Far beyond the change in our spending, a cash free economy would have an impact on our bacterial immunities and our neurology.
Do We Need Pennies?
Phasing out pennies is about much more than mostly zinc coins, carrying around too much change, and paying $2.01 for a tall coffee.
Connecting the (Federal Reserve’s) Dots
To better grasp Fed policy, we can use the FOMC’s dot plots to see what members feel will be appropriate Federal Reserve rate hikes.
How Are Sweden and Zimbabwe Similar?
For very different reasons, Sweden and Zimbabwe are moving toward a cash free economy that could increase tax revenue and decrease illegal transactions.
The Money That Vegans Won’t Spend
Angering vegetarians, the U.K.’s new £5 note is an example of polymer currency that is made with a trace of meat in one of the materials that compose it.
Illuminating India’s Shadow Economy
Exceeding a quarter of India’s GDP, their shadow economy depends on a huge volume of cash transactions that their surprise demonetization should diminish.
Incentives That Have Unexpected Results
From the Wells Fargo scandal to the British National Health Service and Chilean bus drivers, sometimes incentives can have unintended consequences.
Why It’s Tough to Demonetize Cash
A surprise announcement on 11/8/16, demonetizing India’s 500- and 1000-rupee notes meant most of the money in the country had to be swapped for new notes.
The Chaos That Inflation Can Create
Last year, Venezuela’s inflation rate exceeded 800%. For this year, the data conflicts. While the Wall Street Journal and the IMF say Venezuela is on its way to hyperinflation, Johns Hopkins economist Steve Hanke says the rate is closer to 70%.…
How Venezuela’s Price Ceilings Are Moving
While Venezuela’s price ceilings created life threatening shortages and distorted incentives, lifting them will temporarily result in more distress.
