[Post 246] How "Dad Shoes" Turned New Balance Into A $5 Billion Brand

Summary

What was once a favorite of dads across America is suddenly a fashion-forward brand in its own right. New Balance now has faster-growing sales than larger rivals Nike and Adidas, and fans range from Hailey Bieber to Kawhi Leonard. Here's how New Balance became a must-have for sneakerheads and dads alike.

[Post 245] Who Actually Pays For Credit Card Rewards?

Summary

About 90% of all credit card spending is on rewards cards like Delta SkyMiles, Chase Sapphire Preferred or American Express Platinum. And these cards are hugely popular for a reason: you can earn cash back, upgrades on flights and many other perks. In 2019, about $35 billion in rewards was handed out to customers around the country. But how are banks paying for it all? A majority comes from interest earned from low-income consumers who revolve balances on a monthly basis. The rest is from merchant fees and things like annual, over-the-limit or foreign transaction fees. Some economists claim there's an annual redistribution of more than $15 billion from less to more educated, poorer to richer and high to low minority areas - widening existing disparities.

[Post 244] Chinese snap up homes in post-Covid Thailand

Summary

Many Chinese, eager to offset risks after the pandemic, are snapping up second homes overseas and Thailand, with its good international schools and quality medical facilities, is proving an attractive investment. READ MORE: https://str.sg/ioR8

[Post 243] Living On $230K A Year Selling Ice Cream With My Mom | Millennial Money

Summary

Annie Park, 32, makes $230,000 running Sarah's Handmade Ice Cream, an ice cream shop franchise, with her mom in the Washington, D.C. area. The ice cream business brought in $1.86 million in revenue in 2022.

This is an episode of CNBC Make It's Millennial Money series, which profiles people across the globe and details how they earn, spend and save their money.

[Post 242] Should Food Delivery Riders Just Get A ‘Real Job’? We React To Viewers’ Comments

Summary

Do delivery riders have it rough trying to earn enough? The two-part #TalkingPoint special on food delivery riders got tonnes of buzz. In this video, host Steven Chia and producer Sara Grosse respond to comments on social media.

[Post 241] Why Inflation Is So Sticky

Summary 

Everything is more expensive. Overall consumer prices are about 13% higher than they were in April 2021 and Americans are feeling the pain. Inflation, or the rate prices are increasing in the general economy, has been a persistent problem the past two years. The Federal Reserve had hoped inflation would normalize as the pandemic’s volatility subsided, but prices have stubbornly stayed well above its 2% goal. Watch the video above to learn why inflation sticks around and what we can do about it. 

[Post 240] What Makes Used Rolex Watches Worth More Than New Ones? | The Economics Of | WSJ

Summary

Rolex is the world’s most popular luxury watch brand, yet it’s not involved in many of its own watch sales. Surprisingly, some used Rolex models cost more than the new ones.

WSJ’s fashion columnist Jacob Gallagher explains how factors like long waitlists and supply chain issues have caused the used watch market to explode in recent years, and how Rolex is trying to get in on the action with its own certified pre-owned watch program.

Is the clock ticking on the used watch market’s popularity?