This is the third annual America Saves Week.  It isn’t really an event, but  just a reminder for people how important it is to save.  And also to plant the idea that saving even small amounts that can really add up faster than you think.  You know, the latte factor; that is when you give up buying a four dollar latte every day and save $1500 a year and with compound interest you can retire a millionaire.  That may be a little exaggeration, but $1500 a year is nothing to sneeze at.  Even if you can’t give up that latte every day, maybe you can talk yourself into every other day or try those new lattes they have at McDonalds at about half the price.  Don’t think I’m just picking on coffe drinkers because I’m one of the you.  You can use the same savings tricks with other pieces of your spending pattern.  How about those lottery tickets, maybe just put the money in the bank and have a nice chuck of change by year end.  Check out the americasavesweek.org website for more ideas to get your savings on track.  Nothing feels better than that safety net of money in the bank.

America Saves Week 2009

Today on the Oprah Show Lisa Ling talks about her visit to a tent city of homeless people here in Sacramento.  She said that even though there are homeless issues in cities everywhere because Sacramento is her home town this really hit home for her.  I don’t  like the idea that this is what Sacramento is going to be highlighted for on national TV, but maybe this is the wakeup call we need to make us aware of all the people right here in Sacramento that need help.  When we drive through neighborhoods and see all the foreclosed homes that should also remind us that those empty homes were once filled with families and people who are now forced to find other places to live.  Click on this link to Oprah.com to read the story. 

Courtesy of You Tube and the Oprah Show here is a preview of the Lisa Ling story: