Billy F Blume Jr // Shutterstock

Between gifts, travel, parties, and hosting events, the holiday season is often hard on your wallet and your health goals. Holiday baking is no exception. With grocery prices up by more than 6 percent since 2022, baking is more expensive than just a few years ago.

On the health front, research shows that body weight increases by an average of 1.35 percent during the holiday season. To help bolster your health and finances this year, consider a few simple ingredient swaps to help up the nutritional content and lower the cost of your recipes.

To help you determine whether baking is more or less affordable in your city than in others, Hers analyzed price data on five key baking ingredients in 50 metropolitan areas across the U.S. Additionally, Hers outlined health considerations for each of the individual ingredients and suggested alternatives that could boost the nutritional value of your favorite treats, regardless of where you live.

Key Findings

• Cities in Texas, Missouri, and Oklahoma had the lowest overall baking ingredient prices.
• Honolulu had the highest prices for both milk and eggs, while New York had the highest prices for cooking oil and margarine.
• Cooking oil prices varied more than all other ingredients: In Oklahoma City, Buffalo, and San Jose, cooking oil was $7.74 for a 15.5- to 18-ounce bottle, while in New York, the same product cost $11.55.

Average Cost of Baking Ingredients by City: Cheapest to Most Expensive

1. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: $22.37
2. San Antonio, Texas: $22.69
3. Kansas City, Kansas: $22.89
4. Tulsa, Oklahoma: $23.36
5. Austin, Texas: $23.40
6. Rochester, New York: $23.69
7. Buffalo, New York: $23.78
8. Salt Lake City, Utah: $23.97
9. Omaha, Nebraska: $24.08
10. Birmingham, Alabama: $24.15
11. San Jose, California: $24.25
12. Houston, Texas: $24.26
13. Dallas, Texas: $24.52
14. Sacramento, California: $24.61
15. Indianapolis, Indiana: $25.12
16. Richmond, Virginia: $25.19
17. Phoenix, Arizona: $25.20
18. Orlando, Florida: $25.20
19. Nashville, Tennessee: $25.22
20. Columbus, Ohio: $25.29
21. Memphis, Tennessee: $25.37
22. St. Louis, Missouri: $25.40
23. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: $25.44
24. Atlanta, Georgia: $25.48
25. Las Vegas, Nevada: $25.52
26. Detroit, Michigan: $25.62
27. Denver, Colorado: $25.62
28. Cincinnati, Ohio: $25.93
29. Boston, Massachusetts: $26.28
30. Louisville, Kentucky: $26.30
31. Tampa, Florida: $26.44
32. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: $26.44
33. Raleigh, North Carolina: $26.45
34. Cleveland, Ohio: $26.74
35. Baltimore, Maryland: $26.76
36. Los Angeles, California: $26.79
37. Jacksonville, Florida: $26.80
38. San Francisco, California: $26.87
39. Chicago, Illinois: $27.01
40. Miami, Florida: $27.18
41. Seattle, Washington: $27.45
42. Minneapolis, Minnesota: $27.63

Natali _ Mis // Shutterstock

In the past, the auto insurance industry was all about paperwork and drawn-out processes. But now, things are changing fast thanks to technology. At the heart of this transformation is the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and the use of large language models (LLM) for processing claims. By 2026, the way we handle auto insurance claims will be nearly unrecognizable, thanks to advancements in machine learning, computer vision, and predictive analytics. For everyday drivers, this technological shift promises quicker and more efficient service, but it also brings up important concerns about data privacy and the fairness of algorithms.

Cheap Insurance dives into what this major shift means for auto insurance policyholders as we approach 2026. It examines the advantages, potential pitfalls, and the proactive steps drivers can take to successfully navigate this evolving landscape of smart auto insurance.

The New Era of ’Touchless’ Claims

One of the biggest and most noticeable changes for drivers is the shift toward “touchless” claims processing. This means that the entire claims process, from the first notice of loss (FNOL) all the way to the final payment, is handled with very little human involvement. This shift is really transforming the kind of service your auto insurer offers.

Speed and Efficiency: A Game-Changer

In the past, filing an auto claim meant waiting for an adjuster, scheduling an inspection, and enduring a claims cycle that could drag on for weeks. AI changes this timeline dramatically.

• Instant damage assessment: Image recognition software, using AI-powered computer vision, analyzes photos or videos of vehicle damage that the driver has uploaded through a mobile app in near-real time. This technology quickly estimates the repair costs and total-loss potential, reducing on-site inspection delays significantly, and helping your insurer make rapid initial decisions.
• Rapid payouts: For minor, clear-cut accidents (like a broken windshield or a small dent), the entire claim can be triaged, approved, and paid out within minutes or hours, not days. This reduction in the claim cycle time is the single biggest advantage for policyholders, drastically improving the overall customer experience and reducing the stress associated with an accident.
• 24/7 Support: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants, often utilizing LLMs, provide immediate, 24/7 customer service. They guide drivers through the FNOL process, answer policy questions, and provide status updates, meaning help is available anytime, anywhere, reducing frustration and hold times with your auto insurer.

Fairer Auto Insurance Pricing Through Better Risk Assessment

AI’s impact extends beyond claims to how your car insurance policy is priced. Insurers are increasingly using AI to analyze vast datasets, including telematics data from i

Studio Romantic // Shutterstock

Financial gifts for first-time homebuyers are becoming more common. With affordability challenges rising and savings stretched thin, A sizable share of Gen Z and Millennial buyers now rely on family assistance or other pooled contributions to assemble a down payment.

As the December holidays approach, first-time Millennial buyers are adding “down payments” to their wishlists. For many parents, grandparents, and other extended family and friends, helping a young buyer build equity is more meaningful than traditional holiday gifts.

NewHomeSource, a new home listings site with customer reviews, examines how financial gifts are helping younger buyers afford down payments.

Cash is Replacing Traditional Gifts

Gift-giving norms are shifting from acquiring goods to building wealth. For Millennials and young buyers, equity is the new luxury. Group gifting is growing as well, with families pooling contributions for large financial goals, including new home down payments.

Long-term financial stability seems to be the name of the game here; Millennials are focused on building their equity, rather than acquiring individual goods, and their families are supporting this goal.

The Federal Reserve’s report on financial stability echoes this shift, indicating the financial headwinds younger households face as they work to enter the housing market.

How to Use Gifted Funds for a Down Payment

Gift funds are subject to documentation requirements. Conventional, FHA, and VA loans all require proof that any gifted funds are genuine gifts, not informal loans that could affect underwriting.

Lenders typically ask for:

• A gift letter stating that the money doesn’t need to be repaid
• Documentation of the donor’s ability to give the funds (varies by loan type)
• Verification of transfer, such as a bank statement or wire receipt

If you plan to use a gift, notify your lender early so they can tell you exactly what documentation your loan requires.

How New Construction Can Help Stretch Gift Funds Further

Among its other advantages, new construction can also help buyers stretch their gift funds even further. Many builders offer closing-cost credits, rate buydowns, and upgrade incentives or other promotions that can reduce upfront cash needs or improve monthly affordability.

New homes also come with fewer immediate repairs, an advantage for buyers whose reserves may be slim after assembling a down payment from multiple sources. With lower repair and maintenance costs, buyers can rebuild savings in the months — and years — after move-in.

The Holiday Shift

The holiday season can reinforce the shift in trad

Courtesy of Ocean Alliance

In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, causing one of the largest marine oil spills ever. In the aftermath of the disaster, whale scientist Iain Kerr traveled to the area to study how the spill had affected sperm whales, aiming specialized darts at the animals to collect pencil eraser-sized tissue samples.

It wasn’t going well. Each time his boat approached a whale surfacing for air, the animal vanished beneath the waves before he could reach it. “I felt like I was playing Whac-A-Mole,” he says.

As darkness fell, a whale dove in front of Kerr and covered him in whale snot. That unpleasant experience gave Kerr, who works at the conservation group Ocean Alliance, an idea: What if he could collect that same snot by somehow flying over the whale? Researchers can glean much information from whale snot, including the animal’s DNA sequence, its sex, whether it is pregnant, and the makeup of its microbiome.

After many experiments, Kerr’s idea turned into what is today known as the SnotBot: a drone fitted with six petri dishes that collect a whale’s snot by flying over the animal as it surfaces and exhales through its blowhole. Today, drones like this are deployed to gather snot all over the world, and not just from sperm whales, Knowable Magazine reports. They’re also collecting this scientifically valuable mucus from other species, such as blue whales and dolphins. “I would say drones have changed my life,” says Kerr.

S’not just mucus

Gathering snot is one of many ways that drones are being used to study whales. In the past 10 to 15 years, drone technology has made great strides, becoming affordable and easy to use. This has been a boon for researchers. Scientists “are finding applications for drones in virtually every aspect of marine mammal research,” says Joshua Stewart, an ecologist at the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University.

Crucially, drones reduce the need to get close to whales with a boat. This means less disturbance for the animals, and it’s also safer for scientists, since being on a small boat close to a giant whale can be dangerous. Drones also have significant advantages over aircraft, which have historically played a large role in collecting whale data. Using an aircraft is expensive and requires a whole crew of people to operate it, while drones are cheaper, easier to use, and need just one or two operators, says Stewart.

Drones allow scientists to “see things from an absolutely new perspective,” says David Johnston

ImageFlow // Shutterstock

Executives and decision-makers at enterprises are all in on AI. Enterprise AI unlocks new efficiencies, empowers team members to focus on what matters most, and helps organizations deliver the best possible results for stakeholders.

But here’s the thing many miss: You can’t just sprinkle AI into your organization and expect miracles.

Zapier pulls back the curtain and explains what enterprise AI is, shares some examples of how to use it, and shows how you can integrate AI into your business’s operations.

What is enterprise AI?

Enterprise AI refers to the use of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tech within large-scale businesses. It’s designed to tackle complex challenges uniquely felt by big enterprises. This includes things like analyzing massive datasets, automating intricate multidepartmental processes, and using AI agents to make data-driven decisions that impact the entire organization.

Here’s a breakdown of some of its key applications:

• Data insights: Enterprise AI can sift through mountains of information from various sources, uncovering hidden patterns, trends, and connections that would take humans months or even years to identify.
• Process automation: AI excels at taking on repetitive, time-consuming tasks. An AI enterprise tool lets you build fully automated systems across your enterprise tech stack. This frees up your team to focus on higher-level work and reduces the chance of human error.
• Predictive analytics: By analyzing past performance, customer behavior, and market data, enterprise AI can help you forecast likely outcomes and potential risks.
• Personalization: Ever wished you could deliver tailored customer experiences at scale? Enterprise AI can help you understand individual users and provide highly relevant recommendations, offers, and support.

Zapier

8 enterprise AI use cases

Let’s take a look at how these AI technologies are being used in the real world to transform operations, boost efficiency, and drive better outcomes.

1. AI for operations

Anyone who manages IT in a large enterprise knows it’s like playing a never-ending game of Whac-a-Mole. Problems pop up, systems slow down, and your teams scramble to keep everything running. Artificial intelligence for IT operations (AIOps) is like having a lightning-fast assistant who can spot those issues before they escalate—and often even fix them automatically.

Here’s a breakdown of how it works at a high level:

• Smarter