Dollar stores were the stars of the recession – and recovery. During the depths of the financial crisis, customers flocked to these super-discount retailers, as they “traded down” from even cheaper outlets like Wal-Mart in order to save some sparse cash. When the economy bounced back, analysts worried that more confident consumers …
Why We Know Our Toilet Paper Better Than Our Banks
Bad news for banks: A survey conducted by marketing research firm Brand Keys found that consumers make no differentiation — none — between bank brands. “They’re still among a group of brands where there is zero …
Need Some Investing Advice? Ask Your Congressperson
The average returns for members of the U.S. House of Representatives outperform the market by 6 percentage points. And Senators? They do even better.
Front Yard Garden Controversy Revelation: Lawns Are Useless
The fact that so many people are up in arms about a Michigan woman facing jail time for planting a garden in her front yard is an obvious indictment of meddling local code officials gone off the deep end. The case also serves as …
Working More, But For Less Pay?
Higher unemployment isn’t the only thing putting the American dream at risk.
Americans live by the idea that each generation can do better than the last and that, for those who have a job, working hard leads to more success. But that’s not panning out, according to a new paper by the Brookings Institution. Since 1975, two-parent …
Odd Consumer Behavior Files: When Stuff Is Free, We’re More Likely to Buy
Slurpees are free today at 7-Eleven. And, oddly enough, if consumers act like they have on previous Free Slurpee Days, the number of customers paying for Slurpees will soar today.
It’s a Deal: Free Slurpees Today at 7-Eleven
In honor of July 11 (i.e., 7/11), all 7-Eleven stores are hosting Free Slurpee Day, in which each customer receives a free 11 oz. Slurpee. Approximately five million free Slurpees are expected to cool off customers today.
Ugh! Back-to-School Shopping Started Already. Double Ugh! So Has Christmas Shopping
You’ve barely gotten used to the kids being off from school, and you probably haven’t even taken a summer vacation yet. So the fact that back-to-school shopping season has begun may seem annoying. And the idea that stores are …
How Much Do Your Choices Cost You?
To save money recently, I’ve been walking and biking for short trips in my neighborhood instead of driving. Suddenly I have a lot more time to think. And because I make my living by writing about personal finance, it turns out I …
What Would a U.S. Government Default Feel Like For the Average American?
A compromise between the budget proposals being batted around by President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner will, hopefully, be reached before the federal government defaults on any debt.
But what if the August 2 deadline to …
Why Real Estate May Be The Buying Opportunity of the Decade
There’s a convincing argument that real estate is today’s best long-term buy.
Why Dodd-Frank Hasn’t Fixed CEO Pay
Back when the financial crisis hit, there were few things more irritating to Americans than seeing huge bonuses go to the top dogs at big corporations. Two years later, and apparently nobody cares.
98.5% of companies that put their executive pay plans up for a vote by shareholders have received a resounding ‘a-ok’, the Wall Street …