Where credit card balances are highest, and what it says about a K-shaped economy

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Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure . Where credit card balances are highest, and what it says about a K-shaped economy Kendall Little Senior Writer, Credit Cards Wed, September 2, 2026 at 7:31 AM PDT 6 min read Growing credit card balances are a reality for many Americans in 2026. Since the second quarter of 2025, U.S. credit card balances have increased from $1.21 trillion to $1.26 trillion, according to the New York Fed's Household Debt and Credit Report . Experian data shows average consumer credit card balances are also up slightly, from $6,618 in 2025 to $6,659 today. But debt doesn't look the same for everyone. In many ways, today's credit card debt story mirrors the divide associated with the K-shaped economy : Higher-income consumers are more willing to carry a balance to fund their goals, while lower-income consumers may be accumulating...
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From cake to pizza: How to get the best birthday freebies (and why there's a catch)

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, From meals to beauty products, you can get a lot of freebies on your birthday By Yasmin Rufo Business reporter Published 52 minutes ago "It's your birthday!" Cue the influx of emails offering you all sorts of freebies. Sign up to the right apps and loyalty schemes and you could spend the day enjoying free cake, meals out, beauty treats and even cinema snacks. Here are some of the things you can get on or around your birthday - and why they may not all be as free as they seem. Cakes, cookies and chocolates Most chain coffee shops and bakeries offer a birthday treat through their loyalty apps. You can get a free sweet treat, usually a cake, cookie, muffin or doughnut, from Greggs, Costa, Caffè Nero, Krispy Kreme, Gail's, Subway and Ole & Steen if you have registered your date of birth in advance. Lidl Plus members can claim a free bakery doughnut within seven days of their birthday, while M&S Sparks members can choose two gifts on their birthday from a range of 15 which includes cookies and chocolates. Hotel Chocolat gives members a 5 birthday reward with a minimum spend of 5.50 and Lindt offers a free box of truffles when you meet its minimum spend requirement. To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Figure caption, Would you lie to get a birthday freebie? Burgers, pizza and noodles Some fast-food chains offer a free birthday meal or snack - Burger King members can claim a free Whopper or Plant-Based Whopper, while Chopstix offers a free small noodle box. However, most restaurant birthday offers are buy-one-get-one-free deals rather than completely free meals. At Harvester and Zizzi's it's a free main when buying another full-price main. At Frankie & Benny's you get a free main when purchasing two or more main meals. Byron offers a free burger with a 5 minimum spend, while Wagamama offers free gyoza when you spend 12 and have earned at least one stamp on your loyalty card in the last six months. Some chains give money off instead. Turtle Bay offers members a 20 birthday credit with no minimum spend, while Bella Italia gives you 15 off your total bill when you spend a minimum of 30. Las Iguanas offers a free main when two other meals are purchased or a 20% off voucher. Pizza Express birthday rewards depend on your loyalty level. Bronze members may get a free dessert with a 10 spend, while higher tiers can get a free pizza or drinks with a 15 minimum spend. At Prezzo , members receive drinks or desserts when they spend at least 25, while Bill's offers a bottle of prosecco or pancakes when qualifying meals are ordered and the booking is made in advance. Fashion & beauty Fashion brands generally offer birthday discounts rather than freebies. Members of schemes run by brands such as Nike, Asos,...

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