The parents of the Virgin Group’s Sir Richard Branson think it’s a good idea to abandon your son around age 5 on some random hillside and have the boy figure out how to get home on his own. “I didn’t want him to be a namby-pamby little boy like all the other little boys,” explains Branson’s mum, Eve.
166 Money Tips, Special William and Kate Royal Wedding Edition
Joining in the royal wedding frenzy, and arguably slightly more tasteful than souvenirs like Crown Jewels condoms, here’s this week’s roundup of consumer and personal finance tips—including some money-saving advice to take away from William and Kate’s nuptials.
Cheapskate Wisdom … About Products Bearing the ‘Trump’ Brand
“If you were the purest of a luxury consumer, you wouldn’t touch this stuff with a ten foot pole.”
Why You Might Not Want to Ask ‘Who Am I?’
Introspection, self-knowledge, and self-discovery are generally considered good for oneself. On the consumer level, you’d figure that the better you know yourself, the better you’re able to select the products and services that’ll make you happy and be most worthy of paying for. Indeed, a new research paper states that “self-knowledge …
Has the Recovery Stalled?
Is the recovery over? This morning’s report of GDP makes it seem that way.
The government’s gross domestic product report for the first quarter of 2011, which was released Thursday morning, showed that nearly every sector of the economy slowed in the first three months of the year. The report was weaker than most economists expected. …
111 Pages of Disclosures for the Typical Checking Account?!?
According to a new study, checking accounts at the nation’s ten largest banks come with a median length of 111 pages of disclosure documents. Getting to the bottom of all of your account’s requirements, fee schedules, addendums, and other terms and conditions is like reading a short novel—a horrendously boring, annoyingly legalistic, …
It’s a Deal: Flights for Just $9 on JetBlue
To kick off a new route between Boston and Newark, N.J., JetBlue is selling tickets for just $9 each way, today only. Tickets must be purchased by Thursday, April 28, and travel is valid on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays between May 4 and June 15.
In Bernanke We Trust?
Yesterday, Ben Bernanke departed from the silent, opaque tradition of the Federal Reserve and held a press conference. The event attracted considerable attention, for its novelty as much as for its substance. But those hoping that Bernanke would do his best imitation of Willy Wonka and reveal hidden facets of humor, complexity and …
Survey Stat I Don’t Believe: About Half of Daily Deals Are for ‘Needs,’ and Half Are ‘Wants’
In a recent survey, people said that 49% of the items purchased through daily deal coupons were “needs,” while 48% were “wants.” But come on, who are people kidding?
Cheapskate Wisdom … from British Publishing Tycoon Felix Dennis
“Air travel on any class but economy is preposterous. Leaving lights, printers, computers, copiers and the like on ‘stand-by’ overnight is plain stupid.”
It’s a Deal: $25 Credit for Apps When Buying Android Devices
Now through May 1, if you purchase an Android phone or tablet from Amazon Wireless, you’ll receive a $25 credit for apps at Amazon’s Appstore.
A Bank Heist, Committed by the Banks
Bank customers don’t like fees. Early on during the debate over reforming debit card overdraft programs—in which a customer was charged $30 or $35 for swiping a card that lacked enough funds to cover the bill—a survey was conducted to see how many people would prefer that such a transaction would be declined, so long as no fee was …