As the U.S. tries to fix its long-term macroeconomic problems, an increasing number of consumers are apparently busy worsening their own microeconomic problems. John Sternal, a spokesman for LeaseTrader.com, recently told DailyFinance that, “What we’re basically seeing now is, instead of one out of every five people leasing, we believe …
Banks Waive Fees For Hurricane Irene Victims
Americans along the East Coast, especially in the Northeast, are still grappling with the aftereffects of Hurricane Irene. Many have no power and a smaller number have been displaced from their homes or are trapped by washed-out …
New Retirement Plan: Double Dipping into Social Security and Unemployment
Now there’s a new way to fund your retirement: collect unemployment benefits and Social Security at the same time.
Will Steve Jobs’ Departure Hurt the Economy?
Steve Jobs’ decision to step down as head of the Apple empire caused a lot of commotion. Analysts scurried to quantify the impact of Jobs’ departure on Apple’s stock price, the psychological effect on the stock market, and which tech competitors stand to gain. But the bigger question, and perhaps the most important, is what Jobs’ …
Hotel Says Sky-High Hurricane Rate Was a Mix-Up
On Tuesday, TIME Moneyland and many other news outlets wrote about a story in the New York Daily News claiming that guests at a Brooklyn hotel were charged $999 a night for a room during Hurricane Irene. Readers expressed indignation, the Attorney General got involved, and the hotel insists the astronomical price was a technological mix-up.
Index Funds Gain Momentum in Rocky Markets
As financial markets remain volatile, index funds may be an oasis of stability.
More S&P Outrage: Subprime Mortgage Deal Gets Higher Rating Than U.S.
Subprime mortgage borrowers, it appears, are more creditworthy than Uncle Sam.
Standard & Poor’s, the ratings agency that recently downgraded the credit of the United States, is giving a higher rating to a group of subprime mortgage loans – yup, just like the type that lead to the financial crisis – than the bonds issued by the U.S. …
A Money Message in Every Tweet
As financial literacy experts struggle to find ways to teach people how to better manage their money, one emerging strategy seems to have legs: reminders broadcast over social media. It works for young and old.
Foreclosures Are Bad for Your Health
Losing your home is a nightmare—enough to make you sick to your stomach, and then some. Just how stressful is it to go through a foreclosure? A new study indicates that a rise in foreclosures correlates to an increase in …
“People can invest in education, invest in training, invest in qualifications, invest in work experience, and also invest in their erotic capital.”
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.
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What President Obama’s Jobs Plan Might Look Like
While the economy teeters on a cliff, Americans want to know what's inside President Obama's new jobs plan. Here are a few good guesses.