Wall Street to Main Street

As I’ve watched the news of the financial crisis lately, I am ever so thankful that we have a DEBT-FREE philosophy at Signature HomeStyles! Over the past 37 years, we’ve weathered economic recessions, runaway inflation and the negativity that goes with an election year. The lessons of all these years have helped us build a strong financial foundation. The experience of all those years has given us the ability to make good decisions. We can comfortably look into the future and know that we won’t get caught in a credit crunch brought about by this crisis and our employees and sales representatives can be comfortable going about their future at Signature HomeStyles!

No matter what channel you watch on television or what radio station you may listen to, the news is all about the crisis that is facing the United States financial industry. Wall Street and Main Street are used in the same sentences and since most of us live on or near Main Street, we are all concerned that life as we know it today could change depending on how this crisis is resolved. At the heart of this crisis is DEBT…mortgage debt, credit card debt, debt owed by Wall Street investment firms, and huge debt being borrowed by the government. The debt on the mortgages of many homes is greater than the value of the home, credit card debt is at an all time high, Wall Street firms are now having to lean on the government for loans, and the government is borrowing money from other countries like China and those in the Middle East to support our debt. Yes, it’s a mess!

When the problem is so massive, we feel somewhat helpless and hopeless about what we can do as individuals. Rather than feeling hopeless, I believe there are things that each of us can do. Maybe what we need to do is to start thinking of how we can SAVE more money. When people put money into savings accounts, banks have money to loan and can extend credit to farmers and businesses that are the engines of our economy, maintaining and keeping America employed.

Many of our local community banks have operated conservatively, are solid in their investments, have a strong capital base and did not get caught up in the Wall Street mess. I heard that the total bailout package, when divided up among the American population, comes down to $3,600 per person. If each person were to save $100 a month in a savings account in a local community bank, in three years the amount of capital available to local banks would equal the amount of money that Wall Street is asking for. Wow! I’d sure rather see my money supporting my banker that I see at the local grocery store!

It may be dreaming to think that every American would save $100 a month, but I think it’s a good start in thinking about what each of us can do. We can begin to SAVE money! We can begin to reduce our personal DEBT! We can support our local community banks and shift the strength of our financial markets from Wall Street to Main Street where it belongs!

Experts for months have been saying that if you can’t make ends meet, get a part-time job so you can make more money. And we know at Signature HomeStyles just how everyone can do that! Every Representative is in charge of her own business and therefore in charge of her own financial future. At a time when things may seem out of control, you are in control of the lifestyle that you choose to maintain.

So now we need to think about how everyone can earn more money so they can SAVE more money and help SAVE AMERICA! Think about it—with just one more Show a month, each Representative could save an extra $100. At the end of the year they would have over $1,200 to pay off a credit card, pay down a mortgage or keep in a savings account. And while that money is in savings, it’s providing a local bank with the funds to supply credit to the community. No matter how the money is used, when it goes into a savings account at a community bank, it is helping to SAVE AMERICA!

The American Dream is alive and well at Signature HomeStyles! We are a part of the innovation and imagination that drives this economy and makes America strong. As one of the commentators said, “If I were placing bets, I’d always bet on America!” And that’s what I see in all of you…the innovation, imagination and work ethic that is the hallmark of our country. Time and time again we have proven our courage and strength!

It is that courage and strength that gives us the ability to do something as individuals. We can WORK a little harder, SAVE a little more, reduce our DEBT and in the process, help ourselves, families and communities. Let’s lead the charge to SAVE AMERICA!

“America was not built on fear. America was built on courage…”
Harry S. Truman