According to the Federal Reserve, non-real estate consumer debt increased by $7.2 billion during the month of April, as consumers borrowed with abandon to buy cars and pay for college. Farewell, new-found thriftiness.
Planning
Medicare Sellers Are After Me!
After 23 years of covering — and giving advice about — Medicare, a veteran journalist wades into the system herself. Part 2 of a 5-part series.
College Sells Rare Books, Furniture to Fund Operations
Lambuth University in Jackson, Tenn., has just 400 undergraduates and has been plagued by financial and regulatory issues for years. In April, the college announced that it would close June 30th.
Private K-12 Programs Decline in Popularity. Smart Move?
The United States Department of Education‘s The Condition of Education 2011 report confirms a trend that anecdotal evidence has suggested for some time: private schools for children from pre-K through high school are declining in …
How the Recession Changed Young People’s Attitudes About Money
Everyone knows someone who grew up during the Great Depression, and as a result, eats green beans out of the can and sews up holes in socks.
College Offers Degree in Multi-level Marketing (a.k.a. Pyramid Selling!)
Mocking students who choose impractical majors is a popular pastime in the blogosphere; HolyTaco.com has a list of the Top 10 Most Worthless College Majors, with fields like Music Therapy, English Literature, and Latin landing on …
My Turn for Medicare
After 23 years of covering — and giving advice about — Medicare, a veteran journalist wades into the system herself. Part 1 of a 5-part series.
Oh, the Humanities! College Grads with ‘Fluffy’ Majors Make Way Less Money
A new study indicates that—shocker!—college students majoring in subjects such as social work, visual and performing arts, and theology can expect to make far less money than workers who majored in engineering, computer …
Survey: College Is Unaffordable, and a Poor Value. But It’s Still a Good Investment?
Is this a mixed message? Of course. It’s also a formula for college to keep getting more and more expensive.
Good Reads: Fancy (but Worthless) Kitchens and College Degrees, and More
Here’s some recommended reading, inquiring into issues like: Why do consumers keep paying top dollar for huge, high-end kitchens and designer appliances they almost never use? Why do students keep buying into the idea that college is the only path to success, and that racking up tens of thousands in loans is a good idea? And how the heck …
112 Money Tips: Smart Home Renovations, a Guy’s Guide to At-Home Dinner Dates, and Savings Strategies Too Extreme for Most
This week’s roundup also features tips from a couple who manage to throw a wedding for mere $2,500.
184 Money Tips: How to Repurpose Leftovers, Save $50K, and Put Your Preschooler to Work
It’s time for the weekly roundup of helpful, weird, and wonderful money-saving tips from around the Web.