Something pretty incredible is going on in Germany. While the U.S. and much of the rest of the developed world is suffering not only with high unemployment, but also stubborn unemployment, Germany has been heading in the exact opposite direction. Defying the odds, Germany’s unemployment rate has been declining during the Great …
The $200, 24-Square-Foot House
Welcome to the world of redneck, super-cheap, wonderfully bizarre, environmentally-friendly home design.
Cheapskate Wisdom … About the Unassuming Millionaires in Your Neighborhood
“These people are not into status, they are not into designer brands.”
10 Angry and Entertaining Consumer Rants
Got rage? Sometimes, going off on a rant—or just reading one—makes you feel a little better. So read. Enjoy. Laugh. Maybe get a little worked up. Or just be happy you’re not the only angry consumer out there. Then breathe and get on with your life.
It’s a Deal: 40% Off at Modell’s
Use the coupon code MOD40ASI223P to get 40% any single item purchased at sporting goods specialist Modells.com. Orders must be placed by February 24, and some exclusions apply. Free shipping for orders over $49 too.
Will $100 Oil Kill the Recovery?
Oil climb has traders and others saying oh-no (Photo: Reuters/Brendan McDermid)
Here’s something you never hear: Oil caused the financial crisis. Back when the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission started a year and a half ago, they had 22 things they were looking into. Oil didn’t even make the list. And why not? On the surface it’s …
What to Do with All the Foreclosed Country Clubs?
How’s this for a sign of the times: Clubs with 18-hole golf courses in overdeveloped central Florida are on the market for under $1 million.
America Saves Week Factoid: There’s $15 Billion in Your Couches
I just learned three things: 1) There’s something called America Saves Week. 2) We’re in the middle of America Saves Week (February 20-27, 2011). 3) According to the America Saves Week website (and the U.S. Treasury), Americans collectively have $15 billion in loose change hanging around their homes, cars, nightstands, purses, pants …
It’s a Deal: 50% Off Everything at Jos. A. Bank
Through Wednesday, February 23 only, men’s apparel retailer Jos. A. Bank is discounting nearly all merchandise by 50%. Shoes and gift cards are excluded.
Why Buying Toothpaste Is Nearly as Painful as a Trip to the Dentist
Retailers sell 353 types and sizes of toothpaste. In 2010, 69 new kinds of toothpaste were introduced to consumers. Both of these figures actually represent a decrease from previous years, when more than 400 varieties of toothpaste lined store shelves and over 100 new products came out annually. And guess what? Dentists say it pretty …
Does better productivity kill jobs?
The word “productivity” has become a dirty one to many Americans. There is a perception that the more productivity goes up, the more jobs are lost. That’s not entirely wrong. Productivity is defined as the amount of output produced per input used – by inputs, we mean labor, equipment, etc. One way to get productivity growing is …
Did Realtors Inflate Home Sales by 1.6 million in 2010?
This house may have never sold (Photo: Jeff Haynes/REUTERS)
Note: This is a guest post written by TIME reporter Josh Sanburn.
UPDATE (11:00AM, February 23): The National Association of Realtors said that existing home sales rose 2.7% in January from December, and were up 5.3% from a year ago. It was the first time in seven …