The price tag on the smooth pair of Cole Haan loafers at Macy's said $148. I considered that a fair opening bid. Standing across from the salesman and the cash register, I said, "Can you knock off 25 percent?" Read more about In tough economic times, shoppers take haggling to new heights...

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As more people struggle to pay their credit card bills, one segment of the economy is booming: debt collection. It's not an easy task. Most people John Goebel calls are angry, some are apathetic, and a few break down in tears.» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us Read more about Debt Collector: Tough Job But Someone's ...

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Jobless claims fall at a higher than expected rate [caption id="" align="alignright" width="384" caption="Photo: jobjabber.wordpress.com"][/caption] The Labor Department reported that new claims for unemployment fell to their lowest levels since September, 2008. The claims adjusted by season fell by almost 22,000, to 432,000 which is a larger than expected drop. This looks good for the long term. ...

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Stick to the Plans [caption id="" align="alignright" width="448" caption="Photo: sscglobal.co.uk/"][/caption] Most times, businesses find it just as difficult to secure short term loans as it is to apply the strategic planning models that they’ve set up for their business’ success. Writing a model of strategic planning, at first might seem hard, but it's easier than you might ...

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Foreclosures on the rise [caption id="" align="alignright" width="400" caption="Photo: lauriekendrick.wordpress.com"][/caption] Despite credit cards, borrowing money and government aid, many homeowners lost their homes to foreclosure. A recent Mortgage Banker's Association survey held that one in seven home loans in the US were foreclosure or at least past due. That's the highest delinquency rate since the survey began ...

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