Jackie Jamison Online Journal » Money and Finances

Paying bills

Jackie — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:04:16 +0000

Today was one of those days that everyone dreads. I had to sit down and pay the bills that have been piling up on my counter. It’s bad enough that I have to pay all the bills, it’s even worse in my opinion that I have to fill them all out. It’s a huge pain in the butt.

My bank account is suffering lately and all these bills do not seem to be stopping any time soon. I know it’s just a part of life but it’s getting old quickly.

The costs of oil

Jackie — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:22:37 +0000

In the near future the giant oil company BP will be in court. They are liable for the damages caused by their huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. They are hoping to work out a deal beforehand on the amount of money they should pay. I hope it is a lot.

Whatever the outcome of the deal making is, the company stands to lose many billions of dollars. The must pay for lawsuits from individuals and companies, environmental costs, and lost production as many wells are still shut down. Like the spill itself, it going to be a mess.

Retirement plans

Jackie — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:42:31 +0000

One thing that most Americans will do in the future is retire. There are those who work their life away, but that’s not for everyone. If you do plan to retire, making sure you have sufficient funds to do so is important. The common view is to have enough to draw at least 4% from your savings annually.

The best advice is to start planning your retirement early. Putting money into a sock is good, but putting it into escrow is better. One thing you can do is to seek professional advice. That’s what I recommend.

The last buying spree

Jackie — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:44:45 +0000

Since Christmas is over, I have been on one last buying spree. I am taking advantage of all the last minute sales at the local stores. I have come across some pretty good deals and have been filling out the items that were forgotten during Christmas.

I think that this is a good thing as many stores are trying to get rid of the merchandise they have before the new year sets in. there are no losers during this period and everyone wins.

Insurance

Jackie — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:42:31 +0000

One thing that is always on my mind is the amount of insurance that I have. I always think that the more I have is the better. I learned this lesson early in life when I lost a great deal of money because I wasn’t covered properly. I won’t go into the story now, but trust me when I say I learned my lesson.

I think everyone should check into the amount of insurance they have and be sure that it is enough. Accidents happen everyday and you never know what is around the next corner. All I am saying is make sure you are covered for every event.

What in the world

Jackie — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:57:18 +0000

While the U.S. has struggled with its own economy, the rest of the world is struggling as well. In Europe, many nations are being pressed to tighten their belts and to start towing the line as investors are getting nervous. I just hope that all the European nations get their act together so that the world’s economy will take an upward turn.

I believe that every nation plays a role in the world’s economy. When one does well, it helps them all. I hope that Europe will do what it has to in order to make this dream come true.

Hearts and Haiti

Jackie — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:19:30 +0000

My heart goes out to the thousands of victims of the recent Haiti earthquake. We heard news today that the death toll has risen to over 200,000. I find it difficult to fathom the depth of the suffering that is going on in that country. I know that their time of need is now and I hope that everyone will respond.

I believe that if everyone gives just a few dollars, we can make a huge difference for the survivors of this terrible tragedy. I know there are many stories of how the relief effort has been failing, but I believe that it is still doing a lot of good. I implore everyone to keep giving whatever they can to this cause.

The Aftermath

Jackie — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:54:47 +0000

Since the Tiger woods story is all over the news, we all knew that there would be repercussions for him. As bad as all the negative media was for his image, now the financial disaster is beginning. The first sponsor to drop Tiger from its rolls is Accenture Ltd. The have stated that he is no longer a person that they wish to represent them. So far, there has been no comment from Tiger on the situation though it is natural that he would be disappointed.

Was it worth it?

Jackie — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:47:09 +0000

There has been some debate over the recent government run program called “Cash for Clunkers”. The program allowed consumers to buy new vehicles and get a rebate of $4,500 dollars to do so. The program was intended to help the ailing auto industry and to help get the economy moving again. Some critics think it was a waste of money.

There are studies that argue that the program which cost U.S. taxpayers 3 billion dollars did little to help the economy. There are some estimates that each car sold cost the taxpayers well more than the 4,500 dollar rebate. The White House has defended the program saying that they stand by their numbers and that the program was a success. I guess only time will tell who was right or not.

Helping the bottom line

Jackie — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:45:46 +0000

Things around our office have been tight for quite some time. Since the economy is failing, we’ve had to cut corners wherever possible. We asked our employees to come up with their best ideas for saving money. One of the best ideas was to switch to using Compact fluorescent bulbs in order to use less electricity. This will help save us some money as well.

There are other benefits to switching out our old bulbs. By using the more efficient bulbs, we will help our earth by using less energy. I am always glad to find situations that are win\win. This is one of those times. I’m glad I have such intelligent people working for me.