Thoughts on Debt

These days I think that everyone is becoming more conscious about how they are spending their money.  The companies who have the necessity items and have them for less are about the only one’s that are profiting, as a matter of fact, it seems that overall most companies are really hurting and reports show that we are not buying anything extra these days.  This includes items like clothing, jewelry, electronics and so forth.  We are instead, looking for new and better ways to hang on to our money, and miscellaneous spending is becoming a thing of the past.  There are some very simple ways to go about saving some money, and so here are just a few of the ways that cutting back a little can save you a lot in the long run:

1. Make coffee at home rather than buy it every day. You’ll save about $2 a day or $40 a month. This is $480 a year, and that can be money in the bank.  Depending on where you go, it could be a lot more. 

2. Bring in lunch from home instead of buying it. You’ll end up with at least $5 - $7 dollars a day in your pocket.  That is a $25 per week savings at least, and a savings of $1300 per year.  Now that would make a nice vacation don’t you think?

3. Stop getting delivery of magazines and newspapers at home. Most of the content is available online and you can read it everyday—for free!

4. Shop around for credit card interest rates and consolidate credit cards, if you keep a balance.

5. Use cash or debit cards instead of credit cards and incurring interest charges.  Not only will this save you more money on the interest charges, but you will also be more aware of what you are spending your money on, and how fast it goes.

6. Save your stamps and pay bills online, usually for free.  Most companies will allow you to make payments right on their web site, either using a check or debit card, and most banks offer online bill pay services for nothing as well.  This is a very convenient way to pay your bills, and you can also put them on automatic payment, which is great because this way your bills will get paid on time, without missing payments and accruing late charges.

These days every little bit of savings helps.  It is nice to see the gas prices come down, but who knows when they will go back up again and grocery prices are still high.  So be sure to keep a good handle on your spending the rough economic times are not gone yet.

These days it does seem that overall we are questioning everything and I want you to know that we are all doing it. Take for instance the fact that on Friday morning my car needed gas, so I stopped and put gas in the tank, regular unleaded of course, after all who is paying for the premium gas anymore. I paid $3.51 for a gallon of gas. Then it was Friday evening and I had to run out to the store and my boyfriend’s car was parked behind mine, so I took his. It needed gas, so I stopped to put gas in the tank at the same station and paid $3.99 per gallon. Then on Saturday morning we were out and the gas station sign said that same gas was now $4.09 per gallon and by Sunday morning it was up to $4.29 per gallon. Now I hear that the gas companies felt that this was warranted because there was a storm coming through Texas - Hugo I think, but who can keep them all straight anymore. You must think though, why must we pay for assumed potential future damage from a perspective storm? I mean it really doesn’t make any sense except as another excuse to hike the price of gas again. You must wonder how they can get away with this? I know I do especially when I hear that gas in Iraq costs about .39 a gallon. Maybe we should all move there, after all we own it now, in more ways than one.

Everyone is talking about the prices of everything going up and up.  Most people blame it on Bush, blame it on the war, Sadaam Husien, all the arab nations, etc.  Well, a recent report says that while we are all struggling trying to be able to afford to put gas in our tank and food in our stomaches, Exxon is making a whopping $1500.00 per second.  Why is this? The problem is that everyone is using the war as an excuse to get more money out of us and put it in their pockets.  The part that I really find perplexing is where is our government in all this? Why are they not stepping forward and putting a reasonable cap on the amounts that companies especially food and oil companies can make off of us during this period of time.  Why aren’t they standing up for us in our time of need? The answer in my opinion can only be one of conspiracy.  They must be getting something from the companies either monetarily or otherwise which is worth more to them then the American public.  This whole situation is a travesty and just another way to keep the public focus away from what they are doing.  After all, if we are all so busy trying to figure out how we are going to be able to pay for things, then we can’t be looking at what they are doing, right?

I mean isn’t it lovely that during this financial crunch our government is going to start reducing their employees to a four day work week, so they don’t have to pay so much in transportation and gas.  I think that is a wonderful idea, but if this is the solution then why not reduce all companies to a four day work week.  Why not reduce school to 4 days per week? After all, not only would this save everyone money in the long run, but it would also save on the amount of gas and oil used in this country and therefore would reduce the demand, especially when you think about all the people who have really long commutes.  And wouldn’t it be helpful to have an extra day off a week? Well, I wouldn’t get your sights set on that, unless of course you are one of the elite few who get paid by the federal government.