Crash Survival Zone

A grinding depression. Wild inflation. Endless unemployment … How to deal with what could go very wrong.

So is this just a really, really bad year? Or the end of capitalism as we know it? These days it’s all too easy to imagine almost anything happening to the economy. And to you.

You’ve probably already run the [...]

In these difficult times, negotiating for a good deal is worth a try

Haggle over the price? Are you kidding? I couldn’t do that, I’d feel foolish.

Does this sound like you? If you want to save money, you’d better get over it. The old art of haggling is making a comeback.

And in this economy many companies, [...]

Government should use the lessons of behavioral economics to get us to invest more for retirement.

Aging Americans are facing a perfect storm when it comes to retirement. Many have done little saving over the past two decades and have now seen what they have saved, either in their 401(k) or their home equity, decline sharply [...]

The current economic slump isn’t just squeezing people’s incomes. It’s also jolting the ways we think about money. Household budgets are tightening up everywhere as people scramble to save cash and guard against hard times. The frantic race to keep up with the Joneses has been put on hold. And as layoff notices and foreclosures [...]

As the economic slump persists, companies are becoming stingier with the severance packages they offer laid-off workers. At the same time, more employees are asking their firms to tweak the terms of their parting pay — a shot to get more as they head for the door. “The packages are smaller than they have been, [...]

Saving Money, Spending Wisely, and Living Well in Today’s Economy

Everyone wants to make more money, especially in today’s economic climate. But what if I can show you how to spend less, rather than make more? What if you make 10 small changes to your life that boost your spending power by 5 to 10%? That’s [...]

Five Financial Moves You Should Definitely Make — and Five You Shouldn’t

Despite recent gains in the stock market, portfolios remain badly damaged by the market performance of the past 18 months. With jobs still falling away at a rapid clip, the recession is still a serious concern and policymakers are scrambling to implement expensive and [...]

The recession will have a lasting impact on the way people shop

“WANT IT!” screamed the words plastered on the walls, counters and shopping bags in the flagship emporium of Saks, a big American retailer, on Fifth Avenue in New York. The same exhortation was emblazoned in huge letters on a giant red and white ball [...]

In our worsening recession, it’s important to adapt and to make yourself desirable to employers. You can take a class or find a mentor, or perhaps buff up your résumé. The unfortunate reality, however, is that many of your inherent traits make you grossly unattractive to employers. With that in mind, here’s a list of [...]

Millions of families have taken the hint. With the economy weak and layoffs rising, they are beefing up the household balance sheet by slashing expenses.

“More people are taking action even if layoffs have not struck their family,” said Bruce Bickel, senior vice president of PNC Wealth Management, based in Pittsburgh.

The key to cutting expenses is [...]