Almost all of us have walked out of a store having spent more than we planned thanks to a salesperson who helpfully suggested that your kids would love the accessories not included with a toy, or that the shirt you’re trying on …
Psychology of Money
More Banks Hop on Debit-Fee Bandwagon: Will It Last?
Last month, megabanks Wells Fargo and Chase both announced pilot programs in which they will charge some customers a $3 monthly fee to use their debit cards. Additional banks, including SunTrust and Regions, have followed suit with plans for similar fees. Cue outrage. “A lot of it goes back to the history. Debit cards were supposed to …
Why You Shouldn’t Buy Winter Clothes in Winter
In our first Moneyland post we advocated a “Wait and C” strategy for big financial moves, especially spending ones. Our basic idea was that many decisions, to the extent that they’re affected by hidden biases or impulses, would …
4 Home Buying Lessons We Should Never Forget Again
Reasonably enough, Americans hate almost everything about the real estate recession. Underwater owners hate that they can neither sell nor refinance, distressed homeowners and consumer advocates hate robo-signing, and just about
…
Downgrading the American Dream
The American Dream has been downgraded, too.
Got the Post-Vacation Blues? Don’t Worry—You’ll Get Used to Them!
As vacation season ends for many of us — bringing, for some, a sense of dread about the return to workday (if not actual employment) routines — we thought we’d offer a bit of encouragement, which might also help you make the …
Lessons of the Crash: 4 Homeowner Trends We Hope Will Continue
While buyers take the bulk of the heat for ballooning up home prices at the peak of the market, homeowners were not entirely innocent, either. During the sub-prime era, the owner/seller-side bad behavior included fatal missteps …
Why Some Lowball Real Estate Offers Work — And Others Don’t
In the more than four years of the real estate recession, many wanna-be homeowners have been hunting for houses way above their realistic price range, banking on the hope that they can make a lowball offer and get it accepted.
…
How Consumers Fool Themselves Into Thinking They’ve Made Good Purchases
If you think you make purchases because you logically and objectively evaluate the options at hand, then decide based strictly on your personal preferences and individual sense of value, think again. Here are four examples of how …
Experts Don’t Always Have Expertise
We hear a lot of questions lately along the lines of, “How do I know who to believe?” It’s a good question, and relevant not just in personal finance, but in other areas, especially politics, economics and health, where we’re …
There’s Money to Be Made in the 2012 Apocalypse
According to some interpretations of the Mayan calendar, the end of the world is scheduled for the winter solstice (December 21) of 2012. Survivalist entrepreneurs say it’s never too early to begin preparing for the big day.
