Elena Babanova // Shutterstock

Anyone who drives a car understands the sting of having to fill up their tank and pulling into the gas station, only to discover that gas prices have skyrocketed. Paying extra for gas means you have less to spend on other things, which, over time, can really put a crimp in your budget.

Cheap Insurance explored some of the reasons behind major changes in gas prices, and compiled a list of the cheapest gas stations in every state using data from Gas Buddy.

Gas prices fluctuate based on several factors, including the cost of the key ingredient, crude oil, as well as the available supply and demand for gasoline. If the price of oil rises, a major refinery goes offline, or more drivers are hitting the road, for example, then the cost will increase.

In the first half of 2022, a unique confluence of events led to a surge in gas prices. The increased demand stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and a slowdown in oil production all contributed to a national all-time high of $4.93 per gallon on average in June 2022.

Seasons also affect gas prices. Demand tends to drop in winter, but the cost also falls because gas stations switch to a different blend of gasoline that’s optimal for lower temperatures—and has cheaper ingredients.

Location also matters. The South and Midwest tend to have the lowest gas prices, while the West, including Hawai’i, has the highest. Californians, in particular, pay more for gas on average than any other state. That’s because of its high state excise taxes; its isolation from the country’s major pipelines, which causes supply issues; and its requirements that mandate a more environmentally friendly blend of gas that costs more to produce and adds to the price per gallon.

No matter where you live, read on to see if you can get a deal on gas near you.

Alabama
#1. Zippy Mart (5936 Three Notch Rd, Tillmans Corner): $2.19
#1. Clark (7413 Old Pascagoula Rd, Theodore): $2.19
#3. Walmart (7360 Theodrore Dawes Rd, Theodore): $2.21

Alaska
#1. Airport Gas & Oil (4480 Dale Rd, Fairbanks): $2.83
#2. Sunrise Gas (Mile 45 Sterling Hwy, Cooper Landing): $3.25
#3. Speedway Express (43721 S Parks Hwy, Talkeetna): $3.29

Arizona
#1. Maverik (150 N Highway 91, Littlefield): $2.15
#2. Pilot (4031 Fleet St, Littlefield): $2.31
#3. Costco (1650 E Tucson Marketplace Blvd, Tucson): $2.33

Arkansas
#1. Brookshire’s (1310 Constitution Ave, Ashdown): $2.06
#2. Sam’s Club (1250 S Amity Rd, Conway): $2.09
#2. Hogg’s (2511 AR-161, North Little Rock): $2.09

California
#1. Big Valley Market and Fuel (1119 Napo Way, Lakeport): $2.99
#2. Fastrip (692 S San Jacinto Ave, San Jacinto): $3.19
#2. Feather Falls Mini Mart (6032 Lower Wyandotte Rd, Oroville): $3.19

Colorado
#1. Costco (5885 Barnes Rd, Co

robertindiana // Shutterstock

Business credit card rewards can feel like free money. But are they taxable? Most business credit card rewards aren’t taxable because the IRS treats them as rebates on your purchases — even on cards that offer perks like cashback, points, or no annual fee.

That said, not every reward qualifies as a rebate. Understanding which ones count as taxable income helps you stay compliant and avoid surprises at tax time, Ramp reports.

Note: The cashback percentages, limits, fees, and other figures mentioned in this article are for illustrative purposes only. They do not represent guaranteed or expected rates. Actual terms, credit limits, rewards, and approval criteria vary by card issuer and may change at any time. Readers should verify current details directly with each issuer before applying.

Are business credit card rewards taxable income?

In most cases, business credit card rewards aren’t taxable. The IRS generally treats rewards earned through spending as rebates, not income, meaning the cashback, points, or miles you earn from regular business purchases usually won’t increase your tax bill.

If you spend $1,000 on business expenses and earn $20 back in rewards, your actual cost is $980. That $20 isn’t income—it simply reduces what you paid. According to IRS Publication 525, purchase-based rewards are considered price adjustments rather than taxable income. The key difference lies in how you earned those rewards. If they’re tied directly to your spending, they’re rebates that lower your business expenses. If you received them without spending, like a no-strings-attached sign-up bonus, the tax treatment changes.

Think of credit card rewards as a discount at checkout. When you get 10% off at a store, you don’t pay taxes on the savings. The IRS treats purchase-based rewards the same way.

The IRS rebate rule explained

The IRS treats rewards earned from business spending as rebates that reduce your purchase costs rather than taxable income. When you earn rewards from business spending, they’re viewed as a reduction in what you paid, not as new income. For example, if you spend $1,000 and earn $20 back, your actual business expense is $980.

This “rebate rule” means you should technically reduce your deductions by the amount of the reward. If you deducted the full $1,000 purchase, you’d overstate your expense by $20. Most small businesses don’t track these small differences precisely, and the IRS rarely pursues them for minor amounts.

Common non-taxable reward scenarios include:

• Cashback earned on business purchases like office supplies or travel
• Points or miles accumulated through business credit card spending
• Rewards earned from advertising or recurring operational costs

As long as you spent money to earn the reward, it’s considered a rebate that lowers your

PeopleImages // Shutterstock

Accessing the equity in your home can help you move forward on your financial goals, whether you’re planning major renovations, consolidating high-interest debt, or building long-term stability. Cash-out refinances have long been a familiar option, but rising mortgage rates have prompted many homeowners to explore alternatives, including home equity investments (HEIs).

In this guide, Splitero explains how each option works, what makes them different, and how to decide which one may be the right fit for your financial situation.

Key Takeaways

• A cash-out refinance replaces your existing mortgage with a new, larger one and gives you the difference as cash. This typically results in a new interest rate, a new loan term, and a new monthly payment.
• A home equity investment (HEI) provides a lump-sum payment in exchange for a share of the home’s future value, with no monthly payments or interest. An HEI does not replace your existing mortgage.
• Cash-out refinances function like traditional loans, with repayment based on interest rates and a fixed term, while HEIs operate as investments, which are repurchased later based on your home’s value.
• Both options help you access your home’s value but differ in cost structure, qualification requirements, and how repayment or repurchase is handled.

What is a cash-out refinance, and how does it work?

A cash-out refinance allows you to replace your current mortgage with a new, larger one and receive the difference in cash. Unlike a rate-and-term refinance (which simply changes your interest rate or loan term), a cash-out refinance increases your loan balance.

At closing, the lender pays off your existing mortgage and issues a new loan for a higher amount. You will receive the extra funds, and your monthly payment, interest rate, or loan term changes based on current market rates, your credit score, and other qualification requirements your lender may have.

According to the Intercontinental Exchange’s August 2025 Mortgage Monitor report, this strategy has been increasingly popular. Cash-out refinances accounted for 59% of all refinance transactions in Q2 2025, and those borrowers withdrew an average of $94,000 in home equity. However, those borrowers also increased their monthly mortgage payment by about $590 on average.

Pros

• Potentially lower rate: For homeowners whose existing rate is above today’s market rate, a cash-out refinance can lower borrowing costs while also providing access to equity.
• Familiar repayment structure: A cash-out refinance keeps your financing consolidated into one predictable mortgage payment over a set term, which some homeowners find easier to manage than juggling multiple payments or alternative structures.
• Opportunity to restructure your mortgage term: A refinance allows you to select a new term length. Some homeowners choose a longer term to reduce their monthly payment, even when taking additional cash, while others use a shorter term to pay off their

F8 studio // Shutterstock

When winter arrives, dropping temperatures and dry indoor air become part of daily life. While colder months often come with cozy comforts — extra blankets, warmer pajamas, longer nights — the lack of moisture in the air can quietly undermine both your sleep quality and overall wellness.

Winter air holds significantly less humidity than warmer seasons, and once indoor heating systems turn on, moisture levels can fall even further. This combination creates an especially dry sleep environment, which can affect everything from your breathing to your skin and, ultimately, how well you rest at night. Naturepedic explains why.

How Dry Winter Air Can Impact Your Health

Low humidity does more than make the air feel uncomfortable. Dry indoor air has been linked to:

• Irritation of the respiratory system
• Congestion
• Dry skin
• Increased susceptibility to seasonal illness

And more. Health experts note that winter illness tends to spread more easily for two main reasons. First, people spend more time indoors in enclosed spaces, and lower humidity allows some airborne viruses to remain active in the air for longer periods. In a dry environment, your body’s natural defenses may not function as effectively as they should.

Moreover, the human body is made up of roughly 50 to 70 percent water, and it depends on moisture to maintain healthy systems. When the air around you lacks humidity, your body can lose moisture more quickly, especially while you sleep.

The Role of Moisture in Your Body’s Natural Defenses

One of the first places dry air makes itself known is in your nose and throat.

Your nasal passages are lined with mucous membranes that rely on adequate moisture to work properly. These membranes act as a filtration system, helping trap dust, allergens and other airborne particles before they enter the body. When humidity is too low, these membranes can dry out and become less effective. This can lead to irritation, sore throats and a higher vulnerability to respiratory discomfort during the winter months.

Dry air can also affect your skin and eyes, which depend on moisture to maintain their protective barriers. When skin becomes excessively dry or cracked, it may be less effective at keeping irritants out — another reason winter wellness often starts with your environment.

Can Dry Air Make It Harder to Sleep?

Sleep is a time when the body restores itself, but dry winter air can interfere with that process. Humidity in the bedroom can contribute to nasal dryness, throat irritation and nighttime discomfort — all conditions with the potential to disrupt restful sleep.

Your body already naturally loses moisture while you sleep through breathing and perspiration, which is why many people wake up feeling thirsty. In a dry environment, that moisture loss can be more pronounced, potentially leading to dehydration, Read more

By Natasha Bertrand, Zachary Cohen, CNN

(CNN) — How should a military commander respond if they determine they have received an unlawful order?

Request to retire — and refrain from resigning in protest, which could be seen as a political act, or picking a fight to get fired.

That was the previously unreported guidance that Brig. Gen. Eric Widmar, the top lawyer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave to the country’s top general, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, in November, according to sources familiar with the discussion.

Caine had just seen a video that included six Democratic lawmakers publicly urging US troops to disobey illegal orders. He asked Widmar, according to the sources, what the latest guidance was on how to determine whether an order was lawful and how a commander should reply if it is not.

Widmar responded that they should consult with their legal adviser if they’re unsure, the sources said. But ultimately, if they determine that an order is illegal, they should consider requesting retirement.

The guidance sheds new light on how top military officials are thinking about an issue that has reached a fever pitch in recent weeks, as lawmakers and legal experts have repeatedly questioned the legality of the US military’s counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean including intense scrutiny of a “double-tap” strike that deliberately killed survivors on September 2.

Caine is not in the chain of command. But he is closely involved in operations, including those in SOUTHCOM, and is often tasked with presenting military options to the president—more so than Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CNN has reported.

The Joint Staff declined to comment for this story.

Several senior officers who reportedly expressed concerns about the boat strikes, including former US Southern Command commander Adm. Alvin Holsey and Lt. Gen. Joe McGee, the former director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy on the Joint Staff, have retired early in recent months.

Widmar’s advice to Caine was meant to help inform the chairman’s discussions with senior military officials should the issue come up, the sources said. The Democrats’ video had become headline news, enraging Hegseth and sparking debates across the country.

A separate official familiar with military legal advice said that it is not uncommon for lawyers to urge servicemembers to consider leaving the force if they believe they’re being asked to do something they are personally uncomfortable with, but it’s typically handled on a case-by-case basis and tailored to the facts of the situation.

Other current and former US officials, however, including those who have served as miliary lawyers in the Judge Advocate General corps, stressed that broadly encouraging servicemembers to quietly retire — if they’re eligible — rather than voice dissent in the face of a potentially illegal order risks perpetuating a culture of silence and lack of accountability.

“A commissioned officer has every right to say, ‘this is wrong,’ and shouldn’t be expected to quietly and silently walk away just because they’re given a free pass to do so,” said a former senior defense official who left the Pentagon earlier this year.

More than a dozen senior officers have either been fired or retired early since Trump took office in January, an unusually hi