Clawing my way out of the abyss

Here are some random, but relevant statistics that I’ve collected the past week.

83% – The percentage of surveyed Americans who say they are likely to learn more about financial topics in 2010. The two most mentioned subjects were setting financial goals and saving for retirement. (Source: Fidelity Investments)

$220M – The estimated amount of revenue Tiger Woods’ indiscretions and indefinite leave of absence will cost golf’s major corporate backers— such as the PGA Tour, Nike Inc. and television networks such as CBS—in 2010. (Source: Bloomberg)

52% – The percentage of U.S. adults who oppose more government regulation of the financial sector, up from 47% in June, when President Barack Obama proposed reforms to prevent another Wall Street crisis. (Source: Rasmussen Reports)

84% – Eighty-four percent of seniors say they feel life insurance’s cost is relatively minimal, compared to other budgetary items. (Source: Prudential Life)

$37.3K – The amount paid for Michael Jacksons’s “moonwalking” shoes and fedora at an auction last week in London. The items, worn during 2001 shows, fetched far less than the $350K paid last month for his famous sparkly white glove. (Source: Bloomberg)

Here are some random, but relevant statistics that I’ve collected the past week.

28% – The percentage of U.S. holiday shoppers whose gift-buying decisions have been influenced by social-networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. (Source: ComScore Inc.)

$11.8 Billion – Amount of life insurance policies sold by seniors as life settlements in 2009, more than double the amount of transactions in 2007. (Source: Life Insurance Settlement Association)

$3.9 Million – The record number of U.S. foreclosure filings expected this year, surpassing 2008’s record total of 3.2 million. (Source: RealtyTrac Inc.)

84% – Eighty-four percent of seniors say they feel life insurance’s cost is relatively minimal, compared to other budgetary items. (Source: Prudential Life)

71% – Seventy-one percent of seniors believe their financial situation will be negatively impacted next year, without an increase to their Social Security benefits. (Source: Senior Market Advisors Guide)

$8.5 Billion – Amount the Energy Department loaned to car companies, including Ford and Nissan, to build more efficient vehicles. (Source: U.S. Energy Department)

I rarely have time to post reviews of software or gadgets, but since my Blackberry was slow to deliver emails thanks to Research in Motion’s technical difficulties on Wednesday, I’d like to take some time and issue a gold star to Recuva by Piriform Ltd. I accidentally deleted an important database, and after I threw a pile of junk off my desk in frustration, went searching for some recovery software as the file I deleted was too big for the Recycle Bin and was on a Windows 2003 server. After finding other software vendors that charged anywhere from $49.95 to $89.95 to an insane vendor at several hundred dollars, I found this little lifesaver. The best of all….it’s free. I promise to donate after my next paycheck, but I hope spreading the word about Recuva and their three other free apps will do for now. Thanks guys!

Here are some random, but relevant statistics that I’ve collected the past week.

20% – As government officials scramble to supply enough H1N1 vaccine for all who need it, one out of five parents (20%) say they have attempted to get vaccinations for a child but have been unable to do so. (Source: Gallup)

23% – Nearly one-in-four adults (23%) say they or someone they know has bought a toy that was recalled for safety reasons. (Source: Rasmussen Reports)

48% – Forty-eight percent of Americans say they are at least somewhat concerned about the safety of toys being sold this holiday season. Twenty-three percent are very concerned. (Source: Rasmussen Reports)

66% – Sixty-six percent of Americans celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. (Source: Rasmussen Reports)

$2,693.55 – The amount that every man, woman, and child would received if the $819 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 were distributed evenly. (Source: New York Times)

48% – Americans are divided as to whether the U.S is likely to achieve its goals in the Afghanistan war, with 48% believing the U.S. is likely to do so, and 45% disagreeing. Seven in 10 Americans worry about the war’s cost affecting the government’s ability to address U.S. domestic problems. (Source: Gallup)

With the latest iPhone rumor from a Piper Jaffray analyst being an integrated RFID reader, the potential to turn your iPhone into a digital wallet could finally be here in 2010. It’s been a long time coming since similar technology has been used in Japan and Singapore for years. Even if it replaces credit cards and cash, I still need to carry a wallet for my drivers license and various public transportation passes, so no real space saving advantage.

With the Adobe Flash plugin and RFID coming soon to the iPhone, a flood of new apps will be coming as well. This brings me to an article on WalletPop about making a million bucks with an iPhone app that makes fart sounds. Since most Wall Street firms prefer Blackberries to iPhones for business use, even though it now supports Microsoft Exchange, I’ve been hesitant to purchase one for personal use. I may just have to buy one in hopes I can one day develop the next iFart app that somehow uses RFID, so I can reap my millions too.

Here are some random, but relevant statistics that I’ve collected the past week.

1% – The percentage decrease in holiday spending expected this season. (Source: National Retail Federation)

39% – The percentage of survey respondents who consider holiday shopping unpleasant. Forty-three percent think it’s fun, while the rest consider it somewhere in between. (Source: Rasmussen Reports)

67% – Sixty-seven percent of adults think the unemployment rate will be the same or higher a year from today. That includes 29% who believe the unemployment rate will be higher than it is now and 38% who expect it to stay about the same. (Source: Rasmussen Reports)

$82 – Americans spent an average of $82 per day during the six-day period since Thanksgiving — spanning the Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday. This is down 15% from $96 for the same six-day period during 2008. (Source: Gallup)

35% – Over the next year, 35% of Americans believe the job market will get better, 36% say it will stay the same, and 28% expect it will get worse. (Source: Gallup)

77% – The percentage of surveyed consumers who would pay down their existing debt if they had an extra $500. Fourteen percent would put the extra cash in savings, 7% would use it toward holiday shopping, and 2% would spend it on themselves. (Source: National Foundation for Credit Counseling)

Here are some random, but relevant statistics that I’ve collected the past week.

$1.171 Trillion – The value of U.S. corporate bonds sold so far this year, surpassing the all-time record $1.167 trillion sold in all of 2007. (Source: Bloomberg)

$106 – Americans report spending an average of $106 each day on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving this year, down 8.6% from the $116 average reported on those same days last year. (Source: Gallup)

14% – Fourteen percent of adults say they have completed their holiday shopping, doubling the number (7%) who said they were done in a survey just before thanksgiving. (Source: Rasmussen Reports)

47% – When it comes to receiving presents, 47% prefer specific gifts, while 40% like gift cards that allow them to but what they want. Men favor getting specific gifts more than women do. (Source: Rasmussen Reports)

10.1% – The percentage increase in sales of existing U.S homes in October, to a 6.1 million annual rate – the highest level since February 2007. (Source: National Association of Realtors)

56% – The percentage of New York state voters who said that it is at least somewhat likely that the state will be bankrupt by the end of this year. Twenty-one percent said that it is very likely. (Source: Rasmussen Reports)

Hi all. Happy Holidays! I was too depressed to post my monthly net worth statement last month. Sorry to disappoint the “tens” of readers out there. My net worth hasn’t changed much from last month. The rise in my home value offset an increase in credit card spending.

Well, I hit my 2009 goal of $20,000 in contributions, employer match, and profit sharing to my 401(k). My CD had matured in my IRA, so I bought into a longer term CD which matures in 2012, right before the Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world. I bought shares in Ford Motors with the rest of it. I figure if there’s going to be one US car company left, Ford has the best shot. I am prohibited from purchasing most of the financial stocks due to SEC regs at my workplace, so that was a bummer.

My Zillow home value rose for the third consecutive month. No sales yet in my development, but there are two listings now in my development with really high asking prices, almost pre-bubble prices. Wishful thinking I suppose. No maintenance costs this month, but my gas fireplace stopped working two days ago, so I need to decide on repairs or just blocking it off with thick mil plastic for the winter. The wind just cuts right through the vent.

My Kelly Blue Book value for my car dropped just a little, but no maintenance costs, so I am happy. I did need to fill the same tire up with air as last month, so it may have a slow leak. Pep Boys really is losing my trust and loyalty after they told me they couldn’t find a problem with it on my last visit.

My full-time job is stable, but I had to move desks because our intern, who is now a full-time consultant has ADHD and keeps tapping his feet, hands, pens, and whatever else to annoy the sh!t out of me. I had some work from my part-time gig, but no accounts receivable until December. I finally closed my eBay store as it had no sales again. I am contemplating dissolving my corporation. My unemployed sister did not get a callback from that interview I mentioned in my October post. She just turned down an interview with Chase Bank because it was too far. I just stared blankly ahead as she tried to rationalize her decision. All I could see was more money being sucked out into space.

My credit card balance shot up by over 5%. This was a combination of more dental costs, my vacation in December (which has now been cancelled), and emergencies. Yeah, I lost quite a bit cancelling my house rental and plane tickets. I only lost $5 on my rental car reservation. All in all, having a relationship is not worth the trouble. Spending $250 an hour on a “friend” once or twice a month is much more rewarding and stress-free.

My cash reserves took a beating, but should recover nicely as I went to Atlantic City on Thanksgiving weekend and cleaned up at the poker tables. I have yet to deposit it, so it is not reflected in this month’s statement. I’m going back down on the last 2 weeks of December, so I hope it is a Merry Christmas for me. Enjoy your Holidays as well! See ya next year.

Here are some random, but relevant statistics that I’ve collected the past week.

$22 M – The number of packages United Parcel Service Inc. expects to deliver Dec.21 – the busiest shipping day this year – matching the company’s record 2007 forecast. (Source: UPS)

75% – The percentage of small-business owners who say their credit card terms have worsened in the last six months. (Source: National Small Business Association 2009 survey)

53% – Fifty-three percent of Americans say they are more thankful this Thanksgiving than they were last year at this time. (Source: Rasmussen Reports, LLC)

$62 – Americans reported spending an average of $62 per day last week, down from $65 the week prior and $81 a year ago — not yet signaling a boost for the holiday spending season. (Source: Gallup)

10% – The percentage of U.S. banks’ $1.1 trillion in commercial-property loans that may sour in the commercial-real-estate slump. (Source: Fitch Ratings)

54% – The percentage of workers 65 and older who say they work mainly because they want to. Only 17% say the main reason is that they need the paycheck. An additional 27% say they’re motivated by a mix of desire and need. (Source: Pew Research Center)

Here are some random, but relevant statistics that I’ve collected the past week.

$13 Billion – The reduction in gas expenditures that U.S consumers will see by 2020 if Congress imposes cap-and-trade system. The reduction would be $46 billion by 2030. (Source: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy)

$59.6 M – The estimated total in direct spending to New York City businesses as a result of the Yankees’ run to the World Series. (Source: New York City Economic Development Corp.)

45% – Forty-five percent of Americans say the cost of prescription drugs will go up if the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats becomes law. (Source: Rasmussen Reports)

8 – The number of consecutive months in which U.S. consumer credit has fallen – the longest series of declines since records were first measured in 1943. (Source: Federal Reserve)

1.2 M – The number of individuals who filed for bankruptcy protection this year through October, surpassing last year’s total of 1.1 million. (Source: Jupiter ESources LLC)

$444.5 B – The total expected net issuance of Treasury bills, notes and bonds for the fourth quarter, compared with $392.5 billion in the third quarter and $569.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2008. (Source: Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association)