Lori Curley: It was just before dusk, about 5:30. My brother (also unemployed and over-educated) and I were watching the news under a blanket. It may have been about 50 degrees in the house, which is not that cold, but we were used to the unchecked dorm temperatures and had become thin-blooded. I mention this detail about the blanket because it becomes impo
Read more of Halloween Tricks…
Read more of Iran lawmakers reject UN-drafted uranium plan (AP)…
Read more of Clinton leaves Pakistan with pointed question on al Qaeda (Reuters)…
Screen legend Dennis Hopper is facing an uphill battle — the 73 year-old actor has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Read more of Dennis Hopper has Prostate Cancer…
Philosopher Ayn Rand once pointed out that it was Americans who coined the phrase “to make money.” Rather than seeing wealth as something looted or distributed, Rand conceived of it as being earned and produced. In America, the embodiment of financial wealth is the US dollar, also known as ‘the buck’ and ‘the greenback’. It seems fitting, then, to reflect on the origins of the dollar – both where it came from and how it evolved into the fiat currency that it is today.
Contrary to general assumptions, the dollar existed before the United States was an independent and unified nation. Prior to the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress had authorized the government to issue dollars and coins for use as widely accepted tender amongst the thirteen British colonies. The term “dollar” itself actually owes to Spanish currency of the time, specifically the eight-real coin (also known as the Spanish dollar), and U.S. dollars were used side by side with their Spanish counterparts – which were accepted as legal tender until 1857 – during colonial times. In fact, the dollar wasn’t the only monetary system vying for widespread use in colonial America. In the Dutch New Netherland (New York) colony, for example, the lion dollar was the currency of choice. However, the U.S. dollar began separating itself from the pack following a Congressional resolution on August 8, 1786.
It was Alexander Hamilton’s leadership at the treasury department, however, which truly cemented the dollar’s status as the basic unit of account in the U.S. with the passage of the Coinage Act of 1792. The act mandated that a “dollar” be between 371 and 416 grains of silver and an “eagle” be between 247 and 270 grains of gold. (An eagle was said to be with 10 dollars, and a dollar worth one-tenth of an eagle.) Here, again, we see the influence of Spanish dollars on the fledgling American currency, as Hamilton based these silver and gold weights on the average weight of worn Spanish dollars. This act also commissioned the opening of a mint in Philadelphia, then the capital of the nascent country. Incidentally, the mint was the first federal building opened with authority from the United States Constitution.
Interestingly, the practice of putting presidents on the front of U.S. dollars is a rather modern tradition, beginning only in the early 1900’s. George Washington, the president most readily identified with the dollar, scoffed at the idea of using his face on money. To Washington, the very notion smacked of European monarchical tradition. As for the ubiquitous dollar sign ($), various theories have been proposed to explain its emergence. Rand, for instance, claimed that the dollar sign represented “U” and “S” superimposed, although this theory is questionable because the dollar sign predates the formation of the U.S. as an independent nation. Other theories reference the coat of arms found on Spanish colonial currency or suggest that it is nothing but an evolved scribal abbreviation for Spanish and Mexican pesos. The latter is perhaps the most widely believed, but historians remain divided on the exact ori! gin.
Realizing that pieces of paper had no intrinsic value (and the inflationary dangers this posed) the U.S. government eventually put the dollar on what is known as a gold standard. Essentially, this meant that every dollar in circulation was “backed” by a certain amount of gold that citizens could demand in exchange for their dollars. The gold standard became law in 1900 with the passage of the Gold Standard Act, which aimed to, “…define and fix the standard of value, to maintain the parity of all forms of money issued or coined by the United States, to refund the public debt, and for other purposes”, according to HistoryCentral.com. Specifically, the Act mandated that each dollar in circulation be valued at $20.67 per ounce of gold. Under such a system, the treasury could not simply print money on whim, but only when and if ther! e were sufficient gold reserves. While the gold standard did indeed restrain inflation and promote sound monetary policy, it proved incapable of adapting to changing circumstances like wars and recessions. The standard was suspended twice during World War 1, for example, because European entities began owing by U.S. corporations in the form of gold. Thus began a massive gold outflow that continued unabated until the New York Stock Exchanged closed in 1914 and the gold standard was put on hold. To its credit, the U.S. restored the gold standard when the NYSE re-opened in December of that year, making the U.S. the only nation in the world to maintain its gold standard by that time.
It was not to last, however. When the Great Depression set in, currency speculators began demanding gold in exchange for their dollars en masse. While the Federal Reserve raised interest rates in an attempt to protect the gold standard, bank runs persisted throughout the early 1930’s. Finally, in 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt suspended the standard and revoked gold as universal legal tender for debts. Interestingly, even this suspension was considered to be temporary at the time – it was only the growing chaos of the depression which kept the restoration of the gold standard permanently on the back burner in terms of political importance. Nevertheless, the U.S. dollar’s relationship to gold grew more and more tenuous over the years.
The Fiat Standard
(Noellium)
The dollars we all use today operate independently of gold prices or any precious metals of intrinsic value. This is known as “fiat currency” – that is, the dollar’s value is only that which we collectively ascribe to it. Insofar as we value, accept and seek dollars as compensation, they have and will continue to have value. Transformation of the U.S. dollar into a fiat currency began in earnest in 1963, when the words “payable to bearer on demand” were left out of all newly printed Federal Reserve notes. Holders of pre-1963 currency could still redeem it for gold until 1968, when redemption was discontinued. Additionally, 1965’s Coinage Act stopped the practice of using silver in quarters and dimes, which were composed 90% of silver prior. In sum, this means that all of the roughly $829 billion worth of U.S. currency estimated to be in worldwide circulation in 2007 is redeemable for and intrinsically ! worth precisely nothing. The “real” value of U.S. currency begins and ends with the value of the paper it is printed on.
Despite being a fiat currency, the U.S. dollar serves as a sort of barometer for the health of the world’s financial system. Today, entire countries (such as Panama, the British Virgin Islands and El Salvador) peg their currency to the dollar just as the U.S. once pegged the dollar to gold; others go so far as using dollars in lieu of – or alongside – their own currencies. Evidently, the fact that the the dollar is backed by nothing but “the full faith and credit of the United States government” is convincing enough for our citizens and the rest of the world. Whether faith in the dollar will withstand unprecedented debt spending and a shaky world economy, however, is a question yet to be answered.
Read more about The Origins of the US Dollar…
There is a cool thought experiment that you can do to help you understand pressure. Actually there a couple of them. You have two different people; one is quite husky and weighs a lot, and the other is petite and doesn’t weigh very much.
The husky one is wearing snow shoes and the petite one is wearing high heels. Would you rather get stepped on by the husky person or the petite person? It turns out that if the petite person stepped on you with their heels, the pressure would be several times bigger than the pressure from the person with the snow shoes on.
This is because in the snow shoe case, you have a lot of force spread out over a large area, so the pressure isn’t as big. In the high heels case we don’t have quite as much force, but it isn’t spread across a large area. In fact, it is concentrated on one little spot–the heel of the shoe. So I would rather get stepped on by the big person wearing snow shoes because it wouldn’t hurt nearly as much.
The concept of pressure is also the reason why people can lie on a bed of nails and not feel any pain. The force from their weight is distributed over a large area, which is the sum of all the individual areas of the tips of the nails.
So this works best if you have a lot of nails, which will provide more area. The more area you have, the less the pressure will be on each nail.
Top World Series Searches on AOL Search:
1. Phillies tickets
2. Yankees tickets
3. Yankees roster
4. Phillies hats
5. Yankees hats
6. Phillies t-shirts
7. Yankees apparel
8. Yankees players
9. Phillies players
10. Phillies flags
The Yankees and Phillies face off in Game 1 of the World Series at Yankees stadium. Can the Phillies win two World Series in a row? Or will the Yankees win the World Series at their new stadium?
Who do you think will win the World Series? Check in with Fanhouse for the latest baseball news and updates.
More Offers: baseball warehouse, MLB tickets, baseball tix, baseball tickets, baseball trophies, baseball bats
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Ladybugs are one of the animals that don’t get negative press because they look cute – until you have a ladybug infestation. Oh, sure, they look all cute when some goofy little kid is playing with them, or they’re crawling on a flower, but get it straight, Cletus – it’s an insect, and it will infest your home, and it will be wrecked due to the little buggers.
Ladybugs, or the insect group coccinellidae, are a species of beetles that has those little spots on them. They will eat away at furniture, and they have a mechanism where they release some of their blood that has a distinctive smell – similar to stinkbugs - which will wreck your home, though in a garden they are beneficial as they eat aphids. They’re cute to look at, but not taking steps to keep them out of your house, will lead to needing debt relief.
My brother is fascinated with the idea that there are conspiracies going on all the time in the world. It doesn't really make sense to me. It's like they just need something to keep their imagination going. I am pretty sure that there is no kind of government conspiracy going on.
I know that there is nothing going on in the government that is being covered up. There are of course the small things involving relationships and decisions that are there. There is nothing there that needs covering up like that though. It's crazy to think that there is.
Under a proposal by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, a council of regulators would be established to monitor financial firms regarded as so big and influential that their collapse could bring down the entire economy.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Read more about Bill Would Give U.S. Powers Over Financial Firms…
House season 6 episode 6 is by far one of the best episodes of television to ever air on national television. This come as no surprise since House is an excellent television show. Even my friend that swore against television has fallen in love with House. She loves his sense of dry humor, especially when it is so serious that she questions when he is joking and when he is being serious.
It seems like everyday her life becomes so chaotic and House is such a chaotic character that her life is mild in comparison. Many people that know my friend have wondered if that is why she is so drawn to this television show. She will not comment on this speculation, but that is okay. My friend does not need to explain why she refuses to miss an episode of House.
Gabriela Pochinki is an opera star. She has an amazing voice. She also has a temper. People with tempers scare me. She was born in Argentina and truly has an amazing voice. She got a degree in speech and pathology. That is a remarkable accomplishment. She is an accomplished woman. But has she accomplished controlling her temper?
I don't think so. At least, not according to the story of her exploding at people in the restaurant in New York. The gift of music and intelligence- of a beautiful voice- is a wonderful talent. I would argue, however that a more meaningful gift and talent is that of being able to control one's temper. Of consideration to those around you. In the long run, this talent is the one that will get you furthest in life. It's the one that will enable happy relationships and will bring more joy to other successes and talents in life. If this restaurant situation is a representative indicator of her typical behavior, then I feel bad for Gabriela. She is missing out on a lot of joy in letting anger get control of her.
You may have seen more than your fair share of opportunities to make money online, many of them ending up as scams. However, affiliate marketing is an online business that is alive and well that many big and small businesses are involved in, and you can make money by promoting their products.
Affiliate marketing is simply promoting other people's products. You are given a link with a tracking code designated to you. If an individual buys the merchant's product from your link, you get a commission for the sale. Affiliates can earn money offline or online, but online marketing has become a very popular method because of the ability to reach wider audiences.
Companies of all sizes join up with affiliate networks for the convenience of having someone manage affiliates for them. An Affiliate network acts as the liaison between affiliates and merchants. A network can ensure that an affiliate is properly compensated for their marketing efforts while allowing merchants to set basic guidelines to be followed while they concentrate on the operations of their company. Some businesses, usually smaller ones, will manage their own affiliates. However, if you're just starting out, it's advisable to go with a network for the sheer convenience.
Some affiliate networks will offer marketing tips or even hold teaching conferences you can personally attend, but these fill up fast, and you will have to fund your own way to the conferences. You can always search online for coaching, and rest assured, there is no shortage of teachers willing to show you how it's done, for a price. Be careful. Many "gurus" will sell you outdated or re-hashed information. Do you due diligence and ensure you expert really has made money online, shows you examples of what they teach, offers a forum and way for you to contact them. When in doubt, contact the expert, ask a random question about affiliate marketing, and see how quickly and how thoroughly they answer the question. If an expert cannot answer the question thoroughly or honestly, steer clear. Does the expert have a video? Still photos can be faked.
There is no way to get rich quick with affiliate marketing. It can take 6 months or more to start earning a substantial income where you can pay bills and that permanent vacation you've always wanted. Affiliate marketing is a long-term, residual way to build an income from home. It's a business that must be nurtured over time. If you have the tendency to jump from one program to another, admit to yourself that you're looking for a get rick quick scheme and stop. If you need quicker ways of making money online, you want to look into other legitimate avenues such as freelance writing or paid surveys.
That is going to be a lot of fun. I don't even know if I will be able to get a chance to go out this year. My friend's daughter is getting married right before Christmas making it a bit more difficult for us to be able to do things like that.
I was mad when they picked the date so close to Christmas. I really miss Christmas caroling. I really want to go out and go caroling at people's houses this year. I miss caroling a lot. I like singing Christmas songs to people whether it is in a hospital or at different people's homes. It is always fun.
My nephew was playing the other day around the desk area and somehow got his head stuck underneath the desk. It was really funny to watch him trying to get his head out of it. I laughed a lot at it. I couldn't figure out how he managed to get his head stuck down there.
I thought it was hilarious. I tried not to laugh as I helped him get his head out of where he got it stuck. After we got it out I laughed a lot. He was a little bit mad at me for laughing at him but eventually got over it when he realized that it was really funny. I guess he decided that it really was funny. He was ok with it I guess.
What happens when shopping is a compulsion instead of a hobby? Image from www.designmom.com.
Many people who love spending time at the mall and filling their closets with the latest fashions call themselves “shopaholics.” Usually it’s followed by a laugh or a joke, but this habit can sometimes take the form of a destructive disorder called oniomania, which is the clinical term for the compulsive desire to buy things.
You might know an oniomaniac — someone who is already in debt, already in some kind of trouble but keeps buying more and more stuff. Sometimes oniomania, from the outside, looks like another disorder: hoarding. People who compulsively buy things end up filling their houses to the brim with stuff to the point you can barely get around the house.
It’s not surprising that oniomania exists, especially in a country that has entire historical period called “the rise of consumerism.” The introduction of credit, including loan lenders, in the U.S. changed consumer behavior radically. I highly doubt oniomaniacs would exist if people had to stop buying things as soon as they ran out of money.
Rather, perhaps oniomania would still exist, but people would not be able to act on their compulsions so much. As you can probably tell, I think oniomania is a disturbing and dangerous disease, but why? … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Oniomaniac | Compulsive Need to Buy Things“
Hacking into others' phones? Yep, unfortunately, there's an app for that. Image from Flickr.
SpoofCard is, put simply, a service that allows you to change the phone number that shows up on someone else’s phone when you call. It sells its services under the slogan “Be who you want to be,” and advertises itself as a tool to protect your privacy. It costs about 20 cents per use.
Seems pretty harmless so far, eh? Well SpoofCard also advertises that you can use it to prank call your friends. That’s a little questionable, but still OK if it’s all in good fun. Because no one would ever use a service for something it wasn’t intended for, right? Say, harassment or hacking into someone’s voicemail.
Sure enough, some people have figured out how to use SpoofCard to hack into people’s voicemails. Malicious people can use SpoofCard to hack into the voicemails of anyone whose number they know. That means people can listen to others’ messages, change their outgoing greeting, you name it.
In fact, if you were to take it even further, you could use services such as pizza delivery and money lenders who use phone numbers as people’s account numbers. Doesn’t sound so harmless now, does it?
Instances of maliciously using SpoofCard have started to pop up in the press. First it was reported that celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton had their phones hacked. Brickhouse Security reports that Dolce and Gabbana Publicity Director Ali Wise was fired from her job after she used SpoofCard to hack into people’s phones more than 700 times. Ahem, I said SEVEN HUNDRED TIMES. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “SpoofCard: Good for Privacy, Bad for Hacking“
Most American workers may be unaware that their insurance rates are based on the demographics and medical claims of their co-workers. When a serious medical condition strikes, especially at small companies, everyone can be affected.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Read more about Age, Gender Skew Group Health Care Rates…
ABC Family's channel is having the 13Nights of Halloween. What a great way to spend October with your family! Sit down at night, children by your side and watch shows like The Goonies on Tuesday 10/20, Beetlejuice on Wednesday 10/21, and the Addams Family on Thursday 10/22.
More to come like Corpse Bride, Hocus Pocus, Addams Family Values, Edward Scissorhands, even a Halloween themed America's Funniest Home Videos. The 13 nights of Halloween starts on Monday, October 19th and goes through Saturday, October 31st.
Most shows start at 8 pm. And that's not all. Go to the ABC Family website and there are Ghoulish games to play. Enjoy the 13 nights of Halloween!
Oxycodone pills go for about $20 apiece on the black market. Image from wikimedia.
What would you do if you won $500,000? Would you retire, buy a house, travel the world or invest in oxycodone so you could illegally sell it? Well, prosecutors in the case against “Big Brother 9″ winner Adam Jasinski would have you believe that Jasinski chose the last option.
Adam Jasinski was arrested Saturday after he tried to sell 2,000 oxycodone pills to a government witness, Federal prosecutors say. According to the Associated Press:
Authorities also said that Jasinski admitted to using his “Big Brother” winnings to buy thousands of oxycodone pills and has been reselling them up and down the East Coast.
Investing in your own business is really not a bad idea for someone who wins hundreds of thousands of dollars. But I think Adam Jasinski would have been smart to invest in the internet loans market or a technology company rather than funding a black market prescription drug business.
In fact, Adam Jasinski even introduced a great idea for how to invest his money while he was on the show. He said he’d like to open a salon that caters to children with special needs. Of course, “Big Brother” fans know that even while sharing this philanthropic idea he came across as a pretty big jerk when he used a particular “r” word that many people like to steer away from. And to think Adam Jasinski used to work in PR for an autism foundation. Emphasis on used to. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Adam Jasinski, ‘Big Brother’ Winner, Accused of Selling Drugs“
Have you seen The View? The View is a daytime talk show. It is actually Barbara Walters's baby. There are 5 women, Walters, Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Sherri Shepherd and Elisabeth Hasselbeck on a panel who discuss recent developments in the news.
Well, Elisabeth Hasselbeck is back after giving birth to her third child, a boy named Isaiah. She seems to be more Republican and the others all seem to be more Democrat, at least from my point of view so many of the topics become quite heated.
There are a few noted arguments, one where Elisabeth was against the others on the morning after pill, once in support of the war in Iraq and once regarding a Hillary Clinton suggested legislation. So, let the debates begin, Elisabeth Hasselbeck is back no longer nursing and practicing birth control.
[application_form]
Roll up your short-term financial troubles with a little help from payday installment loans. (Photo: flickr.com)
Nowadays, most people don't have any time to waste on the documentation work required with traditional loan programs. If you’re in urgent need of cash but don't have a quick source of revenue to generate funds then apply for a no hassle payday installment loan. You may choose from a variety of installment loans that may meet just about anyone’s requirements.
You may apply online for a payday installment loan even if you have bad credit. You just have to fill out an online application form with details about yourself, your employment, etc. All the verification procedures and even the approval are done online. If approved, the money will be electronically deposited in your bank account automatically. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “No Hassle Payday Installment Loans“
The telecom service Google Voice has been giving now new accounts faster recently, as well as now letting some current users invite others. I already have an account from back when it was GrandCentral, but I just requested an invite from Google and got an invite within 3 days.* Since it appears they are ready to open things up, I thought it might a good time to explore ways that this service can enhance your calling experience and even save you some money.
Google Voice provides you a free phone number, designed to be your primary number, which you can then link up with your existing phone numbers - work, home, and mobile. This About Page provides a nice round-up of the features of Google Voice. Here are the ones I’ve found most useful:
One major way that Google Voice can save you money is by reducing the number of “peak” cell phone minutes you use, so that you can either drop down to the cheapest plan or even go prepaid if you’d like.
Ring All. Since all your phones ring, you can pick up your work phone or landline if it is more convenient, when usually people would just call your cell phone by default. This could reduce your minute usage more than you think.
Never Use Up Any Cell Minutes Using Calling Circles. Also known as T-Mobile MyFaves, Verizon Friends & Family, Sprint Pick3, and AT&T’s A-List. Simply add your GV# to these calling circle programs, and every incoming call can now be free. You’ll need to set the caller ID to show your GV#, and not the originating caller’s ID. However, since there is the screening option where every caller has to state their name, you can still find out who’s calling before answering.
Calling out can be free as well, if a bit more hassle. You can also dial out for free by calling your GV# first, press 2, and then enter the number you wish to dial. If you have internet access it’s easier, just click on the contact on GV website.
Free Long Distance From Landline. If you really want a POTS landline, you can now switch to the cheapest local plan with no long distance. When you want to dial long distance, just call your GV# and have it dial out from there. (If you don’t have a GV# within your local calling area, you must dial out using the internet.) Calls are free to US and Canada.
Free Text Messages. You can send and receive text messages through GV for free. This can be a bit of a hassle, but perhaps you have unlimited data but hate the idea of paying another $10 a month for text messages. (I mean, how are text messages not included under data??) With a data plan, just use your phone web browser or specific GV app for your phone.
Extra Business Number. Instead of using it as your central number, use GV as an alternative number for your business venture, superhero alter ego, or whatever.
For Minimalists / Nomads. Even if you don’t have a landline, VoIP, or even a constant cell-phone, you can now get a phone permanent number. You can access your voicemails online, and call back when you feel like it. Some users have dropped everything except for a prepaid cell phone plan costing less than $10 per month.
Got more tips? Share them in the comments. Want a Google Voice account? Request an invitation here.
(*This is pure speculation, but I used a non-yahoo/gmail/hotmail “paid” e-mail and think it might get a faster response due to the people abusing things by trying to re-sell invites on eBay.)
Read more about Ways To Save Money With Google Voice…
Time to carve the Halloween pumpkins. What pumpkin patterns are you using this year. People are so creative when they carve pumpkins these days. The only thing I've ever been able to do with a pumpkin is make triangle eyes and a jagged mouth. But I've seen amazing carved pumpkins.
My friend who is a scientist, carved a pi symbol on the front of his pumpkin and called it pumpkin pi. These year people are carving Obama faces and Michael Jackson faces, although I think that is incredibly difficult. You can carve it to look like a baseball or even better, a basketball. Or just a lady or man. Or how about a Disney character: Mickey, Minney, or Goofy? You could carve a tab or a ghost or a cat or a witch.
How about the word, "Boo." You could do a spider web or a pirate. You could carve your name, or the name of your favorite TV show. The point is, there is no limit to what you can do with your pumpkin. Sketch a pattern and cut. Have fun.
I love to read books. I read all of the Harry Potter series and the Twilight series. Now I'm reading all of Oprah's book club suggestions. I'm reading Say You're One of Them that she has suggested recently.
Last year I read A New Earth. 2007 was The Pillars of the Earth and The Road. I've also read Anna Karenina, East of Eden and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, at Oprah's suggestion. Oprah's been doing this for a long time. I also have joined a few local book clubs and read books recommended at those clubs. I like to check the books out at the library but I have also found that I can buy books at really good prices at Costco and Walmart books.
There is a 9 year old hockey prodigy that I saw on TV the other night who is truly amazing. He plays ice hockey like a pro. Ice hockey is a very physical, very fast-paced sport. Yet this 9 year old skates and swings the stick and hits the puck as if he was an adult. The incredible goal he made is plastered all over the news stations and YouTube right now. He doesn't even look like a 9 year old in the video.
I thought it was a funny coincidence that Emilio Estevez was in the stands the night of this video. Emilio Estevez starred in the Mighty Ducks. The Mighty Ducks is a movie about a team of troubled kids who play hockey. Emilio Estevez is a lawyer sentenced to community service and ends up coaching these kids. It must have been a good night for Emilio Estevez as well as the 9 year old hockey player.
What's a government small dollar loan worth? Nothing more than eagle food, apparently… (Photo: wikipedia.org)
The payday loan industry continues to fulfill the needs of consumers, particularly during the tight times of the recession. On volume, payday lenders are able to make profits that allow them to continue to operate in the majority of states. Thus, the relationship between consumers and payday loan businesses is mutually beneficial.
Did you know the FDIC recently rolled out a Small-Dollar Loan Pilot Program? They’re currently in the middle of a two-year run where they’re studying how traditional banks can offer payday loans at a profit. They’re doing this ostensibly to create an alternative to what payday loan companies offer – and as an alternative to overdraft protection, they claim – but it doesn’t appear they have a strong concept of the difference between black and red ink. … click here to read the rest of the! article titled “Payday Loans Beat FDIC Small-Dollar Loans Hands Down“
Making ends meet is more difficult than ever. For families that need childcare, the expenses can be overwhelming. Good childcare is expensive, but it’s not like bad childcare to save a few dollars is an option. Finding a solution can involve some creativity, but the good news is that it can be done.
Family Options
Clearly, the cheapest solution is to find a family member who is willing to lend a hand. Retired grandparents, if they are young enough and healthy, are a great resource. Offer to barter services like yard work or errands in return for their generosity. Other relatives, if they have young children at home, may be open to taking your children too, for a much more reasonable sum than a stranger. Best of all, I’m sure you’ll feel much safer that your children is in the hands of someone you know.
Share a Nanny
If you have a good friend with young children who is also returning to work, you might be able to share a nanny. Go through the whole interview process together; determine how much each person pays, what happens if one of you run late, and figure out transportation arrangements, etc. Put everything in writing and make sure you do a criminal check on your prospective nanny.
Arrange a Baby Sitting Cooperative
Many mothers return to the work force part-time; at least at first. If you can get three or four such women in a group, each of you can take care of the kids one day a week and work the rest of the week knowing that someone who cares is watching your child. The children benefit from a different set of toys to play with each day. The best part is that this kind of arrangement is usually free.
Tax Savings
If your employer participates in a child care flexible account, set aside the money you need for the year in advance. This way you avoid paying taxes on child care expenses. Sometimes family friendly employers have an agreement with a local day care center and their employees can get a discount for using the facility. Other such employers are also generally willing to work with you to set up a job sharing schedules or telecommuting part-time.
Revamping the Schedule
If you just can't find a child care situation that seems reasonable and affordable, you may find yourself making a difficult choice. Working different hours means that at least one parent is home at all times with the children. This kind of arrangement is difficult for both parents, since it really cuts into a couple's time. Fortunately, this period in your children's lives is relatively short, and many people find relief that they are doing this for the children that they love.
Shop Around
Finally, if you can't rearrange schedules and need to use a day care center; shop around. Some public schools offer cheap or free day care for neuro-typical kids enrolled in a Head Start program. This is a great environment and learning experience for all the kids.
The YMCA or the local church is likely to be cheaper than a private corporation, even if the curriculum may be targeted. Older kids can attend a half day pre-k or kindergarten program and then join a half day daycare program, which will halve your costs.
Finding a good environment for your children that is affordable can be challenging, but it is well worth the effort to know that your kids are safe, happy, and well cared for.
This is another series in the “How to Save Money on Everything ebook” that you can download for free. Subscribe to the free newsletter below to get access to it.
—
Related Articles at Personal Finance Blog by Money Ning:
Read more of Saving Money on Childcare…
As long as they're OK, consider installment loans for your business's short-term financial needs. (Photo: flickr.com)
Small businesses are looking to installment loans rather than stocks for funding options. Before the recession, many small businesses were investing in the stock market, trading for added revenues. Dallas-area financial planner Chance Woods stated his clients have a "mixed feeling of relief at stock gains since March, and are reluctant to fully commit to the market." Research is showing that most small business owners are feeling the same hesitation. The financial hit many of them took due to last years' recession is having a huge effect on their confidence to move towards stock investing again. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Businesses Look to Installment Loans Rather than Stocks“
Social Security recipients won’t be getting a cost-of-living increase next year, but the White House has backed a plan to give them a one-time payment of $250, calling it an extension of the stimulus program. Some suggest a plan to give seniors $250 is as much an investment in politics as in the economy.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Read more about Obama Seeks To Ease Pain For Seniors — And Himself…
I watched a movie last night called Megafault on the newly name SyFy (no longer SciFi which is another article for another day) channel, or I should say I tried to watch it. 1 hour into it, I decided I had enough.
This is a disaster movie about earthquakes threatening to destroy the earth, possibly dividing it in half. It stars Eriq Lasalle (formerly from ER), Brittany Murphy (one of the skinniest people you will ever see), Bruce Davidson and Justin Hartley. The acting is terrible and the special effects are even worse. Earthquakes. Chaos. People outrunning cracks and sinkholes. The end of the world unless one skinny little girl who looks like she's 16 or so can figure out what to do.
No real emotion but lots of faked emotion. The only one in the whole show who knew how to act was the little girl who plays the main character's daughter. She was pretty cute. I typically like Syfy movies and disaster flicks but this movie, Megafault, did neither of those things justice. Not worth wasting your time for.
Call customer service and tell them you are thinking about canceling your service. Your goal is to reach the Retentions Department. As you can tell from the name, the primary goal of this group is to keep you as a customer (for as cheaply as possible). This means they have the most discretion when it comes to service discounts.
Prepare your pitch. The “open-ended approach” consists of basically saying “I’m thinking of canceling my service because it costs too much. Are there any discounts available to me?” You leave it up to them, and see what they throw at you. A script suggestion:
DirecTV Retentions: How can I help you today?
You: Hi, I’ve been a DirecTV customer for a while now, but I am trying to lower my expenses these days and I don’t really need all these channels. Am I eligible for any service discounts to lower my bill?
If you don’t get something satisfactory, either haggle upwards (instead of $10 off for 6 months, ask for 12 months) or try going in with a goal and a good idea of what the competition is offering. Look up the current DirecTV promotional offers for new customers in your area, as well as competing offers from Dish Network or local major cable provider (Comcast, Charter, etc.). Depending on your viewing preferences, you may ask specifically for a combination of the following:
DirecTV Retentions: How can I help you today?
You: Hi, I’ve been a DirecTV customer for a while now, but I am trying to lower my expenses and seeing what bills I can reduce or cancel. I’ve been seeing commercials for [competitor's name] offering service for [$XXX]. Is there any way you can offer that to me as well if I stay?
Remember, you lose nothing by asking. Even the most shy person can simply ask nicely until you hear “no”, there’s no requirement for verbal ninja skills. Share the discounts that you scored in the comments!
Read more about Haggle To Lower Your Direct TV Satellite Bill…
Handy solution to combat your short term financial problems.Small and short term monetary needs can be easily attended to by acquiring short term installment loans online. Like online cash advances, these short term installment loans provide small cash assistance very quickly. This makes same day cash loans an external financial tool that can be trusted and used at the time of urgent need or emergency. You do not have to wait for a couple of days as you can easily grab the funds wit! hin a couple of hours!
Being short term, installment loans online carry a slightly higher interest rate than that of traditional loans. The loan amount can be used for meeting various small financial requirements such as paying outstanding utility bills, medical expenses, accidental or big car repairs, college or tuition fee of a family member, even grocery bills or computer or electronic related service costs. Short term installment loans online are usually approved within 24 hours. The quick approval is due to the fact that there are usually no credit checks or faxing of documentation or paperwork etc. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Short Term Installment Loans Online“
I bought a pair of pants. It wasn’t planned for, and the decision was a result of a bit of embarrassment, anger, sadness, and envy combined.
My journey to the checkout counter all started a few days ago when we walked by a CPA’s office while Emma and I curiously checked out some new office buildings. It so happened that I was looking for a new accountant to talk about my new business structure, so I decided to walk in.
After some mingling with the receptionist and introducing ourselves to the accountant, he spent the next 15 minutes trying to convince us that our business probably isn’t at the point of needing his service. We walked out confused since we didn’t even talk much about specifics, but my wife quickly made an astute observation.
Honey, maybe you should dress more appropriately next time you meet a business acquaintance for the first time.
I didn’t realize until then. I was wearing jeans, a plain colored t-shirt I bought ten years ago, an old pair of running shoes and badly needing a haircut. To my defense, we were just taking a break from our daily schedule and never intended to talk about business, but I forgot – perception matters.
Over the weekend, we were out taking a walk at the local mall. We loved the atmosphere. There were tons of people, everyone was happy and surprisingly, many people were lining up to pay. This was a total 180 from just a couple short months ago when the malls were completely deserted.
As we continued to walk, we noticed that everyone seemed to dress nicer than we did. I felt a little embarrassed at first, but could it be that bad? We started paying more attention, and the reality is actually WORST! Actually, we found one person who dressed worst than we did. One single soul. It was so bad it actually became funny. We laughed, and realized that we never bought clothing for ourselves since honeymoon, a fabulous vacation two years ago. I ended up buying a pair of pants, and Emma bought a shirt (well, her splurge shouldn’t count since her tummy is starting to grow and she needed more comfortable clothes).
For the frugal types amongst us, this story must sound familiar. Many of us choose to be frugal, so it doesn’t really bother us.
But, do you find being frugal embarrassing at time?
For Emma and I, the answer is a resounding YES. Embarrassment happens, but we don’t mind it much. We love finding the great deal, and we love being debt free. One of these days, we might start spending more as our incomes and financial future seem more secure. But as of right now, our frugal choices are allowing us to look forward to a prosperous future. We don’t want to keep up with the Joneses, because we don’t happen to be them.
We like our name just fine. Emma and David Ning
How about you? Do you like your name, or do you want to be the Jones as well?
Aside: From the traffic we saw at the mall, I guess the recession is over. Or at least, no one cares that the unemployment is 10% and rising.
—
Related Articles at Personal Finance Blog by Money Ning:
Read more of Do You Find Frugality Embarrassing?…
She’s spending the summer with her parents and siblings that live near by and all day long she complains about how she misses her finacee. It’s soo annoying! He’s all she ever talks about and gives anyone who will listen a play by play of every conversation they’ve had since the last time she saw us and tells us the same stories about him over and over again. We’re all ready to scream at her that we really don’t care but we all give her some slack.
I’m sure we all were like that or will be like that at some point in our life. We still love her though and tolerate it because we are excited for her that she found such a great guy. Luckily school is starting for her soon so we don’t have to listen to her crying much longer.
It seems like a lot of people think they are out of shape. I wonder where that saying came from. I mean, everyone has a shape, so when people say they are “out of shape”, what they really mean is that they aren’t in the particular shape that they would like to be in.
But it seems that everyone in this world is obsessed with thinking that they can always be in better shape than they are right now. So by those standards, everyone is always out of shape and can never really achieve being “in shape”.
I know that didn't happen with me since I look so much like my family. I think it is weird that somebody might have accidentally been switched. If you found out you were switched at birth and then your life sucked, you would be really upset.
You would feel robbed of the life you knew you could have had. You might be grateful for it as well. If you had a really great life, met all the right people, and did all the right things, you might be more grateful for being switched at birth.
I had lost a tooth. I came out the next morning and told my dad that the tooth fairy hadn't come that night. I was so upset that I didn't get my money yet. He went into my room and said that she had come.
I went back in and there was money underneath my pillow. I knew that my dad had put it there when he went in there. I was so upset. I wish that I could have just held onto that dream just a little bit longer. I would be a much happier person if I could have held onto that just a little bit longer.
It is the most exciting holiday of the year. It is the best time of the year to teach my children that they need to be more concerned about the welfare of others than for themselves. It is the time of year that I can spend time teaching my children that they need to be giving up a little bit of their own happiness for the happiness of others.
It is definitely the best time of year for that. I make them pick a present out that they would really want for themselves to give to someone else. It has definitely taught them some humility over the years.
[application_form]
Considering Pay Day Loans? (photo by flickr)
Short-term loans have been known to be the financial tools utilized by many individuals at some point of their life. And pay day loans are a great avenue to pursue in order to fulfill one's emergency cash needs in one way or the other. Pay day loans like installment loans are one type that can provide an individual with quick money when he/she is short on cash. These loans are also called short term loans because the repayment of the loan proceeds occur only after a short interval! that is within a few weeks of borrowing the money.
Since pay day loans are not hefty loans and the amount borrowed is usually not much, the fees attached to the money lent is very reasonable. In any case, if the borrower does not pay back the loan amount when it is due, the fee will continue to accrue. However, before opting for any type of loan, it is very important to put some time and effort into getting at least a brief overview of the loan type in order to understand the pros and cons that may come with it. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Pay Day Loans – Get Up To $1,500 in 2 Hours“
[application_form]
We work hard to help get you the payday loan that meets your financial needs, and best of all you can apply from your own home or office. Below are some ways payday loans can help you and when you can expect to receive your money.
Our payday loan applications only take a few moments to complete, and once you are finished you will find out whether you have been approved within a few moments.
Payday loans have never been easier to apply for now that they are online! In some cases, once you are approved, you may have your funds electronically deposited to your bank account in as little as two hours. You may also be eligible to receive an online payday loan of up to $1,500. Besides being a fast way to receive funds, payday loans can also help you when an unexpected bill arises. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Payday Loans | Get the Cash You Need Now!“
Actually there was a total of five different short plays. Some of them were a little confusing in that I didn’t really know what was going on and the endings were kind of weird. The first play was especially confusing.
There were two crazy scientists trying to figure something out, but they didn’t know what to do. So they started making crazy suggestions like reversing the air particles, screaming, and throwing pens at each other. It was really quite silly. It ended with one of them getting an egg beater from the closet and running off with it, laughing. It was really quite strange and I don’t know what to make of it.
Another one, one that I really liked, was about a guy who had been turned into a dog. Apparently he liked to play pretend and had played a lot of jokes on his wife, but this time he claimed that he really had turned into a dog. It was hilarious, but you had to be there to know what I’m talking about. The last one they did was pretty great too. It was a musical and it was amazing. Whoever wrote the music has a lot of talent.
It’s full of all sorts of possibilities and has a lot of potential. You can make whatever you want out of it, providing you have enough of it and you have all the right threads and tools.
It’s sort of like an empty canvas. You can put on it whatever you want, but you have to have all the right tools. I suppose that goes for anything. You have to have the right tools in order to do anything, if you want to do it right. If you don’t care about doing a good job then you can use whatever tools you want to get it done.
<div style=”float:right;margin-right:5px;margin-bottom:5px;width: 164px”
If you already own a Kindle, you could save a bunch of money on "Whitopia." Image from wikimedia.
Rich Benjamin’s book “Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America” came out today, and already it’s getting all kinds of attention. In the book, African-American author Benjamin chronicles his experiences as he lives in and studies Whitopias, which he explains are “whiter than the nation, its respective region, and its state.”
I was a little nervous to find out what Benjamin has to say about Whitopias, considering that I have lived in or near some of the places he writes about. However, a woman from Cour d’Alene, one of the Whitopias where Benjamin lived for a while, says the “writing is phenomenal, and it's hard to put down.” Those don’t sound like the words of a woman who is offended. Either that or people from North Idaho like being painted as racist hicks. Who knows?
Amazon.com is selling “Whitopia” for $24.99 for the hardcover version. If you own a Kindle, you can buy “Whitopia” for $9.99. You might not need easy cash loans to get the text, but a Kindle will run you about $300, so you might need a no fax payday loan for that. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “‘Whitopia’ Hits the Shelves with a Bang“
A business titan has passed on, and it will be hard to conjure a conceivable replacement for Mel Simon.
He was 82 years old. He and his brother founded the Simon Property Group out of Melvin Simon and Associates, the company that gave birth to the indoor shopping mall, and they have malls across the globe, including the Mall of America.
In 1983, he and his brother Herbert Simon both bought the Indiana Pacers, and in the 26 years since the purchase the team has made the NBA playoffs 17 times. He was also a lifelong and devoted Democrat. There are few in the same class as Mel Simon, and it takes more than payday loans to mold such an innovator.
Anyone who doesn’t like non-violent peaceful protests for peace and equality won’t like this observance, but I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do – people are looking for connections between Ghandi October 2nd all over the net.
The reason why is that October 2nd was Gandhi’s birthday. (There’s also contention over where to put the “h” in his name.) Mahatma Gandhi, as he became known, was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi October 2nd, 1869, and the rest was history.
It’s a national holiday in India (why wouldn’t it be?) and internationally as Non Violence Day. (This year it’s on Friday, normally cause for celebration anyway – we got through another week without going insane, and therefore its party time!) So whether you plan on a moment of silence for Gandhi October 2nd, or payday loans for a weekend excursion, it’s a holiday.
The term Echoplex has a variety of meanings, one is significant to a certain segment of really annoying pretentious types that fashion themselves “hipsters” that aren’t taken seriously by most of society. That is that Radiohead front man Thom Yorke will be making an appearance at a Los Angeles venue called the Echoplex.
Radiohead fans are typically pretentious, vainglorious, and all think they’re some sort of pseudo-musical intellectuals, who are actually just misplacing their frustration over constant belittling, humiliation, and being outperformed in every aspect of existence by a truly manly and sophisticated group of people – known as Slayer fans. (Slayer rules and you’re all tools.)
The Echoplex is also a very expensive and sought after guitar effect unit, designed by Mike Battle and sold by the Maestro company in the 50s. One is worth getting payday loans to get, and the other is a venue.
Say you’re one of them – admit it! Okay, just kidding – besides, who would “they” be anyway? Say You’re One of Them is the first book by Uwen Akpan, who is a Jesuit Priest in Nigeria, who had studied creative writing at the University of Michigan. The reason why it’s getting headlines is that the book was leaked early as being chosen for Oprah’s Book Club, which is more or less the best way to sell a lot of books these days.
Surprisingly, some of the entries on Oprah’s book lists are actually good – even if there was that whole A Million Little Pieces incident. Still, since it’s been picked by Oprah, it’s going to mean a lot of fast cash is going to be made by the author and publisher of Say You’re One of Them.
Another athlete has been busted on weapons charges, as Delonte West has been arrested for two (2) pistols AND a shotgun. He was pulled over, driving a 3 wheeled motorcycle (riding a TRIKE? Not very manly), and told the officer that he had a handgun. Later, it turned out he was packing serious heat.
HE currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and formerly the Boston Celtics and those sold out punks now in Oklahoma that should be shot from a cannon, the Seattle Supersonics. Even more shocking is that this guy was allowed to go to college. (What a moron.) A low rate personal loan for Delonte West might get him a lawyer, but it doesn't fix stupid.
<div style=”float:right;margin-right:5px;margin-bottom:5px;width: 194px”
A cast of Ted Williams' head. Would you deep freeze a head like that so you could play a game of pepper, I ask you? (Photo: metapedia.com)
When Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Ted Williams died at the age of 83 in 2002, he was cryogenically frozen by the Alcor Life Extension Foundation of Scottsdale, Arizona. As the company’s name indicates, the hope was that Williams could eventually be revived once medical technology had advanced enough to resuscitate “Teddy Ballgame.” In the meantime, the cryogenic treatment kept Ted Williams’ head on ice. This service has been provided at no doubt what amounts to great expense, the kind of expense that would drive people to a personal loan company just to keep up with freezer fees.
All is not rife at Alcor, alleges an upcoming book entitled “Frozen.” There are allegations that Ted Williams’ head has been abused. FOX Sports reports that Larry Johnson, former Alcor COO, alleges in the book that Williams’ head was “repeatedly abused” by untrained workers. The abuse wasn’t even casual, says Johnson. “Gruesome” is the operative word. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Ted Williams’ Frozen Head Allegedly Abused by Alcor“
You can get up to $1000 when you fund your account and meet the trade requirement before November 13th, 2009 5pm (ET).
Just four easy steps:
1. Open an account with Zecco Forex
2. Make your deposit before 10/30/2009 5pm (ET)
3. Make the round-trip trade requirements before 11/13/2009 5pm (ET)
4. Collect your bonus!Note: If you open a practice account first, remember to use promo code ZECCOCASH2TRADE1 when you open your live account.
Instead of just making one trade, you have to make a certain number of round-trip trades. Mini trades and metals trade only count for 1/10th of a “full” round-trip. With a 1 pip spread on $100,000 standard trade amount, that would mean $10 for a round-trip trade if you ignore any price swings. (I tried this by buying and then selling immediately.)
Consider the offer carefully. If you’re not looking to actually do any speculating, the “easy” money is to just trade twice and get the $50 for two trades minus spreads. If you are looking to speculate, the bonus essentially takes away the spread costs. Forex for an inexperienced investor is a lot like gambling, and this is similar to one of those online casino bonuses. If you know the ropes, you can use such deposit bonuses to grab an edge.
Credit card funding. An possible extra is that you can fund via a credit card. It does show up an a purchase, which means we can get miles or cash back, but when I withdrew it just went back as a credit on my card. Users have reported that if you can keep the initial funding in for 6 months and trade regularly (which this promo seems to require anyway), you might be able to withdraw via check and keep the rewards. There is a $5,000 cap on each credit card funding, but you can perform multiple transactions.
Read more about Zecco Forex Promotion Code: $25 to $1,000 Deposit Bonus…
Woody Harrelson is going to be in the upcoming comedy-horror Zombieland film. It looks like it ought to be darkly humorous – if nothing else, it has zombies in it, and some stuff will probably explode.
The big news earlier about the film was the scuffle Woody Harrleson got into with a paparazzi photographer, but lately the big thing has been the question over who is going to have the scene stealing Zombieland cameo.
It could be somebody as a zombie; it could be someone as another “survivor” of the zombie apocalypse. Who knows? Regardless of the cameo, this new Woody Harrelson is part of the Zombie Renaissance, and so plenty of people will line up payday loans to go see Zombieland.
