Here is an interesting article on the Wall Street bailout, and how it has had little impact on the situation because the crisis is so deep.
It gives a succinct history of the crisis, and what the meltdown really means.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081006/ap_on_bi_ge/financial_meltdown
Here is an interesting article on the side effects of the economic crisis in terms of our stress levels, and what we can do to cope with it and ride out the storm.
Asset management is replete with issues or problems that arise, regardless of the generation under which you are operating it. The good thing is that many people have already been open to sharing their experiences on asset management, which saves newbies to asset management time and energy from learning things the hard way. Here is a short list of the most common problems pertaining to asset management that every asset manager must know of.
Lack of updates in the evaluation
When there is a bigger team asked to deal with the asset management of the company, sometimes the updates are much more difficult to attribute to individuals. This is because, while there is rotation among the members, some parts may not be covered thoroughly. On the other hand, if too many people are assigning tasks to individuals without the updates specifically communicated among the different members, the updates will be much more difficult to establish.
Miscommunication among departments
This is the most common problem of asset management that involves human factors. The miscommunication can go from as short as missing one decimal place to having questionable discrepancies on file. The miscommunication is a great disadvantage because it involves lack of proper use for the different instruments made available for asset management.
Incompetence to Manage Assets
The technical competence to mange assets is also equally important. If one of the team members has not taken the time to train for the use of the equipment and the dynamics needed by the job of managing assets, the incompetence will result in disasters in the managing of assets. Inventory problems and management issues may arise, and in essence, it is still better to manage with a few high quality people than with many below average ones.
Lack of Technology Demanded by the Company
For example, you have all the competent people you need. But if you do not have the technology that matches their qualifications for doing to job, success will be much more difficult to achieve. You may get an above average performance from the people, but it will still be much much better if the technology matches the good skills of the asset management team.
Lack of support
When there is lack of support in any given endeavor, it is bound to fail. The same goes with asset management. The lack of support among departments may not be conducive for positive change and objective or honest inventory of assets. Where there are ulterior motives being satisfied among the ranks, the management of assets may not be as pure or clean as one would like. This lack of support may be remedied by strengthening the ties of the team members via enriching activities.
No balance in asset elements
The balance is the key to perfect asset management. A balance in the different categories and the figures that represent them in the charts are the core outputs of a good management of assets in an organization. A lack of balance means that there are some things that need to be modified, or that some people are out of shape for this activity.
Too little risks taken for growth
When one’s asset is much managed, there is also a tendency to eliminate all risks, even when in fact these risks are contributory to the company’s growth and yield good returns. Asset management must also involve taking calculated risks.
Part 3.
12-Clip coupons.
Even some of the discount, bulk stores accept coupons, so make sure you take advantage of all the Sunday coupons and neighborhood flyers. Pay attention to stores’ double-coupon days and save twice as much. Even better, use a coupon when items are on sale.
Try to file your coupons alphabetically in a small coupon clipper file to save time and effort. Also try not to get tempted by new items that you would not normally buy.
13-Buy in bulk.
If a non-perishable item is on sale, consider buying several.
But make sure you also check the unit price on some items. Just beeause it is a larger size, does not always mean it is a savings. You might do better with waiting til the smaller items are on sale.
14-Check the store circulars.
This is where stores list their weekly specials. Read carefully, though, because stores sometimes intersperse regularly-priced items with sale merchandise. Know your prices on your list, so you can see if it is a real deal, or just a lure.
15. Do the work yourself,”avoid store-prepared food.
Sure, it saves time to have everything cut up for you, but the time it takes you to prepare a salad or put together a side dish can definitely save you money over buying prepared items from the store. Plus, the food you prepare yourself is usually fresher and tastier anyway.
16. Join a food club or shop at a warehouse store.
Often the savings can more than cover the cost of the membership. If you are buying in bulk, share the large quantities out with friends and family.
17. Always double-check your receipt before you leave the store. Sometimes, items get miscounted, rung up twice, or charged in full even if they’re listed on sale. Or, it is easy to miss a coupon. If there is an error, it’s easier to go to customer service and get a refund if you haven’t left the premises with your bags.
Part 2.
6-Always make a grocery list before heading out.
Do this before you go into the store and then do your best to stick to it. You’d be surprised by how much you buy on impulse.
Having one master list of all your most important items listed in the order in which they appear in the store and then copying and circling what you need will help keep your expenditure down, and alos stop you from straying into aisle full of unnecessary and often expensive temptations.
7-Eat food that’s in season.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but in these days of world markets and produce shipped from such faraway places as Costa Rica, buying in-season is more important than ever. Apples, pears, even strawberries are all much cheaper when they are in season.
If you have a large quantity, share it out with friends and family, or preserve it.
If you still want to buy produce that’s out of season, consider frozen fruits and veggies,”sometimes they’re more reasonably priced.
8-Shop at local markets or farm trucks.
Because they don’t have to deal with shipping costs, chances are you’ll find better prices on produce,”and fresher food! If you buy in bulk, share it out with friends and family,or preserve it.
9-Avoid last-minute stops at mini-markets.
While these places are convenient, the prices for most items there are also higher than at larger stores.
10-Buy store brands.
Store brands can often save you 30 to 40% over name brands. And often, they are produced by the same factory anyway.
11-Don’t go grocery shopping when you’re hungry.
Everything looks good then, and your budget goes completely out the window.
Continued in Part 3.
Part 1.
In these challenging economic times, everyone is looking for even more ways to cut back financially. Here are some ideas to help you pinch your pennies until they scream.
1-Be your own barista.
Going to your favorite coffee shop is an expensive detour on your way to work, with a lot of calories as well in most cases. So why not brew the coffee yourself? Many popular coffee shops sell their house blends in bulk at their coffee bars and in local supermarkets. Find the brand you like, get some low-fat cream or whipped cream and flavored syrups, powedered cinnamon and nutmeg, if you really can’t live without these treats, and enjoy home made hot drinks for pennies compared to the $6 cups down the street!
2-Use a water filter.
For just a few dollars, you can buy a reusable filtered-water pitcher, or even choose a more elaborate filtered water system. These are investments that will pay for themselves when weighed against the cost of continually buying (and lugging home!) bottled water.
Also, now that we know about the dangers of BPA in plastic bottles, you will be glad to avoid drinking out of bottles from now on.
3-Watch sodas.
Sodas cost money, especially when purchased at convenience stores or in vending machines. Consider switching to water, or buy your soft drinks from the grocery or discount store. You can also get a soda system to make your own carbonated drinks for pennies compared to what it would cost, and save calories too.
4-Limit your alcohol.
We don’t even want to think about how much local hang out places charge for a beer or wine these days, let alone hard liquor. If you enjoy a drink or two, why not take turns hosting at your friends’ houses. Shop at factory outlet stores and look for bargains in unlikely places, like drug store chains.
Better still, try to cut back on drinking,”and put the money you save in a coffee can for something else, like a vacation or staycation for a treat for you and the whole family/your friends.
Even if you don’t quit totally, cutting back on your drinking is good for your budget, and your diet!
5-Stop smoking cigarettes.
Don’t even go there on the loooong list of reasons why you should quit. If you haven’t, at least cut back, and look to buying them online at a discount. Never pay full price in supermarkets or convenience stores. If you are quitting, once again, put the saved cash aside in a coffee can for an emergency fund or special treat to look forward to, and see how fast it all starts adding up.
Continued in Part 2.
An interesting article from Market Watch
10 interesting facts about the markets this past roller coaster week.]
