"If Trump Wins"

If Trump wins:

 

 I will be convinced that the election system is currupt.

 

People are talking about moving to Canada. But isn't that what "they" want you to do? Give up.

 

America will not be great again. It will be more divided than it has ever been.

 

The average American's vote won't and has never mattered.

 

We will see the greatest gap between the rich and the poor.

 

We have to get wealthy and influence others to get wealthy.

 

There has to be a shift in the culture to go from being entertained, to being educated.

 

How will it effect his businesses and companies?

"Walmart Versus The World'

Last month, the big box retail chain Walmart announced that it would be closing 269 stores worldwide.  These closings include 154 stores in the United States.

A statement from Walmart said that reasons for the closings included the lack of success of it's small Walmart Express stores, stores in close proximity to other Walmart stores, and an increased demand in online shopping.

For Walmart, this move was taken to improve shares of the company, which has fallen nearly 30 percent in the past 12 months.  Also, the company said it will instead focus on "strengthening Supercenters, optimizing Neighborhood Markets, growing the e-commerce business and expanding pickup services for customers."

Walmart will continue to "invest in ITS future," the company said, with plans to open 50 to 60 supercenters and 85 to 95 neighborhood markets in the U.S. 

Even with all these store closings, it only represents less than 1 percent of Walmart's global square footage and revenue. 

What these store closings mean for the people and communities they were in, is a different story.  These store closings mean a loss of over 10,000 jobs and many people without a place to buy groceries within a 10 mile radius from their homes.  Major real estate and developed land is now vacant, and not producing taxable revenues for the communities they are in.

Also, when these Walmart stores originally opened up, many small businesses and mom-and-pop stores went out of business.  These smaller shops just couldn't compete with Walmart prices and the "Walmart brand".  It is in my opinion, that this is the biggest negative effect out of the whole situation.

Now I must admit, that I am not, nor have I ever been a fan of Walmart.  Before they opened the supercenters with produce, meats, bread, etc; I remember them having stale and expired off-brand Cheetos and potato chips.  Even now, they have broken carts with "stuck" or squeaky wheels, 57 checkout lanes with only 3 open, and non existent customer service, in my opinion, rightly so (because of the low wages of employees).

But, let's leave that aside for now.  It is my suggestion, that the closing of these stores provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and the people of the communities that they were in.  The closing of a Walmart opens the door for groceries stores, clothing shops, electronics stores, and many other small retail shops.  Also, this also provides the opportunity for budding entrepreneurs to beat Walmart to the online demand.  The increase of e-commerce businesses would provide competition and spread market share away from Walmart's e-commerce and pick up service.

It was small businesses that made the country and communities we live in great and I believe it's going to take the growth and increase of small businesses to make the places we live in great again!

"How To Save Money In 2016"

Ahh, yes.  It's that time of the year again.  A new year with new goals. Another set of New Year resolutions.  

Many of us set a goal of making or saving more money in the upcoming year.  But as with all New Year Resolutions, we don't always make a plan of how we are going to attain those goals.

Over the past few years, I have looked at the previous year and asked myself how can I do better? How can I save more money?  I make a list of areas that I feel that would make a noticeable difference in saving money, or simply not wasting money, in order to improve the over all "bottom line".

So here it is: The annual list of How To Save Money in 2016!  May this list help you make your dreams a reality, by taking measurable steps of action.

1. Pay bills on time-  Sounds like a no brainer huh?  You may be thinking, so much for the expert advice.  But many times when we set goals, we only think of the benefits of accomplishing that goal.  But in most cases, the consequence of NOT reaching the goal is far more important.  The major thing with not paying bills on time are LATE FEES.  From cell phone bills, to cable bills, to credit card bills; over the course 12 months, those fees can really add up.  The average late fee for a cable bill is $7.50.  The average late fee for a credit card bill is $25.00.  Banks make so much money on fees that it accounts for almost 32 billion dollars in annual revenue.
2. DIY-  Although all of us are working with limited time,  most people have more time than they have money.  By doing things yourself, instead of paying someone else can allow you do save a lot of money.  From home repairs to personal care such as hair and nails; a little DIY can go a long way. If you pay attention to the paperwork on service calls and repairs, it's the labor that's expensive.  YouTube has tons of videos that help with projects.
3.  Order Carry Out- In most states, if you dine in, you are charged "eat in tax" on the food you buy that you are not charged when you order carry out.  Also, the extra items ordered like beverages are an additional expense when dining in.  The last but not least additional expense with eating out are tips.  We are talking about saving money, but a worker is worth their wages.  So if you are dining in, at least an additional 20 percent should be factored in.
4. Go Digital-  The days of "extreme couponing" are nearly over.   Nobody wants to go shopping with a shoe box full of cutout coupons and have to make a shrine out of 1,700 rolls of toilet paper.  Many stores now have apps with digital coupons that you can use with your phone right at the store.  Also, popular sites such as RetailMeNot has sale, discounts, and coupons from multiple stores right on the app.
5. Don't Give Up-  One of the best pieces of advice I have ever heard was to "never accept a no from a person who doesn't have the ability to say yes.  Basically, it means to go to a "higher up" person when you are trying to negotiate something, or get something done.  Too many times we are told no one time, by a "gatekeeper" or entry level person and give up there.  In the past, I have gotten fees reduced, free upgrades, and favorable settlements by using this principle.

By using these tips combined with focus, determination, and consistency; you will be well on your way to a more financially productive year!