Personal Finance Advice

Auctions Lead People To Do Weird Things: “Modern economists have assumed that people in auctions behave rationally. Then came eBay.” Having made my living selling on eBay for a few years, I can certainly attest to the fact that some buyers don’t behave rationally.

Poor New Yorkers to Get Cash for Good Behavior: Under a $53 million pilot program beginning in the fall, poor New Yorkers will get paid for the following:

• $25 – for attending parent-teacher conferences.
• $25 – for elementary and middle school students who maintain 95 percent attendance records.
• $50 – for high school students with good attendance.
• $50 – for getting a library card.
• $100 – for seeing a dentist every six months.
• $150 – for holding a full-time job.
• $200 – for visiting the doctor yearly.
• $300 – for elementary school students who pass standardized tests or whose scores improve.
• $600 – for passing a Regents exam.
• Up to $600 – for adults who take approved education and additional training courses while employed.

A Look At U.S. Home Price Performance in 20 Markets: Wondering how home prices are doing lately? These 20 graphs of cities around the US tell the story.