At 12 years old, most of us didn’t hold down regular jobs, except for maybe the odd baby-sitting or lawn-mowing gig. But one-fourth of parents today expect their kids to start socking away the contents of their piggy banks to …
Personal Finance
How the New MPG Standards Will Affect Drivers, Automakers, Car Dealerships & More
This week, the Obama administration finalized new-car fuel economy rules that’ll nearly double the mpg standards for cars and light trucks by 2025. The new “CAFE” (corporate average fuel economy) standards mandate that automakers …
How to Save $2,500 a Year on Lunch
Most workers eat lunch out at least once a week. It’s convenient and maybe even fun. But if you simply stop going to the deli or pizza shop you can retire on the savings. The trick is getting set up. Here’s how.
Just How Underemployed Is Gen Y?
Gen Y is in a bind. This group of 18- to 29-year-olds has been told they must go to college in order to find a decent job. Yet upon graduating, few jobs are available to young people — and those that are open often don’t require …
Home Prices Continue to Rise — But Will the Market Rebound Continue?
Spring is traditionally a strong season for home sales, and despite continued uncertainty in the economy, this spring was no exception, with housing prices up around the country, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Index. June …
Why Wednesday Morning is the Best Time to Buy Gas
Anyone who owns a car knows gas prices are rising. The average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline nationwide has risen from $3.38 on July 1 to $3.54 on Aug. 2 to $3.73 on Aug. 27. But what most people don’t know is …
Obama Letter Fetching $5,000 in Online Auction Is Just a Copy — Worth $5
As the joke goes, “The problem with quotes from the Internet is it is hard to verify their authenticity — Abraham Lincoln.” That adage holds true for presidential correspondence, too. On Tuesday, media outlets reported that …
Lenders Use a New Dirty Trick to Jail You For Small Debts
Debt collectors can call you, hound you and make you feel like a lowlife, but here in America, they can’t throw you in jail over your unpaid bills. Or can they? A sneaky tactic called “body attachment” is a new twist on this …
Why You Shouldn’t Trust Positive Online Reviews—Or Negative Ones, For That Matter
Researchers and online review sites alike are trying to root out efforts to manipulate the system. By outing dubious, planted, solicited, and otherwise inauthentic reviews, consumers will have more reason to trust the reviews …
401(k) Plans Back to Pre-Crisis Levels (and Improved)
New data show that the percentage of companies offering a 401(k) match is back at pre-recession levels. Meanwhile, features like advice and auto enrollment are way up. Now, if we can just get workers to pay attention.
Tropical Storm Isaac to Boost Gas Prices Even Higher
The highest gas prices ever for this time of year are about to go skyward yet again, thanks to Mother Nature.
7 Surprising Things Lurking In Online ‘Terms of Service’ Agreements
UPDATE, DEC. 18: The popular photo-sharing platform Instagram faced harsh online criticism today from users who discovered that an upcoming change to the site’s Terms of Service will allow the company to sell users’ uploaded …