These $2.50 Home Depot Storage Totes Are Going Viral (Grab Yours Before They Sell Out!)

Jimmy3

Check out this tiny storage tote we spotted at Home Depot!

Hurry to Home Depot where you can score this new HDX 6.5-Quart Storage Tote in black or clear for just $2.50!

HDX 6.5-Quart Storage Tote
Just $2.50!

Note that these have gone viral and stock is super limited online, so you’ll have the best chance at scoring one if you’re able to head in-store or opt for pickup. Otherwise, delivery is $2.99.

Here are a few ways to use these handy totes:

DIY first aid kit or car emergency kit
Organize under the sink or bathroom drawers
Craft and school supplies, sewing kits, or LEGO bricks
Holiday ornament storage
Wrangle tech cords, chargers, and batteries
Store pet treats, leashes, and toys

They’re basically the little storage MVP you didn’t know you needed! 🙌

See even more of the latest deals for your home here…

Check out this tiny storage tote we spotted at Home Depot! Hurry to Home Depot where you can score this new HDX 6.5-Quart Storage Tote in black or clear for just $2.50! HDX 6.5-Quart Storage Tote Just $2.50! Note that these have gone viral and stock is super limited online, so you’ll have the bestRead MoreDeals, Home Deals & Tips, Home Depot

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More Americans Are Working Beyond 65. Here's What It Means for Your Retirement Plans

Halfpoint Images / Getty ImagesThe percentage of Americans 65 and older in the workforce nearly doubled from 11% in 1987 to 19% in 2023, when over 11 million Americans in that age group were working or actively seeking work. And workers age 75 and older are the fastest-growing age group in the workforce, according to Pew Research Center.For some, working longer represents opportunity and personal choice. To be sure, improved health and activity among older Americans and rising education levels have contributed to this trend. Over half (53%) of working adults 65 or older had college degrees in 2019 — a significant increase from 25% in 1985.For others, however, the trend reflects mounting economic pressures and diminished retirement security. Some people work out of financial necessity due to inadequate retirement savings, declining pension coverage, and the shift to less secure 401(k) plans.We'll explain this trend below and share advice for people who want to be better prepared for retirement.Key TakeawaysThe percentage of older Americans remaining in the workforce has grown significantly over the last 40 years.This trend reflects both positive developments and harsh realities about retirement security.While some continue to work because they choose to, many others continue working out of necessity due to limited retirement savings.An Aging WorkforceThe growth in the 65-and-older workforce since the 1980s stems partly from demographic shifts, as the populous Baby Boomer generation reached retirement age. But it also reflects their changing attitudes toward work and retirement, along with changes in the financial health of many older Americans.Mandatory retirement due to age is illegal in the U.S. in most cases, though many older workers still report being pushed out of jobs before they would have retired willingly. Improved health care and longer life expectancy also make extending careers more viable, while technology has reduced physical demands in many occupations.But even as we celebrate staying active while aging, there are fewer financial safety nets that once supported dignified retirement. The narrative of "working by choice" can mask a systemic failure to provide security for aging Americans. Changes to Social Security that raised the full retirement age from 65 to 67 have caused many older adults to delay retirement to increase benefit amounts. So has the shift from defined-benefit pensions to 401(k)s, which transferred retirement risk to individuals, leaving many with insufficient savings.ImportantAgeism remains a persistent challenge. Though illegal, age discrimination creates barriers for older workers seeking work or advancement opportunities.Preparing for RetirementA curious thing happened after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic: Starting in March 2020, the percentage of people who expected to work full-time beyond the age of 62 dropped significantly, particularly among women and lower-income workers. In the six years prior to the pandemic, on average, 54.6% said they expected to work beyond 62. Meanwhile, from 2020 to 2024, 49.4%, on average, said the same, including a low of 45.8% in 2024. There were similar declines in expectations of working past 67.That suggests that older adults who continue to work might do so not because they want to, but out of absolute necessity.Whether you expect to stop working by age 62 or want to continue working into your 60s and beyond, here are some tips that can help you prepare for retirement when the time comes:Early CareerMaximize retirement contributions as early as possible, taking full advantage of employer matches.Save and invest as much as you can outside of traditional retirement accounts.Expect multi-generational teams at work and potentially delayed promotions due to older workers remaining in the workforce.Mid-CareerConduct a retirement readiness assessment with a financial advisor to identify shortfalls while there's still time to adjust.Prioritize health insurance continuity and consider disability income insurance, as medical costs can quickly erode savings.Consider housing decisions carefully, potentially downsizing earlier to reduce costs and build savings.Consider career pivots that might enable more longevity.Approaching traditional retirement age:Explore phased retirement options with your current employer before fully retiring.Maximize catch-up contributions to retirement accounts.Research employers and industries that value experience over youth.Consider relocating to areas with lower costs of living to extend financial resources.The Bottom LineWhile some older adults enjoy being active members of the workforce, others find themselves unable to retire due to their lack of savings. Maximizing retirement contributions as early as possible and investing as much as possible outside of traditional retirement accounts can boost retirement readiness. It can also help to check in with a financial advisor periodically to assess your financial situation and get advice on better retirement planning. As you get closer to retirement age, consider catch-up contributions to retirement accounts.
What Is the Social Security Death Master List? What's It Like To Find Yourself on It?

Greggory DiSalvo/Getty Images A person going to the Social Security Administration office to contest being added to the death master list.You don't ever want to find yourself on the Social Security "death master file." It's a financial death and a sort of living hell where you spend years trying to convince a hobbled bureaucracy that you're actually still alive, all the while unable to get a job or a loan or even open a bank account.How bad would it be? The Trump administration has been knowingly adding certain living people to the list in the hopes that if their lives are made unbearable enough, they'll leave the country. The people in question are migrants who are in the U.S. legally but who the administration claims are on terrorist watch lists or have criminal records with the FBI.Suspect ethics aside, there's some logic to that approach. Labeling living people as dead has devastating consequences. We take you through the details below.Key TakeawaysThe SSA's death master file, once a routine administrative tool, is now being repurposed as the "ineligible master file" to deliberately list certain living individuals as deceased.If you discover you've been wrongfully added to the death master file, it will likely take you years of battle with the bureaucracy to fix the problem—if you're lucky.What Is the Death Master File?SSA's death list, despite its macabre name, was, until the second Trump administration, a rather mundane part of the American administrative state, serving a crucial function: tracking which Americans have died to prevent improper benefit payments.The file is shared with other federal agencies, and the U.S. Department of Commerce sells a version of it to banks, credit bureaus, and other financial institutions that use it to help identify accounts belonging to scammers with stolen Social Security numbers.ImportantAbout 10,000 people each year are erroneously included in the death master file.The Horror of Being Wrongly Declared DeadUnlike typical bureaucratic errors, being falsely declared dead, even when accidental, creates a cascade of financial and personal catastrophes that can take years to resolve—if you're lucky.A Missouri woman has fought for more than a decade to prove she was alive after being added to the death master file in 2007, when she was attending college. Forced to withdraw from classes, she was unable to hold down a job because employers couldn't process her payroll with her Social Security number."I just know I'm alive," she told NBC News. "But it's hard to prove that."In 2021, she received a new number and legally changed her name, but the nightmare was not over because her new number was automatically linked in databases to the old one, causing her additional years of problems.Declaring Living People Dead as Immigration PolicyIn the first half of 2025, the second Trump administration began placing thousands of living people on the death list. In a background briefing with Investopedia, a White House official said the administration's actions were part of a broader "security initiative."The official said the Department of Homeland Security had identified more than 6,300 individuals with a temporary authorization to be in the U.S. that the agency claims were on terrorist watch lists or had criminal records with the FBI. The official said the file was now called the "ineligible master file"—essentially repurposing the death master file to block access to government benefits, banks, and other financial institutions that use the list.“President Trump promised mass deportations and by removing the monetary incentive for illegal aliens to come and stay, we will encourage them to 'self-deport'," White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement to Investopedia.Critics quickly raised concerns, with one former SSA commissioner labeling it "tantamount to financial murder."What If It Happens to You?The unprecedented use of the database marks a significant shift in both immigration enforcement tactics and the way government records are maintained.What can you do if this happens to you? Experts we contacted suggest acting quickly by going to your local Social Security office with identification. (Several said you are unlikely to accomplish anything over the phone or via email.) Document everything, including all communications with government agencies, and consider consulting with an attorney who works in this area.However, none of the experts suggested that any of this would be easy, especially if you were added to the list intentionally.Four Ways To Meet the SSA Grim ReaperHere are the ways (as of May 2025) the SSA can label you dead:Traditional reporting: Each year, about 3 million legitimate deaths are recorded in SSA's death master file, culled from state databases and direct reports from families and funeral homes.Reporting errors: Under previous administrations, U.S. General Services Administration audits have found that about 0.33% of the 3 million records added each year were wrong (due to various errors, typically at the state level). The examples in the last section are from this group.False death dates: The administration's purposeful addition of allegedly ineligible immigrants to the death master file.Algorithm errors: Lastly, what Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, called "a hasty effort" by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency to employ an algorithm to label as dead certain individuals that it identifies as likely dead and whose benefits are being received by someone else."These DOGE-led initiatives mean more living people will be declared dead by Social Security," Romig told Investopedia. "The consequences are a Kafkaesque nightmare."WarningIf regular errors require heroic efforts lasting many years to fix, what about when the false records are purposeful? "One of the many worrisome aspects of this new policy is that there are no clear safeguards or limits, nor is there an obvious way to appeal," said Devin O'Connor, senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.The Bottom LineThe SSA's death master file has been targeted by the Trump administration as a new weapon against certain immigrants."This is the first time that the death master file is being ... intentionally weaponized for purposes of doing someone harm," Devin O'Connor, senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. "Someone is at risk of being sent into a bureaucratic nightmare with every mistake, and there will be mistakes."
Investing in the S&P 500 for Retirement: Strategies by Age Group

Fact checked by Vikki VelasquezInvestopedia / Michela Buttignol Investors should rebalance their portfolios as they get closer to retirement.The S&P 500, also popularly called "the market," is a benchmark that tracks the performance of around 500 of the U.S.'s largest publicly traded companies. The S&P 500 is inherently well-diversified and highly efficient. With lifetime returns averaging 10%, low-cost index funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the S&P 500 provide retirement-focused investors a solid opportunity for at least part of their portfolio.Risk, timeline, and goals are the driving forces behind investor portfolios. The general rule is that investors take on less risk as they approach retirement. Younger investors, with time on their side, can generally take on more risk and have a larger portion of their portfolios allocated to stocks, like S&P 500 index funds, because they have plenty of time to recover from market fluctuations. This guide offers age-specific investing advice from financial advisors for young investors, mid-career professionals, and pre-retirees using the S&P 500 as a core retirement holding.Key TakeawaysThe S&P 500 is a solid choice for core retirement holdings, but reallocation is key as investors get closer to retirement.Younger investors can benefit from a high stock allocation because they have longer timelines to recover from market downturns.Mid-career investors should gradually rebalance their portfolios toward more conservative investments as their careers progress.Pre-retirees may prioritize capital preservation and income generation, but these portfolios should also be well-diversified to prevent overexposure to any asset. Investors can use cost-effective ETFs and index funds to gain exposure to the S&P 500 in retirement accounts.Younger Investors (20s–40s)High Stock AllocationThe S&P 500 can propel retirement savings in the early years for young investors. With decades until retirement, young investors can weather the stock market's highs and lows with plenty of time for recovery.A portfolio for a young investor should have a high equity allocation. Investors in their 20s should strive for as much as 90% of their portfolio in stocks. Even workers in their 40s still have plenty of runway before they take off, so an 80% stock allocation is appropriate for many of their investment portfolios.Long-Term FocusPrince Dykes, founder and chief investment officer at Royal Financial Investment Group, said that he finds his younger clients often favor low-cost, passive investing (e.g., ETFs like VOO or SPY) and are "more comfortable with technology-driven investment platforms."The buy-and-hold strategy has a proven success record in the long term. Staying invested through all market cycles is key to success. Trying to "time the market" is usually counterproductive. Dollar-Cost AveragingDollar-cost averaging (DCA) involves regularly investing the same amount of money into a security. It is an effective way for investors to remove the pressure to time the market, lower their average cost per share, and reduce the impact of market fluctuations in their portfolios. DCA into funds with a solid record, like S&P 500 funds, helps build discipline and reduce the emotional impact of market swings.Embracing Market Ups and DownsInvesting is a rollercoaster, and understanding how to hold on when the market dips is crucial for success. Still, it's shocking to see your portfolio balance plummet, but that's when investors need to go back to the basics and remember their risk tolerance, timeline, and goals. If your portfolio aligns with those factors, you should stay the course or even buy the dip, which can lower your cost basis over time.Martin A. Smith, founder and president of Wealthcare Financial Group, reminded investors, "The key to avoiding panic selling is rooted in strategy, not sentiment. When the market pulls back, it may simply be an opportunity to rebalance, not retreat."Mid-Career Investors (40s–50s)Continue Steady ContributionsDespite being in their highest earning years, mid-career investors usually feel their belts tighten when sandwiched between the costs of raising their own children and caring for aging parents. Dropping investment contributions seems easy when stretching the household budget, but continuing steady contributions is critical to long-term success and to help reach your retirement goals.TipFor investors with matching contributions, continuing to invest up to the matching employer contribution level doubles the impact of their savings.Gradual ReallocationsBy the time investors enter their late 40s and early 50s, they've probably started to think about retirement more concretely than in their early investor years. As that time draws closer, investors should gradually shift their asset allocation away from stocks and into assets focused on capital preservation and income. In excellent years for the market, like 2024, when the S&P 500 returned 23%, it may seem ill-advised to reallocate away from stocks. However, as you get closer to retirement, you should be gradually smoothing out volatility in your portfolios.Rule of 100The Rule of 100 is a retirement savings guideline where you subtract your age from 100 to determine your ideal stock allocation. This rule is a helpful starting point, but many advisors consider it overly simplistic. As Martin put it, "A portfolio built solely around one's age may leave investors overexposed just when they need stability the most." Further, Martin added, "Economic disruptions—like 9/11 or the 2008 financial crisis—don't respect retirement dates." Appropriate stock allocation is far more dependent on an investor's age, timeline, and goals than on a magic number.TipSome experts advise using 110 minus your age or even 120 or 125 minus your age instead of the standard Rule of 100 formula. However, even that is just a guideline.RebalancingRebalancing is the part of investing that many investors skip. When markets are popping off, few investors think that signals a great time to offload some top performers. However, rebalancing in mid-career years is especially important as market gains can distort intended asset mixes.Thomas Kopelman, co-founder and financial planner at AllStreet Wealth, warned, "The biggest mistake is simply not rebalancing... If you did this from 2008 till now, you would be very overweight in large-cap growth and very underweight in international bonds if you are older or have a lower risk tolerance."Pre-Retirees (50s and Older)Lower Risk ToleranceThe closer you are to retirement, the more protecting what you've earned becomes your top priority. Focusing on capital preservation doesn't mean stuffing $100 bills in your mattress, and it doesn't mean ditching stocks entirely. Equity investments may still have a place in your portfolio as you get closer to clocking out for the last time.Martin said, "A conservative portfolio can certainly include S&P 500 holdings to boost return potential, but it should be part of a wider asset allocation framework designed to reduce volatility and safeguard capital as retirement approaches."DiversificationDiversification across asset classes like bonds, stocks, and government securities becomes increasingly vital at pre-retirement, as most people reduce equity exposure and add income-producing or capital preservation assets. Even within asset classes, it's a good idea to look closer at where your money is going, especially in equity investments.S&P 500 funds or ETFs are inherently diversified. However, Thomas cautions that overexposure to the S&P 500 alone can be risky, especially for pre-retirees: "Right now, Mag Seven stocks (Magnificent Seven or the seven largest and most influential tech-oriented companies) are over 35% of the Index. You may want to be more diversified than that, especially as you get older and near retirement."Considering Retirement NeedsPrince noted that the S&P 500 is still appropriate for some investors with shorter time horizons. However, its allocation should shrink as retirement approaches: "Using a blended approach that shifts as the target date approaches emphasizes stability while maintaining some growth potential."By aligning portfolios with evolving income needs, considering expenses like health care, travel, or housing, investors can better support their lifestyle while preserving their nest egg. How Much Should I Have Invested for Retirement by Age?Experts, like those at Fidelity, offer savings benchmarks by age rather than dollar amounts. They suggest saving at least 1x your salary by 30, 3x by 40, 6x by 50, 8x by 60, and 10x by 67.How Do I Invest in the S&P 500 in a Retirement Account?Most retirement accounts (401(k)s, IRAs, and brokerage accounts) offer S&P 500 index funds as a holding option. If you're having trouble finding one in the available offerings, you can search by ticker symbol. Is the S&P 500 a Good Investment for Retirees?The S&P 500 is a good investment for retirees if it aligns with their current risk tolerance, timeline, and goals. It offers growth potential, but retirees should anchor that growth and associated risk with bonds or other income-producing assets. What Is the Average Return of the S&P 500?The S&P 500's average return is around 10% annually before inflation. After inflation, its return is around 6-7%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, but the S&P 500 has a historical success record.The Bottom LineWhatever your age, the S&P 500 can be a powerful foundation for a retirement portfolio covering large-cap exposure in one diversified swoop. Young investors can lean into the potential growth that equity investments offer, mid-career savers should gradually reallocate their portfolios to match their risk, and pre-retirees should prioritize capital preservation and income while leaving room for some growth. Your goals, timeline, and risk tolerance will shift with each life stage. Allow them to drive your investment vehicles without fear or hype over market returns.