Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Robocalls and scam texts are not only annoying but can lead to the loss of your hard-earned money.

Americans reported losing a whopping $10 billion to scams in 2023, the Federal Trade Commission says. Phone scams caused the highest per-person loss, at a median of $1,400.

Check with your cellphone provider

Your cellphone provider may be your first line of defense, said Nicholas De Leon, a technology writer with Consumer Reports.

“The Federal Communications Commission requires your provider to have robocall-fighting technology. It’s free. Or maybe you pay a little more monthly to have spam-blocking features,” he said.

Change your phone settings

You can set your phone to only ring for calls from your contacts and people you’ve previously been in contact with.

On an iPhone, go to Settings >> Phone >> Silence Unknown Callers. Anyone you don’t know will go right to voicemail.

Do not reply to unknown texts from questionable sources

If you get an offer or link in a text from someone you don’t know, don’t respond or click.

Consumer Mar 12

4 things to reconsider spending your money on

Consumer Mar 3

Sick of egg shortages? You can actually rent chickens. Here's how.

Try a scam-blocking app

Scam-blocking apps may help. Before you download, though, check reviews and read the fine print, De Leon warned.

“Double-check the privacy polices of these apps. They may be using your data, selling it, or they may be using it in ways you’re not comfortable with,” he said.

Finally: Sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry. You can do so online or by phone via the FTC.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Ever thought of raising your own backyard chickens? It doesn’t have to be difficult. Companies such as Rent the Chicken can do most of the hard work for you.

Rent the Chicken connects farmers with people across the United States. A local farmer will deliver a portable coop to your home. A standard rental comes with two chickens.

“If you want the deluxe, you get four chickens,” said Homestead Glenda, who co-owns a farm in Manassas that serves D.C.-area residents through both Rent The Chicken and Hatch The Chicken.

Generally, a chicken will produce one egg each day. If you rent two, that’ll get you about 14 eggs per week.

“As long as you don’t wash them, you can leave them on the counter for up to a month,” Homestead Glenda told us.

Along with the chickens and coop, you’ll get enough chicken feed for your entire rental period, along with supplies. A standard rental with two chickens costs $495 for six months, while four chickens will cost $959.

So, while you may not actually save money on eggs, you can enjoy the experience. Obviously, you’re going to get fresh eggs each day, but kids (and adults) can love the experience of having chickens.

If you’re worried about the noise, Homestead Glenda says chickens are not as loud as roosters. Of course, you will need to make sure your county or jurisdiction allows chickens. (If your neighbors complain, offer them some free eggs.)

Chickens are typically friendly, and they can make great pets. If you end up loving them, you can actually choose to buy them at the end of your rental period.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

The benchmark that sets the global price of arabica coffee has more than doubled over the past year, with 25% of that surge coming since the start of 2025. For the first time, one pound of arabica costs more than $4 on commodity markets.

“Expect retail coffee prices to keep grinding higher,” Bank of America analysts recently warned, even with “consumers showing signs of price fatigue.”

The price run-up is largely driven by climate-change-fueled weather patterns that have disrupted agricultural production around the world. Chocolate prices are up sharply this year for similar reasons, with higher temperatures and rainfall levels spoiling cacao yields in West Africa.In key coffee-growing regions across South and Central America, Southeast Asia and East Africa, average temperatures are rising and precipitation patterns are changing, lengthening and intensifying droughts in some places while boosting extreme flood events in others.

Brazil has been contending with its most severe drought in 70 years, causing water shortages and crop failures. In Vietnam, months-long drought was followed by severe flooding last year during Typhoon Yagi, which brought extreme rainfall exacerbated by climate change. The two countries are the world’s top coffee producers, accounting for a combined 56% of global supplies.

Climate impacts can increase the prevalence of diseases in coffee crops, reducing overall yields for farmers. Studies have shown that the arabica bean — which makes up roughly 60% of all coffee produced globally — is particularly vulnerable to climate change. And while U.S. coffee producers in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, California and elsewhere sell homegrown beans, their output is nowhere near enough to satisfy domestic demand, a reality shared by farmers of imported specialty crops from wasabi to goji berries.

“As the long-term climate changes, these weather conditions are far more likely to hit extremes and cause losses in coffee yields as well as volatility to coffee production,” said Jeffrey Sachs, a sustainable economist at Columbia University.

Retail coffee prices are expected to rise in a “pronounced” way during the first quarter of this year, the Bank of America analysts wrote in a note to clients. They expect major food companies — such as J.M. Smucker, which sells coffee under multiple brands including Folgers, and Keurig Dr Pepper, which sells Lavazza coffee — to pass at least some of the cost increases on to consumers.

Neither company responded to requests for comment.

So far, higher coffee prices on commodity markets haven’t fully percolated into consumers’ mugs. Federal data released Wednesday showed the prices people paid for coffee, in all its forms, were roughly flat from December to January, though they were up 3.1% last month from 12 months earlier — just a little bit hotter than inflation overall. But instant coffee prices have been heating up, soaring 7.1% last month from a year earlier, and by 4.4% just from December to January.

The overall cost of drip coffee has risen every year since 2021, when it was $0.12 per cup, according to market researchers at NIQ. They estimated one cup of drip coffee cost $0.18 at the start of this year, while coffee pods like the ones that get popped into Keurig machines have also trended higher. Those, too, have risen steadily, from $0.50 per cup in 2021 to $0.55 at the start of 2025.

Major roasters such as Starbucks have sought to reassure investors about their strategies for handling global price spikes. “Our year-over-year coffee price impact was minimal,” Starbucks CFO Rachel Ruggeri recently told shareholders.

Sachs said he expects coffee prices to remain high in the coming months — and that climate change is likely to bring more major blows to global food supplies over the next decade. The world must bring down greenhouse gas emissions much faster to reduce these accelerating risks and ramp up investments in agricultural resiliency systems, he and other climate researchers warn.

The global coffee shortage has driven U.S. imported coffee bean supplies to its lowest level since November, according to data from Intercontinental Exchange. Arabica coffee production in Brazil is set to decline this year by 12.4% from last year, according to the Brazilian ministry of agriculture. If that production forecast proves accurate, it would be the lowest level since 2022, analysts at ING said last week.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

• Adams case and other Trump moves threaten to open corruption floodgates, experts say
• Federal prosecutors in New York and Washington resign after refusing to drop Adams charges
• Trump administration tells federal agencies to fire probationary employees

The latest monthly consumer price index showed that the average price of a dozen Grade A eggs in U.S. cities reached $4.95 in January, eclipsing the previous record of $4.82 set two years earlier and more than double the low of $2.04 that was recorded in August 2023.

The spike in egg prices was the biggest since the nation’s last bird flu outbreak in 2015 and accounted for roughly two-thirds of the total increase in food costs last month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Of course, that is only the nationwide average. A carton of eggs can cost $10 or more in some places. And specialized varieties, such as organic and cage-free eggs, are even more expensive.

Economy Feb 11

As egg prices soar, grocers like Trader Joe's limit how many cartons customers can buy

Health & Wellness Feb 8

Are eggs safe to eat as bird flu spreads? Food to eat and avoid

“We do use eggs a little less often now. You know, because of the price,” said Jon Florey as he surveyed his options in the egg case at Encinal Market in Alameda, California. “I was going to make a quiche that I like to make and it’s about six eggs, so I figured I’d do something else.”

When are egg prices expected to go down?

Relief is not expected any time soon. Egg prices typically spike around Easter due to high holiday demand. And the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted last month that egg prices were likely to go up 20% this year.

Even if shoppers can afford eggs, they may have difficulty finding them at times. Some grocers are having trouble keeping their shelves stocked, and customers are encountering surcharges and limits on how many cartons they can buy at a time.

Encinal Market owner Joe Trimble said he has a hard time getting all the eggs he orders from his suppliers, so most of the time his shelves are only about 25% full.

“It’s something you don’t think about until you look at the shelf and it’s nearly empty,” Trimble said. Eggs are “just expected to be there in the same way you expect there to be milk. It’s a key item to have in a grocery store because people don’t go out looking for something else to eat on a Saturday morning. They want it. They want to have some scrambled eggs or over-easy eggs on a Saturday morning.”

How bad is the bird flu outbreak?

The main reason that eggs are more expensive is the bird flu outbreak. When the virus is found on a farm, the entire flock is killed to limit the spread of disease. Because massive egg farms may have millions of birds, just one outbreak may put a dent in the egg supply. Nearly 158 million birds have been slaughtered overall since the outbreak began.

The Agriculture Department says more than 23 million birds were slaughtered last month and more than 18 million were killed in December to limit the spread of the bird flu virus. Those numbers include turkeys and chickens raised for meat, but the vast majority of them were egg-laying chickens.

And when there is an outbreak on a farm, it often takes several months to dispose of the carcasses, sanitize the barns and raise new birds until they are old enough to start producing eggs, so the effects linger.

Bird flu cases often spike in the spring and fall when wild birds are migrating because they are the main source of the virus, but cases can pop up any time of year. The virus has also spread to cattle and other species, and dozens of people — mostly farmworkers taking care of ill animals — have been sickened.

But health officials say the threat to human health remains low and eggs and poultry are safe to eat because sick animals aren’t allowed into the food supply. Plus, properly cooking meat and eggs to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit kills any virus, and pasteurization neutralizes bird flu in milk.

What else is driving egg prices up?

Egg farmers also face higher feed, fuel and labor costs these days because of inflation. Plus, farmers are investing more in biosecurity measures to try to protect their birds.

Ten states have passed laws allowing the sale of eggs only from cage-free environments. The supply of those eggs is tighter and focused in certain regions, so the effect on prices can be magnified when outbreaks hit cage-free egg farms.

Many of the egg farms with recent outbreaks were cage-free farms in California. Cage-free egg laws have already gone into effect in California, Massachusetts, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Michigan.

Total demand for eggs is also up significantly in recent years. Consumers are buying more eggs, and the growth of all-day breakfast restaurants is adding to demand.

CoBank analyst Brian Earnest said the current cost of eggs could discourage some buying, which would ease the demand pressure but might not have a noticeable effect. It will likely take months for egg producers to fill the gaps in supply.

“As consumers continue to stock up on eggs, supplies at the store level will remain tight, and with Easter right around the corner, that could prolong the tighter supplies,” Earnest said.

While prices remain elevated, producers of baked goods and other food items that rely on eggs as a main ingredient will have to decide how much to increase prices or reduce production, he said.

___

Associated Press reporter Terry Chea contributed to this report from Alameda, California.

Eggs have even become such a hot commodity that there have even been a couple of heists where thieves seem to be treating the yolks as if they were made out of gold.

The problem isn’t going away because the virus continues to mutate and infect more birds, other animals and some people. And anytime a chicken or turkey gets sick, the entire flock is slaughtered to help limit the spread.

The shortages do tend to be isolated, so they might not be a problem at your store. But there’s no way to predict when a massive farm with millions of birds might get hit, and just one of those cases can cause supply problems.

As a result, prices have skyrocketed.

Jose Castillo said it’s becoming hard to keep the Cuban sandwiches and king cakes affordable at his Norma’s Sweets Bakery in New Orleans because he’s paying nearly four times as much for eggs now.

“Oh it’s hurting man. It’s crazy how expensive eggs are,” said Castillo who is one of the bakery’s co-owners. “Normally we’ll get them for $35, $40 dollars a case and now we’re paying like $118, $120 dollars.”

Hard to find

Empty shelves where eggs are supposed to be seem to be becoming more common across the country. Sometimes shoppers have to check two or three stores or seek out a local farmer to get their eggs.

This outbreak has taken a tremendous toll on poultry since it began in 2022. Nearly 158 million birds have been slaughtered overall with the majority being egg-laying chickens.

The hurts egg supplies and drives prices higher. But with more than 300 million chickens nationwide layings eggs for breakfast and baking, the industry can usually deal with the loss of a few million birds without many disruptions.

The problems come when large numbers of birds have to be killed. Last month more than 23 million birds were killed, and that came right after 18 million were slaughtered in December.

And when egg farmers do have to kill their entire flocks it takes at least a month or two to get new birds because the carcasses must be disposed of and all the barns must be sanitized before the farm is cleared. So the effects linger.

Limiting purchases

Trader Joe’s is capping purchases to one carton per customer each day, the Monrovia, California-based chain confirmed. That limit applies to all of Trader Joe’s locations across the country.

“We hope these limits will help to ensure that as many of our customers who need eggs are able to purchase them when they visit Trader Joe’s,” the company said in a statement sent to The Associated Press Tuesday.

In addition, consumers and several local media outlets have also reported varying limits seen at stores like Costco, Whole Foods, Kroger and Aldi locations. But not all those limits are nationwide.

A spokesperson for Kroger, for example, confirmed that the supermarket giant doesn’t currently have “enterprise-wide limits” in place — but said some of regional divisions and store banners are asking customers to cap egg purchases to two dozen per trip.

Walmart says it also hasn’t imposed national limits — except for bulkier purchases of 60-count cartons, which have been capped to two per purchase, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retail giant confirmed Tuesday.

“Although supply is very tight, we’re working with suppliers to try and help meet customer demand, while striving to keep prices as low as possible,” Walmart said in an emailed statement.

An expensive option

The average price per dozen nationwide hit $4.15 in December — more than double the price in the summer of 2023 — and it appears there may be no relief in sight, with the Agriculture Department predicting prices will soar another 20% this year.

Demand will rise as Easter approaches because eggs are popular for holiday dishes and traditional Easter egg hunts.

So when the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes new numbers on Wednesday, egg prices are almost certain to be even higher, although they will probably still be short of the record of $4.82 set in January 2023.

But of course those are only average prices. Consumers are already paying more than $10 a dozen in some places across the country — especially if they choose pricier organic or cage-free options.

Beyond grocery stores limits, U.S. consumers are also facing more expensive eggs in some restaurants. Last week, Waffle House, for example, said it would be adding a 50-cent surcharge per egg on all of its menus.

Cracking the case

With prices that high, it’s no wonder that thieves have started to covet eggs.

Seattle police said they were investigating the theft of over 500 eggs from a restaurant last week.

Security camera footage from the early morning hours of last Wednesday showed two men entering a refrigerated shed at Luna Park Cafe in West Seattle. The men removed boxes containing some 540 eggs and liquid egg products — as well as bacon, ground beef and blueberries — and loaded them into a van before leaving the scene. The stolen breakfast items were worth about $780, police said.

Earlier this month, 100,000 eggs were reported stolen from the back of a trailer in Pennsylvania. The 100,000 eggs were snatched from the back of Pete & Gerry’s Organics’ distribution trailer on Saturday about 8:40 p.m. in Antrim Township, according to police.

Those stolen eggs are worth about $40,000.

Associated Press reporters Claire Rush, Stephen Smith and Manuel Valdes contributed to this report.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

According to the alert, the con is orchestrated by callers posing as representatives from a loan processing company. Between this past November and January, BBB received over 500 reports of this exact scam operating across the country.

“This is an advanced fee loan phishing scam gone wild,” BBB president and CEO Steve J. Barnes warned in a statement. “While the message may sound convincing, it’s a ruse to steal your private information.”

Consumers should beware of phone calls from someone often named “Jessica,” a representative from a fabricated loan processing company. “Jessica” will try to verify sensitive information such as your income, credit card number, bank account info, or other personal details.

The BBB warned the caller will even provide a callback number and application ID to appear more legitimate. The phone calls and voicemails may become frequent to the point of harassment.

“People report receiving multiple daily calls, often from different phone numbers, but with nearly identical voicemail scripts,” Barnes said. “The caller insists they must verify details, such as your income, to finalize your loan application.”

One should always stay vigilant in protecting themselves from scams of any kind, but the BBB provided guidance on how to act if you ever find yourself at the center of this specific phishing attempt.

• Confirm whether a company is legitimate or not. The BBB offers a free, online portal that can reveal whether a loan company is legitimate or not.
• Never disclose personal information with random callers – especially your Social Security number or bank account information. Unless you are the caller, it is best to avoid sharing easily compromised details over the phone.
• Beware of “red flags” in voicemails. Messages that include “vague details, generic names, or urgent demands for a callback” are considered red flags, according to the BBB.
• Calls from unknown numbers do not warrant a callback. A callback could lead to potential undisclosed feeds or connect with the scammer themselves.
• Scam reports are available online. Those who think they might be the recipient of a potential scam call can find reports for corresponding phone numbers or voicemail details online.

• Report any scam or phishing attempts to the BBB Scam Tracker at BBB.org/ScamTracker.

As the BBB itself points out, “If an offer seems too good to be true, it likely is.”

Farmers are in full-on crisis mode, the American Egg Board told News4.

Flocks have been decimated. In the past three months, 10% of the egg-laying population has been killed, representing 30 million birds.

In total, about 136 million birds have been killed since bird flu broke out.

When just one or two birds is diagnosed with bird flu, the entire flock needs to be euthanized. Then, it can take eight or nine months to return to normal levels.

Working 4 You Jan 28

Egg freezing: What to know about the costs and questions to ask

Food & Drink Jan 24

Meal prepping on a budget: Tips for eating well and saving money

Is there a way to find cheaper eggs?

News4 shopped around. Here are a few ideas on how to save money on eggs:

• Shop around
• Try member-only retailers such as Costco and Sam’s Club
• Buy in bulk
• Buy direct from farmers

Is what you’re buying in stores safe?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there’s no evidence of human-to-human transmission of bird flu. It can be transmitted to people from a sick animal. Bird flu has been detected in dairy cows, as well as cats.

Cook your eggs, the American Egg Board said.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

In January 2023, India Smith showed News4 what was left of her Southeast home after the lithium-ion battery in her son’s hoverboard blew up.

“It was like a pop, pop, pop, pop and then boom, boom, boom, boom,” she said.

Now with Christmas a week away, D.C. fire officials sent out a reminder about lithium-ion batteries.

“We’ve also seen a rise in incidents of fires that may occur from the device itself or the battery,” said Deputy Fire Chief and Fire Marshal Ed Kauffman of D.C. Fire and EMS.

The batteries are found in items big and small, including e-bikes, scooters, laptops, toys and toothbrushes.

They have the potential to cause a lot of damage if they malfunction, so experts say to pay close attention before you charge a device in your home.

“Always be aware of changes in the battery, and what we mean by that is you may see discoloration of the battery, swelling of the battery or a foul odor,” Kauffman said.

Here are some safety tips if you think a lithium-ion battery will end up under the tree next week:

• Store the device somewhere safe and room temperature away from combustibles.
• Avoid overcharging by unplugging the device when it’s done.
• Plug directly into the wall outlet — no extension cords or power strips.
• Only use UL lab-tested devices and follow instructions.

“Taking the time to actually read the warnings and the proper usage that comes with the batteries, that comes with the devices,” Kauffman said. “And again, if you have any questions, D.C. Fire and EMS is here to assist.”

Officials are also reminding residents about general fire safety tips this holiday season, like making sure you have working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in your home.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is weighing which proposed rules on its agenda to finalize before Republicans resume control of the House, the Senate and the White House in less than two months, sources told NBC News.

During Trump’s first term, the CFPB — a brainchild of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., set up under the Federal Reserve after the 2008 financial crisis — unwound banking regulations while also securing some wins for consumers. They included a $1 billion settlement with Wells Fargo after a fraudulent account-opening scandal, as well as crackdowns on data breaches.

But more recently, Republicans have signaled plans to defang the agency, and Trump has named authors of Project 2025 — which calls for eliminating the CFPB — to influential posts. On Wednesday, multibillionaire Trump donor Elon Musk, who is slated for a high-level cost-cutting role, posted on his social platform X: “Delete CFPB.”

“I would expect a deregulatory approach on rules and also efforts to dismantle the agency itself,” said Adam Rust, the director of financial services for the Consumer Federation of America, a network of advocacy groups.

Jesse Van Tol, who leads the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, which focuses on wealth-building in underserved communities, said that “gutting the CFPB is an open invitation to the worst actors in our economy to start screwing over working people again.” He called the agency “the most effective protector of working-class wallets in modern American history.”

CFPB Director Rohit Chopra, whom consumer advocates expect to be replaced upon Trump’s taking office, has overseen an aggressive period atop the agency. It has clawed back nearly $20 billion in consumer relief and issued a litany of rules and guidance aiming to rein in financial institutions.

The financial services industry bristles at many of these efforts. The last four years have “seen the CFPB deviate from fact-based policy making and, instead, lurch into political campaigning,” Lindsey Johnson, president and CEO of the Consumer Bankers Association, said in a statement.

She said the Biden administration’s crackdown on junk fees, for example, was “based on political polling meant to support a reelection campaign, instead of actual data about consumer harm. This resulted in a range of policies, some of which the current CFPB is rushing to finalize, that stand to raise costs for nearly all Americans and will ultimately de-bank many Americans.”

The White House has argued the reverse — that its efforts target inflationary banking practices and lower customers’ costs. A spokesperson for the Trump transition team didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Some of the CFPB’s rules, including one issued last week expanding oversight of digital payment apps like Apple Pay and Venmo, have already garnered GOP support and aren’t likely to be scrapped, experts say. After the rule was finalized, a financial policy adviser to Vice President-elect JD Vance thanked the agency on X for “putting an end to conservative and conservative-coded industries from being debanked.”

Agency leaders face tough choices between now and Inauguration Day, consumer groups say: They can either race to enshrine more protections — which, if repealed under the Congressional Review Act, would prevent future officials from proposing similar ones — or hold off in the hope that Republicans will let well-received guidance stand.

CFPB officials know they can’t bulletproof their work for the next four years, according to a person familiar with leadership thinking who wasn’t authorized to discuss it publicly. But the current administration’s moves could prove more durable than some in the industry expect, the person said. Agency staffers’ recent efforts have demanded patience, resources and prioritization — especially amid intense legal pushback — and their successors under Trump could well find the same, the person said.

The agency declined to comment on the record but said that it “continues to carry out its work separate and apart from political cycles.”

Like everything else in Washington, much of what happens next comes down to politics. Here’s what experts say could change.

Limits on overdraft and insufficient fund fees

Consumer advocates say the most significant potential shift would affect what consumers pay for bank overdrafts.

In September, the CFPB strengthened the government’s ability to penalize banks that charge customers for insufficient funds, clarifying that such fees require an opt-in under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. While many large banks have backed away from the practice in recent years, it’s uncertain whether that reprieve will come for customers at smaller banks — some of which have sued in response.

“That is really where the rubber hits the road, because everyone’s had an overdraft,” said Rust. “This is not some complicated, arcane financial-protection issue associated with a rule that you have to be in the know to understand.”

That’s why experts say it’s possible the new administration — which campaigned on a “populist” agenda — could leave the guidance alone.

Capped credit card late fees

Chances are slim, however, that an earlier ruling capping credit card fees will survive, advocates and lawyers say.

Issued in March, the move slashed the limit from $32 to $8 and drew swift legal pushback. The case is tied up in the federal court system, with card issuers arguing the changes would force them to pass higher costs on to customers, including those who pay bills on time.

“You can very much see a future CFPB deciding to let the free market decide these fees and go back [to] that $30 limit, not keep it at $8, and not defend vigorously that suit against the rule by industry,” said Armen Meyer, a financial policy consultant who has served as both a fintech industry executive and a bank regulator.

The return to a more hands-off approach could renew complaints that consumer advocates lodged during Trump’s first term. At the time, then-CFPB Director Mick Mulvaney faced criticism for moves they saw as weakening safeguards for borrowers.

Buy now, pay later protections

As BNPL services skyrocketed in popularity during the pandemic, the agency quickly built guardrails around them. But in the absence of new legislation, the CFPB determined that the installment loan services had to follow the same regulations as credit card issuers.

That will likely result in those protections disintegrating, Meyer said.

“I think most people would agree with the general matter,” he said, citing concerns of overspending and potential exploitation. “The industry would disagree in terms of how that was done, which they feel doesn’t fit and makes it hard for them to do their business.”

The rule allowed users of services like Klarna and Affirm to dispute charges and demand refunds after returning purchases. Chopra clarified in September that the measure would rely on “good faith” for the time being and that violations wouldn’t be penalized during the transition.

Removal of medical debt from credit reports

This summer, the agency proposed banning medical debt from appearing on consumers’ credit reports. And in October it warned companies against seeking payment on inflated or unverified bills — prompting another wave of litigation from debt collectors who claimed complying with those requirements would be burdensome.

The agency estimated that its medical debt action would remove as much as $49 billion from 15 million credit reports. Legal experts who follow the CFPB say the agency will likely finalize this proposal before Trump takes office; Reuters reported Wednesday that officials are working to do just that, citing sources familiar with the matter. That would leave the measure vulnerable to congressional review, but it remains uncertain how the next director might approach it.

The CFPB declined to comment on the medical debt rulemaking but said it “continues to carry out its work separate and apart from political cycles.”

The source familiar with agency decision-making said some state regulators are likely to take the lead on the issue in coming months, with Colorado and New York recently enacting curbs on medical debt reporting.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta proposed similar legislation this year and later sent a letter to the CFPB cheering it for setting a “floor for consumer protections” and letting states enact stronger ones.

As with other policy issues — from immigration and reproductive rights to emissions mandates — the rules around Americans’ finances might increasingly depend on where they live.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com.  More from NBC News:

• This Target worker prefers retail and TikTok income to using her degree
• Renters struggle to build wealth, report finds. Here’s how they can boost financial well-being
• These key 401(k) plan changes are coming in 2025. Here’s what savers need to know

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Of people who use peer-to-peer payment services at least once per week, 12% have sent money to the wrong person, a recent survey by Consumer Reports found.

One Zelle user meant to pay a travel agent $150 as a deposit for an upcoming trip. But the phone number she entered was off by one digit and the money went to the wrong person.

The user, whose name is Roliette, called the person she accidentally sent the money to and asked them to send it back.

“I said, ‘Listen, back in July, I, you know, realized that I sent you $150, and I’m just calling to find out if I could get that money back.’ And then the phone went dead,” she said.

Roliette tried calling again but it went straight to voicemail every time.

She contacted her bank for help and they contacted Zelle. They sent her an email saying they were unable to retrieve the funds. They offered no explanation and closed the investigation.

Kimberly Palmer, a finance expert with NerdWallet, says there could be an honest explanation for why the person who wrongfully received Roliette’s money was skeptical about returning it.

“It is entirely possible that the person she called thought that she was a scammer,” Palmer said.

Scam alert: What to know if a stranger sends you money and asks for it back

There’s a scam going around in which a fraudster claims to have accidentally sent money to your payment app and then asks you to return it. The problem is, the money they sent you may have come from a stolen credit card or hacked account.

If you send the money back to the scammer, you could personally be on the hook for the money once the transaction is flagged as fraudulent.

“You have to be really careful. Anytime someone sends you money, you don’t want to just send it back because they asked you to,” Palmer said.

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Zelle told News4 that if you get money sent to your account by mistake, don’t send it back to the sender unless you know them. Instead, they say to contact your bank, which may be able to help you return the payment.

Venmo said to contact their support team, which can help reverse the payment.

Cash App asks customers to use the Refund feature to send the payment back, without creating a new payment.

Here are two more tips: treat these transactions like cash, because they are, and send a small amount of money as a test first and get confirmation that it was received.

Roliette, who accidentally sent money to the wrong person, said she’ll be more careful in the future.

“Everything happens for a reason, and so every situation is a lesson learned,” she said.

Across nine states, 15 people were injected with counterfeit Botox as of May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They had reactions including slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and double vision.

At a spa in New Mexico, three people were diagnosed with HIV after they got what’s known as vampire facials back in 2018. An investigation later revealed that needles were being reused from client to client and the spa was unlicensed.

More than 23 million people in the U.S. had some form of minimally invasive procedure in 2022, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. This includes Botox, fillers, lip augmentation, skin resurfacing and skin tightening.

Health experts say these types of cosmetic procedures are generally safe and effective when performed by a licensed provider at a licensed health care facility.

‘Do your homework’

Before you get anything done, make sure you’re asking the right questions and checking that your provider is licensed.

“A lot of people out there aren’t even legitimized to inject Botox or filler, so it’s really important you do your homework,” said Erika Barry, a nurse practitioner at Moksha Aesthetics in Potomac, Maryland. She’s considered one of the top aesthetic injectors and trainers in the country.

Before getting any injections, make sure the provider is licensed, Barry said.

Here’s how to look up a cosmetic procedure provider:

• Find the board of nursing website for your state or jurisdiction
• Type in the provider’s name
• Make sure their license is active
• Check for any complaints or actions against them

If you’re looking up a doctor, go to the state’s board of physicians license lookup.

Red flags if you’re getting a cosmetic procedure

In the case of the counterfeit Botox injections, the CDC and FDA found many were administered in non-health care settings such as homes, or by “unlicensed or untrained individuals.”

The fake vials of Botox were missing vital information such as the lot number, and the outer carton displayed the wrong active ingredient.

It’s important for patients to ask the right questions, Dr. Jennifer Cope of the CDC said.

“You want to ask about the product itself, whether it is an FDA-approved product and if it’s been obtained from a reliable source. And then, if you have any doubts, don’t get the injection,” she said.

With social media driving the cosmetic procedure trend, Barry, the aesthetic injector, warns people not to get caught up with before-and-after photos. Instead, read between the lines.

“You can fabricate your befores and afters. You can even buy fake followers, fake engagement, fake Yelp reviews,” she said. “So, you have to be really careful.”

Experts say to check the labeling on the box. It should be written in English.

Look at the price. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is, and the product could be a risk to your health.

Don’t be afraid to ask your injector how long they’ve studied, where they went to school and if they do trainings.

In some cases, it could include intimate information, such as your sex life, sexual orientation or religious affiliation.

We’re going to give you something to stew over for the next time you’re sitting in D.C. traffic. All those sensors, cameras and microphones that car manufacturers brag about, and buyers may pay extra for, could be collecting and sharing your personal data.

With every move you make, every text or call you take, your car may be taking notes.

It’s legal, and it’s listed right there in a car’s privacy policy — which many buyers don’t read but technically consented to when they bought their cars.

“Most people are like, ‘Well, I bought a car last year. I don’t remember consenting to any privacy policy.’ And it’s probably because you didn’t, or at least not anything that you really noticed,” said Jen Caltrider, a privacy expert at the Mozilla Foundation, a nonprofit focused on making the internet safer.

Her team poured through consumer privacy agreements of 25 of the most popular car brands. They discovered that 84% of them share or sell your data.

How are car companies getting your personal information?

Much of the info that car makers collect is coming from ordinary car owners doing seemingly ordinary things — such as downloading their vehicle’s app to use features like remote start, or when connecting their phones to their car’s Bluetooth system.

“The connected services also can collect a lot of information,” Caltrider said. “Then the car companies go on to say that they can collect information from third-party sources, so public information about you or information from governmental sources or social media outlets.”

Automakers can combine all that information about you from your car — along with personal information they get from third parties — and share or sell it to all kinds of businesses we know little or nothing about, she said.

“I get asked a lot, ‘Well, how do they collect information about my sexual activity?’ And I don’t know. I also don’t know that they actually are,” Caltrider said. “All I can say for sure, when we read the privacy policies, was that they required you to consent to a privacy policy that said they could.”

So what can you do about it?

Andrea Amico, founder of Privacy4Cars, says vehicle owners no longer have to sift through pages of privacy policies. His company built a database that allows you to input your car’s VIN to see exactly what types of information your car is collecting on you and how it’s being used.

“Anybody can to go VehiclePrivacyReport.com, and you type in the VIN. We give you a report card, for free, of your car,” Amico said. “What did they collect? Where does it go?”

Some data collected by your vehicle can be helpful to drivers, according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents the industry.

The group says certain data can enable lifesaving safety systems, such as heart monitors in a steering wheel or a seatbelt that can sense if a driver is having a medical emergency. But the Alliance agrees that privacy policies “might be a little confusing, accounting for incidental collection and inferences drawn from, for example, where the vehicle may have traveled.”

That’s why they’re calling on Congress to pass a federal consumer privacy law that will provide car owners with one very clear private policy, so there’s no question about what information is being collected and how it’s being used.

It’s something privacy experts agree on.

“It’s nice to see the regulatory bodies kind of being pushed in a direction that’s going to try and take action to protect consumers a little bit,” Caltrider said.

Is there a way to opt out of your car’s data collection?

The answer is “sort of” — but it comes with consequences. For example, if you don’t download the vehicle’s app, you won’t have access to remote start or other features the app provides. And if you don’t consent to the privacy policy, or parts of it, you could end up voiding your warranty.

And it’s not just your vehicle’s privacy policy at play here. Your radio apps, car emergency systems and GPS apps all have privacy policies of their own when it comes to how they collect your personal information.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Help paying utility bills in DC, Maryland or Virginia

First, there’s the Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP). This program helps with outstanding energy bills.

“What LIHEAP does, it provides grants to eligible residents who may need assistance with paying their utility bill,” Pepco’s Ronni McTier told us. “This can include homeowners. It can include renters. It can include people who are rooming.”

LIHEAP is a federally funded program based on income eligibility. The grant amount varies on where you live. Payments are made directly to the utility company and are applied to your account.

“And these are grants that they do not have to pay back,” McTier said.

Don’t assume you’re not eligible based on your income. These programs can raise eligibility income limits, so it’s better to apply, go through the process and let the agency determine your eligibility.

To learn where to apply, go to LIHEAP.org. Then select your state and county to be directed to your local handling agency.

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Help paying water bills in DC, Maryland or Virginia

Now to your water bill: For assistance, you can apply to the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). This program works similar to LIHEAP, provides grants to low-income households with past-due water bills.

To apply in the District, contact the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment.

In Maryland, visit myMDTHINK.Maryland.gov.

And in Virginia, the program is administered by the Virginia Department of Social Services.

Congress created this program during the pandemic. Funding for the program expired last year, but some states still have money remaining. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis or until funding runs out.

Several U.S. senators are asking Congress to continue funding LHIWAP for the 2024 fiscal year.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

How to find an affordable international vacation

Trump administration Apr 3

Tariffs and your money: When to expect higher prices on produce, cars, everyday goods

She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

“It is always important to have some type of security to protect your investment,” said Jeff Dawkins, the owner of charged up customs in Rockville, Maryland.

Dawkins specializes in anti-theft devices for vehicles and says his business stays busy due to the uptick in crime.

“I got more requests for alarm systems due to, you know, theft or … even just wanting to keep track of your car just to make sure things don’t go wrong overnight,” he said.

And a lot can go wrong, which is why some new vehicles have factory tracking devices. But Dawkins says you can’t solely rely on those.

“When cars are stolen, the first thing that is done is to disable the battery. Disabling the battery will pretty much disable all the electronics in the car, including whatever factory tracking devices were installed from factory,” he said.

GPS tracking devices

Consider getting a separate GPS tracking device with a built-in battery that can last several hours, so you can track your vehicle even if the car battery is disabled. We found several different types of vehicle tracking devices, ranging from $25.99 to $150, but most seemed to require a subscription.

If you’re on a budget, you can use Apple AirTags. They may not always be accurate GPS tracking devices, but they can be an affordable solution.

Dashcams

To keep an eye on your car, consider a dashcam. While you might think of them as something for drivers to have a record of any crashes, they can also work as anti-theft devices.

Dashcams capable of motion detection, multiple camera angles and parking monitor sensors are easily found online and are affordable. But there are dashcams like the ones Dawkins installs that offer a higher level of protection.

“If someone closes your door, hits your car, or bumps into it, and it turns itself back on,” he said.

The dashcam can record what’s happening for about 30 seconds to a minute and will save it to the cloud for you.

But keep in mind that cameras that offer cloud storage rely on internet connections to upload the footage and could have a subscription cost.

Ignition kill switches

Another great option is an ignition kill switch: “Once they turn the car off, they won’t be able to start it back up again,” Dawkins said.

The kill switches Dawkins installs range from $50 to $200 before installation, and they also require a subscription.

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All-inclusive systems

Then there are the all-inclusive systems that have trackers, cameras, sirens, kill switches — but those could run several hundred dollars, depending on how many features you add.

“You can add sensors, sensors that detect, you know, glass breaking, jacking if your car’s being towed away,” Dawkins said.

When the system detects something is wrong, a notification will be sent to your phone. But for those who can’t break the bank, affordable ideas such as window tinting and steering wheel locks also could make a difference in deterring a thief.

More quick tips

There are also a few common-sense things you can do to try to avoid becoming a victim:

• First, never leave anything of value in your car. Always take your wallet, keys and phone.
• As soon as you get in your car, lock the doors.
• Park close to entrances and well-lit areas
• And trust your gut. If you see someone walking around who seems suspicious, go back inside or stay in your car and until the person leaves.

And if you’re being carjacked:

• Give up your car.
• Avoid verbal and physical altercations.
• If there’s a child in the car, tell the carjacker, “My child is in the car.”
• Call 911 as soon as you can.

The bottom line: These types of crimes are crimes of opportunity, so make sure you don’t make it easy on them.

Neighbors in this Alexandria, Virginia, community are hoping there’s power in numbers as they band together to take on their power company in their fight for accountability.

“The night that it happened, the power went out, but then it came back on and then went off, and came back on again, and it was popping all over the house,” said resident Dana Goward.

Dominion Energy said equipment failure caused two power surges, right before Christmas.

Losing their power was temporary, but it was the surges that followed when the lights came back on that caused appliances to go haywire.

“Our air conditioning unit, the compressor blew,” said resident Tina Takish. “The air conditioner is toast.”

Takish said it will cost $7,000 to replace the air conditioning unit.

Resident Lisa Harter said the transformer of her HVAC system was damaged, and she had to pay $620 to have a thermostat replaced.”

Goward also had some damage: “Our electric charger to our electric vehicle, and that was more than $500,” she said.

Connie Delorme said an outlet that was attached to a surge protector was destroyed.

Mary Rowland lost couple of surge protectors and has black smoke marks on her power box and on her cable box.

Marcia Gordon said, “I heard a bang. It cost me over $4,000 to get a new breaker box.”

These stories are just the tip of the iceberg. The neighbors sent NBC4 Responds a spreadsheet of 46 homeowners who have damages totaling more than $57,000.

Dominion Energy says it investigated the outage and subsequent surge and found an “unanticipated equipment failure” on their end. The homeowners filed claims with the power company, trying to get paid for the damages, but the company denied them.

When News4 asked Dominion Energy why, the company responded: “Unanticipated equipment failures … much like lightning strikes, are beyond the reasonable control of the company and fall to the property owner or their insurance company to fix.”

You can guess this explanation didn’t go over well with the residents.

“I mean, there needs to be some accountability,” Takish said.

Another homeowner, Jeanine Lauth, said, “It seems to me, if it was their faulty equipment, they should be responsible for damage.”

However, when people sign up for utility service, they sign a contract that’s loaded with all types of terms and conditions, and those contracts often can be hundreds of pages long. If you were to read through Dominion Energy’s terms and conditions, settle in for a bit: It totals 366 pages.

“Not all of it is super legible to the average person,” said Kajsa Foskey of the Virginia Poverty Law Center, which advocates on behalf of utility customers.

“So you might be signing something that says, if this particular thing happens, the utility is not liable for the outcomes. They’re not responsible for damages or paying for it,” Foskey said. “And sometimes, folks don’t understand that that’s what they’re signing up for.”

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And if you don’t agree with the terms of the utility company, unfortunately, the way the system is set up, she says, you’re stuck with them.

“If you live in a particular service area, your provider is going to be whoever has the contract with that particular area to provide the service,” Foskey said. “I mean, realistically your options are: Move.”

The homeowners also filed complaints with the State Corporation Commission, which regulates utility companies in Virginia. But Lisa Hartley and Marcia Gordon said that was a dead end, too.

The homeowners shared emails from the commission that said it “does not adjudicate damage claims. Damage claims need to be filed directly with the utility company” or their insurance company, or “filed through your local civil court.”

When News4 asked the commission what complaints would fall under their jurisdiction, they told us issues including billing, metering and bad customer service.

“I don’t know how anyone could listen to all of us and everything that we’ve just thrown out there and just not assume liability?” resident Lisa Harter said. “That’s not, that doesn’t make sense to me.”

Customers do have a right to request the commission to initiate a formal investigation, which is a public process in which the utility company will need to issue a response. The homeowners said they’re going to try this next and will let us know the outcome.

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Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

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She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

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She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.

Tisha Grant’s journey started with trial and error after she got divorced and bought a home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to try and do some of this stuff myself,’” she said.

Grant watched countless tutorials and got to work.

“I was literally in there hammering everything out, knocking down the walls, pulling out the carpet, because I didn’t have the money to pay,” she said.

She documented her journey on social media. Before she knew it, messages started pouring in.

“People kept asking me questions about, ‘Where did you learn this stuff? How did you learn this? Where can I learn this?’ And I realized there was a hole in the market. There was no place for women, women of color, to learn these types of skills,” she said.

Grant launched her company, The ContractHer, and bought herself a pink truck to make sure everyone knew she was driving the business.

Travel Mar 27

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Trump administration Apr 3

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She teaches three-day courses to mostly women. Students learn how to tackle home projects, from basic plumbing and electrical work to tiling and painting.

The goal is to give women the confidence and skills they need so they don’t feel dependent on someone else to do the job.

“My other goal is to learn more so I can keep my house up and keep money in my pocket,” student Veronica Moore said.

From self-doubt to self-made success, Grant said she’s living proof that with a little determination and the right tools, anything is possible.

“For most people, especially women, your home is going to be the single greatest investment that you ever have. Why shouldn’t we know how to protect it and upkeep it?” she said.

Learning the skills to tackle home projects can save homeowners thousands of dollars. The average home improvement project costs a little over $8,100 when professionally done, versus about $2,700 to do it yourself, the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey says.