We just got an update from a Macy’s credit card – interest rate is 34.95% – this was a big WTF moment. While we always pay off our cards monthly, this just seems to be wrong. This is a full 26.45% over the current prime interest rate of 8.5%. My thought is that Macy’s must… Read more

In continuing on the theme of a recent post about inflation and its embedment in our finances, I came across several items related to food and finances.  A recent CNBC article titled “McDonald’s exec says average menu item costs 40% more than in 2019” was quite eye-opening on the food inflation front. This 40% increase… Read more

I recently paid a Kohl’s credit card bill. I always pay the full amount each month to avoid interest. However, as I was reading the statement, I noticed that the annual percentage rate (APR) for purchases was an amazingly high 31.24%.  I then researched some other credit cards – these generally have rates based on… Read more

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal titled “Private Developers Reject Public Funding for Affordable Housing” discussed some costs associated with the construction of affordable housing   The general takeaway was that it was less expensive to build housing without the government’s help.   The article focused on California.  Some interesting numbers from the article: Why… Read more

Recently, I received a settlement check for $27.50 for some class action suit regarding my cable provider.  The case was Seale et al. v. Altice USA, Inc. et al, Docket No. MER-L-618-23 Superior Court of the State of New Jersey, Mercer County in Trenton, New Jersey Over the years, I have received similar checks (some… Read more

New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced a plan to crack down on illegal pot shops. According to the NY Times, in a March 24, 2024 article titled “New York’s Marijuana Scorecard: 85 Legal Shops, 2,000 Illegal Ones,” there are 85 legal and 2000 illegal shops (hence the title).  The article goes on to say… Read more

I do not get Bitcoin (and, by extension, all other crypto “assets”).  Are crypto assets a currency, a true store of value, or just some speculative trade in a commodity?  Things that make no sense (I just may be naïve and uninformed): The chart below is from Google Finance and shows Bitcoin’s price over the… Read more

With the stock market doing well and low unemployment levels, why is the general public’s attitude about the economy downbeat? My guess is inflation and shrinkflation (another word for inflation). Some of my recent experiences on this included a trip to Trader Joe’s.  Three items of note struck me: In another store, a container of… Read more

Welcome to Life-and-Math.com where we embark on a trip through the numbers, digits, decimals, and dollar signs—the fabric that weaves our daily lives. Numbers are not just abstract concepts, they shape our world and influence our decisions. Let’s explore their everyday impact together. As an engineer, I’ve been trained to see numbers as more than… Read more