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Dive into a collection of past posts and rediscover timeless content.
How Pawn Shops Make Money: The Economics of Borrowing Against Your Own Stuff

Sep 18, 2026

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11 min read

How Pawn Shops Make Money: The Economics of Borrowing Against Your Own Stuff

The loan cannot go bad. That single fact explains every window in the building.

Penny Brief
Penny Brief
What Really Happens to Donated Clothes: Inside the Textile Recycling Business

Sep 18, 2026

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11 min read

What Really Happens to Donated Clothes: Inside the Textile Recycling Business

You dropped a bag at a donation bin. Most of what was in it never reached a thrift store shelf.

Penny Brief
Penny Brief
How Storage Unit Auctions Really Work: The Business Behind the Abandoned Locker

Sep 18, 2026

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12 min read

How Storage Unit Auctions Really Work: The Business Behind the Abandoned Locker

The facility does not want your stuff. It wants the unit back, and the law tells it exactly how to get it.

Penny Brief
Penny Brief
Are Laundromats Profitable? Why a Room Full of Washers Can Be Worth Millions

Sep 18, 2026

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11 min read

Are Laundromats Profitable? Why a Room Full of Washers Can Be Worth Millions

No inventory, no employees required, and a customer who has no alternative. The catch is the water bill.

Penny Brief
Penny Brief
Are Extended Warranties Worth It? The Economics of the Checkout Upsell

Sep 18, 2026

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11 min read

Are Extended Warranties Worth It? The Economics of the Checkout Upsell

The salesperson may earn more on the warranty than on the television. That is not a coincidence.

Penny Brief
Penny Brief
How Budget Airlines Make Money: The Economics of the $39 Fare

Sep 18, 2026

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11 min read

How Budget Airlines Make Money: The Economics of the $39 Fare

The ticket is not the product. It is the qualifying round.

Penny Brief
Penny Brief
Why Americans Buy Bagged Ice: The Strange Economics of Selling Frozen Water

Sep 18, 2026

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11 min read

Why Americans Buy Bagged Ice: The Strange Economics of Selling Frozen Water

You have a machine at home that makes it for free. You will still pay $4.99 for a bag, and you are right to.

Penny Brief
Penny Brief
Why Self-Storage Is So Profitable: The Business of Renting Space for Stuff You Never Use

Sep 18, 2026

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11 min read

Why Self-Storage Is So Profitable: The Business of Renting Space for Stuff You Never Use

You rented it for two months. It has been four years. That gap is the entire investment thesis.

Penny Brief
Penny Brief
Why Funerals Cost So Much: The Economics of the American Funeral Home

Sep 18, 2026

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11 min read

Why Funerals Cost So Much: The Economics of the American Funeral Home

A federal rule gives you the right to a price list and to buy only what you want. Almost nobody uses it.

Penny Brief
Penny Brief
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