LITE 98.7 » money

New $100 Bill Goes Into Circulation October 8, 2013 [VIDEO]

Eric Meier — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:54:53 +0000

A newly redesigned $100 note goes into circulation on October 8. The new design was announced several years ago, but production delays at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing have slowed the bill’s introduction. The new $100 note indcludes two significant new security features: A blue security strip through the middle of the bill and a [...]

Does The Way Money Looks Affect How You'll Spend It?

Trudy — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:10:48 +0000

Can the way your money looks determine how quickly you’ll spend it? Picture crumpled up bills that look like they’ve been through the wash a few times. Now envision a new, crisp twenty dollar bill. Which one would you be more likely to spend? If you picked the crumpled, worn out money, you chose [...]

Canada Unveils New Look $20 Bill [VIDEO + POLL]

Eric Meier — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:40:29 +0000

The Bank of Canada recently released details on a new $20 bill. The new $20 is part of a redesign of all Canadian paper money that began in 2011 with a new $100 and $50 bill. Interestingly, the Canadian $20 bill is the only note that uses, what to Americans is the standard color of [...]

Ways to Save Gas and Money

Lite 98.7 — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:38:35 +0000

The price of everything continues to rise as our paychecks remain the same. From grocery store items to health insurance. The biggest strain on most pocketbooks is prices at the pump. Gas is higher in the Utica/Rome area than anywhere else in New York State. Here's a list of ways to save money and gas to ease the burden.

New Utica Budget Brings 9.9% Tax Hike

Dave Wheeler — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:04:09 +0000

The Utica Common Council has moved to adopt a budget for next year that will offer Utica taxpayers fewer cops and less key city personnel. WIBX is reporting that this new budget will also raise taxes by about 10%. Last night the council moved to override several key mayoral vetoes, allowing the group to pass [...]

Could You Live on $2 a Day? Lots of Americans Do – Dollars and Sense

Shauna Wright — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:42:58 +0000

There are a lot of celebrities that won’t get out of bed for less than a quarter of a million dollars, but a lot more Americans are surviving on much, much less. According to the World Bank, one of the main indicators of poverty in developing nations is how many people are living on less [...]

Recent College Grads Make Less Now Than a Decade Ago — Dollars and Sense

Shauna Wright — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:46:59 +0000

Since the economy took a turn for the worse, more and more young adults are moving back home with their parents after graduating from college, and this could be one reason why: recent grads are making less now than they did a decade ago.

Americans Are Redefining What They Define As a 'Necessity' When Shopping — Dollars and Sense

Shauna Wright — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:38:44 +0000

The US economy may be improving, but on a personal level, things aren’t always quite so rosy. In fact, a new report says more than half of Americans are still struggling just to buy necessities. Wendy Liebmann, CEO of analytic company WSL Strategic Retail, which analyzed answers from 2,000 survey respondents, said, the definition of [...]

How Much Is Too Much to Pay for Gas? — Survey of the Day

Jeremy Taylor — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:36:14 +0000

With the average price of gas approaching four dollars a gallon, the question becomes whether Americans are going to start to seriously changing their current driving habits and vacation plans, in light of this hike. Poll Position asked 1,142 adults at what price per gallon they will start to change their behavior. Forty-nine percent said that four bucks is, [...]

How Long Will It Take to Pay Off Your Credit Card Debt? — Dollars and Sense

Shauna Wright — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:07:12 +0000

Making minimum payments on your credit cards could cost you — big. And a new tool will show you just how much. The website ReadyForZero created a calculator that assumes an annual interest rate of 15 percent, and then it totals up the final cost of your debt and how long it’ll take you to [...]

Tax Refund Anticipation Loans Will Soon Become Ancient History — Dollars and Sense

Shauna Wright — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:49:05 +0000

If you’re one of those impatient people who gets a refund anticipation loan (RAL) from a tax preparer, enjoy it while it lasts — after this year, those loans are going away. And it’s probably for your own good.

Even the Tooth Fairy Is Feeling the Recession's Pinch – Dollars and Sense

Shauna Wright — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:18:47 +0000

Forget the financial experts or the Dow index. If you want to know what’s really going on with the state of the US economy, ask the Tooth Fairy. According to the Original Tooth Fairy poll of 1,300 parents conducted by the Delta Dental Plans Association, the average gift from the mythical hoarder of baby teeth [...]

What Are You Doing to Observe 'America Saves Week'? — Dollars and Sense

Shauna Wright — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:11:49 +0000

In an effort to hit the pause button on wanton spending and focus on the importance of squirreling away a little money for a rainy day, February 19-26 has been set aside as “America Saves Week.” It’s a joint effort from the American Savings Education Council and the non-profit Consumer Federation of America to promote [...]

Can You Still See Movies Without Breaking the Bank? — Dollars and Sense

Shauna Wright — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:16:40 +0000

Ticket prices for movies recently hit an all-time high of almost $8.00, and with the current state of the economy, that’s meant a lot of people don’t head to cineplexes as often as they used to.

But that doesn’t mean folks aren’t seeing movies — they’re just finding more cost-effective ways to do it.

Just 'Cause You're Freelance Doesn't Mean You Can't Get Full-Time Perks – Dollars and Sense

Kathy Landin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:30:46 +0000

Freelancing allows you to make money on your own terms without permanent employment, but it also means you don’t have access to certain perks like group insurance, administrative support and job growth assistance. Though, since a reported 30 percent of the US workforce is now freelance, that has changed.

Why Kia Just May Be the Best Car to Buy — Dollars and Sense

Shauna Wright — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 21:38:53 +0000

Kelley Blue Book’s first-ever ‘Total Cost of Ownership Award Winners‘ considered factors like purchase price, fuel expenditures and expected maintenance and depreciation to come up with the cars it says have the lowest-projected overall cost of ownership.

The big winner in the brand category? South Korean automaker Kia.

Giving Kids an Allowance May Do More Harm Than Good — Dollars and Sense

Shauna Wright — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:29:19 +0000

For years, the prevailing wisdom behind doling out allowances to kids has been that the practice helps children learn about budgets, which, in turn, leads to better spending habits when they grow up — assumptions that may not be true.

Why Does It Cost So Much to Go to the Movies?

Shauna Wright — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:17:19 +0000

The price of movie tickets hit an all-time high last year — $7.93 on average, a four-cent increase from 2010. At the same time, box office earnings sank a full four percent. So what’s going on? Patrick Corcoran, spokesman for the National Association of Theatre Owners, blames the bloated ticket prices on the glut of [...]

Survey Shows Most of Us Switched Service Providers Last Year — Dollars and Sense

Shauna Wright — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:03:18 +0000

If you’re so happy with your bank, wireless provider and pay TV service that you didn’t switch providers last year, a new study says you’re in the minority. The Accenture 2011 Global Consumer Research Study notes, “Only an average of one in four consumers feels ‘very loyal’ to his or her providers across industries, and [...]

Katy Perry Divorce: Russell Brand Doesn't Want Singer's Money

Cristin Maher — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:32:21 +0000

The Katy Perry divorce drama continues as TMZ releases a new report stating that Russell Brand is no gold digger. Despite the fact that the songstress and her soon-to-be ex-husband did not sign a pre-nuptial agreement prior to their October 2010 wedding, Brand isn’t looking to capitalize off of their split.