Consumer News: A laser-powered AI machine could replace herbicides in farming

The average rent in Dallas actually went down in August

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• U.S. single-family rents rose just 1.4% in August 2025 the slowest annual growth in more than 15 years.

• Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia lead major metros in rent gains, while Dallas sees a decline.

• High-end and low-end rental tiers show similarly modest growth as national rent pressures ease.

Theres hopeful news for renters. In August, the cost of renting a single-family home grew at its slowest pace in more than 15 years, according to new data from property analytics firm Cotality.

The companys latest Single-Family Rent Index (SFRI) shows that rent prices increased 1.4% year-over-year in August 2025, a sharp slowdown from the 3% average rise seen a year earlier.

Annual single-family rent growth fell to its lowest level in more than 15 years this August, highlighting a notable shift in the rental market, said Molly Boesel, Cotalitys senior principal economist. Were seeing slower growth across price tiers and in many major metros. That said, not all areas are following the same pattern.

While most regions are cooling, some major metros continue to buck the trend. Chicago led the nations largest markets with a 4.7% year-over-year increase in August, followed by Los Angeles (2.8%), Philadelphia (2.7%), Washington, D.C. (2.6%), and Atlanta (1.9%).

At the other end of the spectrum, Dallas recorded a 0.6% decline the only major metro to post negative rent growth. Cotality attributed the dip to a surge in multifamily construction, which has boosted rental supply and given tenants more negotiating power.

In Los Angeles, rents have climbed back near pre-wildfire levels, with local economic factors and limited housing inventory fueling above-average growth.

Los Angeles ranks second among the top 10 metros for rent growth, suggesting that local conditions such as recovery efforts, limited housing supply, and regional economic factors can still influence rental trends even as national price growth moderates, Boesel noted.

Rent growth by property type

Rents for both high-end and low-end homes rose modestly from last year.

• High-end rentals increased 1.6% year over year, down from 3.3% in August 2024.

• Low-end rentals grew 1.1%, compared with 2.8% a year earlier.

By structure type, detached rentals saw a 1.5% rise, while attached rentals grew 1%, underscoring broad moderation across housing segments.

Some housing economists say the slowdown signals a cooling in demand after years of sharp increases, as supply catches up in many regions. However, variations between metros remain significant, particularly where housing shortages persist.

Five major factors are driving the increase

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Health care costs are rising due to higher hospital prices, drug costs, and administrative expenses.

• More people are using medical services as delayed pandemic care catches up.

• Insurers are adjusting premiums to offset inflation and new government coverage rules.

The cost of health insurance is climbing again in 2025 and is predicted to go even higher in 2026, leaving many consumers wondering why their premiums keep outpacing wages and inflation.

A survey by Kaiser Family Foundation shows premiums for job-based health insurance rose 6% in 2025 to an average of $26,993 a year for family coverage. While insurers point to broader economic trends, experts say five key factors are driving the increases.

1. Medical inflation and hospital prices

The largest single factor behind rising premiums is the continued surge in medical costs. Hospitals and physicians groups have been renegotiating contracts with insurers, citing their own higher labor, equipment, and supply expenses. According to recent industry data, hospital prices rose by more than 6% last year, outpacing overall inflation.

The pandemic also left many health systems financially strained. Now, theyre seeking to recoup losses by raising prices for procedures, inpatient stays, and outpatient visits.

2. Prescription drug costs

Prescription drugs remain a stubborn source of inflation in the health system. Specialty medications for chronic and rare diseasessome costing more than $10,000 a monthare expanding rapidly. Even with new federal efforts to allow Medicare to negotiate some prices, most private insurance plans are still grappling with soaring pharmaceutical spending.

Pharmacy benefit managers, who negotiate drug prices for insurers, are under increasing scrutiny for opaque pricing practices that may contribute to consumer costs.

3. More people seeking care

After years of postponed medical visits during the pandemic, Americans are returning to doctors offices and hospitals in record numbers. Preventive screenings, elective surgeries, and chronic disease management appointments are all up. Insurers base premiums on expected claims, and as utilization rises, so do the rates.

This surge also includes a growing demand for mental health services, which many insurers are now required to cover more fully.

4. Administrative and regulatory costs

Administrative overhead everything from claims processing to compliance with new coverage mandates continues to eat into insurers margins. States and the federal government have expanded coverage requirements, including for telehealth and mental health parity. Each new rule adds to the cost of doing business, which insurers pass on to consumers.

5. Demographic and market shifts

An aging population and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity mean insurers must cover more expensive care. In some states, fewer insurers are competing in the marketplace, giving remaining companies greater pricing power.

Consumers facing higher premiums have limited options, but shopping carefully during open enrollment can help. Comparing plans on state and federal marketplaces may reveal lower-cost alternatives, especially for those eligible for income-based subsidies.

Experts also recommend focusing on preventive care and using in-network providers to avoid surprise bills. Despite these strategies, the underlying cost drivers show little sign of easing soon.

How new research shows even tech-savvy families are falling for AI-powered online traps

• Even cautious parents are getting caught in AI-powered , with 80% of those who monitor their kids devices reporting a cybersecurity incident.

• Experts say digital safety starts at home, as children often mimic their parents online habits including risky ones like password reuse or oversharing.

• Simple, consistent actions make a big difference, from using password managers and two-factor authentication to keeping open, ongoing conversations about online safety.

From online gaming to social media, kids today are growing up in a digital world thats more connected and more dangerous than ever.

A new Bitwarden survey reveals that even as parents step up their online monitoring, most still arent winning the cybersecurity battle. Nearly 80% of parents who keep tabs on their kids devices have experienced a security incident themselves, and many are learning the hard way that AI-driven can outsmart traditional safety tools.

ConsumerAffairs spoke with Michael Crandell, CEO of Bitwarden, to unpack how the rise of AI is reshaping online threats and what families can do to better protect their childrens privacy, data, and peace of mind.

Understanding parents digital habits

Crandell explained that parents digital habits create the initial model their children see, and establish the baseline for how their children approach security online. Parents relationships with their devices and how they interact online can then shape their kids online safety.

When parents reuse passwords, click on suspicious links, or share personal information too freely, those behaviors quickly become the norm at home, Crandall explained. As generative AI makes phishing and harder to detect, parents play a crucial role in shaping safe online behavior by modeling secure habits such as using strong and unique passwords, enabling multifactor authentication (MFA), and being mindful about what they share.

Prioritizing online safety

Online safety should be parents north star. According to Crandell, awareness, consistency, and education are key for parents who want to keep their kids safe online.

Parents should begin by protecting their own accounts through secure habits like using a password manager, enabling two-factor authentication, and staying alert to phishing attempts, she said.

Once that foundation is in place, parents can engage in credible, ongoing conversations with their children about using the internet safely and responsibly. These discussions are critical as AI-enhanced become more convincing. Leading by example through secure account management, cautious sharing, and regular dialogue helps build lasting digital safety habits for the entire family.

Keeping kids safe

The findings from the recent Bitwarden survey found that nearly four in 10 Gen Z parents (37%) give their children full autonomy or only light monitoring of device use, even as concerns about online threats rise.

With that in mind, Crandell shared some of the consistent, practical steps to protect their children online:

• Set boundaries and enable protections: Regularly review how and when children use the internet, and provide age-appropriate security tools such as parental controls, privacy settings, and password managers.

• Teach digital fundamentals: Help kids understand what personal information should stay private, how to recognize secure websites, and why they should never share passwords or engage with unknown links, requests, or AI chatbots. The goal is to build confidence and awareness, not fear or restriction.

• Encourage open communication: Make sure children know they can safely come to a parent or trusted adult if something online feels off, whether thats a suspicious message, link, or request for information. In fact, double-checking an unusual online request through a separate channel including direct communication is the most accessible way to thwart impersonation schemes.

Families today face new challenges (AI-driven , increased device access among young children), but the fundamentals remain the same: awareness, consistency, and safe online habits make all the difference, Crandell said.

How about Texarkana, or maybe you'd prefer Topeka?

We all have days when we'd like to just throw everything in the car and take off for parts unknown Tahiti, Mazatlan or maybe even Muscle Shoals. Well, sorry to say but if you want to try Tahiti or Mazatlan it willhave to be on your tab. But Muscle Shoals, Alabama, is a different story.

It just so happens that Muscle Shoals and other cities in the Shoals region of Alabama Florence, Sheffield and Tuscumbiaare still paying people to move there. It's a program, called Make My Move, that started during the pandemic, when cities were having trouble attracting new residents, and it's still popular in various spots that you may never have thought of moving to. The Shoals region towns are paying up to $10,000 for remote workers who earn at least $52,000 annually.

Top programs currently active

West Virginia's Ascend program offers $12,000 to remote workers who move to designated communities like Morgantown, New River Gorge, or Greenbrier Valley, paid as $10,000 in monthly installments during the first year and $2,000 after the second year. The program also includes a free outdoor recreation package and co-working space access.

Texarkana, which straddles Texas and Arkansas, offers one of the most generous packages at over $18,000, including cash for a down payment, co-working space discounts, and cultural event tickets. The program also offers college students a 25% tuition discount and one free class at Texas A&M University-Texarkana.

Topeka, Kansas offers up to $15,000 through its Choose Topeka program $10,000 for renters and $15,000 for homebuyers. Unlike many programs, this one isn't limited to remote workers. Topeka is the state capital and also has a large mental health facility.

Other notable programs

Newton, Iowa is offering $10,000 in cash to people who purchase homes valued at more than $240,000. Baltimore's "Live Near Your Work" program matches employer contributions between $1,000 and $2,500, for total incentives of $2,000 to $5,000 or more, depending on the employer.

Hamilton, Ohio was accepting applications through July 1, 2025 for a "reverse scholarship" program that helps recent STEM graduates with student loan debt. It might be worth checking to see if that's been extended.

Alaska's unique approach

Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend pays annual dividends to all residents, with amounts varying by year Governor Mike Dunleavy requested about $3,900 per person for 2025, though the legislature is expected to approve closer to $1,400.

Requirements and considerations

Most programs target remote workers and require you to live in the area for at least one to two years. A spokesperson for MakeMyMove noted that while cash often gets attention, "the thing remote workers actually move for is a better quality of life in a community where they feel they belong".

The website MakeMyMove.com tracks these programs and can help you find options that match your situation.