A report released last week gave the shocking news that half of all Americans are financially fragile and would not be able to come up with $2,000 in 30 days without having to resort to borrowing money or pawning/selling items that they own. It’s apparent that it’s not just the poorest families that are financially vulnerable, many middle class families are also in the same boat.
Ask yourself how easy would it be for you to come up with $2,000 to pay for a necessary car repair, vet bill or home repair. Would you be able to take it from a savings account or would you have to put it on a credit card or borrow it from family? If it’s the latter, it’s time to take action. Here’s how:
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When my husband and I relocated to Indiana last summer, we went through the grueling process of selling our house in Ohio and buying a new one in our new town. In addition to the stress of packing, moving and preparing our beloved old house for sale, we were incredibly surprised by the number of hoops our mortgage lender made us jump through in order to purchase our new house—which was a great deal less expensive than our former abode. Considering the fact that my husband purchased our Ohio house in 2005, when banks were basically giving money away, some of the stricter standards we saw in 2010 seemed reasonable. (The pint of blood needed at closing did not). But what exactly can you expect if you are applying for a mortgage in the post-housing crisis market? Here are a few of the more stringent standards:
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I baked my first homemade bread out of desperation. I had just arrived in the US. I was pregnant, far away from family and friends, and homesick. I missed home terribly – especially home cooking.
I scoured the supermarket shelves for familiar items. One of them was pita bread. Great! I thought. This will be good for sandwiches or for humus. But when I arrived home and opened the package, I was bitterly disappointed. The pita rounds looked like cardboard, felt like cardboard, and – SURPRISE! – tasted like cardboard too.
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Summer time means warm weather. For many of us, it also means big air conditioning bills as we try to stay cool. Taking some easy actions to prepare can help keep those bills to a manageable level and possibly stay cool in the process.
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We tend to forget that it wasn’t all that long ago when people had their kids’ portraits taken several times a year. When I was growing up, the school arranged for a picture once a year and that was pretty much it. Today, we expect to have our children photographed every few months, and it can become a very expensive project.
If you insist on having the kids photographed regularly, you have several options when it comes to cutting costs.
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We have all been horrified to watch the devastation in Japan and Alabama over the past weeks and months, and it’s natural to start wondering what it would be like if a natural disaster happened in our neighborhood. While the toll that natural disasters take on lives, families and communities is certainly more important, it is a good idea to understand the financial consequences of major events like earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and floods. What can you expect financially if you are ever in a natural disaster?
After a disaster strikes, it’s important to know that you are eligible for help. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers both funds and counseling for those affected by disasters, as does the Red Cross. You can expect to receive help with any number of basic necessities, from finding medical care, food, and temporary housing, to helping you to remove debris and repair your home and possessions.
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