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Real Estate- Is it still a good investment?

August 4th 2008 20:26
Over the past 2 years real estate prices have dramatically declined all over the United States. The foreclosure rate is higher now as compared to the past few decades. Some banks are even going under due to what’s happening in the market. We are officially in a recession, and there is even talk that the economy is headed for a total collapse. While none of us can predict the future we can look at what has happened in the past to help us make our decisions now.

Some people are wondering if real estate is still a good investment. Yes, real estate is still a good investment because while prices may go down, they typically go back up again over time. Real estate is still one of the best investments because it tends to hold its value longer than other investments. If you currently own a home and you’ve wanted to sell, its best to hold on your house for the time being. You want to maximize your profit and sell when the market changes and yes it will change. Back in the 1980’s prices plummeted due to high interest rates and a poor economy, similar what’s happening now. In time things picked back up again and homes retained more value.


So if you do own a home it’s best to hold on to your house and simply watch the market. If you have money to invest now is a good time to buy more real estate. If you buy low now later on you may be able to cash in on your investment in the future. Currently there is a wide variety of choices right at your finger tips. Rather than worrying about the poor economy why not take advantage of the situation.
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How To Make Ends Meet on one income

July 10th 2008 17:53
It can be very difficult to make ends meet on only one income, especially when you have a family. After all we live in a two income society. Everything is basically priced for two incomes. As inflation continues to rise and gas prices go through the roof families who are stuck on one income find it very difficult to provide for thier family. It isn’t always practical for one spouse to go to work especially when there are little children at home. The cost of daycare may be more than what the spouse would make at a job. One spouse may have to stay home because there is no point in getting a job just to pay for daycare when you can simply stay home with your children. It is far more beneficial for children to have a parent at home taking care of them. There are things that can be done in order to make it easier to make it in our high priced world.


1). Live within your means- This is easier said than done but it is always best never to get in over your head. Take a good look at the amount of income coming into the household. When looking for a home or a place to rent don’t let the rent or mortgage exceed 25-30% of the total take home pay. For instance if the person working makes $20.00 per hour and takes home $670 each week after taxes, be sure that your housing expenses don’t exceed $800.00 per month. Realistically this is all you can afford if you live on this income.

2). Do not get any credit cards, and stay out of debt- If you live on one income it is best to avoid getting into debt. It is okay to have a credit card for emergencies, but only use it for this purpose, and get it paid off as soon as possible so you have credit available to you if anything were to happen again. It is also wise to set up an emergency savings account with a goal of having 6 months or more worth of income. Not everyone will be able to save this amount. If you can only put $20 per week away to start- then go from there. It will add up over time and you will at least have something to fall back on. As long as you don’t touch the money you will have over $1000 per year in savings by the end of the year.

3). Stick to a budget- Write down all of your bills and either use quicken to track your expenses or write them down in a notebook. Plan out each week according to the due dates and be sure you have money for all your needs. It can be a burden to have a car payment when you only have income so avoid getting debt of any kind. Leave room in the weekly budget for un expected things that may come up. Here is an example of a budget for someone who makes $670 per week.

Total monthly income $2680.00

Rent $800

Food $650- $162 per week (this may be possible if you use coupons and take other measures to save).

Emergency savings-$80 - $20 per week or more

Gas $300 - $75 per week

Electric (high $250- low $80) this will vary depending on the time of year.

Other utilities like garbage, water and sewer $80

Emergency cell phone $25

Clothing, vitamins or other family needs that come up $100

Life Insurance $35 (This is vital when a family is only living on one income)

Car Insurance $150 or less

Phone internet cable combined (basic package) $120

When your bills at their highest point you have $40 left each month for other needs or savings. When your bills at the lowest point in the year you have $335 left each month after everything is all said and done.

Take the income you make and experiment with it. If you can stay out of debt, live a more simple life, and take measures to cut costs and save you can make it one income. Living on a single income takes creativity and sacrfices, but it can be done. There is room in the budget for family outings, and going out to eat, but it all has to be planned so that you can meet your basic living expenses and provide for your family.


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New Chains are taking on the “Big Daddys”

June 30th 2008 19:15


Today I read about a new up and coming store which may end up blowing the Wal-Mart giant out of the water. The author of the article actually said “Wal-Mart better watch its back”, which I thought was quite funny. The store which is starting to become the next big discount king is called Fred’s. You may not have one in your area, but if they continue to grow at this rate you will soon see them on every corner just like Wal-Mart. Fred’s offers food, clothing, sporting goods, and much more for very low prices. It is being called “An emerging retailer with a national vision”.



More new up and coming stores are starting to get more business for a few reasons. Customers are looking for more healthy and different options. The consumers are driving the markets, and McDonalds may be a thing of the past if they don’t change. Newer chains like Chipotle are starting to get a large portion of the business. Chipotle Mexican Grill sells healthier options that consumers are craving. With cancer on the rise people are choosing to be healthier even when they eat out. Chipotle is a very popular fast food burrito shop here in Arizona, as well as various places across America. They specialize in fresh custom made BIG burritos that are made without mystery meat. . My husband first turned me onto to Chipotle, and now the burrito king of the valley is our new family favorite. They load these fat burritos with poultry that is raised without the use of hormones and antibiotics. The golden arches are changing their menu to offer more healthy options for consumers, yet they are not changing fast enough. They still only offer a few healthy choices. Mc Donald’s still has mostly junk on the menu according to most consumers, including myself. I stopped eating at Mc Donald’s about 5 years ago. Morgan Spurlock created a documentary, Super Size Me which will make you think twice before you ever buy a big Mac again.



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Your Credit Score can Impact Growing Your Business

June 30th 2008 02:23
Regardless of the type of business you operate, your credit score can dramatically affect your business. As your business grows you may need to rely on your credit score in order to obtain much needed financing. A high credit score can be a huge asset to any business owner. You never know when you might need money to expand, or even help you stay above water during a recession. It’s much better to have all the cards in your favor. Your credit score is a vital number that enables lenders to choose whether or not to loan you money. When your credit score is less than satisfactory this can hurt your business and hold you back. By taking the initiative to build good credit you create a good name for yourself, and prove to lenders that you are credit worthy.

If your credit score is low you have less negotiating power when it comes to getting what you need for your growing business. A low credit score will inhibit you from enjoying the best rates, and in many cases a low score could mean that you won’t be able to obtain financing of any kind. This can be devastating when your business is expanding and then suddenly everything is put on hold. You work hard to make your business a success so be sure to also work hard to maintain your credit rating


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Bargain stores are getting the bulk of the business

June 25th 2008 21:21

Despite the economic down turn many bargain stores are thriving right now. This is because everyone is looking to save in any way possible. With less money to work with saving is the natural thing to do. People are being a lot more selective about their spending and buying more items that they need rather than items they want. The “extras” such as luxury items are not the main priority right now. As some of the big chain stores go out of business the smaller bargain stores are moving up. Many of the dollar stores are doing quite well, while sales are up again at Wal-Mart and Costco. In fact some retailers continue to do very well in a recession because they pick up lost business from the higher end stores. However many food chains are attempting to cut costs due to the loss of business. Smaller portions are now being offered at many restaurants for the same price. Restaurants are also charging for condiments and some sub shops are pushing their $5.00 foot longs to get more people in the door.

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Foreclosures- what does the future hold?

June 24th 2008 22:13
(pic) The Associated Press

Prior to becoming a full time homemaker/writer, I worked as a mortgage broker. I loved caring for the customers and helping them to make their dreams of home ownership come true, so the fact that there are so many foreclosures causes me to feel a loss. We are un certain as to what will happen next in the U.S. economy as the value of the American dollar drops. Gas prices are on the rise and food continues to go up yet people are not making more money, and inflation is feeling like a black hole to many of us. My own neighborhood is starting to get very empty and bare. Each morning as I walk down the block with my babies in the stroller, I see rows of empty homes. It almost has a creepy feeling of a ghost town because it’s getting so quiet compared to how it used to be. We see big signs all throughout the neighborhood that say “Public Auction” in the window. Weeds are starting to consume so many yards that they are to the point of swallowing up the house. Just thinking about all the people who have lost their homes weighs heavily on my heart. I have even seen some of my own family members suffer trough this. It’s getting harder to survive on what we have and we are forced to evaluate our living situations. People are starting to be less wasteful and make better choices because of their past mistakes.

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Save Money Shopping On line

June 19th 2008 22:08
Shopping on line is starting to become more popular with the expansion of the internet. Personally I love the convenience of shopping in my pajamas, and having my things conveniently delivered directly to my door. For me shopping on line is essential especially because I have two children in diapers and I can’t always get to the store. It saves time and in many cases shopping on line can save money. We live in such a fast paced world and more people and businesses are starting to rely on the net to get what they need. Yes not all on line shopping experiences are good, but the same holds true when we shop in the store. Some of us must see feel and touch our items before we buy, yet for the busy mom or swamped executive shopping on line is essential to save time. There are also many ways that you can save money when you shop from your home computer.


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Save on your Electric Bill This Summer

June 17th 2008 21:17
Summer is here and some of us are squirming in our seats just thinking about how high our electric bills are going to be during this super hot season. This is something that most of us dread here in Arizona because summer can be brutal to say the least. The same holds true for California and a few other hot states. In Arizona the temperature is consistently over 110 degrees and in June, July and August. We have a few super hot days throughout the summer where it can get up to 120 degrees. This is the price we pay for having such a warm blissful fall, winter and spring. We don’t have to worry about snow, we don’t ever worry about hail storms, but we always worry when the heat gets to be too much. Here are some tips that I got directly from APS electric.

1). Clean your air conditioning filters at least every 30 days. This may seem like a no brainier, but so many people forget to do this and it can make a difference on your bill


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Negotiate for the price you want

June 16th 2008 02:48
A while back I watched a special on ABC 20/20 about negotiating for a better price also known as haggling. More people are less willing to pay retail during a recession. However to some this may seem difficult because it causes them to step out of their comfort zone. Basically the more you haggle the easier it becomes, and you will be less willing to ever pay full retail price again. These tips should help to make it much easier for you to negotiate your way to a better price.

1). Always speak to the top manager or shift leader. They are the usually the only people who have the authority to change the prices. You can flat out ask them for a better price if you noticed that the item was selling for less at another store. You don’t even need to have a reason to ask for a better price, you can also tell the manager why you really would like to buy the item, but you really want a better deal. Even if the manager says no and some of them do, you can say that you want to speak with the manager in the main office, and move up the ladder depending on how badly you want the item


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Coupons- They are worth your time!

June 12th 2008 20:33
Some people call me the coupon queen and they have every reason to. I love coupons! I love saving money! This year alone I’ve already saved over $600 off my grocery bill just by using coupons. I’ve also saved an additional $910 by purchasing food items that are on sale. I keep track of this because I save my receipts. Its actually fun to watch the savings add up, almost like an addiction. People have told me that I’m wasting my time, but the savings can’t be ignored. Why spend money that you don’t have to? Coupons are worth your time and in reality it only takes just a few minutes out of your day to collect coupons. Even if you only gathered $20 worth of coupons per week, it’s still worth it. That may not sound like a lot of money, but it adds up over time. If you use those coupons each week on food it adds up to a total yearly savings of $1040.00. The savings can be even greater than that if you want.

Easy Ways to get coupons- Right under your nose
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