1 Rat Poison to an Infinite Power? Poised to radically reconfigure the crypto-asset market, non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are revolutionizing our conception of money and value, creating not just entirely new markets but even new economies that are able to scale globally and to discover value in undreamt places, relegating to oblivion fiat currencies and […]
59 min read
Read More
“Or How to Create NFTs on eBay That Confer Real Ownership” This talk was presented at the COSM.technology conference, November 10, 2021, in Bellevue, Washington. The simultaneous slideshow presentation is available here. [DISPLAY SLIDE 1] 1 The Buzz About NFTs This summer I wrote an article titled “How Non-Fungible Tokens Work: NFTs Explained, Debunked, and […]
16 min read
Work on this article began when Bitcoin was trading at $60,000. Today (6/18/22) it has fallen below $20,000. Ethereum has, proportionately, taken an even bigger hit. And except for some well-backed stable coins, most cryptocurrencies are at the moment cratering. With inflation high and a recession looming, cryptocurrencies are now being dismissed as an example […]
80 min read
In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree… How do the abodes of today’s ultra-rich compare with the established residences of royalty? If you’re looking for splash and pizzazz, especially with respect to raw square footage, today’s ultra-rich mostly don’t measure up to the royal families and rulers of yesteryear. On the other […]
45 min read
The Problem of Taxation Taxes. They’re the bane of the existence of honest and hard-working people everywhere. We’d much rather preserve our capital for the benefit of our families and for important charities than pay the bill for all manner of government waste and inefficiency—often in the service of projects we would rather not support. […]
3 min read
Fifteen cents. That was the price of Dick and Maurice McDonald’s centerpiece hamburger when they opened a stand selling just nine menu items, back in 1948. The McDonald’s affordable hunger-buster brought the customers in. And by focusing on a limited menu, the brothers ensured the hamburger and its sides tasted exactly the same every time. […]
4 min read
America’s love story with pizza is 75 years old – and Americans started flirting with pizza pie well over a century ago. Lombardi’s, in New York City, is most commonly cited as America’s first pizzeria – this Little Italy joint opened in 1905. Pizza-chomping Italians had entered the States before the turn of the 20th […]
4 min read
Beer. Everybody likes to drink it. Nobody likes to pay for it. Still, the cost of a beer stings more or less depending on where in the world you’re drinking. Expensivity wondered just how much the cost of beer differs from country and the effect the price of beer has on national consumption. We researched […]
3 min read
Extending from western Europe into the Caucasus, countries as diverse as Switzerland and the Republic of Georgia host a variety of tax havens. These countries provide a refuge from income taxes, capital gains taxes, and corporate taxes. In consequence, they have attracted a variety of tax refugees, including large companies and private investors, seeking to […]
24 min read
Artificial intelligence (AI) is now unavoidable. If it isn’t someone telling you what great investment opportunities the recent advances in AI have opened up, it’s someone else warning you of the serious threats posed by this technology. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s The Terminator (1984) is almost 40 years old. But the idea of computers running out of […]
34 min read
Read More
The doctrine known as “effective altruism” (EA) is very recent. It was introduced around 2009 at Princeton University by Matt Wage, a graduate student of the controversial moral philosopher Peter Singer. The ideas behind EA spread like wildfire, arriving in Oxford University in 2011, where Will MacAskill founded the Centre for Effective Altruism. What is […]
12 min read
Book Review: Nation of Victims: Identity Politics, the Death of Merit, and the Path Back to Excellence, by Vivek Ramaswamy. New York: Center Street/Hachette Book Group, 2022. 275 pp. $29.00. Nation of Victims is a strange book. By turns heartwarming anecdote, personal confession, history lesson, economics treatise, policy position paper, potted history of the highlights […]
18 min read
Who is RFK Jr.? Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. (b. 1954) is the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and the son of Robert F. Kennedy Sr. His uncle was assassinated in 1963. His father was assassinated in 1968 while running for US president. RFK Jr. was 14 at the time.. RFK Jr studied law at […]
7 min read
I was raised in a politically conservative family in Texas, back in the 1950s. My first experience with electoral politics occurred at the age of 12, when my grandparents took me to hear a stump speech by Arizona Republican Senator Barry Goldwater during his 1964 run for the Presidency against the Democratic incumbent, Lyndon B. […]
16 min read
Credit cards are everywhere, so ubiquitous that it’s easy to forget there’s a dark side to this industry.
27 min read
Read More
Why do some people swear off credit cards? It’s not having a credit card that’s a problem, but making mistakes with your card.
21 min read
Credit unions can be a great alternative to traditional banking. In many ways, a credit union works exactly like a traditional bank, but its emphasis is on improving the financial well-being of its account holders rather than creating a profit on behalf of its investors. But what is a credit union, how does it work, and is it right for you? Read on to find out.
7 min read
A debt consolidation loan can be a great option if you have multiple credit cards, a heavy debt burden, and decent credit. But it may not be right for everybody. So how do you know if debt consolidation is right for you? And how should you go about finding the right debt consolidation loan for your situation? Read on to see if a debt consolidation loan is right for you.
8 min read
Here, we take a closer look at one of the most commonly employed strategies for perpetrating identity theft–phishing, which refers to efforts by bad actors to trick you into sharing personal information or downloading harmful malware that might ultimately be used to access your accounts, review your sensitive information, and open new credit cards and spending accounts in your name. While phishing scams have grown more sophisticated, below are the major red flags that should tip you off.
8 min read
The One, The Only, The GMAT Anyone preparing to pursue their MBA knows they will most likely have to take the GMAT – the Graduate Management Admission Test. This test is an essential part of the graduate business school application process and a marker that schools use as an acceptance deciding factor. Especially if you […]
13 min read
Read More
Starting a business can be complicated stuff. There’s a ton to think about even before you open the doors to that first customer. We’ve compiled 50 questions to help you think of everything before you launch your own business.
30 min read
Overview “Shadow work” is a concept from Jungian psychology that refers to the process of exploring and integrating the unconscious aspects of ourselves, often referred to as the “shadow.” The shadow consists of the parts of ourselves that we deny, suppress, or disown, often because they don’t align with our conscious self-image or societal expectations. […]
9 min read
For the most part, earning a degree will improve your chances of rising to a leadership role in business. But there are exceptions to every rule. Here are 10 CEOs who got to the top without earning a college degree.
20 min read
The restaurant industry is notoriously fickle and unforgiving. If you are an aspiring restaurant owner, it’s important that you fully understand exactly what you’re getting yourself into. The restaurant business is plagued by unique challenges including low profit margins, high turnover, and a broader industry that continues to face post-pandemic challenges including labor shortages, wildly […]
14 min read
While we recognize the importance of saving, far too many Americans either don’t prioritize saving or simply lack the financial flexibility to create and keep a sufficient savings strategy. Read on for a look at the reasons that so many Americans struggle to save.
9 min read
Read More
So you want to start investing in stocks but you don’t have a lot of seed money? Don’t be intimidated. It’s not as expensive as you think to get into the stock market. It’s entirely possible to begin investing in stocks without a fortune in your back pocket. If you’re looking to jump in with a few dollars and learn the ropes, what follows is a step-by-step quick-start guide. Read on and check out these ten steps for getting into the stock market with a small budget.
11 min read
Wondering whether now is the right time to start planning for retirement? The answer is yes. It doesn’t matter who you are, how much money you make, or where you are in your career. It’s never too early to start thinking about your future. If you take the right steps now to prepare for retirement, you have a much better chance of leading the life you envision once you close the book on your career. Check out these tips and begin your retirement planning today.
7 min read
More than ever before, Americans are contemplating the idea of early retirement. But it isn’t easy, and it could take some seriously frugal living and meticulous planning to earn yourself a post-professional lifestyle sooner than later. But it can be done. Read on for a look at the strategies that could help deliver you to that sandy shore, scenic overlook, or late morning wake up while you’re young enough to really enjoy it.
8 min read
Work on this article began when Bitcoin was trading at $60,000. Today (6/18/22) it has fallen below $20,000. Ethereum has, proportionately, taken an even bigger hit. And except for some well-backed stable coins, most cryptocurrencies are at the moment cratering. With inflation high and a recession looming, cryptocurrencies are now being dismissed as an example […]
80 min read
Ever feel like your bills are too high? Well sure, but who wants to spend hours on the phone with customer service trying to lower those bills? Bill negotiation services, that’s who! Find out if a bill negotiation service could help lower your monthly bills.
12 min read
Read More
If you want to be more frugal in your life, there are tons of ways to save money that you may not even realize are out there.
20 min read
Consumer spending is the fuel running the engine of the American economy. According to Investopedia, consumer spending accounts for a massive 70% of economic activity in the U.S. This means that trends in spending can exert a profound impact on the economic health of the United States as well as American businesses and households. Americans opened their wallet to the tune of $14.5 trillion in purchases in just the first quarter of 2020. And this massive sum was spent at the start of a year which would ultimately be distinguished by a dramatic pandemic-related downturn in spending. But where is all this money going exactly? What do Americans spend the most on? From big ticket items and long-term saving goals to daily living expenses and recreational experiences, where do Americans put their money? And how have these habits been impacted by the pandemic?
11 min read
Credit cards are everywhere, so ubiquitous that it’s easy to forget there’s a dark side to this industry.
27 min read
Why do some people swear off credit cards? It’s not having a credit card that’s a problem, but making mistakes with your card.
21 min read
It’s important to spend judiciously, responsibly, and consciously. The only real way to do that is to effectively track your spending. This is a true challenge for many households. Read on for a look at ten ways that you can do a better job of tracking your spending.
8 min read
Read More
The internet is a vast sea of savings and discounts. But how can you take advantage of these opportunities to save? Check out our 10 Tips for Saving Money Online…
8 min read
The best cryptocurrency trading platforms support investors as they get started with this revolutionary new wealth building strategy. Naturally, each one of these exchanges offer different levels of service and customer support, setting themselves apart from each other with varying degrees of security on each transaction, with all sorts of user experiences. And there’s no […]
10 min read
Life insurance can be one of the most important assets in a portfolio. There are many nuances and types of life insurance that can be beneficial depending on the insured. Having a life insurance guide can help with the terminology, different kinds of life insurance available, and what to expect. This life insurance buyer’s guide […]
11 min read
In a dream world, we’d all never spend another minute worrying about our finances. But here in reality, understanding how you make your money, what your money is capable of, and knowing exactly where it’s going is crucial to your financial success. Setting and sticking to financial goals. Budgeting. Saving. Investing. Spending responsibly. It can […]
5 min read
Whether you’re looking for cash back rewards, travel perks, or credit-building, there’s a credit card out there tailored for your needs. By doing your research, you, too, can find your perfect match! This Capital One credit cards vs Credit One Bank cards review can help you decide which card is right for you. Capital One […]
4 min read
Read More
Visa cards were used in 22 billion global transactions last year. Besides worldwide acceptance, Visa-operated credit cards offer reimbursement benefits for eligible shopping and travel-related purchases. This article helps you discover which Capital One cards are Visa, so you, too, can select a suitable card and enjoy these benefits! Which Capital One Cards Are Visa? […]
4 min read
Besides building credit, credit cards can also help you earn rewards and travel conveniently. However, deciding which card is the best for you requires research – in terms of cards and card issuers. Our review of Capital One credit cards vs Bank of America cards can help you find a suitable option for your needs. […]
5 min read
Are you interested in juggling rotating categories or prefer a simpler approach of unlimited earning through bonus categories? Do you need a travel card, or are you looking for an everyday spending option? Figure out the answers to these, and several other questions, by reading our review of Capital One credit cards vs Discover cards. […]
5 min read
Getting a card without research can lead to debt and misalignment with your financial needs. Whether it’s daily expenses, travel, or huge payoffs, you must take time to make a final decision. Our review of Capital One credit cards vs Citi cards will help you choose a card provider to match your needs. Capital One […]
5 min read
Choosing the perfect card can be confusing, especially when the issuers offer almost similar features on their cards. Our comparison of Capital One credit cards vs Wells Fargo cards highlights their specifications to help you make an informed decision. Capital One Credit Cards vs Wells Fargo Cards This Capital One credit cards vs. Wells Fargo […]
5 min read
Have you been camping near your front door since Capital One notified you that your card will arrive soon? If you’ve been waiting for your card to build credit, pay loans, or make large purchases, this article will help you find out how long do Capital One credit cards take to arrive. How Long Do […]
4 min read
Filling up your gas tank is a major expense when you own a vehicle, so why not earn through it? If you are looking for a card that can help with that, our review of the best Capital One credit cards for gas could help you find the right card that suits your gas expenses. […]
6 min read
Clearing outstanding debts or paying off a big purchase may require frequent balance transfers that can incur more debt. The perfect solution is to get a credit card with an APR-free period. Our list of the best Capital One credit cards for balance transfers can help you choose a suitable option that fits your needs. […]
6 min read
