Though paying for tuition and housing eat up more money, textbook costs are among the most groan-inducing expenses incurred by college students. With tools like Amazon and chegg.com, only the least resourceful of freshmen are
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Reports of the Shopping Mall’s Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
There are few more enduring symbols of American consumerism – or American culture in general – than the shopping mall. The first modern, fully enclosed mall, the Southdale Shopping Center, was built in Edina, Minnesota – …
Despite Recent Spike, Gas Prices Are Supposed to Drop Again Soon
It wasn’t supposed to play out this way. After gas prices plunged in spring, the forecasts called for a continued drop in prices at the pump, with sub-$3 gas around the country likely by Thanksgiving. Thanks mainly to spiking gas …
Back to School: How to Vet Student Bank Accounts
If you have ever looked for the perfect bank account for your teen, you know how frustrating the search can be. Linked accounts, transfer limits and fees, ATM fees, overdraft protection and more vary from bank to bank and from account to account. How do you sort through this maze?
How to Get Consumers to Share Personal Data
Consumers are understandably reluctant to share personal information, but new research suggests they may be willing to share personal information – for a price.
Will Millennials Change How Cars Are Bought and Sold?
Gen Y doesn’t seem to care much for cars. Based on sales and survey data, it’s clear that young Americans are far more interested in iPhones than cars. Only one of those two is considered a necessity nowadays, and it’s not the …
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Understanding a New Global Economy
As products roll off the line at Caterpillar’s recently expanded East Peoria, Ill., factory, every one is marked with a flag that designates its final destination. There are a lot of Chinese, Indian and Australian flags. But …
Arthur Laffer’s Anti-Stimulus Curve Ball is a Foul
Economist Arthur Laffer, patron saint of tax cuts, is back, with an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal that he hopes will put the kibosh on future plans for government stimulus. Laffer, who had his heyday back in the Reagan years, …
Time to Do the Math and Switch to a Prepaid Smart Phone?
The number of smart-phone users electing to skip the locked-in two-year contract and instead go with a prepaid plan is on the rise. But considering how much consumers stand to save by switching to prepaid — easily more than …
Going Boss-Free: Utopia or ‘Lord of the Flies’?
The bossless office: Is it the wave of the future or an idea that will always be a utopian dream, given the inevitable intrusion of human nature?
Why You Should Be Shopping for Airline Tickets Soon
Thus far, 2012 has been a year of fliers getting squeezed. Airline fares and fees have both soared, and travelers have had little choice but to pony up more money, downsize luggage and packing lists, or perhaps take the bus. As …
Yes, More Solyndras for Clean Energy
The solar company failed, but the decision to invest in it was the right one