Money is a shared fiction. Our mechanism for storing and exchanging agreed-upon units of value, a tool so powerful that wars are fought over it, springs entirely from our collective imagination.
The imaginary nature of money is not a weakness, however; it's a strength. As Israeli historian Yuval Harari, author of the seminal " Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind ," explains, our capacity to conceive of and commonly believe in stories is the primary reason why we humans rule the earth, instead of, say, the chimpanzees. It's what enabled us to organize into communities and, ultimately, to build civilization.
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Personal Finance: 3 accounts you need to manage your money
When it comes to personal finances, sticking to the basics can do wonders for your bottom line. And that means making sure you have all the must-have financial accounts to manage all your household's money needs five minutes from now or in 2050.
A few accounts are "critical for financial security and well-being" and every American should have them, says Michael Gerstman, CEO of Dallas-based financial planning firm Gerstman Financial Group.
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Credit score boost? Want to boost your credit score? First, you need to know how it's calculated
When are stimulus checks coming?
Americans have received conflicting information on when they will receive stimulus checks due to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. But there's good news: Checks will be hitting their bank accounts soon.
Automatic payments are set to begin next week . Eligible taxpayers who filed tax returns for either 2019 or 2018 and chose direct deposit for their refund will automatically receive a stimulus payment of up to $1,200 for individuals or $2,400 for married couples and $500 for each qualifying child, the IRS said Friday.
U.S. Postal Service warns it could run out of money by October
In video testimony to members of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Postmaster General Megan Brennan said Thursday that the USPS could run out of cash this fiscal year, which ends in September, according to a statement from the panel. The postal agency forecasts that it could see a $13 billion drop in revenue.
Brennan said the drop in mail volumes during the coronavirus outbreak “is steep and may never fully recover,” according to a separate statement issued by the USPS. The financial crunch threatens the Postal Service’s ability to operate, she added.
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How the Virus Transformed the Way Americans Spend Their Money - The New York Times
In a matter of weeks, pillars of American industry essentially ground to a halt. Airplanes, restaurants and arenas were suddenly empty . In many states, businesses deemed nonessential — including luxury goods retailers and golf courses — were ordered closed.
"This is the sharpest decline in consumer spending that we have ever seen," said Luke Tilley, chief economist at Wilmington Trust.
All of the charts in this article are based on a New York Times analysis of data from Earnest Research, which tracks and analyzes credit card and debit card purchases of nearly six million people in the United States. While the data does not include cash transactions, and therefore does not reflect all sales, it provides a strong snapshot of the impact of the virus on the economy.
How to talk money with your partner during the coronavirus pandemic
When talking about money with your partner during tough financial times — such as the current economic downturn that is the result of the coronavirus pandemic — there's a good chance that your conversation may go differently than it normally would.
"Talking about money is difficult for many people even in normal circumstances," Marcy Keckler, vice president of financial advice strategy at Ameriprise Financial, tells CNBC Make It . "During periods of uncertainty, couples may be dealing with stress that could make a difficult conversation even more challenging."
Alaska banks can't keep up with demand for coronavirus relief money - Alaska Public Media
Both First National Bank of Alaska and Northrim Bank say they’re already inundated and have suspended accepting new PPP applications. AlaskaUSA Federal Credit Union is limiting applications to members only.
The bottleneck is becoming evident just as the PPP opens to a wider swath of the population: Self-employed Americans and independent contractors are allowed to turn in their applications starting April 10, assuming they can find a lender willing to accept them.
Jennifer Lopez isn't giving away her money on 'Thanks a Million'
Jennifer Lopez's new Quibi show, "Thanks a Million," may be the platform's biggest hit so far — but the celebrities aren't actually giving out their own cash to deserving people.
Seven episodes are currently available to stream following Quibi's launch this week. After J.Lo's inaugural episode, the others feature Kevin Hart, Nick Jonas, Kristen Bell, Aaron Rodgers, Yara Shahidi and Tracy Morgan.
However, the big names aren't spending their own money, we're reliably informed. Instead, Quibi — founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg — and the "Thanks a Million" production team are ponying up the cash.
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The 🇺🇸 Starting XI vs. 🇨🇷 on Oct. 14, 2009: 1-Tim Howard; 6-Steve Cherundolo, 5-Oguchi Onyewu, 3-Carlos Bocanegra… https://t.co/3fukZYrsc2 USMNT (from United States) Wed Apr 08 00:09:17 +0000 2020
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