Prickly times for porcupines and other Bronx Zoo residents

When I think of ways current economic times could affect animals, the first thing I think about is how it may be harder for Fee-Fee the Cat’s owner to afford Fancy Feast for her cat diet. Well, hard times have hit Bronx Zoo residents, according to the MSN Money article “Bronx Zoo Starts Laying Off Animals.” Click here to read more.

Honestly, who would want to see a German engineered robotic penguin (who doesn’t even eat) over the real thing? I know I wouldn’t!

Do you think the government will bail out the zoos like they helped banks?

Annette
-Marketing

Pay for it, one penny at a time

As Henry stands at the customer service counter, the clerk asks if he’ll be paying for his hammer with cash or credit. Henry proceeds to pull out jars of pennies as the clerk looks on in agony. In the U.S., it is more than likely that Henry might be able to purchase his beloved hammer, especially in this economy. In Canada, he may or may not be so lucky.

Canada’s Currency Act of 1985 sets limits on the amount of coins that can be used for purchases. Sellers may turn you away if you try using all coins to buy something that costs $10 or even using Canadian one-dollar coins to pay for something that costs more than $25.

What is the most expensive item you’ve paid for using only pennies?

Courtesy of Yahoo! Travel. Click here to read the entire article.

The new dating question: “What is your FICO score?”

In this age of recession dating, while figuring out if he or she is the one….you consider the following qualities: “she comes from a great family, is great with kids, is a hard worker….and has a great credit score?” Click here to read why more and more daters want to know if their potential mate is good with their finances.

Would you ask the person you’re dating their credit score? Do you think knowing is important and could impact your relationship strongly?
Annette
-Marketing

Businesses ‘pay it green’ for the environment and their pockets

By getting their members/customers to convert to electronic services such as direct deposit, electronic bill payment services and electronic statements instead of using paper alternatives, businesses can save trees, avoid the release of waste and gasses into the environment. This could be a great move, not only for the environment, but for your bottom line (especially for ‘cash-strapped’ businesses). Over a 10-year span, U.S. businesses saved a total of $6.7 billion just by switching their workers to direct deposit.

Click here to read the New Haven Register article, “’Green’ payrolls save business billions.”

Do you have direct deposit, pay bills or receive statements electronically? If so, is your financial life improved by using this service?