Do consumers or retailers benefit more from e-commerce? Is a college degree really worth the money? Are cell-phone unlimited calling plans a rip-off? And more.
Some interesting questions to consider:
Do unlimited calling plans give you the most bang for your buck?
According to a study cited in the NY Times’ Bucks blog, an unlimited plan is the best option for only 7% of cell-phone users. Seven percent! The vast majority of customers, therefore, would be better off with a cheaper limited-minute plan, even if they wind up paying an occasional overage charge.
Does car ownership lead to mortgage default?
A new study from the National Resources Defense Council, which has been written about in posts by the Oregonian and Wired, among others, indicates higher rates of mortgage defaults among folks who owned cars and lived in sprawling suburban locations without good access to public transportation, and lower foreclosure rates for homeowners in compact urban areas with good public transit. I’m not sold at all that this is a cause-effect situation, but it’s still interesting: There’s some sort of relationship there.
Are smartphone apps all that big a deal?
There are tens of thousands of apps out there, but most people only use a handful of them regularly, per the NY Times. A ton of apps are downloaded, toyed with for a few days, and then forgotten about. Which brings up the question: If you’re not really using apps all that much, why are you paying the extra money for an iPhone, when a regular old cell phone would do the trick?
Even at super cheap prices, are you wasting money buying stuff at the dollar store?
WalletPop readers weighed in on some items they wouldn’t buy again even if they were nearly free—which they are at dollar stores. Purchases that fell short included:
*toilet bowl plungers that looked good but weren’t sturdy
*sponge mops that didn’t hold together in water
*tools made of soft metal that bent after only a few uses
*no-name shampoo that was watered down
*sandwich bags and 8 gal. garbage bags that are inferior (no reason given)
*masking tape and painter’s tape that apparently didn’t measure up
*didn’t like the canned mushroom soup (perhaps a matter of taste)
*shower liners, curtains & hooks
*retractable dog leashes that don’t work for long
*some hanging battery-operated yard lights bought last summer that didn’t work
Is a college degree worth as much as we’ve been led to believe?
A WSJ story says no. For years, the College Board and others have passed along a stat saying that, on average, folks with college degrees will out-earn mere high school grads by $800,000 or $1 million over the course of a lifetime. But the data is flawed: It’s based on out-of-date college cost estimates, and doesn’t factor in student loan debts. Also, obviously, some degrees are likely to pay off more than others, as many English and Philosophy majors know quite well.
Who has benefited more from the rise of Internet shopping: consumers or retailers?
The Haggler column brings up the debate:
The stock answer is that the Web gives consumers the upper hand, for two big reasons: it’s easier to find low prices, and companies must perform well because any misdeeds and shortcomings can be posted on the communal bulletin board that is the Internet. It’s become a cliché of the digital age: Thanks to Google, your reputation precedes you. Which means that companies are more careful than ever about the way they treat consumers, right?