Author Archive

What encouraged you to start the Weakonomics?

Simple, boredom.  My job wasn’t giving me enough stimulation, and I wanted to stay fresh on all the topics I’d been talking about in college but weren’t using at work.  Weakonomics started out being all about me.  It’s still about me, but only because I’m selfish, not bored.

What [...]

The art of barter may seem like a native idea for some, but it has come back in this economic recession as a means to acquire objects without cash. Far more things are being traded on Craigslist now, and bartering can always be a good tool. Cash and credit cards have been over used [...]

Loose change sometimes becomes a thing to be forgotten, more of a hindrance rather than something to be used. However change, like quarters can be essential to those who don’t own a washing machine. That makes saving change important; clean socks. Most American Laundromats only take quarters; this makes quarters more intrinsically valuable. Change can [...]

The dollar has made it’s ups and downs in history, but today it’s currently at one of the lowest its ever been. Which surprisingly presents encouraging views for companies who export products overseas. With the dollar at such a low rate, many countries are more interested in buying products from the United States. Since American [...]

Have an income and wonder how it disappears?  If you have a problem with spending all your income, it is a problem, but can help you better relate to the budget realm. The purpose of a budget is to spend your income, but with designated purpose. A budget is essentially a mapped out plan marking [...]

Cd rates have been declining this year, this is unfortunate for many who are looking to invest in Cds. Many people wish the Federal Reserve would step in and raise the Cd rates. The three month Cd has fallen from .57% to 55% since last week, the six month Cd has dropped from .85% to [...]

The Roth 401 (k) plan is a new form of retirement account combining the Roth IRA (k) plan and the regular 401 (k) plan. It has bits of both plans which allows the employee to have more flexibility when planning out his retirement as long as his employer agrees with the the [...]

Credit card fraud is has become common whether on the internet, through the phone, or the mail; but taking the following precautions can prevent these unwanted fraudulent bills.

Dispose old credit cards or billing receipts containing confidential information
Watch for falsified commercials on the television or internet
Keep credit and debit cards in a separate compartment or a [...]

Yes, 30 year mortgage rates are near lows, but the all time low was in April. Yet  5.06 percent isn’t too far off the scale. 30 year mortgage rates fell at an all time low last April when they hit 4.81 and in May at 4.86, but now rates are sitting tight at 5.06 [...]

Today many people find themselves rejected at banks when trying to attain a loan due to their credit score, and other factors. But now there is a new way to get a loan, Peer to Peer Lending. Borrowers receive loans through websites such as Lendingclub.com. These lending sites allow two persons: the lender and borrower [...]