So can a drum set, violin, voice lessons or anything else that encourages them to be musical. A recent Harris Poll reveals that students involved in music—regardless of whether it’s a school group or a garage band—are more likely to go to college and post-graduate school. They’re also about 10% more likely to earn $150,000 or more [more…]
Posts tagged as:
money
…how much money is in your bank account. And you spend less when you think of how much money is in your wallet. The reason for the difference? According to a recent study in the Journal of [more…]
One of the fastest growing crimes can leave you penniless overnight. Called skimming, a device that’s secretly attached to a debit card swiper steals your bank account information and PIN, then sends it to thieves who use the information to create clone cards and drain your checking and savings accounts, [more…]
A recent study out of Yale, Harvard and Dartmouth Universities showed that folks who regularly received text messages reminding them that saving money can help them reach personal financial goals as well as offer other benefits—for instance, qualify them for a fee-free checking account—squirreled away nearly 16% more than folks who didn’t receive text message reminders. To start making your pennies add up, schedule text messages about the value of saving money and easy ways to save to be sent to your cell phone from saveeveryway.com. The service is free; usual text message charges apply.
[photo: Alan Cleaver]
To find out, type in your name and state at missingmoney.com and this free site will search its database to find out if you’re owed cash from forgotten U.S. bank accounts, utility company deposits, reimbursements and more. If it turns out that you have money coming to you, simply fill out a claim form; it will be forwarded to the company or agency that has your money so they can contact you.
[photo: 1Happysnapper(photography)]
How? Simply use it in January. Thanks to deeply discounted sales at stores that need to make room for spring merchandise, your gift card can have 25% to 50% more buying power than at any other time of year, according to research at the Purdue Retail Institute at Purdue University. That means a $100 gift card can get you about $150 worth of merchandise!
[photo: Marc from Borft]
Do you pay more for certain brands of coffee, food, clothing or other products because you think they’re better than the less expensive or generic equivalents? Your preference may actually come from seeing the brand used by others—for instance, by friends and coworkers, on TV and in movies, even by strangers you pass on the street, say researchers from Duke University and the University of Maryland. [more…]
You’d never know it, but what you buy and how much you spend isn’t based on simply on how good the products are. The latest research shows that our buying decisions are greatly influenced by what we encounter while shopping. Luckily, once you know what’s influencing your shopping choices, you can prevent overspending and buy only what you really want. Start by:
* Turning off your cell phone. A recent UCLA study reveals [more…]
It’s no joke—getting someone to giggle makes them more likely to give to your cause, whether it’s donating to your daughter’s Girl Scout troop, your son’s Little League team or a PTA fundraiser, according to a recent study from the [more…]
Trying to sell your house? You already know that cleaning up and removing clutter makes your home more welcoming, which makes house hunters more eager to buy. Now home staging experts reveal their lesser-known secrets for finding home buyers faster: [more…]
Don’t mind shelling out extra bucks to ensure you’re buying eco-friendly, biodegradable or organic foods and products? You may not be getting your money’s worth! While many claims are valid (for instance, independent inspectors ensure that beef and poultry labeled “certified humane raised and [more…]
