Prediction markets are booming, with users betting on everything from elections and sports to the number of measles cases this year.  

 

Platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket let users wager on real-world events from award shows and gas prices to weather patterns in cities across the globe.  

 

For some users, it's entertainment. For others, it's a potential source of income.  

 

Borrowing money to bet

 

A new survey from BadCredit.org found that 53% of users started using prediction markets as a way to earn extra income or because they were struggling financially. But most bettors, 79%, report that they have lost money in the past year.  

 

Consumer finance expert Erica Sandberg said the biggest red flag is borrowing money to keep betting. More than half of traders surveyed report using credit cards, personal loans, or other borrowed money to fund bets. 

"You put yourself in a far worse position than you were before if you do lose the money and the odds are you will," Sandberg said. 

She points out that prediction-market platforms, which blend elements of sports betting and financial trading, are hard to walk away from by design. 

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"These are simple to set up. You can bet in small increments. You can bet in large increments; you can see how well you're doing, and you can see how other people are placing their bets," Sandberg said. "It really sucks you in." 

Sandberg said there's nothing wrong with using prediction markets for fun as long as users set limits. 

 

"This is my play money for the week or my play money for the month," Sandberg said. "It is going to be up to you to self-moderate. Thats something that you are responsible for." 

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But treating the markets as a reliable revenue stream carries serious risk. Sandberg emphasized that prediction markets are entertainment, not a job.  

 

"Treat it as income and you're going to be in a problematic situation really fast," she said. 

 

Prediction markets are currently regulated as financial exchanges at the federal level. But 44 states argue they're really a form of gambling and should follow state gaming laws and tax rules. The issue could ultimately end up before the Supreme Court. 

Canceling a subscription is about to become less painful for millions of New Yorkers.  

 

New York City will become the first municipality in the country with its own click-to-cancel rule when new consumer protections take effect Oct. 1. 

 

The rule requires companies to offer a straightforward cancellation process in the same method customers used to sign up, so if a customer subscribes for a service online, it must be just as easy to cancel the subscription online. 

 

Streaming services, gym memberships and service contracts have long made signing up quick and simple, while canceling can require navigating confusing or time-consuming steps.  

 

"It's like the 'Hotel California.' You can check in anytime you like, but you can never leave and that's the way that companies have treated a lot these subscriptions," explained Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director at the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). 

 

Several states have already passed click-to-cancel laws or similar protections targeting those practices. Now New York City is joining them. 

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Under the new rule, companies must clearly explain subscription terms and disclose consumers' rights when they sign up or cancel. Additionally, companies cannot charge shipping costs for items consumers originally received for free. 

 

Brad Lipton, director of corporate power and financial regulation at the Roosevelt Institute, said the rule could save New Yorkers hundreds of thousands of hours and at least $21.5 million per year.  

 

"This rule would really make it a lot easier for people to only have subscriptions that they want," Lipton said. 

 

He added that the rule also creates a fairer market by removing deceptive hurdles. 

 

"If a firm knows that it's hard for their customers to cancel, they have less of an incentive to keep them happy," Lipton said. "Similarly, if it's hard to cancel a subscription, it makes it hard for other firms who maybe want to offer good quality or price services but have trouble luring customers in because people are already signed up for subscriptions somewhere else." 

 

A nationwide click-to-cancel rule was supposed to take effect last year, but a federal appeals court blocked it over procedural issues. The Federal Trade Commission is working on revised regulations for uniform rules across the country. 

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In New York City, businesses that violate the click-to-cancel rule could be liable for civil penalties, starting at $525, and may be liable for refunding the consumer. 

 

Consumers who don't live in a state or city with a click-to-cancel law still have some options. Because companies were preparing for the federal rule last year, some have already made canceling easier.  

 

Apps like Rocket Money can also help identify and sometimes cancel services consumers no longer use. 

More Americans are becoming part of the "sandwich generation" caring for both their children and aging parents at the same time and many are stepping into those responsibilities much earlier than anticipated. 

 

A new Care.com report shows that dual caregiving responsibilities begin at age 34 on average. Of the 1,000 caregivers surveyed, 86% said they were "completely unprepared" when caregiving started. 

 

"You got to pay the bills, you got to raise your kids. It feels very much like a tsunami," said caregiver Liz Minkin-Friedman. 

 

The pressure comes from being pulled in multiple directions at once, with the workload comparable to a second full-time job.  

 

"You're caught in the middle. You're raising children and you're the primary caregiver for your children. At the same time, if you have aging parents, they need support as well," said Matthew Turner of CareScout. 

 

Feeling financially behind

 

Beyond emotional stress, many caregivers are also facing serious financial strain. Some reduce their work hours or leave the workforce entirely because of caregiving responsibilities decisions that carry long-term consequences. 

 

"That means not as much money is going into your 401(k) plan. You're not adding into Social Security," said elder law attorney and financial advisor Patrick Simasko. "It's now maybe a one-income household versus a two-income household."  

 

According to Care.com, 77% of sandwich caregiver parents feel financially behind because of care responsibilities. When caregiving demands intensify, 52% say their savings get deprioritized.  

 

Caregiving and impacts on your career

 

In a separate report from Zety, more than half of Gen X workers said caregiving is fueling workplace burnout.  

 

Many are making major sacrifices, including lowering retirement contributions (17%), delaying retirement (16%), taking more flexible but lower-paying jobs (12%), or turning down promotions (10%). 

 

Career expert Jasmine Escalera said the impact extends well beyond a worker's current paycheck. 

 

"You're not just affecting your wallet now. You're affecting your growth and your ability to continue moving in your career," she explained. 

 

In Zety's report, 3 out of 10 workers report receiving little or no support from their employer.  

 

"If you are in a caregiving responsibility and you feel as though you are strapped, it's impacting your work, your focus, your ability to give your all," Escalera said, "then it's essential that you communicate to your employer what you need to be able to be your most productive self." 

 

Experts say planning ahead can ease some of the burden. That includes finding out whether parents have long-term care insurance, building an emergency fund, and protecting retirement savings whenever possible. They also encourage caregivers to ask for help early and consider working with a financial planner. 

 

The Care.com report also found mothers are carrying much of the load. Half say they are the default person family members turn to when care needs arise, and mothers spend more hours each week coordinating care than fathers. 

Keiontae Bell spent years in corporate banking, but he never let go of his dream of becoming his own boss. 

 

"It's been a goal of mine. I've prayed upon it since I was 11 or 12 years old to become my own boss by the time I was 30," Bell said. 

 

Bell has since launched a Pearce Bespoke franchise in Scottsdale, Arizona. Unlike traditional tailors that require in-store visits, the custom clothing service brings the tailoring service to its customers. 

 

"We design everything from top to bottom. From buttons, liners, fabrics, the whole nine," Bell said. 

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As a franchise owner, Bell said one of the biggest benefits is controlling his own schedule. 

 

"I'm able to spend time with friends, family, and connect with new people," Bell said. "Just really create my day from start to finish without having to be limited to a certain space, a certain time." 

 

Wave of new business owners in 2026

 

Bell's leap into entrepreneurship is part of a broader national trend. Nearly 3.5 million new businesses were launched in the first half of 2026 a 14% increase from the same period last year, according to Registered Agents Inc, a firm that supports small businesses.  

 

In June alone, more than 548,000 new businesses were created, the strongest June on record. 

 

"The results are a little bit surprising because we hear about all this other uncertainty in so many other ways," said Whitney Ward, vice president of communications and economic insights at Registered Agents Inc.  

 

Ward said the motivation behind the surge varies. For some new business owners, it's about pursuing a passion. For others, it's about making ends meet. 

 

"A lot of people aren't necessarily without a job, but they are without a job that pays them enough to live comfortably," she explained. "So a lot of people are kind of leaning into this direction of entrepreneurship, just to supplement what they already have been doing." 

 

Thriving in an AI-driven world

 

Concerns about artificial intelligence in the workplace are also fueling the trend. A survey from The Entrepreneur's Source found 61% of respondents believe business ownership is key to thriving in an AI-driven world.  

 

Bell agrees that AI should have limits in the workplace. 

 

"AI should be an assistant, not the main owner, boss, of the company," Bell said. 

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For some, Ward said AI is making small business ownership more attainable by simplifying the process of starting a business. 

 

"It has made it possible for someone who doesn't have a marketing or an economics background to still be able to do payroll, come up with marketing campaigns, do social media posts," she said. 

 

The Entrepreneur's Source survey also found that 70% believe business ownership offers greater career stability and financial growth. 

 

For anyone on the fence about starting a business, Bell has a simple message. 

 

"This life is very short. If you desire to do something, if your dream is to step out and be your own boss, I'd say do it," he said.