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We are all undoubtedly familiar with ATM cash machines as part of our daily life routine. But have you ever considered the history of the ATM, and where this technology might head in the future? The modern ATM was first born in the 1960s in the United States. According to Wikipedia, “in 1968 the networkedRead more

The US Dollar is often the subject of theories and fears about its future acceptance declining substantially—is the US Dollar headed for an acceptance crash? Will gold return to dominance? These kinds of discussions have always flourished on the Internet, but with a wave of influential billionaire investors piling into gold this year… and backingRead more

Saving for vacation, retirement, or simply for a rainy day can be hard enough on its own… yet some people believe the US Dollar itself makes it difficult for savers to get ahead over time. From the pair.offshore blog: Many central banks around the world hold dollars as a reserve currency. Under the Bretton WoodsRead more

Are you wondering how much is a socially acceptable amount to leave as a tip at a nice restaurant? What about how much you should leave a housekeeper/maid at your hotel? And how much should you give the valet when he or she brings your car around? Tipping has surprisingly seedy roots in the newRead more

The world over, gold is popular as a form of jewelry—used to make high-end watches, bracelets, necklaces, earrings and nearly everything else you can think of in the jewelry world. And the gold used in jewelry is not even always the yellow metal you’re used to seeing. As the World Gold Council explains: Yellow goldRead more

A number of economic pundits and gold ownership proponents online take a rather cynical view toward the US Dollar (and other central bank created currencies), as they view them as fundamentally less sound and less reliable means of storing value. From the pair.offshore blog, a good summary of what drives that sentiment: Even though the USRead more

Wondering how to bank without incurring fees, or looking to limit your exposure to foreign exchange fees and foreign transaction fees while traveling abroad? As you may know already, banks charge a lot of fees. In 2011 alone, U.S. consumers paid nearly $30 billion just in overdraft fees, attracting the attention of some regulators! AndRead more

It’s no secret that rich people like gold—as a hedge against possible inflation, as a hedge against financial uncertainty, and as a store of value over the long term. You might be surprised, however, at just how many billionaires and wealthy investors have piled into the yellow precious metal in 2016. From investment blog SeekingRead more

Wondering how much you should have saved up by the time you reach 25 or 30? There’s no single clearinghouse for the answer to this question, especially as so many people in this age group have no savings at all—only student loan debt, car loans, and a mortgage. But if you are free and clearRead more

Wondering how long it will take for a bank transfer to go through, or to receive an ACH direct deposit from an employer or other party? Due to the number of intermediaries involved in transferring money from one financial institution to another, it may take several days for the money to arrive in your bankRead more