Insider Finance - Business - Insider Today: Kickstart your 2024

December 30, 2023 • 3 min read

with Diamond Naga Siu

We made it to the last Saturday of the year. With less than 48 hours left in 2023, we’re bringing you a shorter edition of Insider Today.

It’s a resolution-focused newsletter so that you can get a head start on thinking about the year: quality of life, career mentalities, investing tips, and more.

What's on deck

• Travel: Seven travel hacks for an easier and cheaper vacation.
• Careers: A CEO shares how job seekers can stay ahead in 2024.
• Life: Tips for starting your “Dry January” journey on Monday.

Let’s level up next year.

Travel

Christian Ender/Getty Images

1. Cities with the highest quality of life are increasingly reserved for the wealthy. Cities like Zurich and Copenhagen were named some of the most livable by the Economist's Intelligence Unit. But the cost of living wasn’t considered in the calculations, and many of the top cities are the costliest.

2. Social media users say people at the airport are, like, super hot. Experts explained why some people describe feeling sexual tension with other travelers their age at the airport — a phenomenon known as an “airport crush.”

3. Travel hacks for an easier, cheaper vacation. A long-time traveler and travel editor shared her seven tips and tricks. They include capitalizing on free loyalty programs, asking nicely for help if you encounter a problem, and doing the math on transportation.

Careers

REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

1. Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles shares her mentality heading into 2024. Chiles is eyeing the Paris Olympics and told Business Insider how she’s physically — and mentally — preparing. She’s hoping to block out external forces and embrace a “do it yourself” attitude.

2. This Slack executive is helping people cut their meeting time to two hours a day or less. Christina Janzer is counting on AI to help workers use their time more effectively in 2024: generating meeting summaries, completing routine tasks, and other meaningful productivity hacks.

3. Job-market predictions from the CEO of a job-search marketplace. Josh Brenner, the CEO of Hired, expects hiring to accelerate in 2024 and shared what job seekers need to do to keep up. Companies will prioritize people with specialized skills but might deprioritize diversity and inclusion, he said.

Life

PM Images/ Getty Images

1. Simple — but key — investing tips that reveal the real way to get ahead. Douglas Feldman, the chief investment officer of Stash, said everyone should know these six money tips going into the new year. They include considering short-term Treasurys and taking advantage of compounding effects.

2. Divorce attorney shares three New Year’s resolutions couples should make together. Disputes over finances and weak connections often lead to people ending their marriages. Resolutions to get on the same page can help prevent that. 

3. Starting “Dry January” on Monday? This reporter has done it for the past five years, and suggests going sober with a friend to stay on track.

In other news

• The Gen Zer who lives in a 45-room, 900-year-old Italian castle reveals what it’s really like to be part of the aristocracy.
• From Elon Musk’s giant Starship rocket to India's spectacular moon landing, 2023 was an epic year in space.
• How a four-day workweek inspired people at this company to show up on weekends.
• Three Americans say they moved to Texas for the low taxes, jobs, and friendly people.
• The latest trendy skin-tightening procedure sounds terrifying, but people are doing it anyway.
• Four signs you grew up with an overly critical parent, even if you feel successful.

Courtesy of Sarah Ahn

For your bookmarks

Living with the ‘rents

Living with your parents into your 20s really isn’t that weird. That’s according to a 28-year-old social media coordinator and content creator who still lives at home. She says it should be destigmatized.