The average credit card rate in the U.S. is almost 16 percent, according to a recent article in Good Housekeeping. There’s a new act out there, the CARD Act, that gives credit card holders protection from unfair practices. The CARD Act stands for Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure. This act will help you save.

No more retroactive rate increases. Now changes to your interest rate won’t affect previous purchases, says the article. Credit card companies can only increase your rate on new purchases. Here’s an example: if you’re paying the minimum due on $5,000 at an old rate of 10 percent instead of the higher one at 15 percent, you can save $541 in interest charges.

You now have options for over-limit buys. You can choose to let the purchases go through and pay a fee or the transactions will be declined. Before the act was put into place, you would just find out about the fee when your bill arrived.

Pricier balances get paid first. If you pay more than your minimum that is due, the rest goes toward the portion of your balance with the highest interest rate, according to the article.

Get used to more generous deadlines. Now, under the new act, any payment arriving by 5 p.m. on the due date is on time! Issuers also have to mail statements 21 days before the due date.

Say good-bye to universal-default clauses. Credit card companies can no longer increase your rate because of a late payment on say, your electric bill. If you have questions or concerns, call the card’s customer service number.

About a year ago Cinda Baxter wrote a blog post about the importance of supporting local businesses. Soon that idea blossomed into what is now The 3/50 Project. Here’s the lowdown:

3: Think of three local businesses that you love. What would happen if they shut down? Make a commitment to stop into those stores this month.

50: If half the employed population spent $50 a month in those businesses that would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue.

Wondering what’s the big deal with shopping locally compared to shopping in chain stores? Well much more of your money sticks around your community when you shop in locally owned stores. According to the 3/50 project, for every $100 you spend in local shops, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other ways. If you spend that same $100 in a chain store, only $43 stays local.

Here’s how you can support local businesses through the 3/50 Project:

1. Find out who’s involved in your community. The 3/50 Project has a list of local businesses who are supporting this movement according to each state. Search for those in your area and do your part to get behind them.

2. Become a supporter. Even if you don’t own a local brick and mortar shop, you can still be a supporter. Print out the free flyers, hand them out and spread the word.

3. Promote the movement. There are also ways you can promote the movement through social media. If you have a blog, consider putting a badge promoting The 3/50 Project on your website. You can even promote the movement on your Facebook page.

Still feel like you need more information about the benefits of shopping local? Check out the frequently asked questions page of The 3/50 Project.

A recent article on Yahoo! Hot Jobs listed job sectors that aren’t so hot. In fact, these ten industries are experiencing significant declines and many of these jobs are expected to disappear over the next eight years.

1. Department stores: Projected to drop 10.2 percent of the 1.56 million jobs they had in 2008.

2. Semiconductor manufacturing: Estimated to lose 33.7 percent of the 432,000 jobs it had in 2008.

3. Motor vehicle parts manufacturing: Projected to reduce its force by 18.6 percent of its 544,000 jobs.

4. Postal service: Expected to drop 13 percent of the 748,000 jobs it had in 2008.

5. Printing and related jobs: Projected to reduce 16 percent of its 594,000 jobs.

6. Cut-and-sew apparel manufacturing: Anticipated to lose 57 percent of its 155,000 jobs.

7. Newspaper publishers: Projected a 24.8 percent reduction of its 326,000 jobs.

8. Mining support jobs: Expected to lose 23.2 percent of its 328,000 jobs.

9. Gas stations: Estimated to reduce employment by 8.9 percent of its 843,000 jobs.

10. Wired telecom: Projected to drop 11 percent of its 666,000 jobs.

So what do you do if your industry is on this top-ten list?

1. Don’t Panic: Just because you’re in an industry that’s experiencing a decline in demand or scaling back doesn’t mean you need to panic right now. Try to focus on the present– you have a job when many workers do not! Just because your industry is cutting back its workforce doesn’t necessarily mean you will lose your job.

2. Prepare: There are plenty of employees who are laid off unexpectedly. But using this knowledge of industry trends, you can prepare for the future. Think about beefing up your resume with volunteer work, additional education or another part-time job. You may want to discuss options with a career counselor and find ways to make yourself more marketable just in case you do lose your job.

3. Set Yourself Apart: Because your industry may be looking to lay off employees, start thinking of ways to set yourself apart from others that work in your company. Are there additional responsibilities you can take on? Do you have ideas to share? Make yourself even more valuable to the company.

4. Get Ready for Change: Someone once said the only constant in life is change. Once you realize that you can embrace it more easily. And just remember to put your faith in Jesus Christ because he is a steady rock you can always depend on.

People tell me all the time that they think it’s great that I use coupons but that they have no time to do it. They think it’s not worth the hassle it takes to save a buck or two here and there. Of course, I always have my arguments about how my cupboards are stocked with stuff I paid pennies for, how I am able to donate hundreds of dollars worth of food to shelters because of coupons and how I would rather spend 25-cents on deodorant and put the $2 I saved towards something fun like a trip to Ireland. But now I’ve got some real data to back up my coupon use thanks to the Wall Street Journal.

Writer Brett Arends used some real math to figure out just how much couponing is worth. Because even though Americans redeemed 3.3 billion coupons last year at a 27 percent increase from 2008, 99 percent of coupons get tossed in the trash– 99 percent!! So although many of us have discovered the gold mine that coupons hold, there are plenty who haven’t. And maybe it’s because the average coupon saves consumers just $1.44. That’s not a number that will motivate many people. But hold on, the good part is coming.

Arends looked at the time it takes to clip and use a coupon, assuming that the more you use the less overall time you will spend per coupon. He figured about a minute is spent on each coupon. That’s $1.44 for each minute of work, or $14.40 for ten minutes. That equals an hourly rate of $86.40. I don’t know what you earn, but I do know that the average American makes about $20 an hour. But the great thing about the money you save with coupons is that it’s tax free. Taking home $86.40 would actually mean you’d have to earn over $100 before taxes.

Arends says that someone who saves $25 a week with coupons could easily grow that money to more than $100,000 over a lifetime. That’s not a bad salary for something you can do while sitting on the couch! So the next time someone tells me they don’t have time to clip coupons I may just ask how earning $86.40 an hour sounds.

It’s that time of year again… tax season. April will be here soon and there are so many deductions and things you need to be aware of, so you don’t pay more than you have to. Wallet Pop has put together a list of the top ten most overlooked deductions.

1. Mileage Deductions

My husband and I were just discussing this the other night. As a freelance writer I have tried to keep track of the mileage I’ve put on my car driving around to different assignments. What I didn’t know is you can also deduct mileage for medical care. If you have to make frequent medical trips for physical therapy, blood work etc., this applies to you. For 2009 the medical mileage deduction is 24 cents per mile. Do you volunteer regularly for a charity? Well, you can also take a deduction for those miles. This rate is 14 cents per mile.

2. Tax Deduction Even If You Don’t Itemize

A new law was passed in 2008 and it lets you increase your standard deduction by the amount of real property tax you could have claimed if you did itemize and that’s up to $500.

3. New Vehicles

If you purchased a car between Feb. 17 and Dec. 31 of last year, you are able to deduct the sales and excise taxes that you paid. That’s up to a maximum price of $49,500.

4. State Tax Deduction

If you paid state income taxes in the spring, don’t forget to count it towards your 2009 state income tax deduction.

5. “Going Green”

You can get a tax credit for up to 30 percent of your cost for an energy efficient heating and cooling system. Any improvements that you made to your home to help save energy can also get you a tax credit up to $1,500.

6. Selling Your Home

My husband and I were finally able to sell our home in Florida in late 2009. I didn’t realize that if you sold a home last year, you can get some tax deductions. You can deduct the money that you had to pay, such as closing costs and the commission to your agent.

7. Deductions for Homeowners

Are you paying private mortgage insurance? If so, that expense is deductible. This applies if you took out a first mortgage or refinanced after Jan. 1, 2007.

8. Deductions for Investors

Write off any investment publications that you subscribe to. You can also deduct expenses such as financial advisor fees, mileage and safety deposit boxes.

9. Those Who Are Unemployed

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act made the first $2,400 you receive in unemployment benefits tax free. You also might be able to deduct your job search expenses like resume preparation, phone calls, travel and employment agency fees.

10. Working Parents

Paying for childcare is expensive and if this is you, you can reduce your taxes up to $3,000 for one child and up to $6,000 for two or more! The tax credit depends on your gross income. If you make $43,000, you can claim a 20 percent credit on your costs, says Wallet Pop.

Back in the day the man was always the primary bread winner. Well now more women than ever are bringing how more bread then their spouses, according to an article in CNN Money based on a study released this week by the Pew Research Center. The study discovered that 22% of men– almost one in four– made lower incomes than their wives in 2007. Compare that to life in 1970 and the difference is startling. Nearly four decades ago just 4% of husbands earned less than their wives.

The study surveyed Americans between the ages of 30 and 44 and found that the answer to this shift lies largely with the change in how Americans are educated. In 1970 28% of husbands were better educated than their wives, but now that number has dropped to 19%. Nearly 40 years ago men didn’t need an education to earn a good wage, but women did. That helped motivate this shift in earnings.

While this study was completed before the recession, experts believe the poor economy will only heighten these trends. And what about those adults that aren’t hitched? In most cases, men’s incomes declined when compared with 1970 earnings. However, unmarried women made more money in 2007 compared with the women of 1970.

Despite what you see on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, residents in Georgia’s capital have coupons on their mind. A study done by Coupons.com found that Atlanta residents are nine times more likely to print coupons off the popular internet savings site compared to the average American city dweller. The site analyzed it’s 19.5 million unique monthly visitors to determine the savings index of the top 20 cities in the US. The cities measured all have a population of over 300,000. Coupons.com discovered that users in Atlanta saved over $531 by using coupons on the site in 2009. Tampa, Florida was in the second position.

Overall, cities in the Midwest and in the South are far more likely to use coupons they print off the internet. In fact just one western city made the list. Denver, Colorado ranked number 17 for coupon use at Coupons.com. Ohio claimed the title of the country’s most frugal state because it was represented on the list three times. Cincinnati came in at number three, Cleveland holds the number eight spot and Columbus rounds out the list at number 20. Other midwestern cities making the list were St. Louis, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Indianapolis and Wichita.

The South made up more than one-third of the top 20 list and included Nashville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Oklahoma City, Miami and Dallas. Here is the list of the top 20 couponing cities in America according to Coupons.com.

Rank City State Savings Index
1. Atlanta GA 918
2. Tampa FL 522
3. Cincinnati OH 511
4. Saint Louis MO 468
5. Minneapolis MN 351
6. Nashville TN 308
7. Charlotte NC 306
8. Cleveland OH 272
9. Pittsburgh PA 254
10. Kansas City MO 254
11. Raleigh NC 243
12. Boston MA 229
13. Oklahoma City OK 207
14. Miami FL 205
15. Washington DC 191
16. Indianapolis IN 186
17. Denver CO 186
18. Dallas TX 186
19. Wichita KS 159
20. Columbus OH 152

An estimated hundreds of thousands of lives were lost because of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti this week. If you want to do something to help the survivors of this poor nation, here are some Christian organizations serving Haiti that need your help.

Compassion International: For more than four decades Compassion International has been working in Haiti. Compassion International matches donors with sponsor children and has helped more than 65,000 children and their families in Haiti. Your donation will be used to provide relief to those in Haiti.

GAIN-USA: The Global Aid Network is a multi-national network of ministries. They’re sending medical supplies, food and water to Haiti with the help of your donation.

Baptist Haiti Mission: Since 1943 the Baptist Haiti Mission has been serving this country. Their hospital in Fermathe is overflowing with victims needing treatment. Your donation will go directly to those who need it.

For Haiti with Love: This organization, For Haiti with Love, provides free medical care on the North Coast of Haiti. They’re expecting to serve more people and need help paying for additional medical supplies.

Mission Aviation Fellowship: As of right now, several of Mission Aviation Fellowship’s volunteers based in Haiti are not accounted for. The organization has set up a special fund just for serving the areas.

Food for the Hungry: Fifteen workers with Food for the Hungry are still unaccounted for in Haiti. The organization has a head start providing aid to this country because of workers they already have in place, but they need more funds to rush food, water, medicine and other life-saving help to this area.

CURE International: CURE International doctors in the Dominican Republic are responding to Haiti. Text CURE to 85944 to give a $10 mobile gift.

Bright Hope International: Bright Hope is all about serving the poorest of the poor. And now they want to help those in disaster-stricken Haiti. Your donation will provide supplies to the earthquake survivors.

When the health benefits, better mood and enhanced appearance aren’t enough to motivate weight loss, cold hard cash may be enough to get the job done. In fact, there are studies to back that theory up. A 2008 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that dieters with financial incentives were five times as likely to achieve their weight loss goals compared to dieters without money as a motivator.

This is the idea behind some new business models that are pushing financial rewards to be the newest fitness craze. Companies have been trying it by using gift cards, cruises and even cash to reward employees who lose weight. The idea is that they’ll save much more in health care costs if employees are in better shape, according to a recent Yahoo! article.

One website offering an independent opportunity at a financial gain for those who lose weight is HealthyWage.com. The site launched in October and so far more than 5,000 people have signed up. Corporate sponsors agree to give cash prizes to obese users who move from an unhealthy body mass index to a healthy range. Typically that would require users to lose between 30 and 80 pounds. HealthyWage.com says for every person who moves into a healthy BMI range will save the health care system $1,150– money that would go towards treating obesity-related health costs.

Signing up is free, but if you want to be a part of the next 12-month challenge you need to get on board before January 20. Signing up gives you a chance at the $100 prize or if you want to sweeten the pot– add $300 of your own money and the stakes go up to $1000. And if you win you not only get the money, but you’ll have better health.

Image courtesy of lu lu

According to Smart Money, this is the week to find some great sales at your favorite stores. Here are some retail shops you may want to check out this week. Sales on electronics will be great at Best Buy and Wal-Mart.

Best Buy: You can get an HP TouchSmart all-in-one computer for $799 and $899 through January 2.

Wal-Mart: Through New Year’s Day Wal-Mart is extending its previously announced sales. That includes Blu-Ray movies for under $20, a $50 gift card with the purchase of an XBox 360 and get an eMachine netbook for $228. You can also pick up home holiday items for 50 percent off.

Toys ‘R’ Us: Find Buy One, Get One Half Off sales through Jan. 2. Buy one Leapster software program and get another one free while the purchase of one DVD gets you half off other DVDs. Also save money on LEGO’s Star Wars.

Macy’s: Go to this department store’s website and get some discounts on selected items. For purchases of more than $99 type in the coupon code MERRY and get free shipping.

Bliss: Get 70 percent off on skincare items at Blissworld with its Christmas Blowout Sale that ends Jan. 5 plus get free shipping on items worth more than $25.

Barnes & Noble: With this store’s After Holiday Sale, you can get 50 percent off on some books and calendars. And some are even 90 percent off. DVDs, music and toys are also included. If you are purchasing textbooks through the end of January, you can get 10 free song downloads.

Piperlime: With the Lime Tag Sale, this online shoe and accessories site for Gap brands, you can get up to 40 percent off footwear, accessories and apparel.

ALDO: You have until Jan. 4 to get an extra 30 percent off of sale items online. In-store discounts are only good this weekend.

80’s Purple: This online fashion boutique is offering an extra 20 percent off an entire purchase through Jan. 4. Use the code THANKYOU when you check out.

Looks like it might prove to be a harsh winter with the recent snow storms on the East Coast and cranking up the heat in the house will definitely be a reality for the next few months. And the federal government is here to help. Almost 8 million households received assistance to heat their homes this fiscal year which is up 33 percent from 2008, says an article in USA Today newspaper.

As the economy continues to struggle, the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association says more and more will be needing assistance with keeping their homes warm. Congress gave $5.1 billion to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. That’s much higher than the $2.6 billion last year.

The federal government is working to step in and assist those in need the same way they help with other needs, such as health care and food. This year, millions of households had their utilities shut off due to non-payment and it’s increased. According to the article,  the average amount given to a home in 2009 covered 48 percent of winter heating bills.

Along with the government, there are others who are helping those who may need some help with bills. As Christians it is our call to help others in need and I know of several churches in my area that assist local people with utilities. Many churches have programs set up to help you pay a late heating, water or electric bill, so you won’t be left without these basic needs. While the government works to help others in need, let’s remember especially at Christmas that people in our community need our help.

I’ve been hearing that many people do not like the new privacy policies and settings for Facebook that were announced in early December, but my account was recently hacked so I’m open to taking a look at the new settings. Facebook now has 350 million users and its team is working to improve its privacy.

According to Facebook’s Privacy Policy, there are four major things you need to know.

#1: You decide how much information you want to share out there. You can control it through the privacy settings. Review the default settings and make sure it’s where you want it.

#2: Take a look at your application settings. You have the ability to control how you share information with third-party applications and websites. You can limit how your friends share your information with applications.

#3: Certain categories of information (your name, profile photo, friend, networks, etc.)  are publicly available to anyone. But you can limit the ability of others to find that information.

#4: Facebook also wants you to know that they will not share your information with its advertisers.

Now here is some information on the criticism about the changes. Some are saying the new settings are pushing users to share even more information, according to the article on the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s website. They say the information that you used to have control of is now even more available to the public and you can’t opt out of sharing your information with Facebook apps.

CNN Tech recently posted an article about the changes and discussed some of the complaints that are rolling in. The option of restricting your “publicly available information” (your name, picture, networks etc.) is now gone. Your list of friends can now be viewed by all. The article says that Facebook argues that a user’s friend list can be made nonviewable, but either all or no one can see it. Another concern is the use of all of those quizzes we take that are developed by third parties. Now, when a friend adds an application your public information can now be viewed by these third parties.

I suggest taking a look at the Facebook policy and form your own opinion about the new privacy settings. I was just going to ignore it and keep it the way I had it before, but now I plan to carefully take a look and see if I need to make any changes to my account.

A record low number of US workers will get holiday bonuses this year. According to an annual survey done by Hewitt Associates just 24% of companies will be handing out year-end cash. That’s down from 42% a year ago. But there is a silver lining. Although companies may not be handing out extra money, they do plan to give raises next year and do some more hiring, according to the Wall Street Journal.

So who are the lucky few getting holiday bonuses? Researchers say it’s the top performers. Most bonuses– 63% in fact– are now being handed out based on job performance and success with the median bonus being about $250. But not only are not as many bonuses being handed out, but fewer companies will be throwing a Christmas party. The same survey discovered that 60% of companies will host a holiday party. That’s down from 71% a year ago. They’ll be spending less on that big bash as well with the median being $15,000, down from $19,000 in 2008.

Even before the economy went south, I never worked for a company that handed out much in the way of year-end bonuses. One December I was given an over-sized Hershey’s chocolate bar along with a hand shake from the company president. And another year the higher-ups gave us coffee mugs. The best Christmas bonus I received was $25 from a company who handed out extra checks based on the number of years you’d been with the company. Are you expecting a holiday bonus this year? If so, what do you think you’ll spend it on?

With God’s truth being attacked in so many ways, why not take a stand by proclaiming to the world that you are a Christian? The Billy Graham Association has joined forces with Christianity.com to find one million Christians who are willing to tell the world that they believe in Jesus Christ. Here’s how you can be a part of this movement:

1. Visit IBelieve.com. Once you are on the website, take a moment to sign the declaration of faith. So far more than 70,000 people have taken this step, but the goal is to find one million Christians willing to sign the declaration of faith.

2. Send a free e-card. Go to Crosscards.com and send an “I am a Christian” ecard to your friends, family, church, or anyone that you would like to see be a part of the movement. Take a stand against attacks on Christianity by joining together.

3. Join the movement on Facebook. You can “become of a fan” of the I am a Christian movement on Facebook. Tell your Facebook friends about why you are proclaiming Jesus Christ as your Savior and invite them to be a part of this exciting opportunity.

4. Tweet your faith. Once you have signed the declaration of faith, let your followers on Twitter know by sending out a tweet that says you are a Christian. You can also follow @Im_Christian on Twitter.

Disney is hoping to inspire one million people to volunteer in their communities. Kick start the new year by giving back to your community. Starting Jan. 1, 2010 if you volunteer a day of service, you get a free ticket to Walt Disney World or Disneyland.

To get started visit Disney Parks online. First, search and sign up to volunteer with a participating organization at the beginning of the year. Second, give of your time and volunteer and then receive a voucher to redeem your Disney ticket.

Disney is working with HandsOn Network, part of the Points of Light Institute. Points of Light is the largest volunteer network in the U.S. There are more than 250 HandsOn Action Centers which are community hubs for people to get connected  and get involved. Volunteering opportunities are available in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada and include many impact areas such as children and youth, religion, animals, hurricane relief and other areas that need assistance. HandsOn facilitates about 30,000 projects a month and includes more than 70,000 nonprofit, faith, education and community-based organizations. According to the agency’s website, it delivered more than 30 million hours of service last year.

Volunteer activities suggested by HandsOn Network: Visit seniors and play games with them, donate items to homeless shelters, clean up a park, participate in a local charity walk or help sort items at a local food bank.

And don’t forget you can also get a free ticket for your birthday!

Now you can start turning to your computer for advice on saving energy at home. Microsoft has developed a new software and the best thing is it’s free. Microsoft Hohm is a free Web-based beta application that an aid you in saving energy and money. The program will help you understand the amount of energy being used by your home and give you advice on how to conserve energy.

Hohm: H + OHM is the unit of measurement for electrical impedance. Once you sign up on their website, you complete a survey with facts such as your zip code, size of your home, the year it was built and other questions. Hohm provides you with an overview of your annual energy usage and how your home compares to others in your area. You can also enter your actual electricity usage by connecting to your energy provider or by manually entering your usage.

Once you fill out your information you are on your way to being more energy efficient. Click on the recommendations tab and you’ll see a breakdown of ways you can start saving energy and money, according to the website. The more detail you give them about your home, the more comprehensive report you’ll get. Then check out their library with several available energy-saving recommendations.

Take a look at the Hohm blog and read up on topics such as “Why Buy Green?” and holiday blogs. The CBS News Early Show recently did a segment about Microsoft Hohm and asked a family in California to try it out. They found that their garage refrigerator was costing them a bundle and they realized by combining loads of laundry they could save lots of money.

Quick tips from their site: Install and program your thermostat, seal your home with weather stripping and replace the filter in your furnace.

Twenty-nine-year-old South Carolina pastor Blake Pitts of Grace Baptist Church in Seneca, South Carolina did pretty much everything wrong. He launched a capital giving campaign during one of the worst recessions in decades in his small church in a small town. But Blake has seen huge growth in his church and says it’s because God does not work according to the world’s economy, according to this interview.

Blake’s 2008 giving levels were at $180,000. So far this year members have given $220,000 and are on target to top $240,000 which is $60,000 more than last year. That huge increase in general giving is especially remarkable when you consider the church also launched a capital campaign to expand the church building. Members have contributed an additional $180,000 for that project. Grace Baptist Church is located in Seneca, South Carolina, a small town made up of mostly blue collar people. The church itself started the year with about 180 members and has grown to about 225 members. “We’re really blowing last year’s numbers out of the water,” Blake said in a recent interview. “That’s totally a God thing.”

According to Blake, here are some of the reasons the church experienced such huge growth in giving and attendance despite being in very bad economy:

1. Taught About the Tithe: Blake had never taught on giving before at this church so he started preaching that the tithe is what was expected. He wanted to make sure his congregation knew the basics about what the Bible teaches regarding giving.

2. Challenged People to Go Over and Above: Blake told his congregation that if they wanted to be involved in over-and-above-giving they need to tithe first. Blake adds that when you begin to give you start to see blessings in your life that can’t be explained from the pulpit.

3. Set Goals: Blake says setting goals is key. Some goals were small. For example, one Sunday he told the church they needed $2,000 for a new drum set. He asked 20 people to give $100 and immediately hands went up. They ended up with more than enough to achieve this goal.

4. Growth Within People: Blake says giving is an outward expression of what’s going on in your heart. When people grow spiritually they begin to give more. And he believes the members of Grace Baptist were growing spiritually.

5. Passion of the Leadership: Without passionate leadership in the church, increase in giving won’t happen. If the senior pastor is not giving generously then how can we expect the congregation follow? They need to hear their pastor say “I’m a tither.”

Cyber Monday proved to be a record day for shoppers searching for coupons, according to an article at USAToday.com. Sites like RetailMeNot.com reported having 1.1 million visitors on Monday. That’s up a whopping 57% from a year ago. Another coupon site, CouponCabin.com had 400,000 visits which was a 65% increase from Cyber Monday 2008. BradsDeals.com welcomed 16,000 visitors per hour, a 174% increase in traffic compared to last year.

There has been an increased demand for printable coupons and coupon codes all year. This summer 44.1 million adults printed coupons from online sources which is a 21% increase compared to 2008, according to market research firm Experian Simmons. The reason for this growth is easily explained– more people want to save money and more people are getting online. Statistics show that one-third of internet users are visiting websites that offer deals.

So which sites are the best to visit for printable coupons and coupon codes? Here are a few to check out:

UltimateCoupons.com

Ebates.com

RetailMeNot.com

CouponCabin.com

CouponChief.com

CouponShack.com

DealRocker.com

BensBargains.net

Giltman.com

BradsDeals.com

Not long ago I was cleaning out our “junk drawer” in the kitchen (you know the one we all have) and found a couple of old gift cards. I had no idea I even had them and and probably won’t use them. Have you ever received a gift card from a store that you know you won’t go to? Maybe it was a restaurant that is nowhere near where you live. Now there is something you can do with your cards. Consumers are expected to spend $50 billion on gift cards this year.

I saw a segment about Gift Card Rescue on the TV show Shark Tank and then saw it again in a magazine. This company allows consumers to sell or exchange their unused cards. One of the best things about it is you can exchange it and Gift Card Rescue will send you another one from a store of your choice (they have a list of popular places) and you can purchase cards at discounted rates from such places as Bed Bath & Beyond and L.L. Bean.

Here’s how it works:

Trade it for cash or exchange/swap gift cards. Enter in your card details and the site will tell you how much it will buy your card for. Gift Card Rescue typically buys cards for between 60 and 80 percent of the card value depending on its popularity, according to the website. Then you can receive cash through PayPal, exchange it for another card from the site or swap it for an Amazon gift card.

There are also a few other sites that offer similar services.

Plastic Jungle: On this site you can pretty much do the same thing. Cash in your cards with a minimum balance of $25 for up to 85 percent of the verified card balance. You can purchase discounted gift cards or even donate them to benefit your favorite charity.

Monster Gift Card: You can browse by category and you use a “Monster Point” system which allows clients to buy, sell and trade gift cards with other clients anonymously and set their own price.

Just about every wedding gift I give is accompanied by a copy of Dave Ramsey’s bestseller The Total Money Makeover. The concepts in the book helped my husband and I get started on a great financial path when we were first married and I want other couples to have the chance to experience that same success. But this book would make a great gift for a lot of people on your Christmas list, too. And the best part is the books are now on sale for just $10 a copy in the Dave Ramsey book store. I can think of several family members and friends who could really use the powerful message in this book.

The book talks about Dave Ramsey’s baby steps which start with creating an emergency fund and end with paying off your mortgage. He is adamant about eliminating debt and increasing your savings so that you can one day give like no one else and live like no one else.

While you’re visiting the Dave Ramsey website, take a moment to enter for your chance to win one of the daily prizes Dave and his team are giving away through the month of December. This year Dave wants to give like no one else which is why he’s handing out prizes every day. You can win prizes like $1000 emergency fund or a free pass to Financial Peace University. The prizes are different each day so make sure to check back regularly and enter often!

The Internal Revenue Service is looking for 107,832 taxpayers who were due a refund check but never got it. Wondering if you have a windfall coming to you just in time for Christmas? You could be one of the taxpayers that’s due part of $123.5 million dollars from the IRS because when refund checks were sent out they were returned by the US Postal Service due to mailing address errors. “We are eager to get this money into the hands of taxpayers, so don’t delay if you think you are missing a refund,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman, in an IRS news release. “The sooner you update your address information, the quicker you can get your refund.”

So how do you get your money? The IRS says if you’ve moved or changed your address, update it with the IRS. Once it’s updated the IRS will send out any checks that are due. The average undeliverable refund check is worth $1,148 this year. Last year the average undeliverable check was valued at $990. Some taxpayers have more than one check waiting for them.

To update your address, use the IRS’s “Where’s My Refund” tool. You may need some additional information to find out what happened to your refund including:
* Your Social Security Number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)
* Your Filing status (Single, Married Filing Joint Return, Married Filing Separate Return, Head of Household, or Qualifying Widow(er))
* The exact whole dollar amount of your refund

Once you provide this information, the IRS says typically they’ll give the status of your refund or offer instructions on how to resolve any delivery issues that were encountered. If you don’t want to update your information online you can do it by calling 1-800-829-1954.

One way to avoid any delivery issues with your tax refund is by having the money directly deposited in your bank account. This option is available for those who file both paper and electronic returns, making it a convenient alternative for almost every taxpayer. You can also avoid headaches by filing electronically since sometimes paper returns can be lost. Filing electronically will also increase the speed at which you receive your refund.

A new report released today is the first state-level study into negative equity single-family homes. The study found that 23% of Americans– nearly one in four– have mortgages where they owe more than their home is worth. According to a CNN news report about the study, almost 10.7 million mortgages were deemed “underwater” by the report as of the end of September.

The First American CoreLogic Negative Equity Report includes information on more than 45 million properties that have a first and/or second mortgage as of September 30, 2009. The study includes properties with values between $30,000 and $30 million. To determine how many homes are “underwater” First American CoreLogic subtracted the property’s current value from the remaining mortgage. If that was a negative number then that property is among the millions with negative equity.

There were millions of Americans who weren’t upside down in their mortgages, but were very close. About 2.3 million homeowners were within 5% of having negative equity. Some states were far higher than the national average of 23%:

Nevada: 65%
Arizona: 48%
Florida: 45%
Michigan: 37%
California: 35%

The reason these states have a much higher rate of negative equity mortgages, experts say, is because they have higher rates of prime loans that went bad including adjustable rate or interest only mortgages. The problem for many homeowners comes when the accumulated debt reaches 10-25% more than the principal loan amount. That’s when Adjustable Rate Mortgages are typically transferred into a fixed-rate mortgage, driving their monthly payments up significantly. At that point many homeowners aren’t able to make their monthly payments and are forced to consider foreclosure.

Image courtesy of respres

When I found this list of dropouts it certainly surprised me. Some of the nation’s most successful and famous didn’t even finish high school or college and still made a name for themselves. While college is still important in this day and age to land a great job, some tend to be lucky and succeed without a degree.

Bill Gates: Everyone knows this name. He’s named one of the world’s richest people year after year in Forbes magazine and co-founded Microsoft. This brainiac attended Harvard, but left before attaining his degree to start a company. He was interested in programming at a young age and took that and ran with it. It’s obviously paid off.

Ralph Lauren: This fashion icon knew he wanted to be a  millionaire when he was young. Dropping out of school at Baruch College didn’t stop him. Polo Ralph Lauren continues to  make millions.

Quentin Tarantino: This famous director quit attending high school his freshman year and attended acting school. Soon after that he began a successful career as a director of such movies as Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs.

Steve Jobs: Think of the iPhone, Apple computers etc. This guy is the CEO of Apple Inc. and only attended college for one semester. A couple of years ago he was named the most powerful business man by Fortune Magazine.

Kirk Kerkorian: Las Vegas is this man’s fortune. He is buying and developing properties in the city with large stakes in hotels such as the Bellagio, MGM Grand and New York-New York. And he left school in 8th grade.

Dave Thomas: The founder of Wendy’s fast food chain dropped out of high school to work in the restaurant business. Now Wendy’s is one of the largest burger chains. He did, however, want to set a good example and went back to earn his GED.

Peter Jennings: This famous television broadcaster failed 10th grade and dropped out of school. He became host of a children’s program and then went on to become one of the news anchors for World News Tonight.

Sean Connery: He’s one of the most famous Oscar-winning actors and dropped out to work full-time. He was in the Royal Navy, but was released due to medical issues. After that  he had many odd jobs such as a milkman, bricklayer and a coffin polisher before making it big.

Friday, Nov. 27 is the day for shopping. It’s Black Friday when everyone seems to show up at malls and shops around town. They wait in lines for hours and some end of fighting over toys as the sale items disappear off the shelves. I found several Black Friday websites that might be helpful. Black Friday is only 12 days away!

Black Friday Ads:  This site has daily updates on hot deals (not just on Black Friday) at major retailers. For example, Wal-Mart started its Holiday Value Bundles Sale on Nov. 14. You can bundle the Nintendo Wii, Wii Fit Plus and a $25 gift card for $299 or bundle a rechargeable wine opener with a bucket and other items for $25. Wal-Mart bundles include electronics, video games, toys, Christmas ornaments and others. Black Friday Ads also provides you with buying guides and direct links to major retailers.

Black Friday.Info: This one claims to be the official site for all Black Friday ads. Click on the ad tab at the top and choose from stores, such as Ace Hardware to Best Buy and Sam’s Club or Target. November 15 – 17 the site is having a Black Friday contest. Take a picture of yourself holding a Black Friday.info sign in front of Sears or with a Sears employee and submit. Once the limit is hit, they will be uploaded to Facebook for voting. The winner will be given a $200 Sears Gift Card! Go to bfinfocontest@gmail.com.

The Black Friday: Maybe this is the “Official Black Friday 2009 Site”. Ads are being posted to get you ready for Black Friday and this website lists them for you. Right now, Radio Shack, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Rite Aid, Best Buy, Home Depot, Sports Authority, Meijer and Walgreens are a few who have posted their ads for this year’s Black Friday.

Here are some tips provided by The Black Friday:

Decide what you want in advance and what’s important to you. Pair up with a group of people and split off to different stores. Check the price matching policies of each store. Try to buy only what you need and be a smart parker. You also might want to do some shopping online and avoid the stores all together.

It’s become an American tradition. The day after overindulging on turkey, stuffing and pie, we get up before the sun to shop like crazy and score incredible deals. It seems that many Black Friday ads have already been leaked. And some stores are simply posting them on their website for shoppers to see. Wondering what kind of deals you can expect to see on the day after Thanksgiving? Here are some Black Friday ads to review:

Lowe’s: Lowe’s has posted their Black Friday ad on their website for everyone to look over. Check out the deals like a portable fire pit for $39 and a shop vac for just $29.

Kohl’s: The Black Friday sales start at 4am at Kohl’s. Their leaked Black Friday ad on BlackFriday.org shows lots of toys at half off and a portable 7″ LCD TV for just $69.99.

Kmart: The leaked Black Friday ad for Kmart posted on BlackFriday.org shows lots of great deals like a GPS system for $84.99 and cashmere hats, gloves and scarves for just $9.99. The Black Friday sales here start at 6am.

Sears: The leaked Sears Black Friday ad found at BlackFriday.com promises hundreds of door buster deals. Some of the deals include jeans for the entire family for $9.99, a 7″ digital frame for $29.99 and Disney Pix digital cameras for $9.99.

Old Navy: Doors open at 3am at Old Navy and according to their leaked Black Friday ad they’re giving away some video games with
qualifying purchases. They’ve also got other great deals like jackets for $15.

Harbor Freight Tools: The After-Thanksgiving ad for Harbor Freight Tools is available on the company’s homepage. Check it out for deals on tools.

Target: While Target ads haven’t been leaked yet, you can sign up to receive notifications for when they are released. When you sign up you’ll be able to preview all of the deals early.

Our veterans have given so much to us, so this Veterans Day there are plenty of businesses giving back to them. Here are a few of the good deals and freebies available for veterans on November 11, 2009.

Free Krispy Kreme Doughnuts: Veterans and active duty military can head to any Krispy Kreme location on November 11 for a free doughnut of any variety.

Free Outback Steakhouse: This Veterans Day, all veterans and active duty military will receive a free Bloomin’ onion and drink from Outback Steakhouse with proof of their military service.

Free Golden Corral: Golden Corral will be holding a free “Thank You” dinner on Monday November 16. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, then you are welcome to attend Military Appreciation Monday dinner.

Home Depot and Lowe’s Discounts: Members of the military will receive 10% off purchases at Home Depot and Lowe’s. The Home Depot discount runs from November 6 to November 12 while the Lowe’s discount runs from November 6 through the 11.

Free Admission to Parks: Veterans and military members will receive free admission on Veterans Day. to national parks, refuges and other interior lands according to the Department of the Interior.

Free Admission to Knott’s Berry Farm: Active and retired military along with one guest can get free admission at Knott’s Berry Farm for the entire month of November. They can also purchase up to six additional tickets for just $15 a piece.

Free Admission and Parade at Colonial Williamsburg: There will be a parade and a public ceremony honoring veterans at Colonial Williamsburg. Veterans and their dependents can also enjoy free admission November 6-11.

Free Applebee’s for Veterans: On November 11, veterans will be honored for their service with free food from Applebee’s. Veterans who show proof that they are a veteran or active duty will be able to choose between one of six free meals.

Free Cane for Veterans: Veterans can head to Sam’s Club on November 11 to pick up a free Hugo folding cane worth $29.99. You do not have to be a member of Sam’s Club to take advantage of this deal, but you may be required to show proof of your military service.

Oprah recently found herself in the middle of a controversy involving gospel singer BeBe Winans and his ex-wife Debbie. About ten months ago BeBe Winans was arrested on domestic abuse charges for allegedly shoving Debbie to the ground. While Oprah has been very vocal about the domestic abuse case involving Rhianna and Chris Brown, many are calling the talk show host a hypocrite for allowing BeBe to promote his new album on her show and perform one of the songs from the album. BeBe was scheduled to also appear on Oprah as a judge in her Karaoke Challenge, but has since been banned from the Oprah Show. He will not be allowed to appear on the program until the issue is resolved.

But an article on Beliefnet brings up a good point– what about the hypocrisy of Christians who continue to purchase BeBe’s album. The album still holds the #1 spot on the Gospel album charts. It’s also #5 on the R&B/Hip Hop chart and #24 on the Billboard Top 200.

It’s pretty obvious that we as Christians may not want to spend our money on albums containing explicit content or x-rated movies. But what about spending your money to support a Christian artist accused of beating his wife? Our dollars and the way we spend them says a lot about who we are– and perhaps Christians often forget that. We may still buy a knock-off handbag and forget that the money supports terrorism. We may buy clothing without stopping to think about whether it was made in a sweat shop at the hands of little kids.

So how does it work– do we forgive BeBe for his mistakes and continue to buy his albums, but refuse to buy secular albums by artists who are sinners too? Do we as Christians think enough about how we spend our money and what that says about us?

If you lost your job this year you may be eligible for some benefits– and we’re not talking about help from the government. Plenty of businesses and companies want to do their part to help the millions of people who are unemployed right now. Here are a few of the free perks to check out.

Free Medicine: For free medicine check out the Pfizer MAINTAIN Program. The Pfizer MAINTAIN Program provides free Pfizer medicines to qualified patients, delivered right to their home. The program was recently created to help the recently unemployed without insurance continue receiving their Pfizer medicines. You must apply for this program before December 31, 2009 and if you’re accepted you’ll receive free medicines for up to one year. You’re eligible if you’ve become unemployed since January 1, 2009, you were prescribed and have been taking Pfizer medicines for at least three months prior to enrolling in the program. You must also have no prescription coverage and must be able to attest to your financial hardship. To apply download this application and mail it in with proof of unemployment such as a state unemployment benefits letter, benefit check stub or your employer’s termination letter.

Kmart Savings: Save 20% off select store-brand merchandise at Kmart if you’re unemployed. Kmart customers must present a state-issued id and state-issued unemployment benefits enrollment confirmation in order to be a part of this program. You’ll get a discount card that you must show at checkout in order to get your discount. Cards will be issued through January 2010.

Free Healthcare: If you were laid off on or after March 31, 2009 you may be eligible to receive free healthcare from Walgreen’s Take Care Clinics. It’s called the Take Care Recovery Plan and it offers unemployed, uninsured people and their family members free limited primary health care and diagnostic testing. You must fill out this form and send it in along with a copy of your driver’s license and proof that you are receiving unemployment benefits.

Discounted Test Preparation: If you’re unemployed and looking to take the GRE or GMAT, you’ll get a discount in test preparation courses through PowerScore. The company needs proof of your unemployment in order to give the $50 off.

Less than one-third of congregations reported a decline in giving for the first half of 2009, according to a recent study done by the Lake Institute of Faith & Giving at Indiana University and the non-profit research firm The Alban Institute. The findings are part of the 2009 Congressional Economic Impact Study and was based on more than 1,500 congregations and their experience with fundraising.

At a recent church service my pastor explained that our giving for this year has increased and membership continues to grow. We all know that the recession has affected most everyone; however, this study found that Americans are continuing to give. More than two-thirds of congregations in the study reported that their fundraising increased or remained the same earlier this year compared to last year.

Almost 37 percent of congregations reported an increase for the first half of 2009, compared to 2008. And another 34 percent reported steady giving. One thing that has helped churches is their creativity, such as giving aid to the homeless and emergency cash assistance to others. The study showed that congregations (or “growth congregations”) with $600,000 to $1 million in revenue, weekly attendance of more than 300, younger attendees and higher income families were more likely to report an increase in fundraising receipts.

Although the news of increased giving is encouraging, still 30 percent of congregations saw a decrease in giving earlier this year – 8.1 percentage points more than reported a decline in 2008. Those churches called “survival congregations”, which have a 10 percent or more drop in finances and attendance, were more likely to report a decline in giving. Other congregations that were likely to report a decrease are those with annual revenue of less than $150,000, weekly attendance of less than 100, older congregants and those with a lower average income.

Not all congregations are alike. Many are struggling to make ends meet, but many more are holding their own and growing, says the study.

What started out as a small idea has grown into a major movement to help others in need. And that need is for shoes. TOMS Shoes uses the model of One for One. When you purchase a pair of shoes, a new pair goes to children in other countries who have no money for shoes. Walking barefoot is a way of life in counties such as Argentina, and these children walk for many miles for things like food and water. Without shoes, they are prone to bad infections on their feet due to cuts and sores.

Although the economy and things such as high unemployment levels are hitting many people, giving back to others is still important. TOMS Shoes is a great example of someone still trying to make a difference. In 2006, Blake Mycoskie was traveling in Argentina and was astounded at the amount of children without shoes on their feet. This year TOMS Shoes is hoping to hand out 300,000 pairs of shoes to those in other countries.

Along with buying a pair of shoes, you can also get involved in other ways. First, they are in need of interns year- round. How about hosting a style your sole party? Start off with a pair of white TOMS Shoes, grab some pens, markers and stencils and host a party where everyone can personalize their shoes. You can also join a TOMS Shoes Campus Club. When you’re on campus, you can set up TOMS Shoes events with a One for One movement at your school.

Shoes start at $44 with women’s, men’s and children’s sizes and geo-metric, tie-dye or glitter designs. You can purchase them online or find them in many large retail stores. It always feels good to give back to others and this is a simple and fun way to do it.

Most of us only dream of what it would be like to have a million bucks in our bank account. That’s why reading about celebrities who squander it away can be so frustrating. I came across this interesting post about former Celtics star Antoine Walker’s mounting debt. In his hay day, Antoine was pulling in multi-million dollar paychecks. In fact, according to Yahoo! Antoine earned more than $110 million in 12 years from playing basketball and even more doing endorsements for Adidas. But that wasn’t enough for Antoine’s lifestyle.

Celtics Number 8, Antoine Walker

According to reports Antoine is several million dollars in debt. Financial institutions are after him for several unpaid bills which total more than $4 million. The Boston Globe says the 33-year-old even faces felony check fraud charges in Las Vegas. Some say it was Antoine’s generosity that got him into trouble.

He built his mom a mansion, hired dozens of family members and friends, and often bought lavish gifts for teammates and coaches. Antoine did buy himself some nice toys too– two Bentleys, two Mercedes, a Range Rover, a Cadillac Escalade and a Hummer. Antoine’s not the first celebrity to blow through millions of dollars and wind up in massive debt: Rapper MC Hammer, Movie Star Burt Reynolds, Child Star Gary Coleman, and Country Music Star Willie Nelson.

Image courtesy of compujeramey

Yesterday was a big day at Citadel of Faith Covenant Church in Detroit, Michigan. That’s because yesterday was Free House Sunday. The city of Detroit has been hit especially hard by the recession so the authors of a new book “Jesus Loves You This I Know” teamed up with Citadel to bless someone with a free home.

They started pulling the project together back in May and over the past few weeks 113 people filled out an entry form at www.freehouseSunday.com for the chance to receive the free house. The church received the house by someone who had passed away. So with a couple thousand dollars worth of seed money and a lot of volunteer help, the congregation got the house renovated and in great shape for its new owner. Volunteers put in new appliances, heater, cabinets, carpet, tile, fixtures, sinks, bath and more.

In front of a standing-room-only crowd, the church announced the winner, Thereatha Baker. Thereatha’s husband passed away and she could no longer afford her rent. She had no money to move and was falling behind on her bills. The sermon, along with this powerful display of grace and love made a big impact. Out of that packed church yesterday, 30 people committed themselves to the Lord and 55 people said they wanted to join Citadel Church, proving it wasn’t just Thereatha that walked away from the service with a changed life.

This video from Channel 7 Action News in Detroit tells more of the story:

Black Friday is about eight weeks away and the big question is– how much will American shoppers spend? A report on National Public Radio says that Americans started worrying more about their job security in September which is worrying some analysts about how the holiday shopping season will go. Consumer confidence fell in September to 53.1, according to the Conference Board. It had been up to 54.5 in August and was expected to continue going up. Just to give you some perspective, the index dropped down to 25.3, a historic low, back in February. Typically, a reading above 90 indicates a solid economy.

So why does it matter how much we spend on holiday shopping? Because consumer spending on goods and services, housing and health care accounts for 70% of US economic activity. And there is no bigger spending period than during the holiday season. The Conference Board also uses a measure called the Present Situation Index. It measures what consumers think of the economy and according to the index, consumers aren’t feeling super positive. Both their current assessment and consumers’ six month outlook dropped compared to last month.

Job losses are decreasing each month, but the current unemployment rate, coupled with tight credit may be limiting factors when it comes to how much consumers spend this holiday season. Experts say shoppers may be more focused than ever before on finding discounts, using coupons and buying necessities. Some economists expect sales to be at the same levels as 2008, which were down 4.5% compared to 2007.

Whenever I see a UPS delivery truck heading down my street, I get kind of excited hoping maybe I’ll get a package that day. It’s always nice to get something delivered to you whether it’s a birthday gift or something you ordered online.

Residents in five U.S. cities will receive some valuable offers and samples right at their door when they receive a shipment from UPS. Certain ZIP codes in Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Miami, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. are included in this first-to-market service coined UPS Direct to Door. A new custom-designed package will include premium offers and samples from large nationwide retailers.

UPS announced the program Monday and the stores include: Bed Bath & Beyond, Omaha Steaks, Pottery Barn, The Men’s Wearhouse, FTD.com, Boca Java, The Finish Line, Mikasa, Newegg.com, Sephora, West Elm, Williams Sonoma and Zappos.com. Each pack will have about a dozen offers and samples for UPS Customers.

UPS says it wants to help retail marketers get their products and information out there in a more personal way. According to a press release, UPS says some marketing channels are facing challenges and wasting millions of dollars on e-messages and other ways of communicating. So keep an eye out for that UPS truck if you live in those five cities. Maybe it will eventually expand into my area and I’ll receive some extra goodies when my package arrives.

Time for a pop quiz. How many people live paycheck to paycheck? If you guessed 61% of the population then you win. That’s according to a new survey from Careerbuilder.com. The study questioned 4,400 workers nationwide and found that six out of ten people always or usually live for payday in order to survive financially. That’s up from 49% compared to 2008 and 43% in 2007.

Don’t think those people living paycheck to paycheck are making small salaries. Three out of ten people living from payday to payday make $100,000 or more. That’s up from 21% back in 2008. In order to make ends meet, 21% of those surveyed say they’ve reduced 401(k) contributions or lowered the amount they’re stashing in savings. Even 23% of those earning six figures have dropped their contributions to retirement accounts.

Not only are people reducing their retirement savings, some aren’t saving at all. Thirty-six percent of those polled aren’t participating in any retirement programs. That’s five percent more than in 2008. Thirty-three percent of workers don’t save anything each month. Another 30% set aside $100 or less. And 16% save less than $50.

If you’re one of the six in ten people estimated to be living paycheck to paycheck, there are ways to stop the trend.

Boost Earnings: This could mean asking for a raise or it could mean getting a part-time job. Think outside of the box. Is there a hobby you can turn into a money-making opportunity? Do you have room for a roommate?

Reduce Spending: Get serious with cutting your expenses. Get rid of anything that’s not essential. This will give more room in your paycheck to start setting aside money in an emergency fund or a savings account.

Live By a Budget: Take time to write out a real budget. Putting it down on paper will help you stick to it. Give yourself a couple of months to get good at it. Make sure you have a portion or your paycheck going to savings.

The UCLA Anderson Forecast says that the recession will end this quarter, but its negative impact will be felt over the next decade. The report points to huge consumer debt as the root of the recession and says consumer spending will be a key factor in its recovery. Senior Economist David Shulman says that economic growth is beginning after four quarters of decline. He estimates that the Gross Domestic Products will increase by 2.1% during this quarter and by slightly more in the fourth quarter of 2009. Growth will continue, according to experts, throughout 2010 and by the end of the year Americans can expect noticeable improvement. California, one of the states hardest hit by the recession, may be a little slower to recover.

The report says that California will also begin to turn around, but possibly slower than the rest of the country. In fact, experts predict unemployment rates will continue to rise by several percent in 2009. The report says that California’s unemployment won’t drop below double digits until the end of 2011.

Shulman says recovery will be slow throughout the country and will depend significantly on two factors: exports and residential construction. He blames a two decade spending spree that began with rising stock prices and continued with skyrocketing home prices is over. Now, rather than relying on rising asset prices, consumers will be forced to save more and consume less. “Credit impaired lower income consumers can’t spend the way they used to and wealth impaired affluent consumers won’t,” writes Shulman.

Ever wonder how to file for bankruptcy? Curious about what you should do if your identity gets hacked? From the basics like filing a consumer complaint to the terribly difficult job of planning a funeral, the government has produced a free guide to help you through it all. It’s called the 2009 Consumer Action Handbook and you can order one completely free of charge right now. The guide even comes in Spanish and they’ve also set up a way to order more than ten copies at a time if you’d like to hand them out at your church or use them as lame stocking stuffers.

Once you look over your copy of the 2009 Consumer Action Handbook, let them know what you think by taking this short survey. Were there any questions left unanswered? Did a section seem confusing? Let them know so they can make the next version better.

If you don’t want to order the handbook, just check out ConsumerAction.gov for the same information. They’ve got tips and advice on tons of consumer issues including:

* Buying a Car
* Purchasing a Home
* Preventing Your Identity From Getting Stolen
* How to File a Consumer Complaint
* Handling Debt
* Choosing a Doctor
* Resolving Air Travel Problems
* How to Avoid Investment Fraud

It’s Dave Ramsey’s first baby step and for a few more days you can win a fully-funded emergency fund. Dave is giving away nine emergency funds worth $999 until September 18, 2009. There’s a new keyword each day which you need to enter the $999 Giveaway. Find the keyword on Dave’s website.

Besides entering the contest you can also take advantage of two other offers from Dave Ramsey. First of all, all of Dave’s books, CDs and DVDs in his online bookstore is just $9.99. You’ll also have a chance to sign up for Dave’s Mobile Money Makeover. Or you can sign up right now by texting “DAVE” to “99158″. You’ll receive four or five text messages each month that include news, updates, tips and offers from Dave Ramsey. The service is free, but standard text messaging rates apply.

In honor of Dave’s $999 Giveaway, here are some ways you can earn your own fully funded emergency fund:
1. Hold a yard sale (Dave’s favorite suggestion)
2. Sell stuff on Craigslist
3. Take a few odd jobs in the evenings and on weekends
4. Turn a hobby into extra cash
5. Sell some plasma
6. Take in a roommate
7. Take clothes or furniture to a consignment shop
8. Ask friends and family for cash instead of birthday gifts
9. Take a part-time job
10. Baby-sit for friends or family
11. Sell coupons on Ebay
12. Take paid surveys online
13. Sign up for a focus group
14. Become a secret shopper
15. Ask your boss for overtime
16. Cut memberships
17. Cancel non-essential services
18. Sell CDs and DVDs to a used music and movie store

Have other ideas? Let us know what you did to start your emergency fund.

Over the past few months I’ve seen lots of articles and reports talking about the impact the recession will have on population growth. On one hand experts predict a downturn in the baby boom since many are losing their jobs and will hold off on expanding their families because of a decrease in income and less job stability. The other side of the debate claims that because people are going out less and staying in more which leads them to find “free” entertainment at home.

The Recession Means Fewer Babies

According to an NBC report, for the first time in over 10 years the US birth rate has dropped, a move some blame on the recession. Statistics show that the number of births dropped by 2% last year. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 4,247,00 babies arrived in the US in 2008. That was 68,000 fewer babies than in 2007. The states that saw the deepest decline were states hit hardest by the housing crisis: California and Florida.

The Recession Means More Babies

According to a report in USA Today the recession could actually cause a baby boom. Not only are people forced to look for free entertainment, they also want something positive to focus on and babies fit the bill. Another cause for an increase in babies is that massive lay-offs mean loss of health care benefits which could mean fewer people are willing to pay for birth control out of pocket.

Image courtesy of BadrNaseem

Elmo is talking finances in a new PBS primetime special to air on Wednesday, September 9 at 8pm ET/PT. Given that about two out of three middle-class families are at risk of losing their financial security right now, Sesame Street joined forces with David Letterman’s production company and Lookalike Productions to produce this special called Families Stand Together.

Financial expert Jean Chatzky is also involved in the program. Chatzky says six out of ten Americans only have a nest egg big enough to last 90 days if they were to lose their job. She says four in ten Americans have enough savings to last less than 30 days if they were to lose their job. This special asks the question, how would your family handle this situation?

The program offers tips and ideas that families can easily incorporate into their own lives. The special is one part of a larger initiative to help families with children ages two through eight help their little ones’ physical and emotional well-being during this tough economic climate.

If you miss Wednesday’s program you’ll be able to catch it online at SesameWorkshop.org. Starting on September 9 there will also be additional materials on the site available for download. Beyond Wednesday’s prime time special, Sesame Workshop is also having events in 32 cities around the country beginning October 15. They will deliver bilingual education outreach kits that include a DVD, printed children’s story, and ideas about how to explain difficult times to children.

Image courtesy of Sesame Workshop