◆ ARTICLES
The Library
414 articles on personal finance and the economy — filter by topic, sort, or search for the one you came for.
414 articles · page 1 of 25
◆ Spotlight
◆ SUPPLY & DEMAND
Normal vs. Inferior Goods: How Income Changes What You Buy
Normal goods see demand rise when income rises; inferior goods see demand fall. The distinction reveals how consumption patterns shift as living standards…
- A normal good is one for which demand increases as income rises — higher income, more purchased
- An inferior good is one for which demand decreases as income rises — higher income, less purchased as consumers switch to preferred alternatives
- The distinction is empirical and context-dependent: the same good can be normal in one income range and inferior in another
◆ BUDGETING & SAVING
Automating Your Savings
Use automation to remove willpower from saving. Set it and forget it.
◆ DATA & INDICATORS
What Is the Unemployment Rate?
The percentage of the labor force that is jobless and actively seeking work. Published monthly by the BLS.
◆ COMPETITION & MONOPOLY
Natural Monopoly: When One Firm Really Can Do It Cheaper
A natural monopoly exists when one firm can supply the entire market at lower cost than two or more competing firms.
◆ INCOME & INEQUALITY
Progressive vs. Regressive Tax: How the Burden Changes With Income
A progressive tax takes a larger percentage of income from higher earners; a regressive tax takes a larger percentage from lower earners.
◆ COMPETITION & MONOPOLY
Price Discrimination: How Sellers Charge Different Buyers Different Prices for the Same Good
Student discounts, airline fares, and bulk pricing are the same trick: charging different buyers different prices for one good. The three degrees, explained.
◆ SUPPLY & DEMAND
How Prices Carry Information: The Coordination System No One Designed
Prices do more than report costs — they aggregate dispersed knowledge and coordinate millions of strangers without a central director.
◆ DEBT & CREDIT
Building Credit From Scratch
If you have no credit history, how do you start? Here are the fastest ways to build credit from zero.
◆ MARKET FAILURES
The Tragedy of the Commons: How Individual Rationality Destroys Shared Resources
One of the richest fishing grounds on Earth went functionally extinct. The cod collapse is the tragedy of the commons in real life, and a guide to fixing it.
◆ APPLIED ECONOMICS
Platform Economics: The Two-Sided Markets That Reshape Industries
Platform economics analyzes two-sided (or multi-sided) markets where a platform intermediary connects two distinct user groups that each benefit from the…
◆ INVESTING BASICS
What Is an ETF?
Exchange-traded funds—baskets of stocks or bonds that trade like stocks. Low-cost diversified investing for modern portfolios.
◆ THE FIRM & PRODUCTION
Why Cost Curves Are U-Shaped — and What That Shape Tells Every Business
The average cost curve dips, bottoms out, then rises — a U. The shape isn't a textbook quirk; it's the result of two real forces pulling in opposite…
◆ SUPPLY & DEMAND
The Shortage Problem: When Demand Outruns Supply
A shortage occurs when quantity demanded at a given price exceeds quantity supplied. Free markets resolve shortages through rising prices; price ceilings lock…
◆ TAX & RETIREMENT
How Much Money Do You Need to Retire? Calculating Your Retirement Number
Calculating your retirement number using the 4% rule, accounting for inflation, and adjusting for lifestyle. Actionable retirement planning framework.
◆ FED & MONETARY POLICY
What does the Federal Reserve actually do?
The Fed steers the economy through interest rates toward stable prices and full employment. Here's how it works.
◆ MARKET FUNDAMENTALS
What Is a Treasury Bond?
Debt issued by the U.S. government, backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. The safest bond investment.
◆ INVESTING BASICS
Impact Investing: Mission-Driven Returns, Measuring Social Impact Alongside Financial Returns
Intentionally invest for positive impact: community development, climate solutions, healthcare; measure both financial and social returns.