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The Latest Celebrity Tax Scandals 2010-2011

Vicki Passmore — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Taxes, How to Save Money, People, Investing

Celebrities usually crave the spotlight. But some well-known people have attracted a lot of attention they didn't want -- from the IRS.

While Wesley Snipes and Willie Nelson may be the poster boys for celebrity tax troubles, these other famous faces are some of the latest to get their 15 minutes of (unwanted IRS) fame.

Using the arrows above, click through our gallery to see 11 of the most recent examples of naughty stars accused of tax delinquency.

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10 Things That Will Go Mainstream in 2011

Vicki Passmore — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 06:00:00 EST

Less than a decade ago, environmentalists were labeled "tree huggers," or called "granola" and "crunchy." Today, "being green" is no longer on the fringe -- it's a cultural norm. Recycling is a standard practice (mandatory in many places). Martha Stewart just announced her plans to launch a line of green homes and kids' television stations promote programs like Disney's Friends for Change to encourage youngsters to "Green Their Scene."

Another trend we've seen go front-and-center is frugality. Beginning around 2009, the U.S. recession made thrift commonplace. People who once mocked coupon-cutting turned to it in droves. Economically chastened Americans said goodbye to conspicuous consumption and hello to living within their means.

This past year was also when e-readers (like the Kindle) and gourmet food trucks exploded onto the scene and worked their way into the hearts of Main Street Americans.

So what niche items or practices are set to go mainstream? Here are 10 that we expect to gain mass acceptance in 2011.

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Boy, How You've Changed: Nine Big Mascot Makeovers

Vicki Passmore — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Retail, Investing

How can a company revitalize interest in its product or brand? One option: Make over its "famous face." That's what's in store for Punchy, the longtime Hawaiian Punch mascot. According to a Dow Jones report, the "very Hanna-Barbera" surfer (left pic), who was first introduced in 1961, will get a facelift in February (right pic). The goal? To make him more appealing to 13-year-olds who "live in a Pixar world."

In addition to the new three-dimensional look of Punchy, the Hawaiian Punch formula has also been revamped. Splenda will be used to cut 25% of the drink's calories.

But Punchy is not the only brand mascot to go under the "knife." From Mr. Peanut to the Sun-Maid girl, we take a look at eight more brand icons that have gotten the most major makeovers in the last few years.

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Hidden Meanings in 12 Popular Logos

Vicki Passmore — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 06:00:00 EST

Sometimes a company or brand logo is more than it first appears. For example, take a look at the hidden meanings or messages embedded in these 12 popular logos below. You won't look at these designs the same way again.

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10 Most Popular Brand Pages on Facebook

Vicki Passmore — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 06:00:00 EST

Wow! You really "Like" these 10 brands ...

In just over six short years, Facebook (FB) has gone from a small niche site for Harvard students to a Web juggernaut with over 500 million active users. As of January 4, 2010, more than 100 million of those users were U.S. based.

Today, people of all ages, education level and economic status flock to the social media site to share their thoughts, photos and of course, their Likes.

With such broad appeal and an ever-growing reach, FB can offer an interesting glimpse into our cultural zeitgeist.

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Holiday Tipping Guide: Top Ten to Tip and How Much

Vicki Passmore — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Retail, Family Money

Who do you tip during the holidays? And how much? Ask 10 different people and you'll likely get 10 different answers. But, that's not necessarily a problem. The fact that there is no hard-and-fast rule for who and how much you should tip is actually a good thing.

Consider this: We haven't all been going to the same fabulous hairdresser for last 20 years and we don't all have a go-the-extra-mile garbage man who picks up all the loose trash from the ground when the wind knocks our can over in the middle of the night. On the other hand, we also do not all have an irritable newspaper carrier who regularly leaves us with a sopping mess because he doesn't bother to bag the paper when it's calling for rain.

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Shoppers' Best Black Friday Secrets

Vicki Passmore — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Black Friday, Retail, Holiday Shopping

WalletPop readers answer the call to share their best secrets for successful Black Friday shopping.

We asked bargain-obsessed shoppers who know how to navigate the post-Thanksgiving sales madness to share how they score the best deals or keep things merry. Here are their best Black Friday shopping tips.

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10 Fascinating Facts About U.S. Currency

Vicki Passmore — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 06:00:00 EST

We work for it. We wish for it. We save it. We spend it. We gain it. We lose it. Above all, we need it. Yes, money certainly does make the world go round.

In America, that money takes the form of paper bills (printed by the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing) and coins (produced by the U.S. Mint). However, the coins that jingle in your pocket and the bills you stuff in your wallet today are far different from the ones originally produced in the late 1700s.

As you would expect, over the last 200+ years our currency has seen many, many changes -- both big and small. That's a lot of U.S. money trivia to keep up with! So, WalletPop set out to uncover the most interesting tidbits about American currency and share our favorites with you.

Read our questions and answers to discover 10 fascinating facts about U.S. currency.

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Consumer Outcry: 9 big brand backlashes

Vicki Passmore — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Retail, Family Money, Shopping, Products

WalletPop takes a look at what happens when good brands make bad moves -- and consumer outcry follows.

Oops! We guess Gap learned the hard way that you don't mess with a good thing. Last month, it unveiled a new "more contemporary, modern expression" (pictured at right) of its much-loved classic logo and consumers everywhere balked big time. After just one week -- and a massive outpouring of critical comments -- Gap announced it was reverting to the iconic blue box logo (pictured at left).

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10 Retailers and Restaurants We Really Miss

Vicki Passmore — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 06:00:00 EST

Face it. Not every retailer or restaurant can last forever. However, when some establishments close their doors for that last time, some of us feel a little pang in our hearts. Whether we have fond childhood memories linked to a certain location or whether we can't find an alternative that truly measures up, these places leave us wanting more.

With this in mind, we asked readers to share with us those places they miss the most. From their nostalgic notes, we picked our 10 favorites to spotlight.

Do you remember any of these?

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12 famous companies' surprising beginnings

Vicki Passmore — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Family Money

Quick, when you think of Nokia, what immediately comes to mind? Cell phones, right? Most of us would be surprised to know that Nokia didn't start out in the mobile phone business. In fact, its roots go back to 1865 when it was involved in the "original" communications technology: paper. Yes, Nokia began as a wood pulp mill in southern Finland. It then entered the rubber business in 1898 (even making rubber boots!) and it wasn't until 1968 that it entered the mobile business.

But Nokia isn't the only company to have such a story. Here we take a look at 11 other popular companies that all have one thing in common: Surprising beginnings.

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9 Top Ways We Waste Money 2010

Vicki Passmore — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Economizer, Family Money, How to Save Money

It's been a rough few years. Unemployment woes, foreclosure fears and economic uncertainty rule the headlines. It's a time where being frugal has become chic and "tightening our belts" de rigueur.

With this in mind, and inspired by reader submissions to our Biggest Money Wasters message board, we've compiled our list of 9 Top Ways We Waste Money in 2010.

Read through our round-up to see popular places we drop unnecessary dough and get tips on how to cut these costly wallet-drainers from your life. Some of these may seem like common sense, but if you are still making these money mistakes, a refresher may be in order.

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Where it all began: chain retailers' first locations

Vicki Passmore — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Retail

Before your favorite retail chain had locations all across America, they had to start somewhere. Some "birthing" stories are fairly well-known. For example, some of us may be familiar with how Wal-Mart got its start, almost fifty years ago, when Sam Walton opened the company's first discount store (Walton's Five and Dime) in Rogers, Ark. Five years later, there were already 24 Wal-Mart stores in Arkansas ringing up $12.6 million in sales.

But what about your other favorite retail chains? Where did it all begin for them? We visited the corporate Web sites of a dozen popular retailers to see where they got their start.

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The 8 most annoying ad mascots on TV today

Vicki Passmore — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 06:00:00 EST

Most people settle onto the couch and flip on the TV in order to unwind and relax. We have our favorite shows and there are even certain commercials that make us smile. (C'mon, we know you laughed out loud when you saw Old Spice's "I'm on a Horse" commercial for the first time or when Betty White was tackled in the Snickers spot.) But sadly, our tube time is not always without thorns. We often have our eyes and ears pricked by irritating commercials that make us want to turn the channel, hit the mute button, scream or leave the room.

One thing that can guarantee an ad will get on our nerves: an annoying mascot. Remember the Domino's Noid from the 80s? We still aren't sure how a spandex-wearing pizza villain who wanted to ruin our dinner was supposed to entice us to pick up the phone and order a pie.

But forget the eighties, we have plenty of our own annoying advertising mascots right now in 2010. Here are WalletPop's picks for the 8 most annoying ad mascots on TV today:

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Your most (and least) favorite drug stores or pharmacies

Vicki Passmore — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Retail, Health Insurance

These days we have a myriad of choices when it comes to where we do our "drug store business." We can go to a stand-alone store of a national chain, a regional store, a grocery store, a big-box retailer or even a warehouse club.

With so many choices, consumers can stand to be picky. So, we wanted to know: Which drug stores or pharmacies have people singing their praises? And which make them grumble and groan?

To find out, we asked our readers to tell us which drug stores they like or dislike most -- and why. What we found out was quite interesting, with one pharmacy clearly rising above all others as a consumer favorite.

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12 American towns' unusual claims to fame

Vicki Passmore — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Travel

There may not be an official registry (or even an unofficial one), but that doesn't stop towns, states and countries across the globe from declaring themselves the "Capital of the World" for thing or another.

Some self-proclaimed titles are pretty well justified. Hawaii, for instance, is called the "Macadamia Nut Capital of the World." Considering the Aloha State is said to grow 90% of the world's supply, we think it's an apt description.

Other claims are not so black and white. Biloxi, Mississippi is often referred to as the "Seafood Capital of the World," but so is Calabash, North Carolina and Crisfield, Maryland. Which place deserves the nickname most? We'll leave that up to seafood lovers to hash out.

We take a look at 12 towns in the good ol' U.S.A. that have found a way to differentiate themselves by "capitalizing" on what makes them unique, and well, a little unusual.

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20 most annoying things at the grocery store

Vicki Passmore — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Retail

Are you an "aisle blocker"? Perhaps you're a dreaded "express lane abuser"? If you can lay claim to either of these titles, we have two words for you: Stop it! These two types of shoppers are at the center of frustrating experiences No. 4 and No. 5 on our 20 Most Annoying Things at the Grocery Store list.

How many of these pesky supermarket situations do you recognize?

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Neighbors from hell: 12 annoying stories from right next door

Vicki Passmore — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real Estate, Family Money

Everyone loves a good neighbor -- you know, the kind of person who brings over extra tomatoes from their garden or offers to keep an eye on your house while you're away. In today's transient society, where we often move far away from our parents and siblings, some neighbors even end up taking on the role of extended family, and become lifelong friends. But unfortunately for some, that's not always the case. The unlucky ones win the you've-got-to-be-kidding-me lottery and end up living next to well, neighbors from hell.

We are not talking about those who mow their grass a little too late at night or fail to keep their dog from ruining yet another patch of our well-maintained lawn. No, we mean those nasty and nutty people who take being a bad neighbor to a whole new level.

We knew they were out there, so we asked our readers to share their true stories of the most annoying neighbors they've ever had the bad fortune to live near. Here we round up our favorite dirty dozen from past years' reader submissions.

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Best & worst grocery stores 2010

Vicki Passmore — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Retail, Food

The average American consumer makes about two trips a week to the supermarket. Apparently, all of this time spent wandering grocery store aisles has made shoppers certain of what they like -- and don't like -- when it comes to where they fill their carts.

For the fourth time, we asked our readers to tell us which grocery stores they love and which they hate. In this latest edition, we found it was a toss-up on stores like Aldi, Food Lion and Kroger. Depending on location, it seems these three retailers had just as many fans as detractors.

And while none of the stores on our list received a unanimous thumbs-up or thumbs-down, our picks for the Best & Worst Grocery Stores 2010 were the ones that had the strongest leanings one way or the other.

Keep reading to see the top and bottom five, as well as actual quotes from readers.

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