Economics

EconomicsJobs

What Is the Gig Economy and Why Is It Growing So Fast?

The gig economy is a rapidly expanding slice of the U.S. labor market represents. From the proliferation of web and mobile technology, which enables so many of us to work when and where we wish, to shifting cultural values and greater generational interest in a meaningful work-life balance, the growth of the gig economy represents a confluence of factors. But what is the gig economy, what are the benefits of participation in this labor market, and is it the right move for you? Read on to learn more about the gig economy.

9 min read

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MoneyEconomicsInflationShopping

Eleven Tips for Saving on Utilities

and sustained inflationary trends in at least 30 years, the cost of living is going up. You can feel the effects when you buy groceries, when you fill up at the pump, and of course, every month when you pay your gas and electric bills. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that “natural gas prices trended higher over the last year. The delivered cost of natural gas to electricity generators grew from $3.19/MMBtu in January 2021 to an estimated $5.04/MMBtu in the fourth quarter of 2021.” The price of keeping the lights on and the heat flowing is getting higher and unfortunately, we aren’t likely to see much relief as we descend into the heart of another cold winter. There are, however, steps you can take to lower the impact on your own household. 

8 min read

EconomicsInflationMoneyOp-Ed

Money-Supply Inflation and Its Painful Fix

This article is the first in a three-part series explaining why the economic inflation we are experiencing was all-too-predictable, and outlining the things that ordinary citizens can do by way of self-protection to hedge against it and enhance their finances. The first topic of discussion will be government mismanagement of the money supply and the […]

57 min read

MoneyInflationShopping

Eleven Tips for Saving on Groceries

At this point, we probably don’t need to tell you that we’re living through a period of sustained inflation. Your grocery bills already tell you everything you need to know. In December 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a 6.8% rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) over the previous year. Americans are […]

8 min read

EconomicsEconomistsInterviews

Peter Boettke Interview

Peter J. Boettke is one of the most influential members of what one might call the “fifth generation” of Austrian economists—an academic cohort that is currently at the peak of its intellectual power and influence, both in this country and around the world.(1) Austrian economics, as a school of thought, holds that the free market […]

24 min read

BankingEconomicsReal Estate

Five Ways We’re Still Feeling the Effects of the Great Recession Today

The Great Recession was a financial crisis that gripped the world in late 2007 and held tight until roughly the summer of 2009. While this period of economic stagnation and decline was a global phenomenon, its impact was especially concentrated in the United States. Over a period of 18 months, one in every five American workers was laid off. This was a catastrophic period in the lives of many Americans. For the nation as a whole this period qualified as the worst economic meltdown since the Great Depression some 80 years prior. As we face down a growing threat of inflation, Congressional grappling over infrastructural needs, and a political landscape that is both sharply divided and marked by a far-reaching sense of economic discontent, this feels like a uniquely appropriate time to reflect on the Great Recession.

11 min read

MoneyEconomicsEconomists

How Is Inflation Impacting American Consumers?

Inflation is the watchword of the day. But what does inflation mean, and how is it likely to impact you? A perfect storm of events--including hiccups in the supply chain, shortages of essential goods, rising fuel prices and the economic fallout of the pandemic, as well as the various corrective tactics used to manage this fallout--is causing a spike in consumer pricing across the board. And as prices continue to rise, anxiety over inflation has spiraled into full-fledged fear. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) seems to bear this fear out, as do recent indications from the Federal Reserve that interest rate hikes will be coming in the New Year. But is actual inflation or just a short-term spike in consumer prices?

8 min read

BusinessEconomicsInterviewsMoneyOp-Ed

The Unreasonable Sway of College and University Rankings: An Interview with Jeffrey Stake and Jed Macosko

It may seem strange for a money and business website like Expensivity.com to present this interview about college rankings and the problems they raise. But these academic rankings are big business, and the actual school ranking lists that they produce have significant business and financial implications for the schools listed, especially depending on where they […]

20 min read

EconomicsMoney

5 Ways to Save Money and Help the Environment

Making money and protecting the environment are often portrayed as being at odds with one another. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, some of the best tips for living a financially savvy lifestyle mirror the exact strategies for pursuing an environmentally conscious existence.

10 min read

CryptoEconomicsInvestingMoneyOp-Ed

Why Invest in Cryptocurrency? Top 10 Reasons

What is cryptocurrency? Should cryptocurrency be part of your investment strategy? We cut through a lot of the hype and complexity surrounding cryptocurrency so that you can understand the risks, the benefits, and the opportunities in this emergent system of alternative currency and exchange. In the simplest terms, crypto tokens are virtual currencies that can be used to make transactions without passing through conventional centralized financial entities or institutions like banks, stockbrokers or exchanges. The idea behind this decentralized financial (DeFi) system is to create a form of financial transaction that is at once more secure and transparent than traditional finance and, simultaneously, more private, more accessible, and less beholden to fees or regulations than traditional finance.

11 min read

EconomicsHighlights

The Price of McDonald’s in Every Country

Fifteen cents. That was the price of Dick and Maurice McDonald’s centerpiece hamburger when they opened a stand selling just nine menu items, back in 1948.  The McDonald’s affordable hunger-buster brought the customers in. And by focusing on a limited menu, the brothers ensured the hamburger and its sides tasted exactly the same every time. […]

4 min read

EconomicsHighlightsMoneyResources

The US Pizza Index

America’s love story with pizza is 75 years old – and Americans started flirting with pizza pie well over a century ago. Lombardi’s, in New York City, is most commonly cited as America’s first pizzeria – this Little Italy joint opened in 1905. Pizza-chomping Italians had entered the States before the turn of the 20th […]

4 min read

EconomicsJobsResources

Why are Lumber Prices So High?

If you’ve tried to do any home improvements in the last few months, you’ve already learned about the increase in lumber prices the hard way. It’s making the prices of homes skyrocket. But what exactly is going on with lumber? Why are prices so high? Is there really a lumber shortage, or is something else […]

5 min read