next time, we'll shoot for a balanced trip

On our next Disney trip — note that we need at least two to four years to recoverfrom this one — we'll aim for a middle ground.

Maybe we'll book a resort for the perks but pay for meals à la carte. Perhaps we'll accept that not conquering every ride is OK if it means we're actually soaking up moments instead of sprinting between them.

Because, in the end, the best vacation strategy isn't about spending more or less. It's about making room for the magic to happen without turning "magic" into another item on your to-do list.

… and it's about triple-checking that your "all-inclusive" includes babysitting for at least one night, so you can focus on what's really important: ditching your kids to ride Space Mountain.

After having their worst day in five years Thursday, U.S. stock markets were poised to sink again Friday, as President Trump's tariff plan and Chinese retaliation weighed on investors.

Why it matters: As opposed to Trump's first term, when sharply negative market moves often influenced him to pull back policy, the second Trump administration is taking a far less flexible stance.

By the numbers: The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were both indicated about 3% lower in pre-market trading.

• That followed a sharp sell-off in Europe, with the pan-continental Stoxx 600 down 4.6%.

Driving the news: China announced a major escalation of the trade war Friday morning, levying a 34% tariff on imports from the U.S. that will take effect on April 10.

• Market losses accelerated sharply on the news.

Context: Thursday's decline was the worst since the COVID panic of March 2020.

• The Russell 2000, considered the benchmark for small-cap stocks, is now in a "bear market," off 20% from its most recent highs.

The intrigue: The sell-off is prompting a flight to safety, with U.S. bonds and gold both rising sharply Friday morning.

Go deeper: Why the dollar is doing what it's not supposed to do

• There are so many drones over Ukraine that soldiers can be unsure which ones belong to each side.
• But a Ukrainian operator said Russia is innovating less, making some of its drones easier to beat.
• Ukraine has hundreds of companies working on drones, while Russia has a more centralized approach.

Russia is flying fewer types of drones than Ukraine, which is making them easier to recognize and defeat, a Ukrainian drone operator told Business Insider.

Dimko Zhluktenko, a drone operator with Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, told BI that when it comes to some Russian drone types, "it's very easy to identify them. They rarely make any changes to the design."

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has become a war of drone-filled skies.

Yet Ukraine is presenting a bigger variety of drone types to counter, aided by a huge domestic drone industry with hundreds of companies producing a vast range of different models and technologies.

Russia, in contrast, has focused on making bigger numbers of just a few models. While this has helped it produce them at scale, it also aids Ukrainian drone operators in identifying them and developing a sense of how to defeat them.

Hard to surprise

Zhluktenko said that Ukraine's more dispersed way of making drones means that "it is very hard for them to surprise us and it's very easy for us to surprise them."

He said Russia doesn't upgrade its drone designs very often, so it can be "very easy to identify friend/foe."

Russia's defense procurement is highly centralized, with soldiers getting material through state weapons manufacturers and Russian allies like Iran and North Korea.

Ukraine, in contrast, has hundreds of homegrown defense companies that work directly with soldiers to develop, test, and roll out gear, as well as volunteer networks that buy, alter, and develop new equipment for soldiers.

James Patton Rogers, a drone expert at the Cornell Brooks Tech Policy Institute, told BI that Russia's more centralized process means that "if there's an error with a component part, then it will be an error that spreads across systems. If there's a loophole that allows you to hack, then it spreads across all systems and makes them vulnerable."

The different varieties of drones give Ukraine some advantages, but it still has a huge challenge.

An advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told NPR last month that Russia is a few months behind Ukraine when it comes to drone innovation, but has a far larger production capacity.

The production gap means Ukraine's soldiers are still using some drones bought from Western and Chinese companies. Those can be bought by the soldiers themselves, or by crowdfunding groups.

Zhluktenko said they are needed, but typically don't perform as well as Ukrainian-made drones designed specifically for this fight.

A booming drone industry

Ukraine is making most of its drones itself. Its military said more than 96% of the 1.5 million drones it bought last year were of Ukrainian origin, and that number is set to increase in 2025.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country would make 1.4 million drones in 2024, but it's not clear if that goal was met.

Most of the drones that Russia has fired at Ukraine have been Shaheds, a type of drone given to Russia by Iran and that Russia has started making itself.

Mauro Gilli, a senior researcher in military technology at ETH Zurich, told BI that Russia "does not have the type of production, both scale and diversity, that Ukraine has."

He also said that Ukraine has been the first in the world to develop some drone tech. Ukraine's pioneering drone types have included different naval drones, and drones that can fly over 1,800 miles.

A drone war

Drones remain key to Ukraine's fightback against Russia, especially given its smaller military and population.

Zhluktenko said that in his unit's area of the front, up to 80% of hits on Russian infantry and mechanized targets are being made by drones. Ukraine also uses them to identify and launch attacks, hit Russian ships and oil refineries, and in place of weaponry like artillery.

But while Russia's approach to different drone models makes it easier, defeating them is still a struggle.

Zhluktenko said it can still be "a big problem" to recognize whose drones are whose, because there are so many flying at any given time.

Another drone operator, who spoke to BI on the condition of anonymity, said there can be so many drones in the sky that infantry can be ordered to shoot down every one they see.

Even so, they said that Ukraine's overall tactics and equipment were constantly changing toward unmanned systems, and that drones were proving "decisive."

Ukraine will be hoping it can keep this advantage.

• I thought hard work would earn me a promotion.
• However, I was continuously skipped over for promotions and larger projects at my design firm.
• A colleague told me to move my desk to be more visible in the office, and I instantly got more work.

Growing up, I was always taught that hard work pays off, so I assumed that was how the real world worked.

I worked hard in high school, earning all A's and just one B in my last semester. I got into my first choice school for college and landed every job interview up to that point. My hard work paid off.

One of my college professors then recommended me to the hiring manager for a paid internship at a design firm in Chicago while I was still in school. She had noticed my excellent work and active participation in her class.

Upon graduation, I was hired full-time at that architecture and design firm to work in the resource library. I planned to climb the ladder and land a role on the design team with the hard-work mentality that had served me well thus far.

I figured if I kept exceeding expectations, I'd be noticed and promoted. But it wasn't that easy, and one piece of career advice changed everything for me.

I kept getting passed over for a promotion

I gave my all to the role and the firm. However, I was continually passed over for larger projects and for promotions.

I kept going above and beyond, working 12- to 14-hour days to complete my duties and assisting the design teams on their projects. Yet, I still wasn't selected for a promotion outside the library.

When I asked around why I hadn't been picked for an associate position, several people thought I already was one because of all my work and accomplishments, so no one thought to nominate me. Designers I had spoken to said I hadn't done anything wrong; I just simply wasn't there in the team area when assignments were made.

Finally, an architectural principal saw me working late one evening and asked what my goal with the firm was. I told him I wanted to move out of the resource library and onto design projects full-time.

He shrugged and said three words that changed the trajectory of my career: "Move your desk."

He finally explained that people assign projects to people that are top of mind. Since I was tucked away in a remote corner of the office, I was rarely considered. I needed to move my desk to the exact area where I'd like to work so they could literally see my face.

At the time, I was an avid rule follower, so I was afraid to move my work desk without being invited, but I did it anyway.

I took my colleague's advice, and everything changed

I moved my desk to the office's main area — where I had wanted to work — and did my library work from there. Being physically present in the new workspace, I was assigned to projects I wanted to be on almost overnight.

I worked on hotels local to Michigan Ave and overseas. I was also handed a multimillion-dollar military project, for which I even got to travel.

I was getting assignments time and time again — both in the hospitality and military sectors.

Finally, I was promoted to junior designer — just a few weeks after moving my desk.

Hard work isn't always the answer

After my experience at the design firm, I learned one crucial lesson: Hard work alone isn't what gets you places. It's how you play the game; it's proactively putting yourself in places and positions you want to be in — before you're actually "there."

Unfortunately, I spent many late nights in the wrong place in the office, where no one could see my accomplishments.

My performance and results are always stellar, but I've learned I can be great without running myself into the ground.

As long as I put myself in front of people with power, I can take my career to the next level.

• I tried all the wraps and sandwiches I could find at Trader Joe's in the prepared foods section.
• I thought the tuna salad wrap was slightly lacking in flavor.
• The turkey apple cheddar sandwich would be perfect for an office lunch.

Trader Joe's is known for its varied and affordable prepared foods section.

From soups and salads to sandwiches, the grocery chain offers many choices for a quick lunch on the go.

To see which wraps and sandwiches are worth the money, I tried nine different kinds from my local Trader Joe's in Brooklyn, New York.

Some, like the chain's tarragon chicken wrap and turkey apple cheddar sandwich, would be perfect for a cheap office lunch or beach picnic. Others, like the tuna wrap, were decent, but I wouldn't reach for them again.

Here's every Trader Joe's wrap and sandwich, ranked from worst to best.

My least favorite sandwich was the tuna salad wrap.

It cost $5.49, excluding tax.

It came in a wheat tortilla with tuna salad and lettuce.

The tuna salad was moist and packed with chopped tomatoes, but it tasted flavorless, underseasoned, and bland overall.

The wrap could have benefited from other vegetables, like celery or red onion, to add more of a crunch.

Next up was the Italian-style wrap.

It cost $4.99, excluding tax.

The wrap had uncured smoked ham, provolone cheese, genoa salami, and sopressata tucked into a wheat tortilla.

The wrap came with a creamy mustard spread, which I wasn't sure how to use. I ended up dipping the sandwich into the spread as I ate, which added a sharp spiciness to the sandwich.

The meat tasted fresh. However, other than the mustard sauce, it didn't pack much flavor.

I thought the creamy hummus and vegetable wrap was a good vegetarian option.

It cost $4.99, excluding tax. I thought this was a little pricey for a meatless wrap that didn't come with a dipping sauce.

The wrap was fresh and flavorful but not very filling.

The wrap was simple, and the hummus was just as creamy as described.

The chopped carrots, cucumber, red bell pepper, and red cabbage gave it a Mediterranean flair and added flavor. Overall, however, I didn't feel completely satiated by this meatless option. I'd need a bit more than this wrap to fill me up at lunchtime.

The turkey club wrap was a tomato-flavored twist on a classic sandwich.

It cost $5.49, excluding tax.

The wrap was stuffed with turkey breast, spinach, turkey bacon, and tomato mayonnaise.

The turkey breast was moist and flavorful, and the turkey bacon added a slight smokiness. The spinach added a touch of freshness, and the tomato-flavored wrap added even more flavor to this take on a club sandwich.

However, I thought the wrap could have used a touch more mayonnaise, and the tomato flavor in the sauce didn't come through as much as I expected it to.

I also tried the turkey breast, spinach, and Swiss cheese wrap.

It cost $5.49, excluding tax.

The wrap was made with an herb and garlic tortilla.

The fresh flavor of the spinach and pungent Swiss cheese really came through, as did the honey Dijon mustard sauce. I thought the tortilla was also really flavorful.

However, other wraps from Trader Joe's delivered a more dynamic flavor profile. This wrap was undeniably tasty but just a little boring.

The grilled pesto chicken wrap landed in the middle of the pack.

It cost $5.49, excluding tax.

The wrap was made with pesto-seasoned grilled chicken, ricotta, feta cheese, zucchini, and sundried tomatoes.

This wrap was really moist and flavorful, and the nuttiness of the pesto, which came on the side, added a vibrant flavor that really impressed me.

The two different types of cheese also added a lot of moisture and flavor to the wrap. I liked the addition of the pesto sauce, which I drizzled over the top of the wrap as I was eating.

I'd definitely buy this again for an easy lunch on the go.

My third favorite sandwich was the Buffalo-style chicken wrap.

It cost $5.49, excluding tax.

This was the only Trader Joe's wrap I had tried before, so I already knew I liked it.

The wrap features chicken meat tossed in spicy Buffalo sauce, complete with diced celery in a tomato-flavored flour tortilla. It also includes a packet of blue cheese dressing.

I thought this wrap was super flavorful and had just the right amount of spice. I dipped the sandwich in the blue cheese dressing provided, which added a more savory flavor.

The wrap was moist without being soggy, and overall, it impressed me.

My second favorite was the only true sandwich in the lineup: Trader Joe's turkey apple cheddar sandwich.

It cost $4.99, excluding tax.

The sandwich is made with thick slices of turkey breast, sliced apples, cheddar cheese, arugula, and Dijon mayonnaise.

Unlike the wraps, this sandwich came served on a multigrain rustico roll.

I loved every part of this sandwich and thought it would make the perfect lunch for the office or a refreshing beachside snack in the summer.

The apple slices added a tart contrast to the savory turkey and Dijon mayonnaise, while the nutty, grainy bread tied all the flavors together.

It was also heartier and more filling than many of the wraps despite being less expensive in most cases. I thought that made this sandwich the best value by far.

The best wrap from Trader Joe's was the tarragon chicken salad wrap.

It cost $5.49, excluding tax.

The wrap was stuffed to the brim with thick chunks of chicken and romaine lettuce.

This wrap reminded me slightly of a chicken Caesar wrap but had even more flavor. The tarragon's fragrant flavor balanced out the fresh notes of the lettuce and mayonnaise, while the almonds added the ideal amount of nuttiness and crunchy texture.

It had a great depth of flavor and kept me full all day. However, it was also one of the highest-calorie wraps I tried, so keep that in mind if you're trying to cut back on your intake.

That said, based on flavor and size, I thought this wrap was great value for the money, and I'd definitely buy it again.