Before the tightening  of the credit markets, it was common for real estate investors to have up to 10 mortgages and in some cases more depending on their local banking relationships.  In today’s environment, it is uncommon to see investors who have more than 3 or 4 mortgages obtain a loan for additional properties even if the numbers make financial sense.

Typical multi-family investments are duplexes, triplexes (tris) and quadplexes (quads).  Multi-family investors often find that their units do not command rents as high as single family homes, nor do they see quite as much appreciation, but for buy and hold investors, or roll your sleeve up investors who are willing to improve a property and raise rents, they can be a fantastic investment.

Location of a multi-family property is one of the biggest factors in it’s future value and rental demand.  In areas with higher density such as cities, or college towns, multi-family properties are ideal for rental.  Tenants in dense markets do not expect, nor do they usually care about amenities such as a yard or garage that single family home owners desire.  They are more sensitive to the rental amount that fits their monthly budget.

Single family homes in dense areas often do not command enough rent to cover the expenses and create a positive net cash flow (this is common in markets such as California).  With lower price per square foot and multiple units, multi-family properties will typically allow an investor to generate positive net cash flow, or be close to neutral and take advantage of future appreciation, tax benefits and principal paid by renters.

A popular exit strategy for multi-family property owners is dividing units into individual units and selling them separately to maximize their sales price.  This process is called condo conversion and will have different rules and regulations based on the properties location and zoning requirements.  In most markets, a property owner will have to have their plans approved by the city council and inspected to meet requirements such as a firewall in between the units of the building.

The owner may also have to work with their lender to determine loan payoff, as they may have a due on sale clause in their mortgage contract.  This usually happens when more than 4 units are involved, as properties with more than 4 units will almost always have to be financed through a commercial loan.  Commercial loans are held by the banks that originate the note, or what is commonly referred to as “holding their paper”.  Commercial loans are more flexible in their terms, but usually have strict requirements about payment upon sale.

Multi-family properties can be a fantastic addition to real estate portfolios depending on location, condition and market factors.  Before purchasing a multi-family property, prospective buyers should conduct heavy market research such as average price per square foot, insurance and tax rates, as well as what realistically they demand for rent.  If the numbers pencil out and future of the location looks positive, it may be a purchase worth making.  Keep an eye in dense markets such as college towns and cities where renters tend to be more conscious about their monthly budget and people tend to rent longer before purchasing.

Lets face it, for some people, being a landlord is very undesirable, but having the security and benefits of owning real estate is very desirable.  Triple net leases are able to offer the security of owning a tangible investment like real estate, without having to place tenants every year and worry about the headaches and time it takes to maintain a property.  Instead of dealing with individual people, tenants are corporate companies with credit ratings that allow owners to asses their level of risk and return.  The higher a company’s corporate credit rating, the lower the capitulation rate (cap rate) or annual return on your investment.  Typical cap rates for triple net lease range from 6% to 10%, although some triple net leases offer lower and higher cap rates.

Triple net leases are also unique in their duration.  Unlike a typical residential lease that lasts only 6 to 12 months, a triple net lease lasts typically 15 to 30 years.  This is a huge advantage for property owners who want consistency in the monthly payments and the security of not having to worry about the constant struggle of placing tenants.  Triple net leases also take into consideration inflation and typically include rent increase clauses through the life of the lease term.

Typical tenants for triple net leases are Walgreens, CVS, Social Security Administration, Arbys, Pizza Hut, 7eleven, Wells Fargo and many more.  These well recognized companies are willing to participate in triple net leases, because owning all of their business locations is not advantageous to their business model or growth.

The purchase prices of triple net leases have a wide range that can be as low as $500,000 and exceed $20,000,000.  Most purchasers of triple net leases put 50% down, or pay cash through a 1031 exchange or savings.  A triple net lease purchaser may be looking to have a healthy cash flow for retirement, or perhaps steady income after inheriting a large sum of money.

Lets take a look at a typical triple net lease for a buyer who has decided to 1031 exchange their money into a Walgreens (on a side note, Walgreens will typically only occupy corner locations unless confined to a large city) that is AAA rated with a cap rate of 7.25% at a purchase price of $5,500,000.

Purchase Price: $5,500,000
Cap Rate: 7.25%

To Calculate the annual and monthly payments, simply take the purchase price of $5,500,000 multiplied by 7.25% for the annual rental amount, which is $398,750 or $33,229.17 every month.  This is an ideal situation for an investor who is looking for a consistent return, plus likes owning real estate.  Some investors may be willing to purchase a triple net lease with a lower credit rating for a stronger cap rate in the 9%-10% range.

Owning a triple net property offers a long term lease with a corporately rated tenant, opposed to an individual tenant in residential real estate.  The major benefit of a triple net lease is the consistent monthly return without the hassles of being a landlord.  If you would like more information on triple net leases or the properties available, please sign up here, or call us at 312-265-8417.

I’m sitting in a hotel lobby this week writing posts. If you noticed last week the pitch was about Hotwire and Priceline. I was trying to book a trip. I was determined to find something good and didn’t want to take the risk with either of those websites. However, I just gave into it and booked something on the sites. I ended up at a pretty nice hotel in downtown St. Louis.

However, when I went to look at reviews on the internet about the hotel, the reviews were all bad. Some were bad for no reason, some were bad because the reviewer actually had a bad experience.

Now, here’s the problem I am having with places that have been reviewed on the internet, this particulary pertains to places on trip, hotel, and food review sites: People are more likely to complain than report a satisfactory experience. I am guilty of it: a lot of times, I end up writing about when something makes me angry or I am unhappy with a situation.

You will always have a few people who are going to report on how the situation was regardless of whether or not the experience was good; but more often people will complain than brag. Honestly, the entire situation isn’t very fair to the establishments.

For example, the hotel I’m staying at has particularly bad reviews. I believe on Yelp, this hotel is rated a 2 out of 5, which is not very good at all. It all has to do with the fact that there isn’t wireless internet for free in the rooms (which is stated on the hotel’s website and is fairly common knowledge in my opinion), parking isn’t free (but there aren’t many places in the downtown area that hae free parking), and the bathrooms are small.

I believe that most places should be given a fair chance and that you can’t go by what all the reviews are.

How many times have you gotten your phone bill and thought “We are spending way too much money on this?” We used to do that a lot. When you take your phone bill and add it to the fact that you’re paying for your cell phones and any other forms of communication, I know that sometimes you might think,”Is this land line even necessary?”

I have a love hate (but mostly hate) relationship with my land line. I really don’t want to get rid of it because I don’t always have cell phone service in my house and I don’t want to miss any important calls (and with my luck, the day I turned off the land line, I would get one of those important calls).

To help with my problem, I started looking into VoIP services. I’m sure that everyone has heard of Vonage. If you have cable, I’m sure at one point in time the company has tried to sell you on its digital telephone package (which is simply VoIP). There are many more providers than just this handful though.

After a brief Google search for VoIP providers, I found some really good deals out there. Most were cheaper than Vonage’s $24.95 a month.

You can choose what provider you want by the features you want. If you have friends or family outside the United States, then make sure you pick a plan that offers free calling to international numbers. Sometimes you can find services that offer calling for free to the UK and Europe.  Most providers offer free calling to Canada and Mexico.

There are also some providers that offer a reduced price for service, but it requires you to leave your computer on all the time. The Magic Jack is the most popular form of that. I wouldn’t use one because I don’t want to have to leave my computer on for days and days at a time, and like I said before, the one time I have to restart my computer, I’m sure I’d miss the call I was waiting for.

I just feel like no matter what you pick, if you have a high speed internet connection, you can definitely save money with a VoIP service versus a traditional phone line. You just have to make sure that your connection is reliable and always on. Also, don’t forget, if you have DSL you may not be able to get rid of your land line.

Apple has a serious downfall when it comes to their iphone and software development kit or sdk for those in the know. The problem with the ingenious design is the fact that the “apps” are only accessible once the app is approved by Apple and designated.

Don’t even get me started on the Google Voice fiasco that just happened and landed Apple in some hot water with the FCC….

Now the iphone application store has rejected a new application because the application allows the reading of the Karma Sutra. It is to be noted that the book reader Eucalyptus does not come with any books, but the K.S. is available for download onto devices and could be read at another time.

Whether it be the fact that Apple’s development team may decide that your application isn’t good enough for their devices or good enough to be released to their “cloud,” there are different places for software developers to go to have their programs viewed by many.

Apple has also been thinking of releasing a “net book” also. I suppose the net book would run like net books that run on Windows or Linux and are just able to run simple programs or surf the internet. Apple would undoubtedly make a net book that would be impossible to make programs for and far less powerful than any of the current mac books that are out there today.

The mac/pc commercials make me so mad because the pc just gives up when “the Megan” asks for a computer that doesn’t have software issues like crashing or viruses. Well guess what “Megan,” Mac’s have all those same problems too. As a matter of fact, I have been on a Mac many times in the past and gotten their version of a blue screen of death. I mean the iMac may have been the worst personal computer I have ever used, however there are so many people who think that the Macintosh name and product line is the best thing that has ever happened to the computer industry.

Whatever the reason, I think that people will enjoy PC’s and Windows mobile, Android, WebOS, and Symbian phones for much longer once the novelty of the iPhone wears off (like everyone knows it will).

There is a huge market right now for energy drinks. When it comes to growth in the carbonated and non carbonated beverages markets, the only things causing growth is energy drinks and diet sodas.

Since energy drinks are so insanely popular right now (I’ll go ahead and blame it on the fact that no one is getting the amount of sleep they need and are working longer hours), here are some things to watch out for with your favorites.

*Remember, if you can, go for the Sugar Free or “Low Carb” versions of the drinks, they nearly eliminate calories and you won’t get that weird sugar rush.*

5 Hour Energy
The 5 hour energy shot claims to give you five hours of energy without crashing or jitters and it’s sugar free!

While it isn’t published exactly how much caffeine is in one of these 2 ounce shots, the company claims it’s about as much as a cup of coffee. In my opinion, this is a better alternative to coffee because I have a very coffee-intolerant stomach. If you’re a coffee drinker or an energy drink fan, like myself, then the caffeine in one of these should be just enough to give you a quick pick me up, but you may not feel the effects for the full five hours.

Red Bull (The 8 ounce can)
The regular version of this drink has 110 calories and 27 grams of sugar. It also contains 76 mg of caffeine, which is less than most restaurant coffees. It also comes with Taurine and B-Vitamins. B-vitamins are supposed to help boost the metabolism, but reports say that taurine work against that effect (and sugar definitely doesn’t help in the fight against calories).

Red Bull has been deemed safe by a 2008 research study that was presented to the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. There were no negative side effects on those who drank a can.

Red Bull is my particular favorite. I keep a 4-pack in my fridge at all times. In my opinion, the sugar free version of this drink is better than the regular version and you aren’t left with that awful “I just drank syrup” taste in your mouth.

AMP
This is the energy drink that is supposed to be from Mountain Dew. The 16.9 ounce can has 220 calories, 58 grams of sugar, and 142 mg of caffeine. If these numbers are discouraging, there is also a sugar free version of this drink.

This can be considered a big Red Bull, except it tastes very different in my opinion. It has all the same supplements like taurine, ginseng, and guarana. From personal experience, if you like this drink it is typically cheaper in the four packs than Red Bull because it comes in a can that’s twice the size.

Sobe Energy Adrenaline Rush
This has been deemed the “Worst Energy Drink” due to it’s 260 calories, 66 grams of sugar, and 152 mg of caffeine in a 16.9 ounce can. It contains D-ribose, L-carnitine, and taurine which are natural compounds that your body uses to maintain its metabolism.

Due to the high levels of sugar in this drink, there is a higher risk for a fairly massive sugar crash afterward. This drink has the same amount of sugar as 5.5 scoops of Edy’s slow churned Rocky Road ice cream.

I remember when Adrenaline Rush came in the smaller 8.9 ounce cans. It was the very first energy drink I ever had. I honestly can’t stand the way they taste now and their sugar free version leaves something to be desired.

In the recession, some employers are finding themselves in the position to leave a lot of candidates hanging when it comes to finding employees. Some employers are actually taking advantage of the desperation that many candidates are feeling and they are doing some things that they may not have done in the past. According to World News and Report here are a few things that employers have been doing recently that can be seen as a bit…unsavory.

When an employer has no sympathy for a potential candidate’s time it leads to frustration on the candidate’s part. Employers have been canceling interviews at the last minute with out a reason or an apology. Some are just wasting the candidate’s time by not paying attention during the interview and this is troubling because (and I should know) a candidate spends a lot of time preparing for an interview; this includes looking up the company and reading into the company’s philosophy and mission.

When an employer doesn’t share the company’s timeline to hire with the candidate it is also quite frustrating. A hiring manager always knows when they need someone. They know the time frame that they will be hiring in and not telling a candidate is annoying to all candidates.

Not sharing what kind of salary they pay is also really annoying, especially when they expect a candidate to give what they think they should be paid. There really isn’t any reason as to why a manger wouldn’t share this information. They really should give you some kind of range for you to expect to be paid and this would clear up the entire awkward situation that comes about when its time to talk money.

Finally, this one is the one that gets under my skin, when employers fail to notify a candidate that they are no longer up for consideration for the position. This is rude and extremely common. Many times a candidate sits by the phone (or in my case, shies away from a week vacation) to wait to hear from an employer. A simple email could do if the employer is no longer interested in the candidate.

Here’s one just from my own opinion book: If you’re an employer don’t tell a candidate to expect an interview and then don’t answer emails or the phone when the candidate calls. And give them an interview if you say you will.

There are so many businesses out there that have hiring at a standstill with hiring and pay raise freezes. However, some industries are coming out as the places to work, where you can find a job and actually do alright.

The industries where jobs can be found include: Accounting, Information Technology, and even food service. This is all according to government data.

There are several surveys out now that are indicating that many companies won’t be hiring anytime soon, but a lot of the companies in the industries listed above will be looking for new recruits and are already out there actively seeking employees.

After shrinking for an entire year, four quarters in a row, the economy is expected to pick up a bit for the July through September quarter; this could lead employers to take away hiring freezes and start hiring people again. However, even with the new unemployment numbers out and showing a decrease in the total number of those who are unemployed, unemployment is expected to increase to 10% by the end of the year. Total job openings stayed steady through June according to the Labor Department.

Of course there are plenty of accounting jobs out there. The college I graduated from often boasts their 100% placement rate for accounting graduates. That number just seems crazy to me. After all, they just took a lot of the same classes I took to get through business school, yet most of them end up working in their field within weeks of getting their diplomas.

Credit makes the world go around it appears, at least in our capitalistic nation. It seems these days there isn’t much that you can do without it; including getting that job you’ve been so desperately searching for.

It might sound crazy to you, because it definitely sounds fairly insane to me, but when you apply for a job and agree to a background check, the potential employer can also check your credit history. To me, this is not any potential employer’s business. What credit follies I may have made in the past I am obviously trying to rectify by getting a job and it will be very difficult for me to fix anything without a job.

Thanks to a steadily declining job market, credit scores are on the decline. People are getting behind on credit card payments, going into foreclosure, and filing for bankruptcy protection. So finding a job with a bad credit score is a double edged sword.

According to those who are for the credit score check prior to hiring an employee money problems could mean that the person has a disorder in their life that could lead to poor work habits, including employee theft. These same people said that those with great credit histories are less likely to have poor work habits and be trustworthy as well as reliable.

I, as well as some experts, think there is no clear link between a credit score and history and the job that an individual can do. I am not saying that there is something wrong with having a pristine credit history, just that you can’t count out those who don’t. Credit reports simply don’t account for layoffs, the overall economic conditions regarding unemployment, and things like medical bills or identity theft.

There is someone I know who is the best person with money. He actually is the biggest saver I’ve ever met. Unfortunately, through a couple of bad business deals and poor judgments of character, this man’s credit fell to a very low number. These kinds of things stay on your credit report for seven years for the most part. Think about it, if you can start your credit history when you’re 18, do you think you’re the same person at 25? How about the difference between 23 and 30?

I think that if an employer is going to check an applicant’s credit history, perhaps he or she should give the applicant the chance to explain blemishes on their credit report rather than just judging that applicant for things that may be nearly a decade old. Even though I would still not agree with the practice, I think that this would at least give the applicant a chance to explain the situation instead of just being thought of as a “bad prospect” to a potential employer.

I’m sure you’ve all heard or seen a commercial from the website 1800petmeds, but there are actually a lot of pet pharmacies on the internet ready and willing to send you medicines for you beloved pets. I actually have three dogs and only buy my pet medications (this includes flea and tick treatments as well as heart worm prevention) from the vet.

The reason is because, even though places like 1800petmeds and other online pet pharmacies say that their medicines are 100% authentic and are the exact same as the medicines that you would buy from the vet, sometimes they aren’t. I have been told stories of pet owners who have purchased their dogs’ medicines from online pet pharmacies and ended up with the wrong prescription or medicines that were open, expired, or simply not genuine medicines.

Sure, I would buy pet supplies from these places, but never their medicines. The vets know that a lot of people are buying from these online pharmacies and are now matching prices with them to make sure that pet owners are getting genuine medicines for the same prices that they would be getting them for online. All you have to do is ask your vet if he or she will match the prices. My vet actually told us upfront that she would match the prices and we pay exactly what the online pharmacies are charging, except we pay sales tax.

I know that some vets won’t do this and they still enjoy charging outrageous prices for medicines that could easily be found cheaper elsewhere, but sometimes it’s better to call around and get the best price from local vets. I think the best way to measure how much a vet will charge for medications for your pet is to ask about heartworm prevention. You can see the cost at 1800petmeds and compare.

I don’t think medicines for animals or humans is something that people should skimp on. If you want to save money, try to cut it anywhere else first. I just don’t think most people would consider buying their child antibiotics from an online pharmacy, so why would you get your best friend’s medicines from somewhere similar?

And that is an actual picture of my dog when he was a puppy.

A report came out today that said up to 90% of the paper money in the United States has traces of cocaine on it. The group of scientists that tested the notes tested money from thirty different cities in 5 countries.

The United States and Canada came out on top with the highest levels of contamination of cocaine on paper money with between 85% and 90%. China and Japan ranked the lowest with only between 12 and 20% of their money being contaminated.

A similar study was conducted two years ago, and the new results prove that there is an increase of 20% from the previous study. Scientists have been aware of the contamination on banknotes. Paper money is used during drug deals and also when people are rolling it to snort cocaine. Then the money ends back up at the bank where it contaminates non-illicit drug money.

The levels of cocaine that showed up on the bills fell between .006 micrograms and 1,240 micrograms. As a reference, .006 micrograms is several thousands of times smaller than one grain of sand and 1,240 micrograms equals about 50 grains of sand. The scientists also noted that some of the cities tested definitely had higher contamination levels than others. Baltimore, Detroit, and Boston ranked among the highest contamination levels. Salt Lake City had the lowest in the United States.

If you were expecting to get something out of this you should probably move along. You’re not going to get high off a few dollars from your local bank. You won’t even have any health problems stemming from handling paper money.

It is also unlikely for any trace amounts of drugs that were on a bank note to end up messing up your drug test at work.

PowerPoint has been around for 25 years now, and while it was first geared toward people who had to present in business meetings and salespeople, the program has now become synonymous with anyone who has to give a presentation of any kind; no matter if you’re a salesperson or a 4th grader.

Over the past few years in college, I gave numerous presentations and PowerPoint presentations were not only expected, but required for all of them. However, after reading the expressions on people’s faces while giving presentations over the past few presentations I’ve discovered something: no one cares.

Perhaps it’s just presentations that people don’t want to go to, perhaps it’s the fact that PowerPoint slides often have too much information on a slide. Whatever the reason, I believe that it’s time for people to start coming up with more creative ways of giving presentations.

I think, especially for those in more creative fields, there should be requirements that they have to give presentations that are far more creative than a PowerPoint presentation; and no, I don’t mean passing out candy or throwing t-shirts at the audience. Marketing professionals are expected to be some of the most creative people in the business school and they’re giving the same presentations as accounting majors, something is wrong there.

Another problem I have with PowerPoint presentations is that the audience has become numb to the presentations. They have taught an entire generation how to stop paying attention. They have also taught that same generation how to rely so heavily on one program.

In the corporate world, people often turn something that can be said in two to five minutes into a 20 minute presentation because they feel as if they need to have the visual aid of a PowerPoint presentation. What a waste of time.

After spending months looking for a job, I finally found something working as a sales associate at a local department store. I’m making $10 an hour and averaging 30-35 hours a week. With an hourly rate like that I’ll barely be able to make my car payment and student loan payment, but at least I’ll be able to make them.

It’s a difficult market to find work in when 80% of the graduating class of 2009 weren’t offered jobs upon graduation and with many of us still out there looking for work.

It really is a full time job to try to find something; in my case it turned from a search for a dream job to a search for a job where I could earn something. Employers really do have the upper hand in this market, they know that they can offer you less money and that you’ll be willing to accept it only because work is so hard to come by.

I recently found a website that said those who graduated with a degree in business administration (just undergraduate) are earning an average of $42,000 a year. I’m getting no where near that number. After taxes, I’m lucky if I’ll be earning $12,000. As much as I want the sales experience so I may be able to get a job somewhere else in the future, I don’t know if this is something that I really see myself doing. The truth is, I really wanted to be making at least $20,000 a year while I lived in my current house and I honestly find the pay of $12,000 a year a bit insulting for all the work I put into college. Yesterday while I was sitting in the break area watching the training videos someone asked me why would I even consider working at that store when I had graduated college and had a business administration degree. I could only say, “because I can’t find a job anywhere else.”

Signing up for classes comes down to three things:

First and foremost: The class you are required to take.

Number two: What time the class is offered (I most often would try to avoid those awful 8 a.m. classes).

Lastly, who is teaching the class.

The professor teaching the class may be the last thing you’re thinking about, but it should be the second after what class is required for you to take. There are also plenty of ways to figure out exactly what you’re getting yourself into when you sign up for a particular professor.

Many college offer teacher evaluations as part of the course sign up process. That is, if your school offers registration online.

If your college doesn’t offer teacher evaluations over the internet, you can always check some of my favorite sites to see what other people are saying about your professor.

My favorite for reviews is RateMyProfessor.com. This website has over 10 million comments from users about professors at over 6,000 schools. This one is good because you can see what other people think about the professor, but this is just like a teacher evaluation program offered by any college only when you post something, it stays on the website. Many colleges end up taking down the most negative comments from their evaluations.

My overall favorite site has to be PickAProf.com, its now part of MyEdu.com. On this site you can see how other people did in the class grade-wise. This can really help in deciding if you want to take a teacher who barely passes anyone, or one who will pass more than 3/4 of the class. This one actually really helped me in picking a professor for some of my harder classes.

Unemployment has hit a nationwide average of just under 10% and it looks like a lot of places aren’t hiring, have implemented a hiring freeze, or are laying off a majority of its labor force. However, there are places all across the country where you can find work (usually) and you actually have a good chance of finding work in one of these cities.

1) Anchorage, Alaska. Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska, so much so that the population of the city is almost half of the total personal income for Alaska. The median age in the city is 33 and while the recession has hit the rest of the country pretty hard, in Anchorage the city marked it’s 20th year of job growth.

Twenty percent of the city’s jobs are in education, health services and government, all of which have increased the number of jobs for the past year. Big box retail stores are also starting to move into the city. Stores like Kohl’s and Best Buy have continued to open new stores in the city.

2) Arlington, Virginia. Arlington neighbors Washington D.C. and is home to the Pentagon as well as Arlington National Cemetery. The biggest employers in this city include the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and the State Department. When there is a lot of government jobs in an area, the national unemployment rate has a much smaller effect on what is going on in the local employment rate.

Arlington also has several large private employers such as US Airways, Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Marriott.

3) Columbus, Ohio. Columbus has a strong distribution industry as well as a strong transportation industry and this can likely be attributed to the city’s central location in not only the state, but as well as the country.

Columbus has a diverse economy for such a Mid-America kind of town. It boasts healthcare, manufacturing, technology, as well as hospitality services. The largest employers in the city include the biggest university in the state Ohio State, Nationwide Insurance, Bob Evans, JP Morgan Chase, and OhioHealth.

4) Houston, Texas. This Texas city, like much of the rest of the state, has come out fairly unscathed in this recession. Houston is one of the only cities in the country where people are actually finding work. Houses in Texas are affordable and jobs are plentiful. Thanks to the city’s large stake in the oil industry, this city has continued to fare well.

Oxford University Transportation System

107 Main Street

Oxford, MS 38655

For immediate release

Media contact: Jennifer Lott McClelland, Public Relations Intern

Tel: 901-555-9665(W); 901-555-9502(Cell)

Email: jjlott2@gmail.edu

Oxford-University Transit Commission introduces new manager

O.U.T. gets full-time manager to oversee daily activities

Oxford, Miss. -The Oxford University Transit Commission is introducing the new full-time manager, Ron Biggs to the team. Tim Lett will be stepping back from the current position as temporary manager to make way for Biggs.

Biggs, a recent hire for McDonald Transit, will be taking on the day to day responsibilities of the Oxford University Transit system. Part of Biggs’s responsibility will be overseeing a proposed expansion of the system if city and university budgeting allows.

“Mr. Biggs is very qualified and will be a wonderful addition to O.U.T.’s management. He has been with us for a little while now and we’re all looking forward to the next few months,” says committee member Carole Haney. “Ridership numbers have been improving every time a new report comes out and hopefully the months ahead will see the same trend.”

Oxford University Transit is the only public transportation system in Oxford. The shuttle service operates six days a week, Monday through Saturday and runs two routes between 7:10 a.m and 6:40 p.m. The red route runs from North Lamar to South Lamar and the blue route runs from the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Jackson Avenue to the Brittany Woods neighborhood.

Oxford University Transit is operated by McDonald Transit, a company headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas that serves 30 public agencies across the United States and boasts 50.3 million passenger trips annually.

For more information on the Oxford University Transit Commission, call (555) 555-1310.

-END-

This map basically means that the lighter color, the more equally the wealth in the country is distributed. You can tell where the most people suffer due to the darker shades of green seen throughout the  map.

The countries with the biggest gap between poverty and wealth are the South American nations and some central to southern African nations.

Canada, Australia, much of Europe, and even some African countries all have fairly good wealth distribution throughout.

The United States falls into the same category as Russia, India, Italy, England, Portugal, and Uzbekistan to name a few.

Source

It can be amusing when a corporation goes through an identity crisis. Usually a corporate name change stems from the board or owner’s desire to move the company in a new direction or to pretend that they know what the consumer wants. I suppose sometimes they actually do know what the consumer wants, but more often a name change on an established company makes customers go, “huh?” more than anything else.

I think that more often though, companies decide to change their corporate name to get out from under a dark cloud that they imposed only on themselves.

Here are some of the worst of the worst corporate name changes:

The Shack::Radio Shack. This was so bad that I had to write about it in a previous post. While I now know that the company isn’t completely changing its name to the Shack, I still am not quite sure what the company was thinking when they decided it would be a good idea to align their company with a rickety old building. When I think Hi Tech, I’m not thinking about shacks.

Xe :: Blackwater. Earlier this year Blackwater decided that it would change its name to Xe because the Blackwater name was tarnished thanks to a 2007 incident that led to the death of 17 unarmed Iraqi civilians. Thankfully, even after the name change the government did not renew the company’s contract.

Altria :: Philip Morris Co. When the company changed its name on the same exact day that the company was cleared of responsibility for a woman’s smoking related death in late January 2003, it obviously wanted to escape the bad PR it had been getting. However, all that ended up happening was a magnifying glass on the company. Every time customers are reminded about the name change, they are reminded that this is the same Philip Morris they knew and they only tried to change their name to escape responsibility.

SyFy :: SciFi. This one I can’t quite figure out. All the cable station did was change the spelling of the already abbreviated name.

You can read more about bad name changes as well as the worst offender, I’ll give you a hint, it has something to do about the company who changed the name of the Sears Tower, all at the SOURCE.

There are advertisements that are meant to warm your heart, to inform you, deceive you, and most of all get you to buy something you may not have otherwise bought. However, there are also shock advertisements that are meant to get people to talk.

Across the social sites this morning, everyone is talking about this new World Wildlife Foundation ad that compares the 9/11 attacks on the United States to the Tsunami in 2005. The consensus on the ad is that it was done in poor taste and it’s also a scam ad.

Scam ads have been around for awhile due to the fact that they are typically put on by advertisers and marketing firms that want to win awards. To win an award, the ad has to be published somewhere. In the case of the World Wildlife Foundation ad, it was published in a small Brazilian newspaper. It was also a print version of the ad seen above.

As long as awards for creativity are given out to ad agencies, ads like this one will be seen across the world and it will continue to shock the public when it leaks out to those who were really never supposed to see them.

Most of the states across the country have come to a conclusion: They have to raise taxes to help with the budget deficits.

The five states hit hardest by new taxes as written by SmartMoney are:

1) California – This state has a HUGE deficit. It has gotten so bad in California that they the state is starting to pay for things with IOUs. The state deficit estimate for 2010 is almost $25 billion with the state and local tax burden being 10.5%. Voters in the state voted against sales and income tax increases, and with unemployment there nearing 12% and the worst housing market in the country, anyone could understand their unwillingness to vote FOR higher taxes. One of the things on the table now for the state to start raising some extra tax money? Legalize marijuana…

2) New York – With a state deficit estimate for 2010 at $17.6 billion and the state and local tax burden of 11.7%, this state ranks number two in SmartMoney’s poll. The governor of New York, David Paterson has unsuccessfully tried to pass an 18% tax on soft drinks, however he was able to raise taxes on cigarettes and wine. New Yorkers have the second highest tax burden due to the income tax rate of 7.85% for those earning more than $200K a year.

3) Florida – Florida’s deficit estimate for 2010 is $6 billion and the state and local tax burden is 7.4%. In May, Florida passed next year’s budget and included a $1 per pack increase on cigarettes as well as new and higher fees to renew a driver’s license or register a vehicle. While Florida does have the third lowest tax burden in the nation, the state has been hit hard by decreasing home values and huge budget deficit as a result. The deficit could mean more taxes in the future.

4) Massachusetts – Massachusetts has a state deficit estimate for 2010 of $3 billion and a state and local tax burden of 9.5%. While right now, it is middle of the road when it comes to it’s tax burden ranking (23rd in the nation), it is getting ready for some hefty tax increases. When the budget was passed last week, it included new taxes including a 1.25% increase in the sales tax from 5% to 6.25%. Satellite television subscribers will also be tinged with a 5% tax on satellite services.

5) Nevada – With a deficit of $1.2 billion and a state and local tax burden of 6.6%, it doesn’t seem like Nevada is doing that badly, but it had the same major problem that California did: rapidly decreasing property values. It also had a history of low taxes, there was no personal income tax and it imposed some of the lowest taxes on businesses in the country. It once got the majority of its revenue from tourism, so it wouldn’t have to tax residents as heavily. In Nevada, the sales tax is going up along with hotel taxes. It also has the highest deficit to budget ratio of 32%.

Not every little thing is caught by spell check on Word. Sometimes it won’t catch a word that is spelled right but used in a way that will ensure you don’t get a job. Here are a few examples of some misspelled phrases that have ended up on resumes in the past:

* “Hope to hear from you, shorty.”
* “Have a keen eye for derail.”
* Dear Sir or Madman.”
* “I’m attacking my resume for you to review.”
* “I’m a rabid typist.”
* “My work ethics are impeachable.”
* “Nervous of steel.”
* “Following is a grief overview of my skills.”
* “GPA: 34.0″
* “Graphic designer seeking no-profit career.”
* EDUCATION: Attended collage courses.

The first thing I thought when I read those was “wow.” However, when you really start to think about it, it’s not hard to make some of those mistakes, especially when you’re a “rabid” typist. People often think that they don’t have enough time to read over something that they’ve typed either, even when it’s something as important as a resume.

I know I have made plenty of typing errors while I’ve been writing for this site; they happen quite frequently and I usually don’t change them until I have published them and everyone else has seen the mistake too.

Some things you can do to help avoid such an embarassing situation is to:

1. Of course, use spell check, but make sure you also do some of the other steps.

2. Read over every word you type to make sure you have made coherent sentences.

3. Print it and read it again.

4. Have someone else read it.

You can check out a list of really amusing resume bloopers here:

Source

Did you know that your credit card may be hiding some quite interesting and beneficial perks that you might be missing out on?

The following perks are from Citi:

- You have dedicated “concierge” staff to assist you. – There is a 24 hour personal concierge service that is around to make dinner reservations for you, get tickets to events, locate hard to find items, and even coordinate business arrangements worldwide. They can also assist you with gift selections and other requests that are said to “simplify your life.”

- You also have extra car rental insurance. Citi provides up to $50,000 in secondary coverage against collision or theft when you get a rental car and charge it on the card and decline the rental company’s insurance.

- There is also retail price protection. – This protects your stuff if it gets stolen or is accidentally broken up to $500 for the first 90 days of purchase when it’s put on the card.

- You have a price protection. If you purchase something with your card, except for online purchases and some excluded items, you have 60 days to find the same item for a lesser price you will get refunded up to $250 of the difference.

- You are not liable for unauthorized purchases online or offline.

- If an airline looses your luggage, you are eligible for up to $3,000 in lost luggage coverage for not only you, but also your dependents, when you charge your fare.

- You also have roadside assistance.

If you want to know what kind of perks your card has, just pick up the phone and give them a call!

Budget cuts in the nation’s public schools means that many states are having to find ways to limit what it spends on public schools in their budgets. I find it ironic in a way because it seems like taxes have increased at the same time that budget cuts for public education is being introduced. However, in places where homes are being appraised for much less, property taxes are much less and therefore, schools have less money to work with.

So where will your children be feeling the pinch?

Many schools will be saying goodbye to band and other music programs. At many schools, extracurricular activities like band and art clubs may be eliminated. Many curriculums are being cut down to the minimums because of teachers being laid off. This has been going on for years in many of the more rural areas of the country. At the same time, most (if not all) states have a requirement for a fine art class in high school. So, some of these classes will have to stick around.

Classes will become more crowded. In California alone 27,000 teachers have been laid off with more expected to be soon. This accounts for 15% of California’s public teacher pool. And fewer teachers means bigger classes. Many classes are having to bump up the number of kids to a class. Some classes are even going from 20 to a class to 30 to a class. This is what the San Jose Unified School District is doing and it will end up saving the district nearly $6 million for the year.

Summer programs will be, if they haven’t already been, cut. Summer programs in places where budget deficits have led to more cuts in schools, like California which is suffering from a $24 billion budget gap. Parents who usually enroll their children in some kind of public funded summer program will now have to find child care for their children. This also means cutting summer school. So when a high school senior needs that “one more credit” to graduate he or she will be out of luck.

Finally, bus services will be hurt. The number of schools that cut bus transportation routes for the 2009-2010 school year rose to 23%, up from 14% the year prior. If a school decides to cut bus routes, it can obviously save thousands of dollars (per school). However, many students (again, in more rural areas) may be finding themselves without a way to get to school. I can see where this would lead to serious truancy issues.

I think that it is important to cut money from other areas than public schools. Personally, the money should come out of anywhere else first.

For the firm believer that an investor should follow the trends to see real success in investing, it is important to know what the winners are doing right now. To understand that one needs to understand what they are looking at in the market. The first two things you must watch are real estate and unemployment. These are the absolute keys to a real recovery in the market and the economy. Until losing jobs is a thing of the past and until real estate prices stop going down, there will be pressure on our economy, end of story.

The current market is creating one of the greatest opportunities for building permanent real wealth if an investor can see the bargains. It is important to continually look for bargain-basement opportunities in the form of rock bottom prices. In addition to your own screening and research, it is important to pay attention to what those successful long-term investors are doing with their money.

Securities regulations make this very easy to do. Most finance managers are required to publicly release their holdings at the end of each quarter. By tracking portfolio changes and holdings in correlation with locations of investments, you effectively establish a makeshift research department composed of the best minds in the market. You should always do additional investigation of your own, but good research of what investors are already succeeding with is a good meeting of the minds, so to speak.

Just as an example, let’s look at Third Point LLC, the distressed and activist fund managed by Daniel Loeb. It is reported to have earned 16% or so annually without the use of much leverage, if any, just since its beginning in 1996. In his recent letter to shareholders, Loeb said he was less pessimistic about where the economy would be at the end of the quarter. The firm is letting go of what Loeb referred to as “doomsday positions” such as gold, the investments that will not stand as firm as they have once the economy moves forward. As we have established before, there is a relatively negative correlation between gold and Wall Street, simply because when Wall Street is doing poorly, gold has become the industry hiding place. When Wall Street bounces back, people bail from gold and ride the stock market back up, reducing the price of gold once again. (This explains why places like Cash4Gold are advertising the best ever prices of gold. Every active investor has bought some recently.) He said the fund is also finding long positions that offer what he called attractive opportunities.

Third Point established a new position in the home health and hospice company Amedisys in the quarter. As baby boomers age, this is going to be high-growth industry for years to come. Earnings and stock trades are up. Third Point also opened a position in Life Partners Holdings, a life insurance settlement business. Basically, it buys life insurance contracts at a discount from policyholders who are in need of funds. Life Partners then resells these contracts to retail and institutional investors. The company acts as an agent and receives a fee for its services. Earnings and stock trades are up for this company too, because death is truly recession-proof. It does appear that Third Point is leaning toward an aging population. In the last quarter it bought Wyeth, Schering-Plough and Pfizer with Pfizer coincidentally as one of the top investments right now.

Of course, you don’t have to make a trip to the coffee shop to buy your morning pick me up. This may seem so obvious, but you can save a ton of money every month by skipping the coffee to go. You can easily, and cheaply, make your own lattes and cappuccinos at home.

There are so many recipe sites on the internet with “copycat” recipes that can help you replicate those sweet tastes you crave from Starbucks or any other chain.

As a busy mom, I have become an expert in making my own coffee at home. I’m not just talking about straight drip-coffee either. I have been able to snag a free Senseo machine as well as free coffee for the machine. It makes fairly good coffee, but I like to have some flavor to my coffee when I drink it in the morning or throughout the day.

At the grocery store, you can find creamers that come in flavors such as caramel, french vanilla, and hazelnut now. If you go down the coffee aisle, you can even find syrups that have the same flavors. These are great to make lattes with. While the latte you make at home may not have the foam, it will have the flavor. Not to mention, at home you can ice it with as much or as little as you want.

You can even make your own frozen, blended coffees at home. It may take a bit more time and effort than jumping in the car and running to the coffee house for your craving, they can be just as tasty and far cheaper.

When it comes to coffee, I really think that $3 or more for a cup is too much. I really like knowing that I only spend about $.10 on a cup of coffee (give or take $.05 depending on whether or not I add syrup).

Now it is easy to make a custom mug online.

If you search around the internet or just visit the websites of your favorite restaurants, you’ll find a whole lot of places are ready and willing to give you free stuff on your birthday.

Giving away free stuff for your birthday has become such a popular idea in the last couple of years that you can even get into Disney World for free if it’s your birthday.

So here’s a huge list of places that will give you something for it just being your birthday, all you have to do is sign up for their email list or some kind of club offer.

Abbot’s Frozen Custard – Join the Abbott’s Frozen Custard Fun Club to a get a free frozen custard on your birthday. The site says there will also be freebies throughout the year for their members.

Alfy’s Pizza – Get a free mini pizza on your birthday.

Applebee’s – Free dessert and song on your birthday.

Austin Grill – Register for their eClub and get a free meal on your birthday.

Bakers Square – Get a free peice of pie on your birthday at Bakers Square.

Bandido’s – Get $10 off your favorite entree when you celebrate your birthday at Bandido’s in Ohio and Indiana.

Baskin Robbins – Baskin Robbins will send you a coupon for a free 2.5 oz scoop of ice cream on your birthday plus other special promotions when you join the Baskin Robbins Birthday Club.

BD’s Mongolian BBQ – Receive a free stifry on your birthday when you join Club Mongo.

Ben & Jerry’s – Get a free ice cream treat on your birthday when you become a ChunkSpelunker with Ben & Jerry’s.

Bennigan’s – Get a buy 1 entree, get 1 entrée free and a free brownie ice cream dessert coupon on your birthday.

Black Angus Steakhouse – Get a free steak dinner on your birthday when you join the BA Prime Club. You also get a complimentary dessert for signing up for the club.

Blimpie – Get a coupon for a free 6” sub on your birthday at Blimpie’s.

Blue Bell – Members of the Blue Bell Country Club will receive a gift certificate for a free half gallon of Blue Bell Ice Cream during the month of their birthday.

Bob’s Big Boy – Get a free hot fudge ice cream on your birthday.

Bob Evans – Sign up your child for their birthday club and they’ll get a free kids’ meal on their birthday at Bob Evans.

The Body Shop – The Body Shop will give you a free birthday gift up to a $10 value during the month of your birthday. **No longer valid**

Boston Market – Kids 12 and under will receive a birthday coupon good for a free kid’s meal, drink, and dessert at Boston Market.

Buffalo Wild Wings – Get a free dozen hot wings on your birthday at Buffalo Wild Wings. **No longer valid**

Burger King – Sign up your child to be a member of Club BK so they can get a free kid’s meal on their birthday.

California Pizza Kitchen – Sign up your child (10 and under) for CPKids and they will receive a free CPKids meal during the month of their birthday.

Captain D’s – Kids get a free kids meal and birthday greeting on their birthday at Captain D’s.

Caribou Coffee – Create an account and be sure to update it with your birthday. They will send you a coupon for a free coffee drink on your birthday.

Carrows – Join the Carrows E-Club to get a free dessert on your birthday as well as one for joining.

Cattlemen’s – Join the Cattlemen’s E-Club and get a free dessert when you come in on your birthday.

Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse – Get a free gift on your birthday as a member of the Charlie Brown’s Handshake Club as well as gift vouchers and special members-only events.

Chevys – Join Chevys Compadres Club and get a free dessert on your birthday.

Claim Jumper Restaurant – Join the CJ E-Club and get a free dessert on your birthday.

Cold Stone Creamery – Cold Stone Creamery will send you an email with a coupon for a free ice cream creation to enjoy on your birthday. All ages are welcome!

Country Buffet – Join the eClub and get a free birthday coupon in the mail.

Crazy Buffet – Bring a friend and your ID into Crazy Buffet on your birthday and get a free dinner buffet.

Dairy Queen – Join the Dairy Queen Blizzard Fan Club and get a free ice cream cone on your birthday as well as a coupon for a blizzard when you join.

Dave & Buster’s – Get a free $5 game card credit on your birthday.

Denny’s – Fill in and mail out this form to enroll your child (10 and under) in the Denny’s Kids’ Birthday Club where they will receive a birthday card entitling them to a free kid’s entrée and sundae.

Desparados Mexican Restaraunt – Come in and get a free meal at Desparados on your birthday.

Discovery Cruise Line – You get a free one-day cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to the Bahamas. You do have to make the trip with another fare-paying adult and will have to shell out the $20 for the Bahama departure and harbor fee.

Disneyland – Get free admission on your birthday when you register in advance. You will need to bring the confirmation along with your ID to the park.

Dockside Restaurants – Get a free meal on your birthday.

Duke’s ChowderHouse – Get a coupon for a free lunch or dinner entree on your birthday when you sign up on Duke’s website.

Famous Daves BBQ – Free food coupon via email on your birthday when you join the Famous Dave’s P.I.G. Club (could be free cake, an appetizer, or some ribs!).

Firehouse Subs – Jon the Firehouse Subs Birthday Club and enjoy a free sub on your birthday.

Friendly’s – Sign up for Friendly’s E-News and get free ice cream for your birthday. This is now for kids and adults!

Fuddruckers – Join the Fudds Club and gett a free burger on your birthday.

Garozzo’s Ristorante – Bring in your driver’s license to get a free spedini meal at this Kansas City eatery.

Hana Japan – Get a free birthday lunch or dinner when you bring in 4 or more people on your birthday.

Hard Rock Cafe – Come in and get a free dessert on your birthday.

Hollywood Video – Get a free rental at Hollywood Video on your birthday with card membership. In fact, anyone on your account can get a free rental on their birthday.

Hometown Buffet – Join the eClub and get a free birthday coupon in the mail.

Houlihan’s – Visit Houlihan’s on your birthday and get free cake and ice cream.

IHOP – Come on into IHOP and get a free meal on your birthday.
Joe’s Crab Shack – Go to Joe’s Crab Shack on your birthday and get a free piece of cake.

Lone Star Steakhouse – Sign up for the Lone Star Steakhouse e-club and you’ll receive a coupon for a free entree (up to $15 value) to help you celebrate your birthday.

Luby’s – Free kid’s birthday meal (ages 9 and younger) on their birthday as a member of the Luby’s birthday club.

Macaroni Grill – Come on into Macaroni Grill on your birthday and get a free dessert plus a song.

Marie Callender’s – Join Marie Callender’s E-Club and get a coupon for $5 off your meal and piece of pie when you visit during the month of your birthday.

McDonald’s – Free Happy Meal for your child on their birthday. This offer is only good in certain locations, so you may want to check with your McDonald’s first.

Memphis Barbecue – Receive a coupon good for a free rack of ribs and a dessert when you join the free eClub.

Moe’s Southwest Grill – Get a coupon for a free Moe’s entree on your birthday when you choose to “stay in the moe.”

Noodles & Company – Join the Noodleville Noodlegram to get a coupon for a free dish on your birthday.

Olan Mills Portrait Studios – Get a free Olan Mills portrait package that includes (1) 8X10, (2) 5X7 and (8) wallets when you join the birthday club.

Old Country Buffet – Join the eClub and get a free birthday coupon in the mail.

Old Spaghetti Warehouse – Join the Warehouse Club and get a coupon for a free meal on your birthday.

On the Border – Get a free appetizer on your birthday when you join On the Border’s Club Cantina. When you initially join you will get an instant coupon for a free bowl of queso or empanadas.

Outback – Get a free dessert and a song when you go to Outback on your birthday.

P.F. Changs – Come in and get a free dessert on your birthday.

Pancho’s – Join Pancho’s Birthday Club to get $10 off the bill for adults or $5 off the bill for kids.

Perkins – Receive an email for a free kid’s meal and birthday greeting on their birthday when you sign them up for the Bakery Buddies Kid’s Birthday Club.

Provino’s – Come on into Provino’s on your birthday and show your ID to get a free pasta speciality dinner (which includes salad, garlic rolls and a birthday dessert!).

Red Lobster – Join the Overboard Club and they will email you a surprise for your birthday.

Red Robin – Join the Red Robin eClub and get a coupon for a free burger on your birthday. This is for all ages!

Rock Bottom – Join the Mug Club and get a free appetizer on your birthday.

Round Table – Get a free personal pizza when you visit on your birthday.

Ru Sans – Visit Ru Sans to sign up for their birthday card to get free food on your birthday.

Sephora – Sign up as a Beauty Insider and get a free gift from Sephora on your birthday.

Shoney’s – Get your child (10 and under) a free kid’s meal on their birthday when you sign them up for the the Kids Club.

Sonic – Members of the Wacky Pack Kid’s Birthday Club will receive a coupon for a free Wacky Pack during the week of their birthday.

Taco Bell – Get a free combo meal of your choice on your birthday at Taco Bell. (May not be available in all areas.)

Taco Time – Taco Time send kids ages 12 or younger a coupon for a free kid’s meal on their next birthday.

Texas Roadhouse – Become a Texas Roadie and come into Texas Roadhouse to get a free dessert on your birthday.

TGI Friday’s – Receive a coupon for a free appetizer to use on your birthday when you sign up for Friday’s E-Club. You also get a coupon for a free appetizer just for signing up!

Tony Roma’s – Get a free dinner on your birthday from Tony Roma’s.

Toys ‘R’ Us – Children ages 2 – 10 will receive a birthday card and surprise gift from Geoffrey when you sign them up for Geoffrey’s Birthday Club.

The Transformation Studio – The Transformation Studio (TX) will give you a free makeover or express facial for your birthday! Be sure to mention the birthday special when you book your makeover or express facial and bring in your ID.

Walt Disney World – Free admission on your birthday when you register in advance and bring the confirmation along with an ID.

Zio’s Italian – Come in and get a free dessert on your birthday at Zio’s.

Source

I believe that every now and then people want to try their hand at home improvement and repair. Some things are pretty simple, but other things actually do require a professional to come in and do the work. I was watching the news yesterday and a husband and wife decided to do something simple like hang a shelf and they hit what they thought was a stud, but ended up being a copper pipe in the wall and it ended up being  a huge mess. So, when in doubt just hire someone since that will be the best way to save money in the long run.

There are a few things you can do to save yourself some money on home improvement and repairs such as painting and putting together bookshelves. My husband sometimes tries his hand at improvement by trying to repair the door frame when rain made the wood begin to rot.

I really think the best way to save money on home improvement is to know someone who can actually do whatever you need done in your house. That way you know that they aren’t going to try to mess you over in prices or leave something in your house half finished.

The truth is, owning a house is expensive and if you maintain it, then repairs won’t cost as much because things won’t break as often.

If you’re looking into improving your house because you want to sell it for more make sure that you pick improvements that will pay off. If you put your money in the bathrooms and in the kitchen then you will recover more of the money you’ve put into these rooms.

Also, don’t improve your house and price it out of your neighborhood’s prices. You won’t recover any of the money you’ve put into it then.

Have you seen the Wal-Mart ads on television that say how much you can save if you buy something at Wal-Mart versus going out to get it like saving so much by making breakfast at home versus going out to buy it? There is truth to that, but you have to remember that many of us don’t end up needing to go out for breakfast and in most multi-child households, cereal is the norm.

We all have to decipher between needs and wants in order to save money at the grocery store. Deciding to buy a box of cereal or going out every morning to buy breakfast is easy to decipher between.

Then there are times when we have to try really hard to decipher between the two. The easiest way to separate the two is to make a list to take to the store. This way you can see what you need and you can sit back and look at the list and get rid of anything that you might not need or that you can tell you simply want.

Sometimes we turn wants into needs at the grocery store and we can’t fall into that budget busting habit. If you go without a grocery list and say you want cookies, then you’ll need milk to go with them (This isn’t the best example, but you can understand what I mean). When you end up turning wants into needs, you will always leave the store paying more than you ever intended.

The only person who can tell you what is a need and what is a want is ultimately up to you. You can’t expect anyone else to tell you what you need, as we all have different needs with the exception of basics like water, food and shelter.

None of this means that you have to give up the things you want to save money, just cut back.

Over the past year, unemployment has been on the near-constant rise. Every time I turn around it seems as though some other company is cutting 20% of its work force. Many of the larger companies, however, are doing something to try to ease the layoffs before actually being forced to simply fire the workers.

They’re offering buyouts.

These buyouts, depending on the company, are typically a few thousand dollars ($10,000-$25,000) and are a one time payment. With the payout, the employee is immediately terminated and he or she is free from any contract that they might have with the company.

However, even when GM decided to offer buyouts to some of its employees that included a free car, employees weren’t taking the offer and instead were opting for the risk of not knowing whether they would be fired without a buyout or not. Many GM workers who could have taken the buyouts were fired with no money to help cushion the blow.

Most recently, the United States Postal Service has decided to offer a $15,000 buyout to anyone who wants to quit willingly. The offer extends to those seeking retirement or early retirement, a total of about 30,000 employees. They would get $10,000 now and the other $5,000 in October 2010. I’m sure that many of these people will not end up taking the buyout.

The problem is, many of these people know that their job is worth more than the buyout being offered. There aren’t enough jobs to go around right now and if they decide to quit and take the buyout, then they are much less likely to be able to find work again especially because these are the people who are eligible for retirement. They are the ones who will end up scrimping and saving because they can’t keep their electricity on if they burn through their savings.

In some ways, I don’t blame the people who decide to not take the buyout, but on the other hand, many of these people will be terminated without any financial compensation of any kind. The buyouts do leave a bitter taste in your mouth, don’t they?

Even though the recession has hit all our wallets, most would agree that shopping is something that is on a list of enjoyable activities. Shopping for great buys definitely hits somewhere near the top of the list.

I believe that most people will look for bargains whenever and wherever they can. If I learned anything through working in a retail environment today it’s that people love to save money. They love it so much that they’ll get mean if something comes in between them and their ability to save a few dollars.

This is where the newest craze (maybe it isn’t so new?) of designer replicas and replacements have come to play. Once a designer has spent all their design dollars on something that becomes trendy, there will always be some kind of knock off that pops up with the same exact design. This is why you see so many purses out there with huge G’s on them (they’re trying to mimic the Coach ‘C’).

Premium jeans haven’t missed this craze. There was once a huge market for jeans that cost $200 a pair. Seven for all Mankind, Citizen, True Religion all were very expensive jeans. You have to remember that jeans were originally meant to be something that people would wear to rugged jobs, and now they’re on the cutting edge of fashion.

These premium lines is partially why stores like Plato’s Closet have become so popular. After all, those stores sell premium jeans at bargain basement prices.

However, brands like Ann Taylor Loft and the Gap are starting to come up with new types of jeans to combat some of the prices. For under $60 a pair, you can get what these brands are promising to be “premium” fit. By premium fit, they mean they lift your tush and make your legs look long.

The Gap is bragging about the new styles of jeans that it has calling them Premium denim and saying how great the fit is, but I’m not sure that I buy it considering that the Gap owns Old Navy and I have never tried on or purchased a pair of Old Navy jeans that looked amazing on me. Perhaps there are plenty of people out there who have, but I am not one of them.

I’ve found a better fit with Nine West and Calvin Klein jeans from Sam’s Club…seriously. And they only cost $15.