Both CPI and PPI came in this week hotter than expected. In addition to that economic news, check out headlines about the rise of the deinfluencer, crypto crackdowns, the costs and benefits of dual enrollment programs, and more.

Economics

• CPI came in just a tad higher than expected. The road to 2% is not a straight (or short) haul. (Yahoo-video) (CNBC) (NYT-subscription may be required)
• And PPI came in a lot higher than expected. Inflation is still an issue. (Forbes)
• Retail sales jumped 3% in January, the biggest monthly jump in two years. (CNN)

Here is a chart that tracks the rise and fall of retail sales by sector.

Cryptocurrency

• There were more crackdowns this week in the crypto world—this week Paxos was prohibited from minting any new Binance USD coins. (CNBC)

Retirement

• This is an excellent discussion of Social Security benefits and when to start taking them. (Forbes)
• The math behind the “Path to $10 Million.” (Humble Dollar)

Taxes

• If you received pandemic related state tax refunds and were told not to file your Federal return yet, the IRS now says to go ahead and file. There likely will be no federal tax obligation on them. (CNN)

Budgeting/Housing

• Renters pay a “singles” tax for living alone (Zillow)
• A new social media trend has arisen during these inflationary times—“Deinfluencers.” (LA Times)
• The Housing Shortage in the US leads to other problems, and the “Housing Theory of Everything” named by economists Sam Bowman and Ben Southwood in 2021 explains why and how. (Business Insider) 

Higher Education

• Do your students have dual enrollment opportunities? Inside Higher Ed discusses the costs and benefits of doing it the right way.

Career

• This Whiteboard post includes some good statistics on teacher pay and a link to an article explaining the bipartisan support for raising it.

Health and Wellness

• This last one is important to read if there are teen girls in your life. The CDC reports teen girls are suffering from sadness and violence. (Axios)

About the Author

Beth Tallman

Beth Tallman entered the working world armed with an MBA in finance and thoroughly enjoyed her first career working in manufacturing and telecommunications, including a stint overseas. She took advantage of an involuntary separation to try teaching high school math, something she had always dreamed of doing. When fate stepped in once again, Beth jumped on the opportunity to combine her passion for numbers, money, and education to develop curriculum and teach personal finance at Oberlin College. Beth now spends her time writing on personal finance and financial education, conducts student workshops, and develops finance curricula and educational content. She is also the Treasurer of Ohio Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy.