Speaking from my experience, borrowing at the Bank of Mom and Dad isn’t always a pleasant thing. Approximately 15 years ago I was promoted to a management position on the East Coast. My company’s moving policy was – “move yourself, submit your expenses, we will reimburse you, maybe.” That weeded out a lot of tire-kickers but probably weeded out a lot of really good managers as well. Despite the shortsightedness of such an asinine policy for a multi-billion dollar company to arbitrarily use, I decided that a lack of money wasn’t going to stand in my way of success.

So I asked my Dad for $1,200. I was in the throes of financial stupidity and had no emergency fund, no budget, no savings account, no spare cash of any sort. My credit cards were maxed out and delinquent. I was behind on my student loans, behind on hospital bills, and behind on anything that required a payment … except rent and utilities. That $1,200 wa

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Budget wonks everywhere were counting on the select six to pull a grand bargain out of their talks. What happened?

In my experience, gangs don’t do well in the Senate and for a few good reasons:

1. 1) They wear the wrong tattoos. Street gangs make sure you know who’s friend and who is foe. Party ties are the only real gang tattoos that matter in the Senate.
2. 2) The task is always hard. Independent, bipartisan “gang” agreements are not easy to reach on tough issues.
3. 3) The gangs are trying to usurp the legislative process and that creates tension with the real gang leaders who can actually cut deals.
4. 4) Gangs are often used for cover — to show bipartisan leanings, without actually acting on them.

Of all these, the key reason the Gang of Six failed is #3.

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For most consumers, spending on a credit card instead of using cash can lead to the purchase of more products, but new research suggests that it actually clouds consumers’ perceptions of the things they’re buying as well.

Many retail experts have long acknowledged the existence of what’s known as the “credit card premium,” or a greater willingness on the part of consumers to spend more money when not paying with cash.

They say it’s simply the result of not having to physically count out bills and therefore being aware of the true cost of an item.

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CoreCard Software, a leading provider of prepaid and credit card processing licensed software, today announced that their software plays a key role in helping PayDay Loans Providers comply with each individual state regulations.

For many households in todays economy, with little or no savings to fall back on, an economic shock such as an unexpected home or car repair can produce a sudden short term need for extra cash. A payday loan (also called a paycheck advance or payday advance) is a small, short-term loan that is intended to cover a borrowers expenses until the next payday. Payday lenders typically charge $ 15 for every $ 100 borrowed. According to the Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA), the payday loan industry trade association, all that a customer needs is proof of income and a checking account.

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Thoughts of my grandfathersboth veterans of WWIIand my friends who served quickly filled my head. I send a few Happy Veterans Day text messages and then moved on with my day.

But today, thats easier said than done. Theres a parade going through the center of town today to honor the veterans of past wars and current conflicts. And its those current conflicts in the Middle East, especially, that should serve to keep our nations veterans at the forefront of our minds, today and every day.

In every war, so it seems, soldiers fight a two-front warone on the battlefield and one at home. The transition from soldier to civilian isnt an easy one. And given the current state of our housing market and overall economy, many veterans are battling to remain in their homes.

Veterans are 50 percent more likely to become homeless compared to all other citizens.

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Maria Pascucci, president and founder of Campus Calm™, has been named “Protégé of the Year” by the Allstate Minority and Women Emerging Entrepreneurs (MWEE) program.

The program is a joint venture by the University at Buffalo School of Management’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) and the UB Center for Urban Studies.

Pascucci received a $1,500 prize for the honor. Campus Calm provides training solutions to colleges and universities to help develop the next generation of young female leaders.

Laura St. Pierre Smith, of Blaine Realtors in Hamburg, was awarded the second-place prize of $1,000. Additionally, Melissa Neal, M.D., owner of Twenty 20 Eye Care and Aesthetic Oculoplastic Medicine in Buffalo, was awarded the third-place prize, $500.

The Allstate Foundation, a charitable organization funded by subsidiaries of Allstate Insurance Corporation, sponsored the program and presented the awards at a banquet on Nov. 8 in the

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