Have you ever taken advantage of free resources only to discover that you are stuck with a bill or a major inconvenience?
Now, I am not one to knock getting free stuff. I love free stuff... to a certain degree.
But I also think you should be aware of what those free things will really cost you.
Forever stamps are U.S. postage stamps that have no price printed on them.
The value of a Forever Stamp is whatever it costs at the moment to send a letter first class, regardless of when you bought that Forever Stamp.
Thus, a Forever Stamp never declines in value. In fact, it actually increases in value as the cost of postage increases. It's kind of like "rent control for stamps".
Good News & Bad News
The bad news...
There's another postage rate hike around the corner: May 11, 2009!
The Governors of the U.S. Postal Service have approved new prices for mailing services, including a 2-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail stamp to 44 cents. Prices for mailing services are reviewed annually and adjusted each May. The new prices will go into effect Monday, May 11. -- Postal News Blog
The good news...
If you already have some Forever Stamps on hand, they will be worth more on May 11th when the newest postage rate hike goes into effect. Yep, the value of a Forever Stamp automatically increases from 42-cents apiece to 44-cents apiece -- the new first-class postage rate.
If you haven't already invested in a good supply of Forever Stamps, you might want to now... before the rate hike takes place!
While many retail giants have fallen by the wayside, it is no secret that thrift stores have flourished in these tough economic times.
However, many thrift store owners are worrying that the new legislation that regulates lead content in clothing and toys could very well drive them out of business as well.
Here's how the new lead laws will affect you as a thrift store shopper (or owner), or if you're a crafter who makes handmade items and sells them on places like eBay and Etsy...
Who doesn't hate fax machines? I have yet to find anyone that doesn't feel like I do about fax machines.
Personally, I have wanted to heave more than one fax machine out the window in my lifetime.
I think that while fax machines are a major pain, they are necessary.
Or are they?
I mean really. You pay for the machine, then you have to pay for the ink, and the paper. Oh, and if you have an older machine and switch your phone service to digital, then you have to buy a machine that is compatible with a digital phone line.
The irritations are endless, but there are some ways that you can get the most out of sending and receiving faxes without so many of the aggravations.
Here are some ways to get the most out of faxing...
There are numerous costs that can make running a small business difficult.
Faxing, conference calls, business cards, and teleconferencing are a few things that large companies can do with ease (and without weighing down expenses), but small businesses need all the help they can get.
Home fax machines never seem to last very long. Using office centers to send and receive faxes can cost you a bit of time and money.
There is, however, another way.
You can receive faxes online... for FREE! All you need is a computer with an Internet connection and a scanner for faxing certain documents.
Here are lots of different websites that provide business resources you can use... for FREE.
The last time I wrote about bankruptcy, I questioned whether or not it was really the answer for someone with high debts. My conclusion was that filing for bankruptcy was probably not a good idea.
In case you either decided to ignore that advice or had no other choice, you will need to know about bankruptcy exemptions.
Bankruptcy exemptions are items that are exempt from being sold in order to discharge your debts.
A financial planner is a business professional who helps people make plans to be financially secure in their future.
Services include:
cash flow management
education planning
retirement planning
tax planning
estate planning
While many people may be perfectly capable of managing their own finances, they may not be educated in all aspects, or may not have the time to keep an eye on their money and financial plans. Those are the times when it makes the most sense to hire a financial planner.
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