The rise of the dollar store – catering to a disappearing middle class with shrinking incomes has made dollar stores prosper in the last decade. In last decade Family Dollar grew by 62 percent in store count while U.S. population only went up by 8 percent.
Dollar stores for most Americans carry an odd sort of stigma. In the past, these locations were seen as shopping hubs for the poor only. Yet as we all know many in the once strong American middle class were thrown off the prosperity treadmill and into lower income brackets. While companies struggle with growing dollar […]
Lining up at Midnight at Wal-Mart to buy Food is part of the new Recovery. Banks offering Mattress Interest Rates. The Invisible Recovery Outside of Wall Street.
There seems to be a growing divide in the current U.S. economy. On the one hand, you have the financial sector swimming in their bailout-induced profits like a modern day Scrooge Mcduck. In their circles, it appears as if the recession is over. On the other hand, you have average Americans seeing access to credit […]
The American Consumer Meets Minimalism: How This Recession Will Change the American Consumer.
Is the American consumer forever changed? Did the current recession alter the seemingly unrelenting spending machine known as the American consumer? From early indications, it looks like some habits will be changed for a very long time. This is a big shift given the nearly endless round of bubbles in the past 30 years culminating […]
Underwater Mortgages: HUD Announces Eligibility for up to 125 Percent Loan to Value. Why This is Smoke and Mirrors Financial Theatre.
Only a few days ago HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced that mortgages with a 125 percent loan to value would now be eligible for the Home Affordable Refinance Program. I received a few e-mails from readers dismayed about this announcement since it would be troubling for the government to simply buy mortgages that are severely […]