Consumer News & Views
Published twice monthly
September, 2010 Issue

This issue is sponsored by

• Egg Recall Scares Consumers away from Breakfast Table
• Gen Y is Feeling Financial Stress.
• Pinnacle Federal Credit Union Earns the Trust of New Jersey Consumers.
• Surfers Go Eco
• Where are all the Jobs? and Tips for Staying Positive!
• Apply for the 2010 Green CSM Certification Program.

Egg Recall Scares Consumers Away from the Breakfast Table. More than a half-billion eggs have been recalled this week in the nationwide investigation of a salmonella outbreak that has sickened more than 1,000 people. A second farm in Iowa is recalling more than 170 million eggs. Another business recalled 380 million eggs earlier this week. It's one of the biggest egg recalls in history.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said most of the eggs came from Wright County Egg, and have been distributed around the country and packaged under several brand names, including:

• Albertson
• Boomsma’s
• Dutch Farms
• Farm Fresh
• Hillandale
• Kemps
• Lucerne
• Lund
• Mountain Dairy
• Ralph’s
• Shoreland
• Sunshine

The recalled egg cartons are stamped with a code starting with a P and ending in numbers from 136 to 225. The Food and Drug Administration advised that if you have purchased the recalled eggs, do not consume them. Instead, return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. So far, there have been no cases found in Florida.

Walmart and Other Retailers Are Tracking What Consumers Wear. Beginning August 1, clothing will be imbedded with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. The tags can be read with a hand-held scanner which will assist retail employees with their inventory control and boost efficiency on the floor and in the warehouse.

Minnesota, a state with some of the best food-borne illness investigators in the country, has tied at least seven salmonella illnesses to the eggs. Other states have seen a jump in reports of the type of salmonella. For example, California has reported 266 illnesses since June and believes many are related to the eggs. Colorado saw 28 cases in June and July, about four times the usual number. Spikes or clusters of suspicious cases have also been reported in Arizona, Illinois, Nevada, North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.

Salmonella is the most common bacterial form of food poisoning. And the strain involved in the outbreak is the most common strain of salmonella, accounting for roughly 20 percent of all salmonella food poisonings.

Much of the investigation so far has been centered on restaurants in California, Colorado, Minnesota and North Carolina. They are not necessarily breakfast places — it's possible some got sick from eating a salad dressing that had a raw egg in it, or eating soup with an undercooked egg dropped in, Braden said. In North Carolina, a cluster of about 80 illnesses in April were linked to meringue-containing chocolate pie and banana pudding served at a Durham barbecue restaurant, health officials said.

Gen Y is Experiencing Financial Stress. A recent Western Union survey finds that Gen Y is experiencing financial stress and difficulty in obtaining credit. According to an article written by Myriam DiGiovanni, she reports the survey, over the last six months, half of Gen Y respondents reported feeling increased stress about financial obligations and more than one in three said their financial situation has worsened.

In addition, some 27% of survey participants have been turned down for a loan or line of credit and 60% have not seen their credit score in the past year. Forty-four percent reported they’ve never seen their credit score. According to Western Union Senior Vice President David Shapiro, there is a silver lining-Gen Y is engaging in money-saving behaviors aided by the use of web-based programs and budgeting tools such as online bill pay to manage their budget and credit standing.

Pinnacle Federal Credit Union Earns the Trust of New Jersey Consumers!

Pinnacle Federal Credit Union is a full service financial institution that serves many Select Employer Groups (SEGs) located throughout New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. As a non-profit organization, we look to offer a personalized approach to conventional banking.  Pinnacle Federal Credit Union members can take advantage of the wide variety of competitively priced financial products and services. 

Once you open a Savings account with Pinnacle, you are a member for life. 
You can become a member of Pinnacle through the American Consumer Council! Just visit: www.americanconsumercouncil.org to join.

As a non-profit organization, Pinnacle FCU offers you a rational alternative to conventional banking, and a wide variety of low cost financial products and services. Once you open a savings or checking account with Pinnacle FCU, you become a "member" of the institution for life! Visit: www.pinnaclefcu.com to become a member.

With five branches located in Edison, Fairfield, Manchester, Somerset, Leisure Village West, and ATM locations in Edison, Fairfield, Somerset (Bakelite Branch), Manchester Plaza, Edison Municipal Building, North Brunswick (in DeVry), South Plainfield (Pathmark Store), and all 7-Eleven convenience stores, Pinnacle FCU strives to be where you are! Whether you are looking to establish a checking account, great rates on car loans, mortgages, or other types of loans -- or just fast friendly service, PINNACLE FCU provides it all to you!

Please visit: www.pinnaclefcu.com or call their toll-free number to join: 1-800-742-5050. Be sure to mention you’re a member of the American Consumer Council!

Eco-Friendly Online Surf Shop Contributes to Gulf Cleanup. Envirosurfer, an online eco-friendly surf shop, has extended their donations to help the Nature Conservancy's Gulf Restoration project.  In July, Envirosurfer donated 5% of sales to the Nature Conservancy in order to help with the largest oil spill in United States history. Envirosurfer is continuing donations through August to the Nature Conservancy to aid with their continuous cleanup effort in the gulf.

In 2009, San Diego County surfer Brandon Moyles founded Envirosurfer after realizing the need for the surf industry to reduce its reliance on petroleum based surf products. “It was when the first few surf companies began launching ‘eco-friendly’ lines that I realized there was no longer a need to sacrifice performance and style to be more environmentally friendly.”  As the average consumer is becoming more aware of a green-based economy, Envirosurfer was created to provide environmentally conscious surfers with eco-friendly surf products that will not only support their surfing but help them have a positive impact on the planet too.

According to Moyles, each product that is available through Envirosurfer is carefully selected and researched. “I examine the production process of the products we carry, making sure they’re manufactured in an earth-friendly way. We don’t just promote products that claim to be eco-friendly, we actually go back to the production process to make sure that the claims that manufacturers make really are safe for the environment.” Envirosurfer carries a full line of surf apparel, wetsuits and accessories. 

Where are All the Jobs? The jobless rate in the United States continues to hover at 9.5% and there is no clear indication that this high number will decline anytime soon.

Both the number of unemployed persons, at 14.6 million, and the unemployment rate, at 9.5 percent, remain unchanged from July and August. Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for adult men (9.7 percent), adult women (7.9 percent), teenagers (26.1 percent), whites (8.6 percent), blacks (15.6 percent), and Hispanics (12.1 percent) showed little sign of improvement as summer comes to an end. The jobless rate for Asians was 8.2 percent, and is not seasonally adjusted.

Looking at worse case scenarios, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks and over) was little changed at 6.6 million. These individuals made up 44.9 percent of unemployed persons.

So, where are all the jobs? And, what can people do to generate income? It appears many of our nation’s largest corporations, which benefited significantly from the financial bailout by the U.S. Treasury in 2008-2009, are not interested in hiring new employees despite the fact that their profits have increased dramatically in 2010. This reluctance on the part of larger businesses to boost their employment ranks has also caused small businesses to remain cautious and not hire people. Because small businesses are responsible for creating most of the job growth in America, the unemployed and under-employed cannot expect much relief anytime soon.

But, in an effort to help those Americans who want to work and do something new and exciting, the American Consumer Council, a non-profit organization, recently polled its members to ask for ideas on how to generate income. Here are a few of our favorite responses from some of their 98,000+ members that might be helpful to someone you know who is struggling to make ends meet.

Care for Pets: If you love animals, this is a great career you can start that requires some marketing skills, but very little investment. Most pet owners who travel want to know their pets are going to be okay. Offer valuable pet services to the community like dog walking, pet sitting or boarding, and discover an easy way to make extra cash or start a new business. Advertise in places like pet stores, veterinarian offices, kennel clubs and local classified ads and business will be booming in no time.

Teach a Hobby or Craft. Are you a gifted piano player or guitarist? There’s an old axiom, "If you enjoy your job, you'll never work another day in your life." Most people have at least one hobby and people are willing to pay money to learn how to knit, play a musical instrument, get in shape or paint. Show local organizations and businesses how classes benefit them by drawing business to their location.

Become a Virtual Assistant. There are hundreds of new businesses that cannot manage all the paperwork, payroll, correspondence, tax filings and customer inquiries. Call on local businesses and offer routine administration skills like research, transcription, correspondence preparation, data entry and telephone expertise on a contract or freelance basis. Virtual assistance allows clients to pay only for services rendered and avoid the cost of employee benefit packages.

Form a non-profit organization. Is there a cause that you want to champion? Something you would do for free but would like to be paid for? Consider starting a non-profit organization that has a clear public benefit and can generate money for you through members, events and donations. This idea will require some legal work in order to properly establish your non-profit organization, but it can be well worth it as you make a difference to people or the planet!

Start a Cleaning Service. Most people hate cleaning their house and would be more than happy to pay someone to do it. Offer your cleaning services to people you know. This provides the opportunity to gain valuable experience and build a reference list. Focus on honesty, integrity and impeccable service to build word-of-mouth advertising. It is possible for this venture to grow beyond a one person operation in a short period of time.

Start a Fantasy Sports League. Fantasy sports leagues are big business these days. Help friends and co-workers realize their dream of being a big-time coach or general manager of their own sports franchise. Fantasy leagues exist for virtually every major sport including college and pro football, baseball, basketball, NASCAR and even golf. Form a local league, or run a league on the Internet and charge an annual franchise fee for each new owner. To make it even more lucrative, set prices for various transactions throughout the season such as trades.

Ebay and Craigs List Associates. One member wrote us to say her daughter spent the summer selling old school books that had accumulated over the past six years. For a few dollars, she placed ads on Ebay and Craigs List and made over $1,400 in two months by selling good-conditioned school books to people who wanted them for their kids. Take a look around your house and imagine all the things you could package and sell to someone! You’ll be amazed at how many people want to buy stuff you don’t need anymore!

Estate Sales. Another member lost her bookkeeping job at a car dealership and decided to start her own business helping people conduct estate sales. This is a great way to make money by cataloging items, promoting the estate sale and staffing it. Of course, you can be paid a percentage of the gross sales -- not to mention purchase certain items you think you can resell for a higher price on eBay or Craigs List.

Sell Domain Names. Selling Internet domain names can be a profitable endeavor. Keep a sharp eye out for popular trends as they emerge, then register domains that you think would garner interest in that particular topic. Advertise and market the domain as much as possible in places like eBay or Sedo to let others know it is for sale. The earlier the trend is noticed, the more likely it can be capitalized on and generate a profitable sale.

Tips for Staying Positive in Tough Economic Times

Finally, here are some tips from Shweta for staying positive and focused on securing your next job:

• Do not isolate yourself. Talk to your friends and those you connect to – just closing yourself to the world can do more harm and enhance depression
• It is not your fault or someone else’s that you are out of job, do not fall in the guilt or blame cycle – think about what must be your next positive steps
• Evaluate your spending – what can you cut down to save the few dollars, even those will matter in the long run. For example;
  • Cook meals at home in a small budget, or get together with other friends and families and eat together- you might save this way too..
  • Avail free food services – there are quite a few places in most cities where you can get free food for the family, for example Presbyterian Churches, Sikh Gurdwara Temples etc.
• Listen to some inspirational audio once a week
• Read a good/inspirational book every month
• Dance alone or with your kids whenever you can – at least once a week
• Think positive thoughts – a healthy mental state is very important to achieve anything

2010 Green C^SM Certification’s Accepting Applications for Fall Cycle:

If your company or organization would like to increase its credibility with consumers, consider applying for the Green C^SM Certification. Applications for the Fall 2010 cycle will be accepted starting August 16-November 19, 2010

It’s a proven fact that consumers want to do business with companies that are eco-friendly and practice Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The process is straight-forward and all applicants are recognized by the American Consumer Council and the Green USA Institute.

All applicants complete the criteria and submit their responses to ACC’s Green Consumer Council for review, assessment and feedback. Program details and the Green C^SM Certification criteria can be viewed at ACC’s website located at: www.americanconsumercouncil.org/green

For more information, please call ACC at 1-800-544-0414 or visit ACC’s website by clicking here.

To become a member of the American Consumer Council, visit us at: www.americanconsumercouncil.org