(NAPSI)—Shopping for the holidays is more expensive than ever. With Americans carrying more debt than ever before, many are expected to spend $18.5 billion using third-party buy now, pay later (BNPL) services for holiday purchases according to data firm Adobe Analytics.

Today’s shoppers want and need meaningful ways to save money without having to completely sit out the holiday season or being able to participate in the merriment of gift giving.

To help, here are six tips for saving on essentials that can let you put your hard-earned money toward thoughtful holiday gifts for friends and family:

Tip 1: Make a list and check it three times—Take the time before you start surfing the Internet or leave the house to jot down your gift ideas and keep an eye out for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, which can help spread out the shopping and hit to your bank account.  Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—Behind every sip of Anheuser-Busch’s industry-leading beers is a farmer who worked hard to grow the high-quality rice, barley, corn, or hops inside that beer. This National Farmer’s Day, Anheuser-Busch is raising a toast to the more than 700 farmers across the country who make our beers possible.

For more than 165 years, Anheuser-Busch has been proudly connected with and committed to American farmers, many of whom it has worked with for generations. As the nation’s leading brewer and a major American manufacturer, Anheuser-Busch is a significant purchaser of U.S. agricultural products, spending more than $700 million annually to source nearly all their ingredients from farmers across the United States. This includes 100% of the rice and corn and 99% of the barley in their iconic American beers.  Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—With millions of U.S. high school students beginning a new school year, many have their sights set on the future as they prepare for college admissions. As part of a holistic admissions process, students use the SAT® to show their strengths and be seen by colleges and scholarships.

The SAT is valuable because it’s a strong predictor of college success, and colleges are increasingly asking students to submit test scores at the point of enrollment. In fact, after experimenting with test-optional policies during the COVID pandemic, many schools, including Dartmouth, MIT, Caltech, and Purdue, are reinstating testing requirements for admissions. And those remaining test-optional continue to use scores for critical decisions about admissions, student support, and class placement.

A wealth of recent research found that amid all the components of a college application—grades, essays, extracurricular activities—test scores are among the most useful in identifying students ready to succeed. When viewed within the context of where a student lives and learns, test scores can help confirm students’ grades or can even show their strengths beyond what their high school grades show.

Students are taking the SAT more than any other admissions exam, including the ACT. The new digital SAT meets the needs of today’s students by providing a shorter test, with more time per question, and an overall streamlined testing experience as compared to the ACT: Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—If you or a loved one are among the nearly 100 million Americans affected by liver disease, consider joining the American Liver Foundation Patient Registry. By sharing your story, you can help share the future of liver health. As a participant in the registry, you will join a group of individuals dedicated to changing the face of liver disease through the advancement of new science and treatments that will benefit all.

The American Liver Foundation Patient Registry is free to join and the first-ever patient registry for all types of liver diseases, including transplant. It helps provide researchers with a better understanding of liver diseases, the effect of current treatments, and how liver disease affects patients. Until now, there has not been one central place where researchers interested in liver disease can access information on a patient’s disease history and more importantly, how patients are managing their disease and its often-debilitating symptoms and associated conditions such as: Continue reading →

Rear view of young university students talking while walking up the stairs

(NAPSI)—Here’s good news for students and their parents: Whether in college or grade school, you can save money on Internet essentials and installation fees.

While free Internet access is available on most campuses and in dorms, for the best Internet connection to power your studies off campus, you’ll need a home Internet connection you can rely on.

Fortunately, many broadband providers offer budget-friendly packages and university discounts with such perks as high-speed Internet for online classes, affordable TV bundles for downtime, and special mobile phone plans with unlimited data and discounts.

What You Can Get

Providers all over the country have student offers ranging from Internet discounts to streaming bundles. Plus, you may qualify for programs from the FCC that can save you even more. Learn more about these offers, as well as other tips and resources for students at www.smartmove.us/back-to-school-Internet.

You’ll also find tips like the below for optimizing digital ecosystems at home to enhance productivity and connectivity for students of all ages. Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—When your phone rings­—don’t answer it. At least, not unless you’ve a good idea of who’s calling. After all, your phone is like your house. You deserve to know whom to let in.

Especially now. September, Hispanic Heritage Month, and all through the year, Latinos and others can be subject to calls from criminals looking to take your money and confuse your vote.

The Problem

Studies suggest the Hispanic community is disproportionately targeted with misinformation, particularly through phone scams and fraudulent communications. So it’s more important than ever to empower Latino communities with the tools they need to protect themselves and their voices, ­especially during Hispanic Heritage Month. Celebrated every September, this celebration of Hispanic culture, achievements, and contributions, is also a good time to reflect on the challenges that lie ahead, particularly as America moves into a critical election period.

The Numbers

According to the latest Truecaller/Harris Poll Scam Report for 2024, Hispanics are twice as likely as non-Hispanics to lose money to phone scams, with 30% of Hispanics reporting financial losses compared to 15% of non-Hispanics. Additionally, Hispanics experience mobile phone scams at a rate more than double that of non-Hispanics (23% vs. 11%), indicating a targeted approach by scammers.

Misinformation during election cycles often comes in the form of robocalls and text messages that spread false narratives or provide misleading voting information. The report shows that Hispanics are three times more likely than non-Hispanics to lose money to scams originating from robocalls (16% vs. 5%). This highlights the urgent need for tools that can protect this community from both financial scams and the spread of election-related disinformation. Continue reading →

While there’s no distinct COVID-19 season like there is for the flu, it’s been shown that COVID-19 can peak during the winter months. To help fight respiratory illnesses, it’s recommended you get a flu vaccination, as well as the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people six months and older, with rare exception, should get the updated annual flu vaccine, ideally by the end of Oct ober. The CDC also recommends that everyone ages six months and older should get the updated 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine, unless otherwise noted, to help restore and enhance protection against the currently circulating virus variants.

It’s especially important to protect certain populations. This includes those at increased risk of complications from severe flu or COVID-19 illness, such as adults 65 and older, people with certain immunocompromising or chronic medical conditions, infants, children younger than two and pregnant women.

“Preventive vaccinations are the best way to protect yourself and your family from seasonal illnesses,” said Dr. Sree Chaguturu, executive vice president and chief medical officer at CVS Health. “Access to preventive vaccinations is critical to keeping communities healthy.”

According to Dr. Chaguturu, it’s helpful to understand the science behind vaccines so people feel informed and safe getting vaccinated.

Myth #1: You should wait until flu season peaks to get vaccinated. Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—For more than half of her life, 43-year-old Megan Bettor dealt with bouts of excruciating low back pain. She doesn’t remember a specific accident or injury that caused the initial pain – all she knows is that it was a constant part of her life.

Megan’s pain was centered in her lower back and was aggravated by sitting, bending forward or with physical activity. For many years, she managed it with conservative treatments such as over-the-counter medications and physical therapy.

As the pain worsened, these treatments stopped working. When this interior designer and mom of two wasn’t busy, she often found herself spending weekends laying in bed unable to move due to her pain.

“There wasn’t just like a bad week,” said Megan. “It was every day, every morning [where it was] nearly impossible to get out of bed, brush my teeth and feed our dog.”

Megan knew something had to change and began exploring surgical options, including a disc replacement, an invasive and expensive treatment that may or may not address her pain.

That’s when she met Ramana Naidu, M.D., director of pain management, MarinHealth Medical Center and interventional pain physician and anesthesiologist. Dr. Naidu not only offered Megan a clear diagnosis of vertebrogenic pain but also a proven treatment. Continue reading →

(NewsUSA) – It’s that time of year again! The time between summer and fall when some people start thinking about leaves and football, while others aren’t quite ready to trade in their flip-flops for flannel.

Join us in raising a glass to “sum-all” season! It’s the perfect time to enjoy the best of both worlds, blending the warmth of summer with the crispness of fall. Whether you’re clinging to those last beach days or eagerly anticipating cozy evenings by the fire, this season lets you do it all. So, grab your drink of choice, fire up the grill, and make the most of this special time of year.

Check out this sampling of sum-all favorites made at the Genesee Brewery in Upstate New York and available at select retailers across the U.S.

-Black Cherry flavor provides bridge to fall. Genesee Black Cherry Vanilla Kellerbier continues the Genesee tradition of releasing seasonal beers on the cusp between seasons. The Black Cherry Vanilla Kellerbier combines the tart sweetness of black cherry with a hint of smooth vanilla that is refreshing on a warm summer day and also a perfect complement to a brisk fall game day afternoon.

-Light beer wins through late summer. Labatt Blue Light Grapefruit, a summer seasonal beer, is perfectly suited to shift into fall and enjoy on the golf course. Continue reading →

(NewsUSA) – The average military family moves three times as often as their civilian peers, and most of these permanent change of station (PCS) moves occur during the summer, according to Blue Star Families, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering, supporting, and connecting military families in communities around the world.

Many military families live in their local civilian communities. However, military families whose lives are often disrupted by deployments and frequent moves often struggle to feel part of these communities, according to Blue Star Families’ 2023 Military Family Lifestyle Survey. Blue Star Welcome Week is a new American tradition spearheaded by Blue Star Families to create a greater sense of belonging and community for everyone.

Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families, says, “It’s time for a new tradition where we make military families feel valued and included. Welcome Week connects military families with their civilian neighbors. Whether it’s a simple message or a community event, every gesture builds a stronger, more inclusive community. This is how we honor their sacrifices and show our gratitude.”

Blue Star Welcome Week happens every year during the last week of September – this year’s event is scheduled for September 21-29, 2024. Continue reading →