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...

Live Well But Spend Less

by Luke Landes

Donna Dratch reminds us to pay more attention to the way we spend and save. More importantly, the author reminds me to start getting back on track. It’s been a crazy summer of dating, going to shows, and just spending more money than I should have. I even “upped” the available minutes on my cell ... Continue reading this article…

2 comments Read the full article →

Where You Stand

by Luke Landes

As this article from CNN/Money points out, you can’t plan your trip without knowing where you are at the moment. That relates to your financial plan, as well. Every once in a while, take a look and estimate your net worth. That will help you figure out what you need to do to get to ... Continue reading this article…

Read the full article →

Collect on Interest

by Luke Landes

The Federal Reserve (“the Fed”) raised interest rates yesterday. That usually means that banks follow suit, raising interest rates in the loans they offer and some investment products, like CDs. I’m going to use this opportunity to change some of my cash investments into CDs at ING Direct. This bank already raised its interest rates ... Continue reading this article…

Read the full article →

Active Trading?

by Luke Landes

I added a link in my sidebar to an Exceptional Blog called The Kirk Report. The author, Charles Kirk, appears to be an accomplished investor. For the last few years, the amount of time I’ve spent thinking about wealth expansion and making a comfortable living, I’ve been following the theory of passive investing, that is ... Continue reading this article…

Read the full article →

Unimaginable Material Wealth and Worshipping the Idle

by Luke Landes

Here is an article that discusses American materialism. The comments that follow the article are just as interesting. If guilt and materialism are two sides of a single very American coin, it’s a coin that has achieved new currency in recent years, as hand-wringing and McMansions vie for our souls like the angels and devils ... Continue reading this article…

2 comments Read the full article →

New Nickel

by Luke Landes

As reported here last November, 2004 would see two new nickel designs. The second of these designs has just been released into circulation.

Read the full article →

Danger Likely Ahead

by Luke Landes

I could count on five pairs of hands the people who have told me that there is no way to lose when it comes to investing in real estate. The most emphatic are those individuals who for whatever reason have had very little formal education, and yet some bright people also tend to think this ... Continue reading this article…

2 comments Read the full article →

Financial Update – July

by Luke Landes

I’ve been through many changes in the past few months. As you might have read below, I stopped working at my former corporate job and began working as a high school teacher, hence the pause in my 401(k) increases. During the summer, I am working part time at my old job and considering whether I ... Continue reading this article…

2 comments Read the full article →

Lack of Updates

by Luke Landes

Yes, it certainly has been a while since I’ve updated here. Since my last posting, I switched careers, albeit only for a few months. I started working as a teacher, which necessitated the purchase of a car. Over the summer, I’ve been working at the job I had prior to teaching, but only part-time. In ... Continue reading this article…

Read the full article →

Financial Update – February

by Luke Landes

Now it’s what you’ve all been waiting for. Here is my financial update for the month. I’ve been a bad spender, and I’m waiting for a tuition reimbursement check as well as my tax refund, a bonus, and a raise. Let’s see how we did. Remember, the credit card gets paid off every month. I ... Continue reading this article…

Read the full article →