Another major crisis in America today is health care. It’s another arena the politicians promise to fix, but end up broker than before. The solutions for this problem aren’t forthcoming either. Depending on what side of the political aisle you’re on, there are ideas but no real answers. That’s dismaying for millions of Americans struggling with their health.

Thankfully, there are companies like Amazon who can do a lot to fix the broken mess. Known as the ‘everything store’, Amazon just about sells everything. The only market it hasn’t jumped into yet is healthcare. But many experts are saying that Amazon’s next big move is indeed selling prescription drugs.

Sure enough, Amazon spent $1 billion acquiring PillPack, which markets itself as an online pharmacy. Still, it’s going to take some time to get prepared, but this could be a market worth billions for Amazon. Although, it’s probably not going to be an easy road. Amazon has a lot of competitors in this space.

Keeping Drug Prices High Puts Health at Risk

There’s an effort by certain companies, even competitors, to keep the price of drugs high. That’s how they make profit. Since insurance covers a lot of medication, there’s no concern for prices to lower. It’s long been understood that drug companies put profit over the health of people. They don’t mind, for example, surging the price of lifesaving drugs like EpiPen.

EpiPen was once a few dollars and only costs a few cents to make. Mylan, the maker of EpiPen, infamously jumped the price over 400% for not other reason than pure profit. There’s no wondering why big pharma has a bad reputation. With Amazon jumping into the market, it can potentially save a lot of lives.

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The goal is to make health care cheaper in this country. We have the most expensive care and prescription drugs on earth. People are dying because they can’t get their hands on the treatments and medications they need. If Amazon can come in and compete with lower prices, it might put some of these other profit machines out of business.

Regardless of which side of the coin you’re on, there’s no doubting that the economy is roaring like never before in our history. As we hit record numbers in the stock market with unprecedented growth, optimism is high for this surge to continue for the foreseeable future. Which is why right now is the perfect time to have a serious conversation about preparing for the next economic collapse.

Yes, it’s understandable. This post is ruining the fun. But the next economic collapse WILL happen. It’s only a matter of time. As the saying goes, what goes up, must come down, whether that’s in the form of a currency collapse, bubble popping, terrorism, or natural disasters. The problem is, a lot of people don’t know how to use prosperous times to prepare for that next downturn.

Human Nature

There’s no doubt that human nature comes into play. When we end up with more money in our pockets, our first inclination is to spend it! We get it in our heads that things are looking up, so it’s the perfect time to put a down payment on a bigger house, turn in the car for a newer model, or even invest in that new 60-inch 4K ultra high-definition TV in time for the big game.

We LOVE to spend money, especially when we have it. Yet, even when we don’t. It’s perfectly fine to take a few extra bucks and enjoy the fruit of your labor. But what are you doing to protect yourself from the next big economic collapse? You know it’s coming, so why not prepare for it?

Learning from a Past Economic Collapse

One of the biggest lessons from a past economic collapse has been how quickly everything can go down. The collapse of 1929 happened over one weekend in October, fueling what is known as The Great Depression. One Thursday, the economy decided to take a dive. By Tuesday the next week, investors had lost their life savings. It didn’t fully recover for another two and a half decades.

The 2008 crash happened in a single day. On September 28^th of that year, investors pulled over $140 billion from the market. As bad as that time was, sending America into one of the worst recessions in our country’s history, it could’ve been much, much worse. Thankfully, Ben Bernanke recognized the signs and swiftly took action.

Knowing that the collapse can come at any time, it’s in your best interest to prepare for it.

1) Have an Emergency Fund

The FIRST thing you should ever do with your finances, well before you buy anything else, is to set up an emergency fund of at least $1,000. That’s before you start paying off debt or investing your money. Even then, $1,000 will only get you so far. When you sit down to plan the bills, make sure you can afford to divert a certain amount into your savings.

If you lose your job suddenly, having a decent cushion under you will protect you for several months while you work out your options. If you live paycheck-to-paycheck, life will get immensely difficult if you get canned and you’re broke. While good times might inspire you to buy the next big toy, make sure you have a comfortable cushion first.

2) Diversify Your Investments

As the saying goes, don’t put all your eggs into one basket. When an economic collapse happens, it usually involves the stock market and the value of the dollar. While the stock market will probably take a tumble, that doesn’t mean every single stock will crash and burn. There will still be some industries that thrive, even while others struggle to breathe.

With a diversified portfolio, your chances of losing EVERYTHING goes down significantly. For example, during the 2008 crash, the value of gold rose to record levels. The same was true for silver and other precious metals. Look up depression and recession proof industries and make wise investments for the future.

3) Get Creative About Additional Sources of Income

As tough as the 2008 crash might’ve been, the internet was sort of a savior for those looking to get creative about making a few extra bucks. There are currently record numbers of people trying their hand at online entrepreneurship, learning about internet marketing, ecommerce, affiliate marketing, and so much more.

A lot of moms took to Facebook, selling various items and starting miniature businesses that helped bring in more cash for the family. Even if you don’t think you need the extra cash now, it will benefit you in the future to have an additional source of income. Start by joining Facebook groups and investing in materials written by the experts to show you how to get started.

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Despite good economic times, it’s always a good idea to be prepared for the worst to happen. Life is unpredictable and bad things can happen no matter the economy or the season. Be fully prepared before you start spending that extra money.

The fight for $15 is taking on another hit this week. Walmart has announced that it’s going to expand its robot program. For the past several years, the mega retailer has quietly been testing a handful of robots. According to Walmart, these autonomous machines do the dirty work. It allows associates to focus on helping customers while the machines do inventory and clean.

At least, that’s the company’s official position. Now they want to purchase 3,900 more robots. Walmart Associates certainly have a lot to fear. While the company says there is nothing to fear, just ask McDonalds employees. Ask baggers and cashiers across the country. Machines and robots are replacing low-wage jobs everywhere.

“Every hero needs a sidekick, and some of the best have been automated,” Elizabeth Walker of Walmart Corporate Affairs said in a press release. Still, Walmart has been testing new technology for the past few years. They have found that automated smart assistants make running their stores smoother. It relies less on human power and workers can spend less time cleaning.

Robots for the New Era

These days, robots are able to do almost everything a human worker can. They can help unload trucks, stock shelves, clean, and perform self-checkout. There’s almost no doubt that soon there will be a robot at the door to welcome shoppers. They may completely replace human associates in the future.

Still, Walmart says their workers love getting help doing the mundane jobs. “Our associates immediately understood the opportunity for the new technology to free them up from focusing on tasks that are repeatable, predictable and manual,” John Crecelius, senior vice president of Central Operations for Walmart U.S. said in a statement.

Therefore, many feel this is a direct result of the pressure for companies like Walmart to pay their employees $15. Many low wage workers have been protesting to get the minimum wage raised to what they feel is more livable. Rather than pay their 2.2 million employees $15, it’s more cost-effective to replace them.

https://financialhelpers.com/5-skills-you-can-learn-to-make-extra-money-in-2019/

Employment Problem

Another factor for Walmart is they’re finding it difficult to attract workers. With the country’s lowest unemployment numbers in 50 years, people are finding work. Jobs like Walmart Associate were certainly more popular when the economy was chugging. Now that more people have better paying jobs, Walmart is struggling.

This is leading towards Walmart having a record number of job openings in the company’s history. Raising the minimum wage would certainly help bring in talent. Yet, the long-term solution is going to be robots. We see it taking shape across the country.

People everywhere are eager to learn how to make more money! It’s actually why we currently have a student loan debt epidemic. When the economy was rough, the only thing they thought would help was getting a degree. Over a four-year period, they stacked up tens of thousands of dollars. But making extra money doesn’t have to put you in debt.

There are numerous skills you can learn that will help you earn extra money in 2019. A lot of them are very helpful and won’t take years to learn. They might even help save a life one day! Knowing more than one skill certainly looks good on your resume. It will show potential employers just how serious and intelligent you are.

Not to mention, these skills might differentiate you from other potential candidates for those jobs. It’s all about doing what you can to prove you’re more than qualified. Having skills will no doubt improve your earning power and bring in extra money. Let’s look at 5 skills you can learn to make extra money!

1) First Aid Certification and CPR

Knowing CPR and/or having first aid certification is a major deal! It’s especially important if you want to be a teacher, a lifeguard, or a number of other jobs. Even careers involved in security and construction work will value these skills. If something goes down, you are someone everyone can rely on to be there and save the day! And it’s a great way to make extra money!

2) Learn a Second Language for Extra Money

The United States is a melting pot of diverse languages and cultures. Something that will definitely set you apart in almost every industry is the ability to speak multiple languages. Most places of business would love to have someone who can speak more than English. Also, think about the extra tutoring or translation opportunities. Good tutors can earn as much as $100/hour!

3) Online Marketing

More millennials and Gen Z kids are staying home from work. In fact, they’re figuring out ways to make extra money at home by getting involved with online marketing. Just about every company out there is looking for help marketing their business online. If you can take the time to learn the skills, the sky’s the limit on what you can earn.

4) Coding

This goes along with online marketing. There’s a massive demand for coders out there. When you look at the numbers, the need for coders is 12% higher than the general market. With all the new games, websites, and graphics, there’s a need for someone to code them. This is one major skill that take you anywhere you want to go.

5) Content Writing

Bill Gates once said that “Content is king,” and he was absolutely right! For all the websites that need coding and marketing, there’s also a major need for writers. Writers put together the copy that customers read. They write blogs and posts that drive traffic. If you’re a decent writer, you can make extra money online.

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The idea with these 5 skills is to constantly improve yourself. The better you get, the more you’ll grow. It will show employers and the people you serve that you’re dedicated. That kind of work ethic will get you very far in life. It also won’t put you in debt for 20 years, either.

Divorce is just a tricky, nasty business. It’s usually the end of a very long and trying time for both people. Yet, many see divorce as the beginning of something new. Along with divorce comes with the heartbreak of loss, regular mediations, meetings, and more. It’s the literal ripping apart of two lives.

With divorce, you’d think it would throw both parties into worse financial footing. In marriage, you have two people who combine everything. That includes finances. It’s simple math: two is more than one! But the reality is the opposite.

More divorcees are saying that they’re on better financial footing after the split. That’s almost mind-boggling! How does going from two salaries down to one make for a better financial situation? Well, when you consider the number one cause for divorce, you’d better understand.

Money Problems Cause Divorce

TD Bank created a poll that asked about people’s financial stressors. Relationships always ranks towards the top stressor. In fact, money problems are the number one cause of divorce in the United States. This survey also found it evenly split between men and women: finances are better after the split.

The main reason is simple. Couples are always fighting about money. Usually one person has a big spender and the other is a saver. They have a difficult time keep tabs on what the other person is doing. That causes major stress, especially when the bills are due.

The non-saver probably feels that their spouse is constantly nagging them. Life is less ‘fun’ when you’re married to someone who understands the importance of saving money. So, the battles continue to rage on until it ultimately leads to divorce.

44% of the former couples polled said they probably had a good fight about money monthly. This ties into other damaging statistics. 56% of women say they leave all the money-related decisions to their husband. The problem with that is, men are more likely to take financial risks with the money.

How to Fix the Problem

When you’re dating and falling in love, it’s difficult to pinpoint these areas that may end up being damaging. Most couples barely talk much about finances. They might do the math together and get excited about sharing salaries. They might inquire about debt, but that’s it.

Not knowing whether your potential spouse is a spender or saver isn’t a good thing. It needs to be hammered out long before the “I do”s are said. Make sure you’re financially compatible and have a good money plan going into marriage.

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Communication is always the key! Talk before making big purchases. If you have great financial communication, it might just prevent a divorce from happening.