Carla Fried

Writer

About

Carla Fried is a freelance journalist who specializes in personal finance, with a keen interest in how behavioral issues impact consumer decisions. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Money magazine, Barron’s, Bloomberg, CNBC and Consumer Reports.

Photo on the left is a faucet with water coming out of it. Photo on the right is an agriculture field being watered with irrigation system Research Question / Nudges

Household Waste Reduction Gets a Lot of Study — But Institutional Settings Are the Bigger Opportunities

Growing tension between behavioral research focused on the individual and the study of societal systems

Denied rubber stamp on white background. Research Brief / Consumer Lending

Privacy Comes at a Cost for Fintech Borrowers

Consumers in India welcomed an end to intrusive data mining, but it made it harder to get the loans

An illustration denoting the political divide in the U.S. with four hands holding ballots on the left with a blue overlay a ballot box in the middle and four hands holding ballots on the right with a red overlay. Research Brief / Politics

A Small Shift in Voter Composition in Primaries Could Push the US Away from Extremism

The centrist-minded are often no-shows when their parties are choosing candidates for general elections

A white man wearing a business suit sitting at a desk throws his desk phone in a fit of anger. Research Brief / Artificial Intelligence

AI Chatbots That Lead With Empathy Can Help Manage Workplace Anger

When AI acknowledges feelings, resistance to the technology melts

Twin brothers sitting on sofa, facing each other, smiling Research Brief / Startups

That Silicon Valley Founder Reminds Me of His VC!

Warning: Opting to fund one’s look-alike leads to lower returns

Two different mocked up advertisements for a bank. Research Brief / Marketing

Ads Using Personalized Tracking Raised Privacy Concerns. The Substitute Isn’t Problem-Free

The spots, aimed at demographic groups, can feel like stereotyping, even discriminatory

Young Hispanic woman is getting vaccinated by a professional medical worker wearing gloves in a doctor's office Research Brief / Nudges

Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Nudges

Messages tailored to past vaccination behavior can meaningfully boost uptake for some

Blank faded social security card on white background top view Research Brief / Nudges

Simple Prompts Reduce Common Fear of Social Security ‘Going Broke’

Reminding people that payroll taxes will keep flowing in — even after the trust funds hit zero — helps them understand benefits won't disappear

A composite image of a woman in the bottom left corner and three possible future versions of her in the upper part of the screen, Research Brief / AI

As AI Advances, Tools to Connect to Your Future Self Grow More Vivid and Useful

Digital twins, 30 years your senior, help weigh today’s big decisions

Green dollar sign on stock market chart background Research Brief / Taxes

The Hidden Cost of Raising Corporate Taxes

Consumer spending falls — and vulnerable families take the biggest hit

The back of helmeted police officer holding a radar gun. Research Brief / Securities

Companies Sued for Securities Fraud Adopt More Conservative Accounting

The shift spreads through auditors to other clients, potentially clouding the financial information investors rely upon

A white sedan in a crash test taking impact to driver side dooor. Research Brief / Innovation

In Car Safety, Why Some Companies Merely Meet a Standard and Others Exceed It

Corporate embrace of safety and experience in technical measurement is crucial determinant

A red Geo Metro with fogged up windows. Research Brief / Consumer Lending

Discontinued Car Models, Often Sold to Lower-Income People, Carry a Magnified Risk of Collateral Shortfall

After the repo: Borrowers’ post-default payments account for 27% of lender recoveries

A screenshot of a Meat Bag from Whole Foods for sale on the Good to Go app Research Brief / Pricing

How to Price Soon-to-Expire Food to Attract the Most Merchants and Consumers?

One platform dictates a price at 33% of retail — too steep a discount for many stores