Is Candy Spelling The Ultimate Simplifier? Maybe. Sorta. Kinda.

I don’t watch reality television much, but I surfed by this show yesterday – a repeat of HGTV’s Selling Spelling Manor. 

Wow.  Aaron Spelling’s monster mansion – Spelling Manor – has been sold by his widow and she’s moving to a Century City condo and getting rid of an amazing amount of stuff.  Anyone downsizing or who has downsized can find something with which to identify here. 

Admittedly, there’s much to be said that all of this is the Anti-Simplicity lifestyle.  True, so true.

However, this woman has undertaken a major life change and she’s gone through all those same pangs other simplifiers have:  letting go of the vase that has memories but needs to be tossed; boxing stuff for donation; giving away things that you’ve discovered in the attic stash to someone who’ll love them. 

Look, this country is in a depression and we all know it even if so many are too afraid to use the word.  Is it the Greater Depression?  I don’t think we know yet.

However, when so many are having to scale back and scale down, maybe knowing that Aaron Spelling’s widow Candy has vacated Spelling Manor to live in a condo the size of her former attic may help them feel they are not alone.

Just don’t ask about the slabs of pink Italian onyx going into the kitchen or the private swimming pool being built on the 42nd floor. 

Happy week, Dear Reader! 

99 Money Saving Tips Featured by Time Magazine: Frugal is So Trendy

Today you can read an article online entitled, "99 Money Tips: Save on Concerts, Smartphone Plans, Auto Expenses, DIY Projects, and Debt Collector Confrontations," written by Brad Tuttle for Time Magazine.  It's got some good stuff in it, such as:

• a higher price doesn't mean better quality, so research at places like Consumer Reports
• never get cash advances on your credit card (that money is too expensive)
• fix things that break (if you can), don't just dump them and run to the store
• get the cheapest phone service you can

Another thing altogether -- this article is a part of Time's Smart Spending section.  So, frugal really is trendy.  Sure, the bad economy has a lot to do with this, but it's nice to think that Americans are being more frugal with their money because, from a simplifier's point of view, there's a lot of good stuff that comes from this.  Like:

• Cook at home, it's relaxing. 
• Family meal time, good for all. 
• Family game night, even better. 
• Walk instead of drive, great. 
• Borrow books at the library, you discover treasures. 
• Discover free adventures: geocaching, free museum nights, nearby trails and all that wildlife ....

These are a few examples of all the good good stuff that no one will ever find, shopping at the mall or eating at their local restaurant (or driving in between).

There's a lot of good to be found in this bad economy. 

Simplifying Your Thoughts: Simple Living Means Fighting Against Stress and the Thoughts that Cause It

Tonight, there's the big Republican debate between the presidential candidates and tomorrow, President Obama is going to address the nation on the unemployment crisis - and media rumors are that this will include spending more money.  Lots more money.

Next week, we honor the 10 year anniversary of 9-11.  Last week, we had hurricanes on the East Coast and earthquakes on the West Coast, and even as I type this, hundreds of thousands of areas of beautiful, piney hillsides near Bastrop, Texas (not that far from me, as the crow flies) are burning in an uncontrolled fire.  Was it caused by the drought? By arson?  What about all the wildlife and the homes and the families?

The Scream - Edvard Munch

It's all cause for stress.  

Stress, big stress.  And that's before you take it down a notch and start wondering about your own circumstances.  Finances, health, relationships, savings, investments, rising prices, what the future might hold.

There is a lot to think about, and lots of people are swirling those thoughts around in their minds without realizing that you have the power to decide what you will think about -- and that you need to do this.

It's accepted by most everyone these days that stress will make you sick.  Keep it up, and it can kill you.  (For details, check out lots about acute stress and chronic stress at WebMD.)


And what is stress?  It's your body reacting to what you are thinking.

Simplifying your life involves more than being frugal with your purchases or going green with your environment or becoming vegetarian in your diet ... simple living means having peace and joy and strength in your attitude.

How do you do that?  You become proactive about what you are thinking about and you stop letting your mind run willy-nilly over whatever scary things it wants to ponder.  Yes, you can do this and it doesn't mean that you become brainwashed or live a zombie's existence.

Simple Living Between Your Ears:  How to Fight Stress With Simplicity

I don't do this as well as I'd like, but I'm much better at it than I was long ago.  Here are some of the things that have worked for me:

1.  I stop myself every so often, and pay attention to the thoughts that have been bouncing around in my head.  Am I worrying about something?  Am I angry about something?  Am I afraid?  Then, I take hold of those thoughts and resolve them.

2.  I speak out loud to myself if this is needed.  For example, I forgot to mail in my car registration and here it was, September, and I've suddenly got an expired tag on my windshield.  My thoughts just baked themselves into a big pie of pressure, and once I realized that I was fretting about this in my head, it all stopped when I said to myself, "I will not get a ticket on the way to getting my car sticker, and if I do, then I'll just pay it.  This isn't worth getting upset over, I'll just deal with it - whatever happens." 

3.  I don't watch TV news, I read my news online.  Maybe it's still inflated and spun, but it's less stressful for me than all those talking heads who seem to vie for who can be more thrilling, for lack of a better word, as they ramble on about the latest horrific event.

4.  I pray and I read my Bible, renewing my mind with scripture.  There's a reason why so many have read this book for so long, there is true comfort and strength in its pages.  I think even non-believers can find good counsel in words like these:  "[a]nd now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Phil 4:8 NLT).

5.  I read about stress and thoughts to learn more about how thoughts do impact my physical health.  There's lots on this:  medical research (see this UCLA study); books on brain function and stress (see Who Switched off My Brain by Dr. Carolyn Leaf); and books on how diet and exercise are powerful tools against stress, promoting clear thinking and proper hormone balance (see the Hormone Diet by Natasha Turner ND).

One of the great things about living simply is knowing that you can control your lifestyle - even if there are others that don't understand why you are choosing that different drummer.  A big part of that change is internal, becoming a person of independent thought.

Some Days Will Eat You, Some Days You'll Eat the Bear.  

As Jane Armatrading once sang (listen here), some days the bear will eat you, some days you'll eat the bear.  We're all a work in process.

Hang in there, fight that stress, and if you need to see it on the screen, remember this:

Everything is going to be alright.  

(image from Wikimedia Commons, public domain)

Food Packaging Gets Tricky: Smaller Packaging for the Same Price

Food packages
Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain

A couple of weeks ago, I roamed around my local grocery with a list of items that I had purchased in January 2008 and compared what the prices were today, in 2011.

You can read that comparison for yourself here.

At the time, I thought "tricky, tricky" when I discovered the can of diced tomatoes and the box of pasta were both packaged in smaller amounts.  Not a huge difference, but it would add up fast enough if you were the manufacturer/supplier. 

Today, while surfing the web, I discovered that I'm not the only one wondering about this little trick.  At the New York Times, Stephanie Clifford and Catherine Rampell have written an article published today, "Food Inflation Kept Hidden in Tinier Bags," where they've investigated this national trend -- something that isn't new, they've been doing this for decades -- and its current guises:  companies are going green, offering more portability, etc.

No company wants to flat out admit that they're trying to keep that price on the can or box or bag from rising, and they'll just change that container before they'll up the price -- because maybe you'll choose not to buy their goods if you see that number rise.

Maybe you will, maybe you won't.  Truth is, food is food - and if you're needing two cups of tomato sauce for your recipe, you'll buy accordingly.  Some folk will be fooled by this trick.  Savvy shoppers won't.

Here's the reality.  The dollar is worth less, and things are costing more.  We're impacted by things like the rising cost of oil much more than in our gas tank.  (See my earlier post listing lots of products made by petroleum to get an idea.)

Times are tough, and getting tougher.  Which just makes living a life of voluntary simplicity that much smarter, IMHO. The fun, peace, quality of life -- that's just an added bonus or three ....

FYI:  I did another price comparison in August 2017.  You can read about it here.  

Where's The Note? Facing Foreclosure, You May Want to Check Out this Site ASAP - or NOT

Where's the Note? is a website published by a group of organizations (see their logos at the bottom of the page, you'll have to search for their actual sites -- they don't link to this new web site) that's getting lots of media attention.

Go to Where's the Note and you'll get background information on foreclosure issues (things like the definition of a mortgage note) as well as lots of direction on how to fight your impending foreclosure due to the apparent idiocy involved in fast-tracked foreclosure processes by financial institutions across the country.  Better known at this point as "foreclosuregate," in case you haven't been reading the news lately. 

Of course, there are those that are arguing that even if there's a paperwork mess resulting in a title nightmare, if the borrower could not pay the note, then legally Where's the Note gives them action, but morally nothing's changed.  Folk like Mike Konczai are writing about this twist on the growing news story, and I'm happy to see it. 

Because while there are those (including at least one member of Congress) that have advised homeowners to squat, staying put in their homes until the paperwork mess gets sorted out, I gotta wonder if that's best for the home owner. 

It's far from a peaceful life, squatting.  Waiting for the shoe to drop - and unless you get a windfall, then you're setting there knowing you can't pay what you owe, so eventually that's a bell that is gonna ring.  Squatting is not a guaranteed winning Lotto ticket.

Plus, it keeps you from pulling up stakes and moving forward.  And forward is good.  So you join the millions of Americans negatively impacted by this depression, ahem, recession?  So you move to a rental, a forced downsizing of your life?  Is this really and truly so horrible? 

Maybe not, Dear Reader.

Many folk are scared of the simpler life, only to be very pleasantly surprised.  Because a simpler life is a better one.  Whether you voluntarily pursue it or it's thrust upon you, either way -- it's freeing not to be burdened with so much material stuff.  A new chapter in life may mean a second chance to pursue a dream, move to another location, get rid of that dining room set you hate and never use. 

So, while Where's the Note? sounds awfully friendly, I gotta wonder if it's worth all that angst to avoid the eventual New Chapter in Life.  Second chances are sweet, no matter how you come by them.

So You Think Your Life is Over? You're Past 30, 40, 50? You're Over the Hill? THINK AGAIN.

Last night, I was reading the updated version of Billy Graham's book Storm Warning, and it hit me.  The Reverend is still out there, writing best sellers -- and how old is he again?  And, what about Betty White?  She's on a hit TV show, and she's busy with a new clothing line aimed at helping her beloved animal shelter ....

Billy Graham was born in 1918.  Betty White was born in 1922.

Which means that ....

Billy was 30 in 1948.
Betty was 30 in 1952.

Billy was 40 in 1958.
Betty was 40 in 1962.

Billy was 50 in 1968.
Betty was 50 in 1972. 

Think about this -- and where you were back then (if you were even alive yet).  Compare yourself to where you were in 1968, when Billy turned 50, and where you are today.  Me?  I was in elementary school.

When I look at that -- Billy Graham was already 50 when I was eating out of a lunch box and watching cartoons on Saturday morning -- it makes me realize how much more of Life is ahead of me. 

Did Billy Graham at 50 think he'd have another best seller in 2010?  I dunno.  But it sure is amazing to ponder, isn't it? 

So, yes, Dear Reader -- you've got a lot of living to do!!!! Don't settle!  Don't become passive or scared.  Press on toward that abundant life.  Start today.

End Times - Are They Really Here? Books to Read

Apocalypse by
Ludwig Schnorr von Carolsfeld
public domain

Jesus warned that the end of things as we know it would come at a time to which even He was not privy -- only God the Father knows the exact time and date.  (Matthew 24:36)  However, He did let us know that there would be signs, hints if you prefer, that things were getting close. (Matthew 24:33)

 

Given that today our country is in two wars, we've got the Oil Spill, a second Great Depression (even if they don't like to use that term), and a red-hot printing press for the U.S. Dollar with an accompanying, incomprehensible level of debt, ... I could go on but you get the idea ... perhaps reading a bit about the End Times Prophecies from reputable authors isn't a bad idea. 

Remember, though, that Jesus warned that there would be those we should most assuredly avoid.(Matthew 24: 24-25)  If you decide to learn more about the End Times, then recognize that you're gonna find some false prophets out there. 

 

Here are three places to start your study:

1. Storm Warning by Rev. Billy Graham (Thomas Nelson 1995); 
2. The Second Coming: Signs of Christ's Return and the End of the Age by John MacArthur (Crossway Books 2006); and
3. When Jesus Returns by David Pawson (True Potential Publishing, Inc.; North American edition (2008)) .

I'm not recommending these as the best of the best, just as a good starting point if you're interested in eschatology -- which actually has four different schools, or perspectives, on the Book of Revelation and the End Times themselves: the preterist, historicist, futurist and idealist schools of interpretation.

 

There are, of course, the more popular (best seller) reads available for you, too.  You may recognize them, both for their popularity as books and because each was made into a movie:

1. The Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins; and
2. The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey and C.C. Carlson.

Whatever you do, remember fear is your enemy.  Don't study this stuff to fuel fear. 

 

Study this stuff to become stronger, wiser, and more confident in your faith.  God is in control, and everything really is going to be okay. 

The Great Depression 2010 - Are We There Yet?

Image: "Migrant Mother" by D. Lange,
(colorized version)
Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

In London's TimesOnline yesterday, columnist Minette Martin warned that England must prepare to live once again as it did during the years surrounding World War Two - she labels it as "austerity chic." Her column, "Waste Not, Want Not: here comes the new austerity chic," is worth the read.

Ms. Martin discusses how those of the 1930s and 1940s kept their frugal habits through the remainder of their lives, and how the realities of debt and unemployment in Great Britian today will be forcing its citizens into a new area of "austerity."  She encourages her readers to "embrace the new thrift," and how this can actually be a good thing. 

But here's the clincher:  this well-respected journalist in an internationally renowned publication actually uses the word "poor" -- which is, of course, the terror striking the hearts of so many right now. 

The Great Depression - Is It Here Already?

There's actually a website that is devoted to "The Great Depression 2010."  It describes itself as a "chronicle" of those events that mark the United States' descent into another Great Depresssion.  In 2008, experts were already discussing another Great Depression by 2011.  Heck, Wikipedia has an article entitled, "the Financial Crisis of 2007-2010," and it's pretty detailed and worth your time, if you're into the economic aspects of this thing.

However, in answer to my question, it the depression here already, I am looking not at discussions of the evil that is Goldman Sachs, or bubbles, or the impact of Japan or China or India or Mexico upon our country.

Are We Doomed to be (gasp) Poor?

Instead, I'm looking around me at what I see in my world - as I've done before.  And, I don't think we're there yet, at least in San Antonio, Texas.  Depressed, maybe, but it's not "Great" -- yet.  But I think we're gonna see it, and maybe that means within the next 6 months. 

It's bad here, don't get me wrong.  Lotsa empty store fronts and hungry people.  However, this weekend as I drove past the North Star Mall, its parking lot was still full to the brim.  People are still buying designer labels and fine jewelry (just watch HSN or QVC), and this morning I got an email from a new Mustang Island condo development telling me to get in now, before prices go up as the economy continues to recover! 

Frogs in a Pot

Reminds me of that story of how to kill frogs.  If you try to put them in a pot of boiling water, they'll fight you and try to avoid the plunge.  However, if you put them in a pot of tepid water and then let the heat slowly rise, those frogs won't be smart enough to jump out of the pot.  They'll literally sit there and get boiled alive.

What To Do About It

Living simply isn't stupid or lazy or crazy, although I've been called all three.  It's smart.  It's wise. And, it's fun and peaceful and really quite nice. 

Which means that I agree with the conclusions of Minette Martin yesterday -- the New Poor may discover that they will be much happier living without all that Stuff  though they're not willing it to consider just yet.  Right now, Denial remains something that is much more than a river in Egypt.

Trends in 2010 - Markets That Are Supposed to Do WELL

According to Entrepreneur magazine, all isn't bad.  It just depends on where you are in the marketplace.  They've got an interesting online article where they have checked with Those In The Know (presumably, people like Faith Popcorn) and learned the Top 10 Markets that are thriving in this bad economy
Some aren't any big surprise:  Going Green, Boomer Business, these things aren't new.  But I was a tad surprised at Parental Outsourcing and the fact that Texas is so darn trendy.  Who knew? 

What a Dollar Buys Now and Then: Cool Online Tool Showing Decline of Dollar's Power

Over at CoinNews.net, they have a cool online gadget that is based upon the federal government's Consumer Price Index. You input YEAR, PRICE OF ITEM, and SECOND YEAR, and the gizmo tells you how much the same item would cost in the second year, compared to the first -- and it gives you the rate of inflation.  They call it their "Inflation Calculator."  

Examples:

If you bought a book for $18.00 in 1990, today it would cost $29.95, for an inflation rate of 65.8%.

If you bought a car for 20,000 in 1985, today it would cost $40,286.43, for an inflation rate of 101.4%.

For those of us that have been around awhile, this sounds about right.  The price I paid for a Lexus in the 1980s isn't gonna get me in the dealership door.  What I paid around $25K for back then, I'd have to walk into North Park Lexus with around $50K today. 

And, I think back to McDonald's visits growing up. I remember the little hamburger costing only 25 cents.  You could get one for a quarter, and maybe some pennies for tax.  I think the little basic burger is now 89 cents, but I'll have to double check this and get back to you, Dear Reader, the next time I drive thru McD's (which is rare, so bear with me.) 

For the detailed report on the Consumer Price Index by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, you can read their periodic reports in .pdf format.

Image: US Twenty Dollar Bills, Wikimedia Commons Public Domain.

How to Grow an Organic Garden

It's the right time of year to start a garden, and this is a great video for growing your own organic veggies. Thanks to HowdiniGuru for sharing this with us!

FDIC Failure List -- Bank Closure List Update

Last June, I wrote a post about the growing number of bank closures. I checked the FDIC web site and created the following tally.  By June 2009, there had been 45 bank closures, and the year was only half-done.

So, today, I thought I'd update that Bank Closure List.  Using the information from the FDIC bank failure list (and checking myself against a table of bank closures created by CNN.com), here's what I found: 

Oct to Dec 2000 - 2
2001 - 4
2002 -11
2003 - 3
2004 - 4
2005 - 0
2006 - 0
2007 - 3
2008 -24
2009 -- 140
      (Jan - June 28 = 45; June 29 - December 31 = 95)
2010 - 37 so far this year
      January - March 23 - 37

Give Yourself a Hand - Applause Whenever You Need It

Give yourself a hand.

You deserve it, Dear Reader!

Get out there and have a great day, and the best week ever!

Thanks to MetalHoodMetalHood for putting sharing this via YouTube.

Census 2010 - What You Must Answer and Yes, There Are Scammers

Well, I just received my Census questionaire. I bet you have yours, too. I got another envelope, too, which made me wonder about the Census ... so I went surfing to find out some scoop. Here's what I found out:

 

1. Scams.  Yes, Dear Reader, there ARE scammers out there that are trying to get identity theft info using fake Census forms. The real questionaire doesn't ask for your Social Security Number, or your bank account information. The real questionaire is on paper, NEVER online. Be careful out there!  Doughroller.net has some great information here as well as some suggestions on what you should do if you think you've received a fake census questionaire. 

 

2. What's Being Asked.  The 2010 Questionaire is one of the shortest in history, according to the Census site.  It asks you 10 questions, and you can see them online (which is important if you're checking a possible scammer against the real thing).   Each question shown here also has a brief explanation of how long the question has appeared on the Census, and why they're asking for the information. 

1. How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2010? 
2. Were there any additional people staying here April 1, 2010 that you did not include in Question 1? 
3. Is this house, apartment, or mobile home: owned with mortgage, owned without mortgage, rented, occupied without rent?  
4. What is your telephone number? 
5. Please provide information for each person living here. Start with a person here who owns or rents this house, apartment, or mobile home. If the owner or renter lives somewhere else, start with any adult living here. This will be Person 1. What is Person 1's name? 
6. What is Person 1's sex? 
7. What is Person 1's age and Date of Birth? 
8. Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin? 
9. What is Person 1's race?
10. Does Person 1 sometimes live or stay somewhere else?

 

3.  Do you have to answer?  Yes.  It's federal law and there are penalties if you don't give a response.  If you don't fill in the census form, someone will come to your house to ask you face to face these same questions.  Remember, the right of the government to take a census is in the Constitution.  Dovetailing that provision, Congress passed a statute that created penalties for those that failed to participate. 

4.  The controversy arises over how much information the federal government can obtain under this right -- and how this information will be used.  Libertarians (led by Ron Paul) are against the Census as being too invasive of an individual's privacy.  There's also a racism charge regarding the language in Question 9.   Personally, I've heard discussion about the ability of ne-erdowells to hack into the Census information and use this info for identity theft purposes, but I haven't read any news stories on that concern (or didn't find one in my cursory surfing). 

5.  Does everyone answer?  Apparently not.  A Palm Desert, California, report shows that for each census returned in 2000, that community received $2000 in federal funds.  However, the Coachella Valley only had a response rate of 50% then -- and from the news report, it looks like there may be more folk riled up now than back in 2000, as one person is quoted with asking why the government needs the info when the government is broke and has no money to allot.  And, the Response Rate of the 2000 Census is shown online, divided by state.  The District of Columbia had a 60% response rate in 2000 according to the site. 

Fear: How Scared Are Americans of the Economy These Days? Massa, Glenn Beck, the Survival Seed Company, and Lisa Scottoline

Yesterday, I veered from my usual day-in, day-out writing schedule and its corresponding mental whip of meeting my Word Count quota because a pal had let me know that Ex-Congressman Eric Massa was going to do two interviews, and the first would be on television that afternoon, on Fox's Glenn Beck show.

I waited for Massa to become a Congressional Whistleblower.  It didn't happen.

I rationalized this, work-wise, since one of my long-term projects is working with a book editor and an author on a whistleblower memoir (easiest way to describe it, "Enron-esque") and if Massa was going to jump onto a live TV show to be a Congressional Whistleblower on some mysterious corruption stuff, well - there was some sorta work correlation there.  Sorta. 

Nothing much happened during this Hour of Massa, however, whistleblower-wise.  Beck looked as disappointed and frustrated as those Congressmen during the Michael Corleone hearings, where the brother from Italy appears in the room, sitting next to Michael and suddenly, the snitch knows noottthhhing.  Remember that?  Godfather II.  Great movie. 

Then I Saw the Survival Seed Company Commercial During the Glenn Beck Show

What got me during the show were the commercials.  Lots of gold sales, that's not new.  But for the first time, I saw an ad for SEEDS.  That's right.  Seeds, as in gardening.  And, they weren't promoting the seeds for the beauty of the fruit, or the nutrition of the vegetables, or the size of the blooms.  Nope.  They were trying to sell me these special seeds as BARTER.  Better barter than gold, in case of Doomsday here in the USA.   The company is the Survival Seed Bank, and when I surfed around about them this morning, I found that others are pondering this event, too.  Places like BoingBoing and Steve Pendlebury over at AOLNews.

Later, I'm Reading Lisa Scottoline's new book, Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog, laughing away ....

Skip to evening.  Look, the truth is that most of my time is spent reading or writing, I'm such a dull girl, and last evening, I was reading through Lisa Scottoline's new book, Why My Third Husband Will Be A Dog. 

This is one hilarious book - it's a collection of essays from Lisa Scottoline's "Chick Wit" column at the Philidelphia Inquirer.  Funny, funny stuff.  (Read or listen to some of this book here.)

And suddenly, Lisa S is writing about going to a website -- she provides the reader with its address in the book, it's http://www.whatsyourrq.org/ , and writes about taking the test and finding she's zero on the scale (and the average American scores a 4). 

The Readiness Quotient Test

Wow.  Oh, yeah, sure -- of course, I'm going to go over there and take the test.  At the site, I'm told that its the first test of its kind, to let me and other Americans evaluate their readiness for all sorts of disasters -- they mention natural disasters and terrorist attacks -- as well as providing info on what I/we need to do ... to be ready. 

(Lisa Scottoline is particularly funny answering the question, ready for what? Check out the essay "Disasterous" in the book. Page 191.)

Here's what I'm pondering:  how afraid are we Americans today? 

We've got commercials about seeds for barter, we've got a great writer - humor and thriller - describing her experiences with a Readiness Quotient. 

I don't want to be a lemming.  Neither do I want to be the proverbial frog who is placed in the pot of cold water and dies rather than jump out when the water heats to boiling.  What I do know: fear is a dangerous thing.  Clouds your thinking, monkeys with your response, all sorts of destructive things both individually and collectively arise from a spirit of fear. 

I haven't finished pondering all this, but I thought I'd share this much with you today, Dear Reader.  Fear is a powerful, sneaky enemy of which we should all be aware.  Looks like it's here. 

Image:  The Scream. Edvard Munch 1893, from PublicDomainClipArt.

U.S. Dollar's Decline 1800 - 2005

Sometimes, a visual is all you need.

Source:  Barron's via Jim Kingsland. 

CitiGroup Warns It May Not Allow Withdrawals -- Do You Need a Stash of Cash?

This is shocking -- Citigroup has formally issued a notice that it may use its contract right (part of your bank account agreement) and not honor any request for a withdrawal. 

• This only applies to checking accounts.
• This only applies to Texas.
• This only applies for 7 days -- they're warning that they might not let you take cash out of your Citi account on demand -- you might have to wait seven days.
• It's effective beginning April 1, 2010. 

I'd think this was some sort of April Fools joke -- gotcha! -- except it's coming in mid-February and it's appearing on Citi bank statements across the country.  The error?  That everyone in the country got it, but by law they can't do it anywhere but Texas.  (Lucky us.)

According to the Motley Fool, here's the language of the notice:

Effective April 1, 2010, we reserve the right to require (7) days advance notice before permitting a withdrawal from all checking accounts. While we do not currently exercise this right and have not exercised it in the past, we are required by law to notify you of this change.

According to Ira Stoll at the blog Future of Capitalism, Citi has now issued an explanation:

Yadda yadda yadda.  With warstories of the Great Depression still family lore to many of us, coupled with the possibility of crippling natural disasters (tornado, hurricane, earthquake), this little warning brings home the question: should you have a stash of cash in the event of an emergency? 

When Citibank moved to unlimited FDIC coverage in 2009, we had to reclassify many checking accounts to allow for immediate withdrawals in order to ensure all customers qualified for the additional coverage. When we moved back to standard FDIC coverage with most major banks in 2010, Citibank decided to reclassify those accounts back to make them eligible again for promotional incentives. To do so, Federal Reserve Reg D requires these accounts, called NOW accounts, to reserve the right to require a 7-day notice of withdrawal. We recently communicated this technical requirement to our customers. However, we have never exercised this right and have no plans to do so in the future."

The answer is YES.  The real issue is HOW MUCH and WHERE TO KEEP IT. 

1.  The National Endowment for Financial Education, writing for those hard hit in California by the sudden fires and mudslides, points out that ATMs and bank buildings may not be operational in a disaster.  They then give information on how you can get emergency cash from the Red Cross and FEMA. 

2.  Equipped to Survive is a great source for emergency preparation and while they don't say anything more than "$100, more is better" they do have a great suggestion -- have some of this cash as rolled quarters.

3. At EHow.Com, they suggest different ways to build up that emergency cash supply, and then estimate that in the event of a major disaster (Katrina was an example), you should have at the ready enough cash to cover 3-6 mths of monthly expenses. 

4.  HRCCNC suggests a 6 month expenses reserve.

And, then, for the big question -- since you put your cash in a bank to keep it safe from theft, fire, or other dangers -- what are you to do with the cash stash, if you're worried about being able to get the cash out of the bank (because the ATM is underwater or whatever, or the bank itself is telling you no for 7 days)? 

5.  PracticalHacks gives you tips on where to hide that emergency cash stash. 

How to Buy Gold - Should You Prepare for an Economic Collapse, Like Mike Pitts Foresees?

South Carolina Representative Mike Pitts has made the national news this week with his introduction of a proposed law to that state's legislature that gold and silver coins replace the Federal Reserve Notes we all use for cash within his fair state as its legal currency.   It seems Representative Pitts fears that those dollar bills are too risky - that if the federal government were to collapse, then they would be worthless paper.  

It's happened before.  It happened in Germany after World War I (they were printing money like crazy, it became worthless).  It happened in the American South after the Confederacy lost the War Between the States.  The Civil War victory by the North mean all those confederate dollars were worthless. 

So, what if you're fearful -- or maybe feeling that the prudent thing to do would be to buy some gold (or silver)?  Maybe you think that investing in gold (or silver) just seems like a good idea in these uncertain times, but you're not sure what to do.  How do you do it? There's not exactly a gold section at the grocery store (yet). 

Here's what I've learned about how to buy gold:

1.  buy coins, not jewelry.  Coins are more liquid, they're easier to use as currency -- because they ARE.

2.  buy the American Buffalo Gold coin because it is labelled with the federal mint's guarantee that it is pure 24 carat gold (the American Eagle coin, for example, is not pure gold -- it also contains other stuff).

3.  do your research to find the best prices.  Web searches can reveal various places like Northwest Territorial Mint that will sell you the Buffalo coin and you can also go to the U.S. Mint website to discover a list of local gold dealers in your area that will sell you a Buffalo coin. 

Today, you could buy a single American Buffalo gold coin from NW Territorial Mint for $1303.17.  It weighs 1 ounce and is .9999 pure gold.  They also sell nice charms and necklaces so these can be incorporated into jewelry pieces.  The US Mint site had the same coin for $1360.00, the "collector's edition," which brings the coin to you in a nice hardwood box. 

It's recommended that you never buy gold that is over 7% the "spot price of gold."  Otherwise known as the cash price. 

4. buy from a reputable dealer.  There are some shady characters out there, and it's wise to buy your gold from someone who's been in the business at least 10 years, and make sure your seller buys his product from wholesalers supplied directly by the U.S. Mint.  Check for membership in either the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) or American Numismatic Association (ANA).  You prefer a PNG member but if there's not one in your area, then go with a member of ANA.  Buy in person, and get references on the dealer as well as visiting his shop and talking with him before you start doing business.  Trust your gut.

5. have a plan in advance on where you're going to keep your gold coins.  The safety deposit box you have down at the bank isn't the perfect haven for coins or other currency -- you're not covered by the FDIC policy for any losses from someone stealing from your safety deposit box.  (And this isn't just bandits wearing hooded masks, more often these losses happen when someone legally accesses a safety deposit box as a signatory on a power of attorney and falls prey to the temptation to swipe stuff.)

Financial Planning: Pay Yourself First

It's the start of a new year, and for most of us that's a new fiscal year as well as a chronological one.  Without getting into fancy software options, tax strategies, or estate planning, let's consider this single change:

Pay Yourself First.

What does this mean? You know you've heard it before, it's not quite a bumper sticker yet (though it could be, I suppose).

When you're simplifying your life, it's easy to get caught up in paying off debt and focusing on the outlay.  Pay yourself first is just a reminder to save -- save something now, save something first.  Saving money is a new concept for lots of people in our American culture today -- and it can be hard to do. 

That's why you pay yourself first.  Stash the savings each month, or pay period, first and just don't look at it.  Auto-deduct it.  Stash it.  Find the method that works best for you, but put your future (and your family's) at the top of the budget.  And, don't be a snob about the amount.  Even the tiny amounts add up over time. 

It's important and you're worth it.

Predicting the Future: Trends in 2010 According to the Experts - Faith Popcorn, NIC, Trendwatching

There are entire organizations built around analysis of the past and present in order to predict the future. For some of them, it's for advertising or marketing purposes; for others, it has more sociopolitical incentives.

Should you be interested in what these professionals are forecasting for 2010 and beyond, check out these sites. Of particular interest, Faith Popcorn (I've written about her before, when she predicted 2009 would be a return to simpler living).

In 2010, Faith Popcorn is taking it further, forecasting a growth in local culture and community involvement, from farmer's markets to much more. It's a trend that she's labelled "Local Cocooning":

Faith Popcorn's Brain Reserve

National Intelligence Council - Emerging Global Trends 2010

Trendwatching.Com