Cash for Clunkers Part 2 – For Semi-Trucks
Woo-hoo good buddy! Looks like Cash for Clunkers Part 2 is right around the corner. This time it’s for our good friends the semi drivers. We have a special affinity for those hardworking drivers who really do make our economy hum. Just think about, all of those shiny new gadgets, clothes and even food get to the store from the hard work of our truck drivers, without them our choices would be very limited. Now it’s time to give them a break, how does $5 Grand sound?? There are a number of government programs coming online giving $5,000 to scrap inefficient, gas guzzling trucks. This not only helps the driver, but helps all of us by putting cleaner more fuel efficient trucks on the road. If all works right, this could even lower the cost of all those shiny goods because of reduced fuel costs. “Similar to the federal Cash for Clunkers initiative in 2009, the Charleston air cleanup program, and others like it nationwide, offers truckers a $5,000 incentive plus the scrap value of their truck, if it was made before 1994, to buy a 2004 or newer model truck, said Byron Miller, a spokesman for the state Ports Authority.” Read more about this program here. Sounds like a win-win to us!! What do you...
read moreAre you spending more??
The results are in… economic data shows that consumers spent more in October, well at least a little bit. Retail spending was up 0.5% in October. Does this mean that christmas will be better? Does it mean the economy is rebounding? Are you planning on spending more? “Stronger economic growth helped calm fears that the economy could slide back into a recession. Still, growth would need to be nearly double the third-quarter rate — consistently — to make a significant dent in unemployment.” These are interesting numbers for sure, but we’re not so sure that it means were on the way to roses… Read more here, and as always be sure to give us your...
read moreLook it’s a parade…Ooops, nope I’m Just Quitting!
From time to time we all have probably had a daydream or two about quitting our job, and not just quitting, but quitting in a big way. It seems as though when budgets are cut and people are laid off, the remaining employees are saddled with all of the extra work. This extra work, and the pressure associated with it causes a lot of frustration that continues to build and build until something has to give. Either you find a way to blow off this steam or you get real drastic and quit your job. Here’s an article about a few of those people who just couldn’t find another way but to leave and leave in a BIG WAY. Is hiring a band to acccompany you when you quit a good idea, let us know your...
read morePoof there goes $120 BILLION from the economy
With the markets spinning out of control, the government not knowing what to do and panic hitting the streets, here’s the next major issue that is about to hit the economy. One of the measures taken by Congress last year was to temporarily reduce payroll taxes that added back an average of $1000 to employees take home pay. This $1000 was supposed to be put back into the economy through consumer spending. The only problem is that the rollback is slated to end this year, and if it isn’t extended we might as well pour fuel on our economic fire. “Economists are growing more worried that Congress will not extend this year’s payroll-tax cut past Dec. 31, pulling up to $120 billion out of consumers’ pockets and cutting into already tepid forecasts for household spending in the first half of 2012.” Here is an article showing in more detail the financial impact if Congress doesn’t extend this...
read moreBlack Friday’s just over a week away…is it a good thing?
Ah the joys of Thanksgiving… Huge turkey dinner, falling asleep on the couch and of course FOOTBALL!!! But there’s one more tradition that has us all excited, Black Friday. The excitement of waking up before the sun just to save a few bucks. Well this may be one tradition that we want to look at more closely to determine if it is really worth all of the effort. Check this out to see if Black Friday is a blessing or a curse.
read moreIt may be a winter wonderland, but I’d like to have lights.
It’s that time of the year again, old man winter is making his debut throughout the country. While it may be beautiful outside, it sure isn’t any fun when there is no electricity in the house. Here’s an article on “How to keep the power on during a storm” Have you lost your power during one of the recent storms, let us know your experience.
read moreHere’s a change…Lowering Tuition Costs?
Whether you agree or not on if an actual college education is worthwhile, I’m sure everyone can agree on the fact that it is just too darn expensive. Well looks like were not alone, here are a couple of University’s that are actually reducing their tuition costs. The real question is whether this is an altruistic move, or they are simply trying to fill more seats. Let us know your opinion on the cost and actual benefits of having a degree.
read moreWhat did you spend last month?
If you read the news or listen to the doomsayers, it looks like the sky is falling. But there is new data to suggest that consumers actually spent more than expected last month. I don’t know about you, but we still have our hands tightly wrapped around our wallets. Did you spend more last month on consumer goods? Drop us a line and let us know how confident you are about the economy and what you’re doing about it in your house. To read more about the consumer spending in October, click here.
read more‘R You ready for Black Friday? Toys ‘R Us is…
Toy’s ‘R Us has unveiled their Black Friday ads, gosh is it already that time again. We all better get crackin. View the newest ads here, just make sure to do it without your kids in the room 🙂
read moreNot So Fast Seattle – The Bust Is On It’s Way
Oh to all those who thought they sailed through the housing debacle relatively unscathed, it looks like the reaper is on his way. From 2007 to today, we have all heard the horror stories of towns like Las Vegas, Phoenix, and the whole of California being drawn down into the quagmire of foreclosure and falling home prices. Yet, there were still pockets of stability and good news spread throughout the country. Seattle, Minneapolis, Atlanta and hosts of other locales were relatively unaffected, until now. New data shows that these once spared markets are beginning to feel the same pain as the rest of the country. “But other regions are a step or two behind–so they’re feeling more acute pain right now. And as the effects of last year’s federal tax credits for homebuyers continue to wear off, things could get even worse. The Seattle market, for instance, is down by 31 percent from its peak in 2007.” We will continue to monitor the developments in these markets, and share information we have learned from our credit repair clients, on both how to survive this and of the potential windfalls to be had for those with the ways and means to profit from this situation. For further information on the second coming of the foreclosure crisis, click...
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