The Adulting Tax

PRESENTED BY KURV

Happy Thursday, Future Party. We’ve officially crossed a cultural rubicon — Silicon Valley bigwigs are now appearing on late-night shows. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stopped by The Tonight Show Monday night to… well… try to put a human face on the AI takeover. Specifically, he shared how he would be totally out of his depth raising his infant if it wasn’t for ChatGPT. Your mileage on how human that anecdote is may vary, but the thought of this would’ve been almost inconceivable just five years ago.

Americans are increasingly paying what Bloomberg calls an “adulting tax” — spending more on services or products that let them get more done in less time.

Why It Hits: Bad news for a generation raised on the productivity gospel — we’re still busier than ever. For those with a little disposable income, splurging on things that can save you an hour of your day from chores so you can focus on what you want to do has become the new luxury purchase.

Behind The Purchases: You know the age-old saying — “time is money.”

Final Receipt: Bloomberg notes that the hot new descriptor for consumers right now is “choiceful” — meaning people are trying to save money across the board but will spend more on specific items that have an outsized impact on their lives, especially those considered “time-saving.” That makes sense, given that market research firm NIQ found a 4% increase in Americans who would rather have more time than money.

Free time may be the new social currency.

Next Order: Prepare for the next round of consumer startups to focus on innovating “boring” tasks.

Merchants don’t want rising processing fees and fraud attempts eating into their margins when customers are checking off their Christmas lists.

That’s why many are turning to Kurv — the provider keeping swiped, keyed, and online rates below 3%, even during the busiest stretch of the year.

Why it matters: December brings higher volume, faster checkout expectations, and a spike in suspicious activity. Kurv’s quick onboarding, real 24/7 support, and fraud controls make the transition feel smooth instead of chaotic.

The bottom line: After four decades in payments and millions of weekly transactions, Kurv is becoming the quiet cost-saver that merchants rely on to survive the holiday push without paying for it in January.

🔔 See How Kurv Can Keep Your Holiday Season Merry 🔔

A new survey by Evite found that parties are becoming smaller, tamer, and more focused on connection than previous generations.

The Big Picture: Tighter budgets, changing relationships with alcohol, and a loneliness epidemic are having a profound effect on every aspect of life, with partying being a microcosm where all three forces intersect. That may make “intentionality” the most important theme of any shindig.

Between The Balloons: Gen Z has a new definition for “letting loose,” according to Evite’s Pregame Report 2026.

Final Headcount: Evite found that hosts prioritize four things when it comes to parties: comfort, intimacy, affordability, and personalization. So, most parties may look like transforming a home to reflect a specific theme, making it social media-friendly with unique details and curating the guest list for meaning more than vibe.

But that’s when Americans do throw a party. According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 4.1% of Americans attended or hosted social gatherings on any given weekend or holiday. No wonder we’re so lonely.

Next Party: We wouldn’t be surprised if someone starts a WeWork of parties — hubs that provide small, catered spaces for impromptu get-togethers.

Join the 1% who won’t sleep on the future.

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48.1% of you voted Yes, regularly in yesterday’s poll: Do you currently contribute to a 401(k)?

“I did before kids and once my kids got out of daycare. But when I had kids in daycare, I couldn’t afford to. It was so expensive, and sacrifices had to be made.”

“I max out my annual contribution. I figure, if I never see the money in my paycheck, I won’t miss it.”

“I was LATE investing in a 401(k) and didn’t start contributions until I was 42. In 3-4 years, I will hit the $1 million balance just before retirement. Between that and other investments, I should be good. Thank GOD!”

“Am retired now, so moved my 401(k) to an IRA. I put money into it for almost 30 years as part of my retirement planning. I get a small stipend from it now as part of my monthly income. Yes, it’s worth a million + and continues to grow.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

👗 Nicole Kidman, Beyoncé, and Venus Williams will co-host next year’s Met Gala alongside founder Anna Wintour.

🫠 President Trump threw a wrench into the Warner Bros. Discovery sale, saying that CNN should be sold off separately.

📺 YouTube is bundling themed channels of YouTube TV — welcome to the new cable.

🚀 SpaceX is launching an IPO next year at a sky-high $1.5 trillion valuation… which would make CEO Elon Musk a trillionaire.

🧭 Nvidia has built a location-verification system for its chips to prevent smuggling.

🤖 RSL Collective has developed a uniform tool for publishers to automatically paywall their content from AI scrapers.

🤳 Instagram is rolling out a new tool called “Your Algorithm” that allows users to control what they see on their Explore page.

📱 ChatGPT was the most-downloaded app on Apple’s App Store this year.

👀 Tourists visiting the US may soon need to provide five years’ worth of social media history for extended stays.