Image of Sarah Palin from Flickr.

Though Sarah Palin’s book, “Going Rogue: An American Life,” officially comes out tomorrow, copies of the book already are making the rounds. Many people have pre-ordered the book from Amazon, and ABC News reports John McCain has already received a signed copy.

An interview with Sarah Palin will air on “Oprah” today. Next week’s Newsweek cover, which will come out Nov. 23, features Sarah Palin. The “Oprah” show and the Newsweek cover might sound like the ultimate publicity machine — and they might be. I have no doubt that lots of copies of “Going Rogue” will sell. Though Palin and her fans hope “Going Rogue” will serve as a form of credit repair,

If  no news is good news…

However, I think many people won’t be buying “Going Rogue” for the reasons Palin would want them to. New York Daily News reports that “Going Rogue” already is more popular than Sarah Palin herself. And the Sarah Palin Newsweek cover certainly doesn’t paint her in a favorable light.

Whoever said “there’s no such thing as bad publicity” probably never saw his or her own picture on the cover of Newsweek with the words “How do you solve a problem like Sarah?” next to it and a subhead that says “She’s bad news for the GOP — and for everybody else, too.” Check out a photo of Sarah Palin on the Newsweek cover from NewsBusters.

Sarah Palin plus Newsweek plus Oprah

One thing is for sure, most Americans will know by the end of the day today that Sarah Palin’s “Going Rogue” officially comes out tomorrow. For those who don’t watch “Oprah” or have televisions, they’ll find out when Sarah Palin is on the Newsweek cover, if not before.

“Going Rogue” will likely sell a lot of copies and thus help Sarah Palin financially, but it’s debatable whether it will help her political career. In fact, it might hurt her. Already, before the book has even been released to the public, aides who worked for the McCain-Palin campaign are disputing parts of the book, saying they’re not true. ABC reports that many aides were not exactly Sarah Palin fans. Already people who worked for her have set out to prove wrong some of the stories she shares in “Going Rogue.”

Sarah Palin popularity

I was pretty surprised to read in the Daily News that 43 percent of Americans who participated in a poll view Palin favorably. That seems pretty nigh to me, but I guess that’s just a reflection of my own circle of acquaintances.

Until people have a chance to read it themselves, it’s impossible to say whether “Going Rouge” will improve Sarah Palin’s popularity. I am sure the Newsweek cover of Sarah Palin will turn some heads and maybe turn a few more people against her. Of course, it could also catalyze her fan base to defend her and push even harder for her to get a job in the White House. Maybe 2012 will be the Year of the Maverick! (Palin, if you steal that for your campaign slogan, I want royalties.)

Actor Nicholas Cage (Photo via Wikimedia.org)

You never would have thought someone like Nicolas Cage, an Academy Award winner and Golden Globe nominee, would ever fall in need of intallment loans for bad credit. People like him have all the money in the world to feed an entire realm of starving children. They don’t necessarily have to budget or make financial sacrifice for the type of necessities the average people would have to budget for like food, rent, and a chance to dine at the Le Bernardin restaurant in New York City. The truth is, however, without proper money management in place, anyone can fall into debt, celebrities or not.

Nicolas Cage – Broke!

According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage is going broke. Cage, who made millions of dollars in his acting career, supposedly owes the IRS nearly $6.26 million on property taxes for failing to pay income taxes in 2007. That’s quite a staggering figure for the man who made the Forbes’ list of the top 10 overpaid movie stars just one year ago. To make matters worse, the IRS issued a second claim for unpaid taxes between 2002 and 2004. The amount he owes on this particular IRS lien is a whopping $360,545.84. Both of his houses in New Orleans are now up for sale. He recently sold his 500-year-old Bavarian castle in Germany for only $2.3 million. Cage reported paid $3.6 million for the castle.

The Root of All Evil

It’s no fun to watch people struggle though financial problems and in desperate need of credit repair unless, of course, you’re anything like Bernie Madoff. The news of Nicolas Cage going broke proves that no matter who you are, what you do or how many millions you have saved in the bank, you can easily become vulnerable to the pain and struggle that hails from the root of all evil: Money.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/compujeramey/ / CC BY 2.0

No matter how far you go or how much quick cash you have access to, the importance of the responsible use of money remains the same. The more money you make doesn’t necessarily mean you’re the next Bill Gates. As a matter of fact, the more money you have, the greater your responsibilities become. Let’s consider the story of Antoine Walker for a moment.

Antoine Walker in Need of Credit Repair

Former Celtic star Antoine Walker had it all; fancy cars, dazzling jewels, beautiful houses and, of course, the pricey life of gambling. He lived amongst the all-stars and Hall-of-Famers of the world. With all the money in the world at hand, you would never have thought someone like him would be in desperate need of a credit repair. The truth is, however, Antoine Walker is broke.

According to the Boston Globe, Walker was taken into custody in July for writing almost a dozen bad checks for casino markers in Las Vegas. The total amount added up to a whopping $1 million. Walker was able to pay off only a small percentage of that debt before charges were filed, leaving the total amount owed, including court costs, at $905,050.

Antoine Walker also owes an enormous amount of quick cash to several financial institutes. Boston Globe reports that Walker owes J.P. Morgan Chase Bank $1.5 million, American Express $53,000, and $1.5 million to Wachovia. He also owes his former agent almost half a million dollars in unpaid fees.

According to the report, Antoine Walker, 33, is facing three felony counts for drawing and passing checks without sufficient funds with intent to defraud. He could face up to 4 years in prison for each of the charges.

Another Lesson Learned

The story of Antoine Walker provides a very good lesson and reminder for all of us. Money is both a blessing and a curse. It all depends on how well you manage your finances. If you need quick cash, you’re in the right place for it. Just remember to add it to your budget and manage your money wisely.

Learning to cook can help improve your credit score (photo: flickr.com)

Credit repair services are on the rise as people figure out ways to save money and build wealth so they can pay down debt.   Paying down debt is a key element of credit repair, and obviously, it takes money to pay down debt.

But do you realize that if you just stopped wasting money when you buy groceries, clean your house, or pay for auto insurance, you would have the money you need to pay off debts and get your credit report cleaned up?  Here are a few ways to free up cash so you can start paying off those past due debts.

Eat more healthfully

Most of the typical food budget is dedicated to convenience foods that you could make yourself for pennies on the dollar. Instead of buying prepared mixes and processed foods, invest in a good recipe book and learn to cook.  Not only will you eat better and have fun in the kitchen, you’ll save money that you can apply to your credit repair.

Do you always need to buy brand-name foods? If you buy less-expensive generic foods, you’ll get the same quality while saving on your food expenses every month.  If you exercise just a little restraint at the grocery store, you’ll actually eat better and save enough to pay off your credit cards years earlier than you would otherwise. Credit repair is only a matter of living and spending sensibly.  You’ll save money to pay off debts, and you may even find that you enjoy life more!

Use safer household cleansers

Commercial cleansers are big money wasters.  Many of them are just chemical versions of natural cleaners you can make on your own with everyday ingredients. By using essential oils, lemon juice, borax, and vinegar, you can create your own healthful cleansers and save money every month.

Be frugal about energy usage

Energy bills are big-ticket items in any budget, and utility rates are expected to get even worse in the near future. In the winter, make sure you cover all drafts in your house by using plastic on your windows and blocking cracks around your doors. Depending on how well insulated your house is, you may be able to save extra money by using an energy-efficient space heater and turning down the thermostat.

Reconsider comprehensive auto insurance

Comprehensive insurance – coverage for a full range of potential hazards rather than just accidents and theft — can be a waste of money when you’re trying to pay down your debts and improve your credit score. Of course, if you’re making payments on your car, your lender may require you to carry comprehensive insurance.  But if you own your car outright, think about carrying the minimum insurance required by law and save yourself the much higher premiums paid for comprehensive coverage.

Buy a used car

When you buy a new, you lose a huge portion of its value the minute you drive it off the lot. In today’s market, used cars are far from clunkers.  When you buy a newer used car from a dealer, it looks and feels like new, comes with warranties, and has all the new-car bugs worked out.  If you’re in the market for a car, buy a used one and apply the money you save to payment of your debts.  The savings you’ll get by buying used instead of new are so great that if you apply them to your debts, you’ll be well on your way to an improved credit score.

Get ahead of the game right now

Credit repair is not just for people with extra money lying around. If you cut down on expenses right now, where ever you can, you’ll find the extra $100 to $300 per month you need to pay down your debts, even in this economy.  Think how great it will feel to be out of debt and ahead of the game when economic climate finally improves!

Many people are looking for mortgages to aid them with credit repair. The recession has left finances disheveled, and people are trying to find ways to regroup. Although recent crackdowns on mortgage lending have been put into place by the government, there are still some unscrupulous lenders trying to find their way back into the mortgage market.

Dani Babb, founder of The Babb Group, which offers real estate consulting, said, “Since early this year … a new wave of people are finding ways to scam home buyers.” Here are some of the newest programs they are advertising that are less than advantageous to the potential homeowner.

Hard money lending loans

Hard money loans may seem like a good idea, but they are not designed to be used for large purchases like homes. These types of loans disregard a borrower’s credit score and employment status. These can even be offered to consumers who have already been turned down for government-backed mortgages.

Because the loan is considered more risky due to credit, lenders may require up to a 30 percent down payment. Some may circumvent the down payment if the applicant puts up some form of collateral, such as a car. Hard money loans come in several forms, but in general it is best to stick to smaller, short-term hard money loans.

Advances to First-time homebuyers tax credit

The first-time homebuyer’s tax credit offers up to $8,000 to qualifying buyers. Last month, HUD agreed to allow FHA-approved mortgage lenders to offer eligible borrowers an “advance based on the tax credit.” Borrowers are still required to make a 3.5 percent down payment, but they can include the tax credit value to it or use the money for closing costs. Repayment can be tricky, however.

Borrowers will have to pay the loan each month and pay an additional sum when they receive the tax credit or spread their payments out over a number of years. These payments will have interest attached. The reality is that if borrowers need to rely on the tax credit to make the down payment, they most likely will have problems affording their loan payments. It may be wise to work on credit repair to open doors to better loan options before using the tax credit for this purpose.

Zero-percent down financing

Some states are creating programs that give potential homeowners the 3.5 percent down payment they need to procure an FHA-backed loan as a second loan. Piggyback loans — where the home buyer has two loans — are also becoming more popular. In a lot of cases, lenders who cannot provide the entire loan amount suggest second mortgages from another loan company. These secondary companies can carry high interest rates, some close to 25 percent.

In other cases, buyers try to step in and “lend” the money to eager homeowners, persuading them to pay back the loan over time. Piggyback and zero-down loans create two mortgage payments every month. This can be a difficult situation for homeowners to manage and studies are showing it makes “walking away” from the home more probable if financial disaster occurs.

Homeowners

In the end, potential homeowners have to be smart and do their own research. The reality is that the best idea is to have a down payment, get a traditional loan and pay it off like millions of other people do. If that isn’t possible, consumers should consider putting off their home purchase, working on their credit repair and saving money. There are dishonest lenders waiting for opportunities to strike.

Are you financially illiterate? (Photo from creativecommons.org)

If you’re like a lot of people today, you may be looking for credit repair services now that the economy seems to be bottoming-out. Statistics show that in 2006 approximately 1.5 million consumers sought assistance in the management of their finances from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). By 2008, the number of customers seeking aid from the nonprofit organization more than doubled to 3.2 million.

Spokeswoman for the NFCC Gail Cunningham said, “One of the most astounding statistics is that people who came to us had six credit cards with unsecured debt totaling 62% of their total household income…To put this into perspective, realize that this debt does not include their house or vehicle payment, but strictly represents credit card debt.”

A startling 244% increase

The NFCC has nearly 3,000 credit counselors who help consumers with household budgets, provide debt counseling, housing counseling, (from purchase planning to foreclosure prevention), and bankruptcy counseling, (both pre-filing counseling and pre-discharge instruction). Cunningham verified that the agency’s largest area of growth was the housing-counseling division, which increased by 244% from 2006 to 2008.

Financial literacy survey

An NFCC survey, entitled the Financial Literacy Survey, provided some startling results. First, nearly one-third of Americans have no savings other than their retirement accounts. Second, during the last recessionary year, another third put no money at all towards their retirement.

Willing to give themselves failing grades

About 28% of those surveyed were unaware of the terms or interest rates of their mortgage loans, car loans, or personal loans.  If that isn’t frightening enough, another 41% were willing to admit to their financial illteracy in general, and gave themselves grades of C, D, or F concerning their knowledge of personal finance.  Cunningham stated, “To me, this strongly suggests that there is considerable room for improvement.”

Bringing financial ignorance into the light

The survey was telling of our society as a whole. One thing the recession brought about was an awareness that we are uninformed and uneducated when it comes to finances. This lack of information leaves people in difficult situations when, for example, credit card companies raise their interest rates. Our financial ignorance was brought into a glaring light as the recession wreaked havoc on the average household.

Education and awareness may bring change

“Having survived the recession,” added Cunningham, “people are now looking for credit repair options. That’s our job—to educate them on what to do and not do in the future. Our goal is to empower our clients, not just to get them out of their current financial situations.”

Education is the key to managing finances and avoiding bigger problems in the future. As a society we need to make a concerted effort to understand our financial positions. We need to know what it costs to live the way we do, and how to live within our means.  We also need to keep stay aware of changes in the finance industry.

Is the end in sight?

People are hoping the end to the recession is at hand. The economy is showing small signs of recovery, and consumers are starting to regroup and assess their finances. With organizations like the NFCC offering credit repair services, people should take advantage of the learning opportunity. Cunningham summed up our need for increased financial awareness when she said:

One of the things we want to convey to our customers is that you don’t know what the future holds. There could be another recession coming or there could still be a heavy burden to carry until the economy returns to normal. Everyone needs to be able to look at their 401(k)s and understand the terms. They need to know how to read their credit card agreements. They need to understand the value of a low-interest rate on loans….this is where the NFCC comes in. Hopefully if we are doing our job right we’ll create a new customer base of financially responsible and educated citizens.

Vince Vaugh heads the cast in "Couples Retreat." Image from Wikimedia.

There is only one film being widely released this weekend, “Couples Retreat.” Unfortunately for movie lovers, critics would advise that you stay home or do something — anything — else with your money rather than seeing “Couples Retreat.”

Only 10 percent of critics at Rotten Tomatoes gave “Couples Retreat” a good review. Most of the ones who gave it “good” reviews really just thought it was mediocre. If “Couples Retreat” makes a killing at the box office, it won’t be the first time that a movie totally lambasted by critics pulled in the big bucks. In fact, that happens all the time. “The Final Destination” got horrible reviews but led at the box office for multiple weeks.

Big names, big budget

Actors’ salaries alone must have been pretty expensive for “Couples Retreat,” which stars Kristen Bell, Kristin Davis, Kali Hawk, Malin Akerman, John Favreau, Faizon Love, Jason Bateman and Vince Vaughn. Yes, that sounds like a lot of stars who might end up needing credit repair if this movie tanks, but the film is about four couples. They all take a trip together for couples therapy.

IMDB doesn’t reveal how much the filmmakers spent on “Couples Retreat,” and it always makes me suspicious when that happens. Perhaps the producers are embarrassed by how much they spent making a movie that Variety says “impresses too little imagination or personality, failing to blend seriocomic tones that occasionally tumble into the heavy-handed, maudlin or cloying.”

‘Couples Retreat’ reviews

General consensus among critics is that “Couples Retreat” was too long and humor seemed forced. Bill Goodykoontz from the Arizona Republic wrote “Couples Retreat plays like the NBA All-Star game: What seems like a dream-team exhibition of pros at the top of their game too often turns into an undisciplined mess.”

Victoria Alexander from FilmsinReview.com says “Mean, miserable married men. Not funny. A toddler easily steals the movie.” Ben McEachen from Empire Magazine actually says  in his “Couples Retreat” review that the film is “a holiday to hell.” Ouch.

Rosemary Port

Rosemary Port, the blogger behind “Skanks in NYC,” is suing the biggest company in the world. OK, so I don’t really know if Google is the biggest company in the world, but I am assuming it is.

In any case, Google revealed Rosemary Port’s identity last week after a judge ordered them to. Now Rosemary Port is suing Google for $15 million. Of course, Google isn’t going to need credit repair or anything if Rosemary Port wins her suit — that amount of money is pocket change to them.

Technically Incorrect reports:

Last week, a judge ordered Google to reveal the name of a blogger who may have defamed Vogue model Liskula Cohen. Now Rosemary Port, whose “Skanks in NYC” blog suggested Cohen was a “skank” … among other potentially negative descriptions, is now turning a little of her “frank in NYC” wrath on Google.

You may be moved a little by Port’s logic. Firstly, she told the New York Daily News that it was Cohen who caused all the fuss: “Before her suit, there were probably two hits on my Web site: One from me looking at it, and one from her looking at it (…) That was before it became a spectacle. I feel my right to privacy has been violated.”

Who is Rosemary Port?

Rosemary Port is a 29-year old student at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She used to have a blog hosted on Google’s Blogger, which is where she posted mean stuff about Cohen. When Cohen saw it she flipped and demanded that Google reveal the identity of the person behind the comments. Now Rosemary Port is counter-suing. Technically incorrect reports:

“When I was being defended by attorneys for Google, I thought my right to privacy was being protected,” Rosemary Port told the News.
However, once the judge made her order, things changed. “I would think that a multibillion dollar conglomerate would protect the rights of all its users,” said Port. Her attorney, Salvatore Strazzullo, told the Daily News that Google “breached its fiduciary duty to protect her expectation of anonymity.”

The cause of the fight

Technically Incorrect says the reason these two women had a falling out was because Cohen said some not-so-nice things about Rosemary Port to her ex-boyfriend. So, naturally, Rosemary Port took to the Internet, the modern-day playground which allows for passive aggressive revenge and anonymity – or so we thought.

People are learning new lessons every day about exactly how not anonymous they are on the Internet. There are so many different ways of discovering someone’s identity on the Internet that it is best to always assume that you might as well post your full name and a photo of yourself with everything you put on this gigantic, public forum. If someone really wants to find out who you are because of something you posted on the Internet, they will likely be able to find out somehow.

Of course, the question here is whether the judge had the right to order that Google reveal the identity or not. Probably the judge just thought the whole situation was so petty and silly that it would go away, but this case has the potential to actually change laws and set precedent on an issue that will no doubt come up again.

Credit cards wiped me out...

I’ll be honest with you. My history with credit cards was nothing to write home about. In fact, it was downright scary.

I’d been irresponsible. When I was young, I thought that money was easy to come by, as my parents seemed able to buy me most anything I wanted. All I had to do was put on the right sad face, pout and scream. Sometimes I wish I could go back and do my childhood all over again, if for no other reason than to give my parents a break.

Didn’t they teach me the right things?

OK, you may be thinking that my parents didn’t set proper boundaries for me or establish firm guidelines for behavior. You’d be right.
Once I reached college and was in a position to begin establishing my own credit, I took the reins with furious glee… and promptly drove my financial wagon off a cliff. A clean credit report was the last thing on my mind.

It seemed so easy. Credit applications covered campus like flood waters. In my bookstore bag, at the cafeteria, in the mail, left on my doorknob – everywhere. I saw friends buy snowboards, new clothes, video games and grub at the local taco shop anytime they needed it.

Just whip out the plastic. So simple, yet so dangerous.

What I didn’t realize is that compound interest compounds very quickly. A few trips for food, a few more for fresh threads and one late credit card payment quickly amount to a very large bill. I needed credit fixing, and I needed it bad. Payday loans helped me when I was in dire straits, but I needed a complete financial makeover if I was going to avoid this happening again.

So I changed my ways. I avoided binge spending and worked hard to make my payments and patch things up with my creditors. Once I showed them that I would use my credit responsibly and make all of my payments on time, my credit report history was on the way back up.

What to do with those cards…

Once I had my cards paid off, a thought crossed my mind: would I keep all of them? I didn’t really need as many credit cards as I had, but I didn’t want to damage the credit I’d worked so hard to rebuild after my brush with the bill collector grind house.

Here’s what I found out via Fair Isaac, the company behind credit scores. If you’ve had a card for a long time, it carries more weight. Luckily, that wasn’t the case with me. Secondly, how much of the total available credit you’re using is important. I had two credit cards with $1,000 total credit. One card was paid off, while the other carried a $300 balance.

I held on to one

OK, I fibbed, I still use that card after paying things off. Since I have a handle on how to repair credit now, I’m comfortable with that.
Anyway, I figured it would be safe to cancel the card I’d paid off. I’d been told that it wouldn’t damage my score, but it also wouldn’t raise it. However, by canceling that card, I’d still have a $300 balance, but my total credit line would be only $500. Thus, I’d be exceeding the 30 percent limit and damaging my overall credit score.

Thus, I didn’t cancel the paid off card. My plan is to keep things under control and use both cards to build my credit score. My credit check is thankful for it! And remember how I told you I got payday loans to help when things were at their worst? You can do it to, if you need!

(That’s not me in the video, by the way…)

Related Video:

Commercialism is everywhere, and one can’t seem to survive without being expected to run up credit card debt. It’s the “gotta have it now” syndrome, and it is ruining your health. Think you are immune to this syndrome? Let me ask you: do you have at least one credit card? Are you depending on payday loans to get you through the month each month? Well, I am afraid to tell you—you have the syndrome and it is going to eventually wear you down due to lack of sleep and an abundance of worry about your finances. Following are budget busters that will ruin your credit every single time.

What are budget busters? These are the things that are advertised on every single television and radio station…on every single website…and in every single magazine. It’s those items that are “hot”, “new”, and “different”. Those items that you see everyone buying these days without understanding why they would buy them, and how they can afford them. Things such as Blackberries, 3G cell phones, or the latest television technology. You know the type—hot one day, and in the trash the next. But these “gotta have it now” items are what makes you throw caution to the wind and create huge credit card debts. These are the items I call “Budget Busters”, because they bust your budget in a big way. Some examples of these budget busters…

Real Estate

Investing in real estate is a good thing if you do it correctly, but unfortunately, not many people do it correctly. Have you ever watched some of the real estate buying shows on HGTV? If you have, then you know what I am talking about. Many of those people on the shows appear to be very greedy—they want all of their wishes to be met, and if even one thing is missing, then they keep searching. Often, their searches lead them to the very top of their budget, and some actually go over their budget just to get every item on their wishlist. Credit cards become the new type of cash for many of these couples.

Examples of this include several young couples, or even single people, who buy three or four bedroom houses with a two car attached garage in an up and coming neighborhood, and you know they are going to be sacrificing a lot just to get this big of a house. Why are they buying such a big house when they are just starting out? Whatever happened to the “starter house” that many young couples bought many years ago? Starter houses were just that—a house to get them started on the path of home ownership, and a way to get their feet wet on learning to make wise real estate decisions. Budget savers would actually go for a starter house that has maybe two bedrooms, and a bathroom, with no garage. This is budget busting at its most extravagant.

Auto

New cars, while they smell great and run great, they depreciate by half in the first year. Buying a new car is the worst budget buster you can make, because you will never be able to get that much money back when you either try to sell it or trade it in for a new vehicle. Buy a used car that is a few years old, and you will save a lot of money this way.

By avoiding these budget busters, you will not only be able to cut out your credit cards, but you will also be able to save money for your future retirement. It’s worth it to settle for less until you are able to get what you want.

Americans need to start, or aggressively continue with, a financial plan that prioritizes money for savings, credit repair and investments. The recession has managed to deplete savings accounts everywhere. Americans are finding themselves with a lack of emergency funding due to job loss, high interest on credit cards and lowered house values. These combined, do not make for a good financial outlook. Agnes Denning of Flint, Michigan stated, “We did the right thing…we had 6-month’s worth of savings in an unused bank account. But when my husband lost his job and I was cut down to part time, those savings quickly were used up. Now we have to start from square one.”

Many Americans are having to start over after the recession. Though it is hard, it is also necessary. The first step in starting over is to get on a strict budget. Economist Mike Salsman stated, “People need to start from the beginning…the economy’s affects have rendered old ways of managing useless. We’re seeing lots of people who have to recalculate their budgets, their spending and their savings. Budgets people used for years before the recession are now useless and outdated because the numbers are no longer the same.”

Setting up

The first step to setting up a budget is to commit to it. Numbers should be entered every day until all the necessary data is collected. For example, if a consumer is trying to pinpoint the exact amount the family spends, they need to write down each single daily expense the household is spending. People need to understand that diligence is what is going to make budgeting a success.

People need to calculate exactly how much money they are bringing in. This includes paychecks, interest on investments, part-time jobs, freelance work and any other money-generating activity. This is what a household has to work with. Deducting expenses from this total will show exactly how much, if any, discretionary funds are available to put towards savings, credit repair, and investments.

Most experts suggest following expenses for at least a month to get a complete picture of household spending. Even items as innocuous as a bottle of soda pop need to be accounted for. The reality is that very few people buy just one pop or one coffee. It’s normally a habitual buy that occurs throughout the week. Although a $1.49 cup of coffee doesn’t seem like much, two-cups every week day add up to $60 a month.

Categories

Next, budgeters need to divide their expenses up into categories like mortgage, insurance, groceries, entertainment, etc. A good software program will categorize items automatically. It’s important to then divide categories into essentials and nonessentials. The fixed-essential costs are probably stationary and not a lot can be done about them. It’s the nonessential spending that needs to defer to other priorities.

Finally, once nonessential spending has been channeled into more important priorities, consumers should look at their current spending. Are there more ways to cut back? Can coupons be used to save more money? Can the family cut back on outings—say going out to eat once every two weeks, rather than going out to eat every week? If they do go out to eat, can they find restaurants with dinner specials that slash prices? It’s these little changes in daily living that are going to make large differences over time. Cutting back will produce greater resource allocation for savings, credit repair and investment opportunities. Little by little, Americans will get back on track with their finances.

Experts are estimating that mortgage loan modification will help millions of Americans by the end of the recession but how does it affect credit repair, credit score and overall financial long-term viability? Consumers are concerned with the long-term effects of loan modification. This includes what tax implications are pending because of modifications. These concerns are appropriate in a time of economic uncertainty, where Americans are struggling to gain a footing on their personal finances.

Refinancing and its long term affects on credit score

In general a refinance should not affect a credit score. In general terms, a refinance is merely the same mortgage, only reworked to fit the customer’s changed needs. This holds true especially for homeowners refinancing under the federal program because one term of eligibility is that the person may not have missed a payment within the previous 12-month period. Norm Magnuson of the Consumer Date Industry Association warned that, “it is unclear what impact a federal loan modification will have on credit profiles…regulators have not yet determined how the loan modifications will be reported, if at all.”

Applying for a loan modification under the “Making Home Affordable” however, means that the homeowner already missed payments, and already hurt their credit health. In the long run, this program will help them get back on track, thus creating a positive payment history. This will help the credit score, long term.

Tax implications

The charges involved in mortgage refinancing are tax deductible. The appraisal fees and attorney costs are not. The total of charges that are deductible should be evenly divided and deducted over the entire life of the mortgage and not just taken as an upfront credit. Homeowners also have to be ready to adjust mortgage interest deductions if their mortgage interest rate goes down. This also will affect the deductions available.

Credit repair

Credit repair is a hot topic with so many Americans going through financial hardships during the recession. Squaring away a manageable mortgage payment can do immeasurable good to a credit score. After a few months of positive reporting due to payments on time, consumers should see their credit score moving upward slowly and be able to reap the benefits of their hard work.

Mortgage refinance or modification alone

Many homeowners are looking to save the added cost of a mortgage loan modification by doing the negotiating themselves. Experts say that this is a viable option if the homeowner is not eligible for a federal program. They need to be ready with documentation and the proper paperwork to assure their lender they are truly wanting to change their payment history, and have a way of getting back on track.

Government officials are warning people however, about programs that are reaching out to do negotiations for consumers under the guise of “loan modification specialists.” Many of these programs are fraudulent and charge consumers between $1,000 to $3,000 for their efforts. In the end, government-approved counselors are available to consumers and ready to aid them through mortgage difficulties, for free.

The recession’s aftermath

Credit repair, credit score and taxing after the recession is difficult to predict. Almost all analysts agree that credit will follow along the course of the economy, by stabilizing and gradually improving over the coming months. Tax benefits may, or may not, help the consumer depending on a variety of factors. In the end, though the upswing to the economy is a long-anticipated benefit that everyone is looking forward to.

At some point, a collection of people wrote a book. Others read this book, or at least heard stories about it. Not long after that, people began to cover up their bodies and feel an inordinate amount of shame about their bodies. Because of a book. Sure, there are people who say I’ve got the wrong idea, that it’s symbolic, but I say nay. Apparently these people are living a divided life. They’ll say one thing, but their unconscious minds literally speak another. Until they get their stories straight, they’ll need credit repair with me.

“Sexuality is a part of me. Yet charismatic older men say I should be ashamed of this (at least in public). Lawmakers have followed suit without asking why. Or if they have, they’ve looked awfully foolish. That book ain’t talking back.”

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Aristotle

I wonder what would happen if I cracked open the pages of “Helter Skelter?” Some people consider the subject of that book to be prophetic. But would it change me without my consent? Would I suddenly begin to write bad music at Brian Wilson’s house and commit heinous crimes? I don’t think so. I also don’t think the Grand View Coffee Shop of Vassalboro, Maine is wrong, or that it deserved to burn. Now the owner may need debt relief.

Spin it, DJ. People wanna dance

Glenn Adams reports for the Associated Press that the Grand View Coffee Shop in Vassalboro, Maine used to be more than just an ordinary coffee shop. It was a wildly popular topless coffee shop. Not the patrons, but the employees, men and women. Proper safeguards were in place, including a security guard who checked identification and did not allow anyone in under the age of 18. The inside was not visible from the outside, so looky-loo gawkers weren’t loitering about the parking lot. Aside from topless servers, it was just a good, old-fashioned coffee shop. All that was being sold was coffee and doughnuts.

But in the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 3, 2009, Grand View Coffee Shop burned to the ground. In an interesting coincidence, owner Donald Crabtree had met just hours before with Vassalboro officials about making his business “more like a strip club.” What does “more like a strip club” mean? According to Adams’ story, Crabtree had asked to add a DJ, expanding his parking lot and extend operating hours. That doesn’t sound like it includes dancing or alcohol to me.

I’m sure Crabtree was feeling the pinch of this recession and wanted to find another way to make money for his business. I’m also sure that there were people in Vassalboro who were concerned that something “like a strip club” would attract an element to their town that they considered “unsavory.” But I can think of a number of simple solutions to such a problem, including additional security if necessary. We all know he’d make enough money to hire the staff. Remember, people can entertain notions contrary, particularly when these notions are natural to the human animal.

$277,000 and no insurance

The cause of the blaze has not been officially determined. The fire at the Grand View Coffee Shop was reported by a passing ambulance at around 1 a.m. Adams writes that it took “about 50 firefighters from eight communities” to extinguish the blaze. When asked if the fire seemed suspicious, Crabtree exclaimed, “I don’t even dare to say at this time.”

All told, Crabtree spent $277,000 buying and renovating a former motel into the Grand View Coffee Shop. Considering that it wasn’t insured, the fire must be devastating to his finances. You can see where debt relief and credit repair could come into play for the man.

Without nudity? There’d be no “family” in “family values”

The Grand View Coffee Shop opened in February. Predictably, there was controversy from Vassalboro folk who felt that having a topless coffee shop in town was somehow a violation of “family values,” whatever those are. Sure, certain values are a genetic imperative for human survival, but the random assignment and enforcement of values is wrong. That society and its institutions do it all the time doesn’t make it right.

According to Paul Crabtree, the owner’s brother, there are people who have come out to support the Grand View Coffee Shop family in their time of need. However, there are also plenty of people who drive by and thumb their noses.

“It’s sad to see people driving by and acting happy about it,” he said.

Let me stand next to your fire

According to Adams, Vassalboro resident Steve Cooper is one of those who didn’t see the harm, save for a fire that destroyed property and cost people their jobs. It could have also cost lives, as apparently the owner and some employees were in the building when the fire started. Cooper says he had never been in Grand View Coffee Shop, he didn’t see why people were so upset about people without shirts behind closed doors.

Krista MacIntyre, one of the waitresses, said it was the “best job” she’d ever had. “We should keep on going, get back up and make it an even bigger place,” she said. Without having had fire insurance, though? I don’t know if Donald Crabtree’s pockets are that deep. I say let the debt relief begin. And for those who delighted that Grand View Coffee Shop burned down, I say stay away. Your repressed psyches masquerading as “a book told me so” would only ruin a good, safe time.

Related Video:

NCR stands for National Cash Register.

When NCR Corporation relocates its headquarters from Dayton, Ohio, to Duluth, Georgia, it won’t just bring jobs, it’ll bring cash.

That’s because NCR Corporation is in the ATM manufacturing business. According to NBC News:

NCR Corporation will locate a new global self-service innovation headquarters in Duluth and a manufacturing site for the company’s next generation NCR SelfServ ATM family in Columbus.

Georgia’s economy

There are 15 Fortune 500 companies and 26 Fortune 1000 companies with headquarters in Georgia, including such names as Home Depot, UPS, Coca Cola, Delta Air Lines, AFLAC, Southern Company, and SunTrust Banks. Georgia has over 1,700 internationally headquartered facilities representing 43 countries, employing more than 112,000 Georgians with an estimated capital investment of $22.7 billion, Wikipedia says.

Georgia’s unemployment rate currently is 9.1 percent. That’s higher than the national unemployment rate, 8.6 percent. While Georgia hasn’t hit double-digit unemployment rates like states such as Oregon and Michigan, it is slowly creeping in that direction. Many unemployed workers get behind on bills and end up needing credit repair. Luckily, there are experts to help.

NBC says that at a news conference today in Georgia NCR Corporation will announce its plans to relocate, and “Gov. Sonny Perdue will be on hand to welcome the company to Georgia.” That’s a sure sign that the state is eager and pleased to accept NCR Corporation into its economy.

How many jobs?

Georgia’s NBC affiliate news station says the NCR Corporation move will bring 1,250 new jobs to Duluth and 870 new jobs to Columbus.

Last year the company brought 916 jobs to Peachtree City in support for its worldwide customer services business.

More on NCR Corporation

NCR Corporation started out as a cash register manufacturing company way back in 1884. The company manufactured and sold the first mechanical cash register.

NCR Corporation continued in the cash register business and during World War I expanded to manufacturing shell fuses and aircraft instrumentation. During World War II, it  built aero-engines, bomb sights and code-breaking machines, according to Wikipedia.

Transition to high techonogy

NCR Corporation stayed with or ahead of the curve on the technology front, and in 1952 it acquired Computer Research Corporation.

In 1956, NCR introduced its first electronic device, the Class 29 Post-Tronic, a bank machine using magnetic stripe technology. With GE the company manufactured its first transistor-based computer in 1957.

NCR made its first ATM in 1970, and it’s been making them ever since. NCR Corporation holds about a third of the ATM market. This will only widen the broad industry base already present in Georgia.

Food is also a major industry in Georgia, with widespread farms producing peanuts, corn, and soybeans across middle and south Georgia. The state is the number one producer of pecans in the world, with the region around Albany in southwest Georgia being the center of Georgia’s pecan production. Gainesville in northeast Georgia touts itself as the Poultry Capital of the World.

Industry in Georgia is quite diverse. Major products in the mineral and timber industry include a variety of pines, clays, stones, and sands.

Some people throw parties so outrageous that they have to seek credit repair when the smoke clears and the guests have left. But there are other ways to throw nice parties, for your friends, co-workers, or family. These ideas are broken down in a step by step method, to provide you with a clearer road to happiness through party success!

Invitations

Even though you might plan to just invite your intermediate family or maybe a broader amount of the bloodline, simple, yet nicely made invitations would be a nice start. Printing up invitation flyers is a good way to bring some importance to the party, making even an evening over at a sibling’s house seem magical.

Location, Location, Location

Where is your location? Is this party going to be in the living room, basement, or recreation hall? All of these questions equate to one answer and that’s what directions should you list on your invitations. The only exception would be a member of the intermediate family printing up invitations to just fellow residents in the home, and then it’s easy to get the directions correct. The fewer the people who know about the get together, the less work you have to put into the party’s inception.

Decorate the Atmosphere with Memory

When planning a great party or get-together, it’s best to have some type of decoration to produce a theme, and fortunately, seeking credit repair to afford them is not necessary. This can be as simple as streamers, and even simpler as going to a library, sipping communion wine, and celebrating life with loved ones and education… well, maybe the communion wine sipping at a library is a huge juxtaposition, but I hope it proves my point. Make the event something everyone will remember, even if the decorations are provided by nature.

Get Input

Sometimes, it’s a really good idea to ask those attending for their ideas. They might be able to offer some advice in regards to activities and even the location of the party. I once asked my 8 and 12 year old cousins what they’d like to do at a family gathering. They were very excited and pleased to share with me their thoughts, and surprisingly, some of their suggestions appealed to the adults as well.

Emcee, Entertainment, Fulfillment, Final Touches

Now that you have a theme for your event, it’s time to decide what you plan on doing with your family at the function. Deciding whether the event will be large enough to service an emcee, or whether you emcee the party yourself.

Next, it’s a good thing to offer your attendees something to do while at the party. Are you going for more of an entertainment night or a bonding night? You’d be surprised how much more a newborn baby or 70 year old relative can entertain the family more than an action packed flick.

Try to make sure that you infuse whatever you do with a sense of family, humility, love, and urgency. Buy a disposable camera or pull out the digital camera and keep a piece of that history. If it’s just you, your spouse, and your children, take pictures of the wonderful time you all had listening to your child’s made-up story. Frame the picture of them reciting it and let them know that sometimes love and amusement can be found right at home, whether you don’t seek credit repair, or whether you do, though I highly suggest the latter.

With or without credit repair, passion is something you must have if you plan on having victory over your obstacles. Passion is something that should be with you 24 hours of the day; it gives you reason to question ideas, challenge statistics, and excel when others say you can’t.

Successful People are filled with Passion

There are a lot of successful individuals who had to pull every ounce of passion from themselves in order to make it in the field they are currently in today. I’ve listed just four people who are great examples of the powerful effects passion can have on our lives:

Elton John

This man has endured through a 4-decade career and has managed to sell over 200 million records, more than even Michael Jackson, and he holds the award for most successful album (Thriller). Elton John also started playing the piano at the tender age of three, which proves that talent was abundant in him from an early age, but so was passion. Anyone who works at something for hours, even though they might not be any good at first, has loads of passion. Aside from the constant depression Elton John suffered through, he never wavered in his unyielding devotion to create music. This is a wonderful example of passion personified.

Michael Jackson

How could I leave the King of Pop’s name out of this article? With his greatest selling album, Thriller, surpassing platinum record selling status and barging into the diamond rank, it’s no wonder he’s been in the game for a long time. But things didn’t start off easy for Michael, or his brothers. When the Jackson 5 was first established, Michael wasn’t even a part of the group. He longed to belong, to fit in with his siblings, and soon passion took over. After entering into a local school talent show, he wowed the audience and his father, Joseph Jackson, and the rest is history. Did the passion stop there? No! Michael and his brothers had to perform for 5 more years before a chance audition for Motown’s former president Barry Gordy, catapulted them to the top of the pop music charts.

Eminem

I know you’re wondering why this guy’s name is affiliated with Mr. John and Jackson. Well, he has earned his spot at the top of the music charts. Marshall Bruce Mathers III had his share of knockdowns and disappointments. Being a Caucasian male, it was very difficult for Eminem to garner respect from his fellow emceeing peers. Though a young Eminem had talent, his skin color made it increasingly hard to break into the rap music industry, and Vanilla Ice’s reign on rap music didn’t seem to make Marshall’s chances any better. Of course, passion had to fill his heart, and he endured the ridicule, persecution, and slander, all in the name of passion for hip-hop. Had he lost his drive to do what he loved, we wouldn’t have a face to associate the name Slim Shady.

Suffice it to say these gentlemen shouldn’t need to seek credit repair any time soon. But a friend of mine did:

A Tale of Passion

A friend of mine decided that he was going to take his love of playing the guitar to opening a music shop. At first, lots of people (family as well as friends) doubted his abilities.

“David,” they’d say, “you can’t even keep a minimum balance in your savings account!”

They said everything they could to persuade him to reconsider and maybe join someone’s paying band, or better yet get a “real” job. Cruel, it may have seemed, but I knew that their negative comments were only fueling David’s passion… or so I thought.

The comments went directly to David’s head when he applied for a bank loan and was denied for having bad credit. He was stunned to find out that a steady income and equity couldn’t land him a loan. I suggested to him that his passion needed to increase. I told him that a fire needed to be lit under him, and the only way to light that fire was to prove that his idea wasn’t wrong.

David went to the library and read books on starting businesses, performed countless searches online, and even took a business class. After 2 months, David put over $2,000 in his savings account.

“How did you do it?” I asked him.

“I guess I didn’t care about the money or succeeding. I was studying and researching all that stuff, because I was actually interested… Oh, and the credit repair advice I got along with a much needed cash advance helped.” I smiled and thought to myself, look at what passion can bring.

A few weeks ago, I was trying to find a way to take a short vacation I’d planned more than a year before. The problem was that I’d been unemployed for most of that year and had just started back to work. I was scratching the bottom of the barrel, financially.

I could get time off from work without pay, but that would take such a bite out of my next paycheck that I wouldn’t be able to pay a pet sitter to take care of my elderly dog. I considered getting a payday loan, but I knew that borrowing would only make the situation worse and I didn’t want to end up in need of credit repair or a debt relief program.

Ask a friend for a favor

I was lamenting this state of affairs to a friend I had worked with at the company where I had been laid off. My friend was in no better financial shape that I was, but she immediately offered to take care of my dog so that I could take my vacation. Read With a Little Help from Our Friends.

And be ready to offer something in return

My friend wouldn’t let me pay her, but she told me I could help her move to her new condominium about a month down the road. A bargain was struck, and pretty soon it snowballed. I was trading services with friends and neighbors and we were all getting deals we couldn’t afford to buy with cash.

Bartering is the new universal currency

Some time later, I came across an article in the Moscow Times that let me know I wasn’t alone in my new bartering lifestyle. Apparently it’s boom time for the barter system in Russia, too. Russian companies are short of cash because of the network of nonpayment brought on by the global financial crisis. As a result, special websites have sprung up to facilitate bartering deals.

Milk for a bulldozer in Russia

For instance, a dairy in Russia paid for renovations by giving a construction company several tons of canned condensed milk; the construction company then traded the milk for a bulldozer from a tractor plant. The tractor company, in turn, traded the milk for other food to stock its company cafeteria.

So far, barter makes up just two percent of the overall Russian economy; still, it amounts to billions of rubles. And the barter industry is practically the only sector of the Russian economy that’s actively hiring.

The Russian bartering company Rusbarter is recruiting potential franchisers, encouraging them to set up regional barter offices with promises of profits after just one month. “The worse the situation is in the economy,” said Anatoly Abadzhan, head of Rusbarter, “the better it is for us.”

Bartering is like money in the bank

I had nothing to lose from the economic crisis except my job. So for me, the financial downturn kind of leveled the playing field. I’ve never had much financial flex, but now, just about everyone I know is pressed financially and willing to barter.

Next time you find yourself daydreaming about low interest loans or looking at junk emails that violate approved patterns of speaking or writing (“payday loans no faxing,” “money loans,” and “mycashnow” are some of my favorites), remember: the worse the situation in your bank account, the better bartering is for you.

My neighbors are afraid of me because I mow my quarter-acre yard with a push reel mower – the kind without an engine. I never use my automatic sprinkler system. I do not fertilize my grass.  I rake by hand several times a year. I’m not really a foreigner, but my neighbors really are xenophobes. My yard care methods frighten them. I carry a trowel with me and weed by hand every time I mow, and this scares them more than all my other unorthodox practices put together.

My neighbors spend cash today

I live in a high-desert city and because I don’t water, my grass turns brown right when the chemically-addicted and irrigation-saturated lawns of my neighbors are at their spongiest green. Mine turns green in very late winter or early spring, when theirs are still brown and waiting for  mid-spring, chemical wake-up calls. By the time the dandelions are wreaking havoc in my neighbors’ yards and waiting to be doused with broad-leaf killer, I’ve dug mine out by hand and have not one yellow pom-pom or gossamer white seed head to show for my efforts.

I don’t need an online payday loan for my summer vacation

I mow like crazy in the mild mid-spring weather, but by mid-summer when temperatures begin to soar and rain is a distant memory, my grass crop is winding down for dormancy. And my neighbors hate this. That’s when I take my summer vacation by relaxing in a comfortable lawn chair with a good book and a cool beverage while I contemplate my neighbors’ vicious cycles of watering and mowing and watering and mowing and watering and mowing ad nauseam.

I don’t need credit cards for a mower or a health club

When I moved into my place three springs ago and broke out the brand new reel mower I’d just paid $69 for, my neighbor to the east asked me if I thought I’d still be using it in August. Minutes later, my neighbor to the west (who is at least 100 pounds overweight and gaining) warned me that I’d get ‘buff’ if I kept using ‘that thing.’ I didn’t see any reason to tell him that ‘buff’ would require more than walking behind a reel mower a couple hours per week.

I don’t have to worry about credit repair — that’s what neighbors are for

Not to be outdone, my neighbor across the street came over and confided to me that he ‘used to have one of those mowers, too,’ but that after he got through his tough financial times with a debt-relief program, he was able to buy a power mower. He kept it in the shed behind the house, and I was welcome to use it at any time whatever.

My neighbors water their lawns even when it rains. I let the rain water mine.

Some of us get so involved with our freelance work that we forget about the world around us. We never go out. Sure, the money that we make is nice, but when you can’t remember the last fun thing you did with your family or friends, that’s a problem. Just like you, I wanted to keep my success, but in order to have true success, a person should be happy. They shouldn’t spend day after day working like a drone without any social freedom.

To ensure that you don’t wind up spending your days and nights locked in your office, surrounded by darkness save for the glare of light from your computer screen, I’ll list a few tips that will improve your social life, and keep your freelance career intact.

1. Work during the Day, Sleep at Night

For the average freelancer, a normal sleeping schedule can be extremely tough to maintain. After all, we can work whenever we want, and stop just as freely. I, like most other people, maintained a work schedule that lasted from 6:00 in the evening until 5:00 in the morning. Of course, this meant I slept until about 2:00 in the afternoon. When doing this, I neglected to have any type of social life, and was confined to working and sleeping the majority of the day; that ain’t living.

The switch in work shifts was a little difficult at first, but eventually I got into the groove of it. I try and go to bed every night at midnight, as should you (if you want to maintain a social life). Hardworking freelancers often forget to realize that sleeping while everyone else is awake is not a good socializing technique.

2. Get Out of the Dungeon!

Without going spending crazy and having to seek credit repair help, go out and live a little! As a freelancer, especially a writer, creative simulation is received from living. Try to take your work to another destination. This could help spark your passion.

Just last week, while I was taking my mother to do some errands, I decided to put a pencil and paper in the car with me. Whenever I stopped and my mother got out, I’d jot down ideas, notes, and would speak to people passing by, writing down information that might be beneficial for a project I’m working on. You could take your laptop out into the open, fresh air, and wipe the cobwebs from your limbs. Do some work at a café where others, who might be doing what you do, can inspire and socialize with you.

3. Study and Practice by using Classes or Attending Conferences

Network, Network, Network! That’s the key when it comes to attending classes, whether they are webinars, seminars, or local conferences related to your area of interest or expertise or even something on credit repair can help you. Some of the greatest leaders of our times confessed that they surrounded themselves with individuals deemed smarter than themselves. So, on the subject of webinars, conferences, and seminars, I’m lead to conclude: we learn a lot more from people more skilled than ourselves.

4. Sometimes, Clients Can be Friends

It’s a shared logic, I’m sure, that people would rather work with others they have fun with. Some of the best partnerships guided unyielding success because the colleagues they interacted with could make them laugh; they were inspiring one another through happiness, social freedom, and creative organic perfection.

Some advice:

A.) Invite potential clients to a social event to speak about future projects

B.) Make it simple, like lunch or coffee

C.) Invite your client to an event you both enjoy, like bowling (I’ve had lots of freelance business success, and fun, while passionately bowling).

Yes, at first the struggle to apply the above guidelines seems hard. Once you add these tips to your daily schedule, it’ll be second nature, like walking and talking. Your friends will love your for it, you’ll be happier, and thoughts of credit repair will be far away in the distance.

Find great ideas and financial advice at www.pueblo.gov.

Many United States citizens are discovering www.pueblo.gsa.gov, which has advice on topics ranging from finding a job to where teachers can find free educational materials.

With tons of links, articles and other resources, www.pueblo.gsa.gov is worth checking out. It also has fun stuff like a link to a site that will tell you how popular your name is and which baby names were most popular last year.

MyMoney.gov

One of the links on the homepage at www.pueblo.gsa.gov sends you to mymoney.gov, a web site run by the Financial Literacy and Education Commission.

The site says it is “dedicated to helping you understand more about your money.” It has advice on budgeting, financial planning, credit repair, fraud and scams, saving and more. You can even read up on getting personal loans to start a small business.

Consumer information

Www.pueblo.gsa.gov also has lots of consumer advice. You can order or view a pdf of the “Consumer Information Catalog,” read articles on buying cars and find links to articles about food and product recalls.

A link at www.pueblo.gsa.gov hooks you up with the Consumer Action Network, which gives step-by-step instructions on how to file a formal complaint with a business. It also has specific advice for military, teachers, people with disabilities and media.

The Federal Citizen Information Center is based in Pueblo, Colorado.

Navigating the economy

A featured article today at www.pueblo.gsa.gov is called “Finding a job in tough times.” You can read the article from the site and visit the Consumer Focus Archive.

The Consumer Focus Archive, run by the Federal Citizen Information Center, is a collection of articles with advice on buying cars and computers, affording education, finding employment, traveling, federal programs and plenty of other topics. I particularly enjoyed an article encouraging proper pet care and tips for college students about getting financial aid and staying safe on campus.

Something for everyone

The range of information available at www.pueblo.gsa.gov is pretty mindblowing. It’s a good collection of government resources to help everyday citizens through everyday life.

It’s not all seriousness, either. There’s a link to Dear Abby’s health advice, stories about Mother’s Day, links for kids and a “fun stuff” category. Fun Stuff includes an online jigsaw puzzle and word search. Just go to www.pueblo.gsa.gov and click on “fun stuff” in the yellow navigation bar at the top.