Good Stuff to Check Out

So many interesting articles on the web these days -- I can't simply get to them all. Here's a quick roundup of some and my thoughts on them:

• ‘I just want to leave him, but I can’t afford it’ -- Bad economy = fewer divorces? What an interesting dynamic. Also get this: "For a contested proceeding that goes to court, a couple with at least one child can expect a divorce to cost anywhere from $53,000 to $188,000." Wow.

• Is gift-card spending on the decline? -- Numbers say gift card sales are dropping. We'll probably buy as many as we've purchased in the past.

• Sears faces tough test this holiday season -- Maybe if they had an ounce of customer service on the front line they'd be doing better.

• 5 Predatory Money Pitches -- Consider this a "get the word out" inclusion.

• As the Economy Plunges, These Books Soar -- Ha! Books on "living simply" and "saving money" are doing well these days. How come they weren't doing well a couple years ago?

• Mortgage Vs. Medicine -- Tough times for many. Here's one example.

• What to Do if You Get Fired -- Very simple list, but a few good thoughts.

• How to Handle the Job Offer You Can't Afford -- Thoughts on how to get more from a low-ball job offer.

• Obama's $700 Billion Stimulus: $280,000 a Job -- Not much meat to this, but I thought the $280k per job was an interesting way to look at Obama's potential $700B plan (though personally, I wouldn't be so hard on the guy. He's not even president yet.)

Comments

[poor boomer]

Isn't it just awesome to live in a homeownerist culture where there are government bailouts and even a Homeownership Preservation Foundation?

[Mike B.]

Just a note on gift cards. We received a couple of Visa Gift Cards last Christmas, and we thought, "how cool, we're not stuck using them at any specific store and we can use them anywhere Visa is accepted (pretty much everywhere)" Wrong. Some places won't take them at all, and you have to be careful not to try to charge more than the balance or it won't be accepted. Therefore, you must know the exact balance at all times. It really was a pain trying to use them, and I wouldn't recommend them at all.

Just mentioning this (I know the post was just 'gift cards') because I was so disappointed in these when I had high hopes. We would've preferred something like a Target gift card where we spend hundreds each month anyway.