Category: Personal Finance

French Woman Receives ‘Shock Of Her Life’ From $15.5 Quadrillion Phone Bill


 When Solenne San Jose, an unemployed child minder living in south-west France, decided to end her phone subscription last month, she had no idea just how much her decision would have cost her.

Speaking to her local paper Sud Ouest, San Jose said that she “nearly had a heart attack” after she received a bill costing 12 quadrillion euros ($15.5 quadrillion) from her telecom company; though the company has since waived the bill entirely on the account of a computing error.

Infographic: Can Going Green Help You Save Money?


We all know that living a sustainable, or “Green”, lifestyle can have a positive impact on the environment. Some advocates of sustainable living also say that by altering their methods of transportation, energy consumption and diet, they are able to be live longer and healthier due to less exposure to carbon-emitting products.

Infographic: Behind Micro-Financing – How You Can Change The World With $20


In 1976, Bangladeshi banker and economist Muhammad Yunus embarked on a revolutionary idea designed to help lift people out of poverty. The Grameen Bank project came into operation in 1983 with the following objectives:

One In Five U.S. Households Affected By Student Debt: Study


A record number of American households are now burdened by student loan debts, claimed a new study by the Pew Research Center, with outstanding student loans now topping $1 trillion, while rising tuition costs continue to weigh down students’ education.

Infographic: The Dirty Secrets behind Campus Credit Cards


With evolving technology, the student ID card is becoming more versatile. For example, colleges have partnered with financial institutions, enabling students to make financial transactions using their IDs, both on- and off-campus. While this all sounds convenient, could this be unfair to students? Find out why from our infographic exploring the campus debit card trap.

Infographic: How A Degree Can Get You Through A Recession


 Do university graduates have an advantage during an economic downturn? According to a recent study, individuals with only high school or equivalent education were more than three times as likely to lose their jobs as someone with either a college/university or associate’s degree.

Check out this infographic, which explores why higher education can help during times of recession; and take a look at employment stats by level of education throughout the recent financial downturn.

Calling The Bluff On The Visa & MasterCard Antitrust Settlement


What would have been the largest class-action lawsuit in US history was set to go to trial this month. The defendants, Visa and MasterCard, were being sued by practically every merchant in America for alleged fee-fixing. Some estimates pegged the damages to be in the tens of billions. Instead, the defendants may have averted Armageddon with a settlement proposed back in July. But is it just a “stunning giveaway” as Senator Durbin claims?

Infographic: How CEOs Are Made


Being a CEO of a large company is often seen as the ultimate career aspiration for many people in the job market today. But few actually get the opportunity to reach that level, while those who do often face many career obstacles before reaching their goal.

Check out this infographic by CEO.com, which explores what common traits CEOs may have, including the experiences they share, and the failures that lead to their success.

Infographic: Are Education & Life Expectancy Correlated?


Believe it or not, a person’s educational status may in some way affect how long he/she will live to! According to a 2011 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S., the gap in life expectancy at age 25, by education, actually widened between 1996 and 2006 for both men and women with a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Check out this infographic, which explores the reasons why people with higher education may live longer lives; and examine the data, which back these facts.

Infographic: Is Higher Education A Worthwhile Investment?


The spiralling cost of higher education has led many to wonder whether attaining a degree is really worth the price tag. While one’s educational status has always been seen as a barometer for prospective employers, many businessmen have also achieved significant success without a formal education. 

How much does an education cost and can you really put a price tag on a degree? Check out this infographic, which examines the return-of-investment on a degree or a diploma, and determine whether you should be pursuing a costly education in order to achieve future career goals.