(futureatlas.com) Mobile banking has been a blessing to anyone who values quick, painless money management. Here in the United States, the ability to check account balances and transfer money via mobile phone has reduced the need to bank at physical branches (never a fun task), or even sit in front of a computer. However, in emerging economies, mobile banking means something far more profound. While mobile banking is chiefly a matter of convenience in the developed world, for emerging economies...

Photo: dizznbonn “There’s one for you, nineteen for me,” wrote George Harrison of The Beatles. He was talking about the taxman. If you’re a single person with no dependents, you might feel the same way come April 15, 2010. Because single people with no dependents don’t get to take advantage of some of the richest deductions and credits that help lower your overall tax bill. Unless you work for yourself, most of the taxes you pay to the federal government come right out o...

If you’re unemployed and struggling to make ends meet, you might be feeling like any job will do. But, there’s no need to resort to desperation tactics. Being smarter about where you apply could get you a better job — one with a higher-than-normal salary, less chance of a layoff, or unusual benefits that are unique to a particular industry. To help you in your job search, we’ve taken a look at the companies that have put their people first, making them the best companies ...

Photo: These days, it’s not about who has the flashier designer clothes or the faster car – it’s about who has the higher credit score! That’s because the better your score, the better position you’re in to manage your financial future. Why? Believe it or not, have a strong credit score is one of best ways to save money, says financial lifestyle expert Denise Winston, founder of Money Start Here, which produces financial seminars and DVDs. “Your credit score can determine if you g...

(exfordy) Once destined for stagnation and communistic despair, China has produced truly breathtaking economic growth over the last several decades. Indeed, it is difficult to exaggerate just how much – and how quickly – the Chinese economy has grown. At a time when most major economies are struggling to catch their breath amidst a recession, Bloomberg warned on January 11, 2010 that China risked “overheating” with forecasted 2010 growth rates as high as 16%. Many eyes ...

Photo: Mykl Roventine The expression “as good as gold” suggests that gold is something of a sure thing when it comes to investments. But, while gold and other commodities remain a solid investment choice, when it comes to investing there’s no such thing as a sure thing. The trick to investing in gold is knowing the difference between gold and other asset classes; stocks, bonds, real-estate, even cold hard cash. Putting a Value on Gold Let’s start with its value or, as wi...

Got credit card debt? If so, good news: the card issuer can no longer hike your interest rate without warning or raise rates on an existing balance. They have to send your bill at least 21 days before it’s due (up from 14 days). And each bill has to show how long it will take to pay off the balance if you make the minimum payment–and how much you’ll pay in interest if you do that. Call it the credit card equivalent of the Surgeon General’s warning. These reforms–...

At the risk of generalizing about the needs of working mothers, we think its fair to say that they not only want to find meaningful employment at a good salary, with comprehensive benefits but they also have specific needs that are unique to raising a family. Working mothers, across the board, want to live in a place that is safe, with good schools, and decent medical care. Based on Forbes’ rankings over multiple areas, we have prepared this map of America’s best cities for working m...

(Aaron Escobar ♦ (the spaniard)™) For much of its history, offshore banking has been seen first and foremost as an avoidance maneuver. Countless action and mystery movies depict Swiss bank accounts as places for villains to hide ill-gotten fortunes. Indeed, one need not rely on movies for evidence of offshore banks housing shady activities. Offshore bank accounts have been used to hide the profits for everything from drug sales to arms dealing to bribes – not to mention tax evasion sc...

Photo: Wolfgang Staudt Picture a country with thousands of islands settled in a beautiful blue sea that features miles of topless beaches where guys once drank wine and popped olives without a care in the world. Life was good until the global recession hit. Now they’re brawling in the streets because their government is threatening to freeze their salaries. That country would be Greece and they’re one of the PIIGS you’ve been hearing about in the news lately. The acronym PIIGS stands for ...

Photo When Jeannine Pesce, a 37-year-old mom from Manahawkin, New Jersey, decided to quit her job and go back to school to become a nurse, she was sure it was a smart move toward a more secure future. But she’s planning to buy a home in 2010 and is worried her lack of income will drag down her credit score. “This is a common myth I think a lot of folks assume is true,” says Curtis Arnold, founder of CardRatings.com and co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Person-to-Person Len...

The central line is a mainstay of modern medicine: a catheter inserted directly into the jugular to administer drugs, monitor blood pressure, and facilitate a dozen other vital tasks. If a tube running into your jugular vein gets infected, you are screwed. And patients at Johns Hopkins Hospital were getting sick and dying from central line infections. So the hospital applied a new technique to the problem. It wasn’t a new antibiotic or type of catheter. Author Atul Gawande reports that the ne...

(tenaciousme) A statement we frequently hear from economic analysts is that America needs a “strong dollar.” And most of the time, the non-economically savvy segment of the population blankly nods in agreement. Lacking a deep understanding of why a strong dollar is beneficial (or even what a strong dollar means), most people nevertheless prefer a strong dollar to a weak one. However, the words “strong” and “weak” are the source of much confusion on this issue...

There’s a lot of commentary on how to start a business, how to court investors, and how to sell a business. One theme that consistently falls through the cracks, however, is what it takes to, and what it is like to start up and run your own company on the ground level. For many young entrepreneurs, the thought of using investor money to help build your dream sounds like just like that — a dream. And while generating funding and starting out with a size-able amount of seed money can ...

The Apple iPad is this season’s most desirable gadget but it might not be in your budget. Mint.com is all about helping you keep to that budget so we’ve decided to give away a Free Apple iPad! Enter here: http://bit.ly/cvRsPi. The Free Mint.com iPhone app works great on the iPad and will help you manage your money wherever you are, with the features you need while on the go. Use the Mint.com app to check your balances, edit your transactions, and be alerted — via real-time pus...

Traveling involves a lot of trade-offs. Money is always a big issue after the decision is made to fly somewhere exotic or historical; can you afford to see all the sights and live comfortably? It’s never easy to balance what you want to do and what your disposable income allows for. In order to stretch your money the furthest, you need to look for deals from the get-go. All it takes is a little research and creativity, and with the savings, you will be better equipped to experience your d...

Though the income gap in the United States has slowly decreased over the last few decades, there still remains a significant disparity in income between genders and across races. The earnings of Black women are much closer to the US average than those of their male counterparts, and the trend is similar for those of Hispanic descent. It is also notable that on average, Asian females earn more than both Black and Hispanic males, while Asian males have the highest income among all groups. Embed ...

Credit advice from “Goodfellas”? You bet! These financial experts read between the lines of classic gangster movies to deliver the goods. Grab a cannoli, and get the dirt on credit protection. Bada bing! The World Is Yours… If You Don’t Get Cocky “Say hello to my little friend.” ~ “Scarface” Like the submachine gun Tony Montana wielded in “Scarface,” your credit cards are powerful. They can open doors, but they don’t make you invincible. Denise Winston, money expert for M...

The government will tell you that we are coming out of recession and economic recovery is right around the corner. Since the mortgage meltdown could be considered the root cause of the economic downturn, it’s helpful to look at the current housing market to get a sense of whether the recovery is hitting close to home. As prices have continued to drop in cities across the nation, the number of home sales has been increasing in many areas. Especially profound was the dramatic percentage inc...

(DiegoSaurius Rex) Long known as a hotbed of corruption and secrecy, Chile has emerged from the shadows as a legitimate player in the world economy. On January 11, 2010, Chile became the first South American country to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. OCED’s press release cites Chile’s “…nearly two decades of democratic reform and sound economic policies” as justification for its historic membership. To put it in perspective, Chile is...