Things To Do In SW Florida

Boards of directors

David Adelson, chief executive officer of Innovate Orlando, was elected to the board of directors of the Downtown Orlando Partnership.

Jason Chin, owner and operator of Good Salt Restaurant Group, was elected to the board of directors of the Downtown Orlando Partnership.

Haifa Maamar, executive director of emerging technologies at Full Sail University, Winter Park, was appointed to the National Center for Simulation’s board of directors.

Consulting

Kalvin Kwan, energy, sustainability and resiliency lead, has joined Hanson Professional Services Inc.’s Orlando regional office.

Brian Maldonado has rejoined Hanson Professional Services Inc., working as an electrical designer in the firm’s Orlando regional office.

Human resources

Jack Grace has joined LandrumHR’s Workforce Management Team as director of sales. He will be based in Orlando.

Real estate

Michael Mitchell has joined Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, Southeast Orlando, as a sales advisor.

JoeMarie Reid has joined Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, Southeast Orlando, as a sales advisor. read more

Fees — service fees, convenience fees, transfer fees, delivery fees, bank fees — are ubiquitous and, more and more, a standard part of commerce in the gig-age of the 21st century.

Despite the pervasiveness of fees, they can still give consumers sticker shock. After clicking Apple Pay to buy that $25 late-night Grub Hub order, it turns into nearly twice that once tip is added — or when those $100 tickets to see that up-and-coming band quickly turn into $200 tickets.

The impact on consumers’ wallets isn’t small.

Take credit card fees and interest. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau estimates that, from 2018 through 2020, Americans paid around $364 billion for just those two types of extra charges. And to keep their money in checking accounts, almost 30% of Americans are forced to satisfy monthly fees, paying an additional $24 every month on average — or $288 annually, according to a survey by consumer financial services company Bankrate.

Consider that, last year, the average annual expenses for U.S. consumers amounted to almost $73,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s a 9% jump from 2021. Among the different spending categories, housing claimed the biggest share at 33%, followed by transportation at 17% and food at 13%. read more

On a recent chilly Wednesday morning, June Brown took more than 30 people to coffee at downtown

Homeless, they came into the warm morning space to get theirs black or with cream and lots of sugar, to order a latte or a hot tea.

Brown, the homeless liaison with the Tampa Downtown Partnership, paid not with cash or credit card, but with what’s called Breadcoin — actual minted coins good at a small but growing number of restaurants. She carries two rolls of the coins on her daily rounds, good for coffee or a meal for people who look like they could use it.

“When they introduced the Breadcoin to me, I took it and ran with it,” she said.

Breadcoin launched in Washington, D.C., in 2016 with the goal of lessening the stigma of being homeless or hungry. The program emphasizes the dignity in someone being able to select their own breakfast burrito or turkey club — both popular at Portico — which is a different experience from sack lunches and group feedings available around the city.

“It means a lot to them when they can just order something they want, of their choice,” said Brown. “It makes them feel like they’re worth something.” read more

Floridians who have enjoyed the state’s traditional summer sales tax holiday can look forward to a post-Christmas present next week: A second tax holiday, timed to students’ return from winter break.

That means a two-week, sales-tax-free shopping period for clothes, personal computers and other school supplies. But Florida Retail Federation President and CEO Scott Shalley acknowledges being apprehensive that shoppers might overlook the event amid the crowd of other holiday activities as the calendar turns to 2024.

“It’s certainly a fair concern,” Shalley replied to a question from The News Service of Florida. “It is right on the heels of the holidays, but we hope folks will be out trying to take advantage of sales in other areas. This will just be an added opportunity.”

The tax holiday will start Monday and continue through Jan. 14. It is similar to the back-to-school holidays that Florida has long offered during the summer, including this year.

“This being new, we are hoping that people will get out and take advantage of the savings opportunities in the start of the new year,” Shalley said. “We are going to see many retailers have sales of their own to piggyback.” read more

By Chanelle Bessette | NerdWallet

The new year is upon us, and it’s a great time to plan for your financial future. Here are five financial resolutions to consider for 2024.

1. Get a high-interest savings account

Interest rates are still high on savings accounts right now, especially high-yield online savings accounts. Some accounts are offering more than 5% annual percentage yield, which is 10 times more than the national average on savings accounts. Take advantage of this “free” money by opening a new account with a high rate or upgrading your current one. Just make sure you avoid fees as much as possible, and choose a bank or credit union that is easy for you to access, either through remote customer service or in person.

2. Focus on student loan repayment

For many, student loan payments resumed in 2023. If you’re feeling anxious or uncertain about how much you owe, it’s best to face the numbers head-on and see if there’s any way you can reduce your payments. For example, if you earn less money now than you did before student loan payments were paused, then updating your income in your student loan portal may change the amount of your income-driven repayment. There’s another way you might be able to reduce your payment if you’re on an income-driven repayment plan: If you have a retirement fund, you may want to consider putting some money away as a way to reduce your student loan payment. read more