Consumer News: Potential tariffs risk turning Italian pasta into a luxury item

A new study finds some states may be far better positioned to turn AI disruption into new jobs

• AIs impact may depend on where you live: Virginia, Colorado, and Utah rank among the states best positioned for new opportunities.

• High AI adoption doesnt guarantee jobs: Some states have strong adoption but fewer opportunities for workers.

• Check your job market now: Find the skills employers want and start building them before you need them.

The debate over artificial intelligence and jobs usually centers on one scary question, Is AI going to replace me?

But there may be another question worth asking: If it does change my job, are there new opportunities where I live?

A new analysis from IP address provider Floxy suggests the answer varies considerably across the country. The company examined all 50 states using measures including AI adoption, digital job openings, technology employment, STEM graduates, and data center and AI jobs.

Virginia came out on top, followed by Colorado, Utah, Georgia, and Massachusetts.

The findings don't mean workers in those states are protected from AI-related job losses. Instead, they suggest some states may have stronger job markets and infrastructure for absorbing workers as AI changes the economy.

Here is how Floxy ranked the top 10 states where AI has created the most opportunities, rather than replacing jobs:

1. Virginia: More than 27% of businesses use AI, while a large tech workforce and strong STEM pipeline helped Virginia earn the studys top overall ranking.

2. Colorado: Colorado has the highest AI adoption rate of the top 10 at 30.1%, backed by a sizable tech workforce and strong demand for digital workers.

3. Utah: Utah combines fast-growing AI adoption with 228.3 data center and AI jobs per 100,000 residents and a strong concentration of tech workers.

4. Georgia: Nearly one-quarter of businesses use AI, while Georgia also has strong digital job demand and more than 211 data center and AI jobs per 100,000 residents.

5. Massachusetts: A deep technology workforce and strong STEM talent help Massachusetts score well even though it has fewer data center and AI jobs per capita than the leaders.

6. California: California pairs 24% AI adoption with the second-highest tech employment share among these 10 states, at 9.8% of its workforce.

7. Washington: Washington stands out for future opportunity, with 289.8 data center and AI jobs per 100,000 residents and 12.2% of its workforce employed in tech.

8. Arizona: AI adoption is relatively modest at 20.5%, but Arizona has the highest share of digital job openings among the top 10 at 7.3%.

9. Delaware: More than 26% of businesses use AI, but Delaware's much lower opportunity score suggests its job market may be less prepared to capitalize on that adoption.

10. Nevada: Nevada has the second-highest AI adoption rate among the top 10 at 27.4%, but relatively low tech employment and STEM graduation rates hold down its opportunity score.

Virginia may be particularly well positioned

More than 27% of Virginia businesses are already using AI, according to the study, helping make the state one of the country's stronger markets for AI adoption. Technology workers also account for 8.8% of its workforce.

That combination earned Virginia an AI Exposure Index score of 83.6 and an AI Opportunity score of 59.9, putting it in what researchers call the high exposure, high opportunity category.

Colorado, Utah, Georgia, Massachusetts, and California also landed in this category. In plain English, AI is already making significant inroads, but there's also an economy capable of creating jobs around it.

Washington offers an interesting surprise

One of the most interesting states in the analysis is Washington. Its AI Exposure score was only 48.1, but its Opportunity Index reached 91.4. Easily the highest among the 10 states highlighted in the report.

Why? Because Washington had 289.8 data center and AI jobs per 100,000 residents, 12.2% of its workforce employed in technology, and a 7% STEM graduate rate.

Arizona also fell into the study's low exposure, high opportunity category. That suggests workers shouldn't necessarily judge their state's AI prospects simply by how many companies are currently adopting the technology.

Don't confuse AI adoption with job security

Here's an important caveat to this study.

Two states highlighted in the top 10 Delaware and Nevada actually landed in the high exposure, low opportunity category. Delaware, for example, had a relatively high 26.3% AI adoption rate but an Opportunity Index score of just 18.6.

The takeaway here is that widespread AI adoption doesn't automatically mean widespread AI employment.

Floxy CTO Aimen Hallou argues that the bigger issue is whether workers have somewhere to go when their existing jobs change. The geography of opportunity matters more than the number of jobs lost, Hallou said. And that geography is not evenly distributed.

What workers can actually do with this information

Moving to Virginia because you're worried about ChatGPT taking your job probably isn't the takeaway here. Instead, look at what's happening in your own local job market before you need another job.

Search job boards for positions requiring AI or digital skills within 25 or 50 miles of your home. Pay attention to which skills repeatedly appear in listings. Then look for inexpensive ways to acquire one or two of them.

You don't necessarily need to become an AI engineer. Depending on your occupation, that could mean learning how to use AI tools within accounting, marketing, customer service, healthcare, or another field you already understand.

Pro tip: Search job listings for the position you'd like to have two years from now, not just the job you qualify for today. Write down the five skills employers repeatedly request that you don't currently have. Then its smart to consider that your personalized re-training list.

Fake websites, too-good-to-be-true deals, and phishing links can turn back-to-school shopping into a costly headache

• Scammers use fake websites, social media ads, and urgent limited-time deals to catch shoppers off guard during the busy back-to-school season.

• Always check the websites core domain before clicking or entering payment information, especially when deals are shared through group chats or community forums.

• If a deal seems too good to be true, take a step back, verify it directly with the retailer, and use a credit card and strong account protections when shopping online.

Back-to-school shopping can be expensive enough without accidentally handing your money or personal information to a scammer. As parents and students hunt for deals on everything from school supplies to electronics, scammers are finding plenty of ways to make their fake offers look legitimate.

Fake retail websites, phony social media ads, and suspicious links shared in parent groups can be difficult to spot at a glance especially when a deal looks too good to pass up. And with more shoppers turning to online marketplaces, there are even more opportunities to encounter a scam.

ConsumerAffairs spoke withProfessor James Juarez, PhD, chair of the Department of Cybersecurity and Technology at National University, who shared what shoppers should watch for and how they can protect themselves while checking items off their back-to-school lists.

Urgency is a tried and true tactic

Back-to-school season is stressful for parents and kids alike, and for parents trying to check everything off their list, its the prime opportunity for scammers to strike.

"Scammers are aware this is one of the biggest shopping moments of the year for families, Dr. Juarez said. They target this stress and sense of urgency by highlighting extremely discounted items and flash sales. If a discount feels too good to be true on a social media ad or a fake website that is mimicking large retailers like Walmart, Target, etc., thats an immediate red flag.

Fake pages often push cant-miss deals, flash sales, or limited time offers to pressure quick purchases. Any parent in a time crunch or needs something last minute before the first day of school, is more vulnerable to falling for these .

Spotting

Many parents are members of community groups or forums, where local parents share deals, sales, etc. However, not everything you see in these spaces is safe even if they seem to be.

When deals are shared in group chats or community forums, the most critical marker to evaluate is the destination URL, Dr. Juarez said. Scammers frequently mask malicious links to mimic well-known retailers like Target, Walmart, or Amazon.

I recommend inspecting the core domain. If an offer claims to be a Target backpack promotion, the root domain must actually be target.com. Look out for deceptive techniques like typo-squatting (targ3t.com or target-deals-online.com) or subdomains intended to mislead (target.com.deals-promo.net).

However, Dr. Juarez says that consumers don't need to panic if they see lengthy strings of tracking tags, promo codes, or UTM parameters following the standard root domain.

The rule of thumb is simple, Dr. Juarez said. Verify that the primary host domain strictly belongs to the legitimate retailer before entering payment details or bypass the shared link altogether and navigate directly to the retailer's official website or app to search for the deal.

Follow good digital hygiene

For parents raising kids in the digital age, cybersecurity is more important than ever. To help ensure the back-to-school season goes as smoothly as possible, Dr. Juarez shared his best cybersecurity tips.

• Apply the "Too-Good-To-Be-True" Reality Check. If a deal promises a 90% discount on high-demand tech or trending supplies, treat it with immediate skepticism. High-pressure discounts are designed to override critical thinking. Teach students to pause, verify the offer independently on the retailer's primary website, and resist impulse clicking on social ads or unsolicited messages.

• Inspect Links Before Clicking or Transacting. Make checking the actual URL second nature. Train students to hover over links to inspect the destination address, especially on deals circulating on Discord, TikTok, or group chats. If a link purports to come from major sellers like Amazon, Costco, or Walmart but directs to an unfamiliar domain, close the window immediately.

• Standardize Safe Payment & Account Protections. Never use debit cards, direct bank transfers, or gift cards for online shopping. Credit cards provide vital federal fraud protections and chargeback mechanisms if a transaction turns out to be fraudulent. Pair this with strong, unique passwords for every shopping account and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure that even if credentials are exposed, student and parent accounts remain secure.

A youth account can give kids hands-on experience with saving, spending, and managing their money

• Opening a bank account early can help children develop healthy money-management habits before they face the financial pressures of adulthood.

• Youth accounts give kids hands-on experience with saving, spending, budgeting, and setting financial goals.

• Parents can turn allowances and birthday money into valuable financial lessons by using strategies like savings matches and the three-jar method.

Opening a bank account might seem like something to worry about when your child is older, but starting early can give kids a head start on learning how money works.

A youth account gives children a chance to practice saving for goals, making spending decisions, and watching their balance grow with parents there to help guide them along the way.

With financial education often lacking in the classroom, opening an account can turn everyday moments like receiving an allowance or birthday money into practical lessons. ConsumerAffairs spoke with banking expert and Maspeth Federal Savings CEO Thomas Rudzewick who explained why introducing kids to money management early can help them develop healthy financial habits that stick with them as they grow.

Getting a headstart

According to Rudzewick, the primary benefit of opening a bank account for your child when theyre young is the headstart on financial stability long before they face the pressures of adulthood.

While there is the benefit of compound interest, which enables the account to earn interest on interest through regular payouts added to the principal balance, that is just the mathematical advantage, he said.

What really happens when parents open a bank account for their child at an early age is that money management ceases to be a theoretical concept and becomes a natural reflex. It shifts the childs perspective from being passively spending and saving to being actively managing their money.

Teaching kids finances

Another major benefit of opening youth bank accounts is the educational opportunity it provides for children and their parents.

I often tell parents to consider the youth account as a classroom for their child to put financial management into practice, Rudzewick said. While many high schools are now making financial education courses mandatory for graduation, classroom theory does not always replicate the experience of managing a bank balance.

A youth account serves as a safe, hands-on lab where children can learn how to track spending and set savings and budget goals. This is where kids are even able to make mistakes with parental oversight to course correct before stakes are high.

Rudzewick explained that at Maspeth Federal Savings, Youth Accounts have tiered access that provide the childs financial journey with milestones that grow in responsibility as they get older.

Lasting money lessons

In opening a bank account for kids, it can also help provide lasting money lessons especially when it comes to things like allowance or gifts. Rudzewick shared his top tips to help parents create long-term money lessons for their kids.

• Move beyond the piggy bank and introduce structure. Try the three-jar method to introduce your kids to the 50/30/20 rule: 50% of their money goes to their needs, 30% goes to their wants, and 20% goes to their savings. This can even be done using their banks digital tools. This teaches budgeting and how to balance where their money goes.

• Treat savings like a 401(k). For every dollar that they save towards a major purchase, the parent agrees to match them dollar-for-dollar. This reinforces the discipline of long-term planning. When a child can visually see their goals getting closer or further away based on their spending, the lesson becomes tactile.

I would remind parents that you dont need a degree in finance to raise a financially smart kid, Rudzewick said. Use the resources your financial institution provides the seminars, digital tools, and safe accounts.

Also remove the taboo around talking about money in the home. Talk openly with your kids about everyday decisions, like choosing a generic brand at the grocery store to save money or putting off an impulse purchase to stay on budget. The most powerful thing a parent can do is model good behavior.

Rising costs are pushing more people toward stress-relief habits

• Rising costs are changing how Americans cope with stress, with 42% saying they've relied more heavily on stress-relief habits or activities as living expenses increase.

• Younger Americans are feeling the pressure particularly strongly, with 59% of Gen Z respondents saying rising costs have pushed them toward coping behaviors, compared with 23% of baby boomers.

• Financial strain can make both coping habits and professional help harder to manage, with 20% delaying or skipping therapy because of cost and 62% sacrificing other expenses to maintain their stress-relief habits.

When money is tight, the stress can affect more than just a household budget. A new study from Drug Rehab USA finds that rising living costs are also influencing how Americans cope with that stress, with many turning to habits like drinking, cannabis use, or nicotine for relief.

ConsumerAffairs spoke with Andrew McKenna, JD, an expert author and editor at Drug Rehab USA, who explained that the financial pressure can create a difficult cycle, particularly when people rely on coping habits that can become harder to control over time.

Methodology

Drug Rehab USA surveyed 1,200 U.S. adults through an online Pollfish poll about financial stress, coping behaviors, changes in spending and debt, and whether people substituted coping habits for professional support.

The results were analyzed by generation, income level, and gender. The survey categorized respondents as low-income if their household earned less than $50,000 annually, middle-income if they earned $50,000 to $100,000, and high-income if they earned more than $100,000. The findings are based on self-reported responses, and some questions allowed respondents to select more than one answer.

Key findings

The survey paints a picture of Americans trying to manage financial stress while still holding onto habits and activities that provide some relief.

Heres a look at some of the key findings:

• 42% said rising living costs have pushed them to rely more heavily on coping habits or stress-relief activities.

• Gen Z adults reported this most often at 59%, compared with 23% of baby boomers.

• 7% of respondents said they sought professional support when dealing with stress or emotional strain, while 53% said they used a coping behavior instead.

• Alcohol was among the most common choices, followed by food delivery, gaming, cannabis and nicotine.

• 20% said they had delayed or skipped mental health therapy because of the cost.

• 43% said financial stress has made it more difficult to reduce, stop, or control a stress-relief habit.

• 62% said they had cut back somewhere else to continue spending on stress relief, including reducing grocery spending, delaying purchases, cutting back on savings or putting off healthcare.

The impact on younger people

McKenna explained why young people could be affected more than the older generation, and how this can impact them long-term.

Younger adults are still building their financial footing, which can make rising costs and unexpected expenses harder to absorb, he said. When money is already tight and the future feels uncertain, it makes sense that people may gravitate toward things that offer some relief right now, even if they know theyre not helping in the long run.

Access to mental healthcare

Getting access to proper mental healthcare is also a hurdle for many consumers across the country.

Professional support is at odds with coping behaviors that can feel way more affordable, immediate, and always available, so even if your services arent as expensive, thats not enough, McKenna said.

Another obstacle worth addressing is reducing the friction and difficulty thats associated with getting professional help. It can be difficult to find a provider, understand the upfront costs, access virtual care, and receive support before someone reaches a tipping point and is in a full blown crisis situation.

Start small and build

With 62% of respondents sacrificing essentials for stress-relief habits, McKenna recommends taking a look at your finances and evaluating what choices youre making.

When a habit starts taking money away from groceries, bills, or healthcare, its worth paying attention to what youre actually getting from it and whether its still helping, he said. Instead of trying to cut it out overnight, find a cheaper way to decompress and start small, because even reducing the frequency can free up some breathing room in your budget.

Another tip: Dont make a budget so strict that youre miserable trying to stick to it.

Give yourself a set amount for the things you enjoy, take care of your bills first, and keep an eye on the little purchases that can add up before you realize it, McKenna said. Financial stress can become a vicious cycle when the things you turn to for relief end up putting even more pressure on your wallet. Getting out of that cycle isnt just about cutting back, its also about having better ways to cope that people can actually afford and access.

Football fans could spend hundreds chasing games, but a little schedule planning can cut the bill

• NFL streaming costs add up fast: The average fan could spend about $157 to catch all of their teams premium games this season.

• Check your schedule before subscribing: Some teams have few or no premium games, so you may only need a service for a month.

• Use free TV and what you already have: An antenna, existing subscriptions, and strategic cancellations can keep football costs down.

Remember when watching football meant turning on the TV and figuring out whether the game was on CBS, FOX, or NBC?

Those days aren't completely gone. But watching the NFL in 2026 can also mean figuring out whether you need ESPN, Prime Video, Netflix, Peacock, NFL+, or NFL Sunday Ticket.

And trying to get everything can get expensive fast.

A new analysis by All About Cookies looked at the 2026 schedules for all 32 NFL teams and calculated what fans could pay to follow their favorite team.

The researchers found 43 of the NFL's 272 regular-season games (about 16%) require most viewers to have access to a paid cable channel or streaming service. The average fan would spend about $157 in subscription fees to watch all of their team's premium games for the season.

But that's just the average.

Fans of the Packers, Rams, Broncos, Bills, Bears, and 49ers could spend more than $215 on season-long subscriptions to see all of their team's premium games.

Here's how to watch without letting football tackle your budget.

1. Start with your team's schedule not a pile of subscriptions

This is probably the easiest way to overspend.

Don't subscribe to Netflix, Peacock, Prime Video, and ESPN in September simply because each platform carries NFL games.

First, take a close look at your team's schedule. All About Cookies found that the Rams and Packers each have five premium games, while several teams have none. Teams that have none include the Dolphins, Raiders, Jets, Cardinals, and Titans.

Also, you might discover that your team doesn't appear on a particular service until November or December. If thats the case, why pay for it in September?

2. Subscribe for the game, then cancel

This is where you can potentially save quite a bit.

If your team has one Netflix game in December, you probably don't need Netflix for the entire four-month NFL season just for football. The same logic applies to Peacock or NFL+.

All About Cookies calculated both the cost of maintaining subscriptions throughout the season and the cost of subscribing only during months when a team's games actually appear on a particular service. Depending on the team, the price difference can be significant.

Also, always use free trials strategically. If a service offers a legitimate free trial, save it for the week your team actually plays there rather than burning it before the season starts.

Pro tip: As soon as you subscribe for a specific game, consider turning off auto-renewal. In many cases you'll retain access through the end of the billing period without having to remember to cancel days or weeks later.

3. Don't overlook free TV

Here's the part that gets lost in all the streaming confusion: Remember that most NFL games are still available on broadcast television.

Specifically, local CBS and FOX affiliates carry a large portion of Sunday games, while NBC carries Sunday Night Football.

If youre a curd-cutter, an inexpensive indoor digital TV antenna can potentially give you access to local broadcast stations without another monthly subscription, depending on the reception where you live.

The NFL also has an online tool that lets you enter your location and see where games are available.

Pro tip: Before paying for a streaming service just to get CBS, FOX, or NBC, check whether you can receive the station over-the-air, at home, via a digital TV antenna. Im a huge fan of the FCCs DTV Reception Map, as you just enter your address and it tells you what digital channels youll get over-the-air for free.

4. Understand what Sunday Ticket doesn't include

This one can produce an expensive surprise. NFL Sunday Ticket is designed primarily for out-of-market Sunday afternoon games on CBS and FOX. Its important to realize it does not automatically give you every NFL game.

Youre often going to need more than Sunday Ticket to watch all of your favorite teams games. Namely, with a few team exceptions, youll need ESPN, Prime Video, Netflix, and Peacock.

That's important because Sunday Ticket itself isn't cheap.

All About Cookies calculated that someone trying to watch essentially every NFL game could spend $737.83 as a new subscriber, while a returning customer could approach $920.83, once Sunday Ticket, YouTube TV, and the additional streaming services are included.

Pro tip: Sunday Ticket makes the most sense mainly for fans who live outside their favorite team's TV market. If you follow your hometown team, check how many games you already get locally before spending hundreds of dollars.

5. Check the subscriptions you're already paying for

Before adding anything, take an inventory of what youre currently paying for.

Do you already have Amazon Prime? Prime Video's Thursday Night Football games may already be covered.

Already subscribe to Netflix? Its four exclusive NFL games don't create an additional football expense for you.

Have cable or a live-TV streaming package that includes ESPN? You may already have Monday Night Football.

And check your wireless, internet, and other memberships for streaming perks before buying Sunday Ticket or another service separately.

One more reason to check prices right before kickoff

Streaming prices can change quickly. In fact, some numbers in the study were based on July pricing and have already moved.

Peacock raised its Premium plan to $12.99 per month on August 18, while ESPN announced that its Unlimited streaming plan will increase from $29.99 to $31.99 per month beginning September 17.

So don't assume a price you saw earlier this summer is still what you'll pay.

Pro tip: Once we get past week 18 of the NFL season, watch out for the postseason reset. Your regular-season streaming setup may not cover every playoff game. Its smart to reevaluate your subscriptions when the postseason begins rather than dropping a bunch of money to renew everything.