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Tag: Money

  • Square Cash Adds ‘Cash Drawer’ Feature For Businesses and Individuals

    Square Cash Adds ‘Cash Drawer’ Feature For Businesses and Individuals

    Square announced a new update to its Square Cash app that lets users – businesses and individuals alike – store a cash balance like other payments services. The feature is referred to as “Cash Drawer”.

    With the feature, you can store cash you receive directly in the app or add your own from your bank account, so you can set aside funds for whatever you might need them for.

    The feature is optional, and can be toggled on or off.

    “When the Cash Drawer feature is turned on, anyone can keep all the payments they’ve received in one secure place and deduct from that stash to make payments,” the company says. “Anyone can access all funds in their Cash Drawer immediately by selecting the Cash Out button, instantly transferring the stored funds directly to their bank account.”

    “Starting today, all Square Cash customers will be able to access the Cash Drawer and in the coming weeks customers will be able to access the Add Cash button in the app as well,” it adds. “We’re thrilled to provide our customers with even more ways to use Square Cash and keep track of their personal finances with the new Cash Drawer feature.”

    TechCrunch shares comment from the company about business use:

    Notes a company spokesperson, “a business may wish to turn on the feature so that they can easily track and manage their business payments in one place, rather than have them stream into their bank account.”

    The feature is immediately available to all Square Cash users. It’s in a new update for both iOS and Android.

    In the coming weeks, they’ll add a an “Add Cash” button”.

    Last year, Square added $Cashtags for business use and an Apple Watch app.

    Images via Square

  • Campaign Donations Come to Twitter with the Help of Square Cash

    Campaign Donations Come to Twitter with the Help of Square Cash

    Twitter and Square have partnered up to make it easier for political candidates to solicit campaign contributions via social media. Now, you can give directly to US candidates via a “contribute” button inside a tweet.

    “This is the fastest, easiest way to make an online donation, and the most effective way for campaigns to execute tailored digital fundraising, in real time, on the platform where Americans are already talking about the 2016 election and the issues they are passionate about,” says Twitter’s head of Political Advertising Sales Jenna Golden.

    Candidates must sign up for Square Cash, and when they tweet out their new $Cashtags Twitter will automatically generate the new donation card.

    All Twitter users have to do is click on the “contribute” button, enter in the donation amount, and add a debit card number and other FEC-required info.

    Some candidates are already hopping on board:

    “Every day, voters, politicians, and government officials all over the world use Twitter to communicate in creative ways that enrich public discourse and increase government access and accountability,” says Golden. “By partnering with Square to enable donations through Tweets, and as the 2016 election season heats up, we’ve upgraded these tools through which citizens can raise their voices to champion causes and candidates they support.”

  • PayPal Gives You Your Own Link to Request Money

    PayPal Gives You Your Own Link to Request Money

    PayPal has just launched its own peer-to-peer payment service to compete with the likes of Square Cash and Google Wallet.

    It’s called PayPal.me, and it’s a custom URL that’s linked to your PayPal account.

    Users can send their custom URL to friends and family as an easy way to request money.

    “PayPal.Me is a free, simple, and personal way to request money from anyone across the globe. It’s a link you can personalize with your name and send to groups of friends, family and colleagues for a quick, hassle-free way to pay you back quickly. It’s an instant, safe, unique link that works on any device no matter where you’re talking to people – in a text, email, instant messenger, social media post, blog, or on the web,” says PayPal.

    You can head on over to PayPal.me right now to snag your own custom URL. I got PayPal.me/joshwolford, so if you go right now you might be able to grab your name without incident (depending on how common your name is).

    Here’s what it looks like when someone clicks on your custom URL:

    Screen Shot 2015-09-01 at 10.07.06 AM

    The service launches today in 18 countries: U.S., Germany, UK, Australia, Canada, Russia, Turkey, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Austria. PayPal says this will help put a dent in the $51 billion in IOUs floating around in friend and family debt. I don’t know about all that, but it is definitely an easier way to use PayPal.

  • Uber Is Now a $50 Billion (Valued) Company

    Throw some more money on the Uber stacks. The on-demand car company has just raised another cool $1 billion, according to sources quoted in the Wall Street Journal.

    The $1 billion brings the total funding to $5. The company is now valued at just shy of $51 billion.

    This round was brought to you by Microsoft and Indian media company Bennett Coleman & Co.

    The WSJ has this interesting tidbit, showing just how fast Uber reached its $50 billion valuation:

    Uber’s valuation has now reached the high-water mark set by Facebook in 2011, when Goldman Sachs offered wealthy clients outside the U.S. shares of the social network that implied a $50 billion valuation, not including the money raised.

     

    At the time, Facebook was nearly seven years old. Uber just turned five.

    In other Uber and a billion dollars news, the company announced intentions to pump $1 billion into an expansion in India.

    “We are extremely bullish on the Indian market and see tremendous potential here,” Amit Jain, president of Uber India said in a statement on Friday. “Uber has grown exponentially in India.”

    China too.

  • Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda Aren’t Happy About ‘Grace & Frankie’ Pay

    Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda Aren’t Happy About ‘Grace & Frankie’ Pay

    In the new Netflix comedy Grace and Frankie, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda star as two women who “form an unlikely bond after their husbands reveal they are gay and leave them for each other.”

    The show is called Grace and Frankie, and Tomlin & Fonda are its main stars. But apparently, the show’s male actors (Sam Waterston and Martin sheen) are getting paid just as much as they are – and this doesn’t exactly sit well with either.

    Speaking at a press event before the premiere of the show, Fonda and Tomlin sounded off about a hot button issue as of late – the gender pay gap.

    “Lily found out Sam and Martin are getting the same salary that we are,” said Fonda. “That doesn’t make us happy.”

    “No. The show is not Sol and Robert — it’s Grace and Frankie,” said Tomlin.

    Both Tomlin and Fonda clearly feel as though they should be earning more than their male counterparts, since they are the main focus of the show.

    Charlize Theron recently negotiated a deal to be paid as much as her Snow White and the Huntsman co-star Chris Hemsworth.

    “‘I have to give them credit because once I asked, they said yes,” she says. “They did not fight it. And maybe that’s the message: That we just need to put our foot down. This is a good time for us to bring this to a place of fairness, and girls need to know that being a feminist is a good thing. It doesn’t mean that you hate men. It means equal rights. If you’re doing the same job, you should be compensated and treated in the same way,” she said.

    And Jennifer Lawrence also reportedly won a fight to be paid more for an upcoming film.

    All 13 episodes of Grace and Frankie are now available to stream on Netflix. So far, the show has received mixed reviews.

  • Facebook ‘Powerball’ Scam Screws Woman out of $10K

    Facebook ‘Powerball’ Scam Screws Woman out of $10K

    Neither Facebook nor its CEO Mark Zuckerberg are ever going to give you money, unless you’re a charity – then you might get a fat donation from Zuck. But for average, everyday people on Facebook, anyone claiming to have money for you is lying.

    Most of us would reply duh to that – but some of the oldest scams in the book continue to rob Facebook users of incredible sums of money.

    The latest hoax to do so involves a so-called “Facebook Powerball” lottery, supposedly sponsored by Mark Zuckerberg himself.

    A Pennsylvania woman was recently duped, and lost nearly $9,500 as a result.

    WTAE says:

    The woman was contacted by a friend’s account, but the account had been hacked. The suspect then told the woman that she had won a Facebook Powerball lottery that was hosted by Mark Zuckerberg himself. The woman was informed she needed to send $1,000 to receive $100,000, $2,000 to receive $200,000 and so on.

    The suspect informed the woman she needed to send $1,000 via Western Union to an individual in Mobile, Alabama.

    After sending the money, the woman was told that the UPS truck that was delivering her money was stopped by the IRS. The suspect then told the woman she needed to wire transfer $8,500 to an account in Atlanta, which she did, after being advised the money would be delivered to her address within 24 hours.

    The ol’ send money to make money scam – for the social media age.

    It was only when the woman was told her money had been seized by the police after her UPS driver died in a crash that she began to get suspicious. Only then.

    I guess I’ll go add ‘Zuckerberg lottery scam’ to the growing list of hoaxes that people keep falling for, inexplicably.

  • Tim Cook Is Donating His Fortune to Charity

    Tim Cook Is Donating His Fortune to Charity

    Apple CEO Tim Cook has joined another club for the super wealthy – the philanthropy club. Which to be honest, is probably the best kind of club for the super rich.

    In an interview with Fortune, Cook revealed that he plans to give all of his money to charity – well, pretty much all of it. After he pays for his nephew’s college, he says, the rest will go toward philanthropic goals.

    From Fortune‘s profile:

    Representing their companies publicly is obligatory for CEOs, but Cook takes public stands on issues including stopping the transmission of AIDS, human rights, and immigration reform. He sees them as opportunities for leadership. “You want to be the pebble in the pond that creates the ripple for change,” he says, adding that Apple’s people have long cared about such issues even if they haven’t previously spoken so openly about them. To Cook, changing the world always has been higher on Apple’s agenda than making money. He plans to give away all his wealth, after providing for the college education of his 10-year-old nephew. There should be plenty left over to fund philanthropic projects. Cook’s net worth, based on his holdings of Apple stock, is currently about $120 million. He also holds restricted stock worth $665 million if it were to be fully vested.

    Cook joins a growing list of high-profile, incredibly wealthy business leaders who’ve decided to give most – if not all – of their fortunes to charity.

    If you’re curious as to who else has pledged to give away the majority of their money, check out Warren Buffet and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge website. There you’ll see names like Michael Bloomberg, Sheryl Sandberg, Reed Hastings, Carl Ichan, Elon Musk, Ted Turner, and Mark Zuckerberg.

    Cook appears to be a very generous person.

  • Google Wallet Adds Recurring Bank Transfers, Low Balance Alerts

    Google announced that Google Wallet users can now add money to their balance using recurring bank transfers. The company insists that this is secure.

    Also new to Wallet are low balance alerts that let you know when you’re getting close to running out of money.

    “With recurring bank transfers, adding money to your Wallet Balance takes care of itself,” says product manager Andrew Waterman. “Simply schedule a recurring transfer from your bank account right into your Wallet Balance, and never worry about adding money to your Wallet Balance again. Choose the amount, set a schedule (weekly, bi-weekly or monthly) and you’re all set. Money will be added to your Wallet Balance automatically, and you can cancel your transfer at any time.”

    google wallet recurring bank transfers

    “There are no fees or minimum balance requirements for your Wallet Balance. And rest assured, your money is safe,” he adds. “Your Wallet Balance is backed by 24/7 fraud monitoring and the Google Wallet Fraud Protection Guarantee, which covers 100% of any transactions made without your authorization. If your device is lost or stolen, you can easily disable the Google Wallet app online or by contacting Google customer support.”

    The low balance alerts are pretty self-explanatory. You can turn them on or off.

    If you like to use your Google Wallet Card much, these new features should be pretty handy.

    Image via Google

  • Iggy Pop Says Music Shouldn’t Be About Money

    Iggy Pop was once a punk musician, but now he spends his time giving lectures. His recent lecture was directed at the music industry.

    Iggy said that he thinks too many people are focused on how much money they will make from a song or album instead of the actual music itself. He suggested that musicians stop worrying so much about the financial aspects of their careers, and focus more on enjoying the music they make.

    “If I had to depend on what I actually get from sales, I’d be tending bar between sets,” he said.

    “Personally, I don’t worry too much about how much I get paid for any given thing, because I never expected much in the first place and the whole industry has become bloated in its expectations,” he told a live audience at a radio festival in Salford near Manchester.

    Iggy was once the frontman for Iggy and the Stooges and performed for sold out crowds all over the world. He said that he always enjoyed being able to have a music career and wasn’t focused on how much money he made.

    He also said that he feels like the music industry makes it hard for artists to stay creative and hard for new artists to break into the world of music and entertainment.

    “Music was never a for-profit enterprise. The best forms were developed as a kind of job in the community. ‘Yeah, I’m a musician and I’m going to skip doing the dishes or taking the trash out’ — it was more like that. And it’s not surprising at all that the greatest singers and players come from parts of the world where everybody is broke and the old ways are getting paved over,” he said.

    While Iggy may be right, it’s not likely that many musicians will be willing to give up their fortunes made from making music.

    Do you think Iggy has a point?

  • Square Cash Adds Ability To Text Money To People

    Square introduced Square Cash last fall, enabling people to send money to one another using a simple email. Now, you can also send money by texting.

    The company announced today that it has released an update to the mobile app versions (Android and iOS) that lets you make a payment with a text message.

    “The update adds the ability to simply send or request money from everyone in your address book using just their phone number (or e-mail address), even if the recipient doesn’t have the app,” Square says. “Cash also features a refreshed design, the ability to keep track of payments and requests via push notification, and a new Profile feature for linking all of your email addresses and phone numbers to your account.”

    “People use the free Cash app to pay for group vacations, dinner bills and even to send funds for back to school supplies, meal plans and textbooks,” it adds. “Cash also enables anyone to request money, even from up to 25 people at once, streamlining payment collection for sports teams, parties, and events by helping groups easily manage their money.”

    According to the company, people have already sent and received hundreds of millions of dollars using Square Cash since launch. Over a quarter of all that has been sent across city and state lines.

    Image via Square

  • Agora Financial Gives the Lowdown on the Hottest Stocks of 2014 So Far

    Commissioned News Story (Source: Agora Financial)

    Everybody wants to know the secret to picking the hottest stocks. Believe it or not, it takes some research to figure it out. Otherwise everybody would be rich.

    When it comes to this year’s hottest stocks, Go Pro and Keurig Coffee are among the biggest winners so far.

    Agora Financial has been informing investors for over 25 years and has been ahead of the curve with some of the biggest financial events in recent history, including reporting on the housing crisis 4 years before it happened.

    They seem like a good place to start when it comes to said research. Agora Financial Editor Chris Mayer shared some thoughts about the hottest stocks of the year and how investors can get more bang for their buck.

    Asked about strategies investors can use to pick winning stocks, Mayer said, “Buy cheap stocks (those with low price to book ratios, low price earnings ratios or high dividend yields). Buy stocks with momentum (breaking out to new highs). Buy spinoffs (which consistently outperform the market). Buy stocks that pay rising dividends. Buy stocks that insiders are buying.”

    On common traits of well- performing stocks, he added, “They have the ability to invest in their business and earn high returns over time. They have a competitive advantage of some sort. They have the ability to grow at above average rates. They do smart things with excess cash (pay dividends, buy back stock).”

    Asked about his favorite stocks of 2014 so far, Mayer offered, “Insurance stocks (we closed out United Insurance for a 151% gain this year). Select property stocks. We’re up 277% on Howard Hughes Corp, for example. Little banks (we closed out Viewpoint Financial for a 123% gain.”

    Mayer drove home the point about the importance of doing your homework before investing.

    “You would never buy a car or an expensive appliance without doing a little work ahead of time to learn about the product,” he noted. “Why? Because you don’t want to waste your money. Same thing in stocks. You do the work so you have a happy outcome. If you don’t do the work, it’s like playing poker without looking at the cards. Your outcomes are completely random.”

    Mayer considers Agora Financial a great investor resource because of its independence, which he says is “very rare and hard to find,” as well as its breadth and track record.

    “We are beholden only to our subscribers,” he says. “We do not take money from any of the companies we cover. We have no investment banking services to sell. We have no advertisers to please. So our writers write what they think and research what they like.”

    He also cited competitive pricing.

    “Our editors have widely varying experiences and expertise that would hard for the individual investor to find elsewhere,” he said, adding, “Agora editors have been ahead of many of the biggest turning points of the market in recent years (including the tech bubble and housing bubble).”

    When figuring out where to invest your money, it helps to have a reputable source to gain insights from.

    Of course educating yourself on stocks is only one part of the equation. It also helps to review your finances and have a plan.

  • Iron Age Coins Unearthed in Britain

    Iron Age Coins Unearthed in Britain

    Over two dozen of rare Roman and Iron Age coins were discovered inside of a cave in Dovedale, Derbyshire, United Kingdom.

    Four of the coins were initially discovered by a random cave dweller in the Peak district, which lead to a full-scale excavation by archaeologists. In what has been described as an extremely rare occurrence, 26 coins from two civilizations, which experts believe haven’t been touched for roughly 2,000 years, were unearthed in all.

    The gold and silver coins, the first of their kind to be found in a cave, are said to have belonged to the Corieltauvi tribe, a group that lived in Britain before the Roman conquest. The coins were dug up in Reynard’s Kitchen Cave, which is located outside the Corieltauvi’s usual boundaries.

    Rachel Hall of the National Trust commented, “It might be that we have a member of the tribe living beyond the boundary that is more usually associated with the territory.” Hall added, “it’s just so special and they’re incredibly beautiful. I think it’s the most exciting site I’ve ever worked on in my life so far.”

    The find included 20 Iron Age coins, three Roman coins and three coins from much later eras, according to a report complied by Ian Leins, curator of Iron Age and Roman coins at the British Museum. As the coins predated the Roman conquest of the region, archaeologists aren’t exactly sure how they were used, but interestingly, it is highly unlikely that they were utilized as a form of currency. It is believed that the coins were presented as gifts, used to store wealth or offered as sacrifices.

    The 26 coins are worth roughly $3,400, and officially qualify as “treasure” under the United Kingdom’s 1996 Treasure Act, which means they need to be reported to authorities. The coins will be put on display later this year at the Buxton Museum in Derbyshire.

    Image via Youtube

  • Gas Prices Are Rising: Some Tips To Make Gas Last

    Anyone else planning a stay-cation this summer?

    With waiting lines like this and gas prices the way they are, you’re likely not alone. Despite predictions this past spring that your car’s diet would be fund friendly this summer, it seems as though that may not come to pass after all. High demand, fewer supplies than anticipated, and declining production are all reportedly culpable for crude oil price rise. Gregg Laskoski, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com, thinks the nations gas prices will continue to escalate, claiming:

    “We’re expecting prices to go up because of problems in Iraq, and expected spikes in wholesale gasoline and retail gasoline prices.”

    Recent price jumps may imminently drive the price of regular unleaded gasoline from the current $3.64 a gallon up by 5 to 10 cents. Last year, by comparison, costs averaged around $3.58 a gallon between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Tom Kloza, senior energy analyst at Gasbuddy.com believes that while costs will rise, that:

    “We’re not looking at a Gas-zilla event; it’ll probably be a slow drift higher rather than skyrocketing.”

    As Iraqi oil production was already cut by about 10%, or about 300,000 barrels a day, since March, John Kingston, global news director for industry tracker Platts Energy, asks:

    “The question is, who is going to fill the gap? Saudi Arabia? That’s what the market is looking at.”

    Until prices relent, some have offered suggestions on how to circumvent feeling pickpocketed at the pump. While none of them include taking a nice, long, country drive while bumping a playlist of Jack Johnson mixed with Westside Connection (which totally foils my plans), they just might prove helpful for those who are penny pinching this season:

    A few people have also mentioned workarounds – like taking a bike if you’re not too worried about being sweaty at your destination or using public transit when possible. These might seem like common sense tips, but a few of them (like being a lead foot) are indeed on my driver defect list.

    Along with some of these driving tips, come a few “planning ahead” ones. For example, Laskoski suggests: “First, try to think about what trip you’re making and how to consolidate your errands.” For instance, if one errand’s location is on the way to another, we can try to plan our schedules around not having to backtrack or make a second trip later. Other suggestions include lightening the load (the literal junk in the trunk problem – or for me – a second wardrobe in my backseat). Also, regularly checking tire pressure (which we should be doing anyway because, ya know: safety) will ensure we all get the most bang for our buck.

    Fuel-Saving Tips for a New Year

    .

    (Click infographic for larger version)

    May you all have safe and wonderful summers – despite this financial inconvenience!

    What gas hacks have worked for you in the past?

    Leave them in the comments below, if you like!

    Image via Youtube

  • Hidden Cash Philanthropy Is Going Viral

    Hidden Cash Philanthropy Is Going Viral

    That’s right!

    I’m here to spread some good news on this lovely Sunday.

    An anonymous and wealthy property developer in San Francisco with the twitter handle @hiddencash initiated a treasure hunt about a week ago and now it’s spreading internationally. After tweeting Californians clues about where the drop off would be, locals would seek out the site, recover the money-containing envelope, and gratefully tweet photos to him – holding their prize in hand.

    As it’s sometimes difficult to believe in altruism, some have questioned how genuine his motives are.

    However, the self-described member of the one percent (who remains anonymous right down to his exact age) has explained, “There is nothing commercial behind this. I’ve made millions of dollars the last few years, more than I ever imagined, and yet many friends of mine, and people who work for me, cannot afford to buy a modest home.”

    He added, “This is my way of giving back to the community and also having fun.”

    While the amounts given aren’t world altering (in a financial way) – that’s not what it’s all about. One San Francisco couple, for example, offered an interview after collecting $66 and a lottery ticket from a nearby drop off. Richard Rodriguez and his partner said, “The money was great but it was also so much fun doing something like this. It was a scavenger hunt.” Rodriguez added, “It’s not a lot of money. It’s not going to change your life. But the camaraderie it brings out in people is a lot of fun.”

    The unidentified generous gentleman expressed his intent to keep taking the giveaway to new cities, but not before infecting those whose lives he’d touched with the spirit of giving:

    And infusing the typical workday with some “fun”:

    And – as he’d intended – having some fun in the process himself:

    After just a little over a week since its inception, this innovative method of giving back has already spread. The United Kingdom and Vancouver have also seen the rise of prosperous citizens anonymously proffering money. Britain’s benevolent 25-year-old (who made his money via several e-commerce businesses), was inspired by the American version, and said: “I thought why not bring that over here and the reaction has been really good. I’m in a fortunate position to be able to give away money on a daily basis at the moment.”

    Explaining what spurred him on a personal level, he added:

    “It got to a point where there is only so much stuff that money can buy and for myself – as well as for the people finding the money – I find it quite fun. I get more of a kick out of that than I would spending £50 on myself. We’ve planned a drop right down south, in Brighton, and I’ve planned one in London.”

    Now, Vancouver is also part of the social experiment as the twitter account @hiddencashYVR began the giveaways too. Posted to their account page is, “let’s bring some smiles to Vancouverites. Pictures and clues of hidden $100s around town will be posted… finders, keepers!”

    But the only thing the “finders” are “keeping” is the spirit – by paying it forward:

    It’s a wonderful thing when good news like this spreads instead of dying in its ephemeral televised time slot – sandwiched between distress tales. So, if you’re in a city participating, have fun, be safe, and remember that we can all be a part of this – wherever we are. Whether we pay for a stranger’s coffee or just pay them a compliment on their brilliant smile, we’ve done something awesome today that just might spread too.

    Have a beautiful day!

    Image via Youtube

  • Doris Buffett Puts A Personal Spin On Philanthropy

    Doris Buffett isn’t quite as recognizable as her little brother, but he wouldn’t be quite as famous if it wasn’t for her.

    Doris Buffett, 86, is Warren Buffett’s big sister and head of the Sunshine Lady Foundation. The charitable organization works with Warren Buffett to distribute his money to those who need it after announcing that he would be giving his money to charity in 2006. A big part of his charitable mission was to make sure a human read every request for monetary assistance, and Doris makes sure that happens.

    The Sunshine Lady Foundation was founded in 1996 after Doris came into some money of her own. She used the foundation to give $150 million of her own money to scholarships, inmate assistance programs and other causes. The foundation, which employs seven women, switched to reading requests for Warren’s money in 2006. The foundation was originally given $5 million to give out to those who needed it, but Warren said he would give more if they needed it. Beyond the initial figure, however, we don’t know how much Warren has given to charity through his sister’s charity.

    Warren Buffett is one of the most famous philanthropists of our time, but what made his sister want to start giving? According to Doris herself, she discovered her desire to give during the Great Depression when even the wealthy were struggling to get by. Her experience during the Great Depression seems to have influenced her style of giving as well. While she may have started out with large donations, she now gives out money on a case-by-case basis for those with small needs. For example, she has used her brother’s money to pay for tombstones or a car. Her willingness to provide small gifts to individuals sets her apart from other philanthropists that throw millions of dollars at big issues that impact thousands of people.

    Two years ago, Google hosted Doris at its Authors@Google talks where she discussed her philanthropist philosophy. It’s definitely worth checking out:

    In a world where philanthropy often feels like part of a PR campaign, the Buffetts stand out as a real force for change. A lot of that success can be attributed to Doris with which a lot of this wouldn’t be possible.

    [h/t: Huffington Post]
    Image via Talks at Google/YouTube

  • The Market For Tragedy: 9/11 Museum Gift Shop

    Right now you can buy a $110 talking Osama Bin Laden action figure on eBay if your heart so desires. If you don’t want to waste your money, you have the option to download for free the Super Columbine Massacre RPG video game; the game “delves into the morning of April 20th, 1999 and asks players to relive that day through the eyes of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.”

    Yet, with these options available, some feel capitalizing on a tragedy or a touchy subject isn’t proper. The 911 Memorial at Ground Zero in New York tells the story of the 9/11 terror attacks with artifacts and displays, paying tribute to the lives of innocents and heroes lost that day.

    They also have a gift shop.

    The 9/11 museum offers a wide selection of souvenirs that include, but are not limited to: FDNY, NYPD and Port Authority Police T-shirts ($22) and caps ($19.95); earrings molded from leaves and blossoms of downtown trees ($20 to $68); police and firefighter charms by Pandora and other jewelers ($65); “United We Stand” blankets – you can even buy an FDNY vest for your dog.

    Admission costs $24 for adults, $18 for seniors and students, and $15 for kids ages 7 to 17.

    “To me, it’s the crassest, most insensitive thing to have a commercial enterprise at the place where my son died.” Diane Horning told the New York Post; her husband Kurt and her never recovered the remains of their son Matthew, 26, a database administrator for Marsh & McLennan.

    Around 8,000 unidentified bodies lay buried in a “remains repository” in an underground home of the museum.

    “Here is essentially our tomb of the unknown. To sell baubles I find quite shocking and repugnant,” Horning added.

    “I think it’s a money-making venture to support inflated salaries, and they’re willing to do it over my son’s dead body.”

    A sign outside of the shop, as well as a notice online reads that “All net proceeds from our sales are dedicated to developing and sustaining” the museum. Despite the gift shop raising controversy, there are other multiple avenues of which one can donate, volunteer, or become a member and get a 10% discount.

    Among the donators, a plaque outside the store reads “made possible through the generosity of Paul Napoli and Marc Bern,” both partners in a law firm which garnered $200 million in taxpayer-funded fees and expenses after suing the city representing roughly 10,000 Ground Zero workers.

    According to the museum’s website, the firm donated $5 million.

    Images via Wikimedia Commons, 911 Memorial

  • Wes Welker: Should He Pay Back The Money?

    Wes Welker: Should He Pay Back The Money?

    Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker was one of the thousands of people to attend the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs this year, and was seen handing out $100 bills to strangers after winning a bet.

    Welker sent a friend to collect his winnings. He was supposed to receive $42,295.35 but instead was given $57,193.90; that is a difference of $14,000.

    “An individual believed to be a member of Wes Welker’s group on Kentucky Derby day was the beneficiary of an overpayment north of $14,000 on a wager due to a tote malfunction,” Darren Rogers, the Churchill Downs spokesman, said in a statement. “In turn, a letter has been sent to that individual in an attempt to resolve the error.”

    Even though it was not Welker’s fault, many people think he should return the money. However, according to Kentucky administrative regulations, he is not required to. The regulations state that if there is an overpayment, the track is responsible and the patron is not required to repay the money.

    “It is our mistake and we are not worried about the recovery of the money,” Rogers said. “We hope they come back to Churchill Downs and wager that $14,000 next year.”

    Welker revealed that he did not realize that he had been overpaid. He said he could have been underpaid and he never would have known the difference. And, as for the $100 bills, he said that he handed them out rather than signing hundreds of autographs.

    “People wanted autographs and pictures coming down, so I was like, ‘Hey, wouldn’t $100 be nicer?’” Welker said. “And they were like, ‘Yes.’ I was like, ‘Perfect. So, here you go.’”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • $41,000 Found Inside A Couch In New York

    $41,000 Found Inside A Couch In New York

    What would you do if you found $41,000 in a couch you just purchased; find the rightful owner, return the money, or simply keep it and hit the malls?

    These are the difficult questions that three State University of New York college students had to face when they found a large sum of money in a couch they purchased at a resale store for $20.

    Like most college students, Reese Werkhoven, Cally Guasti, and Lara Russo decided to bargain shop when it came to furnishing their new home. While thrift shopping at the Salvation Army, they stumbled upon an old couch, which they later purchased and took home.

    They were trying out the couch, and getting cozy, when Werkhoven felt something underneath the arm of the coach. Curious, he decided to see what it was and pulled out an envelope. In that envelope was $700, all in 20 dollar bills.

    “I almost peed,” Werkhoven said. “The most money I’d ever found in a couch was like fifty cents. Honestly, I’d be ecstatic to find just $5 in a couch.”

    The group then wondered if there was more money hidden in the couch, and started their search. “Just when we thought we pulled out the last envelope we’d find another $1,000 a few minutes later,” said Guasti. When their excavation was over, the three students had found a total of $41,000.

    At first, they had no idea who the money belonged to, and were debating on keeping it. However, they soon noticed that one of the envelopes had a woman’s name in the corner. “We had a lot of moral discussions about the money,” Russo explained. “We all agreed that we had to bring the money back to whoever it belonged to… it’s their money– we didn’t earn it. However, there were a lot of gray areas we had to consider.”

    They each called their parents and asked them for advice. They were all told the same thing: to find the woman and give her back the money. However, they were afraid that the owner of the money would be a bad person, like a drug dealer, and wouldn’t deserve to have it back.

    “My mom said that I have a good moral compass, and if I don’t think that someone is a good person, or deserving of the money, then I’m not obligated to give it to them. This really threw me off. Where do you draw the line? It’s all very subjective.”

    The next day, Werkhoven’s mom found the woman’s name listed in the phone book. When he got off work he gave the woman a call and told her about how they came upon the couch. She was very short with him, and simply said, “Oh, I left a lot of money in that couch.”

    He told her that they would return the money as soon as possible. However, on the way to her house in the Hudson Valley, they started having second thoughts. “About halfway to her house we stopped the car and had a serious discussion…what if she’s a really bad person? What can we do at this point if we meet her and decide we don’t want to give her the money?”

    After a lengthy discussion, the group continued their drive and arrived at the woman’s house. “I think the part of this whole experience that cleared away my prior thoughts and worries was when I saw the woman’s daughter and granddaughter greet us at the door.” Werkhoven said. “I could just tell right away that these were nice people.”

    The woman, who asked to not be identified, explained to the group that she had been stashing her money in the couch for the past thirty years. When she went to have surgery, the doctor told her children that they should replace the couch with a bed, which is how the couch ended up at the Salvation Army. “We almost didn’t pick that couch,” Russo said. “It’s pretty ugly and smells, but it was the only couch that fit the right dimensions for our living room.”

    The woman was thrilled to get her money back, and gave the students $1,000 for returning it.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Credit Unions: Are They Better Than Banks?

    Credit Unions: Are They Better Than Banks?

    There are a few reasons why more and more Americans are quitting big banks and moving on to smaller, local credit unions.

    For starters, a credit union is not an institution that is set up to meet a bottom line. Did you know that when you invest money in a credit union, you are granted voting rights?

    This is a far cry from banks, which may make decisions with your money that you don’t necessarily agree with. Unfortunately with banks those are decisions you have no control over, even if it is your money.

    Banks tend to be about their own best interests and profit whereas credit unions are largely geared towards meeting customer needs.

    This is one reason why a steady stream of Americans are making the change to credit unions.

    Another reason is that banks often find ways to charge additional fees to make as much money as possible off of their customers.

    The various fees add up can for some customers, making it simply too costly to keep one’s money in certain banks.

    Credit unions will often reimburse your ATM fees if you have to withdraw money via an unaffiliated institution.

    Compare that to banks who not only fail to reimburse customers for having to use non-affiliated ATMs, but will often charge them an additional fee.

    Need a checking account? Upwards of 70% of credit unions have free checking accounts for their customers. Banks? Roughly 39% offer free checking.

    Then there are the overdraft fees. Even if it’s a small amount, you may find yourself charged $20 or $30 dollars.

    Banks have worked to improve their image on the customer service front in the past couple of years. At the same time, as credit unions are rapidly expanded, some are struggling to meet previous customer service standards.

    Even so, credit unions remain on top when it comes to dealing with customers honestly,respectfully, and being more oriented toward customer satisfaction.

    Overall, banks are larger and more accessible, but credit unions will keep your money with far less hassle and headaches.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • U.S. Economy Stall In Q1: Weather To Blame?

    The US economy just barely grew in the first quarter of this year, and many might say the rough winter is to blame. Exports plummeted and companies bought stocks at a snail’s pace.

    In the last quarter of 2013, gross domestic product grew at 2.6%. This past quarter showed a slow down to .1%. The slow down wasn’t a surprise, as GDP was expected by economists to slow, but only to around 1.2%. However, things are already looking up as some strength seemed to be returning at the tail end of the quarter.

    So could this stagnancy be because of the winter’s especially harsh and unusual weather? Some say it could, in fact, some economists say that the weather could account for up to 1.4% of the growth’s downfall.

    Trade and inventory make up the biggest part of the hit as businesses only accumulated $87.4 billion worth of inventory in the first quarter, the smallest number since the second quarter of 2013. This was the result from manufacturers receiving fewer orders after the a huge stock up at the end of 2013. Another factor was a simple reduction in consumer traffic to local malls and stores to buy inventory. Inventory accounts for .57% of the slow down.

    Trade suffered from freezing temps as goods piled up at ports, unable to arrive at their destinations. This accounts for .83% of the drop, together with inventory totaling the 1.4% fall. However, the government has yet to make any comment as to the weather and any relation the harsh winter may have had in the stall.

    Now that the weather is warming up and people are getting out and about, perhaps the second quarter of 2014 can make up for the weak first quarter of the year and give the economy a boost.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Mega Millions Winners in Florida Claim $207 Million

    A central Florida man and woman have stepped forward to claim their half of the $414 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot on Tuesday.

    Raymond Moyer and Robyn Collier, both 35, claimed $207 million in winnings from the Florida Lottery, and opted for a one-time, lump-sum payout of roughly $115.5 million. A check dated for April 21 was made out to the Cobie and Seamus Trust, which Moyer and Collier are members of.

    The golden Quick Pick ticket for the March 18 drawing was bought at a Publix grocery store on Merritt Island. Florida Lottery officials stated Publix will receive a $100,000 cut for selling the ticket. The $414 million jackpot is the third largest in the history of the game, and a second winning ticket was purchased in Maryland, though has not yet been claimed.

    Collier said that she wasn’t aware that she and Moyer were winners, until the numbers came up on the local news. Moyer commented, “It was definitely a shock, but it is an incredible blessing that will allow us to do many things we would not have had the opportunity to do before.”

    Non-winners took to Twitter to explain what they might do if they were winners:

    The two plan to invest the money, travel and attend Notre Dame football games. Though, not all lottery winners are equipped to handle such prompt reversal of fortune. There have been numerous instances describing the pitfalls of instant wealth.

    Kenneth and Connie Parker were winners of a $25 million jackpot, and abruptly ended their 16-year marriage within months. Jeffrey Dampier was kidnapped and murdered by his sister-in-law, after winning $20 million. Jack Whittaker won the largest individual payout in U.S. lottery history in 2002, only to have his granddaughter overdose on drugs and have numerous brushes with the law. Hurley from ABC’s cult classic LOST entered a world of pain after hitting a jackpot.

    It would appear to be wise to never tell anyone you’ve won (if the state where the ticket was purchased allows this; few do), and perhaps exact a more complex plan than eternal recreation.

    Image via YouTube