(image source: http://usdebt.kleptocracy.us/)
Ever wondered how many Benjamins can fit in a football stadium?
As the debt ceiling (quickly) approaches and the government (hopefully) nears some sort of resolution, we just thought we’d help you get a handle on what all these ginormous (fact: ginormous is actually a word) numbers look like.
You can also check out this infographic and this one if you want to learn more about where the debt came from and exactly whose debt it is.
Liquid assets are assets (things you own or are owed) that can be easily converted into cash.
The money in your checking account is a liquid asset – it can be accessed any time at the bank or by using an ATM. On the flip side, a house isn’t liquid at all. You may have sunk a million into purchasing it, but if someone asks you for that same million in cash tomorrow, you won’t be able to hand it over.
Germy currencies from around the world…
“Fun” Fact: Australia had the cleanest currency in the study, and the U.S. dollar had the highest concentration of E. coli – the bacteria that causes food poisoning.
(Don’t be offended by the giant “FOR KIDS” headline at the top of the article. Money is gross no matter how old you are.)
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.
Merry Christmas from Money Is Not Important!
Merry Christmas from TILE, too, although we think money is pretty darned important. Not having the most of it, but knowing how to use it. The real art of money is more than budgeting. It’s about spending thoughtfully, planning for the future, and giving to causes and charities you believe in. (And it’s also a little bit about folding up dollar bills into pine trees.)
This guy followed a single $10 bill as it changed hands across Middle America. It’s amazing how far and how fast the bill traveled, but what’s more amazing is that people actually let this writer follow them around until they used the bill to pay for something. Which was sometimes days later.
Click to read: http://bit.ly/eO3hhB
Credit card companies are freaking out as they try to entice shoppers to pay for gifts with credit. But those 5% cash back offers aren’t exactly worth taking on thousands of dollars in debt.
“With the interest rates, it just seemed like I never paid it off.” – Liz Gonzalez, talking about her credit card debt
Where did all the money go after the recession hit? Well, some of it appears to have gotten stuck at the top of the consumption chain...
Current cash holdings, by sector:
“We believe companies are looking for greater certainty about the economy and signs of a permanent increase in sales before they let go of their cash hoards, which they suffered so much to build.” – Moody’s Investor Service report
A debit card (a.k.a. bank card) is a plastic substitute for cash. It’s linked to your bank account and when you use it to buy something, the money is immediately taken out of that account.
