Consumer spending accounts for 70% of all economic activity in the U.S. So in order for the economy to fully recover, consumers need to be willing to part with their cash frequently and in large quantities. The problem is that …
Financial Infidelity: A Quarter of Americans Willing to Hide Money Troubles from Their Spouse
It’s cheating, but a different kind. According to a new survey, 1 in 4 married people in the U.S. would not tell their spouse if they were experiencing financial difficulties. Some didn’t want to worry their partner, while …
Is Obama anti-business?
Mort Zuckerman repeated a charge in the Financial Times this week that President Barack Obama is “anti-business” and that is why the U.S. recovery remains anemic and corporate America isn’t hiring. Here’s a bit of what the editor of U.S. News & World Report had to say:
The fear is that a double-dip, or worse, is now upon us.
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Stocks Fall as the Fed Launches Operation Twist
The twist is on. On Monday, Ben Bernanke launched his latest effort to boost the economy. The stock market, for one, seems skeptical it will work.
The plan, which has been dubbed Operation Twist, is for the Fed to cash out of $400 billion worth of its short-term bonds and replace them with long-term debt. The first move came Monday …
They’re Just Not Making Retirement Like They Used To
As many Baby Boomers approach traditional retirement age, they’ve had plenty of time to watch their parents’ generation enjoy the golden years in style—with ample travel and leisure and a minimum of financial worries. Many …
Best Library Freebie Ever? Loaner iPads Available
Think your local public library is hot stuff because it’s loaded with DVDs, e-books, and audio books? Some libraries not only loan out these items—oh yeah, regular old print books, too—but laptops, digital cameras, MP3 …
What’s Next for Daily Deals: Rewards Programs and (Perhaps?) Branded Credit Cards
The daily deal market led by Groupon and LivingSocial has undeniably gotten popular over the past few years. Some 23 million consumers bought daily deal vouchers last year, and hundreds of startups have tried to get a piece of …
The Right Way to Cancel a Credit Card
When I was younger, I carried more than $20,000 in credit card debt, and it took a long time to recover. While credit cards aren’t evil, they can be very dangerous.
Entering the World of an Extreme Couponer
Bank of America Backlash: Consumers React to Debit Card Fee
Barely 72 hours later, it seems that Bank of America’s decision to charge customers $5 a month to use their debit cards is rapidly becoming a New Coke-level blunder. Consumers have taken to the blogosphere in droves to vent their …
Why Americans Should Care About The EU’s Proposed Financial Services Tax
The European Union‘s proposed $78 billion a year financial transaction tax will take a bite out of the portfolios of American investors, according to the Financial Services Roundtable, a leading U.S. lobbying organization.
Why Does a ‘Free’ Flight Cost $527?
That’s the question an irate traveler posed to the New York Times’ “Haggler” column regarding a credit card promotion run by British Airways. Currently, BA is running a promotion for its branded Visa card of 50,000 bonus miles if the cardholder charges $3,500 within the first 90 days after being approved for the card. The promotional …