I recently came across thesimpledollar.com. A web site dedicated to making your money saving simple. The sight was set up by Trent Hamm,  who in April 2006 went through a complete financial meltdown.  You can read more about him at (read my “financial biography” here). He addresses your every day concern of throwing yourself head first into trying to figure out every nuance of fixing your financial situation. He uses himself as an example of what he did to get the picture and within eight months had paid off all of his credit card debt, his vehicle, and also established an emergency fund. He says,

“What is The Simple Dollar? http://www.thesimpledollar.com.
The Simple Dollar is an exploration of personal finance from the perspective of a late-twentysomething who just realized that he needs to get a grip on his money. ”

His list of 100 great ways to save money can be found by clicking on this link.

The degree to which the USA is dependent upon outside financial support, the more likely that its independence is influenced by other countries. Two of the largest influences come from China imports and the purchase of foreign oil. The USA has the ability today to change its dependence upon oil and China imports.

Similarly, organizations depend upon outside financial support for their organizations. Due to the fact that the federal or state government may place restrictions or requirements on an organization receiving its funding, some choose not to accept government funding. However, unless self-supporting, the more that an organization is dependent on annual fund raising, the more the influence on what it does by outside influences.

Strategic Planning is a key component to utilize in implementing your annual giving campaign for your organization’s mission. Your brand and message should be evaluated annually and adapted to reach the organization, its supporters and the community it serves.

The depth of choices and the quality of an education by a persons state university and college system varies from state to state.  However, a person should not feel limited to his or her own state in selecting a publicly run college or university.  Whether paying an in state rate or an out of state rate the cost benefit of receiving an education through the public higher education system when compared to a private college or university wins hands down.  Another measure a person should take in comparing schools is the relevance of the courses the school has to offer and the infrastructure of the campus.

A state needs to dedicate a specific amount of its tax receipts to its higher education system if it wants to support the economic growth of its state.  Each year the percent of the tax receipts should be handed over to the education fund.  The use of bond issues by certain states does not provide for the ongoing support of the education system.  The higher education system needs to be able to plan and offer the educational experience that students need to graduate with the credentials that the many industries need and new skills to create change in industries.

Some of the state higher education systems have begun to utilize the same business techniques of its private peers in creating endowments, royalties from licensing patents, fund raising to build facilities and obtaining grants.

I have emphasized the need for a states commitment to its higher education system.  These nonprofit education systems are a great resource for every nonprofit.  The strength of your organization ultimately lines in the strength of your employees.  If you do not partner and work with the public colleges and universities in your area make plans to create a partnership this year.

If the majority of one’s peers have a criminal record and are excluded from serving as a juror does that set up the system against all defendants?

Discretionary or peremptory challenges to jurors are viewed as slated towards the prosecutors when the law has created such.

I would propose allowing anyone to serve on civil cases who has completed their required sentence, does not know the defendant and has not been arrested for any possible crime in 3 years from the last date of their sentence being completed.

Diverse opinions are important in every argument and presentation of facts, especially when weighing the evidence for one party or another. Everyone has a preference or bias on something and everyone has those moments in their life that effects whom they are today.

To say that those once convicted of a crime are no longer valued for their view or opinion is short sighted and a bias in itself. There are many points in our history where biases caused death, pain and even wars because of the difference of opinions.

An ex-con’s right to employment and the right to be treated equally without malice is no different than what each of us should expect. If a person is considered a risk to someone and is to register wherever they live I would not consider their sentence completed.

Organizations need to help reduce the stigma of ex-cons by being leaders in the employment of those who have completed all obligations of their sentence. If your organization does not value their input and work, how can you expect legislation to be passed to allow them to participate in the juror system?

A living wage for an individual is very different than a living wage for a family. Medical costs, food costs, and health care insurance are higher; additional bedrooms add to housing costs; and childcare is necessary usually to work.

Childcare comes in many forms and is dependent upon family, community, government and paid resources. The age of the child influences the amount of coverage the parent needs to coordinate. A parent’s ability to pay influences the choices the parent has access to. If the child is attending school there will be less of an expense. If the child is junior high and high school age there will be a lesser childcare expense. Employees with children under the age of 5 will most likely need to incur the highest level of childcare expenses; with the next tier being those parents with children 6-13 years of age.

Due to the nature of a parent’s support system and to generate equal access to childcare I find the governments approach probably the fairest way to compensate for the cost. The federal government allows for every person to set up a dependent care Flexible Spending Account to cover childcare expenses up to $5,000. However, $5,000 only buys $416.66 a month, which averages out to $20.88 a day for 20 days a month. I do not know of any childcare service provided at that rate.

The advocacy that organizations should be providing to its employees is the tax benefit of using the accounts to lower their tax burden.

The second advocacy role for organizations to take is to have the amount increased. The $5,000 ceiling has not kept pace with the increase in the mandated minimum wage. In some states the minimum wage is higher. In Massachusetts the minimum wage is $8 an hour.

If an employee hires an individual at minimum wage for 8 hours that is $64 a day and an average of 20 days a month is $1,280 a month, which is $15,360 a year. If an employee uses a family day care providing paying a flat $850 a month that is $10,200 a year. If an employee uses a centered base childcare at a government set rate of $33 a day, that is $660 per month for $7,920 per year. Due to the provision that the employee must spend the money or lose it I would advocate that the maximum amount of the Dependent Care be increased to $15,360. It is up to the employee to set the amount each year.

An appropriate level for Dependent Care Account set by an employee to adequately address their childcare needs, resources and equal access is the best way to support families and their access to economic independence.

Immigrants depend on their network of trust for advice.All of us are programmed to work towards the American Dream of owning our own home. The government is supposed to protect everyone from predatory practices, illegal practices and outright fraud. They just do not have the staff to adequately police the billions involved.

The government has been trying to create a resolution to support the investment field from collapsing. The end result was not supporting people from losing their homes. It did not attack the issue that home prices were inflated, interest rates calculated to be misleading and considered predatory when the entire math was done.

There has been little discussion about taking legal action against the originators of the loans. Investors of the securities like any shareholder should sue the creator of the loan for providing loan securities that were not worth the house value. In turn, the homeowner should have loans at reasonable rate for what the house is worth minus what they have already paid.

When rules are broken or an individual is abused, it is the government’s duty to protect its citizens in the future and provide its citizens recourse to correct the harm done to them.

Regardless of what ones opinion of how an individual got into the situation of a predatory loan, billions were made on the backs of these individuals. It is why the investment industry called it Sub prime. The investment community created the mess and now needs to deal with the consequences of inappropriate practices. The practice of reselling loans into securities and not taking possession of the property is a secret that must be address. The beneficiary should be the homeowner and/or your organization.

To the degree an organizations can step up and buy housing today under foreclosure and short sales is a good opportunity. Create affordable housing at a level where a living wage can afford it. The investor is not interested in becoming a landlord. Offer a price you can afford and use for staff under a living wage. Submit bids for as many deals as you can afford and wait. A firm known deal is better than no deal. Remember in foreclosure and short sales the investor or bank is trying to walk away with the lowest cash loss possible and will write off the amount they cannot recover on their taxes. So are they really losing? Do not feel sorry for them when negotiating. Play hard and protect your interest in affordable housing for your employees and the community.

The re-entry of offenders to the work force requires coordination to existing resources. Three of the most important are job job training, job placement and housing. There are approximately 1.5 million in federal and state prison for serious offenses and 750,000 for minor crimes. In 2006 699,000 offenders were released. The best predictor of success for an ex-offender is being able to hold a job.

Many of the offenders are found to be diligent, dependable and disciplined because they are used to following instruction and a regiment in prison. However, nationwide employers are reluctant to hire former offenders. Cori checks have become the main obstacles to the hiring. Should legislation be passed at the federal level to restrict the access to employers and the public? Should legislation be passed restricting the type of questions that can be asked at the time of hire? Therefore, if the individual’s crime is not considered a danger to others should the information be available to employers and the public after the individual has served the time for their crime.

Are you having a problem recruiting employees, finding employees with the right credentials or sufficient levels of services? Reach out to your local job placement and training program for offenders being released for help.

Does your organizations give an individual a sense of trust? Do you have the right message? The four organizations below have found the right manner to deliver their brand and build trust. Check them out and see what you can learn.

Edmunds: automobile specification data to help shoppers compare and price new and used cars. 16 million potential buyers. http://www.edmunds.com

Consumer Report: http://www.consumerreports.org

AARP: http://www.aarp.org

AAA: http://www.aaa.com

Recent court rulings are showing that a person mortgage sold to an investor may not truly be own by the investor since they never truly took possession of the loan.  The term is called an assignment which is a transaction that a buyer of the mortgage securities has to do for each loan.  Courts have ruled that unless the assignment document was completed the entity filing for foreclosure may not have the right to do so.

In addition, the federal government is trying to have the industry freeze rates of individuals who meet certain guidelines.  This bailout does not attack the problem in which loans were provided that should not have been created.  If the terms of a loan are bad and the entity knowingly is processing them should that be allowed?

Foreclosure is a punishment to the investor and to the degree it hurts all the better when the terms were inappropriate.   However, if the owner of the property could have afforded said property under the right conditions and those conditions result after a foreclosure, I would suggest to the many housing advocates, buy the properties cheaply and provide affordable loans to the families and individuals.

The vacant buildings shows that  the nonprofit housing community, federal and state governments are providing more talk then housing.  Talk is cheap.  Let the investors take the losses and gain affordable housing.

Nonprofits who have the funds, invest in housing that is affordable for your employees.

Businesses, cities, towns and states help support teachers and nonprofits provide affordable housing to these employees in the community in which they work.

For those of you thinking of a new career and making a difference there are many nonprofits within five miles of your home.  Check out www.guidestar.org and type in your zip code.

The largest area where there are plenty of paid positions across any field of experience is in the health and human services field. For positions check out  www.idealist.org, www.craigslist.org and www.nonprofitjobs.org.

Be patient, read carefully and look at what the organization offers you to meet the goals you wish to achieve in the next career.  Use the interview to probe and ask the tough questions.  Think of yourself as interviewing the organization to meet your needs.

Organizations whom are willing to be questioned by candidates will find an employee that understands what they have committed to and know the expectations for both parties.