• "SNL" has wrapped its milestone 50th season and is set to return to screens in the fall.
• Kenan Thompson, one of the show's longest-serving cast members, has teased major changes.
• Several fan favorites have been the subject of departure rumors in recent weeks.

"Saturday Night Live" wrapped its milestone 50th season last week, with a scheduled return to screens in the fall.

But while audiences may be eager to see their cast favorites once again spoof the latest happenings in Washington, it appears that there could be a bit of a shake-up coming.

Kenan Thompson, the longest-tenured cast member in the NBC show's history, has hinted that some big changes could take place between now and next season.

Speaking to Page Six on Wednesday, Thompson described the show's recent season finale as "bittersweet."

"Especially this year where it feels like there's maybe, possibly, a lot of change next year," he said.

Thompson did not expand on what those changes may be, but there has been speculation that several popular cast members may be about to leave the show.

"You want everyone to stay forever, knowing that people may be making decisions this summer," he added.

Colin Jost, whose wife Scarlett Johansson hosted the season 50 finale episode, cracked several jokes about replacing "Saturday Night Live" boss Lorne Michaels during his latest Weekend Update. Jost began his tenure on the show as part of the writing team in 2005 and became co-anchor of the "Weekend Update" segment in 2014.

It was speculated that Michaels would be departing in the run-up to the show's 50th anniversary celebrations. The 80-year-old, however, who created the sketch comedy show in 1975 has previously addressed the rumors, telling The Hollywood Reporter in 2024 that he had no "immediate" plans to retire.

"I just know that this is kind of what I do and as long as I can keep doing it, I'll keep doing it," he said.

Elsewhere in the finale, Sarah Sherman, who joined the cast in 2021, was shown looking confused after other cast members sang a line about her leaving in a song performed during Johansson's monologue.

Bowen Yang also has left fans worried he could be saying his farewells following a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly.

"I think you get to a point at SNL where you understand that you're on the downswing of things. I think I was just processing that being one of the last 'last nights' that I would have, and that is a huge thing," he said earlier this week.

As for Thompson, who joined the cast in 2003, he said he has yet to sign a new contract for the coming season but expressed interest in returning.

"You just never know what the future holds," he told Page Six. "I don't want to be in the way of someone else."

"I don't want to be the stale old man riding the same old thing. That doesn't really happen that much at 'SNL' but there's no guarantees," he added.

Representatives for "SNL" did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Shellfish collectors in Peru make a living harvesting a special mollusk called the barquillo, a primary ingredient in a world-famous ceviche dish. But hunting the elusive seafood comes at a deadly cost.

• An older mom embraces aging, focusing on authenticity over appearances and societal pressures.
• Her experiences as a breast cancer survivor and former teacher shape her parenting approach.
• She prioritizes her children's well-being over grades and avoids overextending herself in commitments.

I'm a mom of four kids, and I'm in my mid-forties. My age becomes glaringly apparent when I'm among other parents who are assisting my youngest child's class: a group of nearly twenty-five second graders with younger parents who appear to be in their late twenties.

Aging is a beautiful thing, they say. Who are they? I'm not sure. However, I absolutely agree that getting older is a gift and, I've discovered, can be quite settling. After all, the things that younger parents are worried about no longer concern me as an "old" mom. I've lived, and I have learned.

I have no desire to keep up with appearances

What you see is what you get with me, including my physical appearance. To be frank, there are twelve-year-olds who do their makeup better than I ever could. My days are often jam-packed with appointments, drop off and pick ups, writing assignments, chores, and errands. I have very little time to care about what others think about my fashion choices and makeup — or lack thereof.

I also don't worry about how I am perceived by others. I embrace that I can be chill and comfortable some days or a Hot Mess Express on other days, all thanks to having four kids plus perimenopause.

Part of my radical acceptance also comes from the fact that I'm a two-time breast cancer survivor. I've been stripped down to almost nothing, fighting for my life, so I have a different perspective on life than many. I simply don't have the mental capacity to attempt to impress others, whether it's my educational degrees, my appearance, or even my parenting skills. Take me or leave me, just don't annoy me.

I don't sweat small stuff, like outfit choices

My new outlook on appearances extends to my kids, too. I no longer demand that they be presentable in order to please others. Gone are the days of matching sibling outfits.

Meet any teen, and you know they will wear the same sweatshirt, every day, no matter how many clothes you buy them. My second grader, within reason, can dress as she pleases, as I have learned dressing oneself is a form of self-expression and independence. It doesn't hurt anyone that her clothes are mismatched.

I focus on different things with my kids

As an older mom, I know better than to obsess over my kids' grades or sports scores. Basically, the numbers don't make the kid.

Before I became a mom, I was a college teacher. I quickly learned that how well a kid did number-wise in school turned out to have very little to do with their future success. I understand that if my children's physical, mental, and emotional health aren't in order, academics and rankings are inconsequential.

I know better than to overextend myself

There are loads of volunteer opportunities, and I don't sign up for every one. The reality is, I don't have time. The other reason is because, truthfully, I don't want to. I do not feel obligated to be busting my butt at every volunteer opportunity each of my four kids has. Instead, my husband and I split some of the duties, and we also prioritize. No, if you recall, is a complete sentence.

I let my kids figure out some things on their own

I don't summon the manager, er, principal, every single time someone calls my kid a name, because I've learned this simply isn't an emergency. Instead, I invest in teaching my kids coping skills, listening to their feelings, and offering guidance. Mama Bear does come out when something is beyond my kids' capabilities and the situation is persistently an issue, but I conserve my energy for the bigger battles and try not to sweat the small stuff.

I'm comfortable in my role

Gone are my days of wrangling little ones into strollers and frantically trying to change diapers and serve snacks. Instead, my world has changed from keeping up with babies to being the family chauffeur. It feels good to be an older and wiser parent who knows how to stay in my lane — because that's all I have the capacity for.

• "Mountainhead" is an upcoming HBO film from "Succession" creator Jesse Armstrong.
• The film was completed in April and is set to be released on May 31.
• Armstrong said he wanted audiences to see it in the same "bubble of time" as he wrote it.

"Succession" creator Jesse Armstrong has said he wanted to get his new high-stakes satire, "Mountainhead," in front of audiences as soon as possible.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at the film's premiere on Thursday, Armstrong said he was keen to write and release the film, which is his directorial debut, in the current political climate.

The turnaround time for post-production can often take months, but "Mountainhead," which finished production in April, is set to be released in theaters on May 31.

"When people see it, they'll realize it's about this world that we live in right now and the tech world changes so quickly," Armstrong said.

"I was keen to write it and for people to see it in the same sort of bubble of time," he added.

"Mountainhead" stars Steve Carrell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, and Ramy Youssef as tech billionaires — one of whom is referred to in the teaser trailer as the "richest guy in the world."

As they reunite for a wintry getaway, their planned downtime quickly turns into a nightmare as news of an international crisis that affects them — and their combined wealth — begins to unfold on their phones and TV screens.

The film is Armstrong's first release since "Succession" ended in 2023.

As of Sunday, the movie has garnered positive reviews from critics and has an 82% positive rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.

Many critics have noted the film's apparent digs at real-life tech-industry giants such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos.

In a BBC review, the author wrote that Smith's character "pointedly and unmistakably" evokes the X and Tesla owner. During one scene, Venis (Smith), the owner of a popular social media app, is seen getting a phone call from the US president.

In an interview with Newsweek, Smith downplayed the idea that he looked to the likes of Musk and Zuckerberg for inspiration in the role.

"I know there are going to be some comparisons, just by nature of the job and this status of power and wealth," he said. "But, you know, these are unique individuals born of Jesse's mind."

• A LendingTree study looked at the average annual cost of raising a small child in each US state.
• Hawaii was ranked the most expensive state to raise a child in 2025.
• On average, parents in the US spend 22.6% of their income on child-rearing costs each year.

In today's economy, luxuries like buying a mega-mansion, a sports car, or a Birkin bag might be cheaper than raising a child.

In step with rising food and housing costs, parents across America are facing the financial challenges associated with having a child.

A recent LendingTree study found that, on average, it costs US parents $297,674 to raise a child over 18 years, and they spend an average of 22.6% of their income on child-rearing costs each year.

While the costs vary by state, one factor remains constant: the rising cost of childcare during the workday, which is often the largest expense related to having a child.

"Our data from last year showed that in 45 states and DC, if you have two kids, what you pay for childcare on average exceeds [your] mortgage," said Sandra Bishop, the senior director of research for Child Care Aware of America, a national nonprofit organization focused on helping families across the country access affordable childcare.

Between LendingTree's 2023 and 2025 studies, the average annual cost of childcare rose by 51.8%, from $11,752 to $17,836.

Bishop says this isn't a new trend. Since Childcare Aware began tracking costs in 2000, the cost of childcare has remained "a major expense for families," she told Business Insider. On average, the price of childcare has increased every year that Childcare Aware has tracked it.

"[About] 70 to 80% of what it costs to provide childcare is staff costs," Bishop said. "As the cost of living goes up, so does the cost of care."

LendingTree's study, which was released in March, looked at the impact of raising a young child in categories like rent, food, and transportation by measuring the difference between costs for a two-person household and a two-person household with a child.

For day care and apparel costs, researchers examined the average annual costs that families face in each state.

To calculate the estimated costs of raising a child in every state, LendingTree used data from sources including the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics' consumer expenditure surveys, Child Care Aware of America's Price of Care report, and the IRS, among others.

Here's the annual cost of raising a young child in each state (and Washington, DC) and how each state ranks compared to the rest of the country, with 51 being the cheapest and 1 being the most expensive.

Alabama

Ranking: 49 (49th most expensive in the US and Washington, DC)

Annual cost of raising a child: $17,870

Annual day care costs: $8,771

Food costs: $1,897

In Alabama, parents spend an average of 17.1% of their income to raise a child, which is the seventh lowest percentage among all states.

The state also ranked third in the lowest day care expenses.

Alaska

Ranking: 18

Annual cost of raising a child: $24,921

Annual day care costs: $11,760

Food costs: $2,342

Alaska parents face some of the highest added costs in the country when factoring a child into their expenses. The state ranks third for extra rent and food costs each year at $4,620 and $2,342, respectively, and second for transportation costs at $3,462.

However, health insurance premiums are lower than in other states; Alaska ranks the sixth-lowest in that category, with parents spending an additional $2,486 on average each year.

Arizona

Ranking: 20

Annual cost of raising a child: $24,354

Annual day care costs: $14,040

Food costs: $1,807

Parents in Arizona might see smaller additional rent and food costs when factoring in a child, with the state ranking seventh lowest in both. Still, added costs for health insurance premiums are among the highest in the nation, ranking third, with parents spending an annual average of $4,929.

Arkansas

Ranking: 48

Annual cost of raising a child: $18,642

Annual day care costs: $8,869

Food costs: $1,735

Arkansas ranked lowest for the added cost of children's apparel to parents' expenses. The state also ranked among the lowest five for food and childcare costs.

California

Ranking: 5

Annual cost of raising a child: $30,059

Annual day care costs: $19,547

Food costs: $2,023

While parenting in California comes with a high price tag in some areas, parents also experience some areas of relief compared to other states. Per the LendingTree report, there are relatively low additional rent costs when raising a child compared to other states, and higher tax credits.

But parents in California face the highest apparel costs in the country, as well as the second-highest health insurance premiums.

The state also has the 10-highest average day care costs, according to the report.

Colorado

Ranking: 10

Annual cost of raising a child: $28,922

Annual day care costs: $19,573

Food costs: $2,035

Colorado is ranked among the top 10 most expensive states to raise a child. Parents may face higher day care costs than in other states, with the state ranking ninth highest in the country.

However, added transportation costs are more affordable in the state, with Colorado ranking sixth-lowest.

Connecticut

Ranking: 11

Annual cost of raising a child: $28,899

Annual day care costs: $17,888

Food costs: $2,111

Connecticut parents face higher costs in several areas, with the state ranking 10th highest for additional rent when factoring in a child, and eighth highest for food.

However, parents also spend a lower portion of their income on raising a child each year: 17.6% on average, the eighth-lowest in the country.

Delaware

Ranking: 23

Annual cost of raising a child: $23,804

Annual day care costs: $14,995

Food costs: $1,951

Delaware falls near the middle of the pack for the overall costs of raising a child in the US. Additional rent costs are among the lowest compared to other states, but additional expenses for food, transportation, and day care fall in the middle of all states.

District of Columbia

Ranking: 9

Annual cost of raising a child: $29,186

Annual day care costs: $25,480

Food costs: $2,378

Parents in the District of Columbia saw the biggest decrease in child-rearing costs since the 2023 study.

DC has the lowest added rent cost, at a negative difference of $4,284, where parents on average pay less than their childless peers. DC parents also face the lowest added transportation costs in the country at $1,919, and spend the lowest portion of income on raising a child at 14%.

However, DC also has the highest day care and added health insurance premiums costs in the country, and faces the second-highest added food costs, per LendingTree.

Florida

Ranking: 26

Annual cost of raising a child: $23,241

Annual day care costs: $12,639

Food costs: $2,054

While Florida parents might save on transportation, as the state ranks third-lowest with parents spending an added $2,754, they also face higher health insurance premiums, ranking seventh highest in that category.

Georgia

Ranking: 45

Annual cost of raising a child: $19,162

Annual day care costs: $11,066

Food costs: $1,921

The study found that Georgia parents spend the second-lowest portion of their income on raising a child. Some factors that contribute to this are the comparatively low added costs for rent and health insurance premiums — the state ranked within the 10 lowest in both categories.

Hawaii

Ranking: 1

Annual cost of raising a child: $36,472

Annual day care costs: $22,585

Food costs: $2,481

Hawaii is the most expensive state for raising a child in 2025, leading the list by over $3,000 in total annual costs.

Parents in the state face the highest added food costs in the country, the second-highest added rent costs, and the third-highest transportation and day care costs.

On average, parents in the state spend 25.4% of their income on the costs of raising a child, the highest share out of all states.

Idaho

Ranking: 37

Annual cost of raising a child: $21,797

Annual day care costs: $10,108

Food costs: $2,040

Parents in Idaho might face some higher costs despite having the ninth-lowest childcare costs in the country. The state ranked seventh highest for both added rent and transportation costs each year, coming in at $2,364 and $3,260, respectively.

Illinois

Ranking: 21

Annual cost of raising a child: $24,343

Annual day care costs: $16,373

Food costs: $1,965

Illinois' added rent costs for parents are relatively low; parents spend $276 more on average each year compared to their childless peers, which is the fifth lowest amount among all states.

Added transportation costs are also among the lowest in the country, ranking fourth lowest as parents spend an added $2,826 annually. Parents also spend a smaller portion of their income on raising a child than in other states, ranking ninth lowest at 17.9%.

Indiana

Ranking: 24

Annual cost of raising a child: $23,786

Annual day care costs: $13,736

Food costs: $1,731

Although parents in Indiana spend less on food — the state ranks fourth lowest at an average added cost of $1,731 each year — they also spend a larger share of their income on raising a child, coming in at 21.4%, the fifth-highest rate in the country.

Iowa

Ranking: 36

Annual cost of raising a child: $21,811

Annual day care costs: $12,168

Food costs: $1,873

Iowa parents have some of the lowest health insurance premium added costs, with the state ranking ninth lowest in the country at an average of $2,568 annually.

Kansas

Ranking: 19

Annual cost of raising a child: $24,528

Annual day care costs: $15,071

Food costs: $1,900

Kansas parents spend a higher portion of their income on raising a child than peers in other states, with the state ranking ninth highest nationwide. Parents spend an average of 20.8% on the added costs of raising a child.

Kentucky

Ranking: 46

Annual cost of raising a child: $19,149

Annual day care costs: $9,685

Food costs: $1,704

Kentucky has the lowest added cost for a child's food when compared to every other state. Parents in Kentucky also have the sixth-lowest day care expenses in the country, per LendingTree's report.

Louisiana

Ranking: 39

Annual cost of raising a child: $21,206

Annual day care costs: $10,101

Food costs: $1,855

While Louisiana parents have some of the lowest day care costs in the country, coming in at eighth-lowest, they also spend some of the highest percentages of their income on costs associated with raising children. They spend 20.6% of their paychecks on added costs.

Maine

Ranking: 32

Annual cost of raising a child: $22,061

Annual day care costs: $11,960

Food costs: $2,043

Families in Maine might see one of the bigger boosts from tax credits. The credits help parents in the state save an average of $300 each year, ranking fifth-highest in the country.

Maryland

Ranking: 4

Annual cost of raising a child: $31,601

Annual day care costs: $19,906

Food costs: $2,078

Ranked the fourth most expensive state to raise a child in, Maryland parents face higher costs across several categories, with the state ranking sixth highest for both day care costs and the added costs in rent, and 10th-highest for added food and health insurance premiums costs.

Massachusetts

Ranking: 2

Annual cost of raising a child: $33,004

Annual day care costs: $24,005

Food costs: $2,193

Ranked the most expensive state for raising a child in the continental US, Massachusetts parents face some of the highest food and childcare costs, with the state ranking fourth-highest for added food costs and second-highest for day care costs.

Even with the high price tag, parents in the state don't see a big difference in their added rent prices compared to childless peers, only paying $84 more on average, according to the report.

Michigan

Ranking: 34

Annual cost of raising a child: $21,881

Annual day care costs: $12,667

Food costs: $1,833

When compared to other states, Michigan has the eighth-lowest added food costs associated with raising a child.

Minnesota

Ranking: 6

Annual cost of raising a child: $29,891

Annual day care costs: $20,129

Food costs: $2,075

Minnesota parents face some of the highest day care costs, ranking fifth highest in the country.

They also spend a large portion of their income on raising children, spending an average of 21.3% of their income on the added costs of childrearing, the sixth highest share in the country.

However, they also benefit from tax credits, which on average save them $343 annually, the third-highest in the country.

Mississippi

Ranking: 51

Annual average cost of raising a child: $16,490

Annual average day care costs: $8,186

Average food costs: $1,783

Mississippi is the cheapest state to raise a child in 2025, having the second-lowest average day care costs and falling in the top 10 for cheapest health insurance premiums, rent, transportation, and food costs.

On average, Mississippi parents spend 17.9% of their income on raising a child each year.

Missouri

Ranking: 27

Annual cost of raising a child: $23,201

Annual day care costs: $12,907

Food costs: $1,883

Parents in Missouri have lower added health insurance premiums than parents in other states. The state ranks 10th-lowest, with parents spending an annual average of $2,649.

Montana

Ranking: 35

Annual cost of raising a child: $21,864

Annual day care costs: $11,700

Food costs: $1,918

Lacking sufficient childcare options for the number of children, the state of Montana is considered a "childcare desert," according to a January 2024 report by the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. On average, Montana parents spend $11,700 on childcare each year, according to the LendingTree study.

Nebraska

Ranking: 28

Annual cost of raising a child: $23,154

Annual day care costs: $13,000

Food costs: $1,883

Out of all metrics, rent can be the biggest expense for parents in Nebraska when compared to other states. Parents spend an extra $2,340, on average, annually on their rent when raising a child.

Nevada

Ranking: 29

Annual cost of raising a child: $23,063

Annual day care costs: $13,024

Food costs: $1,894

Nevada, one of the most urban states in the country, is also considered a childcare desert, according to a 2023 report by the Nevada Governor's Office of Workforce Innovation, due to the lack of options and the high demand for available centers. Parents in the state pay an average of $13,024 on daycare annually, according to the LendingTree study.

New Hampshire

Ranking: 12

Annual cost of raising a child: $28,338

Annual day care costs: $17,250

Food costs: $2,031

New Hampshire parents face higher housing and transportation costs than in other states, ranking fifth highest for both rent and transportation.

Still, the added costs of health insurance premiums are more affordable than in other states, ranking third lowest.

New Jersey

Ranking: 7

Annual cost of raising a child: $29,728

Annual day care costs: $19,634

Food costs: $2,068

Parents in New Jersey may also encounter higher childcare costs, with the state ranking seventh highest among all states, but transportation costs are also more affordable, ranking 10th lowest.

New Mexico

Ranking: 30

Annual cost of raising a child: $22,792

Annual day care costs: $13,521

Food costs: $1,834

While New Mexico offers some of the lowest average added costs for transportation and food, parents in the state still spend a large portion of their income on raising children, with 22.8% of their paychecks going toward the added costs of raising a child, the second highest in the country.

New York

Ranking: 8

Annual cost of raising a child: $29,327

Annual day care costs: $19,584

Food costs: $2,141

While parents in New York face some of the highest child-rearing costs, ranking sixth and eighth highest for food and childcare, respectively, they also have the second-lowest transportation added costs, falling only behind Washington, DC.

North Carolina

Ranking: 42

Annual cost of raising a child: $20,818

Annual day care costs: $12,251

Food costs: $1,908

Parents in North Carolina have the most stable prices for their child-rearing expenses, the study found. Between the 2023 and 2025 studies, the cost of raising a child over the course of 18 years in the state changed the least, going from $217,182 in 2023 to $215,461 in 2025.

North Dakota

Ranking: 17

Annual cost of raising a child: $25,834

Annual day care costs: $10,758

Food costs: $1,875

North Dakota had the second-biggest jump in total added costs from the 2023 study, up 44%. The state also has the highest added rent costs, at $5,496, and ranks ninth for transportation, as parents spend an additional $3,237.

Ohio

Ranking: 40

Annual cost of raising a child: $21,186

Annual day care costs: $12,351

Food costs: $1,867

Ohio's low total costs for raising a child each year are, in part, due to the low added costs of health insurance premiums, which rank eighth lowest in the country.

Oklahoma

Ranking: 43

Annual cost of raising a child: $20,673

Annual day care costs: $10,065

Food costs: $1,836

Oklahoma parents enjoy the 10th and seventh lowest food and day care costs, respectively, but they also spend the 10th highest added costs on transportation, with children adding an average of $3,228 to their annual transportation expenses.

Oregon

Ranking: 16

Annual cost of raising a child: $26,107

Annual day care costs: $17,680

Food costs: $2,048

Oregon saw one of the biggest total cost decreases since the 2023 study. Transportation added costs are also more affordable in Oregon than in other states, with the state ranking eighth lowest at $2,915. The state also has the lowest health insurance premiums out of all states in the country, with parents spending an additional $1,978.

Pennsylvania

Ranking: 25

Annual cost of raising a child: $23,270

Annual day care costs: $14,483

Food costs: $1,991

Parents in Pennsylvania might spend less on additional transportation costs than in other states — the state ranks ninth-lowest in the country, as parents spend an average of $2,918.

Rhode Island

Ranking: 15

Annual cost of raising a child: $26,141

Annual day care costs: $16,899

Food costs: $2,127

Added food costs for parents in Rhode Island are higher than in other states — seventh highest in the country — while the added costs of transportation are more affordable than in other states, ranking fifth lowest.

South Carolina

Ranking: 50

Annual cost of raising a child: $17,699

Annual day care costs: $9,048

Food costs: $1,842

South Carolina parents spent the third-lowest portion of their income on child-rearing expenses, at 16.1%. They also benefit from some of the lowest childcare costs in the nation; the average cost is the fifth lowest among all the states.

South Dakota

Ranking: 47

Annual cost of raising a child: $18,918

Annual day care costs: $7,862

Food costs: $1,941

Average childcare costs in South Dakota are lower than in every other state, according to the study. This contributes to parents spending 16.3% of their income to raise a child, which is the fourth-lowest in the country.

Still, the added transportation costs of having a child in the state ranked as the sixth highest in the nation.

Tennessee

Ranking: 31

Annual cost of raising a child: $22,693

Annual day care costs: $11,985

Food costs: $1,920

While parents in Tennessee have relatively low costs for most factors contributing to the total cost of raising a child, they face higher health insurance premium added costs, spending an average of $4,478 each year, the fifth highest in the country.

Texas

Ranking: 41

Annual cost of raising a child: $20,889

Annual day care costs: $11,024

Food costs: $1,711

Texas parents spend some of the lowest added food costs in the nation — the second lowest among all states. They also spend the sixth-lowest portion of their income on raising a child, with 17% of their paychecks going towards child-rearing costs. However, the added costs for health insurance premiums are the eighth highest in the country.

Utah

Ranking: 38

Annual cost of raising a child: $21,784

Annual day care costs: $11,232

Food costs: $1,849

Parents in Utah spend an average of 17% of their income on the added costs of a child, one of the lower percentages in the country. Yet transportation is one area where parents in the state might see a significant increase, with the state having the fourth-highest added costs of transportation expenses, coming in at $3,289 a year.

Vermont

Ranking: 13

Annual cost of raising a child: $27,690

Annual day care costs: $17,973

Food costs: $2,183

Parents in Vermont, which in 2022 was ranked the most rural state in the country according to census data, spend more on food, and also spend a greater share of their income on raising a child.

The state ranked fifth-highest for added food costs, and parents spend the third-highest percentage of their income on raising their children at an average of 21.8%.

However, Vermont parents also benefit from tax credits, which help them save an average of $320 annually, fourth-highest in the country.

Virginia

Ranking: 14

Annual cost of raising a child: $26,666

Annual day care costs: $16,397

Food costs: $2,013

Parents in Virginia face higher added costs for health insurance premiums than parents in other states, with the state ranking ninth highest at an average of $4,088.

Washington

Ranking: 3

Annual cost of raising a child: $32,418

Annual day care costs: $20,370

Food costs: $2,109

Parents in Washington also face higher costs in multiple areas, with the state ranking ninth-highest for added food costs and fourth-highest for childcare costs.

On average, parents in the state spend 21.5% of their income on raising a child, the fourth-highest in the country.

West Virginia

Ranking: 44

Annual cost of raising a child: $19,957

Annual day care costs: $10,140

Food costs: $1,717

While parents in West Virginia enjoy some of the lowest added food, health insurance premium, and day care costs in the nation, they also have the eighth-highest added cost of rent and spend the eighth-highest portion of their income on raising a child, at 21%.

Wisconsin

Ranking: 33

Annual cost of raising a child: $21,930

Annual day care costs: $13,572

Food costs: $1,904

Wisconsin parents benefit from having some of the lowest added health insurance premium costs when raising a child, ranking second-lowest in the category and spending an average of $2,231.

Wyoming

Ranking: 22

Annual cost of raising a child: $24,262

Annual day care costs: $11,075

Food costs: $1,917

Wyoming saw the biggest jump in childrearing costs since LendingTree's 2023 report, with an increase of 47.9%.

Parents in the state face the highest added transportation costs in the country, with an extra $3,502 on average. They also have the fourth-highest added rent costs at $3,660, and spend the seventh-highest share of their income on raising a child: 21%.

• Women have been serving in the military, officially or unofficially, since the Revolutionary War.
• Queen Elizabeth II was a military truck driver during World War II.
• "Golden Girl" Bea Arthur was one of the first members of the Marine Corps Women's Reserve.

Women have been an important part of the armed services since the beginning, with icons like Harriet Tubman participating in the Civil War. While being female in a traditionally male-dominated space hasn't always been easy, these women have still served their countries.

In 2023, the US Department of Defense reported that the percentage of women serving in active and reserve capacities was growing. In 2022, 17.5% of active-duty roles and 21.6% of the National Guard and reserves were women, up slightly from the year before, it reported, citing the 2022 Demographics Profile of the Military Community.

On Memorial Day this year, here are 12 famous women who have served in the military around the world, including Bea Arthur, Queen Elizabeth, and more.

Harriet Tubman was a military leader and Union spy during the Civil War.

Most know Harriet Tubman for her groundbreaking work with the Underground Railroad and, later, as an abolitionist, but as National Geographic reported, Tubman was also an integral part of the Civil War.

In 1863, Tubman and Colonel James Montgomery led a group of soldiers in freeing slaves from plantations in South Carolina, making Tubman the first woman in US history to lead a military expedition, according to National Geographic.

Her work continued as a spy and recruiter for the Union Army. This operation was so covert that only President Lincoln knew about it.

Tubman received compensation for her military contributions decades later, in 1899. Thomas B. Allen, the author of "Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent," called Tubman "one of the great heroines of the Civil War."

Queen Elizabeth was a military truck driver during World War II.

Queen Elizabeth was only 18 years old when she begged her father, King George VI, to take part in helping out during World War II. 

She joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service in England that same year and was known as "Second Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor," according to the National Archives.

While serving, the young queen drove military trucks and trained as a mechanic, making her, to this day, the only female member of the Royal Family to enter the armed forces. 

NASA's Eileen Collins was one of the first female pilots in the Air Force and in space.

Eileen Collins broke several barriers during her career: Not only was she NASA's first female shuttle commander, but at 23, she became the Air Force's first female flight instructor, according to the agency.

She joined the Air Force in 1978, becoming one of the first four women to go through pilot training at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma. 

She wrote in Time, "The Air Force was testing whether women could succeed as military pilots. We obviously were living in a fishbowl — everyone knew who we were, our personal business, our test scores and our flight performance. My philosophy was to be the best pilot I could be."

Her military training directly led her to test-pilot school, where she "knew" she would go on to be the first female space shuttle pilot — and succeeded in doing so.  

"Golden Girl" Bea Arthur was one of the first members of the Marine Corps Women's Reserve.

Before she was Dorothy Zbornak on "The Golden Girls," Emmy Award-winning actor Bea Arthur was a Marine.

As reported by The Daily Beast, Arthur enlisted in the Women's Reserve when she was 21 years old. She first served as a typist and truck driver. She worked her way up to staff sergeant and was honorably discharged in 1945. 

Official documents show that Arthur's supervisors thought she was "argumentative," which is not a far cry from the feisty persona she became known for on both "The Golden Girls" and "Maude."

"Stranger Things" actor Jennifer Marshall served in the US Navy for five years.

Before Jennifer Marshall scored the role of Susan Hargrove on Netflix's hit show "Stranger Things," she served in the United States Navy from ages 17 to 22. 

According to Marshall's website, during her service, she was a forklift operator, aircraft handler, and logistics specialist. She also worked for the USS Theodore Roosevelt's Sexual Assault Victim Intervention (SAVI) program. 

Marshall was awarded many honors and medals for her time in the Navy. Now, in addition to acting, she works with Pin-Ups For Vets, a nonprofit organization that aids hospitalized veterans and deployed troops.

Food Network star Sunny Anderson was in the Air Force.

Anderson, who hosts "The Kitchen," "Cooking for Real," and "Home Made in America," grew up around the military because of her parents. As an adult, she enlisted in the US Air Force as a radio broadcaster and journalist, working in Seoul, South Korea, and in San Antonio. 

"I knew that there were radio stations, television stations, newspapers, and magazines, for the military, by the military, and I wanted to be a part of that," Anderson told ABC News in 2013.

She also wanted to train in something that would be useful when she left the military.

"My transition from the Air Force started before I even got in the Air Force," she said.

Radio talk show host Robin Quivers was a captain in the Air Force.

Robin Quivers has co-hosted "The Howard Stern Show" for over 30 years, but before that, she served as a captain in the US Air Force.

Quivers got her degree in nursing from the University of Maryland and put it to use by joining the military as a second lieutenant after college. She quickly climbed the ranks, and when she was discharged in 1978, her official title was captain, according to Biography.com.

She served as a reserve in the Air Force until 1990, per military records, after which she fully pivoted to her career in radio. But Howard Stern hired her for his show in 1981, which means that Quivers — though she was "inactive" — was still technically serving while she was on the air.

Actor Zulay Henao served in the US Army for three years.

Colombian-American actor Zulay Henao has appeared on the show "Army Wives," but few know that she herself served in the US Army before becoming an actor.

Henao enlisted after completing high school and, after three years of serving, went on to enroll at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.

She previously spoke to the paparazzi about her time in the military, saying: "I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing, and I wouldn't have the perspective I have of the world, if it weren't for the Army."

Olympic medalist Shauna Rohbock was in the National Guard.

Shauna Rohbock is an Olympic bobsledder and won the silver medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. But before that, according to Team USA, Rohbock joined the Utah Army National Guard and was part of the National Guard Outstanding Athlete Program.

Olympian Amber English competed while still in the military. She won gold in women's skeet shooting at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

At her first Olympics, First Lt. Amber English took gold with an Olympic record score of 56, NBC reported. Technically not yet a veteran, she's a logistics officer and member of the Army Marksmanship Unit, according to Military.com.

After English's win, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin congratulated her on Twitter, now known as X.

"Your country is extremely proud of you today, and I'm so glad you're representing us," he wrote.

She joins an illustrious list of medal winners, both male and female, with military backgrounds.

"Wonder Woman" Gal Gadot served in the Israel Defense Forces for two years.

After Gal Gadot was crowned Miss Israel in 2004 and before she became Wonder Woman in 2017, she served her mandatory two years in the IDF. During her assignment, she worked as a "physical fitness specialist," teaching gymnastics and calisthenics to the soldiers, PopSugar reported.

Pro-Palestine groups have criticized her service, as well as her support of the Israeli military and cause in social media posts.

"I think much of it comes from ignorance and people not understanding what most people do in the army in Israel or what I did in the army during my service in the military," she told The Jakarta Post in May 2021. She added, "Being an Israeli and going to the army is an integral thing. It's something you have to do. It's mandatory."

Ruth Westheimer, better known as the sex therapist Dr. Ruth, trained as a sniper in the IDF.

Dr. Ruth was a Holocaust survivor, and after World War II ended, she moved as a teenager to what would become Israel. During her time there, she trained as a sniper due to her small size.

She told The New Yorker in 2013, "I have no idea what the experience would be if I had to show it. But I was a very good sniper."

Melina Glusac contributed to an earlier version of this story.

• The National Museum of the US Navy is located in the Washington Navy Yard, an active military base.
• Access is limited and security measures are tight, but it contains fascinating artifacts.
• Exhibits include the USS Constitution mast and part of the submersible that found the Titanic.

Before I could join a dozen others for a tour of the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, DC, I first had to pass through its heavily guarded gate.

Established in 1799, the Washington Navy Yard serves as the Navy's ceremonial and administrative center. It also houses the National Museum of the United States Navy, which opened to the public in 1963 and is the only naval museum to chronicle the Navy's history with artifacts dating from its founding to the present day.

Before we proceeded further, our guide, education specialist Mike Galloway, informed us that we were not allowed to photograph any entrances, service members, or security measures like cameras or police cars. He also emphasized that visitors could not wander around the base unattended and needed to be escorted by a guide.

"I'm responsible for you at this point, and I don't want to tackle anyone today," he said, apparently joking.

The museum, which I visited in June 2024, is in the early stages of building a more accessible space outside its tightly controlled gates. For now, it remains something of a "secret" destination.

Take a look inside the Washington Navy Yard and its museum's incredible collection of naval history.

Because the National Museum of the United States Navy is housed on an active base, access is limited.

The museum offers free tours on the second and fourth Saturday of every month, but you can't just show up. Tours need to be booked through Eventbrite or by emailing the museum at [email protected].

The base itself felt reminiscent of a college campus with brick buildings, manicured lawns, and signs advertising events.

This was my first visit to a military base, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I figured I'd see service members in uniform, but I hadn't anticipated a picnic with a petting zoo for military families or signs advertising karaoke and line dancing.

The National Museum of the United States Military is housed in Building 76, a former naval gun factory.

The National Museum of the United States Navy opened to the public in 1963, but the Washington Navy Yard has had a museum on its campus since 1865.

The museum paid tribute to its past with signage detailing the history of Building 76.

A sign on the museum floor explained that the train tracks that once led into the building were used to move manufacturing equipment and guns around the base.

The museum's centerpiece was a fighting top from the mast of the USS Constitution, the world's oldest commissioned warship that's still afloat.

The USS Constitution is docked at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston and is open to the public. Completed in 1797, the ship got the nickname "Old Ironsides" for its use during the War of 1812, according to the National Park Service.

Fighting tops were platforms used by Marine sharpshooters to fire at enemy ships during battle, our tour guide said.

The museum featured artifacts dating back to the establishment of the US Navy.

This Chinese porcelain punch bowl was made for Commodore Thomas Truxtun, who gifted a nearly identical one to his friend George Washington.

Truxtun served as the first captain of the Constellation, one of the six warships authorized by Congress as part of the Naval Act of 1794 establishing a national Navy.

Washington's bowl is on display at his historic Mount Vernon home.

A wooden figurehead from the early 19th century was believed to be modeled after King George IV.

The figurehead, which would have decorated the bow of a ship, is depicted wearing the Order of St. George and the Star of the Order of the Garter, royal traditions that are still observed today.

Modern weaponry on display included items like an atomic bomb casing similar to the one used on Nagasaki in 1945.

The atomic bomb, known as "Fat Man," featured a plutonium core. The casing weighs 10,265 pounds, according to the National Museum of Pacific War.

A Japanese Yokosuka MXY7-K1 Ohka plane used as a kamikaze suicide rocket bomb during World War II was suspended from the ceiling.

The Ohka planes were used by Japan to bomb US Navy warships, damaging the vessels and occasionally sinking them entirely, Galloway said.

The museum also displayed a Corsair fighter plane from World War II.

Armed with bombs and rockets, Corsair fighter planes targeted enemy aircraft during World War II.

The Mark 90 nuclear depth charge, developed by the Navy during the Cold War, was designed to destroy numerous Soviet submarines in one blast.

Nicknamed "Betty," the Mark 90 was part of a series of smaller nuclear weapons the US designed in the 1950s in order to dissuade the Soviet Union from attacking.

This twin-mount 38-caliber gun turret was once used to shoot down planes on the USS Reno.

Decommissioned in 1946, the USS Reno earned three battle stars during World War II, according to the Navy.

There was plenty to see, but much of the space remains under construction until the museum's new permanent home is ready.

Many of the items on display didn't have accompanying plaques explaining their historical significance. During my first lap around the museum, I walked right past the nuclear-weapon exhibits without knowing what they were. I found that touring the museum with a knowledgeable guide and asking them questions was essential for getting the most out of my visit.

The museum included exhibits about other aspects of life in the Navy, such as its connection to baseball.

Baseball has long been beloved by service members. In the 1870s, Navy ships visiting Japanese ports would play against local teams, according to the Department of Defense.

The National Museum of the United States Navy displayed World War II-era baseball paraphernalia, such as a hat and warm-up jacket worn by service members.

The sport remains popular in the US Armed Forces. Former Major League Baseball commissioner and Air Force veteran William Eckert once said, "Wherever soldiers and veterans are, baseball will be," according to a plaque in the exhibit.

In addition to displaying historic artifacts, the National Museum of the United States Navy also functions as a ceremony space.

On the morning I visited, the museum was hosting a retirement ceremony for a service member. The museum also hosts promotion ceremonies.

After we had some time to look around the museum, our tour of the Washington Navy Yard began.

Spanning 63 acres along the Anacostia River, the Washington Navy Yard was once used for the construction of ships and artillery. The river also made it a great place to grow hemp, which was used for lines in sails and other Navy equipment, Galloway said.

Today, it's largely an administrative center.

Along the sidewalk, our guide pointed out a collection of cannons captured during historic battles.

Known as "prize guns" or "trophy guns," artillery pieces captured in battle are engraved with the details of when and where they were taken.

One cannon was captured during a Civil War battle in 1861 when Confederate forces tried to shut down the riverways leading into Washington, DC, by firing cannons from bluffs outside of the capital.

"That's the great thing about guns and cannons," Galloway said. "They can actually tell a human story, as well — it's not just a piece of machinery, and it's not just a dealer of death."

We stopped at a cannon that was captured from the British during the War of 1812.

The gun, dating back to the late 18th century, was likely used by a merchantman or privateer.

An original guardhouse from the 1830s was positioned near the cannon displays.

The structure was temporarily moved to a Navy facility in Indian Head, Maryland, and sat abandoned for decades until it was restored and returned to the Washington Navy Yard.

On the way to our next stop, I took in a stunning view of Latrobe Gate, which was once the main entrance to the Washington Navy Yard.

Latrobe Gate was built by architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, who also designed the US Capitol Building. The Greek Revival structure survived the War of 1812 and remains the oldest continuously manned Marine sentry post in the US, according to Naval Support Activity Washington. Today, access to the gate is limited to the flag officers who live on base and their invited guests.

I couldn't take photos of the gate from inside the base for security reasons, so this image from the Library of Congress shows the gate as it looked in the 1980s.

Quarters B is likely the oldest building on the base, possibly dating back to the 1790s.

Quarters B housed the second officer of the Washington Navy Yard.

Next to Quarters B, obscured by the trees, was Tingey House, named for the first Commandant of the Washington Navy Yard, Captain Thomas Tingey. Also known as Quarters A or the Commandant's House, it is now the official residence of the Chief of Naval Operations.

Both structures, along with Latrobe Gate, survived the War of 1812, when Tingey commanded US forces to burn the Washington Navy Yard to prevent the British from capturing it.

Outside the historic homes, the anchor from the USS Enterprise was mounted on a platform.

According to the museum, the USS Enterprise was the first nuclear aircraft carrier in the world and took part in numerous missions and battles from 1961 until 2012.

The Enterprise tracked the first American orbital spaceflight as part of Project Mercury in 1962, helped evacuate Saigon during Operation Frequent Wind in 1975, and struck Iraqi targets during Operation Desert Fox in 1998, among others.

This Naval History and Heritage Command headquarters is where Captain Charles McVay was court-martialed after the sinking of the USS Indianapolis.

In 1945, a Japanese submarine fired torpedoes at the Indianapolis as it traveled from Guam to Leyte after delivering the atomic bomb that would later be used on Hiroshima. The ship sank 12 minutes later.

Out of 1,195 crew members, 316 survived, according to the US Naval Institute. Around 200 crew members reportedly died from shark attacks.

The ship became more well-known after its mention in the movie "Jaws," in which the character Quint recounts his experience as a survivor of the Indianapolis wreck and the gruesome shark attacks that followed.

McVay was the only Navy commander to be court-martialed for losing a ship during battle in World War II. He was widely viewed as a scapegoat, leading his conviction to be overturned by Navy Secretary James Forrestal, The New York Times reported. Still, his reputation never truly recovered. He died by suicide in 1968, and over 50 years later, Congress passed a resolution fully exonerating him.

The old Winch House, where ships were removed from the water to be repaired, has been transformed into a coffee shop.

Before steam winch engines hauled ships onto land, hundreds of sailors would manually pull them in.

The Taylor Building once housed a 470-foot wave pool used to test ship hull models.

Ships and submarines are now tested in a 12 million-gallon pool at a Navy facility called Carderock in Maryland.

"The Washington Navy Yard is oftentimes an incubator to various ideas and concepts that will become standard for the US Navy as well as some industries over time," Galloway said. "But once it gets too large for what is relatively a small footprint throughout its history, that's when you start seeing it move to places that you might know today that are better for those activities."

Building 1 is the Navy's oldest active office building.

Built in 1838 and most recently remodeled in 2006, Building 1 serves as the Commandant's Office.

We then walked to Willard Park, which displayed more notable artifacts and pieces of artillery.

Willard Park is named for Adm. Arthur Willard, who served as commandant of the Navy Yard during World War I.

A spare propeller blade from the USS Maine, which sank in Havana Harbor in 1898, paid tribute to the lost ship.

The ship's sinking was a catalyst for the Spanish-American War, during which the US obtained Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines and annexed Hawaii, according to the US Office of the Historian.

One of the coolest artifacts on the tour was the pressure sphere from the Alvin, the submersible that discovered the wreck of the Titanic.

The Titanic was discovered in 1985 — more than 70 years after the sinking — during a secret Navy mission to locate the wrecks of two nuclear submarines. The true nature of the mission only became public in 2008 when oceanographer Robert Ballard published a book about his experience.

The last stop on the tour of the Washington Navy Yard was a parking garage with an unconventional macabre history, our guide explained.

Ulric Dahlgren, a Union colonel during the Civil War and the son of Union Navy Rear Adm. John Dahlgren, was wounded in the leg during the Battle of Hagerstown following the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.

When amputation became necessary, the leg was interred with full military honors in the cornerstone of a foundry that was under construction in the Washington Navy Yard. The foundry was torn down in 1915 and, several buildings later, a parking garage now occupies the site. Dahlgren's leg was lost somewhere along the way, but a plaque on the parking garage still marks the spot where it would have been.

The National Museum of the United States Navy is absolutely worth visiting, even in its temporary home.

"The Washington Navy Yard still serves as a very important hub for the United States Navy to this day, we're just much smaller now," Galloway said. "And as you can see, the US Navy Museum is shrinking so that we can grow again so that we can better tell the story of the US Navy and the nation."

I'm looking forward to visiting the National Museum of the United States Navy again when its larger, permanent home is eventually established. In the meantime, it's still a fascinating site that pays tribute to the Navy's nearly 250-year history and provides a rare glimpse into the inner workings of a military command center.

• I traveled to Costa Rica earlier this year and learned a lot about how I'll pack for my next trip.
• There were a few things I was glad I'd thought to bring, like an extra blanket and natural soap.
• That said, an umbrella and UV-protective clothing would have made my Costa Rica trip even better.

Earlier this year, I traveled to Costa Rica for the first time.

It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited — but packing for the trip was overwhelming. I wasn't sure what to bring, what to leave at home, and what to buy when I landed.

After an incredible week and a few misadventures, I learned a lot about how to pack for my next Costa Rica trip.

There were five specific things I was glad to have in my suitcase, and three that I wish I'd brought.

I got a lot of use out of my thin, beach-friendly blanket.

Because Costa Rica is so close to the equator, I was expecting warm weather — so I wasn't sure if my extra blanket would come in handy.

However, I ended up using my soft, thin blanket as an extra towel, beach blanket, and sarong. I'll never travel without it again.

My rain jacket helped me stay dry during surprise showers.

Costa Rica is hot and sunny a lot of the time, but if your travel experience is anything like mine, you could wind up in an unexpected rainforest. As it turns out, afternoon showers are common in some areas, and especially frequent from late May through November.

I was so grateful I thought to bring a rain jacket with me, especially during a post-storm hike.

I brought hair-care products designed for humid climates.

Even when it's not raining, the humidity in Costa Rica is often high. Whenever I left an air-conditioned space, I felt as if I'd just gone swimming.

Thankfully, I had the foresight to toss some anti-humidity products, like Amika's The Shield anti-humidity spray, into my suitcase.

Using natural soap helped me feel like a respectful tourist.

While in Costa Rica, I learned that certain soaps and skincare items can bring toxins into native soil and oceans. I spent a lot of time outside, so I was relieved to have only all-natural products with me.

This is definitely information I'll keep in mind the next time I'm lucky enough to stay in the jungle, at the beach, or anywhere with outdoor bathing options.

I was glad that I'd thought to pack soothing tea and honey.

I sometimes find that travel weakens my immune system, leaving me susceptible to coughs, colds, and sinus issues.

For this reason, I packed tea bags and honey — and I was glad I did.

The combination was soothing and relaxing. I brewed myself a cup of tea every time my throat started to feel dry or I found myself getting stressed.

On the other hand, I wish I'd brought an umbrella to help me navigate Costa Rica's unpredictable weather.

Even on sunny, warm days, rain is common in Costa Rica. On day one, I noticed many locals carrying small umbrellas, which they also used as parasols to protect themselves from the sun's heat.

My rain jacket helped me stay dry, but I wish I'd brought a small pocket-sized umbrella to protect myself from both the sun and rain.

A bandana would have been a game changer for my hikes and outdoor adventures.

Being out in the wild — or even just on the patio — prompted me to work up a sweat. Plus, some of the local roads were dusty. I often found myself wishing I could cover my face or wipe my sweaty brow.

Next time I travel to Costa Rica, I'll definitely bring a bandana to wear around my neck or as a headband.

In the future, I'll be sure to pack lots of clothing to protect myself from UV rays.

Although I stocked up on hats and reef-safe sunscreen before my Costa Rican adventure, I didn't consider certain UV-protective clothing items. I wish I'd brought some long-sleeve shirts, as well as tank tops, bralettes, pants, or swimwear designed for UV protection.

My next trip will likely incorporate more outdoor activities like kayaking, paddleboarding, and hiking, so I definitely plan to stock up on these items for sun protection.

• During my first pregnancy, I was set on only buying high-quality items and clothing for my baby.
• After I gave birth, I realized kids are messy, and it was impractical to always buy new clothing.
• I now shop secondhand and attend therapy to heal my inner child.

When I became pregnant with my first kid back in 2019, I was set on only buying new clothes for her. It had to be clothing made with the Earth in mind and of the highest quality — sustainably-sourced materials and 100% cotton.

My babylist consisted of pricey garments, mimicking that of any momfluencer's list of newborn must-haves, a point of pride for someone raised on welfare.

I wanted my daughter to have the life and childhood I couldn't have growing up, and I thought expensive clothing would give her just that. I was wrong.

Growing up, I knew that 'free' came with a price: shame

My mother was 16 and my father was 18 when they wed at the courthouse, and, a year later, they had me. Because of their lack of experience and education, we lived paycheck to paycheck and had regular appointments at Social Services or the Health Department.

On rare occasions — like my birthday, Easter, or Christmas — I received a new dress and "church" shoes. I would bathe in the outfit's new smell, floral patterns, and crisp fabrics, stealing away whiffs of the department store from whence they came and trying on the get-up in a full-length mirror.

As our family grew from three to seven, my siblings and I received less and less new clothing. I don't remember us complaining much, but I do remember thinking in adolescence how I'd start working as soon as I could, so that I could buy the clothes that I wanted without burdening my parents.

I started working at 14 at a Greek family restaurant across the street from my high school. After my first paycheck, I took myself to the mall and bought a brand new pair of jeans and a T-shirt that were on sale at Hollister.

From that point on, I became unstoppable, working up to four jobs at a time while I pursued undergraduate and graduate degrees. In 2009, I got married and moved away from home to earn a better living. Although it pained me to leave my family behind, I felt powerful knowing that I'd halted the cycle of poverty.

And when I had my kids, I wanted to assuage any mom guilt by keeping my kids out of poverty.

Becoming a mother opened old childhood wounds

When I became a mother at the height of COVID in Manhattan, I hadn't anticipated the dramatic shift in identity that I felt in postpartum. With every cry, feed, or wake of my baby, buried childhood wounds began to surface, and I realized that I could no longer ignore their existence. I had to confront them in order to be the mother that I wanted to be.

The standards I had set for my baby, my husband, and myself were too high. Over time, I quickly realized the impracticality of buying new clothes, new toys — new everything — for my daughter.

By her first birthday, my mindset had radically shifted. Kids are messy. They destroy their garments from daily play, so my own emotional need to purchase expensive clothing for my child became an absurd and unreasonable habit, particularly as a stay-at-home mother who was no longer an active contributor to our household income.

Painstakingly, I learned what I really needed to do was to work on healing my inner child. This actualization occurred after I gave birth to my second daughter, 20 months after I had my first. It was when I found myself home with two under 2 and what seemed like a never-ending factory line of rolling tasks that I did the hard work of finding the right therapist.

I allowed myself to buy used clothing for my kids

While I set out on my own healing journey, I started my search for gently used clothing and shoes at secondhand stores, just like my mom did when I was a kid.

I discovered local shops that carried the brands that I'd once gawked over via social media ads and began visiting these stores regularly. I'd often find pieces in my daughters' sizes (or a size or two above) at more than half the price of retail.

My daughters are now 3 and 5, and I still almost exclusively shop at these stores, and even encourage my children's grandparents to do the same.

Without a doubt, therapy has been pivotal in maintaining my emotional well-being and has helped me become a more clear-headed, less self-critical mother.

I've also learned that it's OK to alter the original plan. It doesn't mean that I'm a failure of a mother, and it doesn't mean that my mom was a failure either. It shows that I'm still learning and that my mom was making the best choices she could given her difficult situation.

• Russia's drone attacks have become more complex and difficult to defend against.
• A Ukrainian team leader overseeing a mobile air defense unit said the drones fly faster and higher.
• He said his unit needs shoulder-launched missiles in addition to the machine guns it has been using.

Russia's drone attacks are becoming increasingly complex, with enemy threats becoming harder to kill, the team leader for a Ukrainian mobile air defense unit told Business Insider. He said higher-reaching weapons are needed to beat them.

Oleksiy, the deputy commander of an air defense unit with Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, said Russia's drone tactics have changed over the last few months; it is now operating drones at higher altitudes and using modified ones that can fly faster. This presents a challenge for air defenders, particularly those armed only with pickup truck-mounted machine guns.

At the heart of Russia's drone attacks is the Shahed-136, an Iranian-designed weapon that Moscow now also produces at home. Historically, these one-way attack drones could fly at speeds of over 115 mph with a nearly 90-pound explosive warhead.

Though the Shaheds are slower and less lethal than cruise or ballistic missiles, they are significantly cheaper, allowing Russia to launch them in large-scale attacks. Last weekend, for instance, Moscow sent 273 of them into Ukraine, marking one of its largest drone attacks since Russia launched its full-scale invasion over three years ago.

Oleksiy, whose unit is tasked with protecting civilians and critical infrastructure on the outskirts of Kyiv, said that Russia still operates the conventional Shaheds. But Moscow is now using a modified version with an engine that enables it to travel at speeds of over 180 mph. It has also increased the explosive payloads of the old and new drones to more than double the original.

Russia is using decoy drones, too. These don't have warheads but are designed to exhaust Ukraine's air defenses because they look convincing, appearing just as deadly as the real thing. And while they are unarmed, these drones can perform long-distance reconnaissance missions.

Russia used to launch its Shaheds at low altitudes to avoid radar detection. However, it is now flying the drones higher, at over 8,000 feet — beyond the reach of the machine guns that the mobile units are using. BI previously observed Oleksiy's unit fielding a .50 caliber M2 Browning mounted in the bed of a truck.

Oleksiy said that this newer tactic makes the Shaheds inaccessible to mobile fire groups like his — all they can do is observe them and report back. These loitering munitions can then gather in a specific area and simultaneously strike targets. He said that while the Ukrainians can still shoot them down, the kill figures "have begun to decrease."

Russia's defense ministry and its embassy in the US did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the change in tactics described to BI.

In a February intelligence update, Britain's defense ministry wrote that Russia could likely launch at least 2,000 drones each month for the entire year. On Saturday night alone, it attacked Ukraine with almost 300 drones, Kyiv said.

"To overcome this altitude barrier and stably engage drones with firepower, mobile groups need to use additional weapons," like shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles, or MANPADS, Oleksiy said.

MANPADS stands for Man-Portable Air Defense Systems. In Ukraine, common examples are the American-made FIM-92 Stinger or Soviet-era 9K38 Igla. These are typically used to shoot down threats like low-flying aircraft, such as helicopters, and even cruise missiles.

"Right now, there is a shortage of inexpensive, hand-held MANPADS systems to shoot down drones," Oleksiy explained. "The military is ready to undergo a rapid course in MANPADS operation and use this means of destruction when it is impossible to do so with machine guns."

He said that a combined-arms approach to destroying drones, like using portable missile launchers in tandem with machine guns, would strengthen Ukraine's ability to defend itself.

"If our unit were additionally equipped with a manual MANPADS," he said, "the effectiveness of destroying air targets would increase by twofold."

• Fashion missteps have been notable at major events in 2025, like the Cannes Film Festival.
• Jamie Lee Curtis, for example, wore too many feathers at this year's SAG Awards.
• Alexander Skarsgård, on the other hand, wore a strange pair of boots in Cannes.

We need to talk about the red-carpet duds of 2025.

Sure, we're only five months into this year, but there have been plenty of fashion mistakes at major events so far.

Jamie Lee Curtis, for example, pushed feathers to their limit at the SAG Awards, and Alexander Skarsgård wore a truly ridiculous pair of boots in Cannes.

Sadly, they're not alone. Here's a look at those outfits and other style moments that disappointed in 2025.

Melissa McCarthy should have picked a different outfit for the Golden Globes in January.

She walked the Golden Globes red carpet on January 5 in a hot-pink jumpsuit with long sleeves. It also had a V-shaped neckline, a thick waist panel, and wide-legged pants. The actor sported a massive ruffled cape on top.

McCarthy was overwhelmed by the Christian Siriano look. A simpler gown in a lighter shade of pink would have suited her much better.

There were too many feathers attached to the bolero Jamie Lee Curtis wore at the SAG Awards.

Unfortunately, she was one of the stars who missed the mark with her fashion at the February 23 event. Her feathered top was so thick that it covered her entire neck and created an unflattering silhouette.

Her Dolce & Gabbana dress was much better, with a form-fitting shape and all-over sparkles. Still, the outerwear distracted from her gown.

The Oscars saw a fashion mishap from H.E.R.

The musician walked the Oscars red carpet on March 2 in a custom Ralph Lauren ball gown. Though it had some potential, its various features ultimately clashed and created a messy look.

Its sparkling, strapless top would have suited a prom dress, while its full skirt with a raw hem looked messy and incomplete. Her brown belt also looked much more casual than her layered diamond necklaces.

Jeremy Pope's leather ensemble at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party looked silly, not fashionable.

His black catsuit had floor-length trousers, a loose-fitting top covering half his torso, and a neckline extending into a scarf wrapped around the bottom of his face.

The outfit fit him poorly, looked a bit odd, and landed him on the night's worst-dressed list.

Blake Lively wore a dated look to promote a new movie at SXSW on March 7.

Latex had a moment in the late 2010s, but it's long passed. So it was confusing to see Lively in a tan-colored dress made from the stretchy material at the premiere of "Another Simple Favor."

The Renée Masoomian garment was strapless with a structured bodice and a lace-embellished skirt. It also featured a latex overcoat that Lively wore at the start of her appearance.

The silver dress Katy Perry wore in April needed a few tweaks.

She arrived at the Breakthrough Prize ceremony in a sequinned Gaurav Gupta gown.

Though the color and sparkling material suited the musician, its shape and accessories did not.

The visible mesh that held its bodice together distracted from its unique shape, and its matching headpiece appeared too tight to fit Perry comfortably.

Ed Sheeran also made a fashion mistake that month.

For the Time 100 Gala on April 24, Sheeran sported a Tom Ford suit that was tailored perfectly.

However, its pale-pink color washed him out, and the white T-shirt he wore beneath his blazer was too bland. A darker fabric could have improved his suit, especially if paired with a button-down top.

Nicole Kidman's black ensemble at the Academy of Country Music Awards was missing something.

She attended the event on May 8 in a black one-piece from Monse. The sleeveless garment had a leather bodice and wide-leg trousers with an asymmetrical skirt draped on top.

The outfit was cool, but not accessorized to its full potential. It would've been fun to see Kidman wear it with an updo hairstyle, smoky eye makeup, and a bit of silver jewelry.

Gustav Magnar Witzøe could've used fewer layers at the 2025 Met Gala.

Witzøe might've been one of the few billionaires at the 2025 Met Gala, but he was also one of the worst-dressed.

The Norwegian billionaire wore a white suit from Todd Patrick, an overcoat seemingly made from latex, multiple necklaces, a wide-brimmed hat, and Tabi boots.

He also carried a see-through briefcase filled with vibrant red roses, which looked dramatic and made the outfit look more like a costume.

Hailey Bieber didn't seem to put much effort into her ensemble for the Met Gala.

Saint Laurent custom-made her black blazer dress, which she wore with sheer tights and diamond jewelry.

The glamour of those accessories clashed strongly with her edgy choice of shoes: a platform pair of leather, open-toed heels.

Overall, though, the outfit was too simple and didn't match the night's theme, which honored Black dandyism and menswear.

Heidi Klum's dress at the Cannes Film Festival had a few issues.

She wore a pearlescent dress from Elie Saab, which had off-the-shoulder straps and a mix of blue and purple sequins from top to bottom.

Though the color choice was fun, the gown's mermaid shape and see-through stripes made it look cheap.

It wasn't her best look on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet this year.

Alexander Skarsgård should've reconsidered his shoe choice for the French event.

He was photographed on the Cannes red carpet wearing a Saint Laurent tux and his trousers tucked into thigh-high leather boots.

The fashion house first revealed the shoe style during its January runway show, where the design looked somewhat interesting. On a red carpet, though, they mostly looked ridiculous.

• Norwegian Cruise Line's latest ship, Norwegian Aqua, is great for both families and lone cruisers.
• The ship has 93 single-person cabins and plenty of solo-friendly amenities.
• The cruise line has been championing the solo cruise boom.

Sailing alone on a giant cruise ship doesn't have to feel like a socially isolating act of family vacation defiance.

In fact, Norwegian's latest vessel wants you to go solo.

The 4,482-guest Norwegian Aqua prides itself on being a floating resort for families to lounge together, be it the daybeds littered over the infinity pools or the plush group seating near the Metropolitan bar's live pianist.

However, if you look closely, you'll notice there are as many options — if not more — for people going alone.

After all, the adrenaline-pumping 10-floor dry slide can only accommodate one rider at a time.

There's one sure sign Norwegian is vying for solo cruisers: Its new ship has 93 single-person cabins.

Cruise lines compensate for lost revenue on double-occupancy cabins by slapping an often hefty "single supplement" fee on solo cruisers' fares.

To bypass this, look for specially designated single traveler cabins.

There are 73 of these 94-square-foot, windowless rooms.

These relatively small and affordable cabins start at $1,880 for a weeklong Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida, this summer — which is about $600 cheaper than a standard inside cabin with the supplementary fee.

There's no room for a living room.

For that, go to the Studio Lounge, a large social space exclusive to these solo sailors. However, like their cabin counterparts, you won't find any natural light down here.

If you'd rather loaf under the sun, you could pay for Vibe Beach Club.

Norwegian's latest ship has plenty of complimentary lounges, both bar and poolside.

If you want a child-free laze, you could pay $270 for a seven-day pass to the adult-only Vibe Beach Club.

However, you are on a kid-friendly cruise with a surplus of catered facilities.

So if you can't beat them, join them.

Most of these family amenities are also secretly great for solitary travelers (minus the cluster of outdoor activities at the Stadium, unless you can finesse playing "beer" pong and shuffleboard alone).

No need to ride the Aqua Slidecoaster with a stranger.

I've been on plenty of solo cruises for work, so I understand the hate for waterslides that require two riders. (You're telling me I have to share my raft with a random kid?!)

Thankfully, Norwegian Aqua's hybrid waterslide-roller coaster accommodates single and double riders. Plus, riding alone means no one has to hear you shriek when the robot arm launches you upward of 31 miles per hour into the waterslide.

The multi-purpose, LED-lit sports court can accommodate several players.

Or, you're welcome to go alone if you don't want to bicker over the activity of choice.

The same goes for the arcade's two-lane bowling alley — so long as you're OK with an audience of children pausing their virtual reality games to judge your performance — and the mini-golf course, which automatically tracks your putts-per-hole.

No need to fear eating in solitude.

The ship has 15 dining options, half of which are complimentary. These include the familiar cruise buffet, two main dining rooms, and American pub grub from Local Bar and Grill.

I recommend trying Indulge Food Hall.

The food hall has 10 varied stalls, from Indian to Spanish tapas to Texan barbecue.

Don't let decision paralysis stop you from living your lunch dreams.

The portions are relatively small, so you don't need to eat family-style to try multiple dishes. Plus, there are plenty of communal tables that make eating alone feel casual.

Grab a snack at the Observation Lounge.

Most guests go there to enjoy a quiet cocktail with ocean views. However, the lounge has an underrated feature: a tiny café-like buffet with small bites such as Brie sandwiches and cookies.

Grab a quiche and a soft leather seat for a relaxing mid-day solitude snack. Or, if you're feeling chattier, sit at one of the couches and strike up a conversation with your seatmate.

Going to the theater doesn't have to feel like a socially isolating experience.

"Revolution: A Celebration of Prince" could be the most engaging show you'll go to alone.

You could grab a seat on the upper decks, but I recommend heading to the bottom, standing room-only floor.

Small, lilypad-like stages move throughout the performance to create an ever-changing set, corralling the standing viewers while providing plenty of room to sing, dance, mingle, and mix along to the Prince cover songs.

It'll feel more like a concert than a traditional seated show, although there are plenty of those if you prefer.

None of the other theater shows are interactive, save for "The Price is Right Live."

"Elements: The World Expanded" is Norwegian's Cirque du Soleil dupe, while "Syd Norman's Presents: Rumours" is another cover show showcasing Fleetwood Mac's magnum opus album.

Or, if you really hate going without company, make friends at the Studio Lounge and drag them with you. Dancing to Prince with your new chums will surely make for a memorable solo vacation.

• This post originally appeared in the BI Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Welcome back to our Sunday edition, where we round up some of our top stories and take you inside our newsroom. This week, BI's Polly Thompson took an inside look at how artificial intelligence is set to upend a pillar of the white-collar world: the Big Four.

On the agenda today:

• Many millennials face a cursed inheritance with their parents' homes.
• Internal memos reveal how an ex-Facebook exec leads Microsoft's new AI unit.
• Losing faith in the ROI of college, Gen Z is pivoting to blue-collar jobs.
• Wall Street bigwigs are questioning the safety of government bonds. Now what?

But first: Tesla's robotaxis are taking the wheel.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Business Insider's app here.

This week's dispatch

Tesla's big bet

I remain in awe of self-driving cars.

I took my first Waymo earlier this year in San Francisco. Like any newbie, I immediately pulled out my phone, recorded the ride, and then gleefully shared videos with friends and family.

The market for robotaxis is well beyond the shock and awe phase. For Tesla, the stakes are high to get it right.

The EV maker's long-awaited autonomous ride-hailing service is expected to debut next month in Austin. It will join Waymo, owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, which is already entrenched in San Francisco and expanding into other cities.

My BI colleagues Lloyd Lee and Alistair Barr tried to see which company offers the better self-driving experience: Tesla or Waymo. They test drove both, expecting the results of their not-so-scientific test to come down to minute details. (They couldn't compare the robotaxi services because Tesla hasn't launched its yet).

The results surprised them.

While the rides were mostly similar, the differentiator was Tesla running a red light at a complex intersection. It was an error too big to overlook. Waymo won the test.

Lloyd and Alistair's story ricocheted around the internet and social media. On Tuesday, CNBC's David Faber pressed Tesla CEO Elon Musk about it, particularly the Tesla running a red light.

Musk didn't address specific details in BI's reporting. Instead, he said Tesla's robotaxis will be "geo-fenced" — meaning they will avoid some intersections and certain parts of Austin.

Waymo already uses geo-fencing. Its car avoided the intersection where the Tesla ran the red light, instead taking a route that was farther away and less time-efficient but perhaps safer to navigate, according to the BI story.

Tesla's robotaxi plans come at a critical time for a brand that's taken a hit from Musk's work with the Trump administration. Overseas competition is also ramping up, and prices for used Teslas, including Cybertrucks, are falling.

The excitement around the robotaxis is helping, though. Tesla's stock has risen about 40% since Musk talked up the robotaxi last month and signaled he was re-committing to Tesla and stepping back from DOGE.

We'll stay all over this coverage for you, including the big debut.

The new millennial home dilemma

Millennials are set to benefit from a massive wealth transfer from their boomer parents, most of which is held up in real estate.

But because boomers tend to stay in their homes for decades, many children will inherit properties in need of some serious TLC.

There's an entire industry designed to help.

Microsoft's "age of AI agents"

CEO Satya Nadella recently tapped Jay Parikh, formerly Facebook's global head of engineering, to spearhead Microsoft's new AI unit, CoreAI. BI viewed internal memos to get a glimpse of Parikh's vision and progress.

Parikh is focusing on cultural shifts, operational improvements, and customer experience as he leads Microsoft into a new era.

He has plans for an AI "agent factory."

From PowerPoint to plumbing

AI is decimating jobs, and the cost of college is ever-rising. Gen Zers are losing faith in the ROI of a degree, but they've got another option: the trades.

White-collar jobs are stagnating, but fields like plumbing, construction, and electrical work are projected to grow. Blue-collar jobs offer a work-life balance and a path to becoming your own boss.

Plus, some of them pay six figures.

The shaky bond market

Bonds have always been viewed as a safe haven, especially ones backed by the US government. But concerns over the growing deficit are changing investors' perspective on the asset.

KKR has cast doubt over bonds, and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has been vocal about US credit being a "bad risk." Here's what investors have to think about amid the turmoil.

Not so safe and sound.

Also read:

• Return of the "bond vigilantes": Spiking yields show investors are getting worried about government debt
• Forget "Sell America": Morgan Stanley makes the case for US stocks and bonds to dominate global markets

This week's quote:

"But if you want one of these jobs, you've got to play the game."

— A recent graduate who moved to New York City early to be in a good position for the private-equity recruiting process.

More of this week's top reads:

• Duolingo drama underscores the new corporate balancing act on AI hype.
• Elon Musk went on a media blitz. Here are five takeaways from his interviews.
• See inside the luxurious Boeing 747 Qatar is giving to Trump to serve as Air Force One.
• Instagram head Adam Mosseri on the "paradigm shift" from posting in public to sharing in private.
• Four reasons Walmart is raising prices and Home Depot isn't.
• Please, Jony Ive, I beg you not to make a voice device.
• Meet the Yale student and hacker moonlighting as a cybersecurity watchdog.
• Inside the little-known perks that come from a stock exchange "bake-off."

• Why these Americans agree with the DOGE firings: "Welcome to the real world."

  ---

  The BI Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago.

• North Korea has detained three officials following a failed warship launch, state media reported.
• The ship was partially "crushed" after attempting to launch earlier this week.
• Satellite images showed the capsized destroyer covered by blue tarps at North Korea's Chongjin port.

North Korea has detained three shipyard officials following a failed warship launch that saw a new 5,000-ton destroyer partially "crushed" at the northern port of Chongjin on Wednesday, state media reported.

Pyongyang's KCNA news agency said an investigation into the incident was intensifying and that Chongjin shipyard's chief engineer, the head of the hull construction, and the deputy manager for administrative affairs had been detained by law enforcement.

The agency had reported on Thursday that a "serious accident" took place during a launch ceremony for the ship, which is believed to be from the Choe Hyon class of destroyers.

The problem was said to have occurred after a loss of balance while the ship was being launched, with KCNA also blaming "inexperienced command and operational carelessness."

Satellite images of the Chongjin port taken after the incident showed the destroyer on its side and covered in blue tarps, still partially resting on the pier.

KCNA said Thursday that some parts of the warship's bottom had been "crushed" in the incident.

In an update Friday, it said that no holes had been identified on the ship's bottom but that "the hull starboard was scratched and a certain amount of seawater flowed into the stern section." On Sunday, the agency reported that no additional damage to the warship had been found.

North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong Un called the failed launch a "criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism," per KCNA.

He added that those responsible for the error would need to be "dealt with" at a party meeting next month.

• Mike Nay bought his first claw machine during the pandemic to pass the time.
• Once he had the strategy down and arcades reopened, he was winning hundreds of plushies.
• He learned that he could make a profit from reselling them and has earned over $40,000 in sales, so far.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mike Nay, a claw machine expert and plush reseller. It has been edited for length and clarity.

What started as a pandemic hobby — messing around with a couple of claw machines I bought online — turned into a side hustle that's earned me over $40,000 in sales, so far.

I source exclusive plush toys from arcade claw machines and resell them online through platforms like Mercari, eBay, and Poshmark.

I sell between three and five plush dolls per day, averaging $20 per sale. However, I've sold more exclusive, collectible plushies for as much as $200.

How I got started, and where the money is

When I first got into claw machines, I wasn't thinking about revenue. I just wanted a fun distraction during lockdown.

I bought my first claw machine from Alibaba for around $800, filled it with plush toys I won at arcades, and started learning all the tricks.

People assume claw machines are all rigged or based on chance, but there's real strategy involved. I study the geometry of the plush, where it's positioned, the weight distribution, and the claw type. Each machine has different settings — operators can control the claw's grip strength and how often it actually pays out.

Once lockdown restrictions lifted, I was back in the arcade, winning dozens of plushies that were taking up a lot of my shelf space. That's around the time I realized there was a lot of good resale value for these toys.

At first, I listed a few on Mercari, which sold within hours. Once I noticed consistent demand, especially for Japan-exclusive plushies, I started to ramp up my sales.

I've sold over 3,000 plush toys. Most costs me between $3 and $7 to win at arcades in chains like Round1 and Dave & Buster's. If I sell that item for $15 to $25, the ROI is significant, especially when I can win several in a single session.

My average arcade session costs between $150 and $200

I usually walk into an arcade with $150 to $200 in arcade credits and come out with two large laundry bags full of toys. If the machines are paying out well, that haul can net me between $300 and $500 in resale value.

On great days, I'll invest $400 to $500 in credits and earn between $1,000 and $1,500 in sales.

I've trained myself to identify machines that are likely to pay out quickly. That way, I don't waste money on poor setups or high-difficulty wins.

I don't typically pursue machines with a one-in-30 win ratio. I target the ones where I can usually scoop a prize in under five tries.

I run market research like any online seller

Before I head to the arcade, I check sold listings on eBay and Mercari to see what's trending. I follow other plush resellers online and stay active in Reddit communities where fans post about new arcade drops.

Some plushies — like Round1 exclusives or limited-edition anime collabs — are highly collectible. I also closely track plush with cultural relevance, like any anime that has a new popular movie coming out. When I see those in machines, I'll spend more aggressively to grab them, because I know they'll move fast online.

I treat my inventory like a retail business

At home, I have a dedicated room, which I call the ar-cave (short for arcade-cave), where I have about 500 plushies that I've sorted in plastic bags by category: Pokémon, anime, holiday, video game, Squishmallows, etc.

I also donate excess inventory to charities, especially around the holidays. If I win 10 plush in one session and can only sell six, I'll donate the rest. I've donated over 1,000 toys. It's good for the community and helps manage space.

My long-term goal is to open a claw machine arcade

The business has grown beyond what I expected. Between selling plush, running a TikTok channel called "ArcadeFriends," and getting recognized at arcades, this is now a meaningful part of my life and income.

Eventually, I want to open my own arcade and stock it with curated plushies I know people love. I'll also set the machines so people can actually win.

Until then, I'll keep running my plush side hustle, one claw at a time.

Do you have a story to share about profitable side hustles? Contact the editor at [email protected].

This story was adapted from Mike Nay's interview for Business Insider's series, "Big Business." Learn more about Nay and others' toy businesses in the video below:

• Taylor Swift wrapped her $2 billion Eras Tour last year and is taking a break between album releases.
• Critics and Swifties alike have questioned her hiatus, fueling work-life balance debates.
• President Donald Trump even recently said Taylor Swift is "no longer 'hot,'" meaning popular.

Last month, I was browsing a newsstand's magazine selection when the headline on an Us Weekly cover featuring Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce embracing made me laugh out loud: "Why Did They Disappear?"

I sent a photo of the cover to my friend, a fellow Swiftie, with a snarky caption: "No one can take time off anymore without getting pinged."

The explanations for the couple's low profile seemed so obvious: Kelce is a football player in the NFL's offseason, while last year, Swift released her 11th blockbuster album, "The Tortured Poets Department," and wrapped the cross-continental Eras Tour that grossed over $2 billion. One would think that would set her up nicely for a worry-free vacation, even in this economy.

Instead, Swifties are documenting each day that passes without a new Instagram post (163 as of writing) like Tom Hanks carving tally marks in "Cast Away." This week, Swift simply liking a post on TikTok was framed as a major development and "social media comeback." Meanwhile, WNBA star Caitlin Clark — who has publicly hung out with Swift exactly once — was asked to account for the singer's low profile. (Clark replied that Swift and Kelce are in "vacation mode.") Even President Donald Trump got in on the action, proudly suggesting on Truth Social on May 16 that his previous post about hating Swift was the reason she is "no longer HOT."

The point I'd first made as a joke was starting to feel more literal. Could the public's attitude toward Swift and Kelce's brief, deserved retreat from the spotlight be a canary in the coal mine? Is the era of protecting work-life balance already over?

Taylor Swift is famously hard-working — but fans are still demanding more

In the past few years, corporate workers have proudly extolled the benefits of "quiet quitting," "gentle Fridays," and leaving six-figure tech jobs due to burnout. Meanwhile, Gen Z has led the charge in asserting their right to use allocated vacation and sick days without fear of being perceived as lazy or undedicated.

Swift — a self-described proud millennial, for the record — aligns more closely with the baby-boomer ethos. In a song from her latest album, she sings, "I cry a lot but I am so productive / It's an art." Those are not the words of a woman taking spontaneous mental health days. In fact, Swift is renowned for rarely canceling her concerts as long as she can avoid it, often performing in extreme heat or pouring rain.

One might assume that in 2025, Swifties would celebrate their idol finally taking a break after spending hundreds of hours onstage over the past two years. Instead, speculation about when Swift's next album might arrive intensifies by the day. As many pop-culture update accounts have noted, this is Swift's longest online hiatus since 2017, when she withdrew from the public eye ahead of releasing "Reputation." On April 26, a fan wrote on X, "4 months without the eras tour and taylor is nowhere to be found," paired with a gif of a hospital patient collapsing.

Us Weekly isn't the only publication demanding answers about Swift and Kelce's not-so-mysterious "hiatus." Page Six published the headline, "Why Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have suddenly disappeared from the limelight." The tabloid is also running live updates about the singer's supposed movements, mostly fueled by anonymous sources and X posts from Taylor Nation, the social media arm of her PR team.

Sure, Swift is a billionaire who has little in common with most Americans. But the thrust of these demands — for output, for accountability, for toothless cooperation with the hand that feeds — feels familiar.

Elon Musk, who led the newly created Department of Government Efficiency for the first three months of Trump's second term, has dominated news cycles with surprise firings, 120-hour workweeks, and mandatory 9 p.m. all-hands meetings. (Musk has said he's still involved with DOGE on a reduced basis.) Tesla employees — and any federal workers who have been caught in Musk's crosshairs — are implicitly required to be logged on and locked in.

Musk isn't alone in this mindset. In recent months, many companies have implemented strict return-to-office mandates and other structural changes that, until recently, would have been criticized as too micro-manage-y.

Under these conditions, with men like Musk and Trump setting the national tone and anxieties about staying employed reaching new highs, it's no wonder why any time spent off the clock feels like a bubble under constant threat of popping — whether by a magazine cover questioning your disappearance or a Saturday email from HR asking for an itemized list of what you accomplished last week.

It's ironic, though, that just last year, Swift was chastised by critics for her hyper-productivity: Releasing a 31-track album in the midst of the Eras Tour led some to decry her business tactics as excessive, greedy, and overdone. Now, after a comparatively brief stretch of laying low and playing it cool, the script has flipped. But after two decades of extreme scrutiny, Swift is well acquainted with this tightrope walk. As she sings to open her 10th studio album, "I'm damned if I do, give a damn what people say."

• For my 40th birthday, my family and I traveled New Zealand's South Island in an RV.
• We went for eight nights and had an absolute blast.
• Though the RV itself was expensive, we found other ways to save money along the way.

With its stunning mountains, picturesque lakes, and star-filled skies, New Zealand's South Island is truly spectacular. My family of five recently traveled there and hit the road in an RV for eight nights to celebrate my 40th birthday and make some epic memories together.

Renting an RV proved to be a popular way to see the island, but it was also a pretty expensive way to travel. However, we did enjoy the convenience of having our accommodation, transport, and cooking facilities all in one.

We spent money on the RV itself

The RV cost us 3572 New Zealand Dollars (with the insurance factored in) for eight nights, about $2115, which is just over NZ$446 a night.

In addition, we paid for powered sites at caravan parks at least every second night so that we could access electricity for the portable heater and refill our water supply. Powered sites ranged in price from NZD$50 to NZD$110.

So, all in all, we spent up to NZ$556 a day on the RV alone, plus what we spent on fuel, which was more expensive than back home in Australia, where we live. The RV company also charged a mileage fee at the end of the trip, which worked out to be about NZD$170.

We didn't mind spending money on certain experiences

You can't go to the South Island and not see those iconic sites it's famous for. We splurged on experiences like boating around the fjords of Milford Sound, venturing into the Te Anau Glowworm Caves, and stargazing in Lake Takapō.

These experiences weren't cheap, especially for a family of five. But I felt like spending the money was totally worth it, because they were experiences we couldn't have elsewhere.

We also shelled out for treats along the way

We have three kids under 10 who love treats, so we definitely indulged on the trip. Often, we'd cook our main meals in the RV to save money, then have a treat out and about.

On our way north, we discovered an award-winning artisan ice cream shop in Arrowtown called Patagonia Chocolates, and on the return leg to Queenstown, we went back for seconds. There was also a quaint store full of treats in Arrowtown, the Remarkable Sweet Shop, and we spent far too much money on sugary delights.

However, we made sure to save by keeping groceries in the RV

We couldn't get over the cost of groceries in the center of Queenstown. It was outlandish compared to Australian prices. When we picked up our RV, I asked our taxi driver where to shop, and he recommended a low-price store called Pak'nSave. The prices were much more in line with our budget, and we stocked up for the week.

The office of the campground where we were staying in Queenstown also had a free community shelf where other travelers had left staples like salt, pepper, coffee, and so forth. We took what we needed and donated our leftover supplies at the end. It was a great system.

Living in an RV with a small fridge meant we had to be smart about our food storage and cooking. I planned out our meals in advance and made sure ingredients could be used in multiple dishes, which also saved money.

We also entertained ourselves for free in the great outdoors

New Zealand is the perfect place to immerse yourself in nature. A lot of our itinerary was about hikes and wholesome outdoor fun.

Highlights included the walk up Queenstown Hill for panoramic views of the area, watching sunsets on Lake Wakatipu, rock collecting with the kids, and hiking around Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.

My absolute favorite experience was climbing Roy's Peak, near Wānaka, with my 9-year-old son. It was a challenging hike of roughly 10 miles, but the sweeping views at the top were spectacular.

We spent some time 'freedom camping'

Because the powered campsites cost up to NZD$110, we also saved money by "freedom camping" whenever we could, which is a kind of camping where you're allowed to stay on public land without paying a fee. However, there are specific rules for camping this way — for example, you must be in a self-contained vehicle with a toilet, wastewater tank, and trash facilities.

My favorite spot we did this was Lake Pukaki. We arrived at night and had the most spectacular view of the Milky Way. Then, we woke up surrounded by snow-covered mountains and a lake glistening in the sunlight. It was absolutely magical.

Overall, I loved the experience of traveling in an RV and would highly recommend it if your budget allows for it. The kids had a ball, and we made lasting memories that we will cherish forever.

• Daniel Post Senning and Lizzie Post are etiquette experts with the Emily Post Institute.
• Their book shares eight simple steps you can take every day to build strong relationships at work.
• "Acknowledgement is probably one of the most impactful daily practices that we can engage with in so many ways," said Post.

Navigating your professional relationships with your coworkers can be complicated.

Did you accidentally say the wrong thing? Overstep a boundary?

The good news is that some of the easiest things you can do to build and sustain solid relationships at work are pretty intuitive, according to Daniel Post Senning and Lizzie Post, etiquette experts with the Emily Post Institute.

"It's remarkable how durable the advice is when you get down to what our expectations are of each other on a very human level," Post Senning told Business Insider.

Their book, "Emily Post's Business Etiquette," went on sale May 20. It includes a list of eight daily office courtesies you can do to build and maintain goodwill with your boss and peers.

Here's the list from the book:

1. Show up ready for the day or your shift.
2. Acknowledge others and greet them with a smile.
3. If you can, make eye contact when speaking with others (for video calls, turn on your camera and face the lens).
4. Use the magic words in all your interactions, both verbal and digital. (The book lists as magic words: Please, thank you, you're welcome, excuse me, I'm sorry)
5. Use shared spaces appropriately, never leaving a mess or taking more than your share.
6. Decline to participate in office gossip.
7. Offer help to others or check in to see how their work is coming along.
8. Say goodbye to colleagues on your way out the door for the day.

These are simple "'gimme' social interactions," as Post Senning calls them.

"They cost you nothing, and done well, and repeatedly, they really forge important social bonds," he previously told BI. "They build a sense of connection and trust that is going to carry you through tense meetings, critical feedback, miscommunications, things like that later on."

At the end of the day, these small-but-mighty actions are about acknowledging each other, Post said.

"Acknowledgement is probably one of the most impactful daily practices that we can engage with in so many ways," she told BI. "Whether it's looking up and acknowledging your colleagues with a greeting or a goodbye, or it's acknowledging the work that they do and the participation that you see happening around you that facilitates your own work getting done."

"Emily Post's Business Etiquette" Copyright © 2025 by The Emily Post Institute, Inc. Illustrations copyright © 2025 by Eight Hour Day. All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

• A 3rd ex-personal assistant will testify on Tuesday, when Sean Combs' sex-trafficking trial resumes.
• Ex-PAs have described heartrending instances of violence and coercion involving Combs' girlfriends.
• They've also described cleaning up after "freak offs" — and what Combs kept in his cosmetics bag.

Sean "Diddy" Combs was not an easy boss, frightening away or burning out a small army of personal assistants over the decades.

At his sex-trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan, these ex-assistants are coming back to haunt him from the witness stand.

So far, two former personal assistants have been called to testify by prosecutors. (A third, Capricorn Clark, is scheduled for Tuesday)

They told the jury that working as Combs' PA meant turning a blind eye to harrowing violence while meticulously managing every detail of his life, including making sure his toiletries all faced the same way and keeping his hotel suite stocked with applesauce, jello, and Fiji water.

Even on good days, the pay was low, the days were long, and the workweek could stretch 100 hours long, the two former PAs told jurors. Complaining was frowned on — "What rhymes with tired?" went a joke among the staff. The answer? "Fired."

But on the worst days, they testified, they were drawn into a world of chaos and illegality. Both described purchasing drugs for Combs or his friends.

Good days and rap wars

Former PA David James recounted chauffeuring Combs to a narrowly averted gunfight with rival record executive Suge Knight.

James said he realized he may die that night, at the wheel of his boss's car, in the parking lot of an all-night Los Angeles diner.

Combs sat behind him in the black Escalade with three guns in his lap, James remembered on the stand. "Mother fucking drive," he said Combs ordered as they set out.

The two PAs also described heartrending scenes of violence.

Ex-PA George Kaplan remembered the time in 2015 when he heard Combs' longtime girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, screaming in the bedroom of Combs' private jet.

"Isn't anybody seeing this?" she cried, accompanied by the sound of crashing glassware.

Kaplan told jurors that he turned in his seat and saw the rap mogul standing over a cowering Ventura while holding aloft a whisky rocks glass.

No one on the jet — the Gulfstream was crowded with Combs' security guards and assistants — interceded or checked on Ventura afterward, he said.

Everyone turned away, Kaplan said, as the sound of more screams, more shattering glass, filled the cabin.

Many empty bottles

The two personal assistants also described Combs' many peccadillos — and the many, many physical messes he left behind.

Kaplan told jurors on Wednesday that he was tasked with cleaning up whatever Combs left behind at luxury hotel suites in Miami, New York, and Los Angeles.

The jury has heard two weeks of testimony alleging that these hotel suites were crime scenes.

Ventura, the star prosecution witness, told jurors during the first week of testimony that throughout their decadelong relationship, Combs used violence and threats to force her to perform sex acts with male escorts, most typically at hotels.

Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges and denied all accusations of sexual abuse. He has insisted since his arrest that he engaged only in consensual sex with his accusers, who he has alleged have a financial incentive to implicate him

"Lots of empty bottles, empty Gatorade bottles, empty liquor bottles, and often baby oil," Kaplan testified, describing the items he said he "tidied" at such hotels as the Trump International in Manhattan and the Hotel Bel-Air in LA.

Combs was a fastidious boss who liked things just so and threatened to fire him monthly during the year he worked for him, which was between 2014 and 2015, Kaplan said.

"Available, facing forward, and ready for use," he told jurors, describing how Combs expected to find the toothpaste, toiletries, and medications on his bathroom counter each morning.

Asked how often Combs would threaten to fire him from the $125,000-a-year job, Kaplan answered, "maybe monthly."

Mr. Combs' kingdom

The second ex-PA, David James, described his own harrowing tenure as Combs right-hand man between May 2007 and May 2008.

"This is Mr. Combs' kingdom," James said head of HR told him during his interview, gesturing toward a portrait of the rapper on the wall of his Manhattan headquarters.

"We're all here to serve it," James said she told him.

He said his starting salary was $70,000.

"There were times I worked three weeks straight," he said.

"Advancing a hotel room" was a frequent assignment, James said. That meant making sure it was stocked with Combs' favorite items, from clothing changes to "applesauce, jello, and Fiji water."

Combs' cosmetic bag went everywhere he went, and held some 40 different products, James said.

"Everything from ointments to a razor," he testified.

"He had Just For Men in there," he added, referring to the men's hair color brand. Since his arrest nine months ago, Combs' hair has turned mostly gray.

A separate "medicine bag" likewise went everywhere Combs traveled.

"There were probably 25 to 30 different pillboxes or pill bottles," James said. "Some were like Advil, Tylenol. He had water pills to help him lose weight. He had Viagra in there. He had some pills that helped increase his sperm count, for example."

Asked if there were any other sorts of pills, James said, "He did have ecstasy and Percocets in there, as well."

Combs took Percocets, a prescription opioid painkiller, "throughout the day," James said.

The rapper would switch at night to taking ecstasy, the PA told jurors, referring to the psychedelic stimulant also known as MDMA. One of Combs' preferred ecstasy pills was stamped with the image of Barack Obama's face, James testified.

"Diddy bopping" at the party

Once, at a New Year's Eve party thrown by Combs, James, who'd already been hitting the Ciroc vodka hard, went into Combs' med bag and popped an ecstasy pill, after which he was "feeling pretty good," he told the jury.

"Normally, I'm very straightedge, don't normally have too much emotion, but this night I was, like dancing — they said I was Diddy bopping all around the party."

"Diddy bopping" was left to the jurors' imagination.

A few days later, Combs called him into his office. He was "reviewing footage from the party," James said.

"Yo, playboy," James said Combs told him. "Is that you dancing around the party?"

"Yes, sir," James answered. "And he kind of nodded his head and he said, 'OK, I want to keep this footage in case I ever need it.'"

"It was so out of character for me that he thought it would be embarrassing if he released the footage of me to the public," James told the jury.

Prosecutors say Combs controlled Ventura by threatening to publicly release explicit sex videos.

First thing Tuesday, Capricorn Clark is set to be Combs' third former personal assistant to testify against him, kicking off week three of the government's case.

Federal prosecutors will ask her about a break-in at rapper Kid Cudi's Hollywood Hills home in 2011 — the one where his Christmas gifts were unwrapped and rifled through and his dog was left shut in the bathroom.

Clark was there and called to warn Kid Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, that a jealousy-enraged Combs was inside the house, according to the rapper, who testified Thursday.

Clark may also describe Combs forcing her to take a lie detector test after she was robbed while carrying what another ex-assistant described to the jury as the rap tycoon's "jewelry suitcase or briefcase, if you will."

The heisted jewels were replaced by cubic zirconium replicas, that assistant dished from the stand last week.

She couldn't get out

Perhaps James' most significant testimony came he described something Ventura once said as they stood together smoking cigarettes one night on a dock outside Combs' Miami estate.

Ventura was then 21 or 22, and in the early months of her 11-year, on-and-off relationship with Combs. James was in his 20s as well.

As they commiserated about what they agreed was their crazy lifestyle of long hours and jetting city to city, James asked Ventura why she didn't simply leave.

"I can't get out," he testified that Ventura told him.

"Mr. Combs oversees so much of my life," she said, according to James' testimony last week. "He controls my music career, he pays for my apartment, he gives me an allowance."

James told the jury he believed her. "I just didn't think that she could easily leave," he said.

• Daniella Pierson is launching CHASM to help women secure venture capital funding.
• Pierson said she was laughed out of meetings with VCs when pitching her newsletter called The Newsette.
• She built a multimillion-dollar business anyway, and wants to help other women do the same.

Before building her multimillion-dollar business, Daniella Pierson said she was "the poster child" for "do not invest in."

Now, she aims to help other "uninvestable" women secure financing for their ideas with her new organization, CHASM, where she wants to help close the gender gap in VC funding.

"I had zero investment, not because I didn't want it. I wanted it very badly," Pierson told Business Insider. "I went to dozens of VCs, and I was rejected, rejected, rejected, laughed out of every room."

One "household name" told Pierson she spoke too much and too quickly, and didn't know what she was talking about: "I cried the whole Uber home."

Despite the setbacks, Pierson made a name for herself with her newsletter, The Newsette, which she founded in 2015 during her sophomore year at Boston University.

Until graduation, she would write the entire newsletter between 6 and 10 a.m., covering the latest news in beauty, fashion, and business, before rushing to classes. Then she'd work on it in the evenings and weekends too.

"Even after we made a million dollars, I still wrote it," Pierson said. "I didn't have fancy VC money to fall back on."

In 2021, The Newsette had a team of 14 and brought in revenues of $40 million in one year and made a profit in the tens of millions. The following year Pierson launched another newsletter, Wondermind, cofounded with Selena Gomez and the actor's mother, Mandy Teefey.

That year, Forbes named Pierson the world's youngest, wealthiest self-made woman of color.

Numerous barriers

It took Pierson more than five years of hard work to become successful beyond her "wildest dreams."

Pierson said she grew up as "the dumb twin — that's not a nickname I gave to myself. That's something my lovely teachers and peers called me in public to my face."

She faced numerous barriers and challenges as a female entrepreneur. She failed her business project at college and was almost kicked out a semester before graduation. She was diagnosed with OCD when she was 14, and also lives with ADHD, depression, and anxiety.

Pierson doesn't want it to be this hard for other women like her.

The amount of funding all-women teams receive is low. In 2022, they accounted for 2.1% ($5.1 billion), BI previously reported. In 2023, it dropped to 1.8% ($3.1 billion).

"That made me really mad," Pierson said. "So I was like, what am I going to do? I'm going to close the gender gap."

CHASM, which launched on May 20, has a "mentor-to-many" business model. Fifty high-profile entrepreneurs and investors, both men and women, pay a $25,000 membership fee to help aspiring female entrepreneurs from pitch to exit, offering insights, networking opportunities, and grants.

Pierson said she wanted to provide women the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to thrive as entrepreneurs without facing the same roadblocks that she did.

Wider gap

Pierson said women start out "50 feet below the playing field" when launching a business. She believes men are part of the solution.

"The gap has opened wider because we're isolating men," Pierson said."That could be a controversial statement, but I don't think it is, because guess what? If 99.999% of the money, power, wealth, all of that belongs to men, we need some of them on our side."

Pierson said she doesn't want to "just throw money at the problem."

"I'd rather teach a woman how to fish than just give her a fish," she said. "I want to put them in the best position for success by giving them the ultimate Bible of everything."

Some members already signed up for CHASM include Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx and Sneex; singer Lionel Richie; Fidji Simo, the CEO and chair of Instacart who is joining OpenAI later this year; and Tony Robbins, a motivational speaker and coach.

"This is putting my heart and soul, and my time, where my values are, and I hope people really use this to become the most successful versions of themselves, no matter what industry they're in," Pierson said. "If I can do it, anyone can."