Kevin Duffey, Author at MintLife Blog

Trends

Cash, Credit or… Cell Phone? Starbucks Launches Mobile Payment App Nationwide

January 19, 2011 / Kevin Duffey

How would you like to pay for that latte: cash, card or… phone? After months of testing in certain markets throughout the country, Starbucks (SBUX) announced today the launch of its mobile payment program nationwide. Now, you can pay for your drink using with the Starbucks Mobile Pay App for BlackBerry or iPhone (and iPod Touch) at any of the coffee chain’s nearly 6,800 locations and more than 1,000 Target stores.

Full Story

Saving

Learning to Achieve a Higher Rate of Return

June 18, 2010 / Kevin Duffey

With long-term financial goals, such as planning for retirement, there are two main factors to your success: your savings rate and your rate of return. If you have a short term goal, your savings rate is the most important factor; however, as you start moving towards a longer term perspective, the rate of return becomes increasingly important.

Full Story

Investing Advice

Time To Take a Look At Dividends

May 20, 2010 / Kevin Duffey

Traditionally, dividend stocks tend to attract retirees or conservative investors who like the predicability of receiving regular income. But they’re just as suitable for the portfolio of someone who is just getting their start on investing.

Full Story

Trends

The Truth About the Rising Unemployment Rate

May 13, 2010 / Kevin Duffey

The reason that the unemployment rate can increase when jobs are added — and vice versa: decrease while jobs are being lost, as happened on a few occasions in 2009 — is that the way the unemployment rate is calculated fails to take into account people who have simply stopped their job search.

Full Story

How To

Volcanic Hazards: How to Prepare for an Emergency

April 20, 2010 / Kevin Duffey

After the devastating earthquakes in Chili and Haiti, we hardly needed another reminder of our helplessness before nature’s wrath. But there it is: a volcanic eruption in Iceland, whose massive cloud of black ash has grounded thousands of flights, stranded millions of travelers and wreaked havoc on the travel industry.

Full Story

Investing Advice

Invest With Caution After a Rally

April 19, 2010 / Kevin Duffey

As of this writing, the U.S. stock market indices have risen nearly 70% since they bottomed in March of 2009. (The Dow Jones Industrial Average recently topped 11,000 – a little over a year after it bottomed at 6,547 on March 9,...

Full Story

Investing Advice

How to Invest in Gold the Right Way

March 10, 2010 / Kevin Duffey

The expression “as good as gold” suggests that gold is something of a sure thing when it comes to investments. But, while gold and other commodities remain a solid investment choice, when it comes to investing there’s no such thing as a sure thing. The trick to investing in gold is knowing the difference between gold and other asset classes; stocks, bonds, real-estate, even cold hard cash.

Full Story

Disclaimer