Personal Finance

Is pursuing an MBA a good financial move? Well, the top 25 business schools in the U.S. generated between 325% and 249% Return On Investment over a 10 year period with starting salaries averaging between $97,000 and $125,000 per annum ($111,760 on average) exclusive of bonuses and various perks.

The Pew Research Center’s recent report says that 49% of adults are members of the Great American Middle Class. My more qualitative analysis suggests that no more than 33% of U.S. households qualify as middle class. Claiming that 49% of the nation’s households are still middle class is a gross exaggeration and I substantiate my contention in this most interesting and revealing article.

If you’re under 30 the old playbook of “go to school, get a good job, work your way up the ladder” doesn’t apply anymore. Here's why and what to do about it.

...According to Forbes, the following are the richest men and women in America. This list discusses something about each individual, how each one achieved his or her wealth, and some of the things these people have done with their massive amounts of wealth and status.

A lack of discipline, inability to delay gratification, failure to understand basic mathematical concepts, materialistic envy, absence of critical thinking skills, and a delusionary view of the world have left the majority of Americans broke and in debt. Let me explain further.

If you are in the habit of bargain hunting or trying to get free stuff, think again - especially if you are fortunate enough to be in a secure well-paid job. Look for quality, not price, and expect to pay for quality goods and services. In addition, be generous because it is generosity, not miserliness, that creates prosperity. Let me explain.

You now have the opportunity to get ahead of the game and establish barter relationships in your own community now, before it becomes imperative due to a banking or currency crisis. This article outlines all of the information you need to get started conducting business using physical gold and silver.

Every time someone tells me they are buying gold because of inflation fears, I cringe. First, I don't see a risk to higher inflation and, second, even if we have high inflation, don't count on gold as a hedge. Here's why:

The Economist infographic below shows how much people in households around the world allocate to different expenses such as food, housing, recreation, transportation, and education.

The final effort in the debt-fueled “recovery” of the U.S. economy from the Great Recession - the increase in consumer credit card debt - is seen by Equifax as that of "American consumers...getting on with their lives.” Yes, indeed, their lives as debt slaves!