Google may have finally mastered the ways of Washington.
Chairman Eric Schmidt is due to testify today at a hearing before the U.S. Senate on whether the Mountain View., Calif.-based company is abusing its market dominance in …
12 Craziest Counterfeits — and How to Spot a Fake
Everyone knows you can get a fake Rolex or a bogus “designer” handbag, but the world of counterfeit goods is much wider — and much weirder — than shoddy knock-offs of luxury goods. In times of financial distress, it may be …
Should You Switch to a 15-Year Mortgage?
As 30-year fixed mortgage rates have hit historical lows, there’s been one less-publicized corollary: 15-year fixed rates are low, too.
Dog’s Life: Owners Don’t Cut Pet Spending During Tough Times
During a worrisome, unsteady, and just plain bad economic climate, consumers change their behavior—typically by trying to spend less and save more. But when it comes to one sector of consumer spending, scaling back is more the …
Obama Tax Plan: Would Buffett Rule Kill Jobs?
There’s been a lot of rhetoric since Obama announced on Monday a plan to cut the debt by $3.1 trillion over the next decade, a good portion of which would come from raising taxes on the wealthly. The President’s speech itself contained a good bit of hyperbole. The President said that America’s millionaires pay a lower tax rate than …
Work from Home? You Must Be a Slacker
The concept of working from home took a beating during the Great Recession, raising questions about companies’ ability to make the most of the wired world. The setback also throws a bit of cold water on the hopes of mature …
5 Ways to Prepare for a Double Dip
We’ve been hearing a lot about a double-dip recession lately, and for good reason. So is anyone doing anything to prepare? Here's how to start.
Qwikster Split: The Real Reason Netflix Broke in Two
It’s not hard to understand why Netflix decided to change its subscription plans over the summer, breaking apart the popular DVD-and-streaming combo into two services paid for separately by members. Streaming content via the web …
Will Post Office Cuts Cost You Credit Card Late Fees?
The cash-strapped United States Postal Service has proposed a number of cost-cutting moves in the face of a $9 billion deficit. Two big ideas suggested by Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe are eliminating Saturday mail delivery and closing 252 mail processing facilities, which would lead to first-class mail taking longer to reach its …
Why Many Banks Don’t Want Your Money
It’s been well-documented that consumer spending is down. Some consumers are spending less, quite simply, because they’re among the many members of the middle-class who suddenly find themselves with less money to spend. Others …
Daily Deal Disappearing Act: One-Third of Deal Sites Sold or Closed This Year
As the daily deal craze took off over the past two years, hundreds of upstart flash deal sites jumped into the marketplace to try to get a piece of the action dominated by Groupon and LivingSocial. Almost from the start, though, …
Online Eyeglass Company Offers Much-Needed Alternative
Consumers spend a lot of time worrying — or at least complaining — about those prices that seem to keep climbing ever-higher: gasoline, health insurance, college tuition. So it’s a pleasure to stumble, every once in a …