Sheila Bair is widely acknowledged in government circles and the media as one of the first people to identify and accurately assess the subprime crisis. Appointed by George W. Bush as the chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in 2006, she witnessed the origins of the financial crisis and in 2008 became—along with Hank Paulson, Ben Bernanke, and Timothy Geithner—one of the key players trying to repair the damage to our economy. Bull by the Horns is her remarkable and refreshingly honest account of that contentious time and the struggle for reform that followed and continues to this day.

A level-headed, pragmatic figure with a clear focus on serving the public good, Bair was often one of the few women in the room during heated discussions about the economy. Despite her years of experience and her determination to rein in the private banks and Wall Street, she frequently found herself at odds with Geithner. She is withering in her assessment of some of Wall Street’s finest, and her narrative of Citibank’s attempted takeover of Wachovia is a stinging indictment of how regulators and the banks worked against the public interest at times to serve their own needs.

Bair is steadfast in her belief that the American public needs to fully understand the crisis in order to bring it to an end. Critical of the bank bailouts and the Can. $29.99 lax regulation that led to the economic crash, she provides a sober analysis as well as a practical plan for how we should move forward. She helps clear away the myths and half-truths about how we ran our economic engine into the ditch and tells us how we can help get our financial and regulatory systems back on track.

As The New Yorker said, “Bair has consistently stood out for her skepticism of Wall Street and for her eagerness to confront the big banks. A Kansas Republican, she has become an unlikely hero to economic liberals, who see her as the counterweight to the more Wall Street–centric view often ascribed to Timothy Geithner, the Treasury Secretary” (July 6, 2009).

]]> http://www.banks.ca/banks/bull-by-the-horns-fighting-to-save-main-street-from-wall-street-and-wall-street-from-itself-2/feed/ 0 http://www.banks.ca/savings/responsible-extreme-couponing-how-to-save-money-on-groceries/ http://www.banks.ca/savings/responsible-extreme-couponing-how-to-save-money-on-groceries/#comments Fri, 21 Jun 2013 20:34:07 +0000 http://www.banks.ca/savings/responsible-extreme-couponing-how-to-save-money-on-groceries/
Would it surprise you to find out the average family spends somewhere in the range of $300 to $500 more on groceries every month than they need to?

Michelle Anderson's new book teaches the average family how to save hundreds of dollars on groceries each month while employing responsible couponing techniques. This book teaches the basics of couponing and lays the groundwork for those looking to maximize savings without having to treat couponing like a full-time job.

Topics covered in this book include:
- Getting started couponing.
- Responible couponing vs. extreme couponing.
- The difference between stockpiling and hoarding.
- What a price book is and how it will help you tremendously.
- Couponing summed up in three simple steps.
- Common terminology used in the world of couponing.
- Where to go to get the best coupons.
- How to create a budget, then pare it down.
- Cost per unit and how it applies to couponing.
- Basic and advanced couponing techniques, including stacking, doubling and how to best take advantage of rewards programs.
- How to handle a difficult cashier or checkout experience.

If you're considering entering the world of couponing or are already couponing but don't feel you're doing things the right way, you owe it to yourself to read this book. This book is full of valuable tips and advice for both the novice couponer and couponing veteran alike.]]> http://www.banks.ca/savings/responsible-extreme-couponing-how-to-save-money-on-groceries/feed/ 0 http://www.banks.ca/retirement/save-more-tomorrow-practical-behavioral-finance-solutions-to-improve-401k-plans/ http://www.banks.ca/retirement/save-more-tomorrow-practical-behavioral-finance-solutions-to-improve-401k-plans/#comments Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:58:30 +0000 http://www.banks.ca/retirement/save-more-tomorrow-practical-behavioral-finance-solutions-to-improve-401k-plans/ http://www.banks.ca/retirement/save-more-tomorrow-practical-behavioral-finance-solutions-to-improve-401k-plans/feed/ 0 http://www.banks.ca/retirement/925-ideas-to-help-you-save-money-get-out-of-debt-and-retire-a-millionaire-so-you-can-leave-your-mark-on-the-world/ http://www.banks.ca/retirement/925-ideas-to-help-you-save-money-get-out-of-debt-and-retire-a-millionaire-so-you-can-leave-your-mark-on-the-world/#comments Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:56:29 +0000 http://www.banks.ca/retirement/925-ideas-to-help-you-save-money-get-out-of-debt-and-retire-a-millionaire-so-you-can-leave-your-mark-on-the-world/
925 Ideas... is an easy and readable guide to help your family find financial peace. Author Devin D. Thorpe explains:

1) how you and your spouse can find agreement on money matters,
2) how to teach your kids about money,
3) how to pay for your children's college education,
4) how to live like a millionaire (spoiler alert! Frugally)
5) how to come up with $25,000 in a crisis
6) how to make ends meet on one income
7) how to get out of debt and stay out of debt
8) why home ownership should be your family's top financial priority
9) how to ask your boss for a raise
10) how to use your finances to do more good in the world.

And much more!

Devin D. Thorpe is the author of the highly regarded book, Your Mark on the World and is the founder of the Your Mark on the World Institute, championing social good. The Your Mark on the World Institute believes that everyone, no matter their level of income, can give more and do more to make the world a better place. The empowering lessons of 925 Ideas will enable you to leave your mark on the world.]]> http://www.banks.ca/retirement/925-ideas-to-help-you-save-money-get-out-of-debt-and-retire-a-millionaire-so-you-can-leave-your-mark-on-the-world/feed/ 0 http://www.banks.ca/savings/how-to-save-5000-3-free-chapters-reduce-your-outgoings-without-reducing-your-lifestyle/ http://www.banks.ca/savings/how-to-save-5000-3-free-chapters-reduce-your-outgoings-without-reducing-your-lifestyle/#comments Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:56:26 +0000 http://www.banks.ca/savings/how-to-save-5000-3-free-chapters-reduce-your-outgoings-without-reducing-your-lifestyle/ HOW TO $AV€ 5000: REDUCE YOUR OUTGOINGS WITHOUT REDUCING YOUR LIFESTYLE, as the name suggests, is a book that will teach you how to keep more of the money you earn, without making any cutbacks, just changing some spending habits.

It IS possible to maintain your current lifestyle, within reason, and spend less money at the same time. This book will teach you ways to spend smarter. By following the techniques, you will change your spending habits and save thousands each year. Better still, each year’s savings carries forward into the next year, so you could save not just €5,000 but tens of thousands of euro over time!

For each major category of household expenditure, the book suggests simple, practical money-saving tips, based on key principles, including:

• Shop around / do price comparisons

• Think long-term / total cost of use / ownership

• Think of cumulative, not one-off, savings

• Pay only for what you need – needs analysis

• Track your spending / monitor trends and changes

• Buy in bulk

• Avoid brands

• Time your purchases for special / seasonal offers

• Plan your shopping / avoid impulse buying

• Learn to DIY – food / cooking gardening, housekeeping, building repairs etc

• Use vouchers / coupons / reward points etc

And the system really works! The author, James O’Donovan is now on his fourth year of savings. He shares his experience – and the results of his savings – with you in this timely book.