Today is the day we pause to reflect on everything our mothers have given us, from kisses on scraped knees and comfortable laps to sit on, to financial wisdom that has the power to stick with us through adulthood. We asked you to share the personal finance tips your mother imparted to you, because hey, sharing is caring and she’d probably approve. [More]
finance
Despite Threats Of Disaster, Investors In Comcast, Verizon, Etc. All Seem Totally Fine With FCC’s Plan To Reclassify Broadband
By 2.4.15
For a year now, the big ISPs have been having a series of public freakouts that stronger net neutrality rules would make for an uncertain regulatory future, leave them exposed, drive investment down, and hurt their businesses. And yet earlier today the chairman of the FCC dropped his bombshell that the agency is going to aim for the strongest possible regulation anyway. So how’d the market respond?
The stocks all went up. [More]
How Bank Of America Lost All Of My Business Over A $2 Balance Check Fee
By 4.4.13
As a reader of Consumerist, Shawn knew that he should probably stay away from mega-bank and Worst Company in America 2013 Final Four contender Bank of America. Yet his non-BoA lender of choice sold his mortgage to…well, guess who? He moved his other banking there for the sake of convenience, and that’s when he walked up to an ATM and conducted the fateful transaction. [More]
I Accidentally Receive Millionaire Stranger's Financial Documents, Not His Cash
By 4.19.12
If Avi had ever considered using Morgan Stanley to handle his imaginary millions, he’s probably reconsidering now. A UPS envelope showed up at his house with detailed financial statements from a complete stranger. It wasn’t a mixup, since Avi has no relationship with the firm. Why did this show up on his doorstep? [More]
Wells Fargo Advances War On Free Checking With $7 Fee In 6 More States
By 3.8.12
Wells Fargo continues to phase out its free checking offerings, tacking on a $7 monthly fee in six states. Even existing customers whose free checking had been grandfathered in will have to start paying up. Oddly, the bank declined to name the six states affected. [More]
Consumer Financial Protection Agency On The Chopping Block
By 1.15.10
According to the Wall Street Journal, Senator Chris Dodd, a Democrat from Connecticut, has offered to abandon the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) proposal in exchange for Republican support on other legislation. Nobody is saying anything official right now, but the WSJ reports that “the offer is conditional on the creation of a stronger consumer protection division within another federal agency.” [More]
VIDEO: Derivatives Are Sort Of Like A Pre-Ordered Turkey
By 10.25.09
The business and financial news are full of something called “derivatives.” But, okay, what is that? You’re not the only one who’s wondering. That’s why Paddy Hirsch from the public radio program Marketplace put together a whiteboard, some stick figures, and a bunch of metaphorical turkeys to explain it all to us.
What's Your Financial Advice For A 24-Year-Old?
By 10.23.09
Andrew has a pretty good job, and not a lot of debt. Now he’s ready to start preparing for the next phase of his financial life, and he wants to know what advice Consumerist readers have for him.
Consumer And Banking Scholars Speak Out In Favor Of Consumer Financial Protection Agency
By 10.2.09
Earlier this week, a group of 70 law professors from universities across the country released a 16-page Statement of Support (pdf) detailing why they’re in favor of the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Act. You can read the statement yourself via the link above, but we’ve summarized them below.
Seven Free Sites To Track Your Personal Information
By 9.14.09
The Consumer Reports Money Adviser has compiled a great list of sites that store your personal information and will provide free copies of their reports to you if you ask.
Chamber Of Commerce Attacks Proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency
By 9.10.09
Maybe you forgot about the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency in all the health care sound and fury, but it’s still out there, and financial companies are still very much against it. Now the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is launching an ad campaign that shifts the focus from credit card companies to smaller businesses that they insist will be affected, although the scope of the proposed agency is still kind of unclear.
Be Careful How You Spend Those Lotto Winnings
By 7.20.09
It’s a problem most lottery players would like to have but will never face — what to do with that jackpot?
Seven Reasons To Circle Up For Charity Giving
By 7.14.09
Charity circles are like book clubs for philanthropy. You get together with a group of like-minded pals and channel your powers of donation into one superpowered Care Bear stare that has more impact than your piddling donations would on their own.
If You're Losing Money In Stocks You're Dumber Than A Fifth Grader
By 5.26.09
To win a state contest, four Wisconsin fifth graders took a hypothetical $100,000 and more than doubled it in 10 weeks, according to an AP story. The kids focused on financial stocks, which they correctly figured had bottomed out. Out of the 15 stocks they fantasy-invested in, 13 were profitable, the biggest winners being Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan. The kids won a trip to the New York Stock Exchange, where they were surely viewed with utter exasperation.
Check Out The New Commercial For Citibank!
By 3.9.09
Here’s what you can expect from a nationalized Citibank, courtesy of Funny or Die. NSFW warning: this thing is full of f-bombs, and even an r-mine. (Full video after the jump.)
Watch Out For Payment Date Errors—And Related Finance Charges—From Chase
By 3.4.09
Mike used an Office Depot Visa card issued through Chase to take advantage of a pay-no-interest deal through 2008. He paid off the remaining balance a couple of days before the offer period ended, but Chase still slapped him with a nearly $40 interest charge. Why? Because they’ve been “having problems like that” with Office Depot cards.
Four Unexpected Situations Where Bad Credit Hurts
By 2.15.09
If you aren’t planning on getting a big loan in the next couple of years, you probably shouldn’t be worried about your credit score right? Wrong.
