money issues

The economic downturn has been rough on a lot of businesses, but it’s been a boon for state lotteries. Seems people who only have a few dollars to spare aren’t putting them away for a rainy day — they’re trying to parlay them into big bucks.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve no doubt heard the story of 68-year-old Karen Klein, the school bus monitor who was mercilessly bullied by middle school children, and the oodles of money that were raised through Indiegogo.com to send her on a well-deserved vacation. Klein appeared on ‘Today’ this morning and discussed her plans for the more than $640,000 raised so far.

Since 2009, the federal minimum wage has been $7.25. About 2.2 percent of the US workforce is paid at this minimal level.

Many of us do our banking via ATM or other electronic means, but how would you feel if actual in-person tellers didn’t exist? A few banks are testing out new systems with the possible goal of making that idea a reality.

Some major companies and corporations such as MF Global and AMR, the parent company of American Airlines, have filed for bankruptcy. In the process, they may have, directly or not, caused some people to go bankrupt.

It takes a lot of luck to pick the winning numbers in a million dollar lottery. It takes a lot more to lose the winning ticket and still be able to claim the cash.

Octomom Nadya Suleman has filed for bankruptcy in California. Suleman listed $50,000 in assets against $1 million in debts. With 14 mouths to feed — remember, she has six other children besides her octuplets — Suleman initiated the filing in order to do what is best for her children.

It’s no secret that gas prices have reached astronomical levels, but one town’s gas prices have apparently gotten so high that its mayor has gotten fed up with pumping money into the pumps. That mayor is Tim Baldermann of New Lenox, Illinois, and he’s called for a boycott of the gas stations in his suburban town.

A new poll finds that contrary to popular belief, money really can buy happiness. The survey even put an exact price tag on it: $50,000.

The housing market has been in a very well-publicized slump for several years now, but there are still some very high priced homes listed for sale. From penthouses and mansions to ranches and beach front properties, there is something for everyone, as long as you can dig deep enough in your wallet.

The odds of picking winning lottery numbers are remarkably slim — let alone doing it twice with the exact same numbers. Yet that’s what happened to a Virginia woman who won a $1 million Powerball lottery twice on the same day.

Craig McCoy recently got a dollar bill at the concession stand at the Haughton Dixie Baseball Fields and it had a "Where's George?" stamp on it.  See the picture below.