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Entry bubble Kids and the Economy

By: Colleen | January 07, 2009 | Category: Money

Ok, so the economy has taken the same trajectory as Penn State in the Rose Bowl. This is not news to anyone. While the moneymedia is littered with doom and gloom, how do you explain to your kids what's going on?

It's tough to break down a nationwide situation for a child (shoot, I have a hard time wrapping my head around it), but it's never too early to start teaching them about personal finances and the value of the ol' dollar. Before you know it, they'll be applying for a mortgage—better show them how to be sure they can afford it!

The Jumpstart Coalition for Personal Finance Literacy has a really great pamphlet that covers kids grades K-12, and what they should know about finances, broken down by grade level. For example, a 4th grader should be able to explain the difference between a wage and a salary.

Are you getting hit with the classic, "I really need (*need* being the operative word) a ____" line? Here are some tips for telling your kids the facts about money. It helps you establish a budget for them, and provides guidance on establishing a fair and effective way to set up an allowance system for your kids.

Have your kids questioned the current economic situation? How do you best teach them about fiscal responsibility?

| Post a Comment | View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: colleen   economy   kids   personal_finance   recession  

 

Entry bubble Teen Drivers

By: Colleen | December 31, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

Hindsight is 20/20, and looking back...there is NO WAY that at the age of 16, the state of Pennsylvania should have issued me a driver's license.

Even though I have a clean driving record accident-free driving record, I look back at some of my driving habits/youthful decisions in general, and I can't help but cringe.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 5,000 U.S. teens die each year in car crashes. The rate of crashes for 16 year-old drivers is almost 10 times the rate for drivers 30-59.

Ford Motor Company is attempting to do something about this. Starting in the 2010 Focus, Ford will offer a feature being called "MyKey." The key contains a computer chip which is activated when inserted into the ignition. Parents can program the chip to control certain parts of the car in an effort to make driving safer for teens.

Some of the options?

  • Ability to limit the volume of the car's stereo system. (As a 25-year-old who morphs into a rock-star when behind the wheel, I can see how this can be a total bummer for a teen. But, looking back to some of the music I listened to in high school- not that big of a deal.)
  • Capacity to block the speed of the car from exceeding 80 mph. It's thought that having 70mph as a cut off would be too limiting to allow for exceptional circumstances- such as speeding up to avoid an accident.
  • Setting a continuous beeping alert when the driver's seatbelt isn't connected. (I've never ever understood people who don't wear seatbelts. It's so habitual for me that I don't even think twice about it.)
  • Capability to set a chime if the teen exceeds 45, 55, or 65 mph. (Can the chimes be set as ringtones? I kid...)

On the surface, I think this is a potentially good feature. I'm interested to see how effective MyKey is over the next few years. As a teen? I'd be infuriated. Life would be over as I knew it! Kind of like that time the parental units put the kibosh on me missing a few days of school to go to Disney World with a friend. I somehow still managed to become the successful Consumer Information Specialist that I am today. ;-)

What MyKey can't prevent is cell phone use in the car, which I think is a much bigger problem, not only for teens but adults as well. Funny though, that was never an issue for me as a teen driver seeeing as my "cell phone" was the 35 cents I kept in the glove compartment to use a pay phone in case of emergency.

What kind of parameters would you like to set for your teen driver? Do you think devices like this will make the roads safer?

| Post a Comment | View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: colleen   driver's_license   mykey   safety   teen_driver  

 

Entry bubble Season Affective Disorder (SAD)

By: Colleen | December 24, 2008 | Category: Health

"'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse..." I'm not exactly sure whose house Clement Moore was referring to when he wrote that, but it certainly wasn't mine. On the night before Christmas there is PLENTY of stirring going on. People rummaging around looking for last minute wrapping paper or shooing others out of the bathroom when we're all trying to get ready for church at the same time. Unexpected guests dropping by to exchange presents we'd already agreed not to buy in the first place...

Ah, the holidays. While this time of year is associated with hustle, bustle, and cheer, it can also be a difficult time for those with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Sure, it's normal to come down with a case of the "winter blues" (freezing cold temperatures, no summer tan remaining, scraping your windshield every morning—what's not to love?) SAD is when things get more serious and you experience symptoms like extended depression, lingering lethargy, appetite changes/weight gain.

Medical professionals link the disease to the limited amount of sunlight experienced during the winter months. This causes interruption to your circadian rhythm and in turn triggers depression. Other potential causes are changes in hormone levels also altered by lack of exposure to sunlight.

If you suspect you might be experiencing SAD, see your doctor for treatment. Some ways to thwart SAD are to pursue outdoor activities and get more exposure to sunlight. Use artificial light as a means of combating the lessened hours of sunlight. Hormone medication may be prescribed to restore chemical balance to where it is during the other seasons of the year.

Spring is just around the corner. What wintertime activities do you enjoy that others can try?

| Post a Comment | View Comments [0] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: colleen   depression   sad   seasonal_affective_disorder   winter  

 

Entry bubble Scareware Scams

By: Colleen | December 17, 2008 | Category: Money

online scamIf you're anything like me, you've been doing your best to avoid any retail places during the holiday season. I'd love to shake the hand of whoever invented online shopping!

As always though, "buyer beware!" Scams and frauds are all over the internet, particularly during the "most wonderful time of the year."

The latest one preys on people actually trying to protect their computers. This "scareware" scheme comes in the form of a pop-up that appears on your screen while you have a web browser open. It might say something like, "Beware! Your computer has been infected!" Or, "Malicious software has been detected!" When you click on the pop-up, you will get an offer to buy software like "Winfixer" or "ErrorSafe" that claims to protect your computer from viruses. These different softwares will cost you around $30-40 and are totally bogus. They will tell you your problems have been fixed, when in reality, there was nothing to fix in the first place. But your wallet will be a tad lighter.

Over a million people have been duped by this type of fraud. The FTC has pushed for a court order to be signed to try and halt the broad-reaching scheme.

To best protect your computer:

  • Make sure you have legitimate anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall software.
  • If you get one of these pop-ups claiming you have a virus, close the whole browser. Do not click the link, or even the "x" box at the top.
  • Use the control/alt/delete function if your browser won't respond to your exit.

If you've been scammed by "spyware" you can report it at www.ftc.gov, or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP. For information on dealing with other types of scams and frauds, check out the Pueblo scam site.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: colleen   fraud   internet   online   scam   scareware  

 

Entry bubble Holiday Greetings for the Troops

By: Colleen | December 10, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

support our troops

I somehow managed to go a full weekend without checking my email. (To this point, I've been able to be blackberry-free, but I don't know how much longer it will last.) When I finally logged back into my electronic life, I was excited to see I had lots of messages awaiting my attention. Sally Field's "You like me, you really like me!" played in my mind and I couldn't wait to see which of my loving friends were dying to fill me in on their lives.

Apparently, none. Every single message was a company alerting me of a sale that weekend or an airline telling me about new low rates should I want to spend part of my already cold enough DC winter in the even colder North Dakota. So much for the love.

Few things in life thrill me more than getting something in the mail other than a bill or finding a nice note from a friend in my email box on a slow Monday morning. Just think how much greater that feeling is when you're far from home and serving your country in dangerous conditions.

Particularly during the holiday season there are lots of ways to show the troops our support. Some are as simple as sending them an e-mail. It only takes a few minutes, and will surely bring a smile to the faces or our men and women in service. Here is a list of many organizations through which you can send your support. If you're putting together a care package, here are some tips for mailing your treats. Be sure to do it soon—the holidays are here sooner than you think! Are any of your loved ones currently serving? What are your plans to bring cheer to their holiday?

| Post a Comment | View Comments [7] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: care_package   colleen   support   troops  

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