Reading About the Economy

Everyday I read articles about the economy and find that the news is becoming more and more depressing. While I believe that we will eventually cycle out of these problems, there is no way to predict how long it will take or how it will ultimately filter down to us, the average Americans. You can read about something happening today, but it may take quite awhile to actually affect your everyday life and finances.

While remaining optimistic and hoping for the best, it's probably still a very good idea and a very good time to reign in your spending. Remember, a penny saved is a penny earned. Usually the best place to start is by going over your bills in detail. You may be surprised at how many "extra" charges are added to your bill that you don't even know about. Call the companies and discuss the charges on your bill. They may even help you to save money on your bill (a maybe, but it does happen). Next, figure out what you can live without. There are probably some relatively painless cuts you can make. Do I need long distance service on my home phone if I have long distance on my cell phone? Isn't that paying double for the same service? Do I really need to pay for movie channels on my cable or satellite bill that I don't even have time to watch? I probably won't even notice once they're gone.

At BankRate.com I always find articles that are in list form. For some reason they always capture my attention, probably because it's like an outline and I can skim through and pick out what's interesting to me. Here are some interesting articles that may provide you with some insight into saving money:

4 Ways to Cut Your Phone Bill

5 Big Bills You Can Cut Fast

15 Ways to Save Money on Gas

6 Steps to Better, Cheaper Car Insurance

Slideshow of the Top 100 Brands

2008 BusinessWeek/Interbrand Best Global Brands Ranking

View a slideshow of the top 100 brands, including their 2008 brand value.

"When ranking the value of the Best Global Brands, Interbrand evaluates brand value in the same way any other corporate asset is valued -- on the basis of how much it is likely to earn for the company in the future. Interbrand uses a combination of analysts’ projections, company financial documents, and its own qualitative and quantitative analysis to arrive at a net present value of those earnings. The brand values are based on data collected during the 12 months prior to June 30, 2008. This means that more recent developments, including the troubles at Merrill Lynch and AIG, are not factored into the brand valuations."