Archive for 'wealth building'
Suze Orman introduced her prepaid debit card this week, promising low fees and unlimited credit reports. And Wal-Mart is offering various financial services, such as check cashing and bill paying. Host Michel Martin and personal finance expert Alvin Hall discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these new, non-traditional options.
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Unemployment dropped in December 2011, but can Americans still count on moving up? Recent reports say America now lags behind Canada, Britain and some Western European nations in terms of economic mobility. Host Michel Martin talks with public policy analyst John Bridgeland and Brookings Institution economic expert Isabel Sawhill.
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Congressional Republicans reacted angrily to President Obama's recess appointment of Richard Cordray to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Congress had been holding "pro forma" sessions every few days to prevent such recess appointments.
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There's not enough organic milk, especially in states like Florida and Georgia. Inputs — like organic grain and hay for animals — are now dramatically more expensive for farmers. That means organic dairy cows are getting less food and producing less milk.
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Seven of the best days to buy a new car are in December. The year is almost over, and there is a last-minute push for big car sales.
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Customer satisfaction for credit unions soared this year, and roughly a million Americans moved their money into credit unions, according to the Credit Union National Association. This was partly due to backlash against big banks instituting new fees. Host Michel Martin hears from regular financial contributor Alvin Hall.
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Economists say the legislative impasse over extending a payroll tax cut and other provisions could reduce consumer spending, slow growth and disrupt the health care sector.
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In 2011, savers earned almost no interest in savings accounts. That was painful because consumer prices were rising by nearly 3.5 percent. Investors also found it tough going. Most stocks declined, with prices falling by roughly 5 percent across the board. But there were some bright spots: gold and bonds.
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Consumers are clawing through coupons and prowling the "deal blogs" in search of the ultimate discount. For retailers, though, technology can make the last full shopping weekend before Christmas a bit bloody.
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The latest census data depict a middle class that's shrinking as unemployment stays high and the government's safety net frays. The new numbers follow years of stagnating wages for the middle class that have hurt millions of workers and families.
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