Business Insider日读新闻随记78
2019年5月26日
Facebook will reportedly launch cryptocurrency 'GlobalCoin' in 2020
Facebook is developing a digital payments system that will be rolled out in several countries by the first quarter of 2020. The social media giant has reportedly met with multiple high-frequency trading firms, cryptocurrency exchanges, and bank officials in recent months to pave digital infrastructure security of digital coins, and users’ ability to exchange them for other cryptocurrencies or conventional currencies, and make payments.
The secretive initiative has so far been code-named “Project Libra,” and will reportedly roll out in conjunction with banks and brokers to connect the digital currencies with conventional currencies across the world and pass as payment with select online merchants in exchange for lower transaction fees. Barclays internet analyst Ross Sandler said in March the cryptocurrency could add as much as $US19 billion in additional revenue by 2021 to the company.
This marks the company’s second venture into cryptocurrency, nearly 10 years after digital currency Facebook Credits was shut down after an unsuccessful two years. Reports of a Facebook coin lifted cryptocurrencies on Friday. Bitcoin climbed 5% to around $US7,960.
A bestselling author says the best money advice he can give is maths
Almost anyone can learn to be good with money, according to financial expert Ramit Sethi.“You might think ‘Well, I’m not the kind of person who’s good at money,’ but you can actually become very good at money – and the bar is so low,” he said. “All you need to do is just have your money automatically going where it needs to go – it’s not that hard. You can do it and you can become very good at it.”
Sethi encourages automating as much of your finances as possible – this is where the maths comes in (the good news is, you really only have to do it once). First and foremost, he said, decide what percentage of your salary you’re going to contribute to your retirement contribution plan.
From your checking account, set up automatic transfers to, A) pay your credit-card bill and any fixed monthly costs that can’t be paid for by credit card, and B) fund other investment and savings accounts outside of your salary deferral plan at work. Whatever money is left over is yours to spend. Sethi says setting up automatic funding and bill pay helps you create a unique and profitable system that requires little to no work to maintain.
“Not only are your bills paid automatically and on time, but you’re actually saving and investing money each month,” he wrote.
There are only 4 ways to return items purchased on Amazon.com
As the e-commerce sector grows, it’s inevitable that shoppers will have to return some items every once in a while. However sometimes, with no physical stores that accept returns, sending things back to Amazon can be a hassle.
The most popular method is to send the item back in the mail. Amazon’s website gives shoppers a few options for returning items in the mail. You can have Amazon send you a UPS label for dropoff, go to a UPS store and have them print and attach it for you, or schedule a UPS pickup. Otherwise, you can package and mail it to Amazon yourself, using the method of your choosing.
Some clothing returns are free, but Amazon generally makes customers pay for return shipping. Exceptions are made for certain circumstances, like if you’re returning something that was damaged or sent by mistake.
Amazon generally only gives 30 days from when you receive the item to ship it back. 75% of respondents said that while they have returned an item by shipping it back to the retailer, only 42% prefer that method.
Amazon offers dropoff at its Hub Locker locations, provided there’s enough space to put the item inside. Customers must request this method in the online return center to receive a code that will open the Locker for dropoff. It’s only available for smaller items that would fit in an 18-by-14-by-12-inch box. Returning items to Amazon’s Hub Lockers is not free – it will incur the same charge as using the shipping label. Locker locations have expanded rapidly in recent years.
Amazon will also accept returns at its Hub Locker+ locations, which used to be called simply Amazon Pickup locations. This process is much more streamlined. The big bonus for this location is that it’s free, and there’s no need to package the item before bringing it in. The center is equipped with its own packaging materials, and you can slide the item right into the returns slot.
The final way to make a return is through participating Kohl’s stores. Kohl’s initiative to accept Amazon returns started in California and Illinois. Just bring in the item, and Kohl’s will take care of the rest. Amazon even calls this a “recommended” way to return.
