The stumbling economic recovery has led many of us to rein in our expenses, even on necessities like diapers. But there are a few lucky sectors that benefit from a weak economy — things that let us escape, give us momentary …
Why We Can’t Spend Our Way Back To Normal
Every month, one of the most anxiously anticipated pieces of economic information is the Commerce Department’s spending data. Are people in the malls? How deep are discounts? Spending is cheered; frugality causes concern. In the …
What the Profit Tumble at the Big Banks Means for the Economy
When Goldman Sachs can’t make money you know times are tough in the banking business. In mid-September I wrote a feature story for TIME magazine about how our nation’s banks, despite the bailout, were far from fixed, and how that …
Are Mandatory Tips at Restaurants Legal?
Last week, news outlets went crazy after a small Bay Area paper reported that servers in San Francisco were demanding a mandatory 25% gratuity on every check. Far from being an organized movement, the sources turned out to be a …
What the Profit Tumble at the Big Banks Means for the Economy
When Goldman Sachs can’t make money you know times are tough in the banking business. In mid-September I wrote a feature story for TIME magazine about how our nation’s banks, despite the bailout, were far from fixed, and how that was dragging down the economy. This week’s earnings reports from the big banks are new evidence of how true …
Is There Any Point Begging Banks to Drop Debit Card Fees?
In the aftermath of Bank of America’s new $5 monthly debit card fee, politicians, consumer groups, and plain old angry consumers have denounced such fees as unfair and arbitrary, and pleaded with BofA and other financial …
Radon Awareness Week: Protecting Your Home From A Silent Killer
In case you didn’t know, it’s Radon Awareness Week — which is no World Environment Day, true, but it’s gaining ground.
In honor of this momentous quasi-occasion, here’s a primer on the dangers of exposure to radon and how to protect yourself and your family.
One More Reason It Pays To Switch Banks
Recent media focus concerning the price of brand loyalty—sparked in part by Bank of America’s decision to start charging fees for debit card users—recalls some interesting research from a few years back that suggests there’s …
What’d Happen If Jay-Z and Warren Buffett Were in a Cartoon Together?
And they teamed up to teach kids lessons about making money? This may sound like the makings of a hazy conversation in some dorm room during the wee hours of the night. But this is actually happening. Come to think of it, the …
Is Occupy Wall Street Too White?
The Occupy Wall Street movement that has spread beyond New York’s financial district to cities all over the country and even beyond the U.S. has one glaring shortcoming, according to some activists: It’s too white.
4-Cylinder Revolution: Lots More Fuel-Efficient Cars With Tiny Engines Being Sold
Could it be that America’s fascination with gas-guzzling SUVs, muscle cars, and V8-powered sedans is really on the way out? Today, nearly half of all new cars sold are equipped with 4-cylinder engines.
Scariest Student Loan Debt Numbers Ever: $100 Billion, $1 Trillion
For the first time ever, the total amount of student loans taken out last year in the U.S. topped $100 billion. And sometime this year, it’s expected that outstanding student loan debt will hit $1 trillion—also for the first time ever.