Consumerism Commentary

Facebook IPO Approaching: Will You Buy Shares?

A few weeks ago, a Consumerism Commentary reader asked me on Facebook whether it would be a good idea to purchase shares of Facebook at $48 a piece. I do not give… Read more...

More Women Than Men Value Career Success

A new survey by the Pew Research Center shows women have surpassed men in placing value on career advancement. Among 18 to 34-year-olds, 66 percent of women consider… Read more...

The Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards, May 2012

It's time to plan your holiday travel. That may mean cashing in the travel rewards you've accumulated on credit cards -- or it may mean starting to use a travel… Read more...

When Your Friends Become Social Sellers and Multi-Level Marketers

I can't completely fault companies like Amway, Mary Kay, and Lia Sophia. They know that friendship results in two important qualities: trust and guilt. These two… Read more...

The Dangers of Motivating Kids Through an Allowance

Parents who offer their young children an allowance or pocket money are helping to introduce the concept of money at an age when they are susceptible to ideas they… Read more...

Improve Your Finances By Modifying Your Behavior

Improving your financial situation requires more than just trying harder. People who write financial websites offering advice often think or imply that the reason… Read more...

TIAA Direct High-Yield Savings Account

by Flexo

Just when you thought the era of new online banks splashing into the market was over, TIAA-CREF is on the hunt for customers’ deposits. TIAA-CREF Trust Company, FSB was established in 1998, and the bank just began offering deposit accounts in the last month. The products, under the name TIAA Direct, are intended to compete ... Continue reading this article…

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Taxpayers Earned $25 Billion on Treasury’s Mortgage-Backed Securities Bail-Out

by Flexo

At the height of the recession, President George W. Bush and the congress authorized a bail-out of banks and investment companies headed for failure. In a similar plan to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government authorized the Treasury moved forward with the plan to stabilize the financial industry, and to an extent ... Continue reading this article…

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Mets Will Pay $162 Million to Settle Madoff Suit

by Flexo

As a Mets fan, though these days I try not admit being so, it’s bittersweet to see the organization settling its legal troubles relating to Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. On the one hand, if the owners of the Mets were found guilty of ignoring the possibility of fraud, it could have spelled the end of ... Continue reading this article…

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The Dangers of Motivating Kids Through an Allowance

by Flexo

Parents who offer their young children an allowance or pocket money are helping to introduce the concept of money at an age when they are susceptible to ideas they will hold for the remainder of their lives. It’s a good idea to allow kids to gain exposure to to concept and application of income and ... Continue reading this article…

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Podcast 152: LearnVest

by Flexo

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Bryan J Busch talks with Ainslie Simmonds, Chief Marketing Officer of LearnVest. They discuss the free and paid features of LearnVest, how people are using the service and what sets it apart from other methods of financial planning. Consumerism Commentary Podcast LearnVest: S06E21 / 176 Download – RSS – ... Continue reading this article…

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How Do You Preserve Your Money?

by Flexo

Preservation of capital is an important aspect of any financial plan, but in today’s economy, this is impossible without taking on some risk. At one time, you could confidently place any money you might need within one year in a high-yield savings account and be relatively confident that your money could buy at least as ... Continue reading this article…

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Best 0% APR on Balance Transfers Credit Cards, May 2012

by Flexo

Credit card debt is never fun, and developing a plan to get yourself out of the debt can be exhausting. Credit cards commonly charge interest rates of 20 percent or more, and if you miss a few payments the default rate can be even worse. Fortunately, if your credit is still decent, there is a way ... Continue reading this article…

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Are Stock Gains and Losses Real?

by Rob Bennett

This is a guest article by Rob Bennett, a personal finance journalist and author of the blog A Rich Life. Rob developed the Passion Saving approach to money management; Passion Savers save not to finance their old-age retirements but to enjoy more freedom and opportunity in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s. You naturally get ... Continue reading this article…

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Three Banks and One Insurer Fail Fed’s Stress Test

by Flexo

After the recession, the Federal Reserve developed a stress test for banks and financial firms too big too fail. The stress test looks at the financial condition of these corporations and simulates a new recession. Under the simulation, based on a worst-case scenario, not an actual economic forecast, banks pass the test if the companies ... Continue reading this article…

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Barclaycard Ring MasterCard Sets Its Features Through Crowdsourcing

by Flexo

Barclaycard, a credit card issuer that primarily furnishes branded credit cards, like the Best Western Credit Card and the Carnival Credit Card, is experimenting with a new business model with a brand new card called Barclaycard Ring. I have to wonder if the “Ring” in the name of the credit card refers to a circus, ... Continue reading this article…

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