When a dollar store is too expensive: Growing class of poor Americans unable to afford items at dollar stores.
You know things are tough when people face a challenge purchasing goods at dollar stores. The dollar store economy has been robust for the last decade as the US economy has shed the weight of millions of middle class families. As more people move down the economic ladder, these stores hit a critical niche. I […]
Low wage capitalism with a dab of cronyism: Of job sectors with the highest growing raw number of positions 9 out of 10 will pay $35,000 a year or less with little to non-existent benefits.
There was a big miss with the latest employment report. The addition of 74,000 jobs produced the weakest employment report going back to January of 2011. Yet part of this is not a surprise given the weak retail sales over the holidays at the expense of cash strapped American consumers. If you dig deep into […]
Say hello to my little friend, inflation: Shrinking packages, higher tuition, rising healthcare costs, real estate values jumping all the while household incomes remain stagnant.
Only those deep in denial think that inflation is not occurring in the economy. You only need to look back 10 years to see how nutty things have become. Is the price of a car more or less than it was 10 years ago? How about the price of tuition? Real estate? Healthcare? Inflation is […]
Is college worth the debt? The cost of one year of college is higher than the per capita wage of a fully working American.
Going to college has become a rite of passage in America. We’ve left shamanic rituals deep in our human past and have come to accept college as a clear transition point into adulthood. In a consumption based economy, success is typically measured by your ability to consume. Spending prowess is not measured by sea shells […]