Looking for a deal maven to add to your Twitter stream? You may just want to click “follow” on @Recessionista’s profile. She’s Mary Hall, author of the blog, The Recessionista, and Huffington Post contributor. Throughout the day, Mary tweets about sales, discounts and deals that anybody looking for a bargain will love. If freebies are more your thing, don’t worry– Mary dishes those out too.

And if you’re one of our male readers– don’t count @Recessionista out. Chances are you’ve got gifts to buy and a closet to fill, too. You’ll probably love Mary’s tweets just as much as the ladies will. So if you’re looking for a bargain hunter to help you find the best deals on everything from clothing to cosmetics, you’ll definitely want to check out @Recessionista.

Tuesday’s Twitterer To Follow: @Recessionista is a post from: Thistle Debt Consolidation

Debt collectors are allowed to be persistent– that’s their job. “debt collectors are allowed to engage in legitimate practice in order to try to collect debt. They are allowed to call the consumer at reasonable hours. They are allowed to contact the consumer through the mail. But there are certain things that they are not allowed to do,” FTC Commissioner Julie Brill told CNN Money. They can’t, however, harass you about your debt. They are allowed to call your home and workplace during certain hours, but they’re not allowed to use foul language.

If you feel you are being harassed by a debt collector, keep in mind that you are protected under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. And there are many more things that could get a debt collector in trouble besides just using foul language. Here are a few to keep in mind:

• Debt collectors can  not threaten to garnish your wages.
• Debt collectors can not threaten to press charges.
• Debt collectors can’t contact your family, friends or neighbors to discuss your debt.

It may seem a little surprising, but debt collectors are allowed to contact you through your social media accounts. They must tell you they are a debt collector, though. “What they can’t do is they can’t start contacting you and friending you unless they tell you they are a debt collector,” Brill told CNN.

If you do feel you are being harassed by a debt collector, you are urged to contact the Federal Trade Commission or your state attorney general, according to experts. And if the debt collectors are found guilty, they can face big fines.

How To Protect Yourself From A Debt Collector is a post from: Thistle Debt Consolidation

But Staub saw Aguilar’s recent phone calls differently. She filed a report with her local police department describing Aguilar “as a co-defendant from a case that happened almost 30 years ago.”  Staub told authorities that he made more than 50 phone calls to her in one day telling Staub that she owed him $15,000 “and that he wasn’t going to stop calling until he received the money,’’ the police report states, according to NewJersey.com.

According to reports, a police detective called Aguilar and told him to stop calling Staub. He told Aguilar to contact Staub through her attorney. Aguilar told the officer that Staub owes him $100,000.

Man Trying To Collect Thousands In Debt From Real Housewives Star is a post from: Thistle Debt Consolidation

Geography: There’s no doubt that there are some parts of the country where things are better than others. According to the pros, Texas is a good place to look. Cities like Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio are all growing which means the possibility of more opportunities. Experts say you may also want to check out areas like Louisville, Memphis, Salt Lake City and Kansas City where there’s a demand for people in transportation, distribution, warehousing and wholesaling.

Sector: And if you had to choose an industry to focus on, health care is a good way to go, according to experts. Other sectors that are looking to hire are manufacturing, professional services and educational services. If you focus your search on a growing industry you’re likely to have better luck.

Experience: If you get the feeling you’re missing out on jobs because of a lack of experience or education, don’t get discouraged. Instead look into taking a night class to improve your skills. Or volunteer at a place in order to get your foot in the door. Companies may be more likely to hire someone with lots of initiative and drive.

Unemployed? Consider These Search Tips is a post from: Thistle Debt Consolidation

It will Help Social Security: The more seniors who work past the age of 62 the healthier the Social Security system will be. According to research by Stephen Goss, chief actuary of the Social Security Administration, a ten percent increase in the labor force among those who are over the age of 62 would reduce Social Security deficits and add another year to the program’s life. Right now it’s estimated to dry up by 2037, but more seniors working would push that to 2038.

It will Help Influence Young Workers. Some employers believe that the longer older workers stick around, the better. They’ll have a positive influence on younger employees. “The country needs them to work to sustain economic productivity and growth and to fill vital roles that demand their skills and experience,” Marc Freedman, founder and CEO of Civic Ventures and author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life, told US News and World Report.

It will Help Communities. If seniors delay playing Bridge and watching The Price is Right, they’ll have more time to help others by taking on jobs in public service of non-profit areas.

It will Help the Economy. If seniors work longer they’ll have more money. And the more money they have the more they are likely to spend which helps the economy. “An increase in the number of these workers would increase federal and state income tax revenues,” Senator Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, told US News and World Report.

It will Offer Balance. Working later in life doesn’t have to mean putting in long hours at a job you don’t like. Seniors will be able to find balance in life by gradually transitioning into retirement. “Workers can reduce their hours of work at their principal job or work only seasonally. Their current firm can rehire them after they have retired for a period of time,” Baucus told US News and World Report. ”The traditional view of retirement as a permanent and complete exit from the labor force and from a full time job held since middle age does not describe most workers today,” Nicole Maestas, an economist and group manager at RAND Corporation, told reporters. RAND statistics show that one out of four 65-year-olds are self-employed.

It will Give Seniors Financial Security. Recent studies show that more Americans will run out of money during retirement. But postponing retirement means a bigger earning potential and less of a chance that you’ll actually run otu of money. “Financial planners are increasingly advising their clients: The best way to rescue personal finances is to work a few years longer,” Freedman told US News and World Report.

Should Seniors Delay Retirement? Six Reasons Why The Answer Is Yes is a post from: Thistle Debt Consolidation

But perhaps more surprising is the fact that after 20 years of retirement, nearly a third of those in the next-to-highest income level will find their finances tapped. And one in ten of those in the highest income level will experience financial drain after 20 years in retirement. The study says Baby Boomers, on the brink of retirement, are at risk of running out of funds at some point during retirement. They may not be able to afford medical expenses and basic needs. “As the private-sector retirement plan system evolves from a largely paternalistic one to a system in which workers must make their own decisions, policymakers need to understand what percentage of the population is likely to fail to achieve retirement security under current conditions,” said Jack VanDerhei, principal author of the study, in a news release. “Even more important is to identify which of those households still have time to modify their behavior to achieve retirement security, and how they need to proceed. This analysis demonstrates that in ways we have not seen before.”

New Study: More Americans Likely To Run Short Of Money In Retirement is a post from: Thistle Debt Consolidation

The Twitter account @CrownUpdates is the official Twitter page of Crown Financial Ministries. The Georgia-based organization helps teach people financial principles and transform lives. At the core is the Bible, where Crown Financial’s money teachings are based. Founded by Howard Dayton and Larry Burkett, the organization has been helping people learn about managing their finances for decades.

When you follow @CrownUpdates on Twitter you’ll get great free tips, notifications when Crown’s books and resources go on sale, and links to helpful articles. There are many free resources available on Crown’s website, and by following them on Twitter you’ll be among the first to know about these new freebies. So if you’re looking to add some tried and tested financial wisdom to your Twitter stream, start following @CrownUpdates.

Tuesday’s Twitterer To Follow: @CrownUpdates is a post from: Thistle Debt Consolidation

The credit crisis isn’t stopping millions of British people from taking a summer vacation. A new study says more than ten million Britons will simply fund their trips with debt. And the reason may not be because they need escape from the stress of every day life. About 13 percent say they’re taking vacations because their friends are.

The new study was conducted by Bright Grey, according to The Telegraph, and also found that summer travel is more important to Britons than job security. Roger Edwards, proposition director at Bright Grey told the Telegraph, “If people do feel pressure to keep up with ‘the Joneses’ it is important that they don’t do this at the expense of their financial security. Being in debt can be incredibly stressful and can take the sunshine out of a holiday if it means you spend the whole time worrying about your wallet.”

One in ten say it will take them more than two months to pay off the debts racked up from their summer trips.“Getting away on holiday can be a high point of the year for many people, however with one in three borrowing to pay for their getaway, it is important to make sure they don’t end up with a financial holiday hangover on their return,” Edwards told reporters. A third plan to take their vacations within the UK.

UK Residents Willing To Fund Summer Travel With Debt is a post from: Thistle Debt Consolidation

Debt collectors seem to be getting more harsh in attempts to collect money from those who aren’t paying up. According to consumers, debt collectors are making harassing phone calls, using abusive language, and even threatening physical violence with hopes of squeezing money out of struggling people. “The American consumer is really hurting and collectors are having to fight harder to get money,” Robert Andrews, a senior analyst specializing in the debt industry at research firm IBISWorld, told CNN Money.

More people are filing complaints against debt collectors. Harassment complaints jumped by 50% to 67,550 in 2009, according to Federal Trade Commission statistics. Estimates show complaints are on track to increase another 13% this year. So what are the top complaints? People say debt collectors are calling, and calling, and calling. Repeated calls is the biggest form of harassment and according to reports it’s not uncommon for collectors to call back-to-back, day-after-day for weeks, months and, in some cases, years.

Debt collectors seem to be using more offensive language. Complains of obscene or abusive language jumped 35% last year. According to CNN Money, a New York woman wishing to remain anonymous told reporters that when she stopped answering her phone debt collectors called her sister, ex-boyfriend and even her husband’s ex-wife’s mother. “This guy was out of his mind and he kept calling and calling, telling me ‘you better talk to me, you deadbeat,’” she told CNN Money. “He was very threatening and the whole thing was just really unsettling — it made you wonder who was going to show up at your door.”

But are debt collectors actually using physical violence? According to the FTC they are. Complaints of collectors threatening and using violence doubled to more than 2500 cases. Collectors are also using illegal tactics to try to get money. These include calling before 8am or after 9pm and telling a third party about a consumer’s debt. Under the FTC’s Fair Debt Collection Practices Act these tactics are illegal and have been since 1977. “Certainly if debt collectors are being more aggressive, they shouldn’t be, but it’s not fair to characterize the actions of debt collectors as the only reason why there is an increase in complaints — they’re not fully to blame,” Mark Schiffman, a spokesman for The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals, told CNN Money. “There’s a growing industry of consumer attorneys and savvy consumers who have learned that they can sue a debt collector fairly easily and collect very easily.”

Consumers have several courses of action, including taking a debt collector to court for harassment. They could win settlement money for damages like lost income and medical bills. Even if there are no damages, according to CNN Money the victims may be eligible to receive up to $1000 and reimbursement for court and attorney fees.

Complaints About Debt Collectors Skyrocket is a post from: Thistle Debt Consolidation

The production company, Celador, asked for a minimum of $202 million and a maximum of $395 million. The jury awarded the company $260 million in license fees and another $9.2 million in merchandising claims for sales of the home edition of the game show. “At a time when (Disney-owned) ABC was ranked last among the networks and desperately needed a hit, it entered into an agreement with Celador to put ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ on the air and share the profits of success — if there was success — with Celador 50-50. Every witness testified that was the deal,” Lead Celador attorney Roman Silberfeld told the Associated Press.

The show was extremely popular when it first launched with Regis Philbin as the host. The show ranked among the top ten most popular shows in 1999 and 2000. However, accounting records show the program lost money, according to attorneys. “If you look at an accounting statement today, after 10 years on the air, it says it has lost money every year and is $75 million in the red,” Silberfeld told the AP. Appeals are likely to take a couple of years.

“Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” Creators Awarded Millions is a post from: Thistle Debt Consolidation