Gune Susan from Sudan needs microloans for her clothing sales business.

Since its inception, microlender Kiva has been known for giving online loans to help entrepreneurs start businesses in third-world countries. As of today, however, The Associated Press reports:

Kiva.org has spent the past 3 1/2 years raising money on the Internet to finance destitute entrepreneurs in 44 impoverished countries. Now in a sign of the economy’s spreading despair, the online “microlender” is reaching out to low-income entrepreneurs in the United States.

What is a microloan?

The term “microloan” has always been used to describe a loan that is given to an impoverished person or business. This is because microloans, as the name implies, are very small loans. According to Wikipedia:

Microcredit is the extension of very small loans (microloans) to those in poverty designed to spur entrepreneurship. These individuals lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history and therefore cannot meet even the most minimal qualifications to gain access to traditional credit. Microcredit is a part of microfinance, which is the provision of a wider range of financial services to the very poor.

Why lend to U.S. entrepreneurs?

Kiva says its decision to start lending to U.S. entrepreneurs was simply part of a natural progression. Kiva’s blog says:

Our desire has always been to be a truly global organization, and to allow individuals anywhere in the world to make loans anywhere else in the world. Kiva believes that poverty exists in many forms throughout the world and that we can play a part in helping alleviate that poverty by allowing people to lend through our website.
Therefore, to be a truly global organization, Kiva is expanding into microfinance markets in the developed world. Since over 70% of our lenders are currently from North America, the United States was a natural first choice.

More about Kiva

So, as of today, Kiva lends to entrepreneurs in 45 countries, including the U.S. Already United States entrepreneurs in the catering, child care, retail and transportation businesses yet that have started raising money through microloans from Kiva, and they’ve made significant progress toward their goals.

So who is Kiva? Well, it could be you. Kiva’s web site says:

Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.

1) Lenders like you browse profiles of entrepreneurs in need, and choose someone to lend to. When they lend, using PayPal or their credit cards, Kiva collects the funds and then passes them along to one of our microfinance partners worldwide.

2) Kiva’s microfinance partners distribute the loan funds to the selected entrepreneur. Often, our partners also provide training and other assistance to maximize the entrepreneur’s chances of success.

3) Over time, the entrepreneur repays their loan. Repayment and other updates are posted on Kiva and emailed to lenders who wish to receive them.

4) When lenders get their money back, they can re-lend to someone else in need, donate their funds to Kiva (to cover operational expenses), or withdraw their funds.

Micro means micro

It should be noted that when Kiva says it is seeking small loans, it means really small loans. As in $25. Right now, entrepreneurs in Viet Nam and Peru are looking for microloans to help with raising pigs and growing fruits and vegetables.

You can help. Here are a few examples of entrepreneurs seeking microloans through Kiva:

• Nguyen Thi Hai from Viet Nam needs $725 for her grocery store
• Karen Elizabeth from Peru needs $275 for her cosmetic sales business
• Giovanna Andrea Mendez Apaza needs $800 for her clothing sales business

World's richest person: Bill Gates

I had to laugh when I read the opening line of Forbes’ report on this year’s billionaires: “It’s been a tough year for the richest people in the world.”

I have my doubts about whether those people know the true meaning of “tough year.” However, it’s true that the more money you have, the more you have to lose.

“The List”

Overall, the list of billionaires in the world fell from 1,125 to 793.  Forbes also reports that the net worth of people with personal fortunes of more than $1 billion fell. Last year their fortunes added up to $3.4 trillion, but that statistic fell by $1 trillion this year.

This year is the first time since 2003 that the amount of billionaires has dropped. Average net worth of those billionaires also fell to the lowest rate it’s been since 2003. Average net worth dropped 23 percent to $3 billion. If you’re thinking of getting payday loans, maybe you can hit up one of these people first.

Top names

This year former Microsoft owner Bill Gates snagged the top spot and claimed the title of world’s richest man. After losing $18 billion in the past year, his net worth sits at $40 billion. Warren Buffett had the top spot last year, but it slipped away from him when he lost $25 billion in a year. His net worth now is $37 billion.

To find the world’s third-richest person, head south a bit and meet Latin America’s richest man, Carlos Slim Helu. He is worth $35 billion, thanks to Telecom and the fact that he owns the company that controls 90 percent of Mexico’s phone lines.

Money can’t buy love

Don’t worry, I won’t leave without telling you the world’s richest bachelors and bachelorettes. The world’s richest single man is the Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg. His net worth now stands at $16 billion. The world’s richest bachelorette is also an American, and will likely surprise no one: Oprah. She’s a ways behind Bloomberg with her $2.7 billion. She has also been in a serious relationship for years, but on paper, she’s never ended her singleness.

Check out the full list of the world’s billionaires at Forbes.com.

The economic stimulus package stipulates U.S. companies that receive bailout money cannot hire workers on H-1B visas.

Most H-1B visas go to engineers from India. Because India is facing its own rising unemployment rate, many Indians are unhappy about this policy.

What is an H-1B?

H-1B visas are temporary work permits that allow foreigners to work in the United States for up to six years. These permits have also been used to outsource jobs. The country caps the total amount of these visas that can be issued at 65,000 per year.

American perspective

One of the main goals of the economic stimulus package is to create jobs in the United States. So it makes sense that the administration would not want money that is intended to stimulate the U.S.  economy to go toward paying salaries of non-U.S. citizens.

The cause of the upset

However, some leaders in India do not see it that way.

“This is just irrational protectionism,” says Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of India’s Planning Commission. “It makes no economic sense at all.”

Groups that oppose the H-1B provision in the stimulus package have started to take action.

Asking for exceptions

An Indian political group first tried to fight the new provisions by asking that Indians with H-1Bs be able to stay in the United States longer. Currently rules state that if workers with H-1B permits lose their jobs, they must leave the country within 30 days unless they find new jobs.

Good old-fashioned boycott

Nothing came of the request for extended stays, so the same political party has decided to arrange a boycott. Indian consumers have been asked to boycott goods from 14 U.S. companies. The general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parisha, the group that organized the boycott, won’t say which companies are being boycotted.

Passing the time of unemployment

What do people do all over the world who have lost their jobs and need payday loans? The number of jobs in the U.S. fell all through 2008; layoffs in Europe, Asia and the developing world have only recently caught up as companies that resisted cuts in the past follow the lead of their American counterparts.

It’s like a germ encircling the globe

It’s like a giant contagious epidemic going around the globe. There doesn’t seem to be a country that hasn’t caught the unemployment germ and what’s worse, the germs seem to be strengthening on their meager diet.

The Global economy

Stories are coming in from every corner of the world. Jobs are drying up as the global economy enters its first overall downturn since The Great Depression, provoking social unrest in Europe and Asia along with calls to protect local workers from foreign competition.

Paris, Taiwan, Colombia

Look at the list of firings and unemployment: Lawyers in Paris, kitchen workers in Taiwan, bodyguards in Colombia. What’s going on? The ranks of the jobless are swelling even as once fast-growing economies fall victim to a tumbling global slowdown that has already claimed 3.6 million American jobs and millions more elsewhere.

Everywhere

In mainland China millions of migrant workers searching for jobs are finding that factories are closing down. There have been protests at individual factories in China and Indonesia where workers were laid off with little or no notice. Remember Taiwan? Exports were down 43 percent last month, the steepest plunge in Asia.

Will loans help?

In this climate, will Payday Loans help or will they come too late to save the victims? If I get a Payday Loan today while I am still employed and then I am fired tomorrow, what happens?

And those foreign workers, what of them?

In Britain, refinery and power plant employees walked off the job last month in protest at the use of Italian and Portuguese workers at a construction project on the coast of England. Soon there will be civil disruption and strikes as workers realize they are losing their livelihood to foreigners.

Who will help me get back home?

I am a student from Los Angeles. I decided to travel to Europe and study art. I went to Paris to spend time in the great art galleries. My money ran out so I took a job as a waiter in a restaurant. It worked very well; I studied art during the day and waited tables at night. This past week there have been few diners at the restaurant and I can see that I will soon be asked to leave.

I will not find another job here; there are thousands of Frenchmen on the streets looking for work. I do not have the price of the ticket back to L.A. I will simply be stuck here in Paris with no way of earning a living. Even the charcoal sketches of the Eiffel Tower that I used to do and sell to the tourists are no longer selling because there are no more tourists.

Hanging in there

I understand that I simply have to make the best of things and I am starting by rushing in my application for a Payday Loan. The money will go towards an air ticket to anywhere west of here and closer to home.

What all is included in the Stimulus Package?

Now that Congress has passed the $787 billion dollar Economic Stimulus Bill, many people are taking a closer look at just what’s inside it and wonder if “Barack Obama’s Payday Loan for America” wouldn’t have been a more apt name. There’s already been considerable wrangling about all the questionable projects being funded by the plan under the guise of job creation. Opponents have labeled it as a pork laden waste of taxpayer money. Some have even gone so far as to label it the equivalent of a very ill advised national payday loan.

Short-term Solutions for Long-term Problems?

As most people know, payday loans represent a great solution to a minor, temporary cash shortage. However, using a payday loan simply to acquire more cash and continuing to spend irresponsibly is neither the intended purpose of payday loans nor a good use of them. The stimulus bill has raised many eyebrows among those that have read the actual expenditures, because in many ways it represents the latter description.

Change America Really Wanted To Believe In

It wasn’t very long ago at all that Barack Obama appealed to the voters’ desire to turn the page on the Bush administration and rode a wave of reformist sentiment straight into the White House. Promising change and inspiring hope among a citizenry that had endured eight years of divisive politics capped off by an economic collapse that hadn’t been witnessed since the Great Depression of the 1930’s, Obama was an easy sell to the American public. Seemingly, the days of payday loans and cash advances for working class America would soon be ending.

A Ban on Earmarks

Amid much fanfare, one of Barack Obama’s first acts after being inaugurated as the forty-fourth president of the United States of America was to issue a presidential order that banned the inclusion of any earmarks in the stimulus bill that he had proposed during his time as President-elect. Not surprisingly, this was greeted as warmly as a payday loan in the final week of a thirty one day month. In recent years, earmarks had become the symbol of governmental excess and unbridled spending on Capitol Hill, with the “Bridge to Nowhere” becoming a rallying cry for fiscal conservatives and watchdog groups.

Free of Earmarks or One Large Earmark?

Problem is, it soon become apparent that this ban had a lot more bark than actual bite. Earmarks weren’t required for this bill because the pork and wasteful spending was built right into it. Once again, Congress was free to spend like a drunken sailor on his way home from cashing his first payday loan check. Shockingly, only approximately ninety billion of the 787 billion dollars in the so-called stimulus bill will actually fund programs that could potentially generate new jobs for America.

More of the Same Bad Medicine

When you delve into the particulars of what is inside this bill, it’s really no wonder that Republicans have decried it as a pork laden example of the type of wasteful spending that brought us to the economic situation we so precariously occupy, currently. The analogy of this stimulus bill being much like a nationwide payday loan is not at all inappropriate, being that the intention of this bill is to create a temporary infusion of cash into the economy. Unfortunately for America, the politicians in charge of our collective budget don’t seem be willing to act like responsible borrowers and curtail their excessive spending. Instead, they seem bent on continuing the failed policies that got us to where they needed to ask the taxpayers for a “payday loan” in the first place.

No doubt Japan could use some quick loans to turn around its economy. However, with the global recession hitting everyone hard, the country may have nowhere to turn.

Rapid recession

Japan’s economy is shrinking fast. In fact, it is shrinking at the fastest rate in 35 years. Japan’s GDP fell at an astounding annual rate of 12.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008. It’s the worst slide Japan’s economy has seen since the oil shock in 1974.

Employees of such giants as Toyota Motor Corp. and Sony Corp. might want to consider quick loans, too. The companies have already made big cuts, but they project they will have to lay off more workers.

No more ordering out

The hardest hit to Japan’s economy has been a hefty decrease in exporting. The United States and European countries are experiencing their own recessions. As countries have decreased spending on imports, Japan’s export industry has taken a major hit.

“There is no question that this is the worst economic crisis since the end of World War II,” said Economy Minister Kaoru Yosano. “The outcome clearly shows that Japan’s export-dependent economy has been severely hit.”

Japan’s bailout

Japan is forming legislation similar to the economic stimulus package in the United States, which President Barack Obama is expected to sign into law tomorrow.

Japan’s economy is collapsing at about three times the speed that the U.S. economy is shrinking. But Japan’s rescue package costs a tiny fraction of the U.S.’s. Officials are urging lawmakers to approve a $52.2 billion “extra budget” that includes sending cash to taxpayers.

Still falling

Japan’s GDP has fallen for three straight quarters. Economists believe the country will definitely experience another quarter of recession. Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura called the economic downturn a once-in-a-century calamity.

With nowhere to go for quick loans, Japan is probably headed for several more months of recession.

The price tag on a barrel of oil today took a big jump.

If you drive an SUV or other gas-guzzling vehicle, you might want to read up on payday loans in case you need one to fill your tank.

Oil prices rose today shortly after the House of Representatives approved the economic stimulus package. Gas prices also have gone up since yesterday. If you don’t have enough cash to fill your tank, remember that the fees on payday loans are tiny compared to the cost of missing a day of work.

Economic indicators

Though most market researchers say the global demand for crude oil will decrease greatly this year, demand appears to have increased in the United States. Energy analysts believe oil prices and the stimulus plan progress are linked.

“To some extent that may be contributing to some willingness to take on more risk,” said Rachel Ziemba, energy analyst with research firm RGE Monitor.

World market

While barrels of crude are fetching higher prices on the New York Stock Exchange, they are still more valuable in other countries.

The price of Brent crude in London ended trading yesterday at $46.03 a barrel, while oil trading in New York closed at $33.98, according to CNN Money.

The price jump today was the largest rise in a single day since the end of 2008. Last summer oil prices peaked at $147.27 per barrel.

A shaky situation

Brent crude prices fell as investors opted to buy U.S. crude instead. The overall market for crude oil is fundamentally “not very good” said the head of a research trading firm.

The national average for a gallon of gas in the U.S. now is $1.96, and analysts believe that price will continue to climb into the summer, but the market is still fluctuating amid all types of speculation. If you get stuck without any fuel, payday loans might be your ticket to transportation.

Related articles

• Suncor Energy updates hedge position for 2009 and 2010 (newswire.ca)

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Executives in Kazakhstan probably will be able to get by without payday loans, but many of them are facing a big pay cut.

Prime Minister Karim Masimov has said that salaries for executives at state-run firms and banks should not be paid more than him. Masimov says he makes $4,700 a month, in U.S. dollars, or 700,000 tenge.

Following a leader’s lead

The move is similar to the one U.S. President Barack Obama made last week when he capped salaries for Wall Street executives. Obama said any executives at banks who get bailout money should not get  more than $500,000  per year in total compensation. Obama’s annual salary is $400,000.

However, Kazakhs affected by Masimov’s edict will take home far less than American executives. The new rule means Kazakh executives’ salaries will be capped at $56,400 a year. Still, probably the only executives who will need payday loans are those who want to make payments on their private jets on time. The new executive salaries in Kazakhstan are 12 times the average wage.

American comparison

Kazakhstan's flag

Masimov

The average wage in Kazakhstan is about $392. That’s close to the average amount for most payday loans in the U.S.

Median income in the United States was $50,233 in 2007, or about $4,186 a month. The executive salary cap of $500,000 is  about 10 times the country’s median income, and Obama’s salary is about eight times the average.

No questions asked

Criticizing the government is rare in Kazakhstan. Reuter’s writes that the Prime Minister’s orders will be carried out swiftly.

His decision is likely to be implemented immediately because state companies follow government orders. -Reuters

Kazakhstan is facing a major economic crisis, much like the one in the U.S. The financial crisis we are facing quickly became a global phenomenon when the U.S. economy began to fail. Unfortunately, most Kazakhs struggling with finances don’t have the same options we have in the United States, like payday loans.

image from the bsreport.files.wordpress.com

Economic problems for banks and corporations abound these days. Times are tight for consumers as well, and payday loans are around to help. However, there’s an area on America’s agenda that shouldn’t be forgotten: foreign policy. In many ways, President Barack Obama is being asked to work miracles. Considering the tensions between the United States and the Middle East, it appears that he will have to work overtime.

Yet in light of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s recent invitation for Mr. Obama to be interviewed on the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Obama and America could be receiving a blessing or a curse.

Reach out to the Iranian people

That’s how IRNA views it. Obama could mend the bridge between America and the Muslim world that former President Bush all but destroyed with his “you’re either for us or against us” position. A dialogue between nations could bring about necessary healing. One would hope, however, that the translation of Obama’s words (if he indeed appears on Iranian television) does not become a political hot point in itself.

Ahmadinejad, who no doubt closely follows what Mr. Obama says and does, opportunely timed the invitation after Obama said his administration was looking to rethink America’s relationship with Iran. Ahmadinejad said the following of this opportunity to mend fences: “The Iranian nation is ready for talks (with the U.S.) but in a fair atmosphere with mutual respect.” His plans for discussion with Obama would include “terrorism, the elimination of nuclear weapons, restructuring the U.N. Security Council and fighting drug trafficking.”

It sounds to Cash Advance Mojo like an open, civil dialogue is possible. Now if only the Center For Responsible Lending could see some of the valid points about cash advance loans. If there could be a similar open dialogue, those advocate groups would begin to serve the general public as they never have before.

Rough road, post-9/11

Former President George W. Bush’s “axis of evil” speech did little to endear America to Middle Eastern nations. Ahmadinejad hopes that can change, and Obama’s presidency could do just that. He said during his inauguration that America “will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” Since then, he has stuck to his conviction that face-to-face dialogue will be useful.

Ahmadinejad has been cautiously optimistic. He sent a congratulatory message to Obama after he was elected which, according to reports, is the first time an Iranian leader had done that for a newly elected American president since the two nations broke contact in the 1980s for political and ideological reasons.

Better relations, better world, better budget

In many ways, improved relations between the United States and the Middle East would not only go a long way toward a safer world, but also a better world economy where free trade is vital. While this may not mean that Iranians ever decide to use payday loans (they claim religious reasons), perhaps they could come to see that these no fax payday loan products are not usury in the most traditional sense.

Related articles

• Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Open to Talks With United States (takepart.com)
• Iran Ready for Talks with United States (politicalwire.com)
• Ahmadinejad: Iran ready to talk to US (guardian.co.uk)

Bailing out banks

I’m taking a Payday Loan and I will stop complaining. But many people are complaining about the bank bailouts and it’s easy to understand why. In a capitalist society, the strong survive and the weak collapse. A bailout, in many respects, is a reward for failure. “Your bank didn’t quite make it? Never mind, here’s five hundred million dollars to help you.”

Are bailouts necessary?

In the situation we are finding ourselves, that bailout is running in circles around the bottom of the barrel, and we don’t really have a choice. We have to do whatever will fix things and ensure the country’s future prosperity. And right now that means bailing out the banks and stimulating the economy.

U.S. – the home of Capitalism

Capitalism generally works well but it has its blind spots. It makes the bank executives take risks in order to build bonuses. They don’t care about systemic risks and often they don’t care about their own shareholders. So, regulation is necessary to reduce risk.

Unfortunately, our regulators dislike regulation, and last year the resulting crisis drove the banking system to the brink of collapse.

Talking of collapse…

Of the big five U.S. investment banks, only Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs are still standing, while Lehman, Bear Stearns and Merrill Lynch have all been buried.

Take a look at the big retail banks. Citigroup stock fell from over $50 to under $5 per share despite huge cash bailouts, and Bank of America is going the same way. Wachovia, the fourth-biggest bank, was acquired. Washington Mutual, once the sixth-biggest, became the biggest failure in U.S. banking history.

You have to think carefully about where you are going to apply for a Payday Loan

Let’s play dominoes – the bank goes first

If the banks go under, there will be huge problems, because our whole economic system runs on credit. Most small companies use lines of credits in their businesses. Most large companies rely on sales of commercial paper. If that money is unavailable because the banks have folded, many solid businesses will go under because of liquidity issues.

What happens when the farmers, truckers, and other businesses, the backbone of our infrastructure, fail? Will there still be food on the supermarket shelves?

The New Deal

Actually, in the Great Depression between 1929 and 1933, about one in five banks folded. These bank failures took a massive toll on the economy, with real GDP falling by 29% and unemployment hitting 25%.

That’s when President Franklin Roosevelt stepped in with a plan called the “New Deal.” He shut down the banks and allowed only sound banks to reopen. This restored confidence in the banking system and Roosevelt went on to focus on employment through public works projects and agricultural programs.

Let’s be optimistic

Warren Buffett knows this history, and that’s probably why he said that the bank bailout was “absolutely necessary to avoid going over the precipice.” Now he’s confident that America will bounce back.

So the bank gets the bail-out…

…and I get the Payday Loan. I hope this will make the banks as happy as the Payday Loan makes me.

States might have to start laying off teachers

Consumers have a lot of options, like instant payday loans, when they need cash. Government entities aren’t so lucky. Their problems can’t be solved with a few hundred dollars.

Right now, the States want money, and they want it fast. These local governments only have one place to turn for the amount of money they need to keep their economies afloat: a bigger government. The United States are sending a message to America: we need stimulus, stat!

Big problems

At least 46 states are facing budget shortfalls. That means that without stimulus money, the states that have gaps in their budgets will have to make cuts to important social services, like health care. Many families will likely have to take out instant payday loans to get prescriptions if government subsidized health care is cut.

It also means putting off road repairs. In Riverside, Calif., the city is waiting for the funding to build sidewalks in places where elementary school children walk to school.

Layoffs and more layoffs

As we all know, the government must pay its workers, too. And we are not just talking about politicians here. The government pays teachers at every level from Kindergarten through college. Road construction workers, public defenders and even librarians could end up losing jobs if states don’t come up with the money to fund their salaries.

Begging for big bucks

Jan Brewer is the second to the right

Some states are facing truly huge budget shortfalls. Arizona is facing a $1.6 billion budget cap if it doesn’t get some help. Massachusetts’ budget is teetering on the edge of $1 billion. Tennessee is about $900 million short. There isn’t an instant payday loan out there big enough to cover that kind of expense.

Related articles

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I think it is the best time to make a profit from gold and a payday loan can help. It is actually a very simple investment; you do not have to watch it like a hawk to make profits like you do in stock or currency trading. You just have to check the market every day and if the rates have gone up, sell it off and make a profit. Keep watching; when the rates come down buy and sell when it is up.

If you keep rinsing and repeating this process you can make a neat profit before the next payday. One other positive factor about this investment is that the price of gold is at its all time high and so it has become the investors’ fancy. So there is no time like the present to make profits from investing in gold.

The trends with gold

Granted this is a volatile market but well within our control.  Even if we do not sell it immediately, we will still be able to profit from our investment. The basic trend of gold prices has been known to shoot up so it can also be a good long time investment. And, if you have a piece of gold, you can choose to sell it anytime you want, so it will never put you in any debt situation. Maybe the profits you make will not be as high as in real estate investment or trading investment but still it is a good bet with your money.

Historical data shows gold to have never let down its investors. The most important factor with gold is that it is a good hedge against inflation. I am not talking about big investments, only the amount of a payday loan. Once you profit, you won’t even notice that you have taken a loan on your next payday. Don’t you think with recession looming around you and gold prices shooting up, it is a good time to invest in gold?

Getting the loan

If you are ready to invest in gold with a cash advance from your income, then you would want to know how to get the payday loan. It is actually a loan from your income which will be due by your next payday, as the name suggests. You can apply for this loan by clicking the “apply” button right on this. Typically, if your application is approved, you will have the money transferred to your bank account within 24 hours, sometimes even within 2 hours. Typically, with a payday loan, they don’t even check your credits or require faxing, and they won’t even charge you for submitting the application.

The terms and conditions will be laid down before you sign and that is all you will be bound for. You don’t have to worry about any hidden charges or exorbitant interests. Usually they are no different from any other ordinary loans. You can get up to $1500 with such loans. These are short term loans for small amounts so you usually have to repay them by the next payday, unless you sign up for some other terms.

If you think you should invest some money somewhere go ahead and get your payday loan and invest it in gold.

Once again, the United States has broken its own record, this time in the unemployment category.

Personal Money Store provides you with faxless payday loans and details on the deepening recession.

The United States continues to reach for greatness, setting new records and leaving the old ones in the dust. Unfortunately, these “triumphs” are in the “highest number of unemployed workers” and “lowest number of homes sold” categories.

Now more unemployed than ever!

Unemployment claims in the U.S. hit a record peak in mid-January. Last week 588,000 new claims were filed for unemployment insurance, the highest number ever recorded. Records date back to 1967. The number of people who continued collecting unemployment during the week of Jan. 17 after filing the previous week was 4.78 million.

I guess Americans don’t have to make a choice anymore when faced with the old saying “Go big or go home.” When it comes to unemployment, they’re doing both. Check out your faxless payday loans store’s daily update on big layoffs.

Home purchases take big nosedive

Despite all the efforts to rescue the housing market, new home sales plunged 14.7 percent in December, another record. December marked the slowest home sales in the United States since 1963, when the data started being recorded.

Overall sales in 2008 fell just short of record-breaking lows. Builders sold 482,000 homes for the entire year. That’s the lowest number of new homes sold since 1982, when the economy scored well in the “dismal home sales” category with 412,000 sales.

Sticking to it

It looks like the U.S. economy will continue its record-breaking performance  for some time. In fact, according to Forbes.com “There is no end in sight.” Michael Darda, chief economist at MKM Partners in Greenwich Connecticut, is slightly more optimistic.

“I don’t think we are going to see a recovery until 2010. It’s possible the economy can bottom sometime in the fall or the winter, but it will be pretty rough sailing ahead, especially for the next quarter or two,” Darda said.

Michael Darda

Not very cheerful news, but it’s better than “no end in sight.”

Your faxless payday loans site does not encourage gambling, but if you are going to do it anyway, now would be a good time to bet on more record-breaking performance in the U.S. economy.

Germany rounds out the world's three biggest economies, falling in line behind the United States and Japan.

Your online payday loan store brings you updates on the world economy.

If you’re one of those “misery loves company” types, then read on. Turns out the United States wasn’t the only company that posted low retail sales last year. Retail sales in Japan dropped the largest amount in four years.

Japanese consumers seem to be following the same patterns as Americans. Spending on clothing and electronics, one of Japan’s biggest industries, has slowed. Japan has the second largest economy in the world after the United States.

Compare and contrast

Check out this article from your online payday loan store on the dismal holiday shopping season in the United States. Much like Americans, Japanese consumers are concerned about their jobs and their incomes.

Japan’s retail sales fell 2.7 percent in December, the biggest drop the country has seen in four years. It also marked the fourth straight month of decline in retail sales. In the United States retail sales also fell more than 2 percent in December, but it was the sixth straight month of decline. Looks like we’re ahead of the curve. Too bad that’s not good news in this case.

All too familiar

One of Japan's largest companies is facing its first loss in 14 years

One of Japan’s biggest and most well known companies, Sony Corp., is likely to post its first loss in 14 years, reports say. Many large companies are cutting production — and jobs along with it. Consumer spending accounts for more than half of Japan’s gross domestic product.

Spending at large department stores and supermarkets in Japan fell 6.3 percent. One department store operator, J. Front Retailing Co., has canceled its plans for two new locations.

Keep up with news on the economy through your online payday loan store.

The current economy is a troubling thing, and a lot of people are worried they’ll have to start getting payday loans to cover the most basic of costs, or cut almost all spending entirely.  The good news is that there are ways to save on just about anything.

Typically, one of the industries that are more or less recession-proof is recreation. Cinema revenue hasn’t yet been down this year, in spite of the worst recession in living memory. There’s been a cash crunch in nearly every other major industry. Some industries like retail and manufacturing have been laying off workers by the bushel.  Some people worry that the annual vacation is going to have to be canceled. You don’t necessarily have to cancel that vacation – you may only have to  change destination and theme.

A wealth of options for recreational travel may just be closer than you think

In the current economic climate, it may indeed be prudent to cancel the plans for a family flight out to California to go the beach, Disneyland and Sea World.  There are plenty of other recreation options available to you that are economical, just as fun, and can even be educational if done right.

For those of us who are city and suburb dwellers, we like our major metropolitan areas. The bright lights, the convenience of all that handy stuff, but we often neglect something – The Great Outdoors.  You may not even need a wealth of payday loans in order to go there.  Hiking trips are also great for the family because it can also teach your children about nature conservation, responsibility, and hey – it gets them out in the fresh air and away from the PlayStation or Xbox for a few days.

Turns out it’s a lot cheaper than Disneyland, and the work is done for you

For the cost of the plane tickets for normal travel, you can outfit a family of three or four with enough gear to camp out for a week, in relative comfort.  Also, it pays to do your research. Most state parks with camp sites available have online maps which will tell you which campsites have what amenities and what the fee is for an overnight stay, or if there is one.

Many parks have free campsites, but the site may not have any features to it whatsoever except clearings and fire pits.  Also, there are campsites that are close to national monuments.  Remember to definitely be safe, make sure trash and any and all leftover food is put away and in containers that don’t leak the scent, and leave the camp a little cleaner than you found it.  One of the most aggravating sights for veteran outdoors people (campers and hikers) is to come across a litany of soda cans left behind. You can be fined for leaving trash if you get discovered by a park ranger. Also, be extra sure to extinguish any camp fires.

State parks on rivers often have raft packages and tours that are available for very reasonable rates and many are located around lakes too.  You may not have to drive too far if you look online.

Just remember, if you’ve taken a trip, then found you have some sort of emergency leaving you short on funds, you can get help with payday loans.

Even as he leaves office as one of the most unpopular presidents in American history, George W. Bush won’t be needing payday loans, or really anything else for that matter. The 43rd President of the United States leaves office for his ranch in Crawford, Texas, and will be soon moving into a large home outside of Dallas in an elite neighborhood called Preston Hollow. Preston Hollow is one of the most affluent neighborhoods around Dallas, and most homes there go for over $1 million very easily. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban will be a few streets down.

He may not be President anymore – but we still foot the bill

In the late 50s, the idea that former US Presidents still needed to draw some sort of a paycheck was on then President Dwight Eisenhower’s mind. His predecessor, and former boss, Harry Truman was running out of funds keeping an office open, and it was thought to be a great injustice. Though the issue had come up as early as 1912, it was decided by Congress that it was a good time to do something about it, and they passed the Former President’s Act. The Act entitled all former Presidents at the time and all who followed after to an annual pension, free medical care at any military hospital, and an allowance for staffers and assistants.

They also receive a fund for travel and any other office leaving expenses available for seven months after the date of leaving office, and with it they may travel to wherever they are going, and obtain office space, equipment, and any printing or postage associated with leaving office. The going rate for a former chief executive is about $191,300 per annum, and it is indeed taxable, so they won’t need payday loans again, for life.

A pension plan has never been refused

It is noteworthy that some Presidents didn’t really need any money going into office, as some presidents, such as Kennedy and Washington, outright refused to be paid, Washington asking only for living expenses getting covered.  That being said, no president has ever refused the pension upon leaving office, and former presidents can earn millions publishing memoirs and going on speaking tours.

Other benefits include up to ten years of Secret Service security detail, and a pension for former First Ladies upon the death of their husbands of $20,000 per annum, along with a Secret Service detail for ten year’s upon leaving office. The law previously was that outgoing Presidents received lifetime details, but it was changed during the later period of the Clinton administration. Bill Clinton is the last president to receive a lifetime detail. It should be noted that only one former president has refused secret service protection, though he maybe needed it due to his unpopularity – Richard Nixon, who discharged his detail in 1985.

A pension in hand is worth a lot to Bush

Say what you want about him, the office has taken a toll.  One year in office extracts about two to four years of ordinary wear and tear on a person, and analysts have said that his administration has put about sixteen years of strain in eight on him at least.  However, his benefits package is so good that he won’t be needing payday loans ever again.

Those who are steadily employed today might find themselves without a job tomorrow due to the continuous rise in lay-offs and downsizing. And the unemployed have a hard time getting health insurance, payday loan and other financial benefits.

Payday loan companies will have to give the thumbs down to 4.5 million potential borrowers in the coming days. These are the jobless and recently unemployed and their numbers are still growing by the day. Unemployed people cannot apply for paycheck loans since they have no regular paycheck to look forward to. Their only option to claim some benefit is to file for unemployment.

Unemployed Americans breaking records

And that’s just what they are doing. Around 4.5 million jobless Americans are collecting unemployment benefits, the highest recorded in 26 years. The huge volume of calls caused multiple crashes in websites and telephone systems used for filing unemployment benefits.

Unemployed Americans crashing websites and phone systems

The sudden upsurge of callers and claimants came in the wake of the continuing rise of unemployment all over the state. The sad part is that claimants of unemployment compensation have to call again to file for extended benefits.

The statewide unemployment rate rose to 5.9% last November, up from 4.4% in 2007. The recent figure represents 6.5% of the national work force compared to 4.5% in the past year.

Internet and phone claims systems in North Carolina, New York and Ohio completely buckled down under the weight of heavy call volume and computer software glitches. State labor officials in other parts of the country also reported unusually heavy volume of callers that caused system slowdowns.

North Carolina

North Carolina’s skyrocketing unemployment rate and the rush of claims overwhelmed the state’s benefits website, causing it to break down twice this week. The incident has set two records for the state – the amount of paid benefits and total transactions made all in one day.

Last Monday, the sheer volume of people trying to claim benefits online was thrice that before the economic crunch began. The bulk of callers, coupled with phone line problems, flooded out the agency’s computers and kept some claimants from calling in.

The lines were fixed and were working again by afternoon of the same day after the agency installed an additional server, agency insiders said.

New York

New York’s online and phone claims system began to bog down last Monday and was completely inaccessible from morning until afternoon Tuesday when about 10,000 callers per hour sought to get in, said Labor Department spokesman Leo Rosales.

He said that it was not the huge volume of calls that caused the system to break down. It was caused by a bug in the software used for filer identity verification. This software is similar to those used by secure online payment systems, payday loan websites and paid membership sites to verify a visitor’s identity before allowing them access.

There are around 256,000 people in New York today who are collecting unemployment benefit claims, up from last year’s 184,000.

Ohio

In Ohio, the state’s unemployment benefits hotline was also overwhelmed by calls last Tuesday, causing system bottlenecks which left thousands of callers unable to get in. State Department spokesman Brian Harter said the benefits hotline normally receives around 7,500 calls per day. Calls recorded this week reached 80,000 a day.

Harter also added that claimants who tried to go online as an alternative failed because the website for filing claims also went down. It was not mentioned, however, if payday loan, credit reduction and debt consolidation websites were affected.

Part of Obama’s costly Stimulus Plan involves alternative energy generating which should create jobs as well. At a time when many of us are in desperate need of a payday loan, a plan comes to light that just might work. Within a handful of days before getting sworn in, President-elect Barack Obama visited Ohio, making an appearance at the Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Co., a manufacturer of parts for wind turbines which generate electricity. In proposing his humongous economic stimulus plan, he has said, “It’s not too late to change course – but only if we take dramatic action as soon as possible . . . The first job of my administration is to put people back to work and get our economy moving again.”

The plan in hand is quite enormous indeed. . .

We’re talking about an $825+ billion stimulus package, representing around $275 billion in tax cuts over the next two years as well as $550 billion in federal spending to make this plan work to kick-start our critical economy. In pitching this whole idea, our 44th president explained that it is required to create long-lasting, well-paying employment positions in many fields such as alternative energy, and help out industrial states that have been hit hard by the failing economy, like Ohio, immediately and for a long time to come.

To some, his idea seems to make sense. . .

In speaking on the subject of creating jobs for the American people, he said, “We’re not looking to create just any kind of jobs here. . .  We’re looking to create good jobs that pay well and won’t be shipped overseas. Jobs that don’t just put people to work in the short term, but position our economy to be on the cutting edge in the long term.” Well said. And really, that’s all we want, right? Imagine a time where we can be comfortable enough to not have the need to take out a life-saving payday loan. That’s what we definitely could use right about now, wouldn’t you agree?

Is this all just a wind-blown idea?

Other energy related proposals will include $20+ billion in tax cuts for promoting the development of alternatives for fossil fuels, and quite a few billion more for making buildings and homes, such as federal buildings, modest-income homes and public housing, more energy efficient. Of course, such an enormous plan won’t only focus on this one angle to stimulate the economy. Besides energy, this plan is also to focus quite heavily on health care, education and highway construction which will create many jobs as well.

His call to action has a tone of urgency in his voice

True enough, Obama has a phenomenally huge mess to clean up when it comes to our economy. He hit the nail right on the head when he said, “The need for us to act is now. It’s never been more urgent”. I cannot think of any other time in history when a U.S. President ever walked into the job with an inordinately overwhelming amount of things that needs to be done. From his very first day in the office, he’ll be handed the reins to a country in one of the worst crisis situations in a good long while. In light of the reality of our country’s situation, Barack Obama also said, “Recovery won’t happen overnight, and it’s likely that, even with these measures, things will get worse before they get better.” As for myself, I’d better apply for a payday loan.

The medical industry in the United States of America is amongst the most hotly contested issues of the day, and it takes most average parents to payday loans applications than it ever used to.  Saving on medical costs is a hard thing to do, especially since children require more trips to the doctor than most adults.  You can’t fault the little darlings for it – they don’t have the immune system strength that an adult has, and things that most of us would shrug off with impunity, like a mild case of flu or a slightly more aggressive cold, will put the average five year old on the floor with ease.

Want to save money on doctor’s bills?  There’s an easy way

There are a million home remedies and anecdotes on how to keep healthy – “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” – and some of them are absolutely right, such as making sure the kids get proper nutrition and a healthy intake of vitamins.  There’s another way to keep them healthy, and this one won’t cost that much at all to do and actually could save their life, and your budget, since if they follow this rule you won’t have to get payday loans to take them to hospital as often.

Make sure the kids wash their hands – it may save their life and you money

Making sure that kids wash their hands and any cuts they may pick up is now becoming amongst the most paramount things for a parent to do.  The levels of one of the nastiest infections you can get are becoming almost epidemic, and that is the disease known as MRSA, or “mersa” – a community acquired infection.  Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus is a resistant strain of the common staph infection, and it is nasty.  MRSA is now responsible for more deaths per year in the US than AIDS.

One of the easiest ways to prevent it is to wash hands and any wounds thoroughly, and using a non drying hand sanitizer is about the best move to make.  Also, any wounds should not be exposed – cover them with a clean bandage.  MRSA is spread in community areas, such as gyms, schools, and hospitals – hospitals are the number one culprit site of infection – so kids with a boo-boo need to be extra cautious, and keep themselves clean and away from other sick kids.

The most common transmission of the disease is skin to skin contact.  MRSA can be treated by a healthcare provider, but the treatments for it, especially if already hospitalized, get expensive very fast.  A MRSA infection in an already hospitalized patient will tack on an extra few thousand bucks, so shelling out for hand sanitizer and band aids doesn’t sound quite as bad anymore, does it?

Be aware, but don’t be alarmed

The rate of infection is rising, but don’t get too alarmed.  Only 1% of the population carries it, and most victims are hospitalized with serious conditions already – one of the most common sites of hospital acquired MRSA is through feeding and catheter tubes.  So remember, the best way to keep your kids away from dangerous infections is to keep them clean, and one of the best ways to keep your budget uninfected is by using payday loans to fight off a money bug.

Group will cruise into a new tour in May

In the wake of the bands’ return to success, they have been mapping out touring engagements, some of which had them touring all over the United States last year, and plans to embark on a European tour, they also decided to pencil in a short tour on a cruise ship. The cruise ship tour will run a route between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the Bahamas, over a 3 day period.  The first announcement was treated as a joke, but then the band confirmed in the press that it was serious.  They are really going on a cruise ship tour – where they will be “serving pińa colada’s instead of drinking them!”  Cruise ship engagements for bands are typically considered the arena of has-beens and one hit wonders.

New Kids on the Block were an entertainment phenomenon in the late 80s and early 90s, selling millions of albums and going on wildly successful tours worldwide.  The band is credited with ushering in the “Boy Band Era,” which included other smash successes such as the Backstreet Boys and N’Sync, both of which had reunions, although short lived, in the last few years.   The New Kids on the Block reunion was a successful one, as their reunion album has been certified Gold since its release, and a lengthy tour schedule for 2009 is already in place, so the cruise is a bit of a one off, like getting payday loans every now and again for a temporary shortfall.

The New Kids History

The band formed in Boston in the late 80s, and after some initial struggles, the band found a serious niche in the teen pop market, finally breaking into mainstream attention by the end of the 80s, receiving heavy airplay on radio and MTV, and starting concert tours that crossed the globe.   Producer Maurice Starr put the group together as an alternative group to the New Edition, who the New Kids eventually eclipsed in sales, and also saturated the market with heavy merchandising. After years of touring began taking their toll, the group broke up in the middle of a tour in 1994, and reunion rumors persisted for years while the members pursued other careers, such as Donnie Wahlberg’s venture into acting, landing him roles in blockbusters such as Ransom, The Sixth Sense, and the Saw series. The group finally agreed to fully reunite for 2008, and have thus far committed wholly to it.

New Kids on the Cruise Ship

Despite the decline over the last few years in boy band popularity, the New Kids picked up almost exactly where they left off.  If you need to get your finances back to where they were before a temporary setback, you can get your budget reunited with itself with the help of payday loans.