Chicago is a great place to live. It’s so great, that old friends from across the country are always coming to visit.

The Windy City is a day’s drive or a reasonably-priced flight away for most of my friends. Next to Facebook, living in such a hub is a great way to stay in touch.

But Chicago’s popularity and awesomeness can be a burden for the hostess that doesn’t live in Gold Coast.

Lots of visitors wanting to share your city means lots of people want to hit up all that Chicago has to offer: Museums, food, theater, shopping, food, baseball games, music. Did I mention the food?

So when perhaps my oldest girlfriend – a classmate from kindergarten! – showed up for her first real visit to the city I was, I have to admit, a little relieved when she said she just wanted to hang out like anybody else who lives here.

On a sunny fall Sunday, the choice of how to spend the day was clear. I grabbed my whiffle ball bat, and we headed for Lincoln Park.

A warm day, we took our time walking down there, and my friend got to see the city from plenty of angles. We passed the local pubs, full of regulars arguing football, and crossed a bridge that looked across to the skyscrapers downtown.

We took a detour through the ultimate freebie: The Lincoln Park Zoo. Free every day of the year, we passed on the overpriced popcorn, but took in every slot in the big cat house. We watched the one-armed gibbon enjoy his monkey chow, but saved our spending splurge for later.

We went through the zoo, past the flamingos and into the park. We met up with some friends from the neighborhood and had a full whiffle ball game going for the afternoon.

After a few hours of playing and lounging in the park, we walked back for a nap. Deep dish pizza from the local joint goes a long way, so we had the leftovers for dinner as we made plans for that evening.

It can be hard to have a big night out in a big city when you’re living on small cash. But we were in luck. An off night promotion at Kingston Mines, a famous blues club in our neighborhood, and some not-too-old student IDs meant we could get in for $5.

Every night, Kingston Mines features blues and soul music on two stages. The stages play back to back to back until the early hours of the morning, so you don’t have to stop dancing. The cheap cover meant I had budget space left for exactly two drinks.

Two stages, two drinks, two friends. Who says three is the magic number? Lots of dancing and laughter later, we split a cab back to my place.

Monkeys, dancing, cold pizza, whiffle ball. I’ve given lots of unofficial tours of the city, but this might be my favorite.

Total charges for the day: $15.25.

Holiday travelers may have extra reason to celebrate this year—free WiFi connections for their laptops and smart-phones, thanks to Google.

Google is teaming up with Virgin American airlines and a number of wireless internet providers to give travelers free internet access in 47 airports across the country, and onboard Virgin American flights.

The service starts today, November 10, and runs through January 15, 2010. The airports are mainly smaller airports and don’t include many of the “hubs” that travelers spend hours in during layovers (think Chicago, Denver or Phoenix).

However, it includes a number of vacation hotspots, like Orlando, San Diego, and Las Vegas. If you’re traveling over the next two months, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself in a participating airport. (See the full list and more info online here: http://www.freeholidaywifi.com/.)

Win Prizes

Google is also holding a photo contest: take a photo of yourself using free WiFi in any participating airport on Virgin American flight to win (currently undisclosed) prizes.

Give Back

And because the holidays are all about giving, Google is encouraging donations to participating non-profit organizations. You can give online via Google Checkout, and Google will match up to $250,000. (More info on the Give Back program here: http://www.freeholidaywifi.com/give-back/.)

Whether you’re unemployed, underemployed or just need some extra spending cash, you may be able to find seasonal employment this winter—if you’re willing to work for it.

Here are some hints on where to look and what steps to take to make yourself attractive to potential employers.

Working in Retail

The holiday shopping season traditionally begins on Black Friday and runs through the New Year. And the increase in buyers means sellers often need more staff on hand. If you apply for a retail job, consider these pointers:

• Customer service knowhow: Even if you don’t have specific retail experience, mention times when you’ve had to deal with people – especially people under stress or pressure.
• An open schedule: Flexibility is key for most people looking for holiday staff. Indicating that you’re only available for limited hours will hurt your chances of getting hired.
• Face time with workers: When you apply, try to do so in person, so you can make a (positive) connection with a potential employer. A pleasant conversation can say far more than any résumé in retail.
• Go local: Consider applying at small, independently owned stores – these often have a smaller pool of available workers on payroll and may be more likely to need new people at the holidays.

Beyond Retail: Industries that Might Be Hiring

If a mall full of screaming children and stressed-out shoppers isn’t your cup of tea, you may want to seek seasonal employment outside retail. Luckily, other industries also hire during the holidays.

• The gift senders: Packaging and shipping companies (think UPS, FedEx, DHL, USPS, etc.) are also often swamped during the holiday season. After all, retailers, online shoppers and long-distance gift givers all depend on delivery services to get their merchandise and presents where they need to go.
• The merry makers: The weeks that span traditional school (and college) breaks are, like the summer, prime time for many vacationers. This means that hot tourist spots (ski lodges, beach areas, etc.) may need extra employees. And even travel agents or booking services may need desk-type help to keep up with increased demand.
• The vacation takers: Because so many people take time off between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, many offices hire temporary employees to fill the vacancies. Applying at a temp agency could provide you with week- to month-long stints in more office-type settings than other types of holiday work.

Your Holiday Jobs

Are you looking for extra employment over the holidays? What tip and experiences have you had finding part-time, seasonal work? Leave a comment and let me know!

While the rest of the world scrambles to recover from the ravages of the stock market’s crash last year and the recession that has since rocked the world’s economy, the web site Hedgable.com has initiated a contest in the style of the television show The Biggest Loser to find the investor who has lost the most money in the recession.

Who’s Eligible to Enter?

The contest web site invites Any Americans who held a portfolio of three or more stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds between October 2007 and March 2009 to enter the contest. Entry is free and winners get the following prizes:

• First Place: All expenses paid trip for two to Rome, which they tag as the last great empire to collapse under a mountain of debt, devalued currency and out-of-control spending.
• Second Place: A trip for two to Iceland, home of the world’s worst-performing stock market.
• Third Place: A trip for two to Las Vegas, the foreclosure capital of America.The deadline for the contest is October 7th, and winners will be announced within a week of this date.

When it’s not hosting contests to reward failed investments, Hedgable.com apparently provides online resources, tutorials and suggestions for people interested in managing and investing money.

A Bigger Lesson: Preventing a Similar Crash

While the contest is perhaps a creative marketing ploy, it highlights a much larger problem in the United States today. Millions of Americans lost money because of investments they didn’t fully understand – and millions more are essentially losing money every week because they don’t have savings or checking accounts.

And, while the occasional celebration of extreme failure may be entertaining or amusing, addressing the underlying issue may be the only way to prevent a repeat experience.

For more information about developing and improving your financial literacy, check out Total Bankruptcy’s finances section, which include tips on:

• Getting a fair loan
• Living a financially responsible life
• Protecting and improving your credit
• Dealing with creditors
• Dealing with medical bills
• Preventing identity theft, and more

One of the unfortunate realities about our nation’s current economic situation is that most of us have been impacted in some way by layoffs – whether we’ve lost our jobs, seen a friend or family let go or had to tell someone they’d been downsized. But that doesn’t mean we know how to act in these potentially awkward and uncomfortable situations.

Here are some guidelines you can follow to make sure layoffs don’t affect you more than they need to.

If You’ve Been Let Go

• Keep the long view. Though you may be upset or angry, try not to take your emotions out on your former colleagues or boss. Act professionally and you’ll be more likely to be able to negotiate for a severance package, a recommendation letter or tips on where to look for work – all of which will likely help you more than an emotional meltdown.
• Take the high road. Especially these days, it’s often nobody’s “fault” you were laid off – so don’t talk trash (outside of your intimate circle). Professional behavior is much more likely to get you job recommendations and leads from people who know you than immature name-calling.
• Stay in touch. If you were friends with some of your colleagues, try to maintain those relationships – they may be able to help you in your search for employment.

If Your Friends or Colleagues Got Laid Off

• Give your support. You may not be able to do much, but sometimes just listening to a friend’s woes is enough. Make sure you maintain your relationship with a person even after job loss – just don’t ask about the job hunt every time you talk. Like filing bankruptcy, being laid off can be a sensitive subject.
• Do what you can. If you genuinely want to help a person, offer to forward job leads, write a recommendation and do anything else to help the job-hunting process. Networking is one of the best ways to find employment.

If You Have to Lay Someone Off

• Respect your employees. Don’t be passive about telling an employee she’s been let go. Tell her one-on-one – office gossip is not a good way to learn you’ve lost your job.
• Offer what you can. If you can write a recommendation, let your employees know. If not, offer to send along openings you hear about. Don’t make promises you can’t keep, but let your employees know you still care about them.
• Remember who’s hurting the most. Yes, this is stressful for you, too. But don’t expect your employee to sympathize with you. It won’t happen.

Additional Resources

Mass Layoff Data – August 2009 (PDF)

The wildfires raging through California this month have prompted the Federal Trade Commission to release a warning about fraudulent groups posing as charities in order to skim money off of unsuspecting victims.

The FTC offers these guidelines to follow to make sure your donations actually help people in need.

• Know where your money goes: Some charities operate by individuals or groups soliciting donations. When someone contacts you to request a donation, ask how your money will be distributed. If you don’t think enough will go straight to the charity, donate with another group.
• Call the charity group: Follow up after being solicited by phoning the charity itself and verifying the legitimacy of the person who called or visited you. If the group has no knowledge of the caller, it was probably a scammer.
• Get it in writing: When you’re contacted, ask for the charitable organization’s information (name, address, phone number).
• Do a little homework: To make sure your money goes to legitimate groups, check out your state’s registration guidelines and whether the group follows them (check online at www.nasconet.org/agencies). You can also look up a charity with the Better Business Bureau’s charity division (www.bbb.org/charity) or GuideStar (www.guidestar.org).
• Go with your instinct & check your records: One trick some scammers use is to thank you for a donation you never made, in hopes of guilting you into giving. Resist this ploy and look at your records. If you still think giving is a good idea, you can always do it after you’ve checked things out.
• Watch out for current event charities: While a charity related to a current disaster may sound tempting and relevant, understand that newer, hastily set up groups may be ill-equipped to effectively distribute the funds they gather. Consider finding an established charity that will contribute to the cause.
• Listen for fake names: Some fraudsters create fake charities with names that sound very much like real ones. Double-check a group’s name online or in your phone book before signing on.
• Watch out for illegal sweepstakes promises: Laws in the U.S. prohibit sweepstakes that require purchases or donations.
• Beware of overnight courier collections: Avoid groups that promise an overnight courier to collect your contributions.
• Distinguish tax exempt from tax deductible: Tax exempt groups don’t have to pay taxes. A tax deductible donation means you don’t have to pay taxes on that amount.
• Avoid cash donations: Cash can be lost or stolen easily; credit cards are best for documenting and tax purposes. When giving online, make sure the site is secure (look for an address that begins https: the s stands for secure.

If you suspect you’ve been contacted by a scammer, consider filing a complaint with the FTC.

Summer is fading out, but that doesn’t mean you can’t squeeze in some last summer fun before the seasons change. Here’s the Debtress’ 10 best ways to make the most of your summer season without breaking bank.

1. Pack a lunch or some snacks before spending the day at the beach to avoid convenient yet overpriced food stands.
2. Avoid the hassles of a costly night out and host a party at your place, or co-host at a friend’s. Invite a few friends to chip in on food and drinks and you will all find yourselves saving money for the evening.
3. Cut down on watering bills by watering either in the early morning or late evening when water doesn’t evaporate as quickly in the summer heat.
4. Stick it out and limit your AC use. If you’re just sitting in your home, turn on a fan instead, or open a few windows for a cool cross-breeze. Make sure the AC’s off when you leave the house, and that the air filters are clean and not forcing extra effort.
5. Find the cheapest gas station along your typical driving route. Better yet, try biking and walking as much as possible to alleviate gas costs in general.
6. Skip your favorite drink at the bar and order the special.
7. Make money and hang out with friends by combining efforts and junk in a garage sale.
8. Avoid the escalating prices of movie theaters and host a movie night at your place.
9. Try cooking for a change! Stock up on inexpensive groceries and get in the do-it-yourself frame of mind.
10. Pick up a local newspaper to find out in advance about free festivals, lectures, concerts, and general forums taking place in your area.

Check out my list of top songs about tough financial times…

1. 2pac hollers to his sisters on welfare in the popular and timeless “Keep Ya Head Up”.
2. In “Shelter From the Storm”, the voice of Bob Dylan emerges from a lifetime of toil.
3. Dave Matthews laments overworked hands, dues and debts in the unique “Pay For What You Get”.
4. Marvin Gaye couples lyrics about inflation and hopelessness in the classic “Inner City Blues”.
5. Disgusted, invisibly bound, and anything but free is Bob Marley in “Concrete Jungle”.
6. Cold War Kids’ lead singer Nathan Willett empathizes with the argued necessity of robbery during hard economic times in the soothing “Robbers”.
7. Ryan Adams works his hands to bleed because there are mouths to feed in “In My Time of Need”.
8. In his debut album, Bon Iver sings of times when you’re money’s gone and you’re drunk as hell in “Re: Stacks”. Sing it, Bon.
9. A figurehead in the American folk movement, Woody Guthrie wails of unemployment and the hard travels of migrant workers across the U.S. in “Do Re Mi”.
10. Randy Newman breaks hearts as he describes broken windows, empty hallways, and the general signs of an economic downturn in “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today”.

What do you think? … Please add your own top songs to this list!

Music not enough to heal your savings account. Learn more about how filing bankruptcy may help you get control of your debt.

“I just left my driveway with no money. I was negative $65,000 from school loans and I bought my car right before I left…” remarked Daniel Seddiqui of California to a local reporter.

Seddiqui’s situation is not uncommon to a vast majority of recent college grads, also not unlike the plight a hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country, but how he has found resolution to it is.

Seddiqui didn’t let the rising unemployment crisis keep him down. Instead, he used the primary characteristic used by the founders of our great nation- ingenuity- to address and conquer his state of affairs.

With an ingenious plan to overcome his unemployment predicament Seddiqui set out on a pilgrimage to find 50 jobs in all 50 states.

Partnering with his ingenuity this enterprising 27 year-old recent college graduate used his resilience and determination to guide his plan.

“[I] just made it all work. I had no other options,” Seddiqui told reporters.

The Man

After having failed over 40 job interviews within his chosen field of economics Daniel Seddiqui decided he was going to put the power back in his hands and find jobs where others aren’t looking.

This resulted in his cross-country journey to small towns and big cities alike.

The Plan

Success for Seddiqui is finding temporary employment which produces enough income to keep his trip alive.

In regards to his earnings and temporary assignments Seddiqui explains to reporters:

“I’ve probably made from $50,000 to $60,000 this year. And I have saved all of it. Three-thousand dollars in one week when I was in Minnesota medical device manufacturing. And the lowest is probably $100, but I was working with Amish people building furniture.”

Some of the other jobs Seddiqui has found himself in are working as a marketing specialist, a first-base coach for a minor league baseball team, and a lobster fisherman.

The State of Unemployment

Even with the Department of Labor recently releasing their weekly statistics of unemployment claims, noting claims are down by 38,000, the news that unemployment is still on the rise and should reach a staggering 9.5 percent is an overwhelming aspect to the reality we as a nation are facing. More people are filing bankruptcy, too. More than 1 million people could file this year.

But it is news of stories such as Seddiqui’s, which prove that ingenuity, innovation and determination are the trinity for success now and in the future.

Most citizens in a similar situation of needing adequate employment but having little apparent options to do so should take note of Seddiqui’s plan.

Not so much for the idea he created but for the concept behind it.

Not everyone can set out on a trek of temporary employment in ever-changing locals, but anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation of needing employment can find opportunity amongst the shrouds of their everyday surroundings.

Hey, we all could use some extra money–especially in this economy.

I’ve whipped up 30 ideas that might help put some cash in your pocket.

Be sure to add your money-making ideas in the comments.

1. Dog walk. Want to make a little extra cash and get exercise at the same time? Advertise your dog walking abilities around the neighborhood and you will be sure to find some takers.
2. Babysit. Get paid to act like a kid again! Post your availability and contact information at local schools, park district buildings, community centers, and places generally frequented by kids and their parents.
3. Pamper plants. Offer your services to elderly neighbors or frequent travelers that you know of. Not everyone has the time or energy to maintain the greenery of their properties, and you can take advantage of this.
4. Tutor. Feel you are strong in a certain subject? Capitalize on your academic strengths and offer yourself up as a tutor. Both freelance tutoring and part time work at tutoring centers are available options.
5. Teach a language/translate. Come from a bilingual family? Minor in a second language in college? Whichever is your case, use your linguistics knowledge to help out others. Advertise yourself online and set your own rates and schedules.
6. Pet sit. Not everyone going out of town wants to put their pet in a kennel. Use this fact to your benefit and offer up your house and services within your neighborhood and beyond. Super easy and cheap because the pet owner will generally provide all of the necessary supplies.
7. Commercialize your blog. Start putting ads up and requesting donations for your blog and watch your site slowly start to generate income. Try using Google Adsense for help.
8. Write reviews. Offer your freelance writing services to local newspapers, magazines, blogs, and websites. Set your price and state your opinions in this creative and highly personal way to make money.
9. Have a car wash. Sometimes the best ways to make extra cash are the most traditional and cliché. Dirty cars run rampant in the streets, so pick a high traffic area and have the bucket, soap, and water ready.
10. Drive people to the airport. Set your price slightly lower than a local cab service and make your services known to people without vehicle access. Get necessary licenses if required in your area of residence.
11. Collect aluminum cans. Depending on where you live, the going rate for aluminum generally runs between 25 and 90 cents per pound. If you are willing to get your hands a little dirty, this is a perfect, guaranteed way to cash in.
12. Sell your stuff. Try Craigslist or ebay. Sift through old junk and put it up for sale online. Craigslist and eBay are two of the most popular sites for online consumer junkies.
13. Have a garage sale. There is no better feeling than watching your stuff get sold in front of you. Cash in hand, money in the bank with this one. Try collaborating with friends and their junk to generate higher attendance
14. Rent out a room. Have extra space or a spare room in your home? Advertise it online and around your neighborhood to find someone in need of a place to stay.
15. Sell baked goods. Use your baking skills whilst eating massive amounts of cookie dough in preparation for a bake sale. Ask friends to participate and enjoy the benefits of your work in the kitchen.
16. Get a paper route. You don’t have to be Beaver Cleaver to have a paper route. Visit your local Newsagents and ask if they can give you a paper route. Great way to combine exercise with a money making opportunity.
17. Pour drinks. Make hundreds per night working nights and weekends as a bartender. Find a bar where little experience is necessary, and skip the overpriced bartending schools.
18. Do freelance writing/editing work. There are many freelance writing and editing opportunities available. Also, if writing is your thing, offer to hold writing seminars in your home for those looking to improve their skills.
19. Take online surveys. Making money from your home is as easy as clicking your mouse. Countless online surveys are available for the taking. Visit sites like http://freepaidsurveys.net to get started.
20. Sell digital photos to stock agencies. You don’t have to be Annie Leibovitz to make money for your photography. There are plenty of stock photo agencies that will pay to use your photos online.
21. Sell plasma. You can make quick cash as often as twice a week by selling your plasma. Check the Yellow Pages or a nearby college campus for the closest collection center, and plan to spend a few hours at the center the first time you go. Expect to earn up to $35 each time you go.
22. Plan parties. Start an event planning service in your spare time. Advertise yourself via the internet, word of mouth, local newspapers, etc. All it takes is one great event to start to generate a client base.
23. Serve. Become a server for a catering company. Use your weekends to work as a server for a catering company.
24. Clean places. If you are a neat freak and often use cleaning as a way to de-stress, this would be a perfect money-maker for you. Clean local office buildings and homes for some extra cash on nights and weekends.
25. Be a handyman. Got skillz? Be a Mr. Fixit and use your handyman repertoire to your financial advantage. Make your skills known and spread your client base.
26. Become a professional shopper. Assist the time-pressed and unorganized in their shopping agendas. Offer to take lists to the store and do the pricing, purchasing and delivering, all while making money yourself.
27. Write articles. Make extra cash writing articles for a local newspaper. Keep on top of current events and be ready with feature article ideas to get paid by local publications for your freelance entries. Definitely a great way to channel your creativity and make money for it!
28. Consign your clothes. Your trash might be another person’s treasure. As unlikely as it might seem, this also applies to the clothes in your closet. Sift through and gather items to bring to a local clothes consignment store.
29. Sell products on your blog. If your blog is not generating a lot of income through ads and donations, try selling products on it too. While most will not react positively if they feel your blog is simply a sales tool, there are ways to subtly advertise products while maintaining trust, integrity, and genuine engagement with your followers. Try linking a product through an earnest question about a service they might need.
30. Shovel walks. Snow is synonymous with winter in the Midwest and many take advantage of this. Bundle up and get out your shovel, because there are always elderly neighbors unable to do it themselves.