Cyber Monday

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By Terry Orr

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What is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday is a marketing term for the Monday after Black Friday, the Friday following Thanksgiving in the United States, created by companies to persuade people to shop online. The term made its debut on November 28, 2005 in a Shop.org press release entitled "'Cyber Monday' Quickly Becoming One of the Biggest Online Shopping Days of the Year." (Source: Wikipedia)

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Cyber Monday Online Sales

Source: comScore, Inc.

Day	Year	Sales (millions US$)	% Change
November 27	2006	$610	N/A
November 26	2007	$730	20%
December 1	2008	$846	16%
November 30	2009	$887	5%
November 29	2010	$1,028	16%
November 28	2011	$1,251	22%

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Sitting here at my desk on Sunday evening, Sunday Night Football on the TV, trying to find the best deal on a few items for the Christmas – and Sears website is not working properly (sad face).  One of my pet peeves is companies failing to do their due diligence in preparing for big events.  Home Depot has the two items I’m looking for and can deliver and install them next week – where as Sears will that at least 34 days – and is more expensive.

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One word of caution as there are some rotten eggs out there trying to steal your identity and money – shop at known companies.

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Good luck and hope you find lots of good deals!

National Save for Retirement Week

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By Terry Orr

Did you know that to live comfortably during retirement you will need from 80 percent to 100 percent of your pre-retirement income?

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Your defined benefit or defined contribution plan and Social Security are a foundation. But you will need savings to fulfill your retirement dreams.

The U.S. Congress thinks it's so important that Americans reflect on their personal retirement goals - and determine if they're on target to reach those goals - that the lawmakers designate one week in October to focus on the issues.

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Goals for National Save for Retirement Week:

• Make employees more aware of how critical it is to save now for their financial future;
• Promote the benefits of getting started saving for retirement today; and
• Encourage employees to take full advantage of their employer-sponsored plans by increasing their contributions.

Saving is The Key

• Nest eggs require many years to build;
• People are living longer: retirement can now last 20 – 30 years;
• Many employers will provide a match for your retirement contribution to help motivate you to contribute; and
• Saver’s Credit. For those with limited income, saving can be especially hard. The government has a special Saver’s Credit just for those individuals. If you are eligible, you can actually receive some of your contribution money back when you file your tax return.

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How much should you save? – Here are guidelines provided by the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA):

• In your 20’s, save 7% of you salary;
• In your 30’s, save 10% of your salary;
• In your 40’s, save 15% of your salary; and
• In your 50’s, save 20% of your salary.

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References and Links:

• http://www.pentegra.com/media/26560/investstrategy_nationalsave.pdf
• http://www.nlc.org/media-center/news-search/national-save-for-retirement-week-a-time-to-focus-on-saving
• http://www.iamagazine.com/NewsViews/2012/October_18/Big-I-Retirement.aspx
• https://www.metlife.com/retirement-plan-edge/issues/2012-Q3/save-for-retirement-week.html
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Donate Life Month

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By Diane Forrest, RN

There was a cardiologist in my town named Dr. Mal Morgan.  Not only was he a great cardiologist, but a really funny man.  He collected ties, and must have had a million of them, the crazier the better.  He also belonged to the Rotary Club and was friends with my father.  He would call the doctor Mallicious Mal, or Malpractice Mal, and they would share the duties of auctioneer at the annual Rotary fund raiser auction.

Dr. Morgan developed a liver disorder and became very ill.  His liver would need to be replaced for him to live.  Even during that time he continued to joke about his condition.  One day, the long anticipated call came.  A liver had become available for transplant. He was rushed to the hospital and the transplant was a success.  The biggest problem he had was having the muchies.  He loved peanut m and m's, and his wife brought him a bag.  After eating a few he became quite ill.  He soon learned that the donor of the liver had allergies to peanuts, so he had to learn to do without his favorite treat.  This transplant allowed Dr. Morgan to live several more years, and save many lives.

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Organ transplants are a touchy subject.  Most donations occur from tragic events, and people who are making decisions during the most terrible of circumstances.  I like watching movies with Will Smith.  They are usually either funny or action packed.  A few years ago I saw his latest movie called Seven Pounds.  It was a drama about a man who was involved in a car accident that killed several people, and the tragedy and guilt he experienced consumed him.   He no longer wanted to live, but wanted to make retribution for the pain he had cause.  He began to research and found people who needed organ transplants, and made a list of those who were honorable that would benefit from his donations.

In real life, transplants don't work that way.  Donors are matched very carefully to determine the body does not reject the organ.

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April is Donate Life month.  During this month, consider the possibility of donating your useful organs when the time comes, and you no longer need them.  It is a simple procedure, and there will be a notation on your driver's licenses alerting hospitals and family of your decision. 

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To find out how you can become an organ donor, visit this site:  http://www.thenationalnetworkoforgandonors.org/ 

If you want to think more about it, you might consider donating a pint of blood at your local hospital or blood services facility.