Lifestyle
The Post-Tax Season Playbook for Spending Smart
Last Updated on June 14, 2025 by Rod Washington
Turn common small business expenses into rewards
(Family Features) With tax season officially in the rearview mirror, it’s the prime time for small business owners to step back and re-evaluate their expenses. Before tossing those receipts, now is a good opportunity to understand how every dollar you spend can fuel your next adventure.
One way to maximize your rewards for business spending is by selecting a credit card that works as hard as you do. Credit cards can help manage cash flow but also provide a way to get rewarded for purchases you’re already making. One credit card to consider is the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card from Chase, which offers opportunities to unlock benefits like free hotel nights, elite status and points on every purchase.
Cardmembers can conduct business as usual while unlocking a quicker route to an elite status and earning two World of Hyatt Bonus Points per $1 spent on their top three eligible spending categories each quarter. That means treating clients to a dinner, shipping samples or running a digital campaign to boost your business can transform into more points toward a bucket-list trip, higher tier status and more. Those who apply by June 30, 2025 and are approved can also earn a special offer of 60,000 World of Hyatt Bonus Points and enjoy World of Hyatt Explorist status through February 2026 after spending $7,000 in the first three months of opening the account. That means more rewarding stays with perks like room upgrades, 2 p.m. late checkout, and extra points every time you check in. Learn more at chase.com/hyattbiz.
If you’re looking to get the most out of your business expenses, consider these categories and how they can be maximized for more rewards.
Earn While You Wine and Dine
Entertaining clients is more than just a meal – it’s an investment in the relationships that can drive your business forward. Whether that’s closing a deal over lunch or hosting a team dinner to celebrate a milestone, dining can reward your business. By using a rewards-driven credit card to pay for these expenses, you can accumulate points and turn them into valuable rewards. The celebratory dinner for your biggest client can earn you points toward your next business trip or vacation to unwind with the family.
Supercharge the Online Visibility of Your Business
Marketing and advertising – including social media and search engine advertising – can be crucial for business growth, and a credit card designed for small business owners can help you earn more rewards for the way you do business.
Turn Spending into Upgraded Travel Experiences
If your business requires frequent travel, you can earn up to nine Bonus Points total per $1 spent on qualifying purchases at more than 1,400 Hyatt hotels and resorts around the world with the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card. Plus, extended benefits like auto rental coverage, extended warranty protection and travel assistance make it so you can focus on what’s important without worrying about unforeseen events.
Being a small business owner requires complete dedication, which can lead to long hours, high stress levels and a lack of time for self-care. A strategic credit card can help drive your business forward and allow you to redeem points for experiences that are designed to complement your well-being. From on-property spa treatments to unique experiences that don’t require a hotel stay, you can reward yourself and your employees.
As a small business owner, you can flip the script on business expenses and turn spending into epic getaways and well-earned rewards for you and your team.
Content courtesy of Chase and Hyatt.
Credit Cards are issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.
SOURCE:
health and wellness
Stacking Healthy Habits for Progress, Not Perfection
Healthy Habits: Many struggle with building healthier habits due to unrealistic expectations rather than lack of motivation. The American Heart Association’s My Life Check tool offers personalized heart health insights, helping to set attainable goals. Simple lifestyle changes—focused on nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management—can gradually lead to significant health improvements.
Last Updated on April 10, 2026 by Daily News Staff
(Feature Impact) Despite the best of intentions, it’s common for plans to build healthier habits to fall flat. Often, the culprit isn’t a lack of motivation or discipline; rather, it’s unrealistic expectations.
Overhauling your lifestyle requires a level of commitment that isn’t always practical. Understanding your personal health needs and the challenges you need to overcome can help give you a more realistic roadmap toward better health.
Tools to Guide You
Every plan needs a starting point and there are many reputable sources that can help guide you toward a plan that addresses your personal health needs.
For example, the American Heart Association introduced My Life Check, a simple, free tool to help individuals understand their heart health and what’s driving it. Users answer simple questions about their daily habits and health factors to get a personalized Heart Health Score in minutes.
The results are private and downloadable, giving you full control of your information. The tool turns big goals into small, specific actions you can start right away. Knowing your numbers relative to your heart health (and where you are in comparison to target ranges for optimal health) can help you decide how to build a better map to get you where you want to be.
While the report is customized to each individual, no personal data is stored and answers are only used to calculate health scores and provide personalized recommendations and practical steps to improve your health, so you can use your results to focus on what matters most to you. Every small step you take, such as moving more, eating smarter, sleeping better or managing stress, can add up over time.
Finding Your Path
Once you’re armed with data and know where you stand on your heart health numbers, small steps become clearer and more manageable. That knowledge makes it easier to choose one area to focus on, such as getting more sleep, taking daily walks or adding more color to your meals.
Healthy changes don’t need to be expensive or complicated. The best habits are ones that fit real life when every action you take moves you closer to your goals.
Eat Smart
Choose foods that help you feel your best, one meal at a time. Add more color to your plate and focus on balance, not restriction. Simple, affordable swaps can make a real difference.
Move More
Find movement that fits your life, such as a walk, a stretch or dancing while you cook. Every bit of activity counts and it all supports your heart and mind. Move for joy, not just for results.
Sleep Well
Rest is a foundation of good health, not a reward. Protect your bedtime routine and give your body the recovery it deserves. Notice how good sleep makes everything else easier.
Manage Stress
Check in with yourself regularly, both mentally and emotionally. Create simple moments to pause, breathe, laugh or step outside. Connection, kindness and calm all support a healthy heart.
Staying motivated and on track is also easier when you can check back in, see your progress and realize the steps you’re taking are making an impact. Checking in every few months to see how you can grow gives you the chance to celebrate your progress, learn from challenges and keep building lasting habits that feel good.
To get started with personalized tips to set your own health goals, visit heart.org/mylifecheck.
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock
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home gardening
Grow Healthier Plants (and Use Less Water) by Improving Your Soil
Biochar enhances soil health by improving water retention and nutrient availability, supporting stronger plant growth. It offers a sustainable solution by sequestering carbon and can also be used for composting and livestock bedding.
Last Updated on April 10, 2026 by Daily News Staff
(Feature Impact) Almost every gardener knows the frustration: One corner of the garden bursts with life while another struggles to hang on. Flowers are slow to open, vegetables disappoint and the soil seems to drink up water and ask for more.
However, seasoned gardeners know the difference between a struggling garden and a thriving one almost always comes down to what’s beneath the surface.
Success Runs Soil Deep
The change in seasons can leave soil compacted and depleted, so spending some time giving it a boost can set the stage for strong, healthy plants. It may also be easier than many gardeners think to give soil the help it needs. Blending in amendments like biochar improves soil health, helps retain water and locks in nutrients.
An easy-to-use yet powerful conditioner that helps balance soil pH, Wakefield BioChar boosts soil fertility and supports stronger, healthier plant growth. Once it’s mixed into soil, biochar becomes a powerhouse worker. It holds onto water like a sponge, slowly releasing and making the water accessible, so plants continually receive moisture and gardeners need to water less. It also makes nutrients more available to plants, resulting in healthier gardens and greener lawns.
An Easy-to-Use Boost
When planting in the garden or pots, biochar should make up approximately 10% of the soil mix. If you’re setting up a garden bed, mix it into the soil to a depth of 4-6 inches (1 cubic foot is plenty for a 4-by-8-foot garden bed). For trees and shrubs, adding biochar directly to the roots helps them get off to a strong start and supports healthy growth.
It’s also a natural way to improve a lawn’s look and performance. To add biochar to your lawn to prepare for warm weather, spread it evenly across the grass, either by hand or with a broadcast spreader for larger areas. Aim for a thin, even layer to ensure all parts of your lawn benefit from its properties, improving long-term soil health. For newly planted lawns, mix 1 cubic foot of biochar into every 100 square feet of soil, making sure it penetrates 2-4 inches deep.
No matter where you use biochar, water regularly for the first week to activate its benefits. Watering helps biochar settle into the soil and start working, as its porous structure holds moisture, helping keep gardens and lawns hydrated.
Sustainable from the Ground Up
Not only does biochar deeply nourish your garden or lawn, it also helps create a more sustainable environment for years to come. It’s made by heating natural materials, such as organic wood waste, in a way that stores carbon rather than releasing it into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases.
The process – called pyrolysis – locks carbon into a stable form that doesn’t break down as quickly as mulch or compost and transforms into a light, porous material that stays active, season after season, to ensure nutrient-rich soil for years to come.
Beyond the Lawn
It isn’t just for providing plants with healthier soil. Bring biochar along on camping trips, as it also works wellfor composting toilets and has the added benefit of controlling odors and absorbing waste, making it a sustainable option that can be composted afterward.
It can also be used as livestock bedding as it absorbs liquids, neutralizes odors and can be mixed with manure to create a more nutrient-rich compost for plants and crops.
Learn more about planting healthy gardens and green spaces at WakefieldBiochar.com/grow.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (woman gardening)
SOURCE:
Wakefield BioChar
Travel
Travel Smarter for Spring’s Most Anticipated Moments
Travel Smarter: This spring, travelers are encouraged to embrace a “sportcation” by planning trips around their favorite games. Hyatt’s Bonus Journeys offer rewards for stays at participating hotels, enabling fans to experience live sports events while earning points for future stays. Various destinations cater to sports enthusiasts across multiple disciplines.
Last Updated on April 10, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Travel Smarter for Spring’s Most Anticipated Moments
(Feature Impact) Sports fandom is riding a fresh wave of energy, and travelers can turn that inspiration into trips built around the games they love most.
You’ve done the staycation. Maybe even the workcation. Now it’s time for the sportcation, where game day sets the schedule from tip-offs and first pitches to photo finishes.
This season, travelers can rally around championship matchups and legendary rivalries with the global Bonus Journeys offer from World of Hyatt. Through April 15, members who register for the offer can:
- Earn 3,000 Bonus Points for every three eligible nights – up to 21,000 Bonus Points – at participating hotels and resorts worldwide.
- Earn more rewards at Hyatt Place and Hyatt Select hotels and receive an additional 1,000 Bonus Points for every three eligible nights, up to 7,000 additional Bonus Points, for a total of up to 28,000 Bonus Points.
Regardless of the occasion, members can earn more points wherever they go next to redeem points for future free nights, room upgrades and curated experiences across the globe.
Turn Epic Live Experiences into Rewards
For those chasing courtside seats and stadium lights, spring offers the perfect excuse to plan a getaway around the action. Jump into the excitement at these hot spots:
- Set, Point, Match
Soak up the sun while enjoying tennis showdowns when you stay at Andaz Miami Beach Resort & Spa. Just steps from the beachfront, this hotel provides a refined take on the city’s vibrant spirit, while putting travelers close to the action as international tennis stars bring high-stakes rallies. - Access Basketball’s Biggest Matchups
At Hyatt Select St. Louis Airport, hoops fans can soak up the fun of collegiate basketball’s biggest moments. Less than a mile from St. Louis Lambert International Airport and within easy reach of the city’s top attractions, travelers can fly in, check in and let the madness begin.
Basketball in April just hits differently. Hyatt Place Indianapolis Airport puts fans near the biggest hardwood showdowns of the season, while also providing prime access to nearby attractions. - Batter Up This Spring
If baseball is your thing, check in at Hyatt Place Phoenix/Mesa, a valley escape that allows fans to get up close and personal with America’s pastime as the season warms up. After the final inning, unwind at the resort-style pool or practice your own short game on the nine-hole putting green.
For baseball junkies, stay just 3 miles from one of the most iconic baseball stadiums at Hyatt Place Chicago/Wicker Park. Savor game day festivities and enjoy panoramic views of the Chicago skyline from the historic Wicker Park neighborhood.
Earn Now, Play More Later 
Spring stays with World of Hyatt do double duty by turning this season’s thrills into future getaways, from summer trips to crisp fall weekends. Redeem points to get more out of iconic experiences around the world.
- Root for the Winning Horse
Make a toast in the bourbon capitol of the world as you check in at Hyatt Place Louisville – East. Located 20 minutes from the legendary horse racing track, you’ll feel right at home as you watch the thoroughbreds race for a place in the history books. - Plan a Football Escape
Make this fall’s football calendar your travel inspiration. Take college game day on the road with friends and family while staying at Hyatt Place Columbus/OSU, steps from one of football’s most iconic stadiums. - Experience the Fast Lane
Immerse yourself in one of the world’s premier motorsports race destinations from a sophisticated base at Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid. Minutes from the new 3.3-mile street circuit, guests can pair high-speed thrills with sweeping views of central Madrid and standout culinary offerings.
This season, don’t just watch the action; travel for it and let every stay bring you closer to what’s next. Learn more and plan your next vacation at hyatt.com/bonusjourneys.
SOURCE:
Hyatt
Our Lifestyle section on STM Daily News is a hub of inspiration and practical information, offering a range of articles that touch on various aspects of daily life. From tips on family finances to guides for maintaining health and wellness, we strive to empower our readers with knowledge and resources to enhance their lifestyles. Whether you’re seeking outdoor activity ideas, fashion trends, or travel recommendations, our lifestyle section has got you covered. Visit us today at https://stmdailynews.com/category/lifestyle/ and embark on a journey of discovery and self-improvement.
