By buying the newest, most hyped, most eagerly anticipated gadgets on the market, you get the thrill of being on the cutting edge. You get bragging rights in tech-obsessed circles. You’re a magnet for stares from strangers, who may be puzzled, jealous, or both. You also get to pay a premium compared to consumers willing to wait a little …
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What I Learned By Not Getting into a Car for a Year
Adam Greenfield, a 29-year-old filmmaker born in England and now residing in San Francisco, decided that for an entire year, he would not get into any sort of automobile. No SUVs, taxis, or motorcycles. Not even a ride in a hybrid or electric car. His bicycle took him nearly everywhere he needed to go.
Cheapskate Wisdom from … an Automotive Diagnostician
“I am an automotive diagnostician. We look for the root cause of problems. If we treat the symptoms, the problem always comes back. With health care, we are not treating the root cause: Why does it cost so much?”
How to Get that ‘Jersey Shore’ Look—for Cheap
Style tips from the Guido, errr Garden State: Amazingly, it doesn’t cost a fortune to look like the stars of MTV’s new “reality” show Snookie, JWOWW, and the Situation.
Car Insurance: Proof It Really Pays to Shop Around
There’s not much rhyme or reason to how and why car insurance rates vary so widely, but vary widely is exactly what they do—for the same coverage, same driver history, and so on. This is why you’ve got to go through the rigamarole of getting multiple quotes.
In the Future: No More … Well, No More Lots of Things
When the calendar changes, it’s a natural time to look back and look forward, to gauge trends, scratch one’s head, and make predictions that will appear laughable in a few years. According to various prognosticators, because of new technology, rising costs, changing cultural attitudes and spending habits, and the ever-present desire to …
Shout-Out: ‘Lowlights of a Downer Year’
Dave Barry on the money, madness, and misery of 2009.
Top Swaps: The Year’s Most Popularly Traded DVDs, CDs, Books, and Video Games
In a year when a barter economy got new life, when consumers became more comfortable trading services or goods for everything from health care to a new wardrobe, some items switched hands a lot more than others. Among the most popular goods to swap were “The Dark Knight” on DVD, Taylor Swift CDs, Wii Fit, and books from the Twilight series.
Toys, Toys, and More Toys
The average American child receives 70 new toys a year. And as you’re probably well aware, more are coming soon.
Zhu Zhu Pet Countdown: Still No Robot Hamster? Here Are Your Zhu Zhu Options
I’m not quite sure why I feel the need to track the Zhu Zhu Pet fad, but I do. (Note to self: File “Zhu Zhu” in the category of “Unresolved Issues,” somewhere between “Never Got Air Jordans” and “Wasn’t Allowed to Go to Beastie Boys Concert in 8th Grade.”) With one week before Christmas, here’s how things are looking, Zhu Zhu-wise.
Trade Ya? My Cockatiel for Your Zhu Zhu Pet
Parents still on the hunt for Zhu Zhu Pets are growing desperate—and the folks who are willing to part with the robotic pet hamster toys in their possession are growing demanding.
Health Care Reform: What Happened to the Bit About Competition and Lower Costs?
Did I miss something? More people are going to have insurance because of health care reform, meaning the risk pool would be bigger and average costs should go down. So what gives?