One reason people live poverty-stricken lives in developing countries like Nicaragua is that jobs pay meager wages. Also, there aren’t that many places to save your money. Also, workers spend a big chunk of what little money they do make on vices, including alcohol, prostitutes, and Coca Cola.
It’s a Deal: Buy One Get One Free Video Games
Buy any Wii, PS2, PS3, or Xbox360 game and get a second one free during a Toys R Us sale, which lasts until January 2. Up to 60% off many clearance items too.
Got Money?
Some people are lucky enough to be wondering not how to get money, but what to do with a sum that’s landed somewhat surprisingly in their laps.
How do you get both equity and prosperity?
Here’s Jim Manzi (no, not that one; this one), writing in National Affairs (via Michael Pettis) on the question, addressed here a couple of days ago, of balancing economic security with economic dynamism:
Conservatives have …, as a rhetorical and political strategy, downplayed the problems of cohesion — problems like inequality, wage
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It Was an Awful Year for the Economy. But a Great One for the Consumer?
The most obvious upside to being a consumer this year was that you felt wanted, and you felt appreciated. In a bad year for business, retailers were very, very happy to have yours. You felt the love—though sure, they only “love” you for your money. It wouldn’t be the first time somebody was happy to be in a relationship with a gold digger.
Great Expectations in 2010: More Personal Savings and Cheaper Food, Heat, Electronics, and Homes
As we leave 2009 behind, there are many signs that life will be way better in the year to come.
Finding the Sweet Spot: When to Buy Apple Products, and When to Wait for the New One
It sucks to buy technology that feels outdated a few weeks after your purchase. On the other hand, buy too soon and you’ll feel like a sucker because the new item has problems that haven’t yet been solved or because, if you’d only waited a couple weeks longer, you’d pay way less.
Shout-Out: ‘How to Save $5,000 This Year’
A story in Real Simple lays out dozens of ways to save on everything from health care (try a retail clinic) to entertainment (buy refurbed electronics) to everyday bills (switching cell phone plans could save you over $300). Add up all the savings and you could have a few extra grand in your bank account at year’s end.
What to do about those danged bank lobbyists
Barry Ritholtz has a good summing-up of a new paper (pdf) by three IMF economists on the link between lobbying and risk-taking by lenders. The gist: Firms that made the riskiest loans spend the most on lobbying Congress. And what were their lobbying aims?
• prevent any tightening of lending laws that reduce the benefits of
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It’s a Deal: Save More Than 70% at Altrec
Winter coats, sneakers, backpacks, and other apparel and accessories are being discounted by as much as 70% during Altrec’s Big Chill Sale, and per dealnews, the coupon code NEWYEAR will get you an extra 20% off of outlet items.
Who Are You Kidding? New Year’s Money Resolutions You Just Won’t Keep
It’s the time of year to make resolutions, or at least it’s the time for journalists to write stories about making resolutions. This year especially, these resolutions involve better money management. But come on: If you didn’t figure out how to take care of your money this year—a year when everybody was scrimping and saving—you may …
COBRA Still Bites: Opting for No Health Insurance, Even When Gov Pays 65% of Tab
For many unemployed Americans, health insurance isn’t remotely affordable—even with the government subsidizing 65% of former workers’ policy premiums.