The rules that credit-card companies have to live by changed dramatically with the enactment of new regulations last month. Now, some of the rules for consumers striving to maintain good credit are changing, too. For the most part, card holders would still do well to pay on time, keep their balances low and refrain from […]
Category Archives: Finance
You Can Save the Smart Way
The annual “America Saves Week,” an event organized by more than a hundred organizations to encourage consumers to sock money away, wrapped up at the end of February. It’s not having a huge effect, at least according to the latest numbers — the January personal savings rate fell to 3.3 percent from 4.2 percent in […]
It Pays To Throw A Tea Party
Whatever ultimate political effect that Tea Party conservatism has on the country, one thing is increasingly clear: Being a high-profile leader of the small-government movement is very big business. The movement’s popular appeal stems from grass-roots outrage over the bailout of America’s financial system, the expanded role of government, and the growing deficits. But the […]
Things Your Mechanic Won’t Tell You
1. “You might be in the wrong garage.†There are many choices as to where consumers can take their car when it’s in need of maintenance or repair. Those include going to the car dealer, a department or chain-store franchise, or an independent mechanic at a service station. Where you should go depends on what […]
How to Get a Raise
6 personality traits that will impress your boss and increase your salary! You work hard–meeting deadlines, delivering results, and showing up on time. But each year you’ve been getting a raise in the measly 2 percent range (if that). Meanwhile, certain coworkers stroll out of their review meetings with big smiles on their faces. Why […]
McDonald’s sales take hit from US joblessness
McDonald’s US sales decline deepens as joblessness, competition catch up to burger chain CHICAGO (AP) — The supersized recession that was a boon for business last year caught up further with McDonald’s Corp. in November, as high unemployment ate into sales. While the world’s largest burger chain is still faring better than its competitors, who’ve […]
Can a Magnet Really Make Your Credit Card Not Work?
Will your credit card become unreadable if it’s exposed to magnets? In a previous story, we said yes, but many of you begged to differ. Seeing that, we took the challenge of clearing things up once and for all. The result: With the help of a junkyard magnet, a garden–variety refrigerator magnet and a professor […]
‘World’s most desirable’ gem hits auction
‘Desirable’ 38M dlr pink diamond up for auction Auctioneers Sotheby’s said Monday that a rare pink diamond valued at up to 38 million dollars (28 million euros) would go on sale in Geneva next month, dubbing it one of the “world’s most desirable stones.” The 24.78 carat Fancy Intense Pink Diamond mounted on a ring […]