The only requirement to get this free notebook was to sign up for a Visa credit card. I thought ok, I could really use a free notebook and I am never going to get approved for a credit card, because I have no credit history.

My father worked as a Correctional Officer in the Philadelphia prisons. He earned a good wage and it provided him with a good benefit plan. One day, he decided he didn't want to own an ordinary automobile any longer.

Once upon a time in America, the average worker could count on their employer to provide a nice retirement income for them in their golden years, in the form of monthly pension payments. Along with a social security check from the government and a pension check from their company, the average worker had it made in the shade, when it came time to retire from the rat race.

When most people receive their paycheck, there are a litany of items to purchase and a mountain of bills to comb through. There are more demands than dollars competing for attention.