Direct Selling Gets a Boost from the Slowed Economy

As the economy slows people are turning to direct selling to bring in extra money every month. People are worried about job security and seasonal hiring is less than in recent years. Many college students whose parents can’t pay tuition have dropped out of college and are turning to direct selling to make money to pay tuition for going back to college later.

In recent years numbers in the direct selling industry had declined but the bad economy has many companies seeing a huge increase in their numbers. Many turn to direct selling as a way to bring in extra income every month but some have turned to direct selling full-time. For them, they see the residual income they make from direct selling as wonderful retirement plan and don’t see themselves returning to having a full-time job for another employer ever again. They enjoy being their own boss.

Cast your vote and get a flu shot

Many people around the country are lining up early to cast their vote. A non-partisan program, Vote and Vax, has arranged with 250 polling stations around the country to offer flu vaccinations. The program was first piloted in 2006. The clinics are convenient and available in 36 states.

In other health news…
Drug companies have conceded to pedestrians and say that children under four years old should not be given cough or cold medicine. These medicines will no longer be marketed to children under four and warnings and instructions will be placed on the labels.

Let’s Get Ready to Party

In a week’s time we will elect a new President of our country. I hope people vote their wallets versus race, class, or gender. While protecting us from terrorists is an important skill I need a president who can improve the economy and my financial situation. I’m not asking for a handout but an environment where everyone not just a few can have the American Dream.

Whether Senator Obama wins or Senator McCain wins I say everyone should get out and party. Or party at your home. No matter who wins, the Bush/Cheney administration will be over. By January’s inauguration we will have a new administration that will be better than the one we’ve suffered through for the last eight years. Pop the cork, pass the champagne, and turn up the music. It’s time to get this party started!

Pensions are safer than 401(k)s

If you have a 401(k) you assume the risk when the markets take a downturn. It you have a pension and are fully vested, by law your company is required to pay you what you’ve earned. However you do have to wait until you are 55 to 65 years old to collect it.

While you do what you can to minimize the risk to your retirement savings here are some ways you can save almost $9,000 per year to put towards your retirement.

Engage in strategic shopping. Potential savings: $5,000. Track deals at your local store, online, and direct from the manufacturers of items that you buy. Taking the time to do this before you go shopping will save you a lot of money.

Avoid what author David Bach calls the “latte factor”. Buy enough from the grocery store to make you meals at home. Bring your meals to work. Cutting back on this wasteful spending can save you almost $2,500. Paying atm fees would fit into this category.

Upgrade your appliances and potentially save $150 dollars per year. By upgrading a refrigerator to one that is more energy efficient saves you money and is a small step in living “green”.

Go generic and potentially save $170. Buying generic brands from the grocery store and other local stores like CVS or Target keeps money in your pocket. Don’t be afraid of store brands.

Pay an extra $1 on your credit cards and potentially save over $200. Try increasing what you typically pay per month on your credit cards to one dollar a day. If you add $30 to what you normally pay, you will pay down the credit card debt sooner and save on interest payments.

Pool together and share a babysitter. This can give you a potential savings of over $700. Even though providers may pro-rate their fees based on the number of children, pooling with neighbors or friends can bring a savings of 20% to 50%.

The Internet bringing connection

The Internet may be a catalyst for bringing patients and healthcare providers together. For many years now patients have been using the Internet to connect with each other to talk about treatments, rate doctors, etc in a way to build connection because they don’t feel connected to their healthcare providers. Angry and frustrated doctors fed up with the healthcare system may lead the way in building the bridge between doctors and patients. Patients are already using the web to empower themselves so it’s about time that the slow-moving medical system get with the program and make it better. This will lead to better treatment and better doctor-patient experiences.

In other health news…
Parents of children with autism are pressing for autism insurance coverage. According to the Autism Society of America, the lifetime expenses for caring for a child with autism can reach as high as $5 million. Currently House Bill 83 is being considered in Virginia’s General Assembly. It would cap insurance at $36,000 per child per year. Other states have capped at $50,000. Pennsylvania and South Carolina currently have autism insurance mandates. Opponents to the mandates say that the mandates could increase insurance premiums. Many parents feel paying higher rates is worth it.

Colin Powell Supports Barack Obama

Say it ain’t so Colin! I know that’s what those in the McCain camp were saying when they learned that on Meet the Press on Sunday, Colin Powell told Tom Brokaw and millions of viewers that he supports Barack Obama. His reasons? He doesn’t feel Senator McCain has a firm grasp on the realities of our economic crisis and he feels Senator McCain showed a lack of judgment by choosing Governor Palin as his running mate. In his view Governor Palin is not ready to lead the country. He believes that Senator Obama is a transformational figure and that is who we need as the next President of the United States of America. I agree.

In other news…
Senator Obama will leave the campaign trail Thursday and Friday of this week to visit his ailing grandmother in Hawaii. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. But don’t worry Senator Biden and Michele Obama will continue to campaign while he visits his grandmother.

Volatile market and Social Security on the rise?

This week the market has suffered significant losses. However, some investors are getting back into the market as oil prices continue to fall. On Monday the market rallied with the Dow Jones gaining 936 points but the market has suffered huge losses since Tuesday. Even with signs of late rally this afternoon any gains have been wiped away. I personally haven’t looked at my retirement funds since the crises began because I’m not interested in being depressed. I think it will be many more months before we see the markets start to show any relief from the bailout package if they show any at all.

In other money news…
Beginning in January Social Security benefits will go up 5.8%. That will be an increase of about $63 for the average retiree. This is the largest increase since 1982. The average retiree will go from receiving $1,090 per month to $1,153 per month. 50 million Americans will benefit from this increase in benefits. The Social Security Trust Fund is scheduled to deplete its reserves by 2041 and start paying out more than it takes in by 2017.