Effects of the British Petroleum Spill and Arizona Immigration Law on the Economy

Will the events of last week send shocks into the barely recovering economy?

Last week, two highly publicized events occurred in the United States that could shake the foundations of the limping economy. The first one, the passage of the Arizona immigration bill, has already led to boycotts and broken agreements. The second, an oil spill of epic proportions in the Gulf of Mexico by the huge British Petroleum oil corporation, is becoming one of the worst man made environmental disasters of all time.

We will skip all the political and environmental ramifications and concentrate on the effects on the economy.  Read more...

Countries with the Worst Economies in 2010

You might have read (and enjoyed) reading one of my previous posts, 7 Best Countries to Invest In. It has become one of my most visited posts in the past month and has a lot of interesting information on these seven countries.

I am going to turn the tables now and tell you the countries that have the worst economies in the world. Doing this list will allow people to see some common trends in these countries and help investors identify some trouble spots. Plus, its just interesting for anyone interested in finance to see how things are shaping up around the world after the Great Recession. To identify trouble areas, we list them in red so you can see what is each countries weak spot.  Read more...

The High Cost of Profit: Consuming Kids Documentary

This is my first ever review on SmarterSpend and it came about rather spontaneously.

Today, I saw a documentary about advertising and marketing that really got me thinking about the mentality behind businesses today in the United States. The name of the documentary is “Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood” and brings to light the very troubling tactics employed by huge corporations to market their products to young children.

Consuming Kids is one of the most amazing documentaries I have ever seen.  Read more...

Money and the Olympics: The Adjusted Medal Count per GDP

The Winter Olympics is another event where athletes around the world can showcase their abilities and nations can flaunt their strong programs in every field. The Canadian team spent $100 million on a federal program to train athletes for the Winter Olympics they were hosting, hoping to win their first gold medal in a Winter Olympics on home soil.

In the Summer Olympics, the United States Olympics Committee committee spend half a billion. Similar heavy spending has allowed the US to rank number one in the overall medal count in the last 4 Olympics.  Read more...

Federal Spending Worldwide and Budget Implications

It is no secret that certain countries overspend in certain areas of their budget- whether on defense expenditures, education, health, infrastructure, or social services. Of course, placing an emphasis on one section of the budget leads to positive and negative ramifications for the guilty country. Many of us have heard stories: The Chinese taking over the world with their advanced military, the free health care in certain European countries, money for going to school in Denmark, and other interesting (and sometimes wrong) points that have crept into our minds thanks to the Media.  Read more...

7 Best Countries to Invest In

The dawn of a new decade brings about new and exciting economic adventures. The globalization of the world economy and the development of previously underdeveloped countries allows for hungry investors to exploit new markets. However, some of these countries have ongoing civil and economic problems that make them a hazardous investment.

SmarterSpend has compiled a list of top ten ‘traditionally less known’ countries where investments can prove highly beneficial- whether it is a business or a real estate purchase. These countries are in no particular order.

Scroll through and let us know what you think.

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The Beginning of the End: American Capitalism

The ongoing financial crisis of 2008 and 2009 will forever change the face of the United States economic ideals. Out of the ashes of double digit unemployment, trillion dollar deficits, and billion dollar corporate bankruptcies will emerge a new America. This America will be different in many ways from the capitalist country that rose to economic powerhouse status in the post-World War II era, testing the ideals of laissez-faire capitalism and limiting the power and influence of the banking system and the corporations they cater to.  Read more...

10 People that Will Shape Your Financial Future

It is safe to say, and scary to believe, that the entire world economy depends on the decisions made by a handful of people. Including top government officials and wealthy businessmen, these people wield a disproportionate amount of power on the future of the world. Although some names are easily recognizable and one could easily predict their dominance in the world scene, others are less well known but can easily impact the lives of many.  Read more...

Seven Most Powerful Corporations of the Future

The year is 2019, the global recession has ended and the market has witnessed a great shift in consumer spending, buyer habits, and marketing.  Older businesses that did not adapt to this change were swept away in a wave of bankruptcies and buyouts. The larger of the top companies in the world will have revenues somewhere near the trillion dollar mark per year, more than the GDPs for most countries.

Who will lead the business renaissance of the next decade?
The current (2008) annual revenue for the business is shown and businesses are ranked in predicted 2019 revenue. Some of you might be surprised at the shape of the market in just a few years time.  Read more...

Who Will Be the Next Economic Superpower?

“The sun never sets on the British Empire” was a popular phrase heard during the Victorian era in Britain. For many years leading up to World War I, the phrase held true, the British navy controlling the sea, using imperialistic tactics in dominating global commerce, and allowing British at home to enjoy the merits of a powerful state.  Read more...