Chatting with AI might be entertaining, but it can also be dangerous if you don't know how to use it correctly.  Sure, there are countless opportunities to use AI chats to discover new recipe ideas, work on travel planning and get quick answers. But you also have to take care when using them to avoid potential issues.

Photo By CNET

Article updated on February 4, 2026 at 6:01 AM PST Mercey Livingston CNET Contributor Mercey Livingston is a health and wellness writer and certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. She's written about fitness and wellness for Well+Good, Women's Health, Business Insider, and Prevention.com among others. When not writing, she enjoys reading and trying out workout classes all…

Photo By CNET

Are you ready for a bona fide moon shot? The upcoming Artemis II mission is one of the most exciting space excursions in recent memory. It'll be the first time humans have flown to the moon since December 1972, when the landmark Apollo program wrapped up, and NASA began shifting focus toward the space shuttles that…

Photo By CNET

But prices vary, whether your party is in Boston or Seattle

February 4, 2026

• Tortilla chips: $4.76 vs. $4.50 last year (-5.46%); Seattle -1.6%, Boston -8.6%, Santa Clara -5.6%
  

• Chunky chili with beans (19 oz.): $2.75 vs. $2.81 (+2.18%); Seattle -7.8%, Boston +4.4%, Santa Clara +7.2%
  

• Frozen Supreme pizza: $9.03 vs. $9.25 (+2.44%); Seattle +2.3%, Boston -0.1%, Santa Clara +0.7%
  

---

As fans gear up for Super Bowl parties, the cost of filling the snack table is sending a mixed message: some staples are cheaper than a year ago, others are pricier, and where you shop still matters a lot.

New pricing data from Datasembly, which tracks grocery prices nationwide, shows modest overall inflation for a typical Super Bowl spread but notable regional differences in Seattle, Boston and Santa Clara.

Across a basket of popular game-day items from tortilla chips and salsa to frozen pizza, wings and beer prices this year rose about 1.5% overall, to roughly $80.49, compared with $79.27 last year. That relatively small bump masks bigger swings at the item level.

Snack chips and dippables offered some relief. Tortilla chips fell more than 5% nationally, while tater tots dropped more than 8%, with especially steep declines in Seattle. Chunky salsa also edged lower overall. Those decreases helped offset higher prices for items like burgers, queso and soda.

Proteins and prepared foods were a mixed bag. Beef chuck burgers (a six-count pack) climbed more than 3% year over year, while frozen buffalo wings dipped about 2.6% nationally though shoppers in Seattle saw prices jump more than 8% for wings, according to Datasembly. Frozen Supreme pizza posted a modest increase overall, with little variation across the three cities.

Drinks and dips leaned higher. Mini-can six-packs of cola rose more than 9% nationally, and French onion dip increased more than 7%. Beer prices were mostly flat, with slight increases in Boston and declines in Seattle and Santa Clara.

Regional trends

Regional trends underscore how local markets shape the Super Bowl bill. Seattle shoppers generally saw lower prices for snacks and chili but higher costs for wings. Boston posted notable declines for chips and salsa, while Santa Clara tended to run hotter on prepared foods and chili.

Bottom line: hosting a Super Bowl party this year wont break the bank, but smart shopping and knowing which items have cooled or heated up can still make a noticeable difference. Datasemblys data suggests that mixing brands, watching weekly specials and tailoring menus to local price trends remain the best ways to keep kickoff costs in check.

The move may expand home ownership to more people

February 4, 2026

• FHFA and Fannie Mae have eliminated rigid minimum credit score floors (like 620) for conventional mortgages
  

• Lenders now can use newer credit score models (including VantageScore 4.0 as well as Classic FICO) and take a more holistic view of borrower risk
  

• Credit scores still matter, but underwriting focuses more on overall financial profiles than on single score cutoffs
  

---

In a major modernization of mortgage underwriting standards, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has ushered in rule changes that remove traditional minimum credit-score requirements for conventional mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac a shift industry officials say could expand homeownership opportunities while maintaining risk controls.

For decades, borrowers seeking a conforming conventional mortgage the most common type of home loan in the United States typically needed a minimum credit score of around 620 to qualify for purchase by government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. That numeric floor acted as a bright-line eligibility rule in automated underwriting systems.

Under the new FHFA-directed guidelines effectively implemented for loans submitted after Nov. 16, 2025 these rigid score thresholds have been removed. Fannie Maes Desktop Underwriter (DU) no longer requires a set minimum credit score to generate an approve/eligible finding, instead weighing a borrowers full financial profile including credit history, income, assets, and payment patterns in a more nuanced risk assessment.

A different view of creditworthiness

The FHFAs revamp reflects broader changes in how credit risk is measured in mortgage markets. Previously, lenders had to submit a borrowers Classic FICO score to the GSEs; now the rule allows lenders to deliver loans scored with either Classic FICO or VantageScore 4.0, with future plans to adopt additional models such as FICO 10T.

The newer models incorporate alternative data like rent and utility payments which can better assess credit for borrowers with limited traditional credit histories.

For borrowers, removing the minimum score requirement doesnt guarantee approval at any score, but more applicants particularly those with thin or non-traditional credit files may now see their overall financial strength considered more thoroughly. Credit scores remain important, but they are one of multiple inputs analyzed in automated underwriting systems.

For lenders and originators: The change signals a shift away from single-metric cutoffs toward layered risk evaluation. Many lenders still set internal minimums or overlays, and private mortgage insurers may maintain their own score thresholds. Clear documentation and robust underwriting remain critical.

What it means for home buyers

Market analysts say the FHFA changes could modestly expand mortgage access, particularly for first-time buyers, younger borrowers, and those with alternative credit histories. However, they caution that broader credit evaluation places greater emphasis on the quality of documentation and risk management practices across the industry.

As the mortgage sector adapts, the changes reflect a key policy evolution one that balances expanded access with prudent risk assessment in the nations housing finance system.