Turn Starting Over into Celebration: Create Your Own Holiday

A few years ago, I became somewhat befuddled about what to do with my life.

Okay, I was completely befuddled.

The cause was (as I put it) losing my job—being displaced, severanced and bridged to an early retirement. My 15-year-old daughter put it this way: fired, broke, preparing to sell the house. Don’t you hate it when your kids get it right?

Anyway, I did what anyone else would have done in my situation: I created a new holiday.

On my calendar, Arrival Day falls on any day in the week before Thanksgiving—though you can slot it anywhere during the year. On this day, the celebrant takes a round-trip on the Staten Island Ferry, across New York Harbor going out, and more importantly, coming back. Coming back past Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, you imagine yourself as a new immigrant, with all of your belongings in a bag and your life savings—maybe $50 or $1,000—in your pocket…

Small Business 2009 Motto? What Doesn’t Kill Us…

This may be the year everyone wants to forget. Layoffs ruled, credit cut off our breath, and small businesses couldn’t catch a break. While the colossal banks on Wall Street got a bailout, many small businesses couldn’t get a loan.

Even so, the tough times can make us stronger — or at least point out what we might not want to do again. Here’s a look back at the year that was and what we learned:

You don’t need your office as much as you once thought you did. If the overhead is overwhelming—ditch it. Michael M., a small business owner in New Jersey, went virtual: Everyone worked from home, and the overhead costs were limited to warehouse space for his products…

Recession Briefing 12.23: In Bank Closings, FDIC Gets Booty

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

The recession pushed U.S. bank failures in 2009 to a 17-year high. As a result, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to close came into possession of some interesting booty, including a rapper’s tour bus that reeked of marijuana, a red 2001 Ferrari, an eight-foot palm tree and stacks of unwanted office furniture. (Bloomberg)

In these final shopping days, many parents are reconciling their practical concerns with a deep desire to see delight in their children’s faces on Christmas morning. Spending on gifts is down, but that does not always mean children will feel the difference. (Washington Post)

In states hit hard by the housing crisis, stripping fixtures and appliances from homes in foreclosure has become commonplace. Often, the stripping is not done by strangers. It is done by the owner, just before the bank forecloses on the mortgage and takes the property back. (New York Times)…

Screwed: 3,600 in Mississippi

A daily review of the employment fallout around the country and the world.

Today’s Total: 5,148

Mississippi State Legislature meets Jan. 5 to begin budget cuts which may involve 3,600 state employee layoffs… Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell warns of a possible 1,000 layoffs if he doesn’t see a casino table games bill by Jan. 8… Glaxo SmithKline, the United-Kingdom based bio-pharmaceutical company, is planning a workforce cut of up to 220 workers in its Ulverston plant in the UK… Danville, Ky. plant FKI Logistex is cutting 200 positions starting Feb. 2010… Air conditioning company Trane Inc. is laying off 113 hourly production employees from its Clarksville, Tenn. location… Glazer’s Distributions will lay off about 12 workers from its Amarillo, Tex. operation… The Buena Vista School District will lay off 3 teachers by the end of the semester on Jan. 22….

Unemployment-Friendly Gifts: Significant Other

Just because you’ve been laid off doesn’t mean you feel good laying off on giving. We’ve come up with a list of thoughtful, unique and inexpensive holiday gifts for every friend and family member.

Significant Other: $25 Experience
It’s more than likely your partner has interests, right? Maybe it’s cooking, maybe it’s fashion. (Maybe it’s something weirder that you really don’t feel like sharing with others.) Anyways, if your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife is curious about anything, consider booking two tickets to the next panel discussion, cooking class or lecture that focuses on their passion. While cooking courses can get expensive, events at a local winery, kitchen store or community center often don’t break the $30 mark…

Skipping Christmas Showed Me the Holiday Spirit

I am a Christmas nut, a secret Santa, a baker, an opulent tree decorator, keeper of the flame from three generations of Italian daughters. So it surprised the Dickens out of my family when I announced in 2008: “I NEED to skip Christmas!”

So that I am not labeled the Grinch, realize that my kids were 20 and 24. They were, I believe, secretly overjoyed to go skiing and shuffle off to visit a roommate in Mexico City. But I had embraced Christmas so hard, for so long, that every member of the family questioned me vigorously: Did I really mean this? Would I be OK with just dad and the cats? Really–no tree, no nutcrackers, no greens, no wreath? …

Recession Briefing 12.22: No Time for Crime

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

High unemployment. More people needing government vouchers for food. Fewer owning their homes. Yet for all the signs of recession, something is missing: More crime. (Associated Press)

The recession’s jobless toll is draining unemployment-compensation funds so fast that according to federal projections, 40 state programs will go broke within two years and need $90 billion in loans to keep issuing the benefit checks. (Washington Post)

A growing number of community banks that got federal bailouts are failing to pay quarterly dividends they owe to the government, including two banks that got aid after congressional intervention on their behalf. (Washington Post)…

Screwed: 820 at Autoliv

A daily review of the employment fallout around the country and the world.

Today’s Total: 2,086

Autoliv, a Swedish manufacturer of seatbelts and airbags, will close four plants internationally and leave 820 people jobless… The new MTA budget passed on December 16 calls for a reduction of 700 bus operators and station agents… Fort Dodge Animal Health’s Overland Park operations will slash up to 170 workers from their payrolls… Albany International Corp. plans to axe 156 employees from a fabric manufacturing plant in Portland, Tenn… Oberon Media eliminated 100 workers… Heavy Iron studio is set to lay off up to 70 employees, about 70% of its workforce…

Unemployment-Friendly Gifts: Your Favorite Kid

Just because you’ve been laid off doesn’t mean you feel good laying off on giving. We’ve come up with a list of thoughtful, unique and inexpensive gifts for every friend and family member.

Your Favorite Kid: Balloon Power Boat

If you love fun design, you’ll love Kid O, an e-commerce site that carries high-design toys…

Talking Money with Family at the Holidays

Whether this is your first holiday as an independent adult or the cord has long been cut, it’s only natural for parents to nag about finances when everyone’s together. Expect it. No matter your age, you’re still a child to them. But, your goal should be to show them that you’re not the same crazy kid who once blew a semester’s worth of babysitting money on trucker hats (and worse, considered it a fashion “investment”).

We’re talking about showing them financial maturity, which is comprised of three things:

• Awareness (having a plan and knowing where your money goes)
• Boundaries (sticking to your plan even under pressure)
• Responsibility (not sacrificing the future for the impulse of the moment)

Within that framework, here are six holiday dos and don’ts to help you be financially mature and demonstrate your status as a blooming money maven:…