Author: Jessica Wong

A grocery store in Canada is sending a strong message amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war with the country — going 117-plus days without selling any U.S.-grown fruits or vegetables, according to Global News.

“We’re, you know, just really trying to promote the local farms,” Garth Green, general manager of Urban Grocer, told the news outlet in a story published July 14. “It’s been very, very good for us. The customers have been very appreciative of it.”

Green says the store, located in Victoria, British Columbia, made the bold move to go cold turkey on American produce after Trump first imposed tariffs on Canadian goods in March.

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“There’s people every day almost that come in here and say, ‘You know, we hear what you’re doing and we love it and we’d love to join on board with you and really shop here,’” Green said.

Despite the success of the project, Green says it has also brought challenges.

Supply challenges

Green says the grocer has taken a “Canada-first” approach to sourcing its products, but the reality is not everything can be found in Canada at all times.

At one point, Green thought they could only get cauliflower from the U.S., per Global News, until he found out it was cauliflower season in Holland.

“So we reached out to a few suppliers and said, ‘Hey, can you get Holland cauliflower for us?’” he recalled. “We ended up finding some, brought it in, and you know it’s a little bit more expensive to bring in because you’re flying it in. But we just took a [lower] margin, [sold] it at a regular price and [were] able to give the customer something that they can buy until B.C. cauliflower was available.”

Supply is also an issue, and Green admits they’ve had to buy extra to maintain stock.

It’s all part of a cross-country trend of Canadian consumers avoiding U.S. products.

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Canadians reject American-made goods

Sylvain Charlebois, a food researcher at Dalhousie University, says what’s happening at Urban Grocer reflects the way Canadians have been spurning U.S. goods lately.

“The boycott is absolutely real,” he told Global News.

A report by marketing research firm NielsonIQ shows, amid trade tensions, nearly half (45%) of Canadian consumers are avoiding U.S. products or opting for Canadian-made alternatives.

“What’s really interesting is that people haven’t really boycotted chains like Walmart or Costco, but they’re boycotting products,” Charlebois said.

Canada has traditionally been one of the biggest buyers of American agricultural goods. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2023, Canada made up 16.3% of U.S. agricultural exports.

It’s not known how long Canadians will maintain a boycott mindset, but Urban Grober is leaning into the trend.

“Across the store, we are working towards trying to go all Canadian if possible,” Green said. “It’s going to be a lot harder, but we’ve started the process and started to weed out some of the suppliers that we don’t need.”

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

A federal judge has ordered the city of McKinney to pay almost $60,000 plus interest to 81-year-old Vicki Baker.

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Why the big payday? Baker’s home was torn apart by a SWAT team during a 2020 police standoff.

Baker took the city to court after her house became the battleground for a high-stakes manhunt, reported WFAA. McKinney police unleashed tear gas, explosives, and tactical vehicles on the property while chasing a fugitive who had barricaded himself inside.

Insurance plans do not cover “acts of the government” and the city refused to pay for the damage, so Vicki joined forces with the Institute for Justice (IJ) to file a lawsuit in March 2021.

“I’ve just learned that my battle with the city of McKinney is coming to an end,” Baker said in a statement on June 5. “Judge Mazzant has, once again, ruled that I am due just compensation under the Texas Constitution.”

‘…Vicki is finally going to be made whole’

According to the WFAA report, it all started on July 25, 2020, when Wesley Little, a man Baker had hired for repairs, broke into her home and held a teenager hostage. Baker was in Montana, but her daughter, who was living at the property, escaped and called 911.

After Little released the teen but refused to surrender, a SWAT team fired roughly 30 tear gas canisters shattering windows, smashed doors, and tore down a fence with an armored vehicle. Once inside they found Little had died by suicide.

The incident left more than $50,000 in damage to the house, according to Baker, with her insurance covering only the destruction caused by Little, not the police’s tactical incursion.

The city of McKinney initially refused to pay, citing sovereign immunity, a legal shield that often protects cities from liability unless waived or overturned by a judge.

Baker, a cancer survivor who had recently invested $25,000 to ready her home for sale, didn’t back down. “It was more devastating because of everything that was happening to me at the time,” she said. “I felt like this was a case that would help not just me, but a lot of people. That’s why I wanted to fight.”

With legal help from the Institute for Justice, Baker argued that the government’s destruction amounted to an uncompensated taking of her property under both the U.S. and Texas Constitutions.

“It took five years, but Vicki is finally going to be made whole,” said Jeffrey Redfern, senior attorney at the Institute for Justice. “She’s fortunate that Texas has strong protections for private property rights, but people in much of the rest of the country aren’t so lucky.”

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There were many setbacks, including losing at the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court declining to hear the case, but a favorable ruling grounded in the Texas Constitution was ultimately handed down by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant this month.

WFAA has covered similar cases in Texas since 2020, highlighting the ongoing legal battle over police damage during raids, with cities repeatedly invoking sovereign immunity. Michael Lamson, a Houston trial lawyer, said to WFAA, "If you’re taking their property and you’re not paying them for it, you’re doing a very good job as a government."

Redfern reportedly pointed in court to a 1980 Texas Supreme Court ruling in Steele v. City of Houston, where the city was held liable after police allowed a home to burn following tear gas explosions, as a crucial precedent.

McKinney officials stated they are “evaluating options for appealing” the ruling.

As for Baker, now living in Montana, she says the city’s legal fees ended up being more than what it owed her. “They have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees,” she said. “And they could have gotten off with paying me $60,000.”

What is sovereign immunity?

In Texas and other states, sovereign immunity protects state agencies, counties, and cities. Sovereign immunity is meant to shield public agencies from endless lawsuits that could drain taxpayer dollars and gum up government operations. Unfortunately, this means when a homeowner sues a city for damage caused during police raids or other government actions, city governments can pull out the sovereign immunity card.

The may ways this can hurt homeowners include: Limited legal recourse: Most can’t sue cities for property damage unless there’s a rare exception. Financial strain: Repairs from police or government damage can run tens of thousands of dollars. Legal fights: Challenging sovereign immunity is complex and expensive, and can be lengthy. Unfair burden: Citizens pay the price, while cities walk away free and clear.

The Institute for Justice has taken on similar cases, including Martin v. United States, involving an FBI SWAT raid that damaged another family’s home.

For now, Baker’s victory could become a powerful blueprint for others fighting back against government damage.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

For more than three decades, LeeAnne Maxfield ran the state liquor store in Delta, Utah and served everyone from regulars to tourists.

But this summer, her store went dark.

The date above the counter reads June 21, 2004 and offers a reminder of the legal drinking age. Now June 21 holds new weight: June 21, 2024 was the last day customers could buy alcohol in Delta or anywhere in Millard County.

Her own son too had been forced to close the store he operated in neighboring Fillmore — an ironically named spot for a place that’s now run dry.

“My children grew up here,” Maxfield told FOX 13 News. “It’s been part of their lives.”

Across the state, about a dozen rural liquor stores, like Maxfield’s, have shuttered, leaving communities and small business owners scrambling.

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How a contract change sparked a business breakdown

That closure and others like it across rural Utah are the result of a dispute between small-town and rural liquor store operators and the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS).

In January, DABS issued new contract terms for “package agencies,” which are state liquor stores run by private individuals in rural areas. For operators like Maxfield, the new terms weren’t just tough, they were completely unrealistic.

“Several were very concerning,” Maxfield said.

One of the biggest issues? Credit and debit card fees.

“Those merchant fees would now be passed on to me,” Maxfield said, guessing the cost to be about $24,000 per year.

“To put that in perspective,” she added, “last year, my take-home pay after taxes and expenses was $30,000.”

DABS solution to the issues the new credit and debit card terms presented were dismissive, Maxfield said.

“They told me I don’t have to take credit cards if I don’t want to,” she said. “‘Just don’t take cards.’ But that creates its own set of problems.”

Tourists rarely carry cash and Maxfield didn’t want to keep large amounts of money in the store for safety reasons.

DABS also dictates prices. Maxfield wasn’t allowed to negotiate the terms or raise rates to offset new costs and she wasn’t given a chance to negotiate.

Maxfield is one of several plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the state, arguing that Utah has misclassified package agency operators as independent contractors rather than employees.

The group’s attorney, Erika Larsen, believes the contract changes are retaliatory.

“Our contention is it is a direct and clear retaliation,” Larsen said.

She says the state previously required package agencies to use state-managed point-of-sale systems — a key point in their lawsuit to demonstrate employee-like control.

“Because this lawsuit has been filed, [DABS administrators] have been unwilling to work with any of the… package agents on this,” Larsen said.

DABS declined an interview but said the new rules give more “autonomy” to the operators.

In a statement, DABS spokeswoman Michelle Schmitt said the department is “meeting with local economic development and other officials” to find new contractors for the empty stores. Some locations, such as Kanab, Helper and Kamas, are still pending, but Fillmore, Milford and Delta remain without liquor outlets.

The ripple effects are already being felt.

At Curley’s Lounge, a bar just down the street from Maxfield’s closed store, owner Amanda Stanworth now has to drive 50 miles just to restock.

“I know it’s going to cost me at least $20 just for gas a week to go over there,” she said. “Plus, I have to pay for somebody else to come and work for me while I go over.”

She’s also had to turn away customers looking for basic items she legally can’t sell.

“She said, ‘I just need a cup of white wine to cook my chicken dinner for tonight,’” Stanworth recalled.

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Steps business owners can take in similar situations

The closures in Utah’s rural liquor stores are a case study in how fragile small business models can be when contracts, regulations and outside control suddenly change. Here are four key lessons for small business owners:

1. Know your break-even point

When Maxfield was told she’d have to cover $24,000 in new credit card fees, she immediately realized it would slash her take-home earnings by over 80%, leaving her with one choice: to close down.

Make sure you understand your margins and that you have clear bookkeeping. A single policy or supplier change can throw your business underwater overnight.

2. Watch for contract changes

Maxfield said DABS refused to negotiate or even discuss alternatives.

If you operate under a contract or license (like a franchise, concession, or agency), review changes with your legal advisor as soon as possible. Lobby, organize with others impacted and push back formally as an organized unit before the contract is finalized.

3. Watch for worker misclassification

Maxfield and others argue they were treated as employees, bound by rules, required to use state systems, but they didn’t get benefits or protections.

If you’re a contractor with limited independence, you may be misclassified. That can cost you tens of thousands in retirement, health care, or legal protections. Talk to an employment attorney if you require clarification.

4. Diversify supply

If you’re locked into a single supplier or system, plan for backup. Build relationships with alternate vendors or partners, or lobby for policy flexibility before you need it.

Not just about business

As for Maxfield, it’s not just a financial loss; it hits on a personal level, too.

“A lot of people, I could actually have their items sitting on the counter by the time they got in the door,” she said.

She acted as a community buffer, helping problem drinkers manage their intake and keeping teens from trouble.

“Kids aren’t going to try to buy from me because I’m going to call your mom before I call the sheriff,” she said.

Now, she worries that people will drive long distances just to stock up. And no one has stepped in to take her place.

For their part, “[DABS] seeks business-minded individuals interested in this unique opportunity,” the organization shared in a statement.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Little America Hotels is facing mounting scrutiny after a consumer watchdog exposed what looks to be manipulation on its booking platform that could be gouging customers out of their hard-earned money.

“It’s a rip-off of the customers. They’re shown one thing and charged another,” Abhay Padgaonkar, a data analyst known for uncovering consumer fraud, told KPNX 12News in Phoenix.

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Padgaonkar found that a two-night stay at a Little America two hours north in Flagstaff jumped 21% higher than the advertised rate. While the hotel’s online calendar listed prices of $124 and $195 per night, clicking through showed an average of $193.50 — a major increase from the expected $159.50 average for two nights.

It’s classic “bait and switch,” he says.

An additional line added $14.12 per night in taxes and fees, which should total $28.24, but instead came to $44. The second night, originally advertised at $195, jumped to $263.

“This is essentially the electronic version of [a store shelf] showing one price, then charging more at the register,” Padgaonkar said.

20 nights, 13 price jumps

Reporters with 12News randomly sampled six Little America Hotels across five states: Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, California and Arizona. Out of 20 nights, 13 showed higher totals than the advertised price – the same pattern Padgaonkar discovered.

The biggest offenders were Flagstaff, Salt Lake City and San Diego, with prices as much as $30 more per night than advertised.

Padgaonkar told 12News that he first noticed the pricing issues last year, and he says the potential cost to consumers is staggering.

“The concern is, you know, $30 more, $60 more, $100 more per booking, and millions of bookings over how long? That could be an enormous amount of overcharge,” he said.

This comes on the heels of a new rule banning “unfair or deceptive fees,” introduced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in May. The rule mandates that hotels disclose the “total price upfront.”

When 12News asked Little America for a response to how long the problem has existed, how many customers were impacted and whether the it will self-disclose the issue to the FTC or Attorneys General in Utah and Arizona, the company responded with the following statement:

“This matter was recently brought to our attention. We are performing an investigation and will act accordingly.”

Padgaonkar says he hopes Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, who recently led a price deception crackdown on Family Dollar, will investigate Little America.

He told 12News that he phoned a Little America located in Utah on July 4 to walk a reservations agent through the pricing discrepancies. According to Padgaonkar, the hour-long call was recorded by Little America and ended with the agent admitting the issue was “disturbing,” before adjusting the reservation to the lower rate.

“The employee honored the lower cost for the hotel stays,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll keep the reservation, but for now I have the room booked.”

Days later, 12News reported that the company had removed nightly prices from the calendar view on its website.

“While I appreciate the hotel acknowledging the problem and taking quick action, it still leaves many important questions unanswered,” Padgaonkar said. “Will they make the customers whole by honoring the lower prices shown?”

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New rules in play

The FTC’s new rule on “unfair or deceptive fees” aims to also get rid of “drip pricing,” which is when a hotel advertises a low room rate and then adds mandatory fees such as resort fees, service charges and other costs at checkout.

Not only is the bait and switch issue a timely one, it could also be costing consumers a lot of money. The FTC estimates that the new rule will save consumers up to 53 million hours per year of time spent searching for the “total price.” The time savings is equivalent to more than $11 billion over the next ten years, says the agency.

A Consumer Reports survey found that 34% of travelers encountered surprise hotel fees at checkout. And that’s just one sliver of a much bigger issue.

"Junk" or hidden fees are unexpected charges that aren’t clearly disclosed up front. They might show up as resort fees, service fees, booking charges or convenience fees.

In December 2024, the FTC passed a landmark junk fees rule, requiring full, honest pricing for hotels, concerts and travel sites.

Violators risk federal enforcement.

“People deserve to know up-front what they’re being asked to pay—without worrying that they’ll later be saddled with mysterious fees that they haven’t budgeted for and can’t avoid,” FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said in a statement.

“The FTC’s rule will put an end to junk fees around live event tickets, hotels, and vacation rentals, saving Americans billions of dollars and millions of hours in wasted time.”

A tidal wave of new state laws is also sweeping across the U.S.:

• California enacted SB‑478 in 2024, banning businesses from advertising prices without including mandatory fees. It applies to hotels, restaurants, e-commerce and more.

• Minnesota introduced a law that prohibits hidden fees in food service, lodging, and digital sales in January.

• New York now requires all-in ticket pricing — no surprise surcharges allowed.

There is also a multistate coalition, a 19-state alliance (including Arizona, Hawaii and Pennsylvania) that supports the FTC’s rule — and is pushing for local enforcement.

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Money doesn’t have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Rebecca Jove, who has rented the same home in Middleburg, Florida for 10 years, says what once felt like a secure place to live has turned into a money pit. Jove’s rent has nearly doubled since she started living there, and she says she’s stuck in the "rental trap."

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Her struggle with rising rents and mounting maintenance issues is putting a spotlight on corporate landlords.

“You can’t cook, you can’t do laundry. The floors are sticky. It’s hotter in the house than it is outside,” Jove told News4JAX last month. Mold and a hole in the wall left unpatched for “three or four years” have only added to the frustration.

“We started off at a fair price and ended up paying far too much,” Jove said. “It has impacted our ability to actually get out and buy a house.”

‘It’s been a very, very long road’

Jove rents from Invitation Homes, one of the country’s biggest players in the single-family rental market. The real estate giant owns over 80,000 properties nationwide, hundreds in Northeast Florida alone, and is now at the center of an inquiry led by Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff.

Launched in May, Ossoff’s investigation also includes other corporate landlords – Main Street Renewal, Tricon Residential, and Progress Residential – that he says are inflating rental markets, outbidding families, and locking out would-be homeowners in Georgia.

His office told News4JAX it has already interviewed more than 160 witnesses, including renters, realtors, policy experts and local officials.

“More and more Georgians who are renting instead of buying are facing mistreatment or abusive practices by corporate landlords,” Ossoff said at a press conference. “Since 2009, public reports and research have identified an increase across the country in large national firms buying up single-family homes in bulk to convert them into rental properties.”

Jove’s experience in Florida mirrors what Ossoff describes happening across the U.S.. And while her family is finally preparing to purchase a home, she says the rising rent delayed their dream for years.

“It’s been a very, very long road,” Jove said.

News4JAX reached out to Invitation Homes for comment on Jove’s experience and the Senate investigation. A company spokesperson issued the following statement: “It is always our intent to provide high-quality homes and a professional leasing and property management experience for our residents. We remain in contact with Ms. Jove after installing a new HVAC system in her home earlier this month.”

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Is Wall Street buying the American dream?

In cities from Jacksonville to Atlanta, and across Sun Belt suburbs, Wall Street-backed landlords are rapidly changing what it means to rent or buy a home in America. Since the 2007-2009 financial crisis, big investment firms have snapped up single-family homes, turning the nation’s neighborhoods into rental portfolios.

Mega-landlords, or those with at least 1,000 properties, own 3% of the 15.1 million total single-family properties available for rent nationwide, according to a study by the Urban Institute.

These properties are concentrated in certain areas. Six cities — Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas, Charlotte, Houston, and Tampa — together contain 45% of these mega-operators’ total holdings.

“… large institutional investors have several advantages in competing for homes over individual homebuyers, especially first-time buyers: deep pockets and ready access to capital markets allow them to outbid individuals. This can lead to crowding out in geographic submarkets where institutional investors are seeking to expand their portfolios,” said Jenny Schuetz, a Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro.

Legislation aimed at reining in the corporate landlords, like the recent Strengthening Home Ownership in Florida Act, has come before Congress before and fizzled.

“Owning a home isn’t just about real estate; it’s about freedom, stability, and the right to build a future in your own community. With this bill, we’re making it clear: Florida belongs to Floridians,” said its sponsor Rep. Berny Jacques, reported Florida’s Voice.

Currently before lawmakers is the Homes for Every Local Protector, Educator, and Responder (HELPER) Act of 2025, a bipartisan effort sponsored by Rep. John H. Rutherford in the House and by Sen. Ashley B. Moody in the Senate. Both politicians represent the people of Florida.

It would introduce zero-down FHA loans for first responders including teachers, cops, and firefighters and is a shot at leveling the playing field for essential workers priced out by Wall Street-backed buyers.

As corporate landlords tighten their grip on the U.S. housing market, political pressure may mount. The fight over who gets to own the American dream continues.

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Money doesn’t have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Back in 1991, Berna Macías was just trying to make ends meet when she started selling cowboy hats at a local flea market.

“It was very cheap,” she recalled to KHOU News, but that simple choice laid the foundation for a family-run brand that has lasted more than three decades.

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At 73 years old, Berna, a great-grandmother of 14, is still working seven days a week. Retirement? Not even on the horizon.

And Berna’s not the only one: more and more seniors are working into their golden years.

From humble flea market to Texas fashion fixture

Today, the Macías name is synonymous with handcrafted hats and rodeo-ready fashion. Her son Raul still mans the original flea market stall on Airline Drive, shaping hats with the same precision his mother taught him.

In fact, Berna brought all six of her kids to the stall, turning the hustle into a hands-on masterclass in entrepreneurship.

“I am the baby of the family. I’m the sixth one,” said Alfredo Macías. “Just trying to feed the family.”

Building a business hasn’t come without challenges. When thieves once wiped out an entire store’s inventory, Berna considered walking away.

“I thought I’d close it all, because I lost everything,” she shared.

Instead, she doubled down.

The family now runs four brick-and-mortar stores under the brands Indomable and Silver Back Rodeo, alongside the original flea market location. They sell everything from custom-shaped hats and leather belts to traditional cowboy boot repair, serving ranch hands to Rodeo Houston showstoppers.

Nearly 30 employees keep things running, about half of whom are family, including grandchildren.

The Macías family proves one thing: never underestimate the power of a cowboy hat and a hardworking mom who won’t quit.

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The new retirement plan might be no plan at all

Retirement used to be a finish line. Now? For millions of Americans, it’s a pit stop or something they skip entirely.

In 2024, nearly 1 in 5 Americans aged 65 and up were still clocking in, nearly double the rate from the 1980s, according to U.S. labor data.

The average retirement age in the U.S. has climbed from 57 in the 1990s to 67-plus today, and is still rising.

So, why aren’t folks retiring yet?

About 80% of older workers say they still need the income, and 64% are scared they will outlive their money, according to a survey by Transamerica Retirement Studies.

A 2023 Pew study found workers 65-plus are more satisfied with their jobs than their younger peers.

Retirees are un-retiring, coming back to work for passion, not just pay. Whether it’s consulting, freelancing, or running their own gig, retirees are becoming retirees on their own terms.

This generational shift isn’t small potatoes. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics says the number of Americans over 65 has grown 457% since 1950, with life expectancy now hovering around 79 years.

Meanwhile, participation rates for those 75 and older are expected to nearly double by 2030, a demographic trend with big implications for the economy, housing, and even job design.

While some older Americans are still on the clock out of financial necessity, a rising number say it’s about identity, impact, and joy.

Retirement isn’t dead. But the old idea of sitting back on a porch and watching the world go by may become outdated for those who want (or have to) keep clocking in.

For today’s older Americans, the new retirement plan might just be no plan at all. And for many, that’s exactly how they like it.

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Money doesn’t have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

In a move that angered local businesses and neighbors, a longtime business owner in Astoria Heights put up a massive steel fence that cut off a public sidewalk and roughly 10 parking spaces.

Anthony Della Vecchia, who runs Michael Della Vecchia & Son General Contractor on Hazen Street, paid about $25,000 to install the permanent fence in April along 19th Road. He said years of illegal dumping and a recent fall that landed him a lawsuit were justification enough, according to Fox 5.

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The fence spanned 50 feet of sidewalk and stretched several feet into the street.

Della Vecchia saw no issue with it, pointing to a city tax map that he said proves the sidewalk and part of the roadway fall within his property lines.

“I’m within my rights,” he told Queens Post.

‘That fence is only going to make things worse’

The city wasn’t on board with Della Vecchia’s logic, however.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) issued him an encroachment notice of violation on April 17, giving him 30 days to get rid of the fence. Della Vecchia said he wasn’t going to take the fence down before his court date.

It’s not the first time Della Vecchia has been involved in local controversy. He put up temporary barriers and “No Standing” signs after a woman reportedly tripped on the sidewalk and sued his business in January 2024.

This time, things weren’t much different. Della Vecchia’s neighbors and nearby business owners had concerns.

Former City Council Member Costa Constantinides, who lives nearby, called the fence dangerous and ridiculous.

“He’s creating a traffic issue,” Constantinides told Queens Post, pointing out that the fencing made turning onto 77th Street more dangerous. “I’ve seen some terrible car accidents on that corner. That fence is only going to make things worse.”

The fence also created headaches for drivers. The day it went up, several parked cars were trapped inside the enclosed area.

A Reddit post showing at least three boxed-in vehicles went viral, with residents claiming they received no proper notice. One commenter said they parked their car two days earlier, only to find it fenced in with no way out. But Della Vecchia said he posted signs in advance and placed barrels along the curb.

The digital uproar spread on social media, where users were calling for city action and criticizing what they saw as a selfish move that put private concerns over community welfare.

But Della Vecchia pushed back against this sentiment.

“Why do I have to consult people to do something on my own property?” he said.

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Bad for local business?

The impact of the fence had the potential to hit small businesses in the area hard.

Foot traffic is important for nearby stores, as without sidewalk access, casual shoppers might just avoid the area. Less pedestrian flow can mean lost sales, accessibility issues for customers and a less inviting streetscape, which can be damaging for mom-and-pop shops that already operate on thin margins.

The dispute could have opened the floodgates and sparked legal battles over public right-of-way, drained city resources or even led to financial pressure on nearby tenants if customer numbers dropped.

Constantinides emphasized that the community would have been more understanding if Della Vecchia had talked to his neighbors before taking action.

“There could have been a resolution here had he come to us and worked with the neighborhood and tried to say, ‘Look, here are my grievances. Here are the things I need fixed,’” he told Queens Post.

Instead, the situation became a neighborhood nightmare.

As of May 17, Della Vecchia had to either take the fence down or take his fight to court.

What to read next

• Financial aid only funds about 27% of US college expenses — but savvy parents are using this 3-minute move to cover 100% of those costs
• Here are the 6 levels of wealth for retirement-age Americans — are you near the top or bottom of the pyramid?
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you’ll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement

Money doesn’t have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Picture this: You own a home, along with $130,000 in cash savings and $40,000 in your 401(k), and you’re not even 30 years old yet.

On paper, this is a great financial situation. But after years of pinching pennies, turning down dinner invites and putting fun on layaway, was the sacrifice worth it?

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• Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it
• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in ‘great wealth’. How to get in now

Welcome to the emotional hangover of hyper-saving, a side effect of the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement.

If this sounds like you, we’ve got some strategies for how to be fiscally responsible and still enjoy your life.

Full bank account, blank social calendar

The FIRE movement is a financial movement that is made up of intense saving and budgeting to support an early retirement.

Saving 50% to 70% of your income sounds glamorous on paper, and for the ultra-disciplined, it’s a path to fast-track financial goals. But when your social life takes a back seat to spreadsheet life, the returns may not always be what they seem.

According to Federal Reserve data, as of 2022, the median net worth for American households under 35 years old was just $39,000. So, if you’re in your late twenties with six figures saved and real estate in your name, you’ve already lapped this figure several times over.

But while your bank account may be full, what can you do if your social calendar is blank?

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Is there a middle ground?

Once you’ve nailed the basics, like establishing an emergency fund, bolstering your retirement savings and acquiring some equity, it could be time to rebalance. Financial stability should be your launch pad to life, not the finish line.

Here are some ways to reclaim your social life:

The “Yes Month”: Say yes (within reason) to social invites for a month. Go to that concert. Grab rooftop drinks. RSVP “yes” to life. Giving yourself permission to live a little can revitalize your emotional well-being.

Create a “Fun Fund”: Set aside a guilt-free allowance for everything you used to say “no” to, such as weekend getaways, dinners out, shopping or even grabbing a coffee.

Book a short trip: Whether it’s a road trip or something more exotic, a short, reasonably priced escapade can reset your perspective and your priorities and give you time for self-reflection.

Talk to a professional: A financial advisor can help you pivot from survival-mode saving to intentional living. Think of it this way, you take your car in for service regularly, right? So consider these meetings to be a tune-up for your money mindset.

You may also want to ask yourself: “What does ‘enough’ look like — for me?”

This can be used as a baseline for your saving mindset. Defining what’s “enough” — whether it’s a certain amount of savings or a paid-off mortgage — can help you figure out how much room you have to enjoy other things while you work toward achieving that goal.

Saving aggressively in your 20s is a powerful move. But financial independence isn’t just about escaping work; it’s about designing a life you actually want to live.

If you’re sitting on a growing bank account and a shrinking social life, maybe it’s time to rebalance the books, not just financially, but emotionally.

What to read next

• Financial aid only funds about 27% of US college expenses — but savvy parents are using this 3-minute move to cover 100% of those costs
• Here are the 6 levels of wealth for retirement-age Americans — are you near the top or bottom of the pyramid?
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you’ll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement

Money doesn’t have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.