It’s Official: The Recession Ended Last Year
This morning, several news sources reported that economists have final declared the end date of the recession – June, 2009. You may be thinking – huh? It’s simple – the formal definition of recession...
View ArticleThat Makes Me Stabby: The 2009 Housing Rescue Plan
I’m not sure I have the strength to be stabby anymore, but I’ll give it a go with this year’s housing rescue plan. I say this year’s, because last year we saw the Barney Frank plan and apparently a...
View ArticleThat Makes Me Stabby: Black Friday Starts Now
As I write this, I’m waiting for the election results, and it’s put me in a mood to vent. So, today we have another “that makes me stabby” post. Today’s topic: the early arrival of Black Friday. You...
View ArticleThe Recession Is Over – So What Now?
Much has been made this week by the Fed’s announcement that the first signs of economic recovery are appearing. The news has left many people wondering – if the economy is getting better, why doesn’t...
View ArticleThe Senate Passes the Stimulus Package
After a few days of tousling over a much larger package, the Senate has passed the economic stimulus bill passed by the House. There are a few differences that will be ironed out over the next few days...
View ArticleSix Tips for Staying Sane in this Economy
I entered what I call “bad news fatigue” a few weeks ago. That means I no longer slap my forehead quite as hard when I see news of more financial idiocy. I just shake my head when I hear news of...
View ArticleWill the New Frugality Last?
On the first anniversary of the “official” start of the financial crisis (even though it was creeping up on us well before then), several articles have argued that the crisis resulted in a “new...
View ArticleWhich is Easier to Fix: California’s Budget or Yours?
In case you haven’t heard, California is headed for disaster. No, not the Big One, an economic disaster. Because voters rejected some taxes and cuts that would have resolved our budget issues for this...
View ArticleAre We Headed for a Major Economic Depression?
If you saw much of the news this weekend, then you heard the drumbeat of depression fears. Politicians, economists, and reporters are calling this the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression....
View ArticleThe New Overdraft Fee Rules
As you may have heard on the news, the Federal Reserve released new rules restricting overdraft fees yesterday. Unfortunately, the rules aren’t quite as comprehensive as we would probably like....
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