When retailers and restaurants offer freebies, the point is to draw attention—not controversy. The only reason to protest 7-Eleven for giving out free Slurpees or Haagen-Dazs for dishing out free ice cream cones might be that the complimentary serving sizes are too small. But what do you expect when you’re paying $0? Now, though, a …
Personal Finance
The Fee That Credit Card Issuers Are Leaving Behind
Banks, the thinking goes, have never met a fee they didn’t like. Yet one credit card charge that has been standard for years—the “foreign transaction” or “foreign currency” fee, which tacks on an extra 3% or so to every hotel …
Retirees Taking Early Social Security Benefits Hits 35-Year Low
Boomers have got the message: For most people, it makes sense to delay Social Security benefits to age 70 if possible. More made the choice to delay in 2011 than at any time since 1976. Here’s how you can afford to wait too.
Let’s Play Supermarket Matchmaker: Is ShopRite, Publix, ALDI, or Walmart Right for You?
Do you think all supermarkets are basically the same? The results of a new survey show differently. If you’ve been shopping around for a new grocery store, the numbers may provide insight as to which chain is the perfect match for you.
10 Dangerous Products You Might Have in Your Home
Uh-Oh! Fee-Crazed Airlines Are the Most Profitable
Apparently, plenty of travelers aren’t turned off by airlines that charge extra for everything from paying for flights with a credit card to $3 bottles of water on board the plane. Lately, the most profitable carriers in the U.S. …
Got $488? That’ll Just Cover One Day’s Admission at Disneyland for a Family of Four
The latest price hike at Disneyland raises a one-day “Park Hopper” ticket from $105 to $125 for adults. Kids ages 3 to 9—yep, if you’re 10, you’re an “adult”—get a measly $6 off the adult price.
Home Sales Jump as Number of Foreclosures Drops
April housing numbers released by the National Association of Realtors were, wait for it … good. Spring is traditionally a busy season for home sales, but the real estate market has been in such a slump for the past couple of …
Driving like a Jerk May Cost You an Extra $100 Per Month in Gas
How can one driver average 37 m.p.g. and get 575 miles per fill-up, while another driver — driving the same model car — tops out at 21 m.p.g. and 325 miles per tank? The answer is that these two drivers drive very differently.
What President Obama Wants You To Tell Your Kids About Money — and When
A useful new government website has just gone live, offering easy teaching points for parents who want to help their kids grow up knowing a thing or two about compound interest and 19 other key financial concepts.
The Subprime Generation: Stop Using Dubious Financial Services!
More young Americans – even those earning between $50,000 and $75,000 – are using payday lenders, prepaid debit cards and other questionable financial services. But there are better alternatives to those “alternatives.”
How 7-Eleven’s New Slurpee Rollout Is Perfectly Shaped to Attract Crowds All Summer
Nowadays, retailers and manufacturers can’t merely introduce a new product to consumers and call it a day. The way that 7-Eleven is launching “Slurpee Lite,” its new low-calorie drink, shows how a product rollout must be an “event.” This week’s event includes a big Slurpee giveaway.