Why? Mostly because you know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay for the services of a check-cashing company, and there’s no chance of being on the hook for fees after the transaction is done. A bank account is more complicated, requiring the customer to maintain a certain balance—or at least something more than a negative …
Escaping the middle-income trap
I returned a few days ago from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, where the talk of the town – well, at least among economists — is the “middle-income trap.” What’s that, you ask? A developing nation gets “trapped” when it reaches a certain, relatively comfortable level of income but can’t seem to take that next big …
Credit Card Study: Key Info Is Hidden in Fine Print or Not Disclosed at All
When applying for a credit card, the only way to truly get a handle on balance transfer and annual fees, introductory and regular APRs, and the ins and outs of reward programs is to wade through pages of fine print—and even then, it’s sometimes impossible to figure out what to expect.
Hint Water: Out to Conquer Vitaminwater — and Obesity Too
What’s selling briskly at Starbucks and Whole Foods, makes cameo appearances on ‘Boston Legal’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, and is a hit on Google’s campus? Hint: It’s tasty water, without all the calories
Less Stuff Equals More Happiness
“The things we are trained to think make us happy, like having a new car every couple of years and buying the latest fashions, don’t make us happy.”
It’s a Deal: Free Kids’ Dinners at IHOP
Through the end of August, you’ll receive one free kids’ meal with each paid adult entrée at IHOP. The offer is valid from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and the freebie is good for kids ages 12 and under. More details here.
6 Curious Displays of How the Struggling Economy Is Hitting the Middle Class
The impact of the Great Recession and its long-languishing fallout can be seen, among other places, in doctor’s offices, coffee shops, yard sales, and Nascar race tracks.
Is economics ideological by nature?
It’s easy to rag on economics as not being a “real” science, and I try not to do things that are too easy. But in recent weeks I’ve really started to wonder. It is fascinating, and frightening, to me that smart economists can disagree about whether what the economy needs right now is more government spending or less. The debate isn’t …
Cable TV Exec: Smaller, Cheaper Bundled TV Packages Are a ‘Good Idea’
Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt says it is a “good idea” for pay TV providers to begin selling smaller, less expensive TV bundles, instead of constantly pushing bigger packages with dozens or even hundreds of channels customers don’t watch and don’t want to pay for.
Shout Out: ‘The Story of Bottled Water’
Wondering what the “story” is here? Well, the subtitle of this video, created by the same folks who brought us The Story of Stuff, is: “How ‘Manufactured Demand’ Pushes What We Don’t Need and Destroys What We Need Most.”
It’s a Deal: $15 Off $50 Purchase at Foot Locker
Use the coupon code EMFLTF36 (thanks dealnews) to get a $15 discount on purchases of $50 or more, or use code EMFLTF55 to get $30 off purchases of $100 or more, at Foot Locker. The codes are valid through September 12.
Could a New Stimulus Plan really be a “Slam Dunk”?
Want to stimulate the economy and lower the foreclosure rate without adding a dime to the federal deficit. Not possible you say. Not so, says Morgan Stanley. Economists at the Wall Street firm are promoting what they are calling the Slam Dunk Stimulus plan, which they say could add $46 billion a year to the economy. The plan is getting …