Alpha Consumer

Helping Charities by Shopping? Not Really

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July 7, 2009 Comment (3)

The whole idea of “shopping for a cause” is tempting. After all, if you’re going to buy an iPod anyway, why not buy the red one that sends a portion of proceeds to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria?

Tags:: personal finance

Young Adults: We're Suffering, Not Thriving

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By Kimberly Palmer

July 6, 2009 Comment (12)

Katie Dean, press assistant for the Student Association for Voter Empowerment, didn't agree with some of Suze Orman's strong statements posted in my recent interview with her ("Suze Orman: Why the Recession Is a Good Thing"). She took particular exception to Orman's assertion that today, young people "have it so great it's not even funny." First, Orman's explanation:

Tags:: personal finance

One Income, Separate Bank Accounts

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By Kimberly Palmer

July 2, 2009 Comment

As part of my checking up on couples to see how their money systems have fared over the last year, I tracked down Dan and Kellie Mercurio, who had since moved from North Carolina to Massachusetts and had a baby girl, now 9-months-old. Dan has a new job overseeing bank branches and Kellie is a full-time mom to their daughter. Back in North Carolina, when both Dan, 30, and Kellie, 29, were working, they kept separate accounts for personal expenses, such as manicures or clothes. At the time, Dan explained, "Having multiple accounts that serve different purposes is a good way to segment out record-keeping." Plus, they didn't need to check in with each other before making little splurges.

Tags:: personal finance

The Future of Credit Cards for Teens

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By Kimberly Palmer

July 1, 2009 Comment (4)

Today's guest post comes from Odysseas Papadimitriou, founder and chief executive officer of Evolution Finance, which is the parent company for Wallet Blog and Card Hub.