There was bad news in May’s jobs report, and then there was worse news. See the full story at our companion business blog The Curious Capitalist.
Careers & Workplace
Q&A: Counselor Lynn Berger on Shifting Careers
Some people turn to counselors when they’re thinking about a second career. Lynn Berger is one of them. For years she’s been helping people decide whether to pursue a completely new field. But a lot of times, changing …
How I Did It: Aaron Patzer on Creating Mint.com
The Mint.com founder talks about some of the challenges he faced while building his business.
College Offers Degree in Multi-level Marketing (a.k.a. Pyramid Selling!)
Mocking students who choose impractical majors is a popular pastime in the blogosphere; HolyTaco.com has a list of the Top 10 Most Worthless College Majors, with fields like Music Therapy, English Literature, and Latin landing on …
The Daily Commute: How to Save Time, Save Money, and Save Your Sanity
Ride sharing isn't just about saving money, but also about enjoying sweet carpooler perks — special high occupancy vehicle lanes, primo parking spaces, even free oil changes.
Staying Home: Fewer Small Business Owners Are Taking Vacations This Summer
For years, small business owners have been going on less and less summer vacations. But this time, it might be because they see opportunities.
Congratulations, College Graduates! But Did You Just Waste Your Money, and Four Years of Your Lives?
There seems to be no stopping the argument that college is overpriced, overvalued, and not particularly good at preparing students for their lives after being kicked out of the dorms. Upon hearing some of the factoids gathered by …
Post-Recession Lingo: Need-to-Know Phrases for Today’s Consumers
Adding to the list of post-recession terms such as “unbanked” (individuals without checking or savings accounts), “anti-dowry” (student loan debt holding you back from getting married or buying a house), and “Groupon remorse” …
Everything You Need to Know About Consumers, Part II
In Part I of this consumer factoid extravaganza, we learned all sorts of weird info about spending habits, housing costs, and family expenditures. For the sequel, we’re dealing with moms, Mexicans, McDonald’s, men’s dwindling DIY skills, the earning power of maiden names, how using a cell phone can be a sign of poverty, grandparents …
Alligator Trapping Just Doesn’t Pay Like It Used To
In another quirky sign of the times, it’s probably smart to now scratch “alligator trapper” off your list of possible careers. Here’s a job that would never be described as easy. And because of rising gas prices, a falloff in the market for alligator meat and hides, and strapped government budgets that refuse to pay more for trappers to …
The Big List of Consumer Curiosities
Here’s a compendium of interesting, sometimes weird, sometimes surprising factoids about consumer spending, housing, modern family life, and more.
Does Biking to Work Inspire You to Write Poetry?
May is National Bike Month, and May 16-20 is Bike to Work Week. So if the money-saving, environmentally-friendly concept of pedaling to work will ever move you to write poetry, it’s probably now.
