Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts

Monday, June 18

Kids, sports and the family budget broken

Jodi Furman like to joke that she should be yellow paint their minivan. This is because she basically in a taxi driver in the afternoons and weekends, transformed, as her three children to various sport practices in Palm Beach, Florida offers. But the Bill for all of these sports is not to laugh.

"There are costs for participation in teams, for the purchase of equipment, for the provision of private lessons, for travel," says Furman, a 38 personal finance bloggers on www.livefabuLESS.com. "It can add really;" I know families who are more than $10,000 a year spend sport for their children. "Parents need to go into open with their eyes and wallets."

The family Furman tab is slightly less, but still scary: approximately $1,200 per year for 7-year-old son hockey, approximately the same for each of her daughters 4 and 9-year-old play football, figure, skating, and an another few hundred dollars apiece for all three. And because children have a nasty habit of growing, it means more costs every time, when they sprout a few inches and you need it fit for new equipment. But how can looking eyes in their brief and say no?

"Parents are extremely vulnerable because we all want the best for our children," says Mark Hyman, author of "the most expensive game in town: the rising cost of youth sports and the toll on the families of today." "We can help you at any time, automatically, we reach for the credit card." And the people in the business of selling all of this stuff that understand very well.

Lauren Spierer parents: it is unlikely that she is alive the mother from the Indiana University student after a night with friends disappeared said Friday that they always ha...

Eats Hoda scary much fruit? Take a deep breath, ladies! The belt is back, that Natalie gets romantic star Chris Hemsworth try plantain crusted Mahi Mahi with pineapple salsa
This has therefore the costs relating to children sport seem to higher and higher are ticked. It is now expected to be an annual $5 billion-industry, which proposes Hyman is very conservative.

Parents are not completely powerless, though, when it comes to children sport. There are really quite a few ways to shave costs without too little Jimmy tell he can forget lacing for the local ice hockey team. You must plan in advance only everything, be smart about your issues and pull not sports related out the card for every mood.

A few tips:

1. Lower your expectations.

The parents have to assess what it is that they their children from the want to get team-sport experience. Perhaps your child probably is, but not a budding superstar like baseball Alex Rodriguez. So, instead of a $300 aluminum bats buy and they go sign up for an elite club team and all these expensive road trips, for $40 wooden bat and the local REC League. Not make it bad parents. "You need have a high-quality experience not to too expensive things for them to buy," says Hyman. "they have fun with their friends, but at a fraction of the cost."

2. Carefully select your sport.

Not all sports are equal when it comes the costs you're going to face. A "Soccer Mom", is more than the cost of tunnels and a couple of Shin, that, even if that alone could cost add guards until after year not for example sometimes much. But then a sport there like golf, "definitely the most expensive sport that have ever played our young," says Ohio mother-two and Professional Organizer Andrea Sharb.

Just one example: a new line of $1,100 iron. "" What we buy: Golf memberships, so that they can exercise, private lessons, equipment, balls, clothes and shoes, and finally tournament tickets, as well as travel expenses, "says Sharb.""The push-to-excel at a high level is so important in these days, that there is a lot of pressure for your child to play in a League of travel or take private lessons, or purchase the best equipment".

A reasonable solution: If you have room in your schedule for a team sport, and your child is OK with several options, then it makes sense, report it or them not going for that to XXL photos of your monthly credit card statement.

3. Creative.

With so many families in the same boat, it is a natural way, volume to negotiate with other parents and volume discounts. Alternatively, for families who are particularly difficult, many sports leagues have special programs to refrain from or reduce the registration fees. "It could also be payment plans, you can pay monthly, in advance, rather than all," said Furman. "Some private trainer and instructor may agree to negotiate their fees, or Exchange be prepared for goods or services instead of payment."

4. Forget the shiny new equipment.

There is no shame in looking for used sports equipment, because it is usually just as good and saves as children grow serious cash WINS. Some stores offer also specifically to, such as the national chain play sport again.

There is also local basis efforts to bear the costs; the baseball leagues by Mark Hyman, two sons presented annual equipment they no longer need Exchange, where families managed to get what and pick up what they were doing. If not, you should sell the things have your children on websites such as eBay, outgrown, to bear the costs for additional purchases. That's what Andrea Sharb, partially on the Bill for the get new golf iron $200 for the old set. At least it's something. Sharb sighs: "it seems that there is no low-cost sport for children more."

(C) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012.

Wednesday, March 9

Mubarak family finance probe sought

CAIRO — Anti-corruption campaigners pressed Egypt's chief prosecutor Thursday for an investigation into the assets of Hosni Mubarak and his family, handing over documents that they say spotlight the kind of potentially improper financial dealings that may have allowed the former ruler and his relatives to amass a large fortune.


The family's wealth — speculation has put it at anywhere from $1 billion to $70 billion — has come under growing scrutiny since Mubarak's Feb. 11 ouster opened the floodgates to three decades of pent-up anger at the regime.


Watchdog groups allege that under Mubarak, top officials and tycoons were given preferential treatment in land contracts, allowed to buy state industries at a fraction of their value during Egypt's privatization process launched in the early 1990s, and got other perks that enabled them to increase their wealth exponentially. The perks came at a price — and the Mubaraks were major beneficiaries, the activists say.

Credit card reform is working ConsumerMan: One year later interest rates have risen but penalty fees have dropped dramatically. On balance the law seems to be working.

Electric cars? Americans still want muscle Your Career: Do you have a ‘work spouse’? Life Inc.: There's no excuse not to file your taxes now

"This is the single largest plot against Egypt's wealth by one family," said Mamdouh Hamza, a participant in Thursday's meeting with the chief prosecutor.


Since his ouster, Mubarak has remained secluded in a gated villa in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, according to a government official who dismissed rumors that Egypt's ruler of 30 years has left for exile.


The Mubaraks have not commented publicly on the issue and do not have a spokesman. No evidence has been published to back up claims that Mubarak and his sons hold a vast fortune.


The chief prosecutor has imposed travel bans and frozen assets of several former senior officials and leading businessmen, but has not taken steps against the Mubaraks. The prosecutor does not have a spokesman.


At the center of the activists' complaint are records that raise questions about offshore companies and funds based or registered in Cyprus, the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands, Hamza said.


The most prominent of these is Bullion Co. Ltd., a Cyprus-registered firm in which both Alaa and Gamal Mubarak are listed as board members, according to documents filed with the Registrar's Office in the island nation. Bullion, meanwhile, also owns the London-based Medinvest Associates, which was set up by Gamal Mubarak in 1996.


Appearing on the board of both companies or in the funds are individuals who serve on the board, or in top executive positions, of EFG-Hermes, the Cairo-based Mideast investment bank. EFG Hermes has said Gamal Mubarak holds an 18 percent share in a subsidiary, EFG Hermes Private Equity, and that his link to the bank was made public before his political career.


The investment bank denied Thursday that it or any of the funds it manages has received any special treatment from the former regime.


EFG Hermes also said in a statement that it "does not manage any funds or portfolios for the family of the former president of Egypt." It stressed that it "received a statement from its executives confirming that they have no direct or indirect personal or financial ties" to Mubarak or his family, either locally or globally.


One of Bullion's board members, Izzet Ziwar Jarrah, told the AP: "I'm not involved, I'm not active on this."


Asked how he was on the board and not involved, he replied: "I'm on the board, like that. I'm not concerned at all."


Efforts to contact other Bullion's board members were unsuccessful.


None of the documents presented to the prosecutor — and previously reviewed by The Associated Press — necessarily indicate illegality in business dealings.


Prosecutor's turn
Hamza's group has been doing its own research, downloading bank documents and reviewing what has been published on the Mubaraks so far. The prosecutor must now take over, appointing lawyers and finance experts to the job, Hamza said.


He said the prosecutor did not say what his next step would be, but is likely to meet with the activists again next week.


Many of the top officials and army generals running Egypt in the transition period had close ties to the former regime, raising concerns by opposition activists that the interim rulers might shy away from investigating the Mubaraks.


Hamza said he believed the prosecutor is open to pursuing the case.


A delegation from the Egyptian Lawyers' Union met separately with the prosecutor Monday to press for an investigation. The group asked the prosecutor to request records from the Central Bank of Egypt and obtain information on properties the family owns.

Top stories: Turmoil in the Middle East Millions celebrate at Egypt's 'victory march' Updated 14 minutes ago 2/18/2011 4:24:36 PM +00:00 Tear gas fired at Bahrain protesters; shots heard Protests in Libya continue despite killings Four protesters die on Yemen's 'Friday of Rage' NYT: Egypt's missing stir doubts on vows for change Egypt, Bahrain protests differ in key ways U.S. officials: Yemen, Bahrain, Iran could be next Egypt Probe of Mubarak family finances sought What you need to know about the unrest in the Mideast

Mubarak's salary as president was set by law, as stipulated under the constitution. A report published by the Cairo-based Ahram Center for Strategic and International Studies said that in fiscal 2007-08, Mubarak's salary, including stipends and various allowances, amounted to 4,500 Egyptian pounds ($765). Activists say the salary is now closer to 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($3,400).


The former president "was from a very modest family and didn't inherit wealth from his father," said Mohammed al-Damati, a member of the group. "Since the constitution prevents the president from using his position to do any business, any other wealth he has outside of his salary is considered acquired illegally."


Unlike other Arab leaders, particularly those in the oil rich Gulf nations, Mubarak was far from ostentatious. Whatever wealth he and his family may have had was rarely — if ever — flaunted.


The most prominent symbol of their presumed fortune that has surfaced was a townhouse in London's exclusive Knightsbridge district, which is listed to Gamal Mubarak and where he was said to have lived while working as an investment banker in the early 1990s.


The townhouse has become a focal point for many in Egypt as foreign governments begin to either enact, or consider imposing freezes on their assets.


Frozen assets
Switzerland was the first to say it was moving to identify and freeze assets of Mubarak and his family.


The European Union said Tuesday it was considering a request from Egypt to freeze the assets of Mubarak's top aides. The EU said, however, that no such request had been submitted about Mubarak or his family.


On Thursday, the U.S. office in charge of preventing money laundering said it was ordering banks to apply greater scrutiny to accounts and transactions linked to Egypt political leaders.


Egypt has so far asked for asset freezes for one top Egyptian businessman and former ruling party official, as well as four former Cabinet ministers, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki. The request was made to "almost to all countries in the world, pre-emptively," he said. "It is mentioned that it is pre-emptive because there is no specific information of assets here or there."


Pressing the claims poses risks for Egypt's economy, with no clear consensus emerging yet on the part of anti-corruption campaigners and others on how far to push a potential case against the Mubaraks. The concerns stem from the way that many of the country's largest companies reached their size, say economists and experts.


"The businessmen you see today are the product of the regime," said John Sfakianakis, chief economist with the Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-based Banque Saudi Fransi. "Everybody who made money in Mubarak's times is part of this."


The risk the country faces in this process is that the names of well-funded and reputable companies in which investors have pumped billions of dollars could be sullied by the association with businessmen or officials who either founded them or had direct dealings with them.


These companies could be "sidelined and excluded from potential foreign investors who might see them as a liability," he said.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Site Search