Today I received an email titled, free diapers for a year. I wanted to find out more.
I have set up an email for coupons, spam, and what ever email we get now-a-days. Most the time I just delete all the emails. This time I decided to look more into the offer.

The first page that came up was about the offer. I would be able to get free diapers for the year. Each week I would receive coupons which would enable me to do so.

That sounded good. So I click to the next page. It was a list of special offers, just for me, I clicked to get to the next page. Another page of offers came up, so I decided to click on the next page button on the bottom of each page. I clicked, and I clicked. I saw offers for clothes, magazines, prescription drugs, television, and restaurant offers. I got sick of clicking, and looked at the clock. It was almost 5 minutes of me clicking to try to get to the page where they ask for my personal information to receive the said offer.

As you can see, there is nothing really free on the internet. Although we are always seeing free offers here and there, you would need to sign up with additional companies to receive the free stuff. So technically, it is free, if you join the fruit-of-the-month club or any other company.

Social security has decided to offer a COLA of 2.3%. It will mean an extra $24 per month in the average check. The cost of living adjustment means that the monthly benefit for the typical retired worker in 2008 will go from $1,055 currently to $1,079 next year.

The average retired couple, both receiving Social Security benefits, will see their monthly check go from $1,722 to $1,761, an increase of $39.

The standard SSI payment for an individual will go from $623 per month to $637.

The average monthly check for a disabled worker will go from $981 to $1,004.

The government also announced Wednesday that nearly 12 million wage earners will pay higher taxes next year because the maximum amount of Social Security earnings subject to the payroll tax will rise from $97,500 currently to $102,000. In all, an estimated 164 million workers will pay Social Security taxes in 2008.

The 2.3 percent increase is the smallest since a 2.1 percent rise in 2004. It compares to an increase of 3.3 percent last year and a jump of 4.1 percent in 2006, which had been the biggest advance in 15 years.

The COLA is based on the change in consumer prices from the July-September quarter of this year compared to the same period last year. Benefit payments have been tied to inflation since 1975.

The adjustment, announced by the Social Security Administration, will go to more than 54 million Americans. Nearly 50 million receive Social Security benefits and the rest get Supplemental Security Income payments aimed at helping the poor.
This all sounds like a noble move on the part of the social security system. The problem is that it is debatable whether the increase is enough to counter the rising costs across the board from energy to food. I find it rather bizarre that the government fails to include food, energy, and other costs such as housing and medical costs in its inflation rate calculation. The supposed reason is that these areas are ‘too volatile’

What this should say to people is that social security is only part of your retirement plan and should never be relied upon exclusively.

An estimated 10,000 people a day will become eligible for Social Security benefits over the next two decades, putting a severe strain on the pension program.

If no changes are made, the Social Security trust fund is projected to deplete its reserves in 2041 and even sooner, in 2017, Social Security is scheduled to start paying out more in benefits than it collects each year in payroll taxes. Medicare is facing even greater funding problems because of the rapidly rising cost of health care.

I just read an incredible article in Kiplinger’s personal finance magazine that really drives home what we try to teach you, our students, you can become financially independent regardless of your circumstances.

The story was about a remarkable man named Earl Crawley who is 69 years old and has never earned more than $20,000 a year as a parking-lot attendant. What makes Earl so unique is that his net-worth is quickly closing in on one million dollars. Earl built wealth by avoiding debt and investing in publicly held businesses. In his own words, “
I did it with good old-fashioned nickels and dimes. My mother taught me how to budget, which made me appreciate how a little money can grow. I saved what I could from odd jobs, such as lawn cutting and window washing, that I did in addition to my day job. I used that money to buy one share of IBM stock back in 1981.

In school I was considered a slow learner — dyslexic, it’s called now.â€? Earl worked at a bank and would speak to financial professionals each day to learn a little bit here and there.

Earl chose to invest in companies that pay rsing dividends and earnings, a strategy that has served him well.

Earl’s story is an uncommon one. There are some distinct points which need to be emphasized. Each of which have allowed Earl to achieve financial independence:

1.) Avoid and get out of debt as soon as possible
2.) Learn to budget (live below your means)
3.) Learn to invest
4.) Enjoy the wealth building process

Does all this sound familiar? I thought so.

The trials of working for someone else can be a real challenge. Answering to someone else, jumping through hoops and the commuting are tough enough. Maybe it is time to think about working for yourself with a home based business.

Working from home has some distinct advantages; You can set your own hours, work from the comfort of your own home and have more free time to spend with your family and friends. What’s more, you can minimize or eliminate several household expenses.

The fip side is that there is one. Working from home requires enormous discipline. If you become distracted with household issues, you will get bogged down and frustrated. It is a good idea to enter into a home based business part time. Don’t quite your regular job until you are making a small but consistent amount of money.

Be careful of all the scams out there, many companies say that you can work from the comfort of your own home, only after a significant investment before agreeing to a work-at-home program, ask them to tell you — in writing — the specifics of the job duties; when, how, and how much you will be paid; and any extra costs you may have. Although you can check with your local consumer protection agency to find out if the company is reputable, an absence of complaints doesn’t necessarily mean the company is legitimate. Unscrupulous companies may settle complaints, change their names or move to avoid detection.

Now more than ever before, Work from home opportunities are available. For example:

If you have high-speed Internet access, a computer and a landline, you can field inbound customer calls for companies like J.Crew or 1-800-Flowers…all from the comfort of your living room.

Take inventory of the skills you have. Start a business using your skills and interests. Talk to your coach about this.

Many publications and Web sites are increasingly hiring freelancers to write, edit, design or submit photographs. Freelance consulting could also be an option if you’re an expert in a particular field. Employment sites like Sologig.com cater specifically to freelancers.

You can earn money as a recruiter by interviewing applicants over the phone to see if they meet the qualifications of the company you work for or a recruitment firm. In short, you’re saving the company time and energy by screening applicants for them.

You could become a mystery shopper. Essentially you’d be explaining to companies about your experiences with working for them. You can earn some extra spending money and have fun at the same time.

Many companies are allowing employees to work from home. This can actually save money fro both you and the company. Talk to your employer about working part time from home.

New sociological studies are suggesting that we tend to emulate our peers when it comes to habits. I was reading an interesting article the other day that basically said “two birds and a feather flock together�. You are likely to gravitate to those with similar habits as yours.

A new study is being worked on which shows that if you affiliate with those who save and invest, you are likely to do the same. On the other hand, if you are surrounded by people who like to spend, spend, spend, well then you probably will too.
Lisa Keister, author of Getting Rich: America’s New Rich and How They Got That Way. A new book attempting to analyze the wealthy and why are they different.

She is quoted as saying: “It’s really a question of how other people’s values affect your values,” says Duke University sociologist The people around you affect how you approach education, family, consumption, when you get married and where you go to school. Those things affect wealth,” she theorizes.

The bottom line theme here is that if you are trying to follow the principles of financial independence, then you need to pick friends that have the same ambition. Peer pressure and other social influences have a powerful impact on people’s behavior whether they realize it or not.

You need to be careful around folks who’ll reinforce your bad tendencies. No one’s suggesting that you start dumping friends and family members who spend too much. But it makes sense to avoid going clothes shopping with them.

If you cannot think of anyone that has the same goals that you have, Then go find them! Advertise in a newspaper letting people know that you are interested in creating an investment or get out of debt club. The internet now works wonders in connecting with people that we would have no chance of knowing before. Start looking for blog sites that are pertaining to personal finance.

Obviously the trust factor must be their. Don’t provide your social security or brokerage account numbers. If you outline your parameters you may very well find friends for life that will support you in reaching your goals. You always have your coach to back you up!