Darwin's Money

Guest post for your consideration; my commentary included below: According to statistics released by debt negotiation company Golden Financial Services, credit card debt in the US now stands at $748 billion – a five-year low, down from $900 billion in 2008. Paul Paquin, CEO at Golden Financial Services, believes this decrease can be attributed to [...]

For younger Americans, there’s probably not a full appreciation for Jeep’s contributions to our armed forces and military experience going back generations.  As the video below outlines, Jeep first took our troops into battle in 1941 and has been a steady supporter of our initiatives and troops ever since. I was unaware of this, but [...]

In a global economy it is no surprise that individuals and companies look to international markets to find the most beneficial environment for their money. Tax havens exist for this very reason, providing a legitimate and secure means for people to improve their tax position and maximize the return from their investments. Many billions of pounds are [...]

Brought to you by Broad Financial: The Kate Upton Effect is one which is familiar to any grown man who normally considers himself the paradigm of reasonable sensibility. In short, the effect consists of you scanning the news of the day and quickly noting everything of importance. Bernanke doubles down – check. Germany backs the [...]

Always one for highlighting investment themes and asset classes off the beaten path, I thought I’d share a few that have been catching more attention of late.  Many people reading this already have the traditional company/employer-sponsored investment plans and pension plans, but there are some ways to invest outside the normal stock/bond/income investment mix: World [...]

By Betsy Falwell “How much can I borrow?” It’s the first question you’ll hear from first home buyers. Before they think about anything else – like the location of their first home or the type of floor plan they want – they need to know the maximum amount of money they can get from a [...]

Are you looking for a new bit of plastic to put in your wallet? If so, the internet is a great place to hunt for credit card deals from well-known providers such as MBNA. Here’s why: The web is fast and efficient Applying for a new credit used to mean long queues at the bank and mountains of paperwork – but this is [...]

One of the biggest disappointments with the various bank bailouts in the US and Europe was that governments (i.e. taxpayers) stepped in to prop up banks and prevent widespread collapses in the financial sector.  Part of the deal was supposed to be that the bailouts would have shored up the balance sheets and prompted banks [...]

As a small business owner now, with utility costs comprising a decent share of our monthly costs for our outsourcing firm we started, I wholeheartedly agree with attacking energy costs as a means to improve your bottom line; not only for businesses but consumers.  Anyway, more on how to save: As business deaths continue to [...]

The way we use energy at home has confirmed environmental impacts. Many of us do not realise with any profundity the effect our day to day routines can have on the climate. Whenever we use electric and gas the carbon emissions caused by our daily activities build up to cause extreme effects on the environment. [...]

If you want to both learn something about the rest of the world, our past and future and where you stand in relation to your fellow humans, check out this video below.  Check out the video for a neat experience, but some of the factoids that jumped out at me included where the US stands [...]

When it comes to paying for items, consumers and merchants want it to be faster and easier, but not at the expense of security, which why we probably won’t see the venerable plastic credit card replaced by new payment technology anytime soon. Security still ranks highest among all of the requirements consumers have for choosing [...]