Consumer News: Could a daily pill lower your ‘bad’ cholesterol?

Couples can save nearly $21,000 annually by sharing housing

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Living solo comes with plenty of perks independence, privacy, and full control of the thermostat. But that freedom also comes with a price tag.

• A new Zillow Rentals analysis finds the national singles tax the extra amount renters pay to live alone rather than share housing now totals $10,470 per year.

• With typical U.S. apartment rent at $1,745, up 30% over the past five years, solo renters are footing the full bill instead of splitting costs with roommates.

Zillow has chosen Valentine's week to release a study showing that living alone is significantly more costly than sharing a home with a partner. It probably shouldnt be the main reason to move in together, but Zillow points out that it does have its financial benefits.

The real estate platforms latest rental analysis calculates that the typical renter living alone pays $10,470 more per year than someone who shares housing. That figure represents the added burden of covering a full apartment rent solo rather than dividing it with a roommate or partner.

Nationally, the typical multifamily rent now stands at $1,745 per month, according to Zillows Observed Rent Index. Rents have climbed 30% over the past five years, amplifying the cost gap between solo renters and those who split housing expenses.

There is some relief on the horizon: Zillow reports that apartment affordability factoring in rising incomes is at its best level since April 2021.

A broader look at how singles live

Last year, Zillow measured the singles tax using only one-bedroom units. This year, the company expanded its methodology, analyzing rents across all apartment sizes using more than 72,000 multifamily listings nationwide. The shift reflects the range of options single renters actually consider, including larger units that may offer space for a home office, gym, or extra storage.

When youre living alone, youre covering the full rent on one income and that can add up fast, said Emily Smith, Zillow rental trends expert. Apartments often make living solo more attainable, while also offering shared spaces that help people feel connected. And for renters who choose to live with a partner or roommate, splitting everyday costs like rent, utilities, and groceries can go a long way in easing the pressure of todays higher cost of living.

The couplesdiscount'

While singles shoulder extra costs, couples effectively receive a financial boost by sharing one lease.

Zillow estimates that couples who consolidate households can save a combined $20,940 annually in rent more than half of whats needed for a 10% down payment on a typical U.S. home. In high-cost markets, the savings are even more dramatic.

New York City tops the list as the most expensive market for solo renters. According to StreetEasy, Zillows New York City brand, living alone in the city costs renters $23,400 more per year compared with sharing housing.

The typical monthly multifamily rent there is $3,900.

San Jose ranks second, with a singles tax of $19,488 annually and typical rent of $3,248 per month. Boston follows at $18,084 per year, with typical rent at $3,014.

Other high-cost markets include:

• San Francisco: $17,142 singles tax; $2,857 typical monthly rent

• Los Angeles: $15,888; $2,648

• San Diego: $15,858; $2,643

• Miami: $14,658; $2,443

• Riverside, California: $13,458; $2,243

• Washington, D.C.: $13,380; $2,230

• Seattle: $12,372; $2,062

In many of these metros including New York, San Jose, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego renters who share housing can save more than $30,000 per year, highlighting just how financially powerful cohabitation can be in the nations priciest markets.

From lunches to commutes, workers are paying for more than they may realize

• Returning to the office can cost workers thousands per year, with commuting and daily meals alone adding up to $2,500$7,000 or more annually depending on where you live.

• For some employees, return-to-office expenses can eat up nearly 20% of discretionary income, making the financial strain heavier in lower-wage states.

• While in-office work may boost visibility and long-term earning potential, the upfront costs are immediate and measurable though strategic changes like packing lunch or using pre-tax commuter benefits can help offset the hit.

These days, asking someone what they really spend to go into the office isnt just about gas and parking its about an invisible tax on everyday life.

From food and coffee runs to transit fees and wardrobe upgrades, workers across the U.S. are quietly shelling out more money per year just to show up at a desk.

ConsumerAffairs spoke with representatives from SensaPay, the fintech behind a new cost-analysis of U.S. office returns, to explore what these figures really mean for everyday workers. Their research, which broke down commute costs, meal spending and state-by-state differences, showed that office attendance isnt just inconvenient its expensive in ways many of us dont think about until we see the numbers on a spreadsheet.

Whats driving up return-to-office costs?

Experts explained the main drivers that contribute to higher costs when consumers return to the office.

• Commuting structure matters. In states with high single-occupancy vehicle reliance, workers absorb full fuel, insurance, depreciation, and parking costs. In higher gas price states, that burden compounds quickly. In transit-heavy states, workers may substitute fuel costs for monthly rail passes and parking, but annual commuting expenses still commonly range between $2,500 and $5,000.

• Food-away-from-home pricing. In higher-cost states, daily lunch and coffee purchases can exceed $7,000 annually. Even in moderate-cost states, five purchased lunches per week often translates to $4,000 to $6,000 per year.

• Wage alignment. This is often the most overlooked factor. In states where median wages are lower relative to urban consumer prices, required RTO spending consumes a larger percentage of take-home income. In several cases, commuting and meal costs approach 18% to 21% of discretionary post-tax income for early-career workers.

The pros and cons for employees

So, what are the pros and cons for employees returning to the office and more than likely taking on additional expenses?

Physical proximity can increase informal visibility, mentorship access, and promotion probability, SensaPay representatives said. In organizations where leadership advancement correlates with physical presence, long-run income trajectories may be higher for in-office employees.

This ultimately means that the financial trade-off is temporary.

Workers incur immediate annual costs in exchange for potential future earnings acceleration, SensaPay explained. The challenge is that the future upside is uncertain, while the present cost is fixed and measurable. There may also be minor reductions in home utility expenses, but those savings are typically modest relative to commuting and food expenditures.

Are there ways to save?

If youve recently returned to the office, or you have plans in place to soon return to the office, all hope isnt lost. SensaPay explained that the largest savings come from altering high-frequency spending.

Here are some of their best tips:

• Eliminating daily purchased lunches. This can reduce annual expenses by $4,000 to $6,000 in higher-cost states. That single behavioral change can cut total RTO cost exposure nearly in half.

• Pre-tax commuter benefits. These are often underutilized. Paying transit or parking costs with pre-tax income can reduce effective expenses by 20% to 30% depending on tax bracket.

• Carpooling. Even two days per week of carpooling can materially reduce annual fuel costs. However, cost mitigation has limits. Structural price levels and distance to employment centers ultimately determine the ceiling of savings.

The surprising second life of your returned purchases

• Not everything goes back on shelves. Returned items are shipped to regional depots, inspected, and graded only like-new products may be resold at Costco.

• Many returns are liquidated. Used or open-box goods are often sold in bulk to third-party resellers and show up online as refurbished or auction items.

• Some items are trashed. Opened food, perishables, and heavily damaged products typically cant be resold and end up as waste.

Costco is famous for its 100% satisfaction guarantee, which makes returning items almost ridiculously easy.

But all those returned TVs, couches, blenders, and bulk snack packs have to go somewhere. Marketing Scoop did a full breakdown of the Costco return pipeline that sheds an interesting light on where all that stuff actually goes.

First stop: Costcos return pipeline

When you return something at your local Costco warehouse, it doesnt just go back on the sales floor.

According to Marketing Scoop, returned items go through this process:

1. Collected in-store
2. Shipped to one of Costcos regional return depots
3. Sorted, inspected, and graded based on their salable condition

Items in like-new shape may be repackaged and put back on Costco shelves and sold at a slight discount.

But a huge portion of the stuff, especially electronics and products that have clearly been used, never make it back to Costco.

The second life: Liquidation

Used, damaged, or open-box returns often get sold off in bulk to liquidation companies.

From there, they can end up:

• Sold by third-party resellers online
• Refurbished and relisted as renewed or factory refurbished
• Split up and sold at flea markets or discount stores

Some pallets even get auctioned on sites like Liquidation.com, where buyers can gamble on mystery pallets of returned merchandise.

So yes, that refurbished gadget you see online could very well be a former Costco return.

The unfortunate reality: A lot of stuff gets trashed

According to Marketing Scoop, not everything can be resold.

Stuff like returned food, opened perishables, hazardous materials, and heavily damaged items are usually thrown away.

For obvious reasons, food waste is especially high because stores cant risk reselling anything that might be unsafe to consume.

In the end, that generous return policy shoppers love (and often abuse) also creates a surprising amount of landfill waste.

What this means for you (actionable tips)

1. Dont treat Costco like a free rental service

Yes, you can return pretty much everything except electronics and major appliances (90-day returns) at any time, for any reason. And you dont even need your receipt, as they can look up your purchase in their system.

But keep in mind that heavily-used returns are far less likely to be resold and more likely to become waste. Only buy what you realistically plan to keep.

Plus, this will ensure their generous return policy doesnt become more strict like it has with other major retailers.

2. Keep packaging if youre unsure

Items returned in original packaging and good condition have a much better chance of being resold instead of being liquidated or trashed.

Its impossible to do this with everything, but its smart to do it with big-ticket purchases when possible.

3. Think twice before returning older electronics

Costco has a tighter 90-day return windows on many electronics, as their policy was getting heavily abused as shoppers were basically rentingTVs and laptops.

If you're past 90 days from purchase, you'll have tosell it on an online marketplace like eBay or Facebook or trade-it in with Costco directly.

4. Be extra mindful with food returns

Returning half-used food almost always means it gets thrown away. If something is just not your favorite, consider whether its worth the waste.

Also, consider giving it to a friend or neighbor if its just not your thing. You can still take your receipt into Costco and theyll often give you your money back anyways if you tell them you tried it, didnt like it, and gave it away.

5. Look for deals on opened returns

Because so many Costco returns enter the secondary market, you can often save big buying refurbished or openedreturnsfrom liquidation or bin stores.

To find one near you, do a quick Google search for YOUR TOWN liquidation store and theres a great chance youll be able to buy some Costco returns for pennies on the dollar.

Here are the red flags that give it away

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Scammers are sending emails that appear to come from Microsoft, warning users their accounts face suspension or deletion.

• The messages use urgent language and official-looking logos to pressure recipients into clicking malicious links.

• Security experts say the goal is to steal login credentials and gain access to email, financial accounts and personal data.

Consumers are reporting a surge in scam emails that appear to come from Microsoft, warning recipients of serious problems with their email accounts and urging immediate action.

The messages, which often feature Microsofts logo and branding, claim that the recipients account has been flagged for unusual activity, is over quota, or will be permanently suspended unless the user verifies their information within 24 hours.

Cybersecurity experts say the emails are phishing attempts designed to trick people into handing over their Microsoft login credentials.

What the emails look like

In many cases, the subject lines read like urgent security alerts: Final Notice: Account Suspension Pending, Unusual Sign-In Activity Detected, or Mailbox Will Be Deleted.

The body of the message typically warns that the recipients Outlook, Hotmail or Microsoft 365 account has encountered a serious issue. A prominent button often labeled Verify Now, Update Account, or Prevent Deactivation directs users to a website that looks strikingly similar to an official Microsoft login page.

But its a fake.

The scammers are trying to create panic, said one cybersecurity analyst. They want you to act quickly, without stopping to check whether the message is legitimate.

Red flags to watch for

While the emails may look convincing at first glance, there are several warning signs:

Suspicious sender address:

The display name may say Microsoft Support, but the actual email address often comes from a random string of characters or an unrelated domain.

Generic greetings:

Instead of addressing the recipient by name, the message may begin with Dear User or Dear Customer.

Urgent threats and deadlines:

Legitimate companies rarely threaten immediate deletion within hours. High-pressure language is a classic phishing tactic.

Mismatched links:

Hovering over the Verify button often reveals a web address that has nothing to do with microsoft.com, sometimes containing odd spellings or extra words.

Requests for sensitive information:

Any request to confirm passwords, recovery phrases, or payment information via email is a major red flag.

What scammers want

The ultimate goal is to steal account credentials. Once scammers obtain a victims Microsoft username and password, they can:

• Lock the user out of their own account

• Access sensitive emails and stored documents

• Reset passwords on other accounts tied to the email address

• Launch additional using the compromised account

In some cases, attackers may also attempt to harvest credit card details under the guise of billing verification. Because many consumers use their Microsoft email accounts to manage banking, shopping and social media logins, a single compromised account can open the door to widespread identity theft.

What consumers should do

Security experts recommend that recipients avoid clicking any links in unsolicited emails about account problems. Instead, they should go directly to Microsofts official website by typing the address into their browser and check for notifications there.

If you suspect youve entered your credentials on a phishing site, change your password immediately not only for your Microsoft account but for any other accounts that use the same password. Enabling two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection.