Please don’t change ING Direct. Customers have stuck with the online bank (and put up with the company’s blinding trademark bright orange colors) because setting up an account is easy, the interface and bill-paying features are …
Top 10 Personal Finance Books
In the five years that I’ve written about personal finance, I’ve amassed a huge library of books about money, most of which are very similar to each other. But a handful stand out from the crowd. Last weekend, I thinned my …
Watching a modern Greek tragedy
We all recall from our high school literature classes that the Greeks are especially adept at the art of the tragedy. We can see that expertise playing out in Athens today. The government of Prime Minister George Papandreou is fighting for its life as the nation teeters on the edge of default and descends into violent street protests. He …
How to Snag Free or $1 Summer Beach Reads
If your vacation plans include a little light summer reading, you couldn’t ask for lighter fare this year. Most of us won’t be packing any physical books to go along on our vacations; we’ll just whip out some kind of device and …
What Should I Bid on a House?
Let me revisit a classic home buyer's question ("What should I bid on a property?") with some insights for today's modern, love-to-bargain, Internet data-filled world. It's a re-examination of home buying in a Groupon …
High Potential in Low-Debt Stocks
Companies free from financial problems should enjoy even greater advantages over the next five years.
7 Beer-Related Gifts for Father’s Day
Gadgets, “World’s Greatest Dad” mugs, and homemade cards are nice and all. But on a hot sunny Sunday, on the day dedicated to dads, why not give the frosty Father’s Day gift he truly craves?
Choosing a Medigap Plan
After 23 years of covering — and giving advice about — Medicare, a veteran journalist wades into the system herself. Part three of a 5-part series.
10 Companies That Radically Transformed Their Businesses
IBM turned 100 today, the rare company to thrive a century after it was founded. But in the 1980s and 1990s, many people had written the company off. So IBM pivoted. The company that was synonymous with computer hardware mostly …
Inflation Picks Up: Why Rising Prices are Good for the Economy
Today’s report on inflation is sure to cause some long faces among economy worrywarts. It should instead draw smiles.
It’s a Deal: 50% Off Apparel at Coldwater Creek
Use the coupon code SUNNY50 to get 50% off orders of woman’s apparel and fashion at Coldwater Creek. The code is valid for discounts on orders placed by Sunday, June 19.
Why We’re All Greeks This Week
The economy doesn’t suck as much today as it did yesterday, apparently. How do we know this? Initial claims for unemployment fell by 16,000 to 414,000, according to the Labor Department. That other weak spot, housing, got some good news in that housing starts rose 3.5% and building permits rose 8.7% in May vs. April. (Keep in mind …