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2024-03-07T12:00:00

(BPT) – Tax season can be a stressful and challenging time for many Americans. In fact, according to the second-annual “Straight Talk Wireless™ Tax Stress Index,” 1 in 5 people want to throw their phone due to frustration over taxes.

That’s not all Straight Talk uncovered. Below are three key findings from Straight Talk’s annual survey that shed light on American attitudes about taxes and their refunds.

1. Shrinking Refunds

A common fear among tax filers in 2024 is the possibility of smaller returns. 49 percent are worried their tax refund this year won’t be as high as last year.

While no one likes receiving less money than expected, a smaller refund could make life harder for some. The survey found that 60 percent of Americans are in more debt than last year and many of them are counting on their refunds to secure financial stability – 34 percent plan to use their refund to pay off debt.

2. Financial Management

Aside from debt, many Americans have earmarked their refunds for other financial goals. According to the survey, 37 percent plan to save their refund and 34 percent will use it for household expenses.

“Finances remain top of mind for tax filers,” said Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, personal finance expert and bestselling author of the new book Bounce Back: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Resilience. “Inflation anxiety and rising debt continue to plague Americans. It’s not surprising that instead of paying for a vacation or buying luxury items, people are using their refunds as part of their financial management strategy.”

3. Upgrades

While extravagant spending may not be in the cards, many tax filers do plan to spend their refunds on practical expenses. Nearly half, about 44 percent of Americans, say they plan to upgrade their phone using their tax refund.

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your phone, tax season may be your best bet. Not only will you have extra cash, but you’re also likely to find deals. For example, with Straight Talk, you’ll find great deals on service plans with a wide selection of smartphones at affordable prices. Right now, Straight Talk is offering a Samsung Galaxy A14 5G for free with the purchase of the Extended Silver Unlimited plan.* To learn more, visit StraightTalk.com or a Walmart store near you.

With prepaid, no-contract plans, you can embrace benefits like flexibility and savings all year long – but especially during tax season.

*Offer valid through 6/9/24 while supplies last. At participating stores. Must purchase a Straight Talk Extended Silver Unlimited Plan to qualify (90-Day, 180-Day or Annual Plan). In-Store activation required at Walmart. Limit of two phones per customer. Taxes and fees apply. ©2024 TRACFONE.

Survey methodology: This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned by Straight Talk Wireless between January 16 and January 21, 2024. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll.

2024-03-07T07:15:00

(BPT) – Spring is just around the corner, bringing with it blooming flowers, greener grass and, unfortunately, the return of seasonal allergies for more than 81 million people. But you don’t have to spend the sunny season suffering from stuffy noses, scratchy throats or sneezing fits — oh my! Incorporating healthy foods into your diet is a simple but effective way to naturally support the immune system and provide relief from annoying allergy symptoms all season long.

We spoke with Registered Dietitian Kelly Springer about her five favorite staple foods with natural allergy-busting and wellness-boosting properties to prevent hay fever and high pollen counts from interfering with your life. To buzz with vitality all spring, consider stocking your pantry with the following:

Manuka Honey

Manuka honey is a premium, nutrient-rich food produced from special Manuka bushes in New Zealand and considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being. An authentic Manuka honey, like this raw Manuka honey from Wedderspoon, is chock full of enzymes, amino acids, B vitamins, C vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are great for keeping your immune system in top shape.

Manuka honey is a pantry staple all year long, and some of the tastiest and easiest ways to incorporate it into meals include adding to smoothies, drizzling on toast with nut butter, adding it to an acai or yogurt bowl with granola, or right off the teaspoon for a daily boost. For pesky symptoms related to allergy season, however, Wedderspoon’s Throat Drops are my go-to for quick, natural relief. They are so tasty and feature naturally-occurring wellness ingredients — like organic Manuka honey, echinacea and bee propolis — to soothe sore throats and quiet coughs. Even better, they come in a variety of flavors including my personal favorite, lemon, and you can now also find them at your local Costco. I find myself adding them to my cart every time I do a grocery stop so I never run out.

Bee Propolis

Bee products have been used in therapeutic remedies since ancient times but have been growing in popularity due to their multitasking superfood properties. Another of my most-reached-for products for allergy symptom relief is bee propolis — a natural resinous substance that honey bees collect from the different parts of plants, buds, and exudates. Like Manuka honey, bee propolis is one of nature’s most potent defenders against germs and free radicals in the body as it is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, including polyphenols and flavonoids. Propolis can hinder histamine release — and the watery eyes and stuffy noses that come with it — and help bolster cell health against oxidative damage and chronic inflammation. I love that Wedderspoon’s lemon-flavored drops have both Manuka honey and bee propolis for a truly holistic approach to combating allergy season.

Herbal Teas

I can’t say enough about herbal teas for seasonal allergy relief. They’re a soothing and simple way to keep symptoms at bay — and a warm cup of tea pairs perfectly with the previously mentioned Manuka honey for an even more powerful homeopathic remedy. I’m never without green or chamomile tea in the spring, both of which are natural antihistamines containing powerful antioxidants that have been shown to be able to block histamine production and reduce inflammation related to seasonal allergies. The calming effect of chamomile tea is also great for helping get a better night’s rest if hay fever symptoms make it impossible to fall and stay asleep.

Turmeric

Turmeric is such a unique spice. Not only does it bring a world of flavor to many dishes, it’s also loaded with numerous health benefits and therapeutic qualities, including serving as a defense against seasonal allergies. Turmeric is made up of a compound called curcumin, which is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial and has been shown to effectively block and reduce allergy-causing congestion and other bothersome rhinitis symptoms. It’s super easy to incorporate into your allergy-busting routine as you can use it to spice up your meals — it’s a flavorful seasoning when roasting veggies — or you can take it in pill form.

Apples

Everyone knows the old adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. The same can be said for allergies. Apples are a powerhouse fruit containing fiber, vitamin C and quercetin, all of which play a key role in remedying symptoms associated with hay fever. Fiber acts like a prebiotic that nourishes gut flora to maintain a healthy balance while vitamin C helps strengthen the immune response to lessen the severity of symptoms when allergy triggers enter the body. Quercetin is an antioxidant flavonoid which acts like a natural antihistamine to decrease inflammation. Because of this, apples are a must for surviving allergy season.

With allergy season fast approaching, it’s never too early to start stocking up on foods with wellness properties so you can eat to nourish your body, strengthen immunity and reduce responses to allergy triggers, regardless of what the forecast may hold. This year, try a holistic approach to allergy season so you can enjoy the May flowers that April showers bring.

2024-03-07T08:01:00

(BPT) – Article is sponsored and developed by BioLineRx USA, Inc.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is overwhelming. There is a lot to learn while navigating numerous emotions. It’s always important to educate yourself about the disease as well as new research advances or therapies that might be right for you.

One cancer with recent treatment developments is multiple myeloma. This cancer is a hematologic malignancy, meaning it begins in blood-forming tissues like bone marrow. Multiple myeloma is the second most-common hematologic malignancy, occurring most commonly in people ages 65-74.^1,2 It was estimated that more than 35,000 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2023.²

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells. Normal plasma cells are found in the bone marrow and are an important part of the immune system, according to the American Cancer Society.³ In general, when plasma cells become cancerous and grow out of control, this is multiple myeloma.

Treatment for multiple myeloma

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is an important part of treatment for multiple myeloma. In the U.S., as many as 8,000 ASCTs are performed each year in patients with multiple myeloma.⁴ Patients with multiple myeloma should speak with their doctor or transplant team to learn about ASCT and if it’s the right treatment approach for them.

“An increasing number of patients are candidates for ASCT which, when successful, has shown progression-free survival in people with multiple myeloma,” said Dr. Henry Fung, MD, FACP, FRCPE, Chair, Department of Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Fox Chase Cancer Center.

The ASCT process starts by taking the patient’s own stem cells including blood or bone marrow which are removed or harvested through a procedure called apheresis. Stem cells are early cells that can develop into different types of blood cells, including plasma cells. Stem cells are collected, frozen and stored. The patient typically undergoes conditioning chemo, and the stem cells are then thawed and returned (transplanted) back into the patient.⁵ The stem cells travel to the bone marrow, engraft, and then start making new, normal blood cells.

Challenges and unmet needs

The success of ASCT depends on adequate mobilization of stem cells during the treatment process. Poor mobilization can be attributed to a variety of risk factors including increased age, evolving induction regimens, previous treatment, and previous radiation therapy among other risk factors.^6-8

Prior to apheresis, patients go through induction therapy to reduce the amount of cancer cells in the blood. Depending on induction regimens and mobilization strategies, up to 47% of patients have had challenges collecting target numbers of hematopoietic stem cells for ASCT after one apheresis session.^6,9 Due to the unpredictability in treatment and the possible need for multiple apheresis sessions, there’s the potential for significant burden on patients, care partners and apheresis centers.¹⁰

Understanding your treatment options

There have been advancements in the treatment approach in multiple myeloma, including in induction regimens and stem cell mobilization, and it is important for patients to understand their options.

“Patients have, for example, the ability to seek information on ways to reach target collection goals with the fewest numbers of apheresis sessions,” continued Dr. Fung. “Fewer apheresis sessions may mean giving patients time back to spend in ways they enjoy.”

If you or a loved one has multiple myeloma, talk with your doctor about current treatment options which may be best for you. For more information about multiple myeloma and ASCT, visit the American Cancer Society at cancer.org, the HealthTree Foundation at healthtree.org/myeloma or the International Myeloma Foundation at myeloma.org. To learn more about the company sponsoring this article visit: biolinerx.com.

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1. Kazandjian D. Semin Oncol. 2016 Dec;43(6):676-681
2. SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Myeloma. National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/mulmy.html
3. American Cancer Society. What is Multiple Myeloma?. Atlanta, Ga. American Cancer Society; 2023.
4. Auletta JJ, et al. Current use and outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: CIBMTR US summary slides. 2021.
5. American Cancer Society. Types of Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Transplants. Atlanta, Ga. American Cancer Society; 2023.
6. Edmisson J, et al. Poster presented at: 64th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition; December 10-13, 2022; New Orleans, LA.
7. Hulin C, et al. Haematologica. 2021;106(8):2257-2260. doi:10.3324/haematol.2020.261842
8. Chhabra S, et al. Transplant Cell ­Ther. 2023;29(3):174.e1-174.e10. doi:10.1016/j.jtct.2022.11.029
9. DiPersio JF, et al. Blood. 2009; 113(23):5720-6.
10. Shaughnessy P, et al. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant, 2013;19(9)1301-1309. doi:10.1016/j.bbmt.2013.05.008

2024-03-07T11:01:00

(BPT) – In these inflationary times, the cost of owning a car seems to increase on a daily basis. The price of buying a car is growing, and so is the cost of operating one. We all want personal transportation and the joy of car ownership, but the statistics are challenging.

Simply purchasing a car is more costly than ever. The prices of new and used vehicles skyrocketed in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to J.D. Power, new-vehicle transaction prices shot up 13% in 2021 and then surged up another 13% in 2022. The increases moderated a bit last year, but prices haven’t fallen.

The prices of used vehicles have escalated even more rapidly over the last several years as consumers who couldn’t find an affordable new car have turned to the used car market. Again, the prices have moderated in 2023, but used vehicle prices are up at least 20% versus their level in 2021.

At the same time, the cost of maintenance and replacement parts has also zoomed up. So has the hourly rate of auto repair labor. Though fuel prices have dropped from their all-time high of a couple of years ago, they are still inflated versus their level when the decade began.

The economic news regarding transportation costs is challenging. Still, the auto experts at Mercury Insurance have a suggestion that could change the way you look at these costs. The suggestion is to treat your vehicle as an investment, not an expense.

“Many personal finance experts define automobiles as expense items,” said Justin Yoshizawa, director, Product Management State. “While that is generally true, viewing your vehicle as a long-term asset just might change the way you purchase and maintain your cars. And it will probably save you money.”

Viewing your vehicle as a long-term asset implies that you will purchase it differently, finance it differently and maintain it differently. Rather than seeing your vehicle as a piece of equipment that needs to be replaced frequently, like a cellphone, for example, it may be smarter to treat your car as a long-term asset that you can feel comfortable owning and driving for years, which could save you thousands of dollars.

Mercury offers these suggestions for viewing your car as an investment:

• Buy the right car. Choose a vehicle appropriate for your long-term needs with the expectation that you will drive it for the next 10 years. With that in mind, the car you purchase should offer a low cost to own based on good dependability and reliability, low maintenance and repair costs, good fuel economy, and low cost to insure. (Mercury Insurance offers advice on the least expensive sedans, trucks and SUVs, and electric vehicles to insure)
• Consider a used vehicle. Smart shoppers will find that two- to three-year-old used cars, trucks, SUVs and vans are much less expensive to purchase than the equivalent new vehicles. The savings could easily reach $10,000 or more for a premium-brand SUV. Buyers who might be afraid of “getting a lemon” when they buy a used car should consider certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles. These vehicles are hand-picked and meticulously inspected prior to being sold, and they are backed with a warranty very similar to a new-car warranty.
• Finance responsibly. The absolute best financing is buying the vehicle with cash. When you do that, you immediately acquire complete ownership of the asset (the car), and you never face financing expenses or monthly car payments. In this era of high interest rates, that is a giant advantage. If you can’t purchase an appropriate car with cash and you need a car immediately, then borrow as little money as possible for as short a term as possible. This will save you hundreds of dollars in interest payments versus the typical car loan that is now stretching toward six years in length.
• Keep the vehicle. The key to gaining financial advantage from viewing your car as an asset is owning it for a long period of time. While the average car on the road today is over 11 years old, typically, cars that age have had several owners. Instead, your goal should be to maintain your vehicle so it is useful to you for at least a decade. This implies preventative maintenance and, yes, some repairs over time. But while repairing a vehicle is more expensive than it used to be, it is still far cheaper than replacing the vehicle with a new car, truck or SUV.

“The days when new vehicles would rust out and wear out in just a few years are over,” Yoshizawa said. “Today’s new and late-model used vehicles have long, useful lives ahead of them. Buying the right vehicle and continuing to maintain and repair it as needed is the best way to assure yourself the lowest personal transportation costs.”