I tell you: It just doesn’t pay to be human anymore. Big or small. I’m well aware of how being fat costs money. But there are now rumblings on the possibility of the following: If an individual, or family, can reasonably afford health insurance, but does not get it, they face the possibility of being … Read more
Five Cent Nickel published a post that discussed what things to consider when you have both debt to pay and money in the bank. The main problem is that the difference in what the bank pays in interest is far below what one would pay on a typical credit card balance. Holding on to a … Read more
Businesses need to do everything in their power to weather this downturn. It should be a great time for customers to get great deals because of this: they need to keep the cash flowing in. Customers should expect deals, and they should be treated with respect, because customers can go to a competitor. Some businesses … Read more
There is a silver lining to the recession: gas is about half as expensive as it was just a year ago. (It’s just north of $2 per gallon around here.) It didn’t seem to get high enough for people to change their driving habits drastically — people were still sitting in the parking lot idling … Read more
Nothing like a few hundred billion dollars in handouts from Uncle Sam to get people’s confidence up about asking for money themselves. The Treasury announced $5 billion in loans for beaten-down auto parts makers. This cash comes from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). General Motors and Chrysler have opted to contribute support to this … Read more
I have a lot of respect for this guy. He’s probably not getting paid that much. He’s working a job that just about anyone can do, but most of us wouldn’t want to do. If it’s like the guys doing the same thing in Fredericksburg, he’s cold, and he’s breathing exhaust fumes. (This picture was … Read more
A jumbo-jet-sized $787 billion stimulus package was signed into law on Tuesday in the US by President Obama. Since it’s tax season here are some of the tax-related implications of the stimulus package: A tax credit of $400 per worker or $800 per couple, coming over the next two years, either through decreased withholding or … Read more
Not a single thing. The thought that a fully-employed person should feel bad for taking another job for additional income is absolutely preposterous. This discussion over at Get Rich Slowly was prompted by this question from one of his readers: As someone who is still fortunate to be employed, is it morally or ethically wrong … Read more