While the country, and even the world, continue to be mired in an economic crisis, people are still using great caution while making major purchases, particularly in the area of automobiles. We are keeping our cars, trucks, and SUV's longer, and avoiding car payments. While an automobile is a necessity for a majority of Americans, car payments are most certainly not.

Since so many of us are choosing to keep our vehicles longer, we must be careful to avoid imprudent purchases such as new cars, or cars that become an economic burden due to frequent and/or costly repairs. Purchasing brand-new vehicles continues to be a less than wise investment even with radically low interest rates. The problem is that new vehicles lose so much of their value the moment you drive off the lot. I have met so many people upside down on their balances that they are very discouraged when attempting to get out of debt. The overwhelming majority of people cannot justify the expense of buying a brand-new car. This includes hybrid cars. As a results, many of us are left to purchase used vehicles. This can be a great choice for many of us.

In preparation for some new rules as a result of Congress addressing credit issues, Bank of America announced announced that beginning this summer it will only authorize single debit card transactions at the point of sale if a customer has enough money in their account at the time. So what does this mean for their customers, and potentially other customers of different financial institutions?

While it seems that we hear the same story every year around this time, charitable organizations that help those in great need are in need of help more than ever because of the recession.

Our chiropractor the other day had an event that drastically cut the price of a visit in exchange for canned food donations that would be given to the local food bank. So, my daughters went to the store and picked up 10 cans of food to take with us. Now think about it. Even if each can of food were a dollar, you would be able to help at least one needy family with such a small contribution. This is about the cost of a single movie ticket, and less than the cost of the popcorn/drink combination.

Retailers are worried once again about the spending habits of consumers this holiday season. As a result, many aren't waiting for Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, to start their sales. In fact, many discounts are starting this weekend so as to jump start sales.

I tend to worry more that we as consumers will suddenly quit thinking, respond to the sale signs, and whip out the plastic. Then we wind up paying for our purchase over the next several months, or longer. It doesn't have to be this way. You can take advantage of the cut in prices and save money by doing the following:

When a family determines the need to bring in more income, work-at-home options appear very desirable. They can be; however, you need to be cautious before you proceed.

I received an email from an individual asking about a particular company that touted working from home with a company called incomeathome.com. The warning flag to me was her statement that the company does want some money in order for you to work with them. In my eyes, any company that requires an investment is an automatic NO. I did a web search to learn more about this particular company. While legitimate, it is a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) firm for a vitamin supplement company. MLM is workable for specific personality types, but if you are not a strong sales type individual, this will be a poor fit for you. There are other jobs out there for you if you want to work from home, but do your homework first.