family

Economy Continues to Strain Families, Affecting Both Children and Marriages

Seventy-eight percent of families report that they’ve been affected by the economic downturn according to a recent online survey from Disney. As economic uncertainty continues parents remain cautious, with forty-eight percent reporting they are concerned about job security and the current job market, up from thirty-six percent in 2008. As a result, fifty-three percent of parents have cut back on overall spending for their children.

Further survey findings include:

• 72% of respondents reported reducing or eliminating eating out altogether
• 78% of respondents report changing their grocery shopping habits by leveraging advertised sales, clipping coupons, and buying generic brands
• 74% of respondents said they are only purchasing essential items and will be making little to no impulse purchases this holiday season
• 59% have eliminated or changed vacation plans for a cheaper alternative

“A year into the recession, family finance remains a top concern among parents everywhere. Parents continue to be focused on stretching every dollar,” said Emily Smith, Vice President of the Disney Online Mom and Family Portfolio. “We are pleased to offer a range of content on Disney Family.com that will help parents keep their families on track for financial success.”

family

Suits Against Madoff Kin Begin

Bernie Madoff’s two sons, his niece and his brother are being sued by the trustee, Irving Picard, overseeing the Madoff assets for about $200 million, it was revealed today by The New York Times (and a million other outlets).  Picard does not close out the possibility of criminal action. But at a minimum, even if they didn’t know about the giant $65 billion Ponzi scheme that Uncle Bernie perpetrated, they should have known.

Meantime sons Mark and Andrew are suing saying the company owes them $90 million! Meanwhile Picard has brought cases seeking about $15 billion from family members (including wife Ruth) and “funnelers” who brought clients to Madoff.  And Picard has indicated he believes there’s still a lot of money missing and they hope to find it.

Meantime a few weeks ago reports surfaced that Bernie is telling fellow prisoners in North Carolina that he has cancer and supposedly takes a bunch of pills and doesn’t have long to live. The Bureau of Prisons has denied that he has been so diagnosed. His fellow prisoners have been kissing his butt apparently, cooking for him, etc. His job in prison: painting fences. No, he’s not being asked to mend them.

I hope it’s not too long for the innocent victims to get something back to begin to rebuild many many lives destroyed by greed.