I wish I had better news for you. In prior years, Fall marked a time when prices trended downward because people were finished with their summer travel and staying closer to home, but speculation in oil futures is driving the price of gas up every day. The outlook for a significant price decline this fall […]
Hey, I’m like everyone else—I like free, which is why rewards programs are everywhere now. You get rewards for buying coffee and clothing and credit card use…Why does every company have a rewards program? It’s not because they’re being nice and rewarding loyal customers; it’s because companies know that consumers love the idea of getting […]
The start of a new school year is an exciting (and sometimes terrifying) time for kids, but for parents it means shopping, organizing and all the stress you can shake a stick at. This year, according to the National Retail federation’s 2012 Back-To-School spending survey, the average person with children in grades K through 12 […]
Travelers are in luck, because there’s a sea-change afoot working in their favor. The digital age has ushered in a new mentality of collaborative consumption which hinges on the idea that you don’t have to own to have access to a lovely home or a great car. One popular website, airbnb.com, is capitalizing on the […]
That’s the $500 billion question. Indeed, that’s roughly the value of Apple on the stock market. First, let’s be clear: Apple is an amazing company. No company has been able to create a voracious desire for gadgets—and then fill that desire—the way Apple has. It is also a money-making machine. Apple has $117.2 billion in […]
As the saying goes, not so fast! Last week I talked about how many employers match your contributions to a 401(k) plan—often dollar for dollar or 50 cents on the dollar. This is free money. But it’s not the most important part of a 401(k)—it’s the dessert not the main course. Like I said last […]
Today’s questions were submitted by Text Tom Club members in response to last week’s topic, tax filing and dependents. — Can two parents claim the same child for six months each? The key question here is: How many taxpayers can claim a given dependent child? The answer is: one. So a married couple can claim […]
I’d like to make sure that my daughter doesn’t accumulate the same amount debt from attending college when she gets older that many people in my family have. Should I be investing in a 529 on her behalf? Erika – Chicago, Illinois In layman’s terms, 529 plans are simply investment accounts where your money can […]
I just read about the new REACH Visa Prepaid Card that was launched this week. I’ve read a lot about the pros and cons of prepaid cards in the news and wanted to know what Mellody thinks about them. – TRUDY, Houston, TX There has been a lot of recent press surrounding prepaid cards. When […]
The number of natural disasters this year got me thinking about what I should do to be prepared. What are some of the things I need to do financially? BILLY, Knoxville, TN Billy is asking a timely question as we observe the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 and move forward after Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee […]
I understand that the most recent Ariel / Aon Hewitt Study, focusing on savings disparities across racial and ethnic groups, was recently released. Your earlier study of two years ago found really significant differences in retirement savings rates and highlighted that those rates for African-Americans are especially low. Have we as a group, in these […]
