Whether you’re collecting credit card rewards or frequent flier miles, you probably already know that loyalty programs can lead to compulsive buying behavior. Question is, should you participate – or shouldn’t you? Full disclosure: I spend a lot of time covering travel-related issues, and for years, I have been a lone voice in the wilderness warning people against diving [...]
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Yes, You Can Afford Shop Frugally and Ethically
May 18th, 2011 
admin To be green or to have green—that is the question. Although organic food is better for our bodies and the environment, it usually comes with a premium price tag. And while most of us deplore the paltry wages and poor working conditions of sweatshops, it can be difficult to resist the allure of a $10 [...]
From Microsoft to the Garage: the Story of a Start-up Sausage Biz
May 18th, 2011 admin On a recent site visit, David Pearlstein’s USDA inspector suddenly turned serious. “This is not a garage,” the inspector told Pearlstein. “We’re not going to use the G-word anymore. This is a federally inspected meat processing facility.” True. It’s a federally inspected meat processing facility in the residential part of Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood that last year was [...]
RRIF Basics: 4 Common Questions on Registered Retirement Income Funds
May 17th, 2011 admin In Canada, the primary savings vehicle for retirement is the Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). The RRSP is an account that is designed to accumulate money for retirement. I often describe the RRSP as a bucket of money. When you put money into the bucket, you get a tax deduction. Once the money is in [...]
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Tags: Basics, common, Funds, Income, Questions, Registered, Retirement, RRIF 
No Comments »Making the Grade: A Guide to S&P’s Latest Credit Ratings by Country
May 16th, 2011 admin Last month, the credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s lowered its outlook on U.S. debt to “negative,” suggesting that the United States’ top-flight “AAA” credit rating is vulnerable to a downgrade, which could send interest rates up, make it hard for businesses to get capital, and put the brakes on economic recovery. But the U.S. [...]
