Gelt (Finances)

At some point in your life, I'm sure you have said to yourself, "I wish I was really wealthy," or "I would like to live like a millionaire." In your mind, you visualized living in a palatial mansion surrounded by lush gardens. Inside all the comforts you could dream of: a spacious kitchen decked out with state-of-the-art appliances, a luxurious master suite and a closet filled with the latest fashions, a bathroom furnished with massage tub and bidet. Housed in the twelve-door garage, a dozen choice automobiles await your command to tour the town. Best of all, this mansion and all its amenities come equipped with gardeners to tend the gardens, chefs to prepare scrumptious meals, maids to tidy the rooms, and chauffeurs to care for the cars.

For the first time in a number of years, the American Congress has recently passed new reforms for credit cards under the Credit Card Act of 2009. This month, to see if you completely understand the new rules, as well as what is happening in general concerning plastic cards, I have developed a quiz. See how many you can answer correctly.

Just a few years ago, credit seemed so easy to obtain. You're credit score didn't seem to be that relevant as almost anyone could get a loan. That mindset led people to believe that people with lower credit scores actually had good credit.

I remember a loan officer telling me just a few years ago that anyone with a credit score above 700 has excellent credit. Nowadays that definition has changed a bit.

The strikes at both the American and the world economy keep coming. According to the February 2013 issue of The Week magazine, 44 percent of Americans do not have enough in their savings accounts to cover basic expenses for 90 days if financial emergencies were to occur such as one spouse losing a job, or an unexpected medical expense. Regrettably, almost 30 percent of Americans have zero savings for those unforeseen circumstances.

Before you head out the door to buy that car you’ve had your eye on, take a few steps back and ask yourself a few questions:

o How are you going to pay for that new car?

o Will you be approved for your loan?

Increasingly, 100 year-olds are making the news.
Two years ago Emma Hendrickson became the oldest person ever to compete in the U.S. Bowling Congress women's championships in Reno, Nevada.

A number of years ago I read a delightful story about a highway traffic problem in which an 18-wheeler truck became stuck under an overpass, creating quite a problem for the city transportation department. 

5 reasons buying local is a good idea...