Economics

EconomicsEconomistsMoney

How Is Inflation Impacting American Consumers?

Inflation is the watchword of the day. But what does inflation mean, and how is it likely to impact you? A perfect storm of events--including hiccups in the supply chain, shortages of essential goods, rising fuel prices and the economic fallout of the pandemic, as well as the various corrective tactics used to manage this fallout--is causing a spike in consumer pricing across the board. And as prices continue to rise, anxiety over inflation has spiraled into full-fledged fear. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) seems to bear this fear out, as do recent indications from the Federal Reserve that interest rate hikes will be coming in the New Year. But is actual inflation or just a short-term spike in consumer prices?

8 min read

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BusinessEconomicsInterviewsMoneyOp-Ed

The Unreasonable Sway of College and University Rankings: An Interview with Jeffrey Stake and Jed Macosko

It may seem strange for a money and business website like Expensivity.com to present this interview about college rankings and the problems they raise. But these academic rankings are big business, and the actual school ranking lists that they produce have significant business and financial implications for the schools listed, especially depending on where they […]

20 min read

EconomicsMoney

5 Ways to Save Money and Help the Environment

Making money and protecting the environment are often portrayed as being at odds with one another. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, some of the best tips for living a financially savvy lifestyle mirror the exact strategies for pursuing an environmentally conscious existence.

10 min read

EconomicsMoney

What Do Americans Spend the Most Money On?

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?

8 min read

CryptoEconomicsInvestingMoneyOp-Ed

10 Reasons to Invest in Cryptocurrency

What is cryptocurrency? Should cryptocurrency be part of your investment strategy? We cut through a lot of the hype and complexity surrounding cryptocurrency so that you can understand the risks, the benefits, and the opportunities in this emergent system of alternative currency and exchange. In the simplest terms, crypto tokens are virtual currencies that can be used to make transactions without passing through conventional centralized financial entities or institutions like banks, stockbrokers or exchanges. The idea behind this decentralized financial (DeFi) system is to create a form of financial transaction that is at once more secure and transparent than traditional finance and, simultaneously, more private, more accessible, and less beholden to fees or regulations than traditional finance.

8 min read

EconomicsHighlights

The Price of McDonald’s in Every Country

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

EconomicsHighlightsMoneyResources

The 2021 US Pizza Index

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

EconomicsJobsResources

Why are Lumber Prices So High?

If you’ve tried to do any home improvements in the last few months, you’ve already learned about the increase in lumber prices the hard way. It’s making the prices of homes skyrocket. But what exactly is going on with lumber? Why are prices so high? Is there really a lumber shortage, or is something else […]

5 min read