Consumerism Commentary

Can Tipping Change a Waiter’s Behavior?

A friend of mine once lamented publicly: "When did the standard restaurant tip change from 15 percent to 20?" Sure, I remember paying typically 15 percent for a… Read more...

Working From Home: A Benefit or a Distraction?

Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo, is looking to improve her company's performance. In a memo from the company's human resources department to all employees, Mayer… Read more...

The Wrong Reason To Become An Entrepreneur

I don't have the statistics pertaining to this, but I have a strong impression that many people dream about starting their own business, and many who do have this… Read more...

Credit Card Checkout Fees Are Here

I'm currently in California, visiting my mother, who as I mentioned in a previous article is in the hospital. While articles this week will likely be slow on Consumerism… Read more...

A New #Cut4Bieber: Justin Bieber’s Prepaid Debit Card

There's apparently a celebrity of some sort called Justin Bieber. I don't know much about him, but I might have heard a song of his one time. He might have been… Read more...

Plan for the Payroll Tax Cut Expiring in 2013

Missing from discussions about the so-called fiscal cliff is the option to continue the payroll tax cut. To boost the economy, President Obama and Congress introduced… Read more...

Should You and Your Spouse Combine Money?

by Luke Landes

In American society in the past, when it was more common for a family to have one income, that income might have covered the family’s expenses that correspond to the expenses that two incomes pay for now. That family, if typical, often consisted of a father, a mother, and two children. The one income was ... Continue reading this article…

28 comments Read the full article →

Start the Decade Off Right

by Luke Landes

It’s a new decade. These are the tens, and this could well be the best decade of my life. How about you? Whether you’re reading this in 2010, 2020, or some other year, it’s time to make some conscious changes to your finances to move your life forward. Time won’t stop to wait for you, ... Continue reading this article…

0 comments Read the full article →

How to Pay a Tax Bill You Can’t Afford

by Luke Landes

It’s a good thing I’ve been saving a good portion of my income for the past year. Even with making estimated tax payments — the last of which is due on January 18 — I’ll have a significant tax bill this year thanks to increased income. Many taxpayers may not look forward to filing their ... Continue reading this article…

16 comments Read the full article →

The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)

by Luke Landes

When Congress and the President extended the Bush-era tax cuts, taxpayers subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) received a break. As Leigh Mutert, CPA discussed in our recent podcast interview, this is something middle class taxpayers need to know about now, because it effects the 2010 income returns that are being filed from now ... Continue reading this article…

6 comments Read the full article →

50 Cent Plugs Stock to 3.8 Million Followers on Twitter, Stock Soars

by Luke Landes

Here’s a fun experiment. You don’t need many materials, just a little bit of work. Here are the steps: Create a huge following on Twitter. Put your money into a little-known stock with low trading value. Write several messages on Twitter to almost 4 million followers about how good the investment is. Watch the valuation ... Continue reading this article…

17 comments Read the full article →

Why You Should Care About Your Wallet and Your Waistline

by Philip Taylor

This is a guest article by Philip Taylor, the owner of the blog PT Money. Philip created PT Money to share his own experiences with successfully managing his money. It’s no secret that our money and our health are connected. More people want to excel with these two things for their lives more than any ... Continue reading this article…

19 comments Read the full article →

Podcast 90: Getting More, Stuart Diamond

by Luke Landes

On today’s episode of the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Tom Dziubek speaks with Stuart Diamond, Wharton Professor, Pulitzer Prize-winning former journalist and author of the book Getting More: How to Negotiate to Achieve Your Goals in the Real World. Stuart and Tom discuss many topics including Stuart’s negotiation background, how to negotiate successfully with others as ... Continue reading this article…

4 comments Read the full article →

Wachovia to Wells Fargo Transition

by Luke Landes

In addition to my bevvy of online savings accounts, I have standard, twentieth-century brick-and-mortar banking accounts, though only at two banks. I opened an account at TD Bank (formerly Commerce Bank) several years ago — because everyone loves being able to visit the branch on a Sunday. My primary branch accounts for personal and business ... Continue reading this article…

13 comments Read the full article →

How to Buy Facebook Shares Now

by Luke Landes

Update: As of May 2012, Facebook is trading publicly. You can purchase Facebook shares like any other stock trading on NASDAQ, using a discount brokerage or a full-service broker. I mentioned recently that although Goldman Sachs appears to be trying to come up with a plan to skirt the regulations set forth by the Securities ... Continue reading this article…

26 comments Read the full article →