8 Ways to Finish the Year Strong

There's plenty to do this year to get ready for the new year.

Sick and Mired: Are Your Debts Making You Crazy?

What to do if your finances are taking a toll on your health.

5 Podcasts That'll Help You Think Like an Entrepreneur

Listen, learn, and reap the rewards of free advice.

6 Popular Tax Breaks That Could Disappear in 2014

Without extensions from Congress, several important tax breaks may end.

4 Important Money Lessons We Learned While Working for Minimum Wage

Sometimes jobs that pay the least teach you the most valuable money lessons.

Why December Is Prime Time For Your Job Search

Companies often 'find' money they must spend by year's end.

Three Area Bars Hold Turkey Testicle Festivals This Year

4 Out of 5 Workers Say They Need New Skills

A new survey from Kaplan/LinkedIn reinforces need to keep skills fresh.

5 Programs Helping the Long-Term Unemployed Find Work

Long-term unemployment has surged 213 percent since 2007.

Lifestyle Inflation: How to Earn More, Spend More, and Get Nowhere

Increasing your spending when you get a bigger paycheck isn't a recipe for financial success.

Fidelity Reveals the Secret to Becoming a Retirement Millionaire

Find out the savings habits of people who retire with a comfortable nest egg.

Apple Slices Recalled Due to Possible Health Risk

Two Cases of Legionnaires' Disease Traced to Suburban Health Club

Two men contracted the bacteria after using a hot tub at the Naperville health club.

Top 10 Companies Hiring This Week

Looking for a job? Many companies are hiring.

The 19 Fastest Growing Occupations

These are the jobs that will see explosive growth by 2017

Blended-Family Finance: Tips Every Modern 'Brady Bunch' Should Consider

How to overcome the financial challenges of merging two households.

Judge Upholds State's Approval of Centegra Hospital-Huntley

Judge's ruling ends year-long lawsuit and clears way for construction phase.

Trending: Twitter Goes Public

Twitter is going public today on the New York Stock Exchange.

Over 50 and Behind the Curve for Retirement? It's Catch-Up Time!

Maxing out qualified retirement accounts can allow you to bolster your nest egg for the future.

How to Get Your Side Business Started While Working a Day Job

True job security no longer exists.

Top 10 Companies Hiring This Week

Looking for a job? Several companies are hiring.

Dunkin' Donuts Launches Red Velvet Latte

The coffee shop released a red velvet latte and a salted carmel hot chocolate on Monday.

Download Your Patch Mobile App: New for Android and iPhone!

The place you call home—and the latest news and happenings you need to know—now in the palm of your hand.

Jamba Juice Offering Free 'Kids Smoothie Day' on Halloween

Jamba Juice in Crystal Lake and Algonquin are offering free Kids Smoothies to promote a healthier Halloween.

Millennials Forced To Move Back Home After Starting Career

Higher rate than Gen X and baby boomers when they started in the workforce, study says.

11 Untapped Places To Network

Always talk to people you don't think can help you

Top 10 Companies Hiring This Week

Looking for a job? Several national companies have thousands of openings.

Fear of Finance: 5 Tips to Make Dealing With Money Less Scary

When it comes to your personal finances, it's best to be proactive rather than reactive.

Young and Employed, but Still Short of Money? You Need a Side Hustle

There's money to be made from the skills you spent all those years honing.

Advocate Sherman Among Most Recommended Hospitals in Illinois: Report

NerdWallet lists Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin as one the top hospitals in the state based on patient recommendations.

Salad Products Recalled Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Kohl's Joins Retailers Open on Thanksgiving Day

Will you be out shopping on Thanksgiving Day? Let us know in the comments.

AT&T is Best Cell Network in Chicago Area, Report Says

RootMetrics ran a test of the top four networks in the Chicago area.

Area Dominick's Stores To Be Sold

Chicago area Dominick's stores are being sold off by their parent company.

Halloween 2013: Americans to Spend $330M on Pet Costumes

The National Retail Federation estimates that about 158 million Americans will celebrate Halloween this year.

Map: What Are the Richest Parts of Town?

The map below shows the median income in blocks across your neighborhood as reported by the US Census Bureau.

Jewel-Osco Nixes Self-Checkout Lanes

Owners of the grocery store have decided to eliminate self-checkout lanes in some local stores.

Meijer to Hire 900 Across Illinois

Locally, there are Meijer stores in Algonquin and McHenry.

Jobs in Huntley: Website Designer, Customer Service, Nursing Director

Need a job? Know someone who is looking? Check out Patch's weekly online job fair for local job openings.

New Upgrades on Patch: More Headlines, Better Conversation

Recent changes on Patch.com include the return of the comments section, more news, easier navigation and news alerts.