Credit cards

Here's a lighter side to something serious - death and
credit cards. A friend forwarded it and the original
source is unknown. If you do know the source, please post
it so that due credit can be given to this enlightening
piece.

Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die,
just in case. This is so priceless, and so easy to see
happening, customer service being what it is today.

A lady died this past January, and the bank billed her
for February and March for their annual service charges
on her credit card, and then added late fees and interest
on the monthly charge.

The balance had been $0.00, now it is around $60.00.
A family member placed a call to the bank:

Family Member: "I'm calling to tell you that she died in
January."

Bank: "The account was never closed and the late fees
and charges still apply."

Family Member: "Maybe, you should turn it over to collections."

Bank: "Since it is two months past due, it already
has been."

Family Member: So, what will they do when they find out
she is dead?"

Bank: "Either report her account to the frauds
division or report her to the credit bureau, maybe both!"

Family Member: "Do you think God will be mad at her?"

Bank: "Excuse me?"

Family Member: "Did you just get what I was telling you . .
the part about her being dead?"

Bank: "Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor."

Supervisor gets on the phone:

Family Member: "I'm calling to tell you, she died in January."

Bank: "The account was never closed and the late
fees and charges still apply."

Family Member: "You mean you want to collect from her estate?"

Bank: (Stammer) "Are you her lawyer?"

Family Member: "No, I'm her great nephew." (Lawyer info given)

Bank: "Could you fax us a certificate of death?"

Family Member: "Sure." (gets fax number )

After they get the fax:

Bank: "Our system just isn't setup for death.
I don't know what more I can do to help."

Family Member: "Well, if you figure it out, great! If not,
you could just keep billing her. I don't think she will care."

Bank: "Well, the late fees and charges do still apply."

Family Member: "Would you like her new billing address?"

Bank: "That might help."

Family Member: "Odessa Memorial Cemetery, Highway
129, Plot Number 69."

Bank: "Sir, that's a cemetery!"

Family Member: "What do you do with dead people on your planet?"

Creating a Budget

Many people are not fully convinced that they have a need for a budget. Their reasoning goes something like this. "All I need to do is spend less than I make, and that's just common sense, so why in the world do I need a budget?" If this sounds like something you have said in the past, you probably have a bigger need than you think. Other people fully realize their need, but they simply have no idea where to start. With this in mind let's walk through the basic steps of creating a personal budget.

Budgetary Steps

o Create a list of all of your monthly income. If you have
any sources of income that are received annually then simply
divide this number by 12. It is important to list all sources
including alimony, child support, side jobs, etc. This figure
will set the cap on your total budget.

o Create a list of all your monthly expenses. If an expense
occurs less frequently, simply prorate it to fit a monthly
format. Be sure to include such expenses as; housing, food,
transportation, utilities, entertainment, etc. It is wise to
track your spending for a full month during this stage of
budgetary planning. Save your receipts and each evening
write down your expenses for the day. This is the best way
to gain an accurate reflection of actual expenses.

o Determine if your income covers all of your current
expenses. If the answer is no, then expenses need to be
reduced.

o Adjust expenses. This can be done in a variety of ways.
Depending on the amount of the shortfall, it may be a simple
matter of reducing some discretionary spending, such as
entertainment, or food.(i.e. the number of times you eat out
in a given month) If the deficit is larger then it may be a
matter of downsizing your vehicle or your living arrangements.
If your income covers all of your expenses then this is still
a good opportunity to trim some of the fat off of your
spending habits. This can help free up extra money for a
variety of reasons ranging from, college educations for the
kids, to a nice anniversary trip with your wife.

o Add new categories if necessary. Three areas that are
often overlooked are 1) debt reduction 2) retirement savings
and 3) emergency savings. An emergency fund will ensure that
there is an adequate amount available to cover an unforeseen
even (i.e. the car breaks down) should it arise. This will
prevent the use of credit which can quickly break a personal
budget.

Source: www.personal-budgeting-and-personal-saving-tips

Diet Soda -- True story

Came across the following story on the effects of
aspartame. What exactly is aspartame and what are
its effects on us. Read on...

March 2004
In October of 2001, a friend's sister started getting
very sick. She had stomach spasms and she was having
a hard time getting around. Walking was a major chore.
It took everything she had just to get out of bed,
she was in so much pain. By March 2002, she had
undergone several tissue and muscle biopsies and was
on 24 various prescription medications. The doctors
could not determine what was wrong with her. Because
of her pain and sickness, she was sure she was dying.

Read the story... (bibleprobe.com)

Related article: Diet Soda - True story