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Tax Rebates, Economic Stimulus and You |
 The current buzz about the upcoming stimulus plan and the state of the
US economy has a lot of people talking. When the Bush administration
and Congress alerted the public that families and individuals would be
getting checks ranging from $600 to $1,800, people were excited. And,
I have to admit; I was even starting to consider what I was going to do
with my piece of the pie. So, apart from all the independently wealthy
folks out there who aren’t thinking twice about this check, let me give
you a couple of things to consider.
The Goal Is Spending
The government is actually sending these checks out with the hopes that
you, the normal consumer will go out and spend this money- on a flat
screen TV, on a new pair of tires you’ve needed or any other shiny,
glittery, thing that catches your eye. Now, that’s all fine and
dandy, but if you’re going to spend the money, you might as well get
the best bang for your buck (pun intended). If you are currently in
the market to purchase a big-ticket item, then wait for the season when
checks will be disbursed. Many stores understand that a lot of cash
will suddenly be infused into the economy and they will be competing to
get your dollars. So let them fight over you and use this time to
negotiate on price.
Last update: 03-04-2008 07:17
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Protect Your Good Name...and Credit |
 I am sure we have all seen those Citibank commercials where the big
heavyset middle-aged man takes on the voice of a valley-girl teenager.
Or perhaps the one where an elderly lady take on the voice of a
husky-voiced man. The commercials center around identity theft and
it’s a problem that consumers and even credit card companies want to
help curb, as it is costing the industry and individuals millions of
dollars to rectify. The U.S. Department of Justice posted the
following on their website,
The Federal Trade Commission advises: “While you probably can’t prevent
identity theft entirely, you can minimize your risk. By managing your
personal information wisely, cautiously and with an awareness of the
issue, you can help guard against identity theft.” Source: FTC Brochure
- ID Theft: When Bad Things Happen To Your Good Name
Traditionally, in the Black community, the mindset has been, "I have nothing to take". So because there seems to be a more laid-back (than in other communities) attitude, the concern has not been as high. But what happens when you are denied insurance or medical care because someone has hijacked your identity?
Last update: 06-03-2008 11:56
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Are You Financially Compatible Enough to Marry? |
 Women, in addition to spending hours poring over encyclopedic bridal
magazines, I wish you would spend that same amount of time with your
future spouse talking over these important points before you decide if
you two should get married at all. In twenty years, the veil you
selected will not come up in a fight with your true love, but the
checking account surely will.
Here are some decisions to make before you decide if you will marry this person. It all comes down to priorities and expectations.
Even if you don’t share the exact same priorities, if you have openly
discussed them with each other, then you can manage the expectations
each of your have for the marriage. Joint Bank Accounts: I have heard many opinions on this
question. The most important thing is to talk about it and make a
conscious decision about it. My husband and I share all accounts and
financial information with each other. I think this helps us work as a
team as we save for the future and even as we buy groceries for this
week. We remain accountable to each other at all times which can cause
some tough conversations but serves us well in the end. I think that
some couples who keep separate money just don’t want to have the
discussions it would take to make joint decisions. If you don’t go
deeply into these issues, you don’t allow each other to have input
into, much less buy in to, the life goals that you need to share in
order to move effectively toward them.
Last update: 14-02-2008 11:18
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