We say “dollars to doughnuts” when we’re really sure of ourselves. We’re so confident that we’re making a bet, and we’re betting something valuable against something that’s worth less. If I’m wrong, I’ll pay you money. If you’re wrong, just give me pastry.
As part of our occasional look at money-related expressions, find out how this saying isn’t worth what it used to be. […]

By Joel Dresang
The notion of an annual summer sell-off is based on a sense that shareholders should get out of the market while stock traders leave Wall Street to summer in the Hamptons or on the Jersey Shore. As part of an occasional series exploring the origins of financial lingo, we look into the expression, “Sell in May and go away.” […]

When President Obama referred to earning “some serious Tubmans,” he reminded us that we like to use slang when we’re talking money. […]

By Joel Dresang
In common parlance, a loophole is a technicality – an often obscure window of opportunity – that allows someone to get around a requirement or to exploit a benefit. In the case of the Social Security file-and-suspend strategy, a loophole in administrative policies let married couples collect partial payments from a spouse’s retirement benefits even while that spouse suspended claiming those benefits. […]

Now that Canada is pitching its penny, its neighbors to the south can rekindle debates over whether it’s worthwhile making cents.
(For What It’s Worth is an occasional look at the meanings and origins of words and expressions investors may encounter.) […]

For What It’s Worth is an occasional look at the meanings and origins of words and expressions investors may run into. By Joel Dresang What’s commonly called the Beige Book is formally known as the “Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions by Federal Reserve District.” And that’s a better description. The report, from the […]

News of stock exchange mergers in Europe and between London and Toronto are further reminders of the global nature of finance. But as we reported in a Money Talk podcast in May 2010, the international influence on Wall Street is longstanding. By Joel Dresang Wall Street – sometimes just called “the street” – actually is […]

By Joel Dresang Accumulating wealth requires solid values such as discipline, patience and balance. But reaping a big bundle in a hurry often comes as the result of a windfall. A windfall is a sudden – usually surprising – gain from circumstances largely beyond one’s control. How to handle a financial windfall, a Money Talk […]