To try and balance the California state budget, the Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger is emptying storage warehouses and rounding up anything worth selling. Lots of things that don’t seem worth selling too, or at least that don’t seem like they’d fetch much money at auction, such as coat racks, box cutters, and belt buckles. No matter. …
What’s Not Getting More Expensive? Prices for Coffee, Beer, Groceries Are Going Up
Starbucks is one thing. Going into the place, you know you’re paying too much for coffee. So when they raise prices (like they did in many cities last week), it’s just a little more incentive to brew your own. But get ready for more price hike heartbreak: Big American brewers are raising the prices on beer, and grocery staples like milk, …
It’s a Deal: 20% Off of Godiva Chocolate
Orders of Godiva chocolates are 20 percent off if you use the discount coupon code ENJOY20 when making an online purchase. Valid through Friday, August 28 at Godiva.com.
The People vs. Cell-Phone Tyranny: A Case for Lower Monthly Bills
If the jig isn’t up, it seems like it should be soon. There’s simply too much inexpensive technology out there to justify the sorts of bills and restrictions the average wireless customer puts up with in the U.S.
Road trip photos 2
We’re back in the Eastern time zone (in Indiana), and I’ll be back at work in a couple of days. But here, while we’re still on the road, are a few more contributions from the photo album—most of them the work of Mrs. Curious Capitalist. First, the Kit Carson Museum in Las Animas Colorado, where one learns almost nothing about Kit Carson:
It’s a Deal: Up to 50% Off of Champion Athletic Apparel
IKEA: Where the Chinese Go to Hang Out, Drink Free Soda, and Take Naps
Americans know that IKEA can be a great place for a cheap date—with free babysitting included via the Smaland childcare center. At an IKEA store in Beijing, however, thousands of Chinese shoppers take the IKEA experience a step further.
Cheapskate Wisdom from … the Cash for Clunkers Experience
“If you give someone a free shopping certificate, they will spend it.”—Citigroup economist Steven Wieting, quoted in a WSJ story.
The Wheelchair Recycler
Even if you’re not remotely green, you just gotta love the way David Heim recycles. He takes in donated and banged-up wheelchairs, repairs them, and either sells them for cheap or simply gives them away to folks in need.
Back to School, but Hopefully Not Back into Credit-Card Debt
The second part of the new credit-card law is aimed at helping college kids and other younger folks stay out of debt. Banks aren’t allowed to issue cards to anyone under age 21 unless the person has a co-signer or demonstrates independent means to pay bills. That part of the law won’t go into effect until February. Until then, kids can …
The Un-COLA: No Increase in Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment
Inflation has been negative this year. And since the Cost of Living Adjustment, or COLA, is pegged to the inflation rate, it is expected that there will be no COLA increase this year for those on Social Security. It’s the first time in more than 30 years that Social Security checks will stay put.
1849 All Over Again?
You lose your job. Then the home goes into foreclosure. What do you do? Go west to strike it rich in the gold mines. These are scenes from the 1800s, and from the Great Depression, and from today.