Tag Archives: money
Apple Now Has More Money Than the US Government
Here’s something to keep in mind next time you catch yourself browsing the itunes store.
According to the latest daily statement from the U.S. Treasury, the government had an operating cash balance of $73.8 billion at the end of the day yesterday.
Apple’s last earnings report (PDF here) showed that the company had $76.2 billion in cash and marketable securities at the end of June.
In other words, the world’s largest tech company has more cash than the world’s largest sovereign government.
That’s because Apple collects more money than it spends, while the U.S. government does not.
Time to repair the piggy bank.
Thinking about cutting costs or saving money may seem easy, but its quite challenging. With patience, motivation and some helpful tips, you will start feeding the piggy bank instead of breaking it.
When saving money there are some things you are going to need to understand. First, it takes time, effort and motivation to get out of debt. Second, you have to be realistic about your goals and how much you can save.
Here are some easy ways to help cut back costs and save your hard earned money.
Make a budget: Write down everything you spend your money on. By keeping track of items being purchased you will be surprised how much money you are wasting.
Get out of debt: Try chipping away at your debt first before you set up a savings account. If you have credit card debt, you can call the credit card company and ask them to lower your interest rates.
Buy used: If you’re thinking about buying a new car look for a used one instead. One thing to note, when you drive off the lot, the car loses up to 20% of its value. You can also, search on Craigslist for items such as furniture, tools, bikes, you name it. You’ll be amazed how much you can save buying used.
Lower your car payments: If you have a car loan try paying an extra payment every couple of months in order to shrink the premium and lower the interest rate.
Shop wisely: Search online for deals on EBAY or Amazon. Don’t always think sale items are saving you money. Most of the time you really don’t need it.
Pack your lunch or make your cup of coffee at home: If you make your coffee at home you’ll save $20.00 a week. Times that by 52 weeks and in a year, that’s a total savings of $1,040.
Use less or cut back: When you’re going to make a purchase, ask yourself; “Will this make me money, happy or improve my life?” If not, you may want to reconsider. Also, try cutting back on your cell phone plan, cable bill and dining out. Always remember, every bit counts.
Set up a savings account: Try online banking like ING Direct. Most online banks have higher interest rates. So, make a habit of putting away a certain amount each month. Have a goal in mind, but be rational. If you want to buy a house, car, go on that special getaway, plan it out and see how much you can save to obtain your goal!
I hope these tips help. In a tough economy, we all have to be resourceful. Please share your thoughts with us on how you save money.
Mariah, Beyoncé, Usher urged to donate Gaddafi money
Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Usher and 50 Cent are facing industry calls to give back the money they earned performing at lavish parties thrown by family members of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
“If it were me, it would go to charity,” says Buck Williams, agent for R.E.M. and Widespread Panic. Adds David T. Viecelli, agent for Arcade Fire, “Hopefully donate it to a charity that somehow assists some of the people who have suffered at the hands of that regime.”
Carey accepted $1 million to perform for Gadhafi’s son, Muatassim, Libya’s national-security adviser, at a lavish New Year’s Eve party on the Caribbean island of St. Barts in 2008; Beyoncé and Usher performed for an undisclosed sum on the island the following year. 50 Cent gave a performance before Muatassim at a 2005 film festival in Venice.
Managers for Usher, 50 Cent and Carey declined comment, and Beyoncé’s management, run by her father, Mathew Knowles, did not return phone calls. “They’ve done it for tons of artists,” says a music-business source, referring to Muatassim’s parties, which are often jammed with supermodels. “Those guys are all over the world.”
Videos of Muatassim in a coat, tie and fedora, posing for photos with beautiful women at the Venice festival have circulated on YouTube in the past week. According to media reports, Jay-Z, Lindsay Lohan and supermodels Miranda Kerr and Victoria Silvstedt were in the crowd at St. Barts in 2009; rap mogul Russell Simmons tweeted a photo and caption at the time: “Kevin Lyles [sic] and fiancé Erica @ khadafy party. Beyoncé performing in a bit.”
The controversy has echoes of the condemnation that artists — including Rod Stewart and Queen — faced for playing the South African resort Sun City in the ’70s and ’80s despite the country’s apartheid regime. Stewart, Queen and the British band Status Quo donated money to charities after playing Sun City.
R.E.M. agent Williams wonders why such prominent artists accepted the gigs in the first place and, like other music-business sources contacted by Rolling Stone, suggests some stars may not have known whom they were playing for. “Ninety percent of the time the artist has no clue,” he says. “You hear about these things, it’s generally after the fact. But the majority of my artists, if they knew something was funded by Gadhafi, they would not play it, and morally it would not rest well with them.”
“I don’t think most artists go into [performing at a party like this] with that kind of in-depth focus, [of] how each country is governed and what goes on inside each country,” says Dennis Arfa, agent for Metallica, Billy Joel and Stewart. “Not every artist is a humanitarian. In more cases than not, for people, greed rules.”
