Consumer News: The cost of hosting a Super Bowl party is a little higher than last year

Why Amazon is betting on physical stores again

• Amazon is going big in physical retail. This new Illinois store blends groceries, essentials, and a built-in fulfillment center for faster pickup and fewer crowded aisles.

• Your Prime perks could go in-store. Expect app-based deals and personalized discounts as Amazon uses your shopping data to compete with Walmart, Costco, and Target.

• Hybrid shopping is the future. Browse in person, order digitally, and get curbside fast this format could change how you buy everyday items.

Amazon is going big. Like, really big.

The company just got approval to build what would be its largest retail store ever in the Chicago suburb of Orland Park, Illinois.

It will be a massive space (229,000 sq. ft.) that blends a grocery store, general merchandise, and a mini fulfillment center under one roof.

The store will be half supermarket, half Amazon warehouse, with digital ordering layered throughout.

After years of small store experiments with Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh, both of which they recently announced theyll be closing, this signals a big shift.

Amazon wants a serious piece of the in-person shopping pie long dominated by Walmart, Costco, and Target. Heres what this news means for shoppers.

What this store will actually be

This isnt going to be just another big grocery store or Walmart Supercenter replica.

About half the building will look like a traditional big-box retailer with:

• Groceries
• Household basics like paper towels and diapers
• Prepared food made on site

The other half will function as a fulfillment hub where employees assemble online and pickup orders separately from in-store shoppers. So its safe to assume that most things not on the sales floor will be available for quick pickup from the attached warehouse.

For us shoppers, this means fewer aisle-clogging online pickers and much faster curbside pickup.

What this means for your future shopping

1. Prices could get more competitive in-store

Amazon already uses aggressive online pricing. If it wants to pull shoppers away from Walmart and Target, expect sharp promo pricing on everyday essentials, especially items Prime members buy often.

Smart move: Watch for grand-opening loss leaders and digital coupons tied to your Prime account.

2. Your Prime data will follow you into the store

Based on your buying history, Amazon knows exactly what you buy online and at what price point you pull the trigger.

Its safe to assume this data will make its way into these physical mega-stores.

This will affect the following:

• What products get stocked locally and at what price
• What personalized deals they show you
• Personalized app-based discounts when you walk in

Smart move: Get used to the idea of checking the Amazon app before shopping. You may see location-based offers or digital coupons that dont appear on shelf tags.

3. Hybrid shopping will become the norm

See a sweater you like but want a different size or color? Youll be able to order it at a kiosk and grab it before checkout.

Plus, another perk for many shoppers is that heavy items, like pet food, can be brought directly to your car to save your back.

Smart move: Use the store as a showroom. Compare items in person, then check the Amazon app to see if a different version is cheaper online.

4. Faster pickup is a big part of the plan

Separate entrances and back-of-house fulfillment means that Amazon is designing this store for serious curbside volume.

Smart move: If you hate wandering giant stores, this could become one of the fastest grocery pickup options around. Especially during peak holiday seasons when youd rather stay out of the store altogether.

5. Prime perks will probably go physical

Amazons biggest weapon is their Prime membership, and this where they make a good chunk of their revenue.

So, dont be surprised if Prime members get perks like:

• Extra in-store discounts
• Exclusive Prime deals
• Faster pickup windows

Smart move: If you already have Prime, stores like the one they will be building in Illinois could add substantial grocery and household savings.

If you dont have Prime, its safe to assume Amazon will dangle some strong in-store perks to entice you to join.

Why this is a big deal

More than 80% of retail shopping still happens in good ol brick and mortar stores.

While Amazon dominates online, companies like Costco and Walmart win because shoppers still like buying groceries and household goods in person.

This new format is Amazon basically admitting:

We need to meet customers where they actually shop.

If this Illinois location performs well, expect more of these giant hybrid stores to pop-up across the country.

The tax agency said the accounts will reduce fraud

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The IRS is urging taxpayers to create an Individual Online Account to securely access their tax information and reduce the risk of identity theft and fraud.

• The online account gives taxpayers 24/7 access to refunds, transcripts, payments, notices, and other key tax services, similar to online banking.

• In early 2025, the IRS expanded the service to let users view and download common tax documents such as W-2s and 1099s for recent tax years.

Among all federal agencies, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was among the first to fully embrace the internet.

Now, the tax agency is encouraging all taxpayers to set up an IRS Individual Online Account, a secure digital portal designed to make managing tax matters easier while strengthening protections against identity theft and fraud.

Available to anyone who can verify their identity, the Individual Online Account allows taxpayers to handle many routine tax tasks without waiting on the phone or mailing paperwork. The IRS is also asking tax professionals to support the effort by encouraging clients to create accounts and by using their own Tax Pro Accounts to carry out authorized actions on clients behalf.

Similar to online banking

With functionality similar to online banking, the IRS Individual Online Account lets taxpayers view important tax return details, including adjusted gross income, check the status of refunds and amended returns, and access account transcripts such as wage and income records.

Users can also request and retrieve an identity protection PIN, approve power of attorney or tax information authorization requests, and manage communication preferences, including language settings and alternative media.

The account also serves as a central hub for IRS communications and payments. Taxpayers can receive and review more than 200 types of IRS digital notices, make or cancel payments, set up or modify payment plans, and monitor their outstanding balances. Tax documents can also be accessed directly through the account, reducing the need to store paper copies.

In early 2025, the IRS expanded the Individual Online Account to include access to certain information return documents filed with the agency. Taxpayers can now view and download forms such as the W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement), 1095-A (Health Insurance Marketplace Statement), and several common 1099 forms, including those for non-employee compensation, interest income, dividends, and miscellaneous income.

These information return documents are submitted to the IRS by employers, financial institutions, government agencies, and other payers, and they provide critical data taxpayers need to accurately file their returns. The documents are currently available for tax years 2023, 2024, and 2025 and can be found under the Records and Status tab within the IRS Individual Online Account.

The IRS says expanding digital access is part of its broader effort to improve customer service, increase transparency, and give taxpayers more control over their tax information in a secure online environment.

The move may expand home ownership to more people

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• 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.

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

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• 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.