Swipe Card Reform: Are Consumers Saving Money?
Comstock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — As the one-year anniversary of credit and debit card swipe fee reform approaches, a debate about whether shoppers are saving at the register as a result rages on.The National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates that U.S. …
Cut Down on College Costs by Applying for Scholarships Early
JupiterImages/Comstock Images(NEW YORK) — The cost of college can be extremely expensive, but there are many scholarships and grants that can lower the price by thousands of dollars.So what’s the quickest way to start your search for them? Go on…
States with Highest and Lowest Household Incomes Through The Years
John Foxx/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Just about everyone has some kind of feeling about the U.S. Census, which asks all sorts of intrusive questions about your cohabitation preferences, your finances and your housing situation. Annoying. Invasive. Time-co…
Child Actors Sue Bank of America
Jin Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Bank of America is once again in the hot seat, this time for allegedly withdrawing money from child entertainers’ bank accounts, according to a recent class-action lawsuit.According to the complaint…
More Americans Paying Off Debts
George Doyle/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — You might be better off than you think! Americans owe far less money than they did five years ago before the recession, and they are paying the bills at the best rate in years.
According to the latest survey by S&am…
$7 Million in Gold Discovered in Dead Man’s Home
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(CARSON CITY, Nev.) — A California woman may have a multi-million-dollar fortune headed her way after authorities found an estimated $7 million worth of gold coins in her recluse cousin’s home.Walter Samasko Jr., 69, died i…
Pittsburgh Ice Cream Store Owner’s Banking Business Miffs Regulators
Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Thinkstock(PITTSBURGH) — Ethan Clay, owner of Whalebone Cafe Bank in Pittsburgh, has offered low-cost banking services with no overdraft fees since January, but the state’s banking regulator is taking issue with his operation. Th…
Financial Situation for Unbanked Worsened, Report Says
Hemera/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — The number of unbanked households in America — those with no bank accounts — has increased since 2009, a new study shows.Ten million households, or one in 12, are unbanked, said the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation…
Shrinking Products: Paying the Same for Less
ABC News(NEW YORK) — Big brands are selling smaller products for the same price and one of the many consumers noticing the differences and alerting others is not even old enough to drive.“I usually feel cheated because I’m paying the same …
Is Your Cellphone Bill Costing You More Than Groceries?
Jupiterimages/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — With all the services you can tack on to your plan, your cellphone bill could run you well over $100 a month. But are you spending more on texts and data than on food?A new survey from CouponCabin.com finds t…
Postnuptial Agreements on the Rise
Stockbyte/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Most people know about the prenuptial agreements that many couples sign before they walk down the aisle. But a new survey finds 51 percent of matrimonial attorneys are citing an increase in postnuptial contracts …
Gen Z Imagines An Inheritance It Will Not Get
Fuse/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Thirty-nine percent of Generation Z (kids aged 13 to 22) think that they will be getting an inheritance — thus, that they won’t need to worry as much about saving for retirement. Only 16 percent of their parents, however, …
Zero APR Credit Cards Make Comeback
Comstock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Credit card issuers are again offering an incentive that had all but disappeared during the recession: Introductory interest rates as low as zero for new customers, with grace periods that run from six months to 18. And…
Most Kids Not Learning About Financial Responsibility in School
Wavebreak Media/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — America’s children may be back at school, but how much are they learning about money? Apparently, not much.According to a new poll of parents by RetailMeNot.com, 70 percent say their children are not being …
The Seven Most Expensive Places to Live in the US
Hemera/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — You may have suspected it all along, but the data backs it up: Manhattan is, once again, the most expensive place to live in the United States.That’s according to an index of 300 cities published by the Council for Commun…
Plan Ahead to Avoid Over-Spending on Back to School Supplies
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Back to school spending is expected to be higher than last year. The retail industry says it’s the second biggest event of the year for shopping.If you haven’t already gone out to buy the latest school supplies…
Kids Make $65 Monthly in Allowances, Survey Finds
Brand X Pictures/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Today’s youngsters evidently have it better than previous generations, given that the average allowance nowadays is just over $16 a week or $65 per month, which computes to $780 annually.That figure comes …
Survey: Money Number One Cause of Conflict for Young Couples
Wavebreak Media/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Money can’t buy happiness, but the lack of it can cause conflict for young couples, whether they’re engaged, just married or expecting a child.
A survey commissioned by Chase Card Services and X…