• A secretary bought three shares of her company's stock for $60 each in 1935.
• Grace Groner reinvested her dividends for 75 years, and her stake ballooned to $7.2 million.
• Her employer, Abbott, shared Groner's story in a recent website post.

A secretary paid $180 in 1935 for three shares of her employer's stock. By the time she died in 2010, her investment had mushroomed to $7.2 million.

Abbott, a pharmaceutical company, gave a shout-out to the former employee in a recent post on its website.

"As we celebrate 101 years of dividend payouts, we're remembering one of the earliest Abbott investing success stories, that of Grace Groner, who worked as a secretary at Abbott for over 40 years," the post reads.

"In 1935, Groner bought three shares of Abbott stock for $60 each. She consistently reinvested her dividend payments and quietly amassed a $7.2 million fortune. Groner passed away in 2010, at the age of 100, and it was only then that her multimillion-dollar estate was discovered."

She gifted her entire fortune to a foundation she'd established in support of her alma mater, Lake Forest College. She earmarked the money to finance internships, international study, and service projects for students.

Groner hung onto her Abbott shares for over 75 years without selling a single one, despite several stock splits, and used her dividends to bolster her stake.

She was likely able to leave her nest egg intact for so long because of her simple lifestyle. She lived in a one-bedroom house, bought her clothes at rummage sales, and didn't own a car, the Chicago Tribune reported in 2010.

Her shares would be worth north of $28 million today, excluding dividends, given that Abbott's stock price has roughly quadrupled since 2010. The drugmaker's market value has risen to around $200 billion, meaning it now rivals Disney, PepsiCo, and Morgan Stanley in size.

• As the eldest sibling, I felt pressure to spend money on my family during past holidays.
• It made me happy, and I wanted to be seen as successful. This year, I'm not making as much money.
• My financial position gave me anxiety, and I needed to find a solution.

I take the role of being the "eldest sibling" seriously. As the oldest sibling, I want to be a good example for my younger brother, look out for my family's needs, and be reliable and responsible.

For me, financial success is the best way to fulfill this role. In 2023, I stayed true to my role while making a decent monthly income. After monthly expenses, I could save some part of my salary. I'd spend that on my family when I visited over the holidays. But in July 2024, I turned to freelancing. My income wasn't stable, and I felt more financial pressure than ever.

As the holidays neared, I grew more anxious about money. I was still finding my footing in the freelancing world, and my savings were drying up. If I wasn't earning well, I couldn't spend well, either.

I worried about whether I could afford holiday expenses this year. I wanted to live up to what I expected of myself and what I felt my family expected of me. I also wanted to avoid the mistakes I'd made during the holiday season last year.

This year, I'm not in the same financial position as I was last year

When I went home for the holidays last year, thanks to my stable income, I wasn't worried about spending or having a holiday budget. However, I realized I should have set a spending limit when I returned. I had gone overboard.

My "eldest daughter syndrome" had kicked in several times. Treating my family to dinners, arranging celebrations for cousins, buying last-minute gifts — I wanted to take care of everything. I wanted to be reliable.

This year, my heartbeat quickened at the thought of going home. Whenever my brother called me to plan a dinner or a trip with the cousins, I would instantly check my account and wonder how I would afford it.

I didn't have the same financial privileges I'd had the year prior. Freelancing seemed promising, but I hadn't yet gotten in the groove of onboarding regular clients and earning a consistent income. I wouldn't get paid for 1-2 months after submitting one-off assignments and had to rely on my savings for expenses.

The whole month before I went home to see my family, my anxiety was through the roof. I needed a plan to navigate my financial anxiety. But first, I had to understand why it exists.

I had to look at why I felt so much pressure to pay for everything

I had a few fears. I was afraid I'd run out of money because of last-minute expenses, like dinners and gifts. I was afraid that my family would have to cover me if that happened. Lastly, I feared they would judge me if they had to cover me. I also didn't want anyone paying my way; after all, I felt like I was supposed to look out for my family, not the other way around.

I realized that spending money on my loved ones wasn't just a way to fulfill my role as the eldest sibling. It also gave me immense pleasure and was important to me. Whether it was a small gesture or a cozy dinner, I wanted to offer it.

As I explored further, I thought about how I spent every holiday since I'd started earning my own money. My parents, my cousins, everyone would offer to pay for things or contribute, but I'd insist on taking care of it. I'd go to great lengths to make sure I was the one paying. Once, I argued with my mom to let me pay for her new sweater, in front of the cashier.

When I thought back, I realized that though I enjoyed paying for things in the past, no one else expected it from me. I wanted to do it because I wanted to be perceived as responsible. In reality, I realized that I was adding unnecessary pressure on myself, especially when I was struggling to earn well.

Once I identified the problems, it was easier to look for solutions.

I figured out ways to alleviate pressure on myself

First, I allotted money to a holiday budget and decided to take on a couple of extra freelance projects to make sure sticking to it wouldn't strain me financially. I also installed a savings app that automatically transferred a fixed amount from my bank account daily. I could withdraw those savings if I went over my predetermined budget.

I noticed that the idea of unplanned holiday expenses like last-minute gifts was freaking me out. I started looking for gifts a month in advance so I'd have time to choose things that fit my budget.

Next, I examined the pressure I always felt to pay for outings with my family. I realized that I didn't have to pay for everything while struggling to build a career — and, further, no one expected me to.

Once I gained control of my holiday budget, I started to feel more confident. I also realized that I don't — and can't — always have it all together as the eldest sibling. I had to come to terms with the fact that I can't pay for everything this year. I can foot the bill for a couple of dinners with my family and cousins, but not all of them.

Letting someone else pay might challenge how I thought of myself in my role as the older sister, but keeping up that perception for myself just isn't worth it. I decided to be open to others contributing or offering to pay. I'm trying to make my peace with it.

I also reassure myself that my budget is restricted only for this holiday and that there are many more lavish holidays to come.

• Last week, Jim Carrey said he came out of retirement to star in "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" because of money.
• A day later, he clarified to Comicbook.com that he wasn't really retired, just "power-resting" between projects.
• More older Americans are unretiring — either out of financial necessity or to stay active.

Jim Carrey, 62, walked back on his comments about coming out of retirement because he was strapped for cash.

At the London premiere of "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" on December 10, Carrey told the Associated Press that he signed on for the new film because "I bought a lot of stuff, and I need the money, frankly."

In an interview with ComicBook.com published a day later, on December 11, the actor clarified that "it's not really about the money. I joke about the money."

While he acknowledged that he previously spoke about retiring, he added, "You can't be definite about these things."

"I said I'd like to retire, but I think I was talking more about power-resting. Because as soon as a good idea comes your way, or a group of people that you really enjoyed working with and stuff, it just — things tend to change," he said.

Carrey added that with the "right idea," he's even open to reprising his role in sequels to "The Mask" or "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

While doing a press tour for "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" in April 2022, Carrey told Access Hollywood that he was "fairly serious" about "retiring."

"If the angels bring some sort of script that's written in gold ink that says to me that it's going to be really important for people to see, I might continue down the road, but I'm taking a break," Carrey said.

"Sonic the Hedgehog 3" is Carrey's first film since then.

Carrey isn't the only Hollywood celebrity who has spoken about retirement.

Last week, David Letterman, 77, told GQ he wasn't ready to retire because "retirement is a myth."

"Retirement is nonsense. You won't retire. The human mechanism will not allow you to retire," Letterman said.

In response to the interviewer's point that people do retire, the former late-night host said, "But what do they do? Sit there and wait for — give me the name of a show — 'Judge Judy' to come on?"

The average retirement age in the US is 63. But the sudden transition from a 9-to-5 job to having endless leisure time can leave retirees feeling restless.

Edelman Financial Engines's 2024 Everyday Wealth in America survey found that 37% of the 3,008 respondents aged 30 and above say they want their post-working life to be different from previous generations, with many saying they are seeking a more active and adventurous lifestyle.

As such, some older Americans end up unretiring after some time, either to stay active or due to financial necessity.

A representative for Carrey did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.

• A NY judge Monday denied Trump's demand that his hush-money case be dismissed on immunity grounds.
• Judge Juan Merchan said the SCOTUS immunity decision found a president is not above the law.
• Any use of official-act evidence in the case would be "harmless in light of the overwhelming evidence of guilt," he also wrote.

Donald Trump's 11th-hour bid to toss his hush-money case prior to Inauguration Day — on presidential immunity grounds — was rejected Monday by a Manhattan judge.

The decision now kicks the ball back to Trump. His lawyers have previously promised to quickly appeal, to the US Supreme Court if necessary, in hopes of voiding his sole criminal conviction.

An attorney for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Merchan's decision.

How the decision will impact Trump's sentencing — which has been delayed three times and currently remains without a scheduled date — remains unclear. Prosecutors have urged that the conviction stand, even if that means Trump is sentenced after his second term.

New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan made no mention of sentencing in Monday's strongly worded, 42-page rebuff, which was centered on presidential immunity.

Presidential immunity does not apply to the hush-money case because the case hinged on "decidedly personal acts," Merchan found, agreeing with arguments by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

"The Trump Court was careful to acknowledge that 'The President, charged with enforcing federal criminal laws, is not above them,'" Merchan wrote, quoting from the landmark June SCOTUS decision granting presidents broad immunity from prosecution.

Lawyers for Trump have repeatedly challenged the case on presidential immunity grounds, without success, since his April 2023 indictment on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

The indictment alleged that Trump conspired throughout 2017, his first year in office, to alter 34 checks, invoices, and vouchers in order to retroactively hide a $130,000 hush-money payment that silenced porn actress Stormy Daniels less than two weeks before the 2016 election. A jury found him guilty on all counts in May.

"This case involves important federal questions," Trump's lawyers argued just one month after his indictment, because the charges related to conduct "committed while he was President of the United States" and acting within "the color of his office."

Last month, his lawyers argued that his new status as president-elect has strengthened their argument for dismissal. The orderly transition of power is at stake, they said in their most recent dismissal motion. They also argued that presidential immunity, as bestowed by SCOTUS in June, extends to presidents-elect.

But Merchan wrote Monday that even in granting presidents broad immunity from prosecution, SCOTUS set some limits.

He rejected Trump's argument that the hush-money indictment and conviction should be tossed because Manhattan prosecutors, in their presentations to both grand jurors and trial jurors, used the kind of official-act evidence now retroactively barred by SCOTUS.

That evidence included trial testimony by Trump's former White House communications director, Hope Hicks, who described to jurors a conversation she had with Trump in the Oval Office in 2018. Trump had told Hicks that he was relieved that news of the hush-money payment only leaked after the election.

Some of Trump's 2018 tweets about the hush-money scandal were also "official," his lawyers had argued.

But the judge found that no official-act evidence entered the case. And even if it had, he wrote, "such error was harmless in light of the overwhelming evidence of guilt."

Also Monday, Merchan left undecided a series of letters between the defense and prosecutors, not yet made public, that he said address defense claims of "juror misconduct."

Prosecutors want these communications sealed in their entirety, and the defense wants them released to the public in redacted form, Merchant wrote.

The judge said he is continuing to review the defense allegations and a related bid by Trump's lawyers to have the case dismissed in the interest of justice.

• Our kids wanted to travel, so my husband and I encouraged them to earn money to fund trips.
• We told them we would pay for music lessons, then they could use their skills earn money busking.
• As street performers, they've earned enough to take trips to Denmark and the Galápagos Islands.

My husband and I love to travel, especially with our three children: showing the world, creating new experiences, and building an 'all-rounder' approach to life. As our kids grew, they developed their own interests. Our eldest has always been interested in marine biology. Our second is obsessed with Lego in every shape, form, and medium. Our youngest is passionate about axolotls and ancient history. Each of them dreams of far-off places, and for a while, we thought it would remain a dream until they were far older. But what if we could help them save up for their ideal holiday, my husband and I wondered? Not only would they travel, but they would also learn all of the skills and responsibilities that go with it. What an amazing life lesson it could be!

The initial idea was simple: At the end of Australian primary school (around age 12), each child could travel anywhere they wanted with one parent as a chaperone. However, they need to fund themselves, and plan the entire trip. The parent would cover their own costs. Our eldest (then 10) loved the idea and chose the Galápagos Islands. To be honest, we had expected something a little closer to our home in Sydney, Australia. This led to the following question: How would he fund this trip?

The secret life of busking

Inspiration was found on our city streets: busking, the act of performing in public places for tips. Our kids loved music long before we ever came up with, what we refer to as, the 'travel project.' Sydney is a fantastic city for street performers, with daily office workers and tourists from around the world covering the streets. Sometimes, we would stop and chat with the buskers, learning about their music path.
Around 8 years old, each kid has asked to join their school training ensembles and we have paid for private lessons to help them hone their skills. By the time they are 10, they have all had enough confidence to try busking themselves.

Our eldest started with Christmas carols at the local mall for 30 minutes. There were no special rules or requirements, and many of the nearby shopkeepers were happy to have him there. He received around $30. While it was a relatively small amount of money, it was a big achievement for him. Suddenly, he realized he could save for his dream holiday to the Galápagos Islands. But there was more to it for us than simply busk-and-save.

As he gained more confidence, our son also looked for any new opportunities. Different locations have different rules and requirements. To busk in Sydney's central business district, he needed to purchase a 12-month permit; a cost he made back in his first city performance. Some locations waived the fees for kids, while others require public liability insurance.

It was also important to have the right gear for busking. With their father's help, each child has assembled their own 'busking kit' to carry their gear: a pull trolley, a white board and artists easel, a music stand, and a growing collection of music.

There were also some homemade banners to explain their busking adventure and share updates on social media. The banners are possibly the most effective part of the kit, with many people stopping to chat and eager to learn more about what our kids are trying to accomplish.

Determining how much their time is worth

We have all learned some key factors from this experience. First, travel is expensive. It is a privilege, not a right, that needs to be part of a greater planning process. For us, traveling from Australia to almost anywhere for a two-week holiday has cost around $6,500 all-inclusive per person. That's a lot of money for a 12-year-old to save up.

This leads to the second factor: knowing your worth. In that first busking session, our eldest learnt how much he could earn by playing his trumpet for 30 minutes. Each time he went busking, he learned (and earned) a little more. He noted which music attracted more attention, where the best locations were, and the most profitable time to busk. Their dad helped each of them set up a simple spreadsheet to record everything, both incoming and outgoing. With the data they collect, they can assess and adapt their busking. It helps the kids visualize the project's growth, making a big goal seem far more achievable.

There were other small wins along the way, too. Once, while shopping, our eldest picked up a video game and asked if we could buy it. Then he stopped. "I'll leave it for now. It's $65. That's, like, an hour of busking. It looks good, but I'm not sure if I want to busk an extra hour for it. Did you know I could spend the same money on a tour of Sierra Negra?"

Finally, they get to travel

After two years of busking (and 3 of music lessons), our eldest travelled to the Galápagos Islands with his dad in 2019. They spent a little over two weeks diving, snorkeling, hiking, and meeting incredible people. He is now 18 years old, taking a 'Gap Year' to work and travel before studying marine biology at university next year.

In 2021, our middle child travelled to Denmark to visit Lego House and Norway to chase the Northern Lights. He continues to busk on weekends and recently purchased his own Bass Clarinet (worth $4,500) rather than renting one from his school. It is his first investment in his future, as he continues to plan for travel and university.

Our youngest recently started her busking journey. She performs with her cello, saving for her evntual trip to Mexico to see axolotls in their natural habitat. Because she's seen what her brothers accomplished, she has a better idea of what's ahead, but that doesn't make the journey any less exciting for her.

For those doing the math, our kids each saved around $6,500 from busking for travel. Over the same period, we spent approximately $4,800 on music lessons. When you consider the travel, the experience, and the sense of achieving a big project goal, the music lessons have been the best investment we made for our kids.

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

• Esther Perel says couples should talk about money, know their finances, and see value beyond income.
• The psychotherapist said wealth is a fundamental aspect of every relationship.
• Earning an income is just one of many ways to contribute to a relationship, Perel says.

Couples should talk openly about money, regularly review their finances, and recognize that earning an income is just one of many ways to contribute to a relationship, Esther Perel says.

The famed psychotherapist is known for speaking nine languages, hosting the "Where Should We Begin" podcast, and writing "Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence."

She spoke to Emily Luk, the cofounder and CEO of Plenty, a financial management platform for couples, in an episode of the "Love & other assets" podcast released Thursday.

Perel laid out how money shapes everything from people's values and identities to the power dynamics in their relationships. It can be "one of the biggest stressors" in any relationship, she said, but couples who manage financial issues well can escape that pain.

Here are the three big takeaways from her conversation.

1. Talk things over

Couples should openly discuss money matters from the outset, Perel said.

"Money is an inherent piece of what the making of a relationship will involve," she said. "It's important, but it doesn't have to be precious, hidden, taboo, queasy. Like any other topic, if you start from the beginning, then it's integrated in the system."

Perel underscored that relationships are both romantic and practical, encompassing love and trust as well as partnership and economic support. Money is a core part of that and financial decisions are inevitable, she said.

"This is about the present, the past, the future, the legacy, what people left behind, what they never left behind, what they had, what they lost," she said. "It's not just how much do you make and what do you want to do with it. "

Money can shape the power dynamic in a couple, but Perel said that's "not a dirty word for me" as all relationships have one. Couples with a healthy attitude toward money can "bring it up and talk about it" without becoming defensive and throwing blame around, she said.

Just as you might ask a prospective partner if they want kids, you should ask them about their feelings around money too, the relationship guru said.

She recommended asking them how important it is to them to earn money, what the money culture was in their family, how much money they ultimately want to make, and how they've navigated any major financial shifts in their lives.

2. Check in regularly

Even when one partner trusts the other to manage their money, that partner should still occasionally check in on their joint finances, Perel said.

Once a year, they should "sit down and have a sense of what's what," she said. "I've met too many people who, when things became problematic, didn't have a clue and it didn't bode well for them. Don't put yourself in that kind of vulnerable position."

Many couples divide roles, but "it's good to not be completely ignorant on some things that have such a direct effect on you," she added.

The psychotherapist and author gave another reason for an annual check-in: a couple's financial situation changes over time, whether a costly health issue crops up, inheritance is paid out, or shares in a company vest.

"Money is not a static thing, and the relationship needs to be flexible around that," Perel said, adding that "the conversation around money needs to evolve as the relationship evolves."

Just as a couple might plan home improvements and vacations, "once a year you should sit with your finances and say, 'Where are we at?" Perel said. "And not, 'what do we have?' but, 'how are we managing relationally? What would you like to change in the way we've been managing the money?' Why, just asking that question to your partner will go a long way."

3. Recognize value in all forms

Perel told Luk about the moment her thinking completely changed around what it means to provide and contribute to a relationship.

An artist told her they'd renovated their home by themselves, raising the property's value and the couple's quality of life by improving the room layout. It would have cost a year's salary to get the project completed externally, Perel said.

The episode made her appreciate the myriad ways that members of a couple can generate value in a relationship besides a paycheck, ranging from DIY to raising children.

"Money is not a thing around which people talk with subtlety," she said about opening client's eyes to non-monetary contributions. "So I had to find other ways to suddenly shift and say, 'Have you ever looked at it this way,' and do a whole reframe."

"So this idea that there's a single household provider — that whole language I began to dismantle so that we could really talk about the power dynamic and the money and what they can afford and who decides and who is really bringing in and providing is a totally different story than just income bracket."

• I almost always get my weekly groceries at Aldi, and I've learned some money-saving tips.
• The budget grocer already has pretty good prices, but there are usually weekly deals.
• I try to avoid looking through the Aldi Finds aisle and stick to the perimeter of the store.

My fiancée and I shop on a budget, and we're dedicated to Aldi.

The grocery chain already offers great prices, but we've begun doing a few things there to stretch our dollar even further.

Here's how we save money shopping for groceries at Aldi.

We use the weekly circular — it's usually at the front entrance.

One of the first things we do when we walk into Aldi is grab the weekly circular, which is usually stationed on a rack right by the main entrance.

The ads showcase Aldi's current deals, so it's a great guide for anyone looking to save.

When we focus on these discounted items, I also find we get less sidetracked by flashy deals on products we didn't intend to buy.

An empty produce box helps us carry our groceries for free.

Aldi has a bring-your-own-bag policy, so they're not free at the register. Instead of buying them, we usually grab a large, empty produce box from the shelves.

Most Aldi stores have a section where you can find these boxes in a bin with recyclables, so it's pretty easy.

You can obviously just bring your own reusable bags, but we've found that the box is an even better solution for us.

It's much easier to pop one box in the trunk of our car and carry it into the house in a single trip. Once we're home, we reuse the box for storage or recycle it.

We avoid Aldi's premade meals and heat-and-eat dinners.

We tend to avoid premade meals, heat-and-eat dinners, and specialty deli items like dips and cheeses.

Although they're convenient, they tend to be significantly more expensive per serving than cooking something from scratch. Instead, we stick to Aldi's staple ingredients, like fresh produce, canned beans, tortillas, and chicken.

By focusing on these core items, we've created a weekly meal plan that's cost-effective and healthy for our lifestyle.

Although the Aldi Finds are tempting, we try to avoid them.

The Aldi Finds aisle typically features unique items, seasonal treats, and specialty goods that aren't part of the store's regular inventory.

All the signage might make shoppers feel like they're getting some sort of deal, I think the aisle can be a trap for impulse buys.

Sometimes, we find hidden gems in the aisle, but Aldi Finds are usually not essential to our weekly shopping list — and looking through them can just lead to us spending more money.

We usually skip this aisle entirely so we're not tempted.

We stick to the perimeter of the store.

It may sound simple, but shopping around the perimeter of the store helps us stick to our budget.

In most Aldi locations, the more basic essentials, like produce, dairy, and meats, are located around the outer edges of the store.

In contrast, the center aisles usually have Aldi Finds, holiday items, household goods, snacks, and other products that are more likely to encourage impulse purchases.

When we shop, we literally snake our way around the perimeter, only detouring into the aisles when we need something on our list. It keeps our shopping trip efficient and minimizes our exposure to nonessential items.

• Jim Carrey told the Associated Press he came out of acting retirement because he needed money.
• He stars in "Sonic the Hedgehog 3," two years after he announced his retirement.
• Al Pacino, Hugh Grant, Nicolas Cage, and Harrison Ford have also said they've taken roles for money.

Jim Carrey said he came back from retirement because he needed the money.

Carrey announced in 2022 that he'd retire after the release of "Sonic the Hedgehog 2," in which he played the villain Dr. Robotnik.

In an interview with Access Hollywood in April 2022, Carey said, "If the angels bring some sort of script that's written in gold ink that says to me that it's going to be really important for people to see, I might continue down the road, but I'm taking a break."

That break was short-lived. Less than two years later, Variety confirmed in February that Carrey was coming out of retirement to star in "Sonic the Hedgehog 3."

In the film, premiering on December 20, Carrey plays Dr. Robotnik and his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik.

Speaking to the Associated Press at the London premiere of "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" on Tuesday, Carrey said, "I came back to this universe because, first of all, I get to play a genius, which is a bit of a stretch. And I just, I bought a lot of stuff, and I need the money, frankly."

Carrey's salary for the previous two films isn't public knowledge, but "Sonic the Hedgehog" and its sequel were surprise box-office hits — a rare occurrence for video-game adaptations. The first film grossed $319 million, and the sequel made $405 million in ticket sales.

In February 2023, Carrey also put a Los Angeles home he's owned for 30 years up for sale. The mansion was originally listed at $29 million, but after nearly two years on the market, the price has now been cut to $19.75 million.

Hugh Grant, Nicolas Cage, Amanda Seyfried, and Harrison Ford are A-list celebrities who have all said they took roles for financial reasons.

In his memoir "Sonny Boy," published in October, Al Pacino wrote that he quit movie acting in the mid-1980s because he felt "creatively drained" but returned to the industry after running out of money.

"I looked up, and I had no money," Pacino wrote. "I had about ninety grand in the back, and that was it."

With encouragement from Diane Keaton, his costar in "The Godfather" and then girlfriend, Pacino got a role in the 1989 film "Sea of Love."

Later in the memoir, Pacino wrote that he went broke again in 2011 because of overspending.

"There's almost nothing worse for a famous person — there's being dead, and then there's being broke," Pacino wrote.

This time around, Pacino sold a house, did commercials, and accepted a role in the 2011 Adam Sandler movie "Jack and Jill" to get financially stable again.

• Trump is making an 11th-hour bid to toss his hush-money case before Inauguration Day.
• Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg has now filed an 82-page motion opposing Trump's dismissal efforts.
• Trump's "history of malicious conduct" is too serious to toss the case, Bragg wrote.

In an 82-page court filing made public Tuesday, Manhattan prosecutors say Donald Trump's "history of malicious conduct" is too serious for his hush-money case to be dismissed.

The filing, signed by DA Alvin Bragg, also fights Trump's claim that he enjoys something called presidential-elect immunity — above and beyond the presidential immunity bestowed on him by the US Supreme Court in June.

"There are no grounds for such relief now, prior to inauguration," Bragg wrote in opposing Trump's 11th-hour motion to dismiss, "because President-elect immunity does not exist."

With just six weeks left before his January 20 inauguration — and six months after a Manhattan jury convicted him — Trump is again demanding that New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan immediately dismiss his hush-money case.

It's his third time trying to void his indictment or his conviction. If successful, Trump would escape altogether his already thrice-delayed sentencing.

The president elect faces as little as no jail time and a potential maximum of four years prison for falsifying 34 business records throughout his first year of office to retroactively hide a hush-money payment to adult actress Stormy Daniels. (Legal experts have said that it's unlikely Trump would be sentenced to jail time as a 78-year-old first-time offender convicted of low-level felonies, and any jail sentence would be stayed as he appeals.)

Trump paid for Daniels' silence just eleven days before 2016 election, and jurors unanimously found that he thereby conspired to promote his own election by unlawful means, Bragg wrote.

The evidence presented against Trump was "overwhelming," reads the filing, which is also signed by a lead prosecutor on the case, Christopher Conroy.

"The crimes that the jury convicted defendant of committing are serious offenses that caused extensive harm to the sanctity of the electoral process and to the integrity of New York's financial marketplace," which relies on honest record-keeping, Bragg wrote.

Trump's conduct during his hush-money prosecution also weighs heavily against dismissal, as does his "long history of threatening, abusing, and attacking participants in other legal proceedings in which he is involved," Bragg wrote.

Trump's "contemptuous" conduct began even before his hush-money indictment was voted, the prosecutor wrote.

"He threatened 'death and destruction' if he was indicted and posted a photo of himself wielding a baseball bat at the back of the District Attorney's head," Bragg wrote of Trump's actions while the grand jury was still hearing evidence in early 2023.

Later, Trump launched online attacks on Merchan and members of his family.

Trump was found guilty of criminal contempt ten times for his "extrajudicial speech" — including social media attacks on witnesses — during his trial this spring, Bragg wrote.

Trump also repeatedly attacked the law clerk and was accused of lying under oath by the judge during last year's civil fraud trial, in which he's been ordered to pay a $454 million judgment.

That judgment remains on hold pending appeal.

Trump's history of abusing the legal process extends to his other cases, Bragg wrote, including his continued defamations of writer E. Jean Carroll, who last year won more than $80 million in damages after the president-elect repeatedly mocked her and called her a liar.

Bragg's filling asked Merchan to either sentence Trump before the inauguration, or put the case on hold until after he serves out his second term.

• Although Gordon Ramsay's exact net worth is unknown, he is estimated to be a multimillionaire.
• Ramsay has over 80 restaurants worldwide and stars in several hit shows on Fox.
• He also has other business ventures, including wine and frozen-food lines.

With numerous Michelin stars and several TV shows, British chef Gordon Ramsay has cemented himself as one of the most well-known celebrities in the food scene.

The 58-year-old's success in the restaurant and entertainment industries has made him millions. Although his net worth isn't confirmed, Forbes estimated he was worth $70 million as of 2020.

Forbes also ranks Ramsay as No. 19 among the world's highest-paid celebrities, although it's unclear when the list was last updated.

From his projects as a chef to his career as a television personality, here's a breakdown of the empire Ramsay has built.

Ramsay started his career as a chef.

At 19, in the 1990s, Ramsay began his career apprenticing under famous chef Marco Pierre White.

By 1993, Ramsay was the head chef at the London restaurant Aubergine, and he'd go on to earn the restaurant two Michelin stars.

In 1998, he founded Gordon Ramsay Restaurants with the opening of his first eatery. Today, the company has more than 80 restaurants around the world — many of which have continued to garner acclaim.

In 2001, Ramsay's flagship restaurant, Gordon Ramsay, received a three-star Michelin rating, which it still holds today. Most recently, his Restaurant 1890 in London earned its first Michelin star in February.

However, not all of his restaurants are fine-dining establishments. Ramsay also owns casual eateries like Street Pizza and Street Burger, along with Gordon Ramsay Burger — which has locations in the United States, Canada, Qatar, South Korea, and more.

Although it's unclear how much Ramsay makes from his restaurants, Fortune reported in 2023 that his restaurants had brought in £95.6 million (about $119.8 million at that time) that year.

Television is one of the food star's big sources of income.

Ramsay's first introduction to television was on the British documentary series "Boiling Point" in 1999. He went on to judge and host British shows like "The F-Word," "Hell's Kitchen," and "Kitchen Nightmares."

His foray into American television began in 2005 with the US debut of "Hell's Kitchen" on Fox. The US version of "Kitchen Nightmares" followed, debuting in 2007.

From there, he's starred on many other shows and has appeared as a judge on several competitive cooking series on Fox. Perhaps most notably, he's served as a judge on "MasterChef" throughout its 14 seasons. He also judges "MasterChef Jr." and "Next Level Chef."

Although it's not clear what Ramsay has been paid for his shows and appearances, Forbes reported in 2020 that his shows generated more than $150 million yearly in ad sales for the Fox network.

One of his shows has inspired a series of restaurants.

In 2018, Ramsay began opening Hell's Kitchen restaurants based on the series of the same name. There are now seven locations across the US in cities like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and DC.

The flagship restaurant in Las Vegas is one of Ramsay's highest-rated US restaurants. It also took the No. 3 spot on Yelp's list of the most photographed restaurants of 2024.

It's not clear how much revenue the Hell's Kitchen restaurants bring in, but the Las Vegas location sold 129,554 beef Wellingtons and 135,000 sticky toffee puddings — two signature Ramsay dishes — in its first year alone, according to Forbes.

The chef has also launched a cooking school.

His first and only cooking school, Gordon Ramsay Academy, opened in September 2021 in Woking, England. Gordon Ramsay Academy offers hundreds of cooking courses for all ages and skill levels.

Classes range from £70 (or about $90) for half-day and junior classes to £485 (or about $615) for full-day courses that offer qualifications.

A second location is set to open in London in 2025.

Ramsay also has a few product lines, including a wine label and frozen foods.

Further expanding his food empire, the celebrity chef also has a few product lines.

In 2023, he launched By Chef Ramsay, a frozen-food line sold exclusively at Walmart. The collection includes some of Ramsay's favorite dishes, such as shepherd's pie and fish and chips.

He also launched a Gordon Ramsay wine label in 2021.

The line was also featured on his show "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars" — a reality competition where he offered to invest $250,000 of his own money into entrepreneurship. On it, he and TV personality Lisa Vanderpump served as judges

In fact, "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars" was produced by his own television production company.

In 2021, Fox Entertainment and Ramsay launched Studio Ramsay Global, which produces several of the chef's shows, including Fox's "Kitchen Nightmares," "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars," and "Next Level Chef."

It also produces shows starring other chefs, like National Geographic's "No Taste Like Home."

Before this, in 2016, he'd launched the production company Studio Ramsay in the UK. It produced projects like "Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours To Hell and Back," "The F-Word Live With Gordon Ramsay," and "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted."

In 2024, he partnered with Fox to launch Bite.

Ramsay and Fox Entertainment joined forces in 2024 to launch Bite, a global food brand and platform offering a range of culinary content, products, and experiences.

The brand's digital and social content hub, Bite Digitial Network, features multiple original series, such as "Idiot Sandwich" — a digital culinary competition series based on Ramsay's viral meme.

He's made several other investments and has had a range of partnerships throughout the years.

Among his numerous business ventures, Ramsay has partnered and invested in several brands.

He invested in HexClad in 2021 — and, in July 2024, Studio Ramsay Global agreed to invest $100 million in the cookware brand.

In 2023, Ramsay joined Borealis Foods, a food tech company, as a shareholder, advisor, and brand ambassador. In September 2024, he also partnered with THOR Kitchen to launch an exclusive line of kitchen appliances.

He could also be making money from his social following.

At the time of writing, Ramsay has 40.8 million followers on TikTok and 21 million subscribers on YouTube — so social media could be another source of income for the chef.

In addition to clips from his hit Fox shows and various miniseries, Ramsay's YouTube channel and TikTok account feature him cooking with celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and Selena Gomez.

The chef continues to expand his restaurant and entertainment empires.

The chef is slated to open his first Ramsay's Kitchen restaurants in Virginia later this year and one in North Carolina in 2025.

Additionally, Ramsay has plans to open five new culinary experiences in one of London's tallest office buildings in 2025.

He also announced his show "Kitchen Nightmares" is set to return with a new season in January.

• Sheri Atwood became a millionaire in her 20s, and again in her 40s.
• After reassessing what she was spending on, she decided to prioritize her daughter's education.
• She gave her daughter an allowance to teach her about money and had her pay for her own things.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sheri Atwood, the founder and CEO of SupportPay. It has been edited for length and clarity.

The first time I became a millionaire, I was 24. I was a vice president in corporate cyber security, making $450,000 a year — more money than I ever could have imagined growing up poor.

Despite my wealth, I wasn't happy. I was married and had a 4,000-square-foot house near the California vineyards. When I was poor, I always thought money and material wealth would make me happy, but I was absolutely miserable.

Soon after my daughter Janicya was born, I got divorced. I was a single mom, like my own mother had been, but I was in a very different financial situation. I wanted to be smart with my money, investing to create a solid financial foundation for my daughter.

I spent $43,000 a year on private school

With that in mind, I started to reassess what I was spending my money on. My big house was stressing me out, and I realized I'd rather live in a townhouse with less maintenance. I didn't buy new clothes or cars. Even now, I drive a Lexus, but it's 17 years old.

Instead, I spent on my daughter's education. I only escaped poverty because of my master's degree and knew I would never regret investing in Janicya. I put her in an expensive and wonderful private school, paying $43,000 a year in elementary school tuition and even more than that as she got older. Because that was my choice alone, my ex didn't contribute to tuition.

Teaching my daughter financial literacy was critical

When Janicya was 7, she had emergency brain surgery. My job required tons of travel, so I quit my corporate role to start my own company. It was self-funded, and although I was financially stable, I wasn't a millionaire anymore. I reached that status again about four years ago, in my early 40s.

I was always of two minds about my daughter and money. I wanted her to understand the value of money, and I also wanted to give her access to everything I never had.

Teaching Janicya financial literacy was a way to do both. I never learned about credit, or interest, or how to leverage other people's money (via loans and investment) to build your wealth. My mom declared bankruptcy, and my sister had multiple bankruptcies. I wanted Janicya to have access to the same financial knowledge as her private school peers who had generational wealth.

I gave her allowance to teach her the value of money

I also wanted Janicya to learn day-to-day money skills. I gave her an allowance that's meant to pay for incidentals, like Starbucks or fancy new cups. I taught her we can't always keep up with others — especially those at her private school. When she wanted an expensive purse, I showed her I didn't even have one.

Sometimes, however, I bent the rules. As a single mom running a business, it was sometimes easier to give her money to go out with her friends because I just needed some downtime. Once, she had a chance to travel to Puerto Rico with a friend's family. I paid for that because it was an opportunity I would have loved as a teen.

Today, my daughter works hard and tells me when to scale back

Still, I tried to make Janicya understand the value of money. When she was 16, she got a job scooping ice cream. Today, she's 20 and a junior in college. My ex and I pay her tuition, but she pays all her other expenses. She's working two jobs while in school, which makes me proud.

Right now, she wants a new car. She's currently driving a 20-year-old Lexus with 180,000 miles — it used to be her grandmother's. I told her I'll match what she saves for a new vehicle. I'll do the same one day when she's ready to buy her first home.

Although I'm a millionaire again, I continue to live like I'll never make another dollar. After growing up poor, I'm terrified of having no money. I like to save and invest, and I never overextend myself with loans and credit cards.

But I've also learned from Janicya. She tells me I work too much. I know from experience that money isn't everything, so I'm trying to spend more time with her — and maybe even take a vacation.

• I've spent years traveling to 94 countries which has taught me some great money-saving travel tips.
• I don't pay to check a bag when I travel, and I seek out free activities, like walking tours.
• I get cash when I'm at my destination and use credit cards without foreign transaction fees.

I've been traveling full-time for nine years.

Throughout my trips to 94 countries and all seven continents, I've learned a lot of ways to save money abroad — some through trial and error.

Here are four ways I save money when I travel to another country.

Get the best deal on local currency

I don't travel with cash unless I'm going to a destination where it's difficult to access ATMs. Generally, converting money before a trip is more costly than withdrawing local currency from an ATM.

I find it's best to use a debit card from a bank that doesn't charge international transaction fees, honors market-based exchange rates, and reimburses ATM cash withdrawal fees. I've had good luck with Charles Schwab.

I also try to withdraw cash from ATMs associated with a bank, which can feel more secure than others in more random parts of a city.

When doing so, I also reject the bank's money conversion (also known as dynamic currency conversion). That way, I'm able to withdraw cash but at the market conversion rate, which is almost always a better deal than the bank's.

If you plan to just use your credit card abroad, make sure it's with a provider that doesn't charge international transaction fees, such as Capital One.

Seek out free activities

Many destinations around the globe have an abundance of free experiences that are enticing to tourists.

Check local publications to see what free events are happening during your visit. Some libraries have movie screenings, museums often have days with free admission, and accommodations may come with complimentary yoga or dance classes.

I also check sites like GuruWalk and SANDEMANs, which offer free local walking tours around the globe. I've gone on GuruWalk tours in places like Turkey, Tunisia, Jordan, Egypt, Estonia, and Uruguay.

Although these tours are free, don't forget to tip your guide.

Be a carry-on-only traveler

Committing to being a carry-on-only traveler has saved me a lot of money.

Paying extra for a checked bag can add up quickly — especially if you're visiting multiple destinations on your trip. And with just a carry-on, you can limit your spending by having limited space to pack souvenirs.

Be sure to check the size restrictions and weight limit for carry-on bags. Some budget airlines only allow about 15 pounds, though you can sometimes pay a minimal fee to double the weight limit.

If you can't manage with just a carry-on, fly with an airline that allows you to check your first bag for free.

Take advantage of tax rebates for foreigners

Many countries offer travelers a tax rebate for select purchases made with a foreign credit card. In Thailand, for example, certain purchases over 2,000 baht are eligible for a tax rebate.

Find out what the limit is in your destination and look into requesting a Global Blue tax refund. Keep in mind that some countries may require you to show purchased goods to an agent at the local airport.

• Trump hopes to make his one criminal conviction disappear prior to his January 20 inauguration.
• In a filing made public Tuesday, he says he's immune from prosecution even now, as president-elect.
• Sentencing in the NY hush-money case has been indefinitely delayed by this latest dismissal bid.

The US Supreme Court found in July that presidents enjoy broad immunity from prosecution.

But is a president-elect also immune?

In a 72-page filing made public Tuesday, lawyers for Donald Trump argue just that — that he's immune from prosecution right now.

And so his hush-money conviction should be immediately dismissed, and his 34 felony convictions wiped clean, they argue.

"Following President Trumps' overwhelming victory in the 2024 Presidential election, Presidential immunity is an unavoidable legal impediment to further proceedings in this case," his lawyers argue.

The massive motion to dismiss mixes old grievances against New York prosecutors and the trial judge — all are portrayed as politically motivated — with citations from caselaw and federal policies spanning from the nineteenth century to just last month.

The filing cites the US Supreme Court's July 1, landmark presidential immunity decision, which extends broad protections from prosecution to sitting presidents. Presidents-elect, during their brief but crucial transition to the office, warrant the same protections, Trump's lawyers argue.

The filing also cites special counsel Jack Smith's decision barely a week ago to drop Trump's two federal indictments. That decision was premised on longstanding Department of Justice policy barring the prosecution of sitting presidents, Trump's lawyers noted.

In moving to scuttle the two federal cases, the DOJ found that this ban on prosecuting sitting presidents also applies to presidents-elect, Trump's lawyers argue.

Trump's lawyers, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, are asking the trial judge, New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, to immediately dismiss the hush-money indictment.

Trump was convicted six months ago on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Jurors found he made false entries in Trump Organization records throughout his first year in office in order to retroactively hide a hush-money payment that silenced porn actress Stormy Daniels 11 days before the 2016 election.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg framed the case as a conspiracy to interfere with the election. Trump was convicted after a five-week trial and ten hours of jury deliberations over two days.

Bragg has promised to fight the claim that such a thing as presidential-elect immunity even exists.

"We believe these arguments are incorrect," Bragg wrote in response to a November 19 defense letter. Bragg's letter promises to counter this latest bid to dismiss the case. Prosecutors are due to file a response brief by Monday, December 9.

Only after the judge decides if the case is dismissed can Trump's sentencing — already postponed three times — be calendared or canceled.

And even if Merchan calendars it, Trump's lawyers have promised to halt the sentencing by immediately appealing his decision through the federal court system — to SCOTUS if necessary.

The argument that a president-elect has immunity

So why does Trump believe he enjoys presidential immunity from prosecution even now, as president-elect?

Blanche and Bove argue that there is little material difference between President Trump's current status after his victory in the national election and that of a sitting President following inauguration.

A second argument for special treatment of presidents-elect, made repeatedly by the two lawyers in the past month, draws on the Presidential Transition Act of 1963, which provides for the "orderly transfer of Executive powers."

"The Presidential Transition Act of 1963 was passed 'to promote the orderly transfer of the executive power in connection with the expiration of the term of office of a President and the inauguration of a new President,'" Trump's lawyers write now, quoting from the act.

The Act requires "all officers of the Government" to "take appropriate lawful steps to avoid or minimize distruptions that might be occasioned by the tranfer of the of the executive power," they argue.

The brief also cites the Constitution's Supremacy Clause, which holds federal law as taking precedence over state law.

Here, Blanche and Bove page through two centuries of caselaw, quoting, among other citations, an 1819 court ruling that found States "have no power" to "retard, impede, burden, or in any manner control" the President or other federal authorities."

"President Trump's status as President-elect and the soon-to-be sitting President is a legal impediment to further criminal proceedings based on the Presidential immunity doctrine and the Supremacy Clause," they write.

In the furtherance of justice

Trump's lawyers also argue that the case should be dismissed under New York law, which allows an indictment to be voided "in furtherance of justice."

A so-called interest of justice dismissal would require Merchan to find "some compelling factor, consideration or circumstance" under which continuing a prosecution "would constitute or result in injustice," as the act itself describes.

In considering the interest of justice, Merchan must weigh the strength and seriousness of the offense, the extent of the harm it caused, and the "history, character, and condition of the defendant."

He must also weigh "the impact of a dismissal upon the confidence of the public in the criminal justice system."

Blanche and Bove did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this story. A spokesperson for the Manhattan DA's office also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• A financial guru has criticized strict budgets, advocating for intuitive spending instead.
• Budget culture is seen as restrictive, leading to potential "budget burnout."
• Experts suggest balancing intuitive spending with realistic budgeting for financial health.

Saving money and paying off debts can feel like an endless cycle, which is why financial gurus are so keen on budgeting.

But Dana Miranda, a certified personal finance educator, told CNBC Make It in a recent interview that strict spending plans can be "toxic."

Miranda, who is also the author of "You Don't Need a Budget," told the outlet that budget culture is based on "restriction, shame, and greed," and there's little concrete evidence it works in the long term.

Instead, she recommended "intuitive spending" and thinking about your money "moment by moment." Rather than punishing themselves for overspending, people should reward themselves when they save, Miranda said.

Not all financial pros are in agreement, though.

Katrin Kaurov, the CEO and cofounder of the social financial platform Frich, told Business Insider it's true that "everyone hates budgeting."

But she isn't convinced intuitive spending is a good alternative. For some, it can increase debt and result in purchases they don't need.

To budget or not to budget

Doug Carey, a chartered financial analyst and founder of the retirement and financial planning software WealthTrace, told BI that whether to budget is a question that comes up with many of his clients.

Generally, he said he disagrees that people must have a set budget and stick to it. As long as someone can max out their 401(k) contributions and save enough for emergencies, "they can use their intuition for spending."

For these people, it is pretty obvious when they are spending too much, Carey said, because they'll dip into savings.

Budgets can be too limiting for people who are more flexible in their income, such as freelancers or contractors, for example, because these systems don't often allow for easy changes.

Carey said the "micromanagement" of daily things can also "obscure the bigger picture of your financial health," such as long-term financial goals such as retirement savings or building wealth.

"This can create a negative association with managing money and lead to 'budget burnout,'" Carey said. "Many give up on budgeting when they feel like they cannot live within the strict limits of the budget."

Trial and error

Budgets can be more universally helpful if they make room for flexibility.

Kaurov told BI that budgeting isn't inherently toxic, "but many people create budgets with too much enthusiasm and optimism for how little money they will spend from month to month."

People spend more during the holidays, for example. So using December's budget in January probably won't work.

Kaurov said a budget should be about creating a realistic guideline for spending and saving. If you've set one you can't follow, you should rethink it, she said.

"Budgeting is a tricky — but important — skill for people to learn when they're starting to manage their money," she said. "Trial and error is crucial and will allow people to find what kind of budget works best for them."

The grass isn't always greener

Intuitive spending sounds like a good idea, but it may be a case of "the grass is always greener," Kaurov added.

"For so many, especially younger people who are often on a tighter budget anyway, it's a really poor financial habit to develop," she said.

For those who are partial to impulsively buying trendy items from social media ads, "intuitive spending" can quickly turn into overspending on things you don't need.

Julie Guntrip, the head of financial wellness at Jenius Bank, told BI that rather than following absolute rules about their spending, people give themselves grace when things don't go to plan.

"Budgeting practices many times fail because people can't stick to them — an individual makes one misstep and decides to give it all up," she said.

A better course of action may be somewhere in the middle.

"Factoring splurges into a budget could be a great compromise for someone who may feel like budgeting is too constraining," Guntrip added. "This practice may actually help someone stick with a budget longer."

• There's a lot of temptation to spend money at Disney World, but some things aren't worth it.
• I will never buy hot coffee from a park or resort in the morning.
• I'm also no longer buying ponchos at the parks since they are cheaper elsewhere.

I've been going to Disney World for over 30 years and visit the Orlando theme parks multiple times a month.

Over the years, I've bought my share of souvenirs and merchandise. However, I've also narrowed down what's not worth the money at the parks and resorts.

Preparing for a new year is a prime time to reassess my travel budget.

Here are some of the things I don't plan on buying at Disney World in 2025.

It doesn't make sense to buy plain coffee when I can make it at my hotel.

I inevitably need a morning boost at Disney World, especially after spending a few days in the parks. But I try not to buy cups of hot black coffee.

I'm always at a hotel when I visit the parks — usually a resort on the Disney property — so I have access to at least a single-serve coffee machine that makes a decent cup at no added expense to me.

Even better, when I stay at a Disney Vacation Club villa, there are usually larger machines that brew full pots instead of single cups. I can bring my own ground coffee and filters for my perfect cup.

I skip buying ponchos in the parks since they're cheaper elsewhere.

Rain and Disney World seem to go hand-in-hand. When it rains at one of the theme parks, you'll likely see people donning thick, branded ponchos from the gift shops that cost about $12.

I've been guilty of buying these when I've been ill-prepared in the past, but I can get much cheaper disposable ones on Amazon or at Target before the trip.

The thinner, disposable ones are smaller anyway, so it's easy to pack multiple in any bag I have with me. Then, when it's done raining, I can simply throw the poncho away instead of carrying around a wet bundle of plastic.

Simple room upgrades usually aren't worth the extra cost.

I like to stay at the Disney World resorts, but I usually skip upgrading my booking from a standard to a preferred room closer to the hotel's front or its transportation options.

I imagine this is a nice feature for families with kids, but the rooms themselves seem to be exactly the same. Plus, it only saves me a couple of minutes of walking.

Prices vary depending on which kind of resort you're at — value, moderate, or deluxe. Sometimes, it's only about a $20-a-night difference between standard and preferred, but I could use that money on plenty of other things.

Dining packages for fireworks shows are overpriced.

Disney World sometimes offers dining packages for its bigger shows, but I often find them to be of poor value. I'd rather grab something quick and easy and save my money.

For instance, you can book a dining package to watch "Fantasmic!" at Hollywood Studios. The price includes your meal, a drink, and guaranteed seats to the show, starting at $57 for adults.

That's much more than I'd normally spend on a meal at Disney World, and as long as I get to the theater early, open seats are usually plentiful.

I don't think Lightning Lane Single Passes are worth it.

If you're not as familiar with Disney World, all the different ticket add-ons can be confusing — plus, they always seem to be changing.

For now, there are still times when I think it makes sense to pay $15 a person per day for a Lightning Lane Multi Pass that I can use to expedite three lines at certain attractions. However, the individually priced Lightning Lane Single Passes for the most popular rides cost $10 to $25 each.

I understand that some people only have one opportunity to visit the parks and get on these rides, but I'm there often enough that the added expense isn't worth it.

Instead, I just get to the park early or stay late since lines are usually shorter during those times. I also keep my eye out for virtual queues on rides like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. When they're open, you can reserve one a day for free on the My Disney Experience app.

• I used my savings and a $15,000 gift from my mom to travel and temporarily move to Italy in my 30s.
• Living in Italy taught me how to appreciate spontaneity and fulfilled me creatively.
• The experience also showed me that it's OK to ask for help and take more risks.

In 2022, I was working a 9-to-5 job, saving money each month, and living a fairly responsible life.

But by January 2023, I couldn't shake the feeling that my life in San Francisco was no longer serving me. My friends were starting to buy houses or get married, but I wasn't interested in these pursuits.

Instead, I started to think about traveling and taking an "adult gap year" in Italy. I lived there while studying abroad in college and knew I wanted to return.

I'd also saved $30,000 to either invest in a house or put toward something else. So when I turned 30 that year, I used my savings and $15,000 from my mom to travel, take a gap year, and find "La Dolce Vita" in Italy.

I used the money I'd saved and a gift from my mom to travel and start building a life in Italy

At first, my friends and family thought I was wild for putting my job in San Francisco on hold to travel and spend time living in Italy. But gap years are becoming more popular with adults as they seek to reduce stress and travel more.

The only person who didn't question my plans was my mother. She'd always supported my dreams, and she told me she'd help me if I ran out of money.

That year, my mom gave me $5,000 for my birthday. In August 2023, I left the US to begin my adventure.

Using her gift and my savings, I spent a month traveling to five countries, visiting places like Egypt and Greece, before landing in Italy. Eventually, I hunted for an apartment there.

Living in Italy was amazing, but my lifestyle was expensive

When I arrived in Italy, I settled into an apartment in Florence.

My rent was about 1,185 euros, or about $1,250 a month, and I budgeted 50 euros a day for food and other items.

When I realized I could eat out for only 30 euros daily, I took advantage of the extra cash I'd saved and started buying Italian leather goods and other treats, often spending 100 to 300 euros per item.

I had a writing job, but my days were mostly free, so I could travel all week if I wanted to. As I adjusted to life in Italy, I met other adventurous people and started saying yes to spontaneous opportunities, like traveling to Japan and heading to Munich for Oktoberfest.

Eventually, I started running out of money. The four-star hotels I'd stayed in turned into two-star lodging, and I started taking the bus instead of taxis.

By Christmastime, I'd burned through about $20,000.

When I went home for the holidays, my mom helped fund my return to Italy

In December 2023, I came back to the US, hoping to return to Europe in January. However, I didn't know if I had the funds to do so. While home for the holidays, I learned I'd been accepted into a monthlong creative-writing residency in Florence.

I loved the life I'd had in Italy, and I knew I had to finish what I'd started. I didn't know if I could afford it, though, so, I asked my mother for help.

At first, she was hesitant to offer more financial support. Still, she saw the growth I'd been achieving abroad — I was learning to be more spontaneous and felt more creatively fulfilled than I had in a long time. Before I left, she gave me another $10,000 to use in Italy.

On my second trip, I stayed in Florence for six months before returning to the US for good.

Living in Italy was a once-in-a-lifetime experience — and I'm thankful my mom helped me do it

In Italy, I learned how to leave my house without a plan and go with the flow, whether I was getting my third pastry of the day or catching the sunset by the river.

I'm fortunate that my mom saw my personal growth and was able to support me.

My relationship with my mom even became stronger when I returned to the US. After seeing how inspired and full of life I was, she had no regrets about helping me get there.

Finding self-confidence in Italy was a priceless experience, and I'll always cherish the memories from my gap year.

• Some parents fear their kids will waste money, sink into debt, and never move out.
• Teaching personal finance lessons to young children can set them up for success, Mark Berg says.
• The financial planner tells parents to foster independence in their kids even if it's uncomfortable.

Many parents worry their children will grow up to be bad with money, wind up in debt, and end up moving back home.

Mark Berg, who founded Timothy Financial Counsel in 2000, says there are steps parents can take to avoid that fate.

Here are five of Berg's top tips for setting kids up for financial success which he outlined on a recent episode of Morningstar's "The Long View" podcast.

1. Start with the basics

Parents can start teaching their children about personal finance when they're as young as six or seven, Berg said. They can explain how money works, give their kids an allowance and pocket change for doing chores and odd jobs, then encourage them to save up for a special purchase as a lesson in the rewards of working and delayed gratification, he said.

Limiting spending money also teaches kids about opportunity cost, reinforcing the idea that money is scarce and there are constraints on what they can afford.

Berg said that using physical currency helps kids grasp the concept of money. It's visual, and they can hold it in their hands and hand it over, the veteran financial planner said.

"It really helps them understand the true cost and trade-off" with money, he said, "whether it's buying ice cream or going to the store to buy a toy."

"It's also healthy to say no," Berg added. Families should "not just always give, even if you have the means to do it, because that's not reality."

2. Build good money habits

Once their child receives their first paycheck, parents can explain how much has gone toward paying taxes, and help them budget the rest between buying things they want and saving for college and retirement.

Berg advised opening a checking account for children early on, then getting a credit card as soon as possible to establish a credit history. That can give them earlier access to the bank funding they'll likely need for a big purchase like a first home.

He emphasized that kids should pay off their credit cards as they use them to avoid carrying a balance and paying interest or late fees.

3. No coddling

Parents should aim to turn their grown children into self-reliant adults without delay, Berg said.

"They need to be independent of their parents' lifestyle and creature comforts, and need to work through those hard decisions from an early age of the trade-offs of spending versus saving," he said.

Berg advised parents to stop paying for things like their kids' cell plans and car insurance as soon as possible. He recalled a client whose kids moved back home after college, and they only offered them six months of rent-free living before charging $400 a month for the next six months, then double that for the next six months, and so on. Parents can even give all the rent payments back as a lump sum when their child moves out, he added.

The veteran financial planner suggested parents be up front with their kids about how much they can contribute to their college funds. That can help guide their decisions about what schools they apply to and what financial aid they seek.

Similarly, if parents are paying for a wedding, they should set a clear budget even if it forces their child to compromise between the perfect dress and the ideal venue, Berg said. If they loan the money to their kid to buy a house, they need to be strict in getting repaid, he added.

Letting your teenagers work can help foster independence and good saving habits, teach them to manage their time better and be more efficient with their schoolwork, strengthen their character, and better appreciate their lifestyle as they're partly paying for it, Berg said.

He made an exception to his tough-love approach when it comes to family holidays and similar occasions. "I really think that family time, especially with aging parents and even grandparents, if they're still living, is really a great investment in the family dynamics — I think there's a lot of health to that."

4. Do no harm

Berg underscored that parents should never put their children in a tough financial position.

"I'd say the No. 1 principle is don't create a circumstance where your help creates a hurt," he said.

Berg gave the example of buying a home for a child who can't afford the maintenance and property taxes, and said those kinds of purchases "really lose the joy."

5. Pass wealth down early and carefully

"Start in the shallow end and work toward the deep end with your kids," Berg said, encouraging parents to give small amounts to their children over time instead of a lump sum after they die.

Parents could match the money their child makes from a summer job and put that amount in a savings account for them, he said. They could give money each year but earmark it for education or retirement to avoid lifestyle bloat or removing the incentive to work. They might even give a larger one-off amount as a test.

"It really gives you a snapshot, a small example of what their decision thinking will be like when they eventually potentially receive that much, much larger number of an inheritance down the road," Berg said.

"And it gives an opportunity not for the parent to micromanage, but the parent to observe the decisions that they make, be available to have conversations, really help guide and be there on the journey, on the path to help them make good financial decisions."

• Sheri Atwood was proud that she managed to divorce amicably for just $500.
• However, navigating co-parenting expenses with her ex eventually led to animosity.
• Atwood invented a system where she could upload receipts for her ex and keep detailed records.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sheri Atwood, founder and CEO of SupportPay. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I was five when my parents got divorced, but their separation was so tumultuous that it shaped my whole childhood. The money they spent fighting us could have bought a mansion, but my siblings and I were barely fed and living in a one-bedroom apartment. I lived in 24 different places before I was 18 as they battled for custody.

I was determined not to continue that kind of life. I was the only one of my siblings to go to college. While there, I met a marine in Tijuana and married him at just 19. Our marriage was OK at first, mostly because my job in corporate cyber security meant I traveled constantly.

We had a baby when I was 25, and almost instantly, I realized I wanted a divorce, and my ex was fully on board. Our relationship wasn't healthy, and I didn't want my daughter to grow up with that. I did all the paperwork and paid $500 for the divorce. I felt we had dodged a bullet by having a cheap, amicable divorce despite having significant assets, including multiple homes and a boat. I was proud that we were both focused on what was best for our daughter.

After the divorce, we started fighting about money

After the divorce, I felt like we were constantly discussing — or arguing over — money. He would pay $20 to register our daughter for soccer, and I'd pay $40 for gymnastics, so we were always figuring out who owed whom. I would spend $100 on shoes, and he'd say there was no way shoes cost that much, so I'd have to send him a receipt.

We had the same issue with our shared custody calendar. I'd put my frequent work trips on the calendar, and he would lose the link and ask me to resend it.

I wasted a huge amount of time and energy managing our co-parenting. It was incredibly stressful. Soon, the friendly feelings from my divorce were out the window. My ex and I had a lot of animosity because we had different values around money and challenges communicating about it.

I realized everyone talks about an amicable divorce, but no one talks about what comes after that.

Automating payments allowed me to let go of frustration

When my daughter was seven, she needed emergency brain surgery. That was a wake-up call for me. Until then, I was spending so much time working while nannies took care of her. I realized that if I were going to work that many hours, I wanted to do something more personally meaningful. To me, that meant ensuring my family and others had a better way to manage the mundane tasks of co-parenting, like handling payments and the calendar.

I used my tech background to create a platform to manage payments, schedules, and communication between co-parents. Back then, a text from my ex could distract me from work and disrupt my focus, so I also put communication in the app, which would send me a notification that I could deal with when I was ready.

By the time my daughter was 9, the app was live, and my ex and I began to use it. Having everything in one place allowed me to let go of so much frustration and the time I spent talking to my ex about money. That way, I could focus on what was important: our daughter. My ex even started using it with another ex-partner he also has a child with.

I had let go of my negative feelings, too

Time and time in my life, I've had arguments over money. It's not just with my ex. It also happened with my siblings when we were caring for our mother, and again after she died and we needed to settle her estate.

Having a platform to handle modern family finances takes some of the emotion out of these transactions. Of course, that requires a shift in mindset too. For example, I realized if I wanted to get paid, I had to show my ex receipts for my expenses. He wasn't asking out of spite. He just genuinely didn't realize how much things cost — like those $100 shoes! Being able to upload a receipt kept things cordial and helped me get my money.

Most parents want to support their kids, and they realize kids aren't free. But they don't always understand the costs, and tempers can quickly flare around money. Sharing receipts can be a neutral way to show those costs and avoid emotion.

When you have a child with someone, you're tied to them for life. My daughter is now 22, and my ex and I are still sharing college expenses. I've also had people use the app to split wedding expenses or the cost of taking care of a senior loved one. The last thing anyone wants is to make or receive a phone call asking for money. When you can avoid that, you have more time to focus on what really matters: family.

• I help people package and monetize their skills, and I've helped my kids do the same.
• From when they were young, they've published books, sold baked goods, and more.
• I encourage these pursuits and talk to them about budgeting and saving money.

I realized early on in my work as a personal branding and executive coach that I had a gift for seeing my clients for who they uniquely were. I could quickly pinpoint a clear opportunity they could tap into to tell their story, share their expertise, or make money from a unique skill.

So, back when my two teens were in elementary school, I intentionally set out to teach them how to boldly package their genius once they had demonstrated skills and services I thought could be marketable.

My sons were open to my suggestions

When my then-9-year-old son Connor wrote a hilarious short story as a fourth-grade class assignment, I encouraged him to keep going and make it longer. I told him that if he wrote a little more, I'd help him publish his story as a book on Amazon.

That motivation proved powerful for a fourth grader, and over the winter holiday break that year, he finished his book "Zombie Tag," which became a playground hit. He wrote two more titles in a series, and they're all still available on Amazon. He did a few book talks and book fairs, and all of his book sale money went into a high-yield CD. He still sells a few copies of his book each month, and all new royalties go directly to a liquid high-yield savings account that he watches grow from an app on his phone.

Logan, who is a year older than Connor, helped with the book marketing and got a percentage of the early sales when they did things like set up at book fairs. Since then, the two have also both earned money from their shared skills; for example, they both had a joint podcast audio editing studio a few years ago with a small roster of clients.

Additionally, they pursue their individual passions, which I encourage. Logan has sold digital art portraits, blank coloring pages, and postcards with original art, and Connor has sold his electronic beats, original podcast theme music he produced on GarageBand, and, most recently, homemade cinnamon rolls. Whenever there is a demand for something they do, I make a point of challenging them to package it in a way a customer can buy — if that's something they're open to doing, which they usually are.

I try to teach them about money and how to save and budget

I think it's important to show them they have agency; they may want to buy concert tickets or new sneakers, but they're not at the mercy of my bank account. My goal has always been to show them that opportunities to make money are as unlimited as their own creativity.

As my children began earning money independently, I encouraged them to save 10-50% of what they made. I've also talked with them about what makes a big purchase "affordable." One lesson that seems to have stuck is that if a purchase will take up more than 10% of their cash on hand, it may be too costly and need to be reconsidered.

That said, they still spend like teens and come to me when they want to buy something out of their budget. But I do believe that once they're on their own and fully financially responsible for themselves, they'll have the basic framework to help them make good money decisions.

I want their creativity to give them a sense of freedom

As a coach, I work with adults who find it difficult to give themselves permission to package their expertise and skills in different ways. I see how hard it is to mentally shift from expecting a paycheck to show up automatically every two weeks to getting creative when you need to earn additional money.

There will inevitably be lean times, and you may need to adapt when fortunes change or might be forced to do something different when the job market dips. I've seen how tough it can be for my clients to flip the switch of monetizing their work. But once they unlock that key skill, they also unlock the peace of mind from knowing they always have what it takes to earn more.

I want my kids to have that now so they're never at the mercy of a toxic boss or job that's not the right fit. I want them to be aware of their innate ability to create opportunities so they aren't always waiting for one to be handed to them. As a mother, I want to give them a sense of their personal power early so they don't fall into the trap of overworking to prove their worth — a trap that too often leads to burnout.

As of now, they've made around $10,000 from book sales, bake sales, audio editing, and digital art sales combined. But whether they make a lot of money from their endeavors or not doesn't matter so much to me. I just want them to be aware that they are powerful and they always have the power to shift their financial futures — regardless of what's happening in the economy.

• Cher came back from owing $270,000 in back taxes only to wind up broke again years later.
• The star makes several striking points about money in her memoir published this week.
• Cher says she overspent, lacked financial acumen, and benefited from owning real estate.

Cher has made and lost several fortunes in her career. The "Believe" singer, who shot to fame with hits including "I Got You Babe" with her ex-husband Sonny Bono, reflects on her financial triumphs and troubles in her new book, "Cher: The Memoir, Part One."

Here are six points she makes about money:

1. Feeling safe

Cher's parents struggled financially, so she often had to give things up she liked. When she made it big, the performer found comfort in having backup products.

"I was so insecure about becoming poor again that I started buying two of a few key household items in case we needed to replace things that had worn out," she writes.

"There was no logic to owning two electric frying pans or two hair dryers — I'd have been a broke housewife with great hair — but it made me feel better because since childhood I'd been accustomed to losing what I had or being forced to trade down to a worse situation."

2. Overspending

"We're broke, Cher. We owe the IRS $270,000 in back taxes and we don't have the money," Bono said to Cher in the late 1960s, in her telling.

Cher realized that she'd spent almost precisely that amount on her dream house. "That's how people in the movie industry or music business get into such trouble," she writes.

"You come from nothing and suddenly you've got all this money and you're doing Ed Sullivan and people are screaming for you all over the world and you think it's gonna last forever," she continued. "Then one day it dries up and you realize you never had any backup."

In 1980, Cher was on the brink of declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy when she was saved by a man who'd bought some apartment buildings from her — he decided to pay in full instead of in installments.

"Thank you, God," she writes. "I vowed never to overextend myself like that again. (Not that it stuck—I've been overextending myself in a million ways my whole life!)."

3. Financial acumen

Cher writes she was "someone who didn't know my ass from first base when it came to money."

She never considered that Bono might not be financially savvy or the best person to manage their money, and the pair didn't have a business manager.

Cher later relied on David Geffen, a music and film producer, to help her handle her finances.

4. Checking contracts

After separating from Bono in the 1970s, Cher learned from Geffen that despite being a duet for years, the pair were far from equal partners.

"Sweetheart, this contract is involuntary servitude," Geffen told Cher in her telling. "You work for Sonny. You have no rights, no vote, no money, nothing."

Cher writes in her memoir that "the contracts he'd had me sign were secretly designed to strip me of my income and the rights to my own career."

In 1980, when Cher discovered her managers were making more money than her, she swiftly fired them.

5. Diversified portfolio

Cher writes that when she had spare cash at one point, she invested some of it in apartment buildings which she later sold. The buyer's decision to pay in full instead of in installments not only taught her a lesson in not overextending herself, it also showed the power of holding assets and the value of a diversified portfolio.

In this case, parking her money in real estate spared her from bankruptcy.

6. Helping family

After her career took off, Cher supported her mom financially and at one point gave her money to open a store called Granny's Cabbage Patch in Brentwood, California.

"Mom's store attracted a lot of press attention, but it was never solvent and soon began to lose money," Cher writes. "As my business manager put it, 'Georgia's independence is killing you.'"