If you’ve ever felt like certain school subjects just aren’t your thing, read this essay by Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams.

He tells the story of how he learned to run a business by simply going out and doing it. He didn’t need to be an expert in anything to be an entrepreneur; he just used little bits of different talents he already had, he failed a lot, and he kept trying.

(He apparently hasn’t heard that Algebra II is the key to success.)

Seems like every piece of advice ever tells us that the only way to accomplish anything is by trying to do something. Keep that in mind when your campus lemonade stand is crushed by a competitor. At least you’ve done something.

And next time, you may be the ruthless competition-crusher!

Most people realize this too late, but some things you buy will end up costing you a lot more than the purchase price. Cars need gas, insurance, and fuzzy dice; clothes need cleaning and bedazzling, and pets need everything from pet insurance to grooming to a collection of bad-ass spiked collars.

And let’s face it: some of those things are really impulse buys that wouldn’t be an issue if you didn’t buy the thing in the first place.

Here’s a chart that shows how much money different pets will cost you over a lifetime. Click through to see which pet is the most expensive – it’s pretty surprising.

(click to see the whole thing)

That’s why it’s so important to have some kind of budget. Without a plan, there’s no telling where your money might end up.

*Dressing your dog up might also cost you friends.

It’s hard for anyone to stay true to themselves when they’re pulled in a million different directions by their adoring fans. (See: every celebrity breakdown in history.) But it’s especially hard when you’re a publicly-traded company.

Publicly-traded companies have a legal obligation to put the interests of their shareholders first. And often that means making money the fast and easy way instead of the most ethical way.

But there are actually two ways to judge a company’s success: the bottom line tells you how much money the company has made. The triple bottom line tells you how much good the company has done – for people and the planet – while it made that money. As a socially-responsible investor, you can choose to put your money behind companies that focus on the triple bottom line, which benefits shareholders AND the rest of the world.

There’s a great opinion piece in the NYTimes that talks about how good companies can navigate the complicated world of hostile takeovers and shareholders’ rights while still staying true to their mission and values. For example, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company, because of its obligation to shareholders, was forced to sell to an international corporation (Unilever). While the acquisition didn’t totally destroy the company’s founding principles, it sure wasn’t the same company after that.

What would you have done if you were Ben (or Jerry)?

Gilt City is one of Gilt Groupe’s overachieving children. But instead of offering its members haute couture at a discount, G.C. serves up local luxury experiences (a gourmet meal here, a spa there) at special prices.

Team TILE visited their New York office recently, and Gilt City president Nathan Richardson was kind enough to sit down and chat with us for a few minutes.

Nathan has had a wild career, and it seems like his only regret is not learning Mandarin in high school. Impressive. He has some advice for you, so check it out:

(photo credit: stuartpilbrow)

Apparently, Algebra II is one of the best predictors of a student’s success in college and beyond. (You know, that great beyond where you actually have to get a job?) Several studies show that people who have made it through Algebra II tend to do better in college and end up in higher-paying careers.

Now, nobody’s going to say that algebra is easy, but although it may be the basis of rocket science, it is not, in fact, rocket science. And once you learn it the first time, you don’t really have to learn it again.

We’re willing to bet that students who spend a little time learning the basics of personal finance also tend to end up in those higher-paying careers. So unless you want to be this guy, maybe it’s time to hit the books.

Books? Worry not – you can learn your maths and watch videos on the Internet at the same time!

(click image to see the whole thing)

Highlights:

• - Every time Alex steps up to the plate, he earns $59,000
• - A-Rod has the largest ever MLB contract package, worth $275 million over 10 years
• - Even though he makes less money than A-Rod, Shaq makes way more money in endorsements

How much could A-Rod buy?

We all know by now how much the earthquake and ensuing tsunami in Japan have affected its economy and the foreign companies that depend on Japanese-made components for their products.

But something we hadn’t really thought enough about is how the disaster affects where Japanese people choose to spend their money. It seems obvious now, but Japanese tourism to Hawaii has dropped by a full 25% since March 11th. That’s a big deal for the Hawaiian tourism industry, which is now spending $3 million on “emergency marketing” to woo travelers from other nations.

See what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket? Diversity really is more than just a corporate buzzword. (Full disclosure: we hate the word “buzzword.”) In work, school, government, AND your investment portfolio, diversification can protect you from unpredictable events and their domino effects.

Fortunately, Hawaii still has plenty of appeal to pasty New Yorkers like ourselves, who are happy to contribute to the state’s critical tourism revenue stream.

Barring an unforeseen volcanic eruption, that is.

(photo credit: Eggybird)

Every month for the past eight months, dutiful Americans have been pulling out their wallets and handing their money to other Americans in exchange for goods and services. In other words, they’ve been lubricating the wheels of our creaky economic machine.

Why? Well, part of it is that they’re more confident now that the recession is over and there are real signs of a recovery. But the other, more significant part is that the cost of living increased. That’s right: inflation.

Food and gas prices went up, which means that more of Joe American’s dollars went to feeding his family and driving to work than to buying a new television or a trampoline for the kids.

Ben Bernanke from the Fed says that nobody should be worrying about out-of-control inflation – food and gas prices will come down again. But if he’s wrong, it’s the Fed’s job to take action to make sure Joe still has a few dollars left to pay for his morning coffee after feeding the kids and driving to work.

And by the way… while inflation sounds like a bad thing, it’s really not as bad as its evil twin, deflation.

Have you been spending more money since last summer? Why?

Do you know what makes your iPod go?

Here’s a hint: It rhymes with phithium pholymer.

No?

It’s made in Japan.

Still not getting it?

The shutdown of the Japanese factory that makes it is disrupting Apple’s production line.

…

If you guessed “a very specific and obscure polymer used to hold together the lithium ion batteries used in iPods and a variety of other gadgets,” you’re right!! Ding!

This story is crazy. Who knew that one chemical made by one small company halfway across the world could affect iPod buyers in the U.S.?

For now, the company (Kureha) is scrambling to get back into action, but in the meantime, will the price of an iPod go up? Should we start stockpiling them in our panic rooms? Can we order iPods with the soothing voice of Justin Beiber pre-installed on them??

Seriously, though. Do you know where your favorite products are made?