2000 Mile Trek, Volunteer Opps

The US ranks #6 for credit card balances
Contrary to what’s often reported, the average American does not carry an $8000 credit card balance; it’s closer to $3000; 27% of Americans don’t carry a credit card! The Dutch owe an average of one week’s salary or less to credit cards.


10 Ways Credit Card Companies Are Still Screwing You
According to the Center for Responsible Lending, issuers are using the power they still have for a few months to implement “any time any reason” price changes to raise the interest rates for large groups of customers.
One top issuer recently raised the rate across the board on a very large group of low risk consumers who have always paid on time to an astonishing 30%. Just a year ago, this high a rate was unheard of for a regular purchase rate on a non-subprime credit card.
That's confirmed by a new Federal Reserve study on the CARD Act: 54% of banks have already increased or are planning to increase the credit card APR on their good (prime) customers. 74% of banks have already or will increase APRs on those with poor credit (subprime). For more of the story, go to:
http://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-credit-cards-can-still-screw-you-2009-11#theyre-jacking-up-rates-1


eBay Consumer Loyalty Drops in 2009

eBay's consumer loyalty, measured by whether they would recommend
the brand to a friend, has been slowly eroding through all of
2009, according to YouGov's BrandIndex, a daily
consumer-perception research service of brands.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y09/m11/i16/s02

Are Western Governments Going Broke?

Are the Western Welfare States (the U.S., Japan, and EU nations) really going bankrupt? Things were headed that way before the credit crisis began. The Global Financial Crisis may be becoming a sovereign debt crisis and that will worsen an already bad situation.

First, let’s check out the chart below from the 2008 annual budget audit by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. It shows that the U.S. government must roll over $3.4 trillion in debt over the next four years. This $3.4 trillion does not include any additional borrowing that may be required for other government programs (wars, healthcare, wars, school lunches). For the rest of the story, go to:
www.whiskeyandgunpowder.com

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I’m curious…how many of you will be mailing holiday cards this year?
I still send out printed cards, though fewer each year. Many families seek out ways to give back during the holidays and the best gift is to volunteer or make other donations (we donated a 14’ foot truck worth of goods and food prior to our move this year to the Salvation Army, Goodwill and other organizations).

>>Buy greeting cards from more than 100 non-profit groups to help fund their causes at:
www.cardsthatgive.org

>>Type in your zip code & interests to find volunteer projects near you at:
www.volunteermatch.org

This n That…

Form a weekly gratitude group. Folks who talk together about what’s right in their lives are happier, healthier and more optimistic and tend to form stronger bonds with each other. Develop the Gratitude Attitude as Zig Ziglar always says!

Ask for free legal advice at this site…lawyers will review & provide feedback:
www.FreeAdvice.com

Finally…during our 2000 mile trek across the country, we made a few observations:

>>Aside from Arizonians, who are among the rudest drivers in the country, everyone else seemed pretty darn nice.
>>Most folks we spoke with ALL seemed very concerned with the direction our government has taken and NOT ONE felt the stimulus package has helped the average guy!
>>Fuel prices rose in just about every state.
>>Super8 Motels, though very nice, have really jacked up their prices and NOW charge for overnight pets (they used to be free).

That’s all for this week – Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Bruce “The Poor Man”
http://www.poormansurvival.com