Everyone has expenses that seem small at first, but can quickly add up at the end of the month. By cutting down on non-essentials, reviewing and eliminating unnecessary expenses, and following the 25 tips below, you will be saving $100 a month or more in no time.Everyone has expenses that seem small at first, but can quickly add up at the end of... more
Gay Paris! It’s the end of Summer but this is the dream time to visit Paris. Our blogger re-visits her magical time when she and her Englishman went to France and had to most spectaculour time. This piece is about the adventures in Paris, of course told in a humorous way, the beauty of summer, the sadness of its end and the beginning of a whole new year. Great storyteller, well-written and captivating.
Blogger has an amazingly eclectic site with everything from beauty, fashion, diary style entries, poetry, life in the magazine world----this girl has everything. Already winner of the prestigious “Blog Of The Day Award” (some people take years to earn this—she’s only had her blog up 8 weeks!) and on top level blog rolls of awesome bloggers, this girl is amazing. A+++++Gay Paris! It’s the end of Summer but this is the dream time to visit Paris. Our... more
With tough times ahead, people are looking to cut costs on just about everything. Below are 100 useful sites from those who preach health for a living, as well as those who have learned on their own to live well and save money.With tough times ahead, people are looking to cut costs on just about everything.... more
With these 15 websites full of printable coupons, online promotion codes and frugal shopping tips, you’ll save more money and be able to do more with the money you make.With these 15 websites full of printable coupons, online promotion codes and frugal... more
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Customers of New York City-based Citibank have lost access to much of their account information because of a computer outage.
Many of the troubled bank's clients haven't been able to retrieve account details online or by telephone since Tuesday afternoon. Others can access only parts of their account profiles.
Citibank telephone representatives say they don't know what caused the outage but technicians are working to fix it. They've been telling customers to call back after Wednesday morning.
A Citibank spokeswoman hasn't replied to a phone message or an e-mail sent after business hours.
Citibank is a division of Citigroup Inc., which is struggling to survive the global financial crisis with billions of dollars in aid from the government.This can't be good...
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Customers of New York City-based Citibank have lost... more
Think “a penny saved is a penny earned” is too old fashioned? Then check out these expenses that are actually making you poorer and how you can turn pennies into retirement money. These are the top 20 personal expenses you can cut to save $1,000 a year at least, along with tips on what to do with that money.Think “a penny saved is a penny earned” is too old fashioned? Then check out these... more
Whether comparing prices, finding discounts, shopping at specific bargain sites, saving on travel, donating to charity without spending your own money, watching investments, or even making a little extra money, these add-ons will help you get the job done.Whether comparing prices, finding discounts, shopping at specific bargain sites,... more
That's what the artist community at Etsy is asking. Recently an etsy artist living in India discovered a child being starved so the family can earn money. The female child had no name. This is her story through the eyes of the artists that found her.
We are a family of American artists living and working in Hyderabad, India. We have lately discovered the tragic tale of a child in grave peril. Though never given a name, we have decided to call her Adia, which means 'gift of God'.
When we met little Adia, she was lying in the dust at her mother's feet, shrivelled and badly starved. Her frail body was being used to entice passers-by to give coins to her plump and smiling mother.
The haunting image would not leave us, and over the next several days we returned to visit the family many times, bringing money, clothing and food for Adia and her four siblings.
We then discovered that as the youngest and weakest girl child in a very large family,her father had forbade her nourishment. She was kept alive by being fed sugar water and diluted milk in secret by the women of the family.
Despite being provided with what resources we could give, her condition has continued to worsen drastically. When her family removed her from the hospital in which we placed her, she was subjected to 'folk-healing' practices such as blood-letting, which have further injured her fragile state. Presently her doctor is unwilling to attepmt further treatment which her body may reject, but in five days she will be eligible to again be admitted to a hospital's care. At this time we will again strive to procure any proper medical treatement which is required.
In our constant attempts to rally support from local state and charity organisations we have consistently met with either indifference or incapacity. We feel that by bringing Adia's story to the international media it will command the attention of those who can help, and appeal to those who can open avenues for her continued recovery.
We also seek to raise awareness for the plight of other abused or neglected female children in India. Thousands of other infants and young girls are suffering as Adia is, unnoticed and unregarded.
We implore you to givIthis issue your urgent attention, to save not only the life of this one small soul, but to make new strides in improving the lot of imperiled female children worldwide.That's what the artist community at Etsy is asking. Recently an etsy artist living in... more
Whether in the best or worst of times, people need to know how to make, spend, and invest money. Stay on top of your money and ahead of trends by using the internet to read the 100 best blogs for financial intelligence.Whether in the best or worst of times, people need to know how to make, spend, and... more
IS this economy starting to cut into your nightcap? Well here are some ways to cut into that cost without cutting it out!IS this economy starting to cut into your nightcap? Well here are some ways to cut... more
A new Harris poll confirms what the Bureau of Economic Analysis, retailers (despite a recent nudge upward. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/business/economy/12econ.html), and presumably many readers' personal observations all echo: Americans are tightening their belts.
According to Harris, compared to six months ago we are minding our money and investments more carefully and, when possible, saving more and spending less. We are using our credit cards less frequently. We are less inclined to take out a loan. We are moving monies into safer investment portfolios.
All of which is helping push up the national savings rate, depicted here, courtesy of BEA:A new Harris poll confirms what the Bureau of Economic Analysis, retailers (despite a... more
By learning new tips and stocking up on items with price reductions, you can trim your budget and your waistline at the same time while keeping your family well fed and happy. Here are 100 tips to save money, time and your sanity while grocery shopping.By learning new tips and stocking up on items with price reductions, you can trim your... more
To prevent falls, exercise is called for. What is needed is regular strength and balance training.To prevent falls, exercise is called for. What is needed is regular strength and... more
Israel's economy, unscathed by costly wars in Lebanon and Gaza, faces a new challenge, this time from an ally -- the United States. Differences with U.S. President Barack Obama over Jewish settlement of occupied West Bank land that Palestinians want for a state has some experts predicting a price in terms of U.S. fiscal support and investment for Israel.Israel's economy, unscathed by costly wars in Lebanon and Gaza, faces a new challenge,... more
One tiny upside to all this economic mess: as finance firms look to bolster their balance sheets by building deposits, the competition is on for your small-potato savings. Even as Treasury yields touch zero, you can still find CDs and money-market accounts paying north of 3.5%.
After the Federal Reserve slashed a key interest rate in mid-December from 1% to almost zero, 12-month CDs were still yielding 1.92% on average, the same as in April, according to Bankrate.com
-- I am saving a lot more than what I used to before. If I don't have to spend it, I put it in my savings account.One tiny upside to all this economic mess: as finance firms look to bolster their... more
Forget about the outdated notion of thrift shops as the refuge of the working poor, the down and out or the vintage fashion hipster. In these troubled times, the powerful lure of a secondhand retail bargain is attracting a whole new breed of customer.
Thrift stores report seeing more middle-class and upper-class customers, who they haven't seen before.
The Salvation Army and Goodwill Industries International, the nation's two largest charitable resale organizations, report year-to-date sales increases of 6 percent to 15 percent.
The gains are even more pronounced in the private sector. In an industry trade group survey of more than 200 resale and thrift shops, nearly two-thirds of those businesses reported higher sales in 2008 compared to the previous year. The average sales increase: 35 percent.
Consumers "can't change the price of gas. They can't change the price of food. They can't make the stock market go up again," said Adele Meyer, executive director of the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops. "But they can control the price of clothes and furniture by being a savvy shopper."
The Salvation Army store in Dublin, Georgia, located halfway between Atlanta and Savannah, has seen its sales increase by 50 percent this year, said store operator Gary Spivey. The comparative affluence of his new customers is obvious.
"We're seeing a lot more middle-class and upper-class customers we haven't seen before," he said. "Without even asking, you can just look in the parking lot (at their cars)."
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Savers Inc., a for-profit thrift store chain based in Bellevue, Washington, has had a 10 percent growth rate, said chief executive officer Ken Alterman. The company now has 220 Savers and Value Village stores in the United States, Canada and Australia, and expects to open 25 new stores in each of the next several years.
According to Alterman, 75 percent of the company's customers are college educated, with an average income between $50,000 and $65,000. Thirty percent of its customers have household incomes exceeding $100,000, he said.
Some of the chain's most successful stores are in Redmond, Washington, home to Microsoft; the high-end waterfront in Victoria, British Columbia; and the Hawaiian island of Oahu.
"We're in these beautiful neighborhoods, and the stores just thrive," Alterman said. "We hold up well in this economy."
Widespread economic turmoil and personal financial struggles aren't the only factors driving the increased interest in resale retail, experts say. A growing "green" ethos among American consumers has also propelled the industry.
"People are really savvy now," said Angie Heidenreich, owner of LuLu's Consignment Boutique in Fletcher, North Carolina. "With consignment you make money, you save money and you recycle. It's a no-brainer."
Heidenreich opened her consignment store -- which essentially serves as a middleman for customers who want to buy and sell clothes -- in November, 2006. Sales increases of nearly 100 percent forced her to more than triple the store's size to keep up with demand.
"We're getting more people in who probably wouldn't have stepped in the door," she said. "It's more acceptable now than it was in the past. The image of thrift stores were kind of grungy, dingy places. Now some of them are like boutiques."
---------------------more savings at link
Yes, I do! I love thrift stores and once in awhile find a treasure. Besides these treasures, thrift stores frequently get discontinued merchandise such as clothes, computers, dinnerware, etc...and you pay a fraction of the cost for the new items as well as for the used!
Whatta deal! I've even seen used cars at some!!Forget about the outdated notion of thrift shops as the refuge of the working poor,... more
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. -- Parents of teenagers in Peachtree City have a unique solution to reducing the amount of money they spend on gas. Their kids are driving to school in golf carts instead of vehicles.
"It's cool because you don't have to ride the bus or anything," explained Kyle Collins, 16, a junior at McIntosh High School. "You don't have to be with all the little kids. You can drive by yourself."
In Peachtree City, 30 miles south of Atlanta, just about everyone uses a golf cart and takes advantage of the 90 miles of golf cart paths. "You feel like you have a car without actually having one," shared Kyle.
McIntosh High is one of the few schools in the country with separate parking lots for both vehicles and golf carts. "The golf carts have been here about seven years," said Tracie Fleming, principal of McIntosh High. "Typically about 350 kids come to school on a golf cart. And, that's the driver. They might bring sibling."
Teens can legally drive the carts after they obtain their learners' permits at 15. While Kyle recently turned 16 and now has his driver's license, he prefers the golf cart because, "I'm in charge of paying for my own gas," he explained.
Most of the golf carts used in Peachtree City are electric and simply plug into a battery charger. Kyle's Parents estimate he saves about $120 dollars a month by not driving a car.
"My husband and I both work," explained Lisa Collins, Kyle's mother. "It was great for Kyle to get to school. It's economical. He was able to get a job. He can go when he needs to go.
Kyle's mom, who teaches at McIntosh High, thinks the carts are also safer. "With a golf cart, it's not a 5,000-pound vehicle and I don't have to really worry about the other cars on the road," she said.
There's no speeding either. A golf cart tops at 20 mph. Best of all for Kyle, it's given him a sense of independence. "I guess it makes you more of an adult," he explained.
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There is a video on the page, I don't know how to post it on here.PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. -- Parents of teenagers in Peachtree City have a unique solution... more
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. -- Parents of teenagers in Peachtree City have a unique solution to reducing the amount of money they spend on gas. Their kids are driving to school in golf carts instead of vehicles.
"It's cool because you don't have to ride the bus or anything," explained Kyle Collins, 16, a junior at McIntosh High School. "You don't have to be with all the little kids. You can drive by yourself."
In Peachtree City, 30 miles south of Atlanta, just about everyone uses a golf cart and takes advantage of the 90 miles of golf cart paths.
"You feel like you have a car without actually having one," shared Kyle.
McIntosh High is one of the few schools in the country with separate parking lots for both vehicles and golf carts.
"The golf carts have been here about seven years," said Tracie Fleming, principal of McIntosh High. "Typically about 350 kids come to school on a golf cart. And, that's the driver. They might bring sibling."
Teens can legally drive the carts after they obtain their learners' permits at 15. While Kyle recently turned 16 and now has his driver's license, he prefers the golf cart because, "I'm in charge of paying for my own gas," he explained.
Most of the golf carts used in Peachtree City are electric and simply plug into a battery charger. Kyle's Parents estimate he saves about $120 dollars a month by not driving a car.
"My husband and I both work," explained Lisa Collins, Kyle's mother. "It was great for Kyle to get to school. It's economical. He was able to get a job. He can go when he needs to go.
Kyle's mom, who teaches at McIntosh High, thinks the carts are also safer.
"With a golf cart, it's not a 5,000-pound vehicle and I don't have to really worry about the other cars on the road," she said.
There's no speeding either. A golf cart tops at 20 mph. Best of all for Kyle, it's given him a sense of independence.
"I guess it makes you more of an adult," he explained. http://gannett.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/gannett-wxia-3321-pub01-live/current/a... more
By learning new tips and stocking up on items with price reductions, you can trim your budget and your waistline at the same time while keeping your family well fed and happy. Here are 100 tips to save money, time and your sanity while grocery shopping.By learning new tips and stocking up on items with price reductions, you can trim your... more
