Talk about being on the hot seat. The economic fate of Europe and the future course of the euro crisis could very well rest in the hands of Spain’s Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Why is that? Financial markets are already assuming that Portugal will be the third member of the infamous PIIGS to fall into a European …
Number of Problem Banks in America Nears 1,000
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The financial crisis seems to be far from over for the nation’s smaller banks.
Two and a half years after the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, the number of banks that are still facing serious financial problems continues to rise, and is now nearing the four digits. According to Calculated Risk, the number of banks in …
Cheapskate Wisdom … About the Downside of Having Too Much Money
“Money is like fire: it will warm your feet or it will burn your socks off.”
It’s a Deal: 50% Off Everything at Jos. A. Bank
During a short-lived site-wide sale at Jos. A. Bank, nearly all of the menswear retailer’s merchandise is marked down by 50% off the original retail price. Shoes and gift cards are excluded, and sale prices are in effect through Tuesday, March 29.
All New Packaging! Less Food! Same Price! What a Deal!
It would be one thing if food companies acknowledged that due to rising costs, products had to be shrunk to avoid price increases. But the latest marketing gimmickry barely acknowledges shrinking products at all—and instead calls attention to the idea that smaller packages and less food is better for the environment and healthier for …
What Buyback Gadget Programs Are Really All About
Services like Best Buy’s Buy Back program are presented as consumer safeguards. A customer who buys a new TV, cell phone, or other electronic gadget can be assured that the retailer will buy back the item if it’s brought back into the store within a certain window of time. This might sound great, but the way these programs work, the net …
Cheapskate Wisdom … About Using Groupons on Dates
“Comfort and fun are key — saving money definitely helps … Plus, free food tastes better than un-free food!”
Is Inflation Causing Americans to Stop Spending?
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Perhaps frugality is back.
The American consumer, after seemingly brushing off the Great Recession far faster than expected, seems to be headed back into retreat. And it appears this time not to be the job market that is doing it or the state of the economy, but inflation. So will inflation cause Americans to finally …
It’s a Deal: Up to 60% Off at Eddie Bauer
During Eddie Bauer’s Spring Sale, dozens of items are marked down by as much as 60%. Select sweaters, for instance, that retail for $49.50 are available for $19.99. Use the coupon code FRSHIP to get free standard shipping as well.
How to Buy a $75 Bottle of Wine for $25: Just Remove the Label
In the recession era, the fastest-growing segment of the wine industry is in the $9-$12 range. High-end wineries, on the other hand, have found it nearly impossible to sell bottles for their $50 or $75 retail price. Consumers just aren’t splurging on wine the way they used to. Rather than mark down their merchandise and do permanent …
Europe’s other “Germany problem”
A few weeks ago, I wrote a story for TIME magazine about Germany’s role in Europe, and how its strong competitiveness was creating imbalances within the euro zone that were at the heart of the current European debt crisis. The solution to that “Germany problem” wasn’t easy – tough reforms in both Germany and its weaker …
How to Erase $70K in Debt and Save $1 Million
You can accomplish both through the same simple formula.