In the last few months I have been witness to an alarming number of sudden and unexpected deaths in my friends’ families. I have begun to wonder if it is that I am getting older and simply more aware of the fragility of life, or is it that the number of deaths from diseases such as cancer and heart disease are truly on the rise.
Whatever the reason may be, the death of a family member or friend is an incredibly difficult time in one’s life. Suddenly years of planning are unraveled in a matter of days. In some religions funerals take place within 48 hours of the death. Often this leaves you with little to no time to deal with all the bereavement arrangements that you have to take care of: leave of absence from work, making sure that bills are paid while you are gone, arranging for someone to take care of your pet, getting in touch with long lost family members, and sometimes the most frustrating process of all- taking care of your travel arrangements.
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If you have been to the grocery store lately I am sure you have noticed the price increases in almost every product…or have you? Most people, and I am certainly included in this assumption, head off to the market with no clear cut plan in place. Maybe you are in need of a couple items or maybe you are completing your weekly shopping.
Whatever the reason may be you are probably guilty of one of the three types of shoppers: 1) you shop in search of name brand items only without even looking at the competitor’s prices, or 2) you scan the prices of items quickly and then usually decide on your favorite even if it is a little bit higher in price than the others, or 3) you are a complete coupon systematic shopper- kudos to you.
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If you’ve checked your 401K or IRA balance lately I am sure you will be witness to what many are witnessing- you are losing money at a rapid rate. Now if you are young this isn’t as much of a problem as someone who is in the fifties, but nonetheless if you are like me you hate to see your money vanish.
Historically speaking any year with a Presidential election generally equates to a rocky stock market. Add on top of that a shaky real estate market driven by the sub-prime mess and top it all off with higher than normal gas prices and it looks to be a year filled with extremes that we have not seen in our lifetime.
What does this all mean to you? It certainly has an immediate impact on your budget given higher gas prices and higher costs of goods. If you’ve been to the grocery lately you certainly will have noticed that prices are on the rise.
However there are three good strategies to practice during these chaotic times to help provide you with a bit of financial security, regardless of the economy.
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Hello Everyone. I’m Lauren Berger, also known as “The Intern Queen” and I’m also a blogger on WomenEntrepreneur.com. I wanted to come blog here today to inform you about the Quarterlife Internship Program that I just launched on Quarterlife.com/intern. As business owners, we all know the value of a few good interns. I’ve found that so many people (including myself) spend so much time finding an intern, posting for interns – they don’t get enough work done. They end up spending all of their time interviewing/posting and making “Intern-related” decisions that they have no time to really run their business. My goal is to make that process easier for companies by offering my Internship services for FREE.
How It Works:
- Visit www.quarterlife.com/intern to understand the layout of our site. You will understand the concept and how the postings work. We are like a “Craigslist” of Internships.
- Employers email me at internqueen@quarterlife.com stating their interest in the FREE service
- I email the employer right back with the Internship Posting Form. The form requests a company bio (this is basically for employer’s bragging rights), a list of intern duties, the amount of hours you would like the intern to work, if the internship is paid or unpaid, and if you will give the student school credit for participating in the internship. Employers can also state if they want resumes, cover letters, or any additional materials.
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By Donna Schenk, Vice President Marketing Services
Columbus Life Insurance
My favorite National Public Radio station had an interesting news story last month. They reported on a New York Times article1 that suggested the current increase in sales of lipstick is an indicator of a shaky economy. The article went on to refer to a theory once proposed by Leonard Lauder, the Chairman of Estee Lauder Companies. Mr. Lauder had noted an increase in his company’s sales following the 2001 terrorist attacks. He speculated that lipstick purchases are a way to gauge the economy. When it’s shaky, he said, lipstick sales increase as women boost their mood with inexpensive lipsticks instead of $500 luxury handbags.
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I think every woman hits a point in her life when she begins to feverishly think about babies. Whether it is having a child of your own or adopting a child the thought is never ending. Your heart beat ticks stronger as you begin to pick out possible names, think about the color scheme you would like to have in the nursery, and all those wonderful baby showers that are sure to come.
When the baby fever begins to set in it is hard to cure. Seemingly every commercial on TV is about a baby, all your friends are either pregnant or trying to have a baby, and everywhere you turn there is a beautiful baby making eyes at you.
Let’s face it though, babies are expensive. I’ve had many friends who have said, “it’s only been 2 months and our budget is sky-rocketing. First it is the medical bill, and then all those diapers!” Adjusting to a new life as a parent has enough ups and downs that worrying about your finances shouldn’t be a concern.
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Posted date: 7/7/2008
Pension Managers, Companies Push Saving Plans
By Nadra Kareem
San Fernando Valley Business Journal Staff
High fuel prices. The mortgage crisis. Rising unemployment.
These are all factors causing Americans to not save as much as they should for retirement. But financial services insiders believe that a general lack of financial literacy, the failure of companies to educate employees about retirement planning and a belief that the government will rescue them from destitution in old age are the main reasons Americans aren’t aggressively saving for their retirement years.
“I think that people in general underestimate just how much money they really do need to save for retirement,” said Shannah Compton, a financial advisor and a partner of SLC Insurance Services Inc. in Woodland Hills. “I think it will be a huge toll on state, local and federal resources (if people don’t save).”
Compton, who specializes in financial literacy for the under-40 crowd, believes that younger generations will be particularly disadvantaged if they don’t save because advances in medicine will likely result in them living longer, thereby lengthening the amount of time they spend in retirement.
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By Anissa B. Morse
Planned Giving Officer and Legal Counsel
Pepperdine University
Two things are certain in life: death and taxes… and possibly the fact that a Starbucks will eventually be built on the land where your home currently sits. Unfortunately, most young people today give more thought to that third certainty than the first two. Will they give me a discount on my grande mocha Frappaccino if I tell them I used to live here? This is probably because dreaming of a free coffee drink is much less stressful than thinking about parting with your assets and life.
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