*

Gen Z prioritizes savings over dating expenses, Bank of

America

survey shows

*

Swiss cheese faces 39% US import tariff, impacting Swiss

exports

*

Parents increasingly use retirement savings for college

tuition,

risking financial penalties

By Lauren Young

NEW YORK, Aug 8 (Reuters) - This was originally

published in the On The Money newsletter, where we share U.S.

personal finance tips and insights every other week. Sign

up here to receive it for free.

Who knew that it is sexy to be fiscally responsible?

Many Gen Z adults in the United States - those currently in

their teens and 20s - are frugal daters these days as they

contend with higher living costs, according to a new Bank of

America survey.

More than 50% of respondents spent no money at all on dating,

according to a poll of more than 900 people between the ages of

18 and 28. Among those who did, 25% of men and 30% of women

spent less than $100 a month, the survey showed.

So where is their money going? More than half of the survey

respondents said they are shoring up savings, while 24% are

paying down debt as a way to improve their finances.

I posted this data on LinkedIn and asked readers to send me

cheap-date suggestions. I got some great responses, including

"Make lasagna," from Heather Boneparth, co-author of the

forthcoming book "Money Together" with her husband Douglas, who

is a New York-based financial adviser.

"When Douglas and I were young in the city and earning what felt

like negative money, making a lasagna took time and care and the

reward was delicious," she writes. "It was much cheaper than a

fancy night out, and we could have the leftovers for a week."

Maureen Carrig, a public relations consultant, offers up these

summer ideas:

* Happy hour: Always better than dinner. Have a drink, share

some

apps, then head out for a walk.

* Farmers' markets and outdoor fairs: Buy a few things from

local

vendors to prepare a great meal at home.

* Movie nights: Many parks offer free outdoor movie nights

during

the summer.

I'd throw free concerts into the mix, too! Grab a picnic

blanket, some wine and snacks! Any other suggestions? Write to

me at the email address below.

Not my cheese

While I have not written about tariffs in a while, recent news

that cheese from Switzerland is destined to get hit by an import

tax caught my eye, especially since my sandwich today includes ...

Swiss cheese! In addition, my most favorite cheese on the planet

is called Alp Blossom.

Alas, Switzerland was reeling this week from news of a 39%

tariff - the Swiss government thought it had clinched a deal for

a lower level of duties.

And here is a fun fact: The United States is a key market for

Swiss cheese, buying 11% of Swiss cheese exports like Gruyere

and Emmentaler last year, according to Swiss customs data.

You can read more here.

Read, watch, listen

Wary of sticker shock, retailers clash with brands on price

hikes

Trump firing of data expert rocks the foundations of

economics

You aren't rich until you fly private (WSJ)

McDonald's global sales top estimates as affordable meal

options boost demand

Easy to lose, hard to restore: US data trust on the line

Stressed US low-income shoppers hunt for smaller packs,

restaurant meals under $5

Pets fall victim to Trump immigration crackdown

Fed's Daly says time is nearing for rate cuts, may need more

than two

It's time for that often-dreaded task: Buying back-to-school

supplies (NYT)

Wells Fargo downgrades US small-cap equities to

'unfavourable'

Tuition tango

Parents are draining money from retirement savings and home

equity to pay for college. Indeed, the average amount taken out

in home-equity loans, retirement withdrawals and credit cards to

pay for college tuition all jumped in 2025. And total household

debt levels are on the upswing, too.

That is alarming for a number of reasons, including the

financial sting of withdrawal penalties and high interest rates.

A big problem is due to a lack of awareness about my favorite

college-savings tool, 529s.

As a journalist who works in the realm of personal finance, it

will come as no surprise that I have been saving for college

since my son was born. Every month, I stash money in New York's

College Savings Program, which also provides a nice state tax

break.

Instead of buying molded plastic toys for birthdays and

holidays, I opened up 529 savings accounts for all four of my

nieces and nephews, putting money into them each quarter.

But now my son is entering his final semester at a private

college. (He is graduating early!) We've managed to get this far

without taking out a loan. This week I emptied out what was left

in his 529 - along with my savings account - to pay fall

tuition.

Ouch.

How are you navigating college tuition payments? Write to me at

the email address below.