credit: _Fidelio_

(Is this some sort of sign from Zeus that our crazy American economy is chugging back to life?)

Our Canadian friends at The Globe and Mail reveal the latest trend in financial education:

Making personal finance books pink. You know, so girls will read them.

Harlequin, publisher of such romance classics as Alaskan Heat and Surrender to an Irish Warrior*, has already put out one book (The Frugalista Files: How One Woman Got Out of Debt Without Giving Up the Fabulous Life) and plans to publish more in the future.

Okay, we know men and women spend differently and even think about money differently. But will coloring personal finance books pink and talking about shoes really make finance matter for the ladies?

What do you think?

*Trahern MacEgan—his body is honed for fighting, his soul is black and tortured. Women want to tame him, but he has loved once, and now is lost. – eharlequin.com

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Someone must have heard about the 6.1 billion hours Americans are spending slaving over their tax returns every year, because India is considering whether or not to simplify its tax system and allow roughly 17.5 million taxpayers to skip the tax return filing from now on.

Of course, this break wouldn’t apply to everyone. To qualify, taxpayers would have to be salaried (which means you are paid annually, not hourly, so that your employer and bank can accurately report your earnings to the government), and you must have no additional source of income.

In the U.S., people spend a lot of time trying to reduce their taxes by claiming deductions for things like charitable donations and education expenses. If India eliminates this process for half of its taxpayers, does that mean they don’t offer the same kind of tax breaks?

Scary stuff. Really makes you appreciate the accounting profession, right?

Have you ever filed your own taxes? How long did it take you?

You know how things aren’t always what they seem? Well, take a look at these companies’ logos.

A company creates a logo to help you remember their product, but also to make sure you think of it in a certain way – whether you know it or not. This is one of the ways that a company helps build their brand, which is what makes them different from everyone else who’s selling the same thing.

Check out the link to see what we’re talking about!

But seriously. We all know that the U.S. has the world’s biggest economy, but have you ever considered how it really compares to other countries? Even after the recession exploded America’s financial system, you can still fit at least 50 smaller economies within its borders.

How do you think your state stacks up? Click to play with the map and find out.

*In case you forgot, the Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, is the measure of all goods and services produced in a country in a given year. It’s an easy way to get a sense of that country’s economic activity.

credit: RangerRick

Did you know…

- $1 bills have an average lifespan of 22 months, but coins can stick around for as long as 30 years!

- U.S. “paper money” isn’t paper at all – it’s actually made of 25% linen and 75% cotton, the same materials you make clothes out of! Money shirt, anyone?

- Scientists have identified 93 different types of bacteria living on dollar bills! Better have some hand sanitizer handy when you hit the ATM.

- 35 million new bills are printed every day, which adds up to about $635 million dollars. But don’t worry, the government isn’t adding $635 million dollars into the money supply every day – 95% of those bills are used to replace money that has gotten worn out or damaged and needs to be retired.

- Some new Euro coins have so much nickel in them that they cause people to break out in an allergic reaction. Talk about having money problems!

Now you know.

Apparently a lot of teens do! Check it out: http://bit.ly/iiJFbK

credit: lisatozzi

You know how some medications say “do not operate heavy machinery or make important decisions while taking this medication?” Well, according to a new study conducted by Harvard Business School, it might not be the best idea to make certain decisions while thinking about your next big bonus either. Especially if those decisions impact other people – like your boyfriend or girlfriend, your sibling, your friend, your co-worker. 

Here’s an excerpt from the study:

• People who were asked to think about luxury before a decision-making task were more likely to endorse self-interested decisions that might potentially harm others.
• Although luxury does not necessarily induce people to harm others, it may cause them to be less considerate.
• Limiting corporate excesses and luxuries might be a step toward getting executives to behave more responsibly toward society.

“A wise man should have money in his head, but not in his heart.”

Who said it?

Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels.

We couldn’t agree more, Mr. Swift. But what about putting a little heart into your money? There are all kinds of ways to use what you’ve got to make your values known. And today, while wacky hairdos will get you attention, your money is really what talks.

• Support an organization that’s fighting for a cause you believe in
• Help your friends do good by organizing a fundraiser (um, party?) where everyone can combine their donations to make an even bigger impact
• Spend wisely – if you don’t believe in sweatshop labor, you definitely don’t have to give your money to companies that use it
• Make sure your investments are in line with your values. If you don’t know what stocks you actually own, there’s probably someone you can ask. So ask.

(via moneyisnotimportant)