Tag Archives: economy

Halloween, the Economy and Your Family

Oprah Winfrey just devoted an entire show to the best money lessons you can teach your kids in these troubling economic times. The show featured tips on how to tell overindulged children that the spending needs to stop—-NOW. Financial guru Suze “tell-it-like-it-is” Orman was back scolding Oprah’s chosen families about how their reckless spending helped drive our economy straight into the dumpster. Though, as I watched the program I wondered how much of Orman’s advice was falling on deaf ears. After all, while Orman was chastising parents for overindulging their kids, the National Retail Federation was releasing information they gathered … Continue reading →

Tooth Fairy Generous Despite the Economy

Practically everyone is looking toward frugal living in order to deal with the serious issues in our current economy. One entity, however, that is not tightening her belt is the tooth fairy. Should the Tooth Fairy be more frugal or is her generosity in fact related to the recession? According to Medical News Today, the average price of a tooth left under a pillow has actually increased from 2006 to 2007 by 22 percent. The survey, the Tooth Fairy PollSM was conducted by Securian Dental plans, shows that Tooth Fairy gifts varied widely, from five cents all the way up … Continue reading →

Ideas for a Frugal Fall at Home

I just love the fall! Crunching the leaves underfoot, the cooler temperatures that invite you to snuggle under a blanket or don a soft sweatshirt or sweater, the crisp sound of a bite into that first apple, hunting for pumpkins, fall decorating, the wonderful smells coming from the oven and more. It has to be one of my favorite times of the year. There are so many great things to do and take advantage of in the fall. Here are some that we are doing, have done or are planning. I hope you can take some ideas from here and … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Week in Review: June 30th Through July 6th

Are you enjoying your summer? If you are like me, you might already be thinking of September and school. I find that thinking ahead to necessary purchases really helps save money. You can check out some of the recent blogs for frugal school supplies that you can get now. Or, if you still want to enjoy summer, review the articles on saving money on gas (for travel plans), the price of strawberries and more. June 30th Frugal Living Review: June 23rd Through June 29th From birthday parties and summer activities to doing the laundry, there are plenty of ways to … Continue reading →

Anticipating Rising Costs in Your Budget

Budgeting is an act of guessing—careful, researched guessing, but guessing nonetheless. When you are budgeting for your home business, it is important to look at expenses and revenue as it is now, but we also have to anticipate the areas where costs will go up. In an unstable economy like the one we are experiencing now, anticipating cost increases can be a challenge. There are a couple different ways you can work to anticipate and prepare for where your costs will be a few months or a year from now… If you have a history of budgeting or have been … Continue reading →

Obama and McCain on the Economy

Polls show that the number one factor on Americans minds right now is the economy. Inflation is outpacing the national average for our pay raises. Unemployment is up, families are losing their homes, and more importantly, consumer confidence is down. The number one question we’re asking right now according to many polls, is what will the new president do to fix the economy. Yes, the economy is on our minds ever more so than bringing our troops home. Given that, I thought it appropriate to look at both McCain’s and Obama’s discussion of economics and how we’re going to ameliorate … Continue reading →

Starting a Home Business in the Current Economy

Our economy is not at its strongest. When the economy gets shaky, it tends to cause us to get shaky about other aspects of our lives too. The other day I was talking to a woman who was looking for work. She said that once she finally found a job—no matter what job—she was going to “hang onto it for dear life!” For many individuals who have been contemplating starting a home business, you may be feeling like now is definitely NOT the right time. But, is it really the wrong time to start a home business? If you are … Continue reading →

Ed McMahon Losing his Home?

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We all know how rough the economy has been lately, with gas prices skyrocketing and housing sales plummeting. Now it seems as if the crunch is even hitting celebrities. Ed McMahon has admitted that his Beverly Hills home is facing possible foreclosure. Ed, who is 85, appeared on “Larry King Live” and said that he and his wife Pam are $644,000 behind on their mortgage. What happened to the man that was a staple on the “Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson for 30 years? Not to mention he was the host of “Star Search” for 20 years, plus the spokesman … Continue reading →

Investment Strategies in a Volatile Economy

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Certainly, our economy is in a state of unrest. Given this, how should we invest for the future when the future is so uncertain? If you are still reasonably young and saving for future goals like a child’s education, retirement, or a dream home, then you should be able to traverse this volatile market and still come out ahead. With proper planning, long-term investments can often ride the ever-changing market tides. Diversification is the number one way to ensure long-term investments are protected. The more diversified your investment portfolio is, the less likely fluctuating stocks and bonds will dramatically affect … Continue reading →

How Did Our Economy Get into This Mess!

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If you have been following our economy’s downturn, you will most likely be able to label the number one cause – the housing market. When the real estate bubble burst, it caused a huge trickling affect on our whole nation’s economy. It wasn’t only the drop in house value that caused the spiral. The hugely growing housing bubble led to many families borrowing into their growing equity. As they borrowed against this huge asset (their home), they pumped money directly into the economy. Unfortunately, this money was “borrowed” and not real income. Still, it temporarily boosted our economy. When the … Continue reading →