National Parks are another rarely explored resource, but an amazing teaching tool. Almost every park has a Jr. Ranger program that will guide the kids through exploring the park in general, and then the kids will get a badge when they complete the activities in their booklet. The Visitor Centers have displays relevant to the park, and there are always Park Rangers there who will answer questions or talk to the kids about the park and nature in general. Some of the bigger parks have teaching materials online as well (to do once you get home, or to print out and take with you to the park). I am fortunate enough to live near a lot of National Parks, and we do 3-4 week-long camping trips a year. My son is only 7, but he has been to over 20 parks and visited 27 states so far.
It was hard to grooming my dogs by myself. Painful! They really don't like to do it and bite me sometimes. It's really good tips for grooming information! Thank you!
It's true that we don't know yet if we're in a recession. Possibly we're not. I'm not alone in worrying that we are.
Oil is definitely not driving us into an inflationary tizzy. (See above where inflation is caused by excessive growth in the money supply.) Rising oil prices do, though, lower our standard of living. Also, since rising oil prices tend to drive up many other prices (by raising costs), it becomes very hard to know whether what we're seeing is inflation (money becoming less valuable) or a declining standard of living (due to resource depletion). It's made even more complicated by the fact that rising oil prices actually drive some other prices down (because the people who used to buy those things can't afford them any more, because they're spending so much more money on fuel).
I thought the whole point of homeschooling was that you don't have to do all the teaching out of books. Maybe that's just me, though.
How about museums, zoos, etc. on their free day?
Art openings and star viewings and speakers at local colleges. Lots of them occasionally have activities especially for kids.
Tours. Especially if you can get enough neighbors together for a group discount.
Stuff you already have at home like cooking tools, gardening tools, paper for writing books and making newspapers, etc.
Thrift stores, garage sales, and discount stores for legos and other building toys.
Asking your friends over to teach how to do their hobbies.
Scouts, Little League, and other similar groups.
The Red Cross and similar groups for courses in first aid, swimming, etc.
Local parks for checking out plants and for physical education.
Home Depot or the grocery store for cheap seeds.
PBS, Netflix and the library for good educational shows.
And my favorite, the internet, for all those questions that come up like why is the sky blue. And for directions on things like how to make your own play dough and papier machet.
My favorite place for books, once you have a specific title in mind, is www.addall.com. Just input the book and your location, and it will list sellers in price order including shipping.
It's hard to imagine, but no matter your material circumstances, you can be as blind and spoiled as Paris Hilton and not be aware of it. What Gratitude (and Humility) does is make you aware of your level of entitlement - even if you supposedly don't have much. There are no guarantees that any of us will live beyond our next breath. If one considers this often, a different perspective towards life and the value of what one HAS (inside and out) might be found.
I've made great money and I've also lived on other people's couches. I can tell you that when things have gotten scary I always found something to be Grateful about - especially that I was not on the street and that I was safe. And even to this day – no matter how much I have or don’t have, I am Grateful always for at least one or all of: being able to put gas in my car, having a car, feed myself and my pets, finding work, having a place to keep me safe and warm at night, and decent physical health. Anything beyond that is wonder!
It takes a while to really see this however, and at first you might have to work on it. The reason it can be so hard is because it requires using the heart and finding Humility; which differentiates the base survival mechanism in us all against our potential for evolution, beauty, nobility, and refinement – that can be found under any circumstance.
It is a choice. And it's not limited to physical things. I am Grateful that I have a good mind. I am Grateful that I love. I am Grateful that while I make millions of mistakes that I strive to be better. I don't have tons of friends but I'm kind. Does it matter if anyone else in the world appreciates these things? No, not as long as I value them. What we have or can have is greater than the sum of $3 - unless that is the value that you are now placing on your life. If this is the case, sit down and do an inventory. It might surprise you to find out what you really do have in total assets as a human being, and what you can do with it.
From a practical and perhaps superficial standpoint, Gratitude will at least make you likeable to other people who might be able to help and even hire you; for few want to offer a hand to someone who is angry, ungrateful, or wears a banner of victimization. It might be a mean-spirited and entitled attitude that got one into a less than desirable circumstance to begin with.
True humility is a very refined state that one can cultivate; and it has little to do with deprication of the self or others. It has to do with seeing what really is.
Half.com is an excellent source for textbooks, and their postage is slightly less than amazon.com. Paperbackswap.com has both paperbacks and hard covers. Swapping is one for one, and you get points by listing and sending books to requestors. I've been a member for over a year, and love it. Thrift stores, if they're well-stocked--not for textbooks, but for classics.
We are in a recession? The truth is noone knows. Some very savy economists with amazing track records don't believe we are in a recession and do not think we are going there. Google Brian Westbury...
Oil is driving us into inflationary tizzy? I don't think so. By far the biggest) factor triggering stagflation in the late 70s was wage growth spiraling out of control that did not come with productivity improvements. That led to businesses laying people off as they simply could not afford them. Go back and look at the unemployment situation today vs say 1981. Two totally different worlds.
Is the fed going in the wrong direction today by easing rates and pumping up the money supply? I don't know about you, I'm seeing a 3% raise this year... Ask yourself this question, what impacts energy costs more, reduced demand as a result of markets making rational decisions to cut back on the use of oil or the USA tightening its money supply and driving up interest rates?
I agree with the previous caller that easing money supply should be equated with our economy taking on more debt -- thinking in terms of "printing money" is like saying debt is a bad thing. Debt can be a great thing if you have an opportunity to invest and generate a higher return than your carry costs.
The secret sauce to our great success in the last 20 years has been and continues to be the amazing productivity increases made by the american worker through applied technology. When we figure out ways to do our jobs more efficiently or create more value for our customers we get to the wonderful concept of sustainable growth. Does anyone believe we are at the end of the road? I look around my workplace and continue to be amazed at all the opportunity for improvement that is just sitting there waiting for me...
The budget deficit is pushing us into economic demise? There is a big flaw in your logic, you need to look at the debt burden as it relates to the size of the economy. Go back and make that adjustment before you talk about record deficits. I was studying economics back in the early 80s and thought the world would come to an end because of Reagan's hawkish military spending and tax cuts resulted in record deficits. Turned out everything worked out GREAT! Google larry kudlow for a more eloquent presentation than I could ever muster.
The dollar is a wreck, that is true. How does that affect me? I will not choose to go skiing in Canada this year, Colorado or Utah will get my money. No trips to Europe for me, I'll spend the summer vacation in the continental 48. That is the down side, expensive travel out of the country. For every ying there is a yang. Corporations that sell in the global market continue to blow the doors off in terms of growth (See Coke, Deere, etc) I'm a believer that if we continue to improve productivity over time the currency will go back to a more reasonable valuation. Who would of thunk it corporations are insourcing from India because the american worker is more productive and more reliable (plus the wage disparity is evaporating)
Last thought, people I respect really believe that the sub-prime mess is drying up liquidity, a bad thing if it is happening that might make you guys right after all. The problem isn't people are not willing to take on debt, the risk is that there will not be lenders willing to make loans. That is what the fed is addressing, watch out for another 50 or 75 basis point cut soon.
That's a very good point. Back in the 1970s, the economy was not unwinding hundreds of billions of dollars of bad loans (and certainly not various securitized derivatives on bundles of bad loans) the way it is now. Those securities had been treated as assets. Now we have no idea what they're worth (except that we know that many are worth nothing).
Those assets were not money, but some of them were "money-like" and many of them, as assets of banks and other financial institutions, stood behind a lot of money.
We simply don't know how the collapse of all those imagined assets will affect the money supply. The Fed is obviously worried. They wouldn't be acting as they are, unless they were seriously afraid that the money supply was in danger of shrinking drastically as the imagined money vanishes from the economy.
The problem is, there's just no way to know how much money there is. The Fed tries to keep track, but so many things act as money part of the time. For example, a HELOC with a large amount of available credit is almost money--the homeowner could write a check for $10,000 at any time. But if that check doesn't get written, is the available credit "money" or not?
This makes a big difference when banks suddenly decide to cut credit limits, as they are now in places where home values have dropped. When the amount of HELOC available to homeowners drops by a billion dollars, has the money supply shrunk? If so, by how much? Probably so. Probably not by a billion dollars, but nobody knows whether it's a lot less or just a little less.
Personally, I'm still worried about inflation, and will stay worried about inflation at least until interest rates are above the inflation rate--but it may be that I'm being very short-sighted. My own attitudes are colored by my having come of age at the peak of the 1970s inflation. The people are the Fed are very clever. It's entirely possible that they're more clever than me. I kind of hope so, actually.
That is so cool. I think that will help so much. I want to be a hobo and write, im scared though because i don;t quite know where to start and am terrified! Maybe this could help me. I hope...
I try to have one good meal at a local place every day, the rest of the day I nosh on local snacks and beer. If I you plan that meal for lunch you can save a bunch an still get all the local tastes and color.
In my younger days I used to do jelly packets at Micky D's for breakfast. My travel budget's a bit better nowadays, now I hit local bakery where I can get get the day started on the cheap.
Few will argue that we are in for a recession, probably a long one (stagnation?). What is at issue is inflation vs deflation.
I believe deflation is the route we are headed not hyper inflation (>5%). Right now diddly squat for new money is being made and money is being destroyed very fast. If we destroy money faster than we create it, it becomes more scarce and therefore more valuable. Assuming demand for money remains the same, this results in delfation.
In a reserve system, debt is money. As debt is closed either by payed off or write off, that money is taken out of the money supply and therefore destroyed. Right now far more debts are being something-offed than are being originated. To add to this debts have been bought using more borrowed money. So as the original debt is payed off, all debts in the chain get payed off. This compounds the reduction in the money supply.
There are two trends that are emerging that indicate that this force will grow stronger. Both originate in apparent shifts in comumer attitude/behavior. First, debt is now viewed as a bad thing. This attitude is growing in numbers. Look at the growing popularitey of personal finance blogs offering advice on debt reduction. This will have the above mentioned affect on debt money.
Second, and related, with the reduction in using debt to purchase things comes a reduction in spending. This is where some of the recessionary force is comming from. As people spend less, buisness have less money and have no need to invest to grow. Look at the number of reatil chains that are reducing the number of stores they have. This trend will likely continue as consumers become more unsure in a recessionary environment.
Oil and commodoties will have to rise astronomicially to generate enough inflationary pressure to offset deflationary pressures and I dont think China and India can grow that fast. Especially considering a slowdown in the US will affect them too.
I tried the toothpaste for my video game and it didn't work. it just made it worse. at first it would play and once it was finsih loading it would stop bu now the game system can't even read it.
When I travel to China (about 3 months every year, for my job) I view not bargaining as a sort of charity, in line with stimulating the local economy.
Most things bought on the street in China have "ridiculous" price tags. No one expects anybody but tourists to pay the full price, and as soon as sellers see foreign faces, they often try to jack up prices even higher. This used to anger me. I saw it as bilking people. And to some extent I still do. But I'm starting to come around. I can pay the "ridiculous" price and still get most goods cheaper than I would in the States. A few extra Yuan isn't going to hurt me, but it might do a lot of good for a vendor.
"Religion. Yes, environmentalism is a religion......The facts do seem to indicate that we are using up the world to fill our never-ending need to consume. It's my opinion that we should consume a little more responsibly. Why isn't it yours?"
As I said, we should be good stewards of the things we own or borrow. Therefore, I do not think we should be wasteful.
What I find more interesting about your comment is your belief that we are "using up the world with our never-ending need to consume". Fascinating. I would like to ask you this: Let's assume for a moment that the world leaders gathered and decided that because we are not taking care of this planet we don't deserve to have it. Therefore, they are going to destroy it and all its inhabitants with all the weapons at their disposal. Do you think this would work? Would the earth die? Would it stop spinning on its axis? Would all life come to a screeching halt? Certainly, more delicate life forms, such as human beings, would be greatly decimated. But it is my contention that the planet would survive. It's reconstructive powers are so strong it could not become the dead planet Environmentalists think we are turning it into. If I am right, even to a smaller degree, are we really "using up" what the earth has to offer?
My larger point was this: If it is truly your desire to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, by all means, do so. Measure your "carbon footprint". Bike-ride to work. Buy supposedly energy-efficient cars. Bring your dishes to public places to avoid filling the landfills with paper cups. But do not kid yourself. You are not "saving the planet". You're doing things that make you feel good. And to that end, I see nothing wrong with it. In the same vein, don't accuse me of being heartless because I view these efforts as pointless.
Are there things we could do to benefit the planet? Of course. And as long as they are as efficient as the objects or activities they replace, I support them and will use them. I simply refuse to accept the religious tenet that sacrifice must be made to fulfill the hypocritical doctrine of Environmentalists like Al Gore. He forfeits nothing in his life while attempting to effect change in mine. And he uses schlock science to do so and nobody calls him on it.
I appreciate your comments. I know I tend to drive points home with a sledge hammer sometimes and your response was thought provoking and genial. Thank you.
In the old days a busboy would remove the plates and glasses and the waiter would only serve food. Today, the wait staff is both server and busboy. Next time you eat out, observe the waiter handling the dirty dishes and silverware, watch him grab 4 glasses with his fingers immersed in them. Then watch him serve the food, moving items on the plate, giving you silverware, serving drinks, all with his fingers reeking of dozens of customers and their viruses,bacteria, and fungai . Then watch him clean off the table with that filthy rag that hasn't been washed in two weeks.
Then go to your fast food joint and watch the girl handling money and giving you the drink cup with her fingers over the top or inside of it. Then she will go in the back to prepare your order, never washing her hands, then she will collect the trays and clean them off with the same washcloth that is never washed, Off to the restroom and leaving without washing her hands.
And now you know why the top selling over the counter medicines and prescription drugs are for indigestion, heartburn, stomach bloat, diarrhea, gas, and nausea.
Happy dining out!
It's popularly called "Oobleck." You just mix corn starch and water. It's very simple and it dries to a powder so clean up is easy. Do a search on Google or YouTube and you'll find more info :-)
I don't think store credit cards are in the same category as other items. Store cards can be OK 1) if you open them to get a discount, then never use them again or 2) if you often shop at a particular store and get some benefits for having the card like coupons or cashback. Needless to say, you can only use them if you pay your balance in full, but to me this is the only way to use credit cards. I don't care about their rate - it could be 99.99% for all I care, never paid it, never will. I do have a couple of store cards: one is from a store I often use; another one I got to get a discount and never used again. I just got amazon, but it is a co-branded card, and I often shop there. I am far from poor, but I like free money.
Totally agree about the rest.
I've only found out about payday loans recently - read a mention on a blog. I understand that their default rate is probably high, which could in part explain high rates, but 1000% is ridiculous. Wish someone paid me that on my investments. And here I thought loan sharking was illegal...
I follow a sort of modified South Beach diet and like making individual egg quiches (without crust). Basically just eggs, veggies ( I usually use zucchini shredded, maybe peppers, onions, bacon) poured into a muffin tin, topped with a little lowfat cheese.
I can't believe you "DON'T AGREE" !!! ADVANTAGES!!! what planet are you from! These places are parasites!! They set up camp in the poor neighborhoods and suck the life out of people who run into rough times. Lets not forget that when someone is backed into a corner, they will do whatever it takes to live another day. I'm talking about actual theft, robbery, and assault. Do not, for one minute, think that it ends with "I'm sorry mister payday loan...I promise never to borrow again".
Mr. Online PayDay Loan. Its time to take your head out of your pooper. (im trying to keep it clean)
If you're a student filing for financial aid, your parents have to claim you as a dependant unless you're over 22 (I think?), or married, or in the military. So, a lot of college students don't get any money from their parents, have jobs and support themselves, file their own taxes, and are still filed as dependents.
As someone who worked 40 hours a week for minimum wage last year, I don't qualify for a rebate because I applied and receieved some federal merit and need based scholarships for tuition this year-- not enough to pay the ridiculous cost of tuition, so don't think just because I'm filed as a dependent I'm not living on ramen and easy mac.
It's not a huge deal (what's $300 in the face of $15,000 in student loans?), but it's annoying, especially since all the college students now are the suckers that get to enter the workforce for the next thirty or fourty years and bear the burden of the currently skyrocketing national debt.
I work at a grocery store as a cashier, so I'm at the grocery store almost every night.
Basically, my shopping consists of watching what people buy for a few days, then near the end of the week buying things I absolutely need to get-- mostly perishables-- and looking through my coupons and seeing what's on sale that I have coupons for (I get lucky surprisingly often) and what's on sale that I don't have coupons for or what I have nearly-expired coupons for that's not on sale. My store will also match other stores' advertised prices, although I don't usually bother with it, and I've seen people do amazing things by combining price matching and coupons.
(Well, that's the ideal, at least. In practice, I tend to go 'ooh, that looks tasty!' and grab a few groceries after my shift. Every day. Maybe I should start leaving my debit card at home....)
My meals consist of me looking around the kitchen and finding something reasonably tasty. Tonight I had mushroom ravioli-- with plain pasta added to stretch it to several meals-- with extra mushrooms and alfredo sauce, and a little feta cheese on top. Tasty. :)
First off, yes the job of the listing agent is to get the home sold. Marking the property up $10,000 is not going to get the job done. Secondly, you can't compare what the home is going to sell for by using comparable listings. They don't mean squat! You have to use comparable sales (within the last 3 months in your subdivision if at all possible). Listings don't mean anything because they could be priced wrong. And finally, don't forget that when this home does get a contract on it, it now has to appraise for that amount (or higher) for the financing to go through (unless it's a cash deal, which we all love). So if the property is marked up $10,000 and we have to work an extra 2 months, it really did no one any good because it won't appraise for that amount. Appraised value comes from comparable sales (see my Second comment), and that is exactly why the listing price of your home should reflect what has sold in your area.
Gosh, I sure got a good laugh out of this story. First and foremost, the commission percentage of 6% is never a set commission. That commission can vary as much as the weather in Texas, so to assume that is what was going on is definitely a huge assumption. Secondly, the story that the sellers agent told you is one of the oldest tricks in the book. You weren't represented by anyone so he/she could tell you anything she wanted and didn't have to prove it. That agent saw you coming a mile away. I am a real estate agent and any ethical real estate agent that does dual agency transactions will tell you that we end up being a transaction coordinator only. We are unable to talk price to you or our client (the seller). All we can do is present offers and counteroffers. If we represent both parties there is no way we can fulfill our fiduciary duty to either party under law. That is why we become transaction coordinators at that point. Very rarely, will I take a dual agency role, because of this situation. If I do take the role, then it is with clear understanding on both sides of the deal (buyer and seller) what I can and can't do and what I will and won't do. Otherwise you have violated the fiduciary duty that you have as well as your ethics. So having said all of this, that's why you get a Buyer's Agent, so an unethical agent (unfortunately they are out there) doesn't get the best of you, just like they did in this story!
National Parks are another rarely explored resource, but an amazing teaching tool. Almost every park has a Jr. Ranger program that will guide the kids through exploring the park in general, and then the kids will get a badge when they complete the activities in their booklet. The Visitor Centers have displays relevant to the park, and there are always Park Rangers there who will answer questions or talk to the kids about the park and nature in general. Some of the bigger parks have teaching materials online as well (to do once you get home, or to print out and take with you to the park). I am fortunate enough to live near a lot of National Parks, and we do 3-4 week-long camping trips a year. My son is only 7, but he has been to over 20 parks and visited 27 states so far.
It was hard to grooming my dogs by myself. Painful! They really don't like to do it and bite me sometimes. It's really good tips for grooming information! Thank you!
It's true that we don't know yet if we're in a recession. Possibly we're not. I'm not alone in worrying that we are.
Oil is definitely not driving us into an inflationary tizzy. (See above where inflation is caused by excessive growth in the money supply.) Rising oil prices do, though, lower our standard of living. Also, since rising oil prices tend to drive up many other prices (by raising costs), it becomes very hard to know whether what we're seeing is inflation (money becoming less valuable) or a declining standard of living (due to resource depletion). It's made even more complicated by the fact that rising oil prices actually drive some other prices down (because the people who used to buy those things can't afford them any more, because they're spending so much more money on fuel).
All told, the Fed has a tough job.
I thought the whole point of homeschooling was that you don't have to do all the teaching out of books. Maybe that's just me, though.
How about museums, zoos, etc. on their free day?
Art openings and star viewings and speakers at local colleges. Lots of them occasionally have activities especially for kids.
Tours. Especially if you can get enough neighbors together for a group discount.
Stuff you already have at home like cooking tools, gardening tools, paper for writing books and making newspapers, etc.
Thrift stores, garage sales, and discount stores for legos and other building toys.
Asking your friends over to teach how to do their hobbies.
Scouts, Little League, and other similar groups.
The Red Cross and similar groups for courses in first aid, swimming, etc.
Local parks for checking out plants and for physical education.
Home Depot or the grocery store for cheap seeds.
PBS, Netflix and the library for good educational shows.
And my favorite, the internet, for all those questions that come up like why is the sky blue. And for directions on things like how to make your own play dough and papier machet.
My favorite place for books, once you have a specific title in mind, is www.addall.com. Just input the book and your location, and it will list sellers in price order including shipping.
amazon
It's hard to imagine, but no matter your material circumstances, you can be as blind and spoiled as Paris Hilton and not be aware of it. What Gratitude (and Humility) does is make you aware of your level of entitlement - even if you supposedly don't have much. There are no guarantees that any of us will live beyond our next breath. If one considers this often, a different perspective towards life and the value of what one HAS (inside and out) might be found.
I've made great money and I've also lived on other people's couches. I can tell you that when things have gotten scary I always found something to be Grateful about - especially that I was not on the street and that I was safe. And even to this day – no matter how much I have or don’t have, I am Grateful always for at least one or all of: being able to put gas in my car, having a car, feed myself and my pets, finding work, having a place to keep me safe and warm at night, and decent physical health. Anything beyond that is wonder!
It takes a while to really see this however, and at first you might have to work on it. The reason it can be so hard is because it requires using the heart and finding Humility; which differentiates the base survival mechanism in us all against our potential for evolution, beauty, nobility, and refinement – that can be found under any circumstance.
It is a choice. And it's not limited to physical things. I am Grateful that I have a good mind. I am Grateful that I love. I am Grateful that while I make millions of mistakes that I strive to be better. I don't have tons of friends but I'm kind. Does it matter if anyone else in the world appreciates these things? No, not as long as I value them. What we have or can have is greater than the sum of $3 - unless that is the value that you are now placing on your life. If this is the case, sit down and do an inventory. It might surprise you to find out what you really do have in total assets as a human being, and what you can do with it.
From a practical and perhaps superficial standpoint, Gratitude will at least make you likeable to other people who might be able to help and even hire you; for few want to offer a hand to someone who is angry, ungrateful, or wears a banner of victimization. It might be a mean-spirited and entitled attitude that got one into a less than desirable circumstance to begin with.
True humility is a very refined state that one can cultivate; and it has little to do with deprication of the self or others. It has to do with seeing what really is.
Half.com is an excellent source for textbooks, and their postage is slightly less than amazon.com. Paperbackswap.com has both paperbacks and hard covers. Swapping is one for one, and you get points by listing and sending books to requestors. I've been a member for over a year, and love it. Thrift stores, if they're well-stocked--not for textbooks, but for classics.
We are in a recession? The truth is noone knows. Some very savy economists with amazing track records don't believe we are in a recession and do not think we are going there. Google Brian Westbury...
Oil is driving us into inflationary tizzy? I don't think so. By far the biggest) factor triggering stagflation in the late 70s was wage growth spiraling out of control that did not come with productivity improvements. That led to businesses laying people off as they simply could not afford them. Go back and look at the unemployment situation today vs say 1981. Two totally different worlds.
Is the fed going in the wrong direction today by easing rates and pumping up the money supply? I don't know about you, I'm seeing a 3% raise this year... Ask yourself this question, what impacts energy costs more, reduced demand as a result of markets making rational decisions to cut back on the use of oil or the USA tightening its money supply and driving up interest rates?
I agree with the previous caller that easing money supply should be equated with our economy taking on more debt -- thinking in terms of "printing money" is like saying debt is a bad thing. Debt can be a great thing if you have an opportunity to invest and generate a higher return than your carry costs.
The secret sauce to our great success in the last 20 years has been and continues to be the amazing productivity increases made by the american worker through applied technology. When we figure out ways to do our jobs more efficiently or create more value for our customers we get to the wonderful concept of sustainable growth. Does anyone believe we are at the end of the road? I look around my workplace and continue to be amazed at all the opportunity for improvement that is just sitting there waiting for me...
The budget deficit is pushing us into economic demise? There is a big flaw in your logic, you need to look at the debt burden as it relates to the size of the economy. Go back and make that adjustment before you talk about record deficits. I was studying economics back in the early 80s and thought the world would come to an end because of Reagan's hawkish military spending and tax cuts resulted in record deficits. Turned out everything worked out GREAT! Google larry kudlow for a more eloquent presentation than I could ever muster.
The dollar is a wreck, that is true. How does that affect me? I will not choose to go skiing in Canada this year, Colorado or Utah will get my money. No trips to Europe for me, I'll spend the summer vacation in the continental 48. That is the down side, expensive travel out of the country. For every ying there is a yang. Corporations that sell in the global market continue to blow the doors off in terms of growth (See Coke, Deere, etc) I'm a believer that if we continue to improve productivity over time the currency will go back to a more reasonable valuation. Who would of thunk it corporations are insourcing from India because the american worker is more productive and more reliable (plus the wage disparity is evaporating)
Last thought, people I respect really believe that the sub-prime mess is drying up liquidity, a bad thing if it is happening that might make you guys right after all. The problem isn't people are not willing to take on debt, the risk is that there will not be lenders willing to make loans. That is what the fed is addressing, watch out for another 50 or 75 basis point cut soon.
That's a very good point. Back in the 1970s, the economy was not unwinding hundreds of billions of dollars of bad loans (and certainly not various securitized derivatives on bundles of bad loans) the way it is now. Those securities had been treated as assets. Now we have no idea what they're worth (except that we know that many are worth nothing).
Those assets were not money, but some of them were "money-like" and many of them, as assets of banks and other financial institutions, stood behind a lot of money.
We simply don't know how the collapse of all those imagined assets will affect the money supply. The Fed is obviously worried. They wouldn't be acting as they are, unless they were seriously afraid that the money supply was in danger of shrinking drastically as the imagined money vanishes from the economy.
The problem is, there's just no way to know how much money there is. The Fed tries to keep track, but so many things act as money part of the time. For example, a HELOC with a large amount of available credit is almost money--the homeowner could write a check for $10,000 at any time. But if that check doesn't get written, is the available credit "money" or not?
This makes a big difference when banks suddenly decide to cut credit limits, as they are now in places where home values have dropped. When the amount of HELOC available to homeowners drops by a billion dollars, has the money supply shrunk? If so, by how much? Probably so. Probably not by a billion dollars, but nobody knows whether it's a lot less or just a little less.
Personally, I'm still worried about inflation, and will stay worried about inflation at least until interest rates are above the inflation rate--but it may be that I'm being very short-sighted. My own attitudes are colored by my having come of age at the peak of the 1970s inflation. The people are the Fed are very clever. It's entirely possible that they're more clever than me. I kind of hope so, actually.
That is so cool. I think that will help so much. I want to be a hobo and write, im scared though because i don;t quite know where to start and am terrified! Maybe this could help me. I hope...
I try to have one good meal at a local place every day, the rest of the day I nosh on local snacks and beer. If I you plan that meal for lunch you can save a bunch an still get all the local tastes and color.
In my younger days I used to do jelly packets at Micky D's for breakfast. My travel budget's a bit better nowadays, now I hit local bakery where I can get get the day started on the cheap.
Few will argue that we are in for a recession, probably a long one (stagnation?). What is at issue is inflation vs deflation.
I believe deflation is the route we are headed not hyper inflation (>5%). Right now diddly squat for new money is being made and money is being destroyed very fast. If we destroy money faster than we create it, it becomes more scarce and therefore more valuable. Assuming demand for money remains the same, this results in delfation.
In a reserve system, debt is money. As debt is closed either by payed off or write off, that money is taken out of the money supply and therefore destroyed. Right now far more debts are being something-offed than are being originated. To add to this debts have been bought using more borrowed money. So as the original debt is payed off, all debts in the chain get payed off. This compounds the reduction in the money supply.
There are two trends that are emerging that indicate that this force will grow stronger. Both originate in apparent shifts in comumer attitude/behavior. First, debt is now viewed as a bad thing. This attitude is growing in numbers. Look at the growing popularitey of personal finance blogs offering advice on debt reduction. This will have the above mentioned affect on debt money.
Second, and related, with the reduction in using debt to purchase things comes a reduction in spending. This is where some of the recessionary force is comming from. As people spend less, buisness have less money and have no need to invest to grow. Look at the number of reatil chains that are reducing the number of stores they have. This trend will likely continue as consumers become more unsure in a recessionary environment.
Oil and commodoties will have to rise astronomicially to generate enough inflationary pressure to offset deflationary pressures and I dont think China and India can grow that fast. Especially considering a slowdown in the US will affect them too.
~joe
I tried the toothpaste for my video game and it didn't work. it just made it worse. at first it would play and once it was finsih loading it would stop bu now the game system can't even read it.
When I travel to China (about 3 months every year, for my job) I view not bargaining as a sort of charity, in line with stimulating the local economy.
Most things bought on the street in China have "ridiculous" price tags. No one expects anybody but tourists to pay the full price, and as soon as sellers see foreign faces, they often try to jack up prices even higher. This used to anger me. I saw it as bilking people. And to some extent I still do. But I'm starting to come around. I can pay the "ridiculous" price and still get most goods cheaper than I would in the States. A few extra Yuan isn't going to hurt me, but it might do a lot of good for a vendor.
These are all yummy ideas. I've been promising myself that I'm going to plan ahead on breakfast better. These tips will really help!
Linsey
"Religion. Yes, environmentalism is a religion......The facts do seem to indicate that we are using up the world to fill our never-ending need to consume. It's my opinion that we should consume a little more responsibly. Why isn't it yours?"
As I said, we should be good stewards of the things we own or borrow. Therefore, I do not think we should be wasteful.
What I find more interesting about your comment is your belief that we are "using up the world with our never-ending need to consume". Fascinating. I would like to ask you this: Let's assume for a moment that the world leaders gathered and decided that because we are not taking care of this planet we don't deserve to have it. Therefore, they are going to destroy it and all its inhabitants with all the weapons at their disposal. Do you think this would work? Would the earth die? Would it stop spinning on its axis? Would all life come to a screeching halt? Certainly, more delicate life forms, such as human beings, would be greatly decimated. But it is my contention that the planet would survive. It's reconstructive powers are so strong it could not become the dead planet Environmentalists think we are turning it into. If I am right, even to a smaller degree, are we really "using up" what the earth has to offer?
My larger point was this: If it is truly your desire to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, by all means, do so. Measure your "carbon footprint". Bike-ride to work. Buy supposedly energy-efficient cars. Bring your dishes to public places to avoid filling the landfills with paper cups. But do not kid yourself. You are not "saving the planet". You're doing things that make you feel good. And to that end, I see nothing wrong with it. In the same vein, don't accuse me of being heartless because I view these efforts as pointless.
Are there things we could do to benefit the planet? Of course. And as long as they are as efficient as the objects or activities they replace, I support them and will use them. I simply refuse to accept the religious tenet that sacrifice must be made to fulfill the hypocritical doctrine of Environmentalists like Al Gore. He forfeits nothing in his life while attempting to effect change in mine. And he uses schlock science to do so and nobody calls him on it.
I appreciate your comments. I know I tend to drive points home with a sledge hammer sometimes and your response was thought provoking and genial. Thank you.
Ron
In the old days a busboy would remove the plates and glasses and the waiter would only serve food. Today, the wait staff is both server and busboy. Next time you eat out, observe the waiter handling the dirty dishes and silverware, watch him grab 4 glasses with his fingers immersed in them. Then watch him serve the food, moving items on the plate, giving you silverware, serving drinks, all with his fingers reeking of dozens of customers and their viruses,bacteria, and fungai . Then watch him clean off the table with that filthy rag that hasn't been washed in two weeks.
Then go to your fast food joint and watch the girl handling money and giving you the drink cup with her fingers over the top or inside of it. Then she will go in the back to prepare your order, never washing her hands, then she will collect the trays and clean them off with the same washcloth that is never washed, Off to the restroom and leaving without washing her hands.
And now you know why the top selling over the counter medicines and prescription drugs are for indigestion, heartburn, stomach bloat, diarrhea, gas, and nausea.
Happy dining out!
It's popularly called "Oobleck." You just mix corn starch and water. It's very simple and it dries to a powder so clean up is easy. Do a search on Google or YouTube and you'll find more info :-)
I don't think store credit cards are in the same category as other items. Store cards can be OK 1) if you open them to get a discount, then never use them again or 2) if you often shop at a particular store and get some benefits for having the card like coupons or cashback. Needless to say, you can only use them if you pay your balance in full, but to me this is the only way to use credit cards. I don't care about their rate - it could be 99.99% for all I care, never paid it, never will. I do have a couple of store cards: one is from a store I often use; another one I got to get a discount and never used again. I just got amazon, but it is a co-branded card, and I often shop there. I am far from poor, but I like free money.
Totally agree about the rest.
I've only found out about payday loans recently - read a mention on a blog. I understand that their default rate is probably high, which could in part explain high rates, but 1000% is ridiculous. Wish someone paid me that on my investments. And here I thought loan sharking was illegal...
I follow a sort of modified South Beach diet and like making individual egg quiches (without crust). Basically just eggs, veggies ( I usually use zucchini shredded, maybe peppers, onions, bacon) poured into a muffin tin, topped with a little lowfat cheese.
I can't believe you "DON'T AGREE" !!! ADVANTAGES!!! what planet are you from! These places are parasites!! They set up camp in the poor neighborhoods and suck the life out of people who run into rough times. Lets not forget that when someone is backed into a corner, they will do whatever it takes to live another day. I'm talking about actual theft, robbery, and assault. Do not, for one minute, think that it ends with "I'm sorry mister payday loan...I promise never to borrow again".
Mr. Online PayDay Loan. Its time to take your head out of your pooper. (im trying to keep it clean)
God Bless
PS- Borrower is slave to the lender
If you're a student filing for financial aid, your parents have to claim you as a dependant unless you're over 22 (I think?), or married, or in the military. So, a lot of college students don't get any money from their parents, have jobs and support themselves, file their own taxes, and are still filed as dependents.
As someone who worked 40 hours a week for minimum wage last year, I don't qualify for a rebate because I applied and receieved some federal merit and need based scholarships for tuition this year-- not enough to pay the ridiculous cost of tuition, so don't think just because I'm filed as a dependent I'm not living on ramen and easy mac.
It's not a huge deal (what's $300 in the face of $15,000 in student loans?), but it's annoying, especially since all the college students now are the suckers that get to enter the workforce for the next thirty or fourty years and bear the burden of the currently skyrocketing national debt.
I work at a grocery store as a cashier, so I'm at the grocery store almost every night.
Basically, my shopping consists of watching what people buy for a few days, then near the end of the week buying things I absolutely need to get-- mostly perishables-- and looking through my coupons and seeing what's on sale that I have coupons for (I get lucky surprisingly often) and what's on sale that I don't have coupons for or what I have nearly-expired coupons for that's not on sale. My store will also match other stores' advertised prices, although I don't usually bother with it, and I've seen people do amazing things by combining price matching and coupons.
(Well, that's the ideal, at least. In practice, I tend to go 'ooh, that looks tasty!' and grab a few groceries after my shift. Every day. Maybe I should start leaving my debit card at home....)
My meals consist of me looking around the kitchen and finding something reasonably tasty. Tonight I had mushroom ravioli-- with plain pasta added to stretch it to several meals-- with extra mushrooms and alfredo sauce, and a little feta cheese on top. Tasty. :)
First off, yes the job of the listing agent is to get the home sold. Marking the property up $10,000 is not going to get the job done. Secondly, you can't compare what the home is going to sell for by using comparable listings. They don't mean squat! You have to use comparable sales (within the last 3 months in your subdivision if at all possible). Listings don't mean anything because they could be priced wrong. And finally, don't forget that when this home does get a contract on it, it now has to appraise for that amount (or higher) for the financing to go through (unless it's a cash deal, which we all love). So if the property is marked up $10,000 and we have to work an extra 2 months, it really did no one any good because it won't appraise for that amount. Appraised value comes from comparable sales (see my Second comment), and that is exactly why the listing price of your home should reflect what has sold in your area.
Gosh, I sure got a good laugh out of this story. First and foremost, the commission percentage of 6% is never a set commission. That commission can vary as much as the weather in Texas, so to assume that is what was going on is definitely a huge assumption. Secondly, the story that the sellers agent told you is one of the oldest tricks in the book. You weren't represented by anyone so he/she could tell you anything she wanted and didn't have to prove it. That agent saw you coming a mile away. I am a real estate agent and any ethical real estate agent that does dual agency transactions will tell you that we end up being a transaction coordinator only. We are unable to talk price to you or our client (the seller). All we can do is present offers and counteroffers. If we represent both parties there is no way we can fulfill our fiduciary duty to either party under law. That is why we become transaction coordinators at that point. Very rarely, will I take a dual agency role, because of this situation. If I do take the role, then it is with clear understanding on both sides of the deal (buyer and seller) what I can and can't do and what I will and won't do. Otherwise you have violated the fiduciary duty that you have as well as your ethics. So having said all of this, that's why you get a Buyer's Agent, so an unethical agent (unfortunately they are out there) doesn't get the best of you, just like they did in this story!