Credit Card Debt Essays (Examples)

' No matter how clearly details about status "are conveyed, people as egocentric social information processors tend to process, comprehend, and evaluate such news by relating the details to themselves" (Mussweiler 2004, p. 832).

Social comparison theory, the idea that human beings feel satisfied or dissatisfied with their lots in life based upon peer-group comparisons, states that accessibility tends to increase the perceived similarity of 'self' and 'other' (Mussweiler 2004, p. 832). In other words, few college students are likely to look at famous stars and try to emulate celebrity lifestyles. However, in a seemingly equal setting like college, where everyone is taking similar classes, is staying in dorms rather than in houses that demarcate parental financial status, and where social life is very fluid, everyone feels 'the same.' And if someone who is 'the same' as you is wearing Abercrombie & Fitch and has the latest technological accessory from…

redit Analysis Smehra

redit Analysis for Neal Harris

Neal Harris recently submitted his credit application for our consideration. Mr. Harris is 45 years old, married and has 2 children. He currently works at Franklin Industries where he has been employed as office manager for 2 years. Prior to that, he was in sales at Providencial Insurance for 3 years. Neal has resided at his current residence in Tennessee for 1 year.

His credit application has been filed in joint with his wife, Helen Harris, 43 years old. Helen has recently returned to the workforce from being a housewife. She is also employed by Franklin Industries where she has been marketing director for 4 months. Both individuals have a checking and savings account with AmSouth. The purpose of their loan is for a 2003 hevrolet Tahoe. Following is a review of the 5 's of redit for Mr. And Mrs. Harris…

Therefore, its important that every individual takes step to maintain a good credit history.

How to build a good credit history

Once the importance of credit is understood, the next step is to take measures to build or maintain a good credit score and history. It is not rocket science to have a good credit history. Some amount of restraint and basic financial discipline is all that is required to get a clean credit history.

For starters, one should learn to live within his or her means. Impulse shopping should be avoided at any cost. A better way to buy products is to plan and save for them. This can get the buyer out of credit troubles because the real pinch of money will be realized only when the dues have to be paid. It is also equally important to have good financial planning and disciplined living. All bills have…

The consumer can learn about the various ways credit reports may -- and may not -- be used by reading credible source data online or in print publications.

One of the ways consumers can empower themselves is to gain access to their own credit reports. Access to one's own credit report is easily obtained online, by paying a fee to one of the credit bureaus or consumer reporting agencies. Gaining access to one's personal data is a proactive step towards the protection of one's privacy. As the Privacy ights Clearinghouse (n.d.) puts it, "Ordering your credit report once a year and knowing your credit reporting rights are among the most important steps you can take to safeguard your privacy." Once a year is only a guideline; some individuals might need to order their credit reports often if they have been conducting numerous transactions. Some consumers rarely use credit cards, let…

Belonging to Alliant Credit Union Mean to Me?

I am on track to graduate from a Nuclear Medicine program in September of 2015. his is an important step for me because the nuclear medicine program holds out great hope for more efficient strategies for diagnosing and treating disease -- and healing people who are suffering.

After graduation I will pursue a career at Kaiser Permanente. I will pay off my credit card debt and begin a savings and retirement program at Alliant Credit Union, to assure my own financial security but also to ensure that my parents have the resources to be comfortable and happy in their retirement years.

Going back to 2009, when I bought my first automobile -- which is a huge step for a young person in terms of the need for independence, for transportation and the need to learn how to manage one's finances -- I…

292).

The Depression of 1893

Following hard on the heels of the depression that had taken place just two decades previously, the precise causes for this economic downturn remain unclear. In this regard, Steeples and Whitten (1998) advise, "There is no adequate account of the causes of the depression of 1893 -- 1897 or, by implication, of the crisis itself" (p. 6). These authors, though, cite fundamental shifts in demographics in the U.S., as well as innovations in technology and manufacturing that caused a reevaluation of traditional institutions and the role that the U.S. was going to play in the economic affairs of the world in the 20th century as contributing to this depression (Steeples & Whitten, 1998).

The "Great Depression" of 1929-1939

The stock market crash in 1929 is frequently cited as the precipitating factor for the Great Depression, but othermund (1996) emphasizes that there were other economic forces…

Closing the loan is also known as firm commitment, and involves the completion of all key paperwork within a designated time. A closing date is set, and the closing costs are established. hen the client pays the costs and completes the paperwork, the loan is closed.

The next step is to service the loan. Servicing refers to the management of the payments. The loan creates an obligation on the part of the borrower to make payments as specified in the agreement. The role of the bank is to ensure that those payments are received. Servicing may be contracted out to a secondary party. In the U.S. that might be Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, who provide a secondary market for mortgages. In a servicing arrangement, the bank would collect the payments and remit most of this money to the secondary market investor. The bank would keep a portion of the…

Iceland's Economic Crisis

Web

Iceland's bankruptcy

The purpose of banking in Iceland: speculation and hedging

The central issue: too much too soon

Iceland's Transition

eplicating Wall Street

Taking on foreign "assets" at a ratio to GDP of 10:1

Is debt an asset?

Easy credit and the role of the Housing Financing Fund

Low interest rates

f. Inflation

g. The end of short-term financing in the wake of Lehman's collapse

h. The bubble bursts

The plight of the average citizen

j. Aliber's speech

k. Left holding the bag

The effects of financial deregulation

A prime opportunity for shorting

Iceland and Nationalization

Not Bailing out the Banks

Introduction: Statement of Purpose

The bankruptcy of Iceland in 2008 can be explained in one line from Michael Lewis's Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World. The line is stated by a representative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) who is tasked with assessing whether…

My student loan payments of $609.07 are scheduled to begin May 1, 2009. I do not have the resources to make these payments and Chapter 7 Bankruptcy does not affect student loans.

Since I have been stretched beyond my financial capacity, I am now consistently behind in my mortgage payments and am not in a situation to rectify this problem. I am paid on the 15th and 30th of each month and because I am so overextended, I can only make my payment on the 30th of each month. Due to my now chronically late payments, I am now subject to $136.44 in late fees every month, which I can ill afford. I am facing eminent foreclosure if I am unable to change the terms of my mortgage.

I believe my circumstances make me an excellent candidate for the Hope for Homeowners Act. The Affordabilty vs. Value portion of this…

Carrabine, Lee and South 193)

Industrial/Infrastructural Decline

As has been said before, the UK no longer makes anything, builds anything or sells anything tangible. The decline in industrial production has resulted in an overall decline in employment of industrial workers, who have not been aided by a failing system to transition to other work.

Some would say that the changes occurring in the UK, at this time with the increased importance of service industry work and intelligence rather than physical labor employment is a natural byproduct of globalization and an evolutionary product of the next phase as a "developed" nation.

They evidence this by observing that all developed nations are leaning in this direction. Yet, the transition has not and will not be easy, whether it is normal or not, a point which remains to be proven.

Kocherlakota)

ith the education system in the UK in serious need of reform…

college campus across the country, students are greeted with the familiar sight of individuals seated at folding tables, with the purpose of marketing credit cards to them. These salespeople are most frequently seen during the beginning of the college semester and are usually young and attractive and smiling, barely older than the students themselves. Quite often, if a student fills out an application for the credit card, he or she may receive a small toy or a gigantic in exchange for his or her pains. hat could be more harmless? hat's wrong with having a credit card on hand, 'just in case?'

However, this familiar sight is one of the many reasons that college students are becoming more and more deeply ensnared in debt. These smiling individuals prey upon students when they are at their most vulnerable. Most of these students have just had to pay hundreds of dollars for…

In summary, I feel that I have learned to use a credit card in a way that benefits me more than the merchant or the bank.

For other consumers increasing reliance on electronic payments may be a problem, especially for the newer and lesser understood debit cards. There appears to be certain classes of consumers that view a plastic card differently from actual cash or that purchase more because it's easier to do so. The rising credit card debt problem in the United States is already a frequently covered issue and debit cards may be the next item of discussion. Debit cards may make the consumer debt problem worse by extending electronic payment access to customers who don't qualify for credit cards. Unlike credit cards, debit cards require the cash to be available in an account, but it doesn't mean that this cash wasn't earmarked for other necessities. And, it…

The article that was written by Conley (2011) discusses the impact that collateralized debt obligations (CDO's) would have upon the subprime loans. These were created in 1987, by the Wall Street firm Drexel urnham. In this product, the investment bankers would take a number of different articles and combine them together as one investment. The various assets that were used included: junk bonds, mortgages and other high yielding investments from the debt. The idea with these different products is that the investment bank could offer customers a stated return on their investment. The way it worked is the brokerage firm would distribute each investor, the stated amount of returns that they would make off of the tranche (the CDO investment). This was derived using a complex mathematical formula that would divide the total amount of interest that was received, from the various high yielding products that were inside the CDO.…

worry bout audience Analysis ord Count: 1000-1250 words (This word count refers ONLY essay . It include audience analysis orks Cited page. If essay falls short minimum word count, I automatically deduct riting Informative Essay (Corresponding chapter The Little Seagull Handbook: -7) General Information An informative essay organized primary functions: report a unfamiliar topic; analyze meaning, pattern connections; explain works; explore questions answers.

Informative essay: The impact of the economic crisis upon young people

Although the consensus amongst economists is that the United States has extricated itself from the worst of the recession of 2008, the impact of the economic crisis is still palpable amongst many demographics within the United States. Recent college graduates are amongst the hardest-hit. Given the sluggish labor market, many new college graduates are struggling for work, while the previous generation was able to find jobs with much greater ease. These workers are burdened by high…

But Morgenson suggests even more troublingly, that the fundamental assumption of affordability behind the new program is flawed: "in devising what it considers an affordable mortgage payment, the program doesn't account for all of a borrower's debts -- the first mortgage, second lien, credit card debt and automobile payments. Instead, it calculates affordability using only the borrower's first mortgage payment, insurance and property taxes" (Morgenson 2009).

The program may even hurt those borrowers with second liens: "These banks -- the very same companies the Treasury is urging to modify loans that they service -- have zero interest in writing down second liens they hold because it would mean further damage to their balance sheets. Say a troubled borrower has a first mortgage owned by a pension fund in a securitization trust and a second lien held by the bank that services the loans. The servicer is happy to modify the…

Psychology of Consumer Behavior

Over the last several years, the issue of compulsive buying has been increasingly brought to the forefront. This is because a number of individuals are making decisions that are not considered to be financially prudent. Instead, they are based the person feeling good about their purchase in the short-term. This is giving them a sense of emotional satisfaction. However, in the longer periods of time, is when these kinds of decisions can lead to varying financial consequences. As a result, marketers are more likely to target specific segments that are considered to be impulsive.

Two specific groups that were often perused include women and younger adults. This is because a number of studies were indicating, how these two segments are more than likely to engage in compulsive shopping. The main reason why is because women and young adults were often the focus of their surveys. This…

Financial Crimes

Knights Templar

The Order of the Knights Templar (Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon) was founded in 1118 to protect Christians on pilgrimage to Jerusalem (Blacktorne, 2011). The Order was sanctioned by King Baldwin II of Jerusalem and he quartered the nine original knights in the old stables at the Temple of Solomon. All members had to give over all of their wealth and goods to the Order and take vows of poverty, chastity, piety, and obedience just like other monks (Langue, 2011). A majority of the members joined for life, although a select few were also allowed to join for specific duration.

The Templars' were considered the first international banking organizations. Although this wasn't there specific title they charge a fee (interest) for issuing letters of deposits (checks). Some also view them as a multinational corporation; however the banking reference seems to hold more…

Education on managing or eliminating debt early in one's professional life should also be combined with realistic education on the state of the economy and the impact which this has levied on personal opportunities for financial comfort. To this point, individuals are not finding the jobs for which their education has qualified them, are not achieving a pay commensurate to what they anticipate are their living requirements and are unable to afford many of the fundamental instruments to healthy and intelligent living. Indeed, one source denotes that "in 2007, the Census Bureau estimated that there were nearly 8 million uninsured young adults (ages 18-24), making them the largest segment of the uninsured population. That problem is likely to be compounded with the rise in unemployment and lack of new jobs resulting from the current economic recession." (E-Health Insurance, 1)

Because such matters should be considered a significant priority, the budgetary…

Catherine's Hospital and it is the desire of the human resource department to help you in any way possible. This is not a situation that is a happy one for anyone involved.

I have investigated what can be done, and unfortunately, there is not a lot that we can do to get the insurance company to pay the bill. The operation took place in an out-of-network hospital, and the HMO plan which you chose when joining our company does not cover out-of-network procedures. The plan does offer two alternatives, unfortunately you chose neither one.

There are, however, a number of different options that are available to you at this point. One of the options is to explain to the hospital what happened, and see if there is a possibility of setting up some type of payment plan. We have worked with this hospital's financial department and they are very cooperative…

He also recommends investing in a oth IA, rather than a traditional 401K, because the oth accounts are safer and usually pay back higher dividends. He says, "Generally 401k and 403b accounts underperform IA accounts because they offer less options and flexibility for investments and impose higher fees" (Green 101). He talks about how the stock market is not such a good investment anymore since it fell in 2008, and he offers ways to make the stock market more effective. These are all good ways to get finances back on track once you have saved some money, and they make you feel more effective in managing your own financial future.

A big portion of the last part of the book is devoted to the stock market and how to make it work for you. This is probably the most confusing part of the book. It is written as simply as…

Federal Funds Rate

The federal fund rate was part of the solution, comprised in the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, to centralize the banking system and gain public control of the money supply, inflation, and economic growth. The banking crisis of 1907 was a result of decentralized, unregulated banking that caused confusion with private bank notes being used as currency. There were occasional episodes of monetary mismanagement where the money supply was not appropriate to fulfill the needs of the economy. Too much money caused rapid inflation where too little money stunted economic growth by hindering production and the exchange of goods and services. There were no nationally consistent banking policies and no one entity had control to implement policies until the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 became a national law.

The Federal Reserve System was created with the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 with a oard of Governors to…

4. I did not obtain my current mortgage under any materially false pretenses.

As part of the Hope for Homeowners program, I would be able to attain a new affordable mortgage based on a current appraisal value. I would retain 10% equity in the property, and would be sharing the equity and future appreciation with the Federal government, which would prohibit me from taking out any additional loans against the property except for direct repairs and/or maintenance. There are also up front insurance premiums for this type of loan, which I am aware of.

If you would please consider one of these two options, I believe we can come up with a mutually satisfying solution to help avoid foreclosure on my home. I am writing this hardship letter to plead with your company to review my loan information, take into account my current financial situation, my excellent payment history prior…

finance and financial entrepreneurship. The basis of the article is on a discussion that was held on this subject among four leading lights of financial entrepreneurship in the United States - Michael Milken, Lewis Ranieri, Richard Sandor and Myron Scholes. These people are famous in their own right and have had a sizeable role in financial entrepreneurship in the U.S. over the last 20 years. We have first discussed their achievements to get a clear idea about their personal achievements. This would certainly give a clear idea of what is possible in the U.S. today. They are of course interesting characters and one has to remember that the ideal entrepreneur of the 21st century cannot be thought of as an updated version of Henry Ford. After the discussion of the people, the meeting and the discussions held there are summarized. ased on the total information collected, we have come to…

A. The entity receives payment in exchange for providing a consumer report 
B. The entity regularly assembles or evaluates information about consumers 
C.The entity furnishes consumer reports 
D.The entity uses means of interstate commerce for the purpose of preparing or furnishing consumer reports
Suppose a consumer reporting agency (falsely) reports that a consumer has defaulted on a credit card debt, which of the following is true?
A. The consumer can sue the CRA for defamation 
B. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can take enforcement action against the CRA for violating the reasonable procedures requirement 
C.The consumer must dispute the inaccurate information in order to have any right to sue.
D. Only the consumer can take action against the CRA.
Suppose that a bank (falsely and negligently) tells a CRA that a consumer has defaulted on a credit card debt, which of the following is true?
A. The consumer can sue…

Visa Website

Visa: ecommendations in the wake of recent anti-trust legislation

Visa, MasterCard, and American Express currently dominate the U.S. credit card market. This is partially due to the fact that customers know most establishments accept these major credit cards. However, due to a 2010 settlement with the Justice Department, Visa's monopoly on the market may soon end. Credit cards with lower fee scales may begin to make encroachment upon the market given that Visa and MasterCard now must allow store owners to "reveal processing fees to customers and offer discounts to those [customers] using cards that carry lower fees. Until now, shops and restaurants had been forbidden to tell customers about the fees -- or to offer discounts or rebates to people paying with cards carrying lower merchant fees" (ubin 2010).

In the antitrust suit, merchants successfully argued that Visa and the other major credit card companies put a…

Conclusions -- Was TAP Necessary -- A five member Congressional committee echoed a number of criticisms regarding TAP that many consumers, academics, and fiscal analysts were considering. What exactly was the Treasury's strategy with the $700 billion dollars for the supposed bail out? How can Treasury explain the significant gaps in their ability to find hundreds of billions of taxpayer money? In a nutshell, it appears that the departments that control the money given by the Congress (from the American people) have no ability to ensure that the bailed out banks will do what was needed and lend money; have no real standards of measuring success of failure of the program; and for ignoring pointed and specific questions from Congress about their performance (M. Crittenden).

The fact that many of the institutions bailed out with TAP funds, funds from the American taxpayer, did not distribute these funds back into the…

arren advises families to cut back, and essentially budget themselves as if they only had one income. Pay the regular, family expenses from one salary, rather than from both salaries as 'insurance' for the rainy day that will inevitable come. Families must need to engage in regular 'financial fire drills' -- doing a preliminary audit of expenses, to make sure they can still remain solvent with their heads above water, provided they face some unexpected circumstance or simply a downturn in the economy, as is occurring today because of the increased price of gas and looming recession. According to arren's companion book All Your orth, families must clearly distinguish in their budgets from 'Must Haves,' such as rent, mortgage, gas, food, and car payments, with 'ants,' or extraneous expenses. If 'Must Haves' exceed 65% of the family budget, the family is courting disaster, given that one financial setback could mean…

Statistics show that in 2000, the lowest income-families spent up to 25% of their income to pay for tuition in public four-year institutions (College Board, 2001 in NCPPHE, 2002). In some cases -- like those of two students profiled in the report -- they spend even up to a whopping 40% of their total income to pay for tuition alone (Valigra, 2002, in NCPPHE, 2002).

2. Grant aid to students has not kept pace with increases in tuition

A major component of college education affordability is financial aid for needy students. While federal and state governments have provided most of this aid, the increase in budget allocation for financial aid has not kept up with tuition fee increases during the last two decades (NCPPHE, 2002). There are other sources of financial assistance that may be tapped by students such as institutional grants. However, these resources are increasingly used either to…

Identity theft is a kind of theft that involves someone stealing the identity of someone else by assuming that person's identity (Lai, Li, & Hsieh, 2012). This is usually a method of gaining access to the person's resources like credit cards and other things in the person's name. This is considered a white-collar crime and it has gained popularity amongst criminals. According to statistics, each year hundreds of thousands of people have their identities stolen. The thieves will use the person's personal information like bank account numbers, credit card numbers, social security numbers, and insurance information to purchase goods fraudulently. The Federal Trade Commission has reported that over 7 million people were victims of identity theft in the past year. This is quite a huge number, and it indicates identity theft is a growing in the United States. When someone manages to use another person's personal information to obtain credit,…

Cheap: High Cost of the Discount Culture

The Effects of the Discount Culture on American orkers

The discount culture has created many concerns that giant retail stores are conducting business unfairly and taking advantage of American workers. For example al-Mart, thanks to its size and power, can purchase goods at a deep discount and because of its business model and employment policies can sell more cheaply than most other outlets. The effect of this is to lower prices at other nearby stores. However, despite this advantage al-Mart does not lower prices on everything, and in fact actually has higher prices than average on about one-third of the stock it carries (Ruppel 153). Discounters lower the price of the average shopping outing by lowering the prices on the things consumers by most frequently. Low-priced high volume items are positioned in the store in high visibility areas not only to encourage the…

The article concedes, however, that declining business confidence is an absolute danger that must be dealt with and the government not being an active partner with businesses and in favor of the recovery will just make things worse (Pollin, 2010).

A similar point is made in a different article that states that the role of fiscal policy in pushing an economy towards recovery cannot be over-estimated or over-analyzed because of the vital role fiscal policy plays in said recovery. The article notes that the impact (or lack thereof) of programs like Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Medicare, tax credits, Social Security, direct subsidies, unemployment insurance and such are often included in any analysis of fiscal policy but it also noted that many parties that look at this topic glaringly omit are transfer payments and other assistance paid directly to financial institutions (Tcherneva, 2012).

This perhaps became a much less…

Finance and Hospitals Mission and Vision Statements

Finance is a term which is generally associated with the management of money including assets and liabilities. The most common association in everyday life may be the way income is managed to pay liabilities (debts), and allocate funds to expenditure. This includes decision made regarding everyday events as well as major life decisions.

When looking at the everyday events, the income will usually be in the form of wages from a job and/or allowances, such as from a student loan, or support from parents or a partner, and will then be allocated to expenditure.

The allocation of the income should be prioritized to satisfy liabilities or debts, and pay for essential expenditure. If funds are left over, non-essential expenditure may take place. Liabilities or debts which are seen in everyday life include the paying of mortgage and loan repayments, such as credit card…

However, if they are strapped every month then this scenario may be the best that they can do. This creates a dismal retirement for the Smiths. Therefore, let us examine some financial planning strategies that will help the Smiths to achieve their goals.

hen one examines the Smiths' investments, they are only relying on what is available from their employers as the basis for their savings. The 401 (k) is not considered to be an aggressive investment strategy. They typically only manage to match or slightly outperform inflation by 1-2%. This means that using a 401(k) as a sole means of retirement income will only yield a little more or less than one year's salary at the beginning of the retirement. This is hardly better than a passbook savings account, and in some cases is less. However, the real advantage to the 401 (k) is the matching contribution from the…

Turning the Tide on Insurance Rates: Issues to Consider

Whereas it may seem that utilizing credit reports is a fair and effective method of determining rate structures for potential consumers, it may have some drawbacks that prove to be very costly. According to the Conning & Company study, auto insurers now employ credit scores as an accurate predictor of a person's risk profile and subsequent driving acumen. Although a person's budgetary history may shed some light on his/her spending habits, there is no direct correlation to that person's driving record and his/her chance of making a claim. In lieu of a distinct and direct causative link between credit history and auto insurance risk, auto insurers must take the following factors into consideration: age at the onset of credit history and a built-in institutional bias based on race and culture.

In contemporary America, more than half of all college-aged students possess…

Solutions

As a response to the savings and loans debacle, there have been several attempts by congress and other governmental agencies to assists consumers and some financial institutions alike. The most significant and some say extreme solution thus far came when the Federal government assisted JP Morgan with the purchase of Bear Stearns for $2 per share.

One of the most discussed solutions has to do with baling out the mortgage lenders and assisting borrowers. There are several different remedies that have been proposed. These remedies include everything from a moratorium on foreclosures to the freezing of interest rates.

As it pertains to the mortgage companies it has been suggested that limits should be lifted so that companies can purchase jumbo housing loans. According to one article this type of mortgage relief could help staunch the hemorrhaging in high-priced housing markets...where buyers have had difficulty getting loans and are paying…

" The code also states when communicating investment information care must be taken to ensure that it is fair, accurate and complete as well as make full and fair disclosure of all matters that could reasonably be expected to impair their independence and objectivity or interfere with respective duties to their clients, prospective clients, and employer.

Evidence indicates Lehman's senior financial executives knew of the Repo 105 transactions and certified the accuracy of Lehman's financial statements and disclosures despite having full knowledge that the company had engaged in the use of these transactions to hide their toxic assets and make their financial statements appear to be in good health when, in reality, they were not. These executives were fully aware that the financial statements were misleading and did not fairly present the true position of the company.

Hiding toxic assets and releasing favorable financial statements to investors each quarter clearly…

It continues to buy government securities to infuse more cash into the economy. "The target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4% and continues to anticipate that economic conditions, including low rates of resource utilization, subdued inflation trends, and stable inflation expectations, are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate for an extended period. To provide support to mortgage lending and housing markets and to improve overall conditions in private credit markets, the Federal eserve will purchase a total of $1.25 trillion of agency mortgage-backed securities and about $175 billion of agency debt. The amount of agency debt purchases, while somewhat less than the previously announced maximum of $200 billion, is consistent with the recent path of purchases and reflects the limited availability of agency debt" (Fed, 2009).

Consumer credit card debt and rates of foreclosures remain high, so the Fed will likely…

Market Society and the Public Sphere

My journal text comes to illustrate the utmost significance of globalization viewed as the force molding and shaping the current world. It describes the multidimensional aspect of globalization that influences and encompasses all facets of life through an integrated network. Currently, globalization is the buzzword in media articles, daily talks of media people and talks of politicians. There is no aspect of life that is not influenced or affected by globalization (Tober, 2006, 33). However, many people find it difficult to reflect on this phenomenon. This is because the term is applied in so many aspects leading to its ambiguity in defining it according to my text.

Numerous volumes of work have written about globalization in numerous fields such as political, science, business, economics, sociology and many more. This has made the term globalization lack a precise cogent theory and definition. This is seen…

power of a successful ad stems from the population it addresses rather than its words. To put it simply, ads must incorporate its potential customers' hopes, fears, wishes, and dreams, and position the product they are advertising as the key to them. 'Mass desires' is the term typically utilized for denoting such already existing feelings. They merely represent a common private want. Secretly, a large number of individuals desire the very same things - health, wealth, attractiveness, and happiness. An ad will be effective if its creators understand the way a given product will be able to fulfil these private desires (Lee, 2014).

Some advertisers, in a perpetual bid to draw customers and link their products to hedonistic, lavish or "cool" lifestyles, have repeatedly gone past the bounds of what may be regarded as socially and ethically acceptable advertising. An understanding of one's market can aid sellers in designing and…

Public College Education in the United States Be Free for All?

Education should be free for all U.S. citizens in the United States in order for the U.S. workforce to effectively compete in the globalized economy.

I believe education is integral to national and personal well-being. The current U.S. economy is highly global and competitive, and for it to become, and remain, strong, the nation requires the world's most highly educated workforce. This cannot be achieved if, year after year, several thousand bright youngsters in the nation are unable to afford college education, whilst several million more quit school deep in debts. The U.S. must ensure that each youngster in the nation who aspires to earn a college diploma/degree can realize his/her dream, without falling in debt, irrespective of family income (Sanders para. 5). United States is the leader of the western world and the western world is the leader…

98 at the end of 1997. This is reflected in both an increase in credit card debt and sharp increases in housing prices. The latter is the single largest source of debt for most consumers, and increases in housing prices have meant that increasing proportions of incomes have been diverted away from savings and into mortgage debt. hen combined with governmental aversion to deficit budgets, the result is not only a strong increase in current account deficit but that this is being born almost entirely by consumers.

The implications of this according to Eatwell and Taylor is looming economic ruin. They view the present situation as essentially unstable, in particular compared to the situation in the 80s. They approach the issue from the perspective of U.S. domestic economic policy. They assume no major change in Japan's situation, and only a modest reduction of current account surplus in Europe, stemming from…

Public/Government Finance

Public (Government) Finance

This essay examines the debate over extending unemployment benefits. The essay reviews the arguments in favor of and against further extensions, and the implications for economic and social policies. After exploring the alternatives, I make a recommendation and discuss means of measuring the success or failure of my recommendation.

The Apparent Problem/The Facts

Unemployment insurance is compensation that is provided to workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own. Unemployment provides compensation for a specific amount of time, or until a worker finds a new job. Regular unemployment provides benefits for up to 26 weeks, based on the number of weeks that the unemployed person worked in his or her claim year (Doyle, 2011).

Extended unemployment benefits provide compensation for a longer period of time, and are available for workers when they have exhausted regular state unemployment benefits during periods of high unemployment.…

However, some people might regard my decision as unwise: after all, what 'goes up, must come down,' and interest rates will inevitably go up. I may regret not borrowing now, if I have to pay a higher rate on a car payment in the future. On the other hand, given that the low interest rates and economic stimulus have not has a seismic effect on job growth, I am still wary about spending too much, despite the fact that money in a savings account with a low interest rate is actually 'losing' value, because of the inevitability of inflation. My uncertainty about borrowing for anything other than what I absolutely need (other than student loans, which is 'spending' that does not directly result in higher levels of production in enterprise and takes me out of the full-time labor force) means that the government must find more direct ways to stimulate…

Financial Analysis

Threats and vulnerability: A case study of Shoe Carnival, Inc.

Shoe carnival overview

Shoe Carnival Inc. is a publicly traded company that offers a range of footwear products for all categories of customers, men, women, children and sportswear. It also offers casual wear products and other assorted products such as handbags. Its headquarters are situated in Evansville, Indiana and it runs over 300 stores across several states mostly concentrated in South, Midwest, and Southeastern states of the U.S. David ussell, who had sold shoes for over 20 years in the traditional way, founded Shoe Carnival after feeling convicted that that was what he wanted to do. In the year 1978, and with is personal savings and some capital from his in-laws, he opened his first store that he called "Shoe Biz." His main idea was to create a shoe store made shoe-shopping fun. The major difference with ussell's…

Consumption and Mass Media

What is conspicuous consumption? How does conspicuous consumption influence purchasing decisions? Think about a high-priced item (Rolex) that you would like to buy. To what extent could conspicuous consumption affect your decision?

Conspicuous consumption is consumption for the sake of impressing observers. Most consumers buy Rolex watches not because of Rolex's quality, but because the brand signifies that the purchaser is wealthy enough to afford a Rolex. Although an extremely cheap watch and an expensive watch may vary in terms of their quality, the expense of a Rolex cannot be justified by quality alone. Someone who wishes to signify his social class and economic status to friends and associates 'in the know' buys a Rolex; without these signifiers the Rolex means nothing.

Q2. What is conspicuous leisure? In what ways are leisure activities informed by social and economic class? Provide an example of a popular leisure…

In other words, rather than accepting the constraints that would be placed upon them if they actively identified as Black, John and Rena at first try to uplift themselves through marriage and actively pursing hite-only professions and societal distinctions. For instance, John works as a prominent attorney in Clarence, South Carolina as a white man with a white wife. "arwick's wife was of good family, and in a more settled condition of society it would not have been easy for a young man of no visible antecedents to win her hand." (22) Had John identified as Black, not only would he not have been allowed to marry the woman. If John had not engaged in 'passing' could not have pursued the profession he is so skilled at, to the degree of profit and social advancement that he has enjoyed. Is it so wrong not to be subject to the confines…

Progress During the Enlightenment

The notion of progress is as evolving as the modern society we deem progressive. While some view progress in terms of science and technology, others view progress in terms of government, social equality, economic stability, spirituality and moral sensitivity. In terms of technology, our current society is more technologically advanced than ever before. We can pick up a telephone and speak to loved ones in other cities, states, and even countries; we can compose, mail, and deliver a letter within minutes via the world-wide-web; we can flip a switch and create light where there was darkness; we can turn a key and travel hundreds of miles within a few hours. Meanwhile, our governments no longer treat minorities as second-class citizens, the world wide poverty level and corresponding mortality rates have dramatically decreased, and our views of religion and spirituality are decidedly more eclectic than in times…

Lys Fashion Business Plan

DayLys primary earnings

The company's start up

DayLys proposed start up expenses

Strategy and implementation summary

Marketing strategy

Target market

Sales revenue for the first and second year

Graph depicting the sales revenue

Five-year financial plan

Break-even Analysis

Pro Forma Profit and Loss

Pro Forma Cash Flow

Pro Forma Balance Sheet

Business atios

Percent of Total Assets

Percent of Sales

Main atios

Activity atios

Liquidity atios

Additional atios

The focus of this project is to draw up the business plan for DayLys Fashion and the start up funding will be $45,000. The paper also provides the pro-forma profit and loss, and the marketing strategies. The financial plan reveals that the company will record profits in the first year and continuing making profits within the next five-year.

DayLys Primary Earnings

DayLys primary earnings will be $62,715 in year 1, $135,771 in year 2,

and $243,806 in year…

aid Mr. Harris: "We are always looking at new ways to reach our customers through innovative digital platforms." Mobile works well since "There is rapid growth in mobile devices supporting more and more of the everyday tasks that people want to perform."

Another highly successful mobile application has been that of American Express' Android version of its free mobile app, which has had more than 1 million views since 2011. The mobile apps are free as are the apps that AE has implemented via social media (ibid.)

Conclusion

The American Express (AE) Credit Card Company markets itself in various ways. avvy with its promotional and publicity performance, it has put together a variety of tools -- some of them innovative -- that it uses for its own promotional ends. These include extensive featuring of celebrities, innovative media campaigns, cause activity promotional ends, innovative use of social media, as well as…

Capital

There are a number of financing options for small business. The two major categories are debt and equity. Debt comes in a variety of forms. Bank loans are common. Credit cards are used sometimes by startups; bond issues by larger firms. Debt is an attractive option for a number of reasons. Debt has a lower cost of capital, which is beneficial to many small businesses. As well, debt financing allows the owners of the company to maintain control, and this is usually considered to be quite important for many small businesses in particular. The downside to debt is that the company is then obligated to pay that debt back before it can reinvest profits back into the business - debt repayment is more important than reinvestment in terms of financial obligations (Parker, 2012).

Equity comes at a higher cost than debt. Equity is also means that some control is…

The biggest challenge however over the long-tern is the lack of acceptance of foreign cards by Chinese merchants. There are an estimated 20 million businesses in China, and of these, 414,000 accept credit cards, and of those, 150,000 accept foreign credit cards (Worthington, 2003). At the infrastructure level this fact illustrates how pervasive the sociological factors that limit debt continue to influence the Chinese culture specifically and the Asian culture overall. As with every Asian culture, there is tremendous pride in not losing "face" or stature in ones' community. As a result, cash is king in the more conservative cities and regions of the country. The generation of 25 to 40-year-olds will change this, however it may take a generation or more to significantly increase American Express credit card use in Asia and China as a result.

eferences

Bayot, J (2004, March 30). American Express to Issue Cards in China.…

Tax Liability

A preview of capital structure issues

In regards to the overall business environment, capital structure has profound implications of the business, irrespective of its industry. For one, a firm's capital structure is then the composition or 'structure' of its liabilities. For example, a firm that sells $40 billion in equity and $160 billion in debt is said to be 20% equity-financed and 80% debt-financed. The firm's ratio of debt to total financing, 80% in this example is referred to as the firm's leverage. This leverage has implications on the entire firm. For example, leverage in many respects is a double edges sword. On one hand, leverage can amplify gains for firms. However, if used incorrectly, leverage can also amplify loses. As such, firms must be cognizant of its capital structure as complacency can hinder overall business performance. Debt and equity financing, can have a profound implications on the…

As per IC Sec. 1033(h), the tax rules for the replacement of those properties destroyed or converted in such cases are eased and the overall replacement period extended as well. "Some rules were also revised like the 'ev. ule 95-22' which considers the funds received for the primary residence as well as scheduled property such as jewelry, pieces of art, coins, etc. which had been insured, as funds for a single item of property." (IS, Tax Law Changes elated to Hurricanes Katrina, ita and Wilma) These funds were to be considered as a "common pool" of proceeds from which the gains realized by the taxpayer could be to the extent of the amount exceeding the expenses after meeting a suitable replacement property. This revised rule also clarifies that the replacement property could refer to the residence being replaced or any scheduled private property "in any proportion." (Kess, Hurricane Katrina tax…

Competitive Intelligence eport: Barclaycard

Today, Barclaycard has grown from its relatively humble beginnings in 1966 to become one of the leading credit card companies in the United Kingdom with more than 10,000,000 cardholders as well as almost nine million cardholders abroad. Although the company has enjoyed a steady increase in the number of cardholders and Barclaycard has been a first mover in introducing new technologies into its business plan in recent years, this growth has not been without some problems and many of its customers are loudly complaining about poor or nonexistent customer service, exorbitant fees and faulty security measures. Taken together, it is clear that Barclaycard has done a few things right while managing to stumble over its success at others. To identify what the company has done right and wrong, this study provides a review of the relevant peer-reviewed and scholarly literature as well as various online sources…

e. no standardization) b) Diamonds: good medium of exchange

Peaches: perishable, differences in quality (i.e. no standardization) d) Grade a Honey: differences in quality (i.e. no standardization), difficult to transport e) Ice in a warm climate: perishable, difficult to store a. Over the long run, what is the primary determinant of the price level? Supply and demand, with price acting as an equilibrator b. Over the long run, what is the primary determinant of inflation?

The supply of money as compared to changes in productivity.

c. How is inflation related to the nominal interest rate?

Expectations of future inflation are one of the key factors in determining the nominal interest rate, the other being the 'core' interest rate, or the inflation-free level at which one is willing to lend money (which differs according to the issuer and associated risk premium).

4. Describe each of the following financial institutions. If it…

Criminals don't always need to have shotguns and masks to threat and rob money; it only takes a social security number, or a pre-approved credit card application from trash to make things according to their wicked way (ID Theft, 2004).

Some consumers have had credit card numbers and Social Security numbers stolen and used fraudulently or identity theft. By taking reasonable steps to protect your personal information, this can mitigate the chance that it may be stolen (What you should know about internet banking, 2007) by identity thieves.

Identity theft is a term used for serious crimes associated with someone uses your name, address, Social Security number, bank or credit card account number or other identifying information without your knowledge to commit fraud. This fraud may only take setting up accounts in your name and make online transactions without you knowing (Get the Upper Hand on Credit Crime, 2004).

Identity…

Consumer Borrowing -- Spending an Economy Out of a Recession

The 'answer' provided by consumer borrowing and spending during recessions and even depressions revolves around the classical, microeconomics 'answer' to what seems like an economics paradox. Namely, how does one stimulate the economy into a state of recovery, when one is faced with consumers who have less money to spend on basic goods? Consumers who may be unemployed are understandably cautions about their economic future, so how does one 'give' them money to spend and encourage producers to produce.

Neo-classical or naturalistic theories of economics have tended to stress the need for the Federal Reserve Bank to lower the interest rate. This makes it cheaper for consumers to borrow money from banks, less punitive for consumers to use their credit cards to make purchases with money they do not have at the moment, and it also gives consumers an incentive…

Tax Deductions: Are Unpaid Loans Tax Deductible?

John loaned his friend Jack $1,000. Jack did not repay the debt and left town. John wants to know if he can claim any tax deduction, and, if so, what is the character of the deduction? However, to answer John's question, one must first find out more information about the nature of the loan. This is critical because there are two broad types of loans and debts: business loans and personal loans. Furthermore, under the correct circumstances, it is possible for people to take tax deductions for certain types of business loans and personal loans. Knowing whether John made Jack a loan from his personal money or from his business money is the crucial first step in determining which, if any, Internal evenue Service (IS) regulations or tax laws will permit John to deduct the unpaid debt.

If John is a business owner…

electronic money, and a description into the various types of electronic money.

Computers and telecommunications devices may come in place of paper currency and checks - during a course of time. Also, electronic ways of transaction of money have turned out widely prevalent. Anyhow, in the recent past debate about "electronic money" has witnessed a dramatic change, narrowing down to the level to which new ways of electronic money will in course of time turn central banks out of date, making them fragile that they cannot manipulate inflation. (Stevens, 72) Electronic money can be considered in terms of electronic substitute for coins and banknotes, which is saved on an electronic gadget such as a chip card or computer memory and which overall is meant for the reason of influencing electronic payments of restricted loans. (Directive 2000/46/Ec of the European Parliament and of the Council, 2)

Analysis

Electronic money is not…

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

Lowe's Companies Inc.

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

This report discusses the home improvement retailer, Lowe's Companies, Inc. The report profiles Lowe's, providing information about its background, operations, size, and relative industry position, as well as lists key competitors. The report also includes a profile of the home improvement retail industry and discusses the current economic outlook and sales forecasts through 2015.

The report also analyzes Lowe's consolidated cash flow statements and discusses the company's sources and uses of cash. Lowe's cash inflows and outflows include the issuance of common stock, repurchase of common stock, repayment and issuance of long-term debt, and investments in property and store information technology.

In addition to reviewing Lowe's cash flow, financial analysis reviews Lowe's performance by comparing Lowe's key ratios to industry ratios. In general, ratio analysis shows Lowe's needs to improve its efficiency and generate more sales. Even though…