Favorite dirt-cheap meals! Why you must quit being an idiot! Tastiest low-budget beers! Lessons learned from spiking your hair into a mohawk! And more.
Borrowing
5 Neat, Odd Innovations That Might Fix the Economy, the Housing Market, the Environment, and Your Household Finances
Plenty of old ideas clearly haven’t been working. So why not consider some new ones, even if they seem a bit impractical and “out there”?
More Credit Cards, More Debt: How the World is Following the U.S.’s Lead
When it comes to credit card usage and outstanding credit card balances, the American consumer is undoubtedly still the plastic-swiping king. But it looks like consumers in Russia, Brazil, China, and Poland, among other places, are catching up.
Chances Are You Have 3.45 Credit Cards in Your Wallet
Perhaps that means you cut one of your cards in half recently? In 2007, the average American consumer had four credit cards. Today, the average is down 26%, to 3.45 credit cards per consumer.
Apparently, I Have Personal Finance Super Powers
Exactly what powers do I have? That’s not really clear just yet. But so far, they involve me doing something I’m pretty good at: sitting on the couch.
Does Paying Your Mortgage Make You a Good Person, or a Stupid Person?
If your home is underwater—meaning you owe more on your mortgage than the property is now worth—simply walking away may make the most business sense. Considering the ongoing foreclosure mess, it would seem easier than ever to just stop paying the mortgage and enjoy what amounts to “free rent” until the lenders get their paperwork in …
Take It From Me: Money Lessons from 7 Very Different People
There are financial lessons to be learned from a single mom on food stamps who finagles Caribbean vacations, an Oscar-winning actor who is too cheap to play golf at private clubs, and a man who tricked himself into saving money by pretending he was going to be a father.
For the Good of the Economy, You Should Spend Money You Don’t Have
Oh, and one more thing. You know, the money you don’t have? Ideally, you should be spending it on stuff you don’t really need.
College Kids: No Escaping the Clutches of Consumer Culture
We’ve passed laws to protect college students from foolishly compiling a mass of credit card debt. They also protect themselves by seeing through old-school advertisements that try to manipulate their spending habits. So does that mean today’s generation of college kids has figured out a new way to “drop out”? Not a chance.
Money-Saving Insights and Tips: 19 New Resources to Take to Heart (and to the Bank)
In this week’s roundup, we’ve got myths to debunk (about used cars, coupons), things to avoid (absurd kitchen gadgets, preemptive brake jobs on your car, going into debt from calling psychic hotlines), and ways to trick your brain—and your belly—into thinking you’re consuming more, thereby helping you eat (and spend) less.
5 Cheapskate Conundrums: Is It OK to Use a Coupon on a Date?
Also: How do you avoid getting ripped off if you’re the world’s worst, most timid, most undemanding haggler? People concerned (obsessed?) with saving money have issues, such as …
Report: Nearly 1/3 of Americans ‘Highly Unlikely’ to Qualify for a Mortgage
Roughly 30% of American consumers have credit scores that are so bad they wouldn’t be able to get a mortgage today, even if they managed to scrounge together a down payment of 20%.