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Wealth Accumulation
Is America Still The Land Of Opportunity?
A
recent Survey of Consumer Finances conducted by the
Federal Reserve Board revealed these statistics about
the state of Americas finances.
Do
any of these facts hit home with you?
- The typical
American family earns about $45,000 per year. From
2001 to 2004, family debt increased 33% (adjusted
for inflation). Surprisingly little of this debt
stems from unnecessary spending. Instead, credit
is being used to pay for necessities like housing,
household expenses and health care, particularly
in low- and middle-income families.
- Average
net worth, which grew rapidly during the boom of
the 1990s, rose only 1.5% between 2001 and 2004
for the average American family. In other words,
for most of us, the worth of our investments is
not keeping up with the inflation rate.
- The middle
class is being squeezed more tightly than ever.
Among the wealthiest 10% of Americans, net
worth rose to $831,600, or a 6.5% increase from
2001. Meanwhile, the net worth of those in the
bottom 25% fell 1.5% to $13,300.
- More than
a third -- 36% -- of those who owe more than $10,000
on their cards have household incomes under $50,000.
13% who owe that much have household incomes under
$30,000. The percentage of disposable income used
to pay debts is near record highs.
The
report doesnt point out these more unsettling
statistics:
- In February,
2007, the US Commerce Department reported that the
personal savings rate for 2006 was a negative 1%.
The rate for 2004 was a negative .4%. For comparison,
in the midst of the Depression in 1933, the PSR
was -1.5%. If 2007 figures show a decrease similar
to those of 2006, well have a worse record
than during the Depression. (Source: Associated
Press)
- The
US is becoming less of a meritocracy, where skill
and intelligence determine success, and becoming
more of a class-bound society, where economic background,
including the better education money can provide,
matters more. There are still many rags-to-riches
stories. But there's stagnation in the underclass.
(Source: Christian Science Monitor)
- According
to a new Federal Reserve data-based economic analysis
commissioned by the Consumer Federation of America,
...more than half of American households (56
percent) are behind where they should be in saving
for a comfortable retirement. A related CFA
public opinion survey found that 59% of Americans
do not expect to maintain their current standard
of living in retirement.
Does
this sound like a nation of people who believe in and
are profiting from the American Dreamor simply
a nation of people who want to live the Dream lifestyle
without really being able to find a way to finance it?
In fact, we have to ask...
Is the American Dream still
alive and achievable?
Defining
the Dream
The
immensely popular 19th-century author Horatio Alger
is largely credited with defining the American Dream
as well as the means to achieve it. His books told the
rags-to-riches stories of people who succeeded because
of the opportunities they had in the Greatest Nation
on earth. It didnt matter who they were. No matter
how hopeless their situations seemed, his characters
found wealth and success through determination and hard
workand of course, because they believed in the
American Dream.
The
Dream Today
We
believe the American Dream is alive and well. The 21st
century continues to offer incredible opportunities.
Escalating wealth is mostly a matter of finding the
right opportunities and having the determination and
guts to follow them through.
The materials and methods for accumulation of wealth
have changed, but the opportunities are greater today
than at any other time. One simply needs to learn
about the new materials and methods!
So
Many Things Have Changed:
Dealing With Fear and Uncertainty
The
events of September 11, 2001, permanently changed our
country and its citizens. Our assumptions that we are
safe in our own land faded to fear and uneasiness. Maybe
you used to enjoy travel, but now airports make you
nervous. Perhaps you dwell on the possibilities of another
terrorist attack. Were all dogged by an unstable
job market where mass layoffs and outsourcing threaten
our livelihoods. The future is fraught with uncertainty
about whether were making wise investments, whether
the CEO will abscond with the pension funds, and whether
Social Security will be there for us.
Even weather patterns are unstable, taking lives with
devastating hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, heat waves,
and blizzards. Fear can make you want to simply maintain
the status quo and not take any chancesyet that
is exactly what you must do to avoid becoming a victim
of fear, because fear is the only thing that can prevent
you from taking advantage of all the possibilities that
are open to you. FDRs famous statement still applies:
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
But think about this: All kinds of fears have always
held people back from trying to improve their lives.
Weve used fear as a convenient excuse not to get
on with the lives wed like to live. Its
so much easier to stay where we are, complaining that
well never get ahead.
The opportunity is there for the taking, but you must
be prepared to leave your comfort zone, summon up your
strength and determination, and set a course towards
wealth accumulation. While money isnt everything,
it can certainly do a lot to alleviate uncertainty and
to enrich your life and the lives of those you care
most about.
Worrying about the future doesnt change it. No
one has ever been able to predict what will happen,
or when, or why. You only have today and the lessons
you have learned from your past. You can take charge
of todays reality and make it sing with tomorrows
dreams.
Accumulating
Wealth:
The Opportunity Has Never Been Better
Horatio
Alger may have been right in the 1800s when he claimed
that anyone willing to work hard could succeed. Today,
the picture is different. It is painfully possible to
work very, very hard and not get ahead.
If you live from paycheck to paycheck and worry constantly
about how you will meet your financial obligations,
youre living in a world of stress. You dont
even have the luxury of worrying about the stock market,
because youve got nothing to invest.
Yet more people are amassing wealth today than at any
other time.
True,
the financial picture for many of us doesnt measure
up to the rosy pictures we hear of a growing economy.
We worry about the war on terror, how well afford
gas to get to work, and whether our jobs will still
be there for us tomorrow.
Yet you can begin your journey to financial
success today.
Instead
of the dubious prospect of accumulating wealth working
for someone else, you can take control of your finances
by owning your own business. It is much, much easier
than you can imagine because you can do it with your
own home-based business.
Did you know that two thirds of all American millionaires
are self-employed?
Think about it. Who makes the most money? The restaurant
manager or the restaurant owner? The car salesman or
the dealership owner? Owners are self-employed, and
they are much more likely to be wealthy than the people
who work for them.
Were not suggesting that you buy a restaurant
or an automobile dealership. It isnt necessary
to take that kind of risk or put in that kind of work.
You own home-based business can be every bit as lucrative
and much less stressful than a bricks-and-mortar business.
You probably already have the only equipment youll
needa computer and a telephone. Thats
all! Now all you need is the information that has transformed
so many peoples lives.
Take
Control
Don't
let someone else decide your future for you. Take the
first step today toward assuring a secure financial
future for you and your family. And dont wait
until its too late. Today is the time to get
started in an extraordinary business that has
already changed the lives of so many, freeing them
of fear and worry and showing them that they can
live lifestyles they thought were meant only for others.
When you accumulate wealth, you generate a steady
residual income that pays you every day. Are you ready
to discover how you can begin to build that kind of
income-producing resource? Then youve come to
the right place.
Simply fill out the form below, and I will get back
to you with additional information.
Sincerely,
MATT MAURIELLO
732-492-9066
JAMNLIFE@HOTMAIL.COM
EMAIL
WWW.THEJAMNLIFE.COM
WEBSITE
NICOLE
954-865-3110
NICMFL@YAHOO.COM
WWW.THEJAMNLIFE.COM
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