Even a cheapskate has to spend money sometimes. I’ve asked various frugal folks—bloggers, writers, money-saving and consumer experts—to compile personal, totally subjective lists of the products, services, experiences, and other “things” they’re willing to shell out good money on. Because if a cheapskate is willing to drop cash on …
Cheapskate Wisdom from … a Yiddish proverb
“A penny is a lot of money, if you have not got a penny.”
Share, Swap, Barter: Whatever It Takes to Avoid Actually Spending Money
What, you’re still breaking out cash and swiping credit cards for goods and services? Many people, forced to get creative by the recession, are realizing that spending isn’t nearly as necessary as they once thought.
How much does securitization hold up loan modification?
In a story about all the former subprime mortgage brokers who are now in the business of “helping” people get loan modifications, the NYT details the unsavory—and, according to the FTC, illegal—practices of a California outfit called the Federal Loan Modification Law Center. In the words of one ex-sales agent: “They basically told …
Want a Discount? Just Use the Obvious But Magic Words
A little over a year ago, a San Diego-based graduate student and blogger who goes by the name Roxy began a simple yet brilliant experiment. At least once a day from July 1, 2008, to June 30, 2009, she nicely asked shopkeepers, waiters, flight attendants, and pretty much anyone else she ran across if they could give her discounts, perks, …
Caterpillar is saved by Brazil, India and China
Caterpillar’s second-quarter earnings report, which has Wall Street abuzz this morning, is a fascinating document. It’s fascinating in part because Caterpillar, a large Midwestern manufacturer whose factory workers are represented by the United Auto Workers, turned a profit for the quarter ($371 million, down from $1.1 billion in the …
What mortgage-backed securities and lemons have in common
Stanford profs Kenneth Scott and John Taylor had an op-ed in yesterday’s WSJ arguing for “mandated transparency” in mortgage securitization. This brought to mind a conversation I had last week with Andrew Dubinsky, who runs a lending software company called Encomia and would love it if somebody mandated more disclosure in mortgage …
What Will a Cheapskate Spend Good Money On? Part II
Even a cheapskate has to spend money sometimes. I’ve asked various frugal folks—bloggers, writers, money-saving and consumer experts—to compile personal, totally subjective lists of the products, services, experiences, and other “things” they’re willing to shell out good money on. Because if a cheapskate is willing to drop cash on …
It’s a Deal: Free Pastry This Morning at Starbucks
Purchase a beverage at Starbucks and a pastry (or bagel, croissant, danish, doughnut, or fritter) is free today, July 21, until 10:30 a.m. Print the required coupon here or simply show a barista the offer on your hand-held device.
Two cheers for a more diverse journalistic ecosystem
I liked John Gapper’s FT profile of CNBC’s “pugnacious pundit” Charlie Gasparino. A typical passage (with the curse words bleeped, because Curious Capitalist readers require more protection from profanity than FT readers do):
If anything, the onscreen Gasparino is a toned-down version of the off-air one. One morning, he upset Lance
…
The Rise of Wireless Phone “Because They Can Fees”
When your wireless bill goes up by 20¢ or 40¢, it’s hardly a cause for outrage. Or is it? As an LA Times story reports, T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint Nextel have all quietly been raising monthly fees with no good rationale, no legit reason.
She’s a Belt-Tightener, Get It? She Designs Tight-Fitting Clothes
“Tightening Belts? She’s the Expert.” That’s the headline of a NY Times story on fashion innovator Diane von Furstenburg. She’s not remotely a tightwad with money. She designs tight, clingy clothes that demand tight belts. Get it? That’s recession humor for you.