Recently, newspapers, magazines, and the internet have been buzzing with articles about the declining economy and its effect on relationships. Apparently, while there are numerous reasons for marital strife, most therapists agree that the biggest cause of friction between spouses is money. In fact, according to numerous surveys, the majority of divorced partners cite financial problems as the primary reason for their split.

This makes sense; after all, when things are going well, and a couple has enough money to cover all expenses and most discretionary purchases, relationships are easier to sustain. On the other hand, when money gets tighter, couples often have to make difficult decisions, putting their relationships to the test. Needless to say, the recent downturn in the economy has made these sorts of issues particularly relevant.

With winter coming on and Christmas on the horizon, money problems are looming large for many American families. This is especially true in Colorado Springs, where over 200 employees of Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family (FOTF) were recently fired. A non-profit, evangelical organization, FOTF describes its mission as "nurturing and defending families worldwide." In the pursuit of this goal, it produces radio programs, runs a "homosexual conversion" program, and heavily lobbies voters and politicians to pass laws in support of its agenda. In fact, FOTF does so many bulk mailings that it has its own zip code.

Residents of Colorado Springs need not reach in their pocket this year for change when they hear the familiar ringing of the Salvation Army volunteer calling attention to its donation bucket. In a test program, some Santas wil be equipped to take plastic.

For the test, done in cooperation with U.S. Bank, the volunteers (augmented, when necessary, with paid temps) will be equipped with wireless card readers, so donors can swipe to support the Army's homeless shelter and meal programs.

The program stands to bring in more money for two reasons; the declining value of change, and people's propensity to give more using credit cards than when forking over cash. It may also reassure donors skeptical that 100% of the donated funds will reach the Salvation Army, and will provide documentation for those who wish to claim a deduction on their taxes.

Still, the sound of a card swipe isn't as satisfying as coins plinking into the traditional red bucket. But if the difference brings shelter and food to those in need and Christmas gifts for their children, I can live with the change.

With more and more individuals in need of assistance from charitable organizations and a pronounced drop in donations for charities of all kinds, it is important to find a way to make the most of your charitable giving.

Smart Money Magazine compiled a list of 7 ways to stretch your charitable gifts which will increase the impact of your gift, even if you need to cut back on the amount.

The 7 ways of making the most of your charitable donation are:

• Giving to the neediest organization
• Give more than cash
  
• Use sites that offer matching donations
• Check financial records
  
• Seek reputable outfits
• Skip the middlemen
• Stay Focused

In these hard economic times, many sports fans have had to cut out expensive tickets and settle for the nosebleed section, or even staying home. New Jersey Nets chief executive Brett Yormark doesn't like to see his team's fans struggle, though. Known for his efforts to give back to his basketball team's supporters, he's championing a new program to help unemployed Nets fans weather the rough times.

Through the new Nets Unemployment Program, the team will give away 1,500 free tickets to unemployed fans who register with the program. Fans can submit resumes at njnets.com, which the team will then pass on to potential employers, including its corporate partners. On November 22, the Nets will host a career fair at the Izod Center, where the team plays its home games.

Kudos to the Nets for reaching out like this. Most professional sports teams put regular game attendance out of reach even for many middle-class fans, with ticket prices looking more like car payments. Yormark has tried other outreach programs in the past, including $299 season tickets and paying for one hour of tolls at Exit 16W on the New Jersey Turnpike to thank fans. It's good that at least one team in pro sports recognizes the base of its franchise.

One way for low income taxpayers to get help with preparing and filing their federal income tax returns is through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. The organizations participating in the VITA program solicit qualified tax preparers to volunteer to provide services to taxpayers. The services are available to individuals and families with income under $42,000.

VITA was created in 1969, and plays an important role for low income and elderly people. So far this year, VITA volunteers have helped prepare and file over 3 million tax returns. The income tax code is incredibly complex, and even for taxpayers with so-called "simple" tax returns, the process can seem daunting. Certain items like the child credit and earned income credit, both of which many low income taxpayers qualify for, can be confusing and require the help of a professional.

The Internal Revenue Service has just awarded $8 million in grants to organizations participating in the VITA system, so the help available to consumers will be expanded. To locate the VITA sites in your state, call 1-800-829-1040.

Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.

'Tis the season for giving! At least, the calendar says it is... but all the latest report indicate that charitable giving is on the decline now as the economic downturn forces us to tighten our purse strings more than in years past.

To try to combat that trend, Kraft Foods is teaming up with Feeding America, the largest hunger relief charity in the United States, to launch a new fleet of mobile pantries. Kraft is providing the charity with money to purchase 25 refrigerated trucks that will bring food to rural and urban areas where grocery stores and food pantries are difficult to reach. With three trips per week, the mobile pantries should be able to distribute the equivalent of 1.1 million meals per year.

This should set a spark under all of us as we prepare to shrink our holiday budget. We are still, after all, buying presents for our kids and pets. And while me may not feel we can afford to be as generous as usual when it comes to charities -- particularly food as prices keep going up -- we need to remember that there are people out there suffering from starvation. The donation of a couple cans of soup were easy to spare in past years, but it's not so now. Donations to food banks and soup kitchens is at a low point and demand is at a high, which is just a vicious circle as those who used to donate to the food kitchens are now turning to them for help instead, and charities across the country are struggling to keep up with demand.

In all, Kraft is putting $180 million into their efforts to combat hunger. If you have the means to help, think of your local food banks and soup kitchens this holiday season. These establishments can always use more volunteers to sort and serve food, and every donation helps, no matter how large or small.

Radio, TV, infomercials, and phone calls--stop already. This election has been the longest one I can remember; it has gone on and on. At this point, hasn't everyone made up their mind? I made mine up shortly after the primaries. Will another ad or two make a difference?

Apparently the candidates think so. Obama spent a fortune last week renting time on every major station for his infomercial. He plans to release another ad today showing McCain's ties to Cheney. McCain, who doesn't have the war chest of money like Obama, went on Saturday Night Live to increase his reach. By far, the best part of the McCain campaign is Tina Fey's rendition of Sarah Palin.

The ads are endless. That is all you see on TV and if you try to escape in your car, they are on the radio. I try to hide in the house, but folks are coming to the door and calling me on the phone. At this point, I will vote for anyone who doesn't call me with a recorded message.

It raises the question whether this is the best way to do things. With so many folks struggling in this bleak economy, couldn't the political money be put to use helping people? It would be an interesting campaign if every dollar spent had to be matched with a charitable donation. Just think how many folks this could help.

I could enjoy the ads then, knowing that every dollar spent actually helped someone else. I would give more to the campaigns knowing that the money was put to good use. I can't wait until Tuesday is over.

Barbara Bartlein is the People Pro. For her FREE e-mail newsletter, please visit: The People Pro.

Most parents want to leave their kids with a safety net. And for some, that net could be several million dollars strong. But a growing number of parents are afraid inherited wealth could damage their children. So rather than letting their children enjoy the laurels of their drive and perseverance, these 10 famous names won't have their children living off their fortunes. See who's trying to teach their children the ultimate lesson on the value of money and work.

"Be man enough to admit that you are a selfish jacka** with a massive sense of self-entitlement who doesn't give a s**t about anybody but yourself. At least I'd have to say you had some courage of conviction, even if that conviction is way off the mark. Right now, all y'are is a selfish, boorish jerk."

The above is part of a comment I received on a recent blog post in which I stated that I like my full sized pick-up truck. I'd like to reply to the above comment:

Why I might be considered selfish for owning my truck is a mystery to me. My 1997 Chevrolet pick-up truck put food on the tables of American workers, and dollars in American pension funds. Trucks like mine have provided jobs all across North America. Gosh, we who own domestically made trucks are very sorry about that.

Every day, WalletPop will be bringing you information about a fantastic freebie. Like what you see? Check back tomorrow for more!

So this is sort of a bizarre promotion but here's how it works: You answer vocabulary questions (They start easy and get tough) and, for every question you answer, a few grains of rice are donated to the UN World Food Program. The program is sponsored by Unilever and I think it's awesome: send this post to anyone who needs to study for the SATs and has an altruistic side.

Click here to get started.

There are plenty of excellent reasons to find a good charity to support. Charitable giving is beneficial for your country and your community. Some people even say that charity is good for you health. Being generous with a portion of our own financial blessings is also a great American tradition.

Most of us already have specific charities which we like to support. For my household, we have given various gifts to The Arbor Day Foundation, our local volunteer fire fighters, local churches, and a smattering of other deserving causes. Most of our charitable gifts stay fairly close to home, but there are also many worthwhile national and international charities.

But how to decide which charity to support? How do you know a particular charity is trustworthy? Or responsible? Or actually helping the population you want to help? The answer to these questions are as close as your computer.

Here's a great opportunity for all you would-be indie film producers to gain some exposure, and possibly help a local food pantry at the same time. Chicken of the Sea is is running a video jingle contest which promises the winner a trip to Hollywood, and a truckload of the company's products for the winner's local Feeding America food bank.

Chicken of the Sea's, Mermaid Jingle Jam contest , works like this: First you go to the jingle contest website to register. Entering your zip code will assign you an affiliated food bank. Then you produce your video, which must include the original Chicken of the Sea jingle lyrics plus a new jingle verse which you create. You don't have to use the original jingle tune, but you must utilize the company's key themes in your own original video. Key themes can be found at the contest website. Entrants are allowed to make up to three submissions. Each submission must be an original production, and each will require a separate contest entry registration.

So, grab your video camera and show us your stuff. Simply looking at the company's contest rules and key themes will provide you with lots of good ideas. You'll be having some fun, gaining some exposure, and you might add a lot of really good food to your local nutrition efforts. In addition, the winner will receive a first class prize package, in the form of a behind the scenes tour of Universal Studios and a two-night stay in Hollywood. The entry submission period will close November 7, 2008 at midnight PST.

You're probably hit up for money regularly. Sponsor my run for the cure? How about some Girl Scout cookies? Come to my fundraising corn hole tournament. Join us for casino night at the Catholic school.

Sadly, indiscriminate giving can be a budget-buster, and doesn't always accomplish much good. If we have one consistent message throughout WalletPop, it's that each dollar counts. So make it count.

A wise giver includes charitable giving in his budget (you do have a budget, right?). This includes, of course, the big gifts to your church or The Cato Institute or The Hemlock Society but doesn't often include the nickel-and-dime obligations that we take on casually. I hope you also vett the organization of your choice to assure an acceptable percentage of its receipts actually go to the cause it represents.

I have a few rules that I use to decide about contributions.

1. I won't donate for another person's recreation. If they want to run for the cure, let them pay for it, too. If they are truly giving of themselves, say, going to New Orleans to carry bricks, I'm much more likely to contribute.

With the U.S. housing market currently plummeting, it's easy to forget that there are places in this hemisphere where the housing choices aren't McMansion or fixer-upper, house or condo, or even owning versus renting. For the approximately one million workers in Mexico's maquiladora factories, housing is often composed of whatever pieces of scrap wood and metal they can cadge together, and the living choices are often reduced to shack, stall, or sleeping under the stars.

While the maquiladora population is poor by U.S. standards, they are gainfully employed at what is often a competitive wage in Mexico. Recognizing the difficulties of finding inexpensive, durable housing in these communities, Brian McCarthy and his partners formed PFNC Global Technologies.

The company, whose initials stand for "Por Fin, Nuestra Casa," or "Finally, a home of our own" hopes to transform abandoned shipping containers (a handy side effect of the U.S. trade deficit) into small, single-family houses for maquiladora workers. Having secured basic funding, PFNC has built a prototype and hopes to begin production in 2009, with an initial goal of 30,000 homes per year.

When Jenna, my 13-year-old second cousin by marriage, had her bat mitzvah, her Jewish coming-of-age ceremony, earlier this month, she asked that friends and relatives donate to two charities rather than bring gifts.

Jenna chose Project A.L.S. because her paternal grandfather recently died from the fatal neuromuscular disorder, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. She also selected Million Trees NYC because, as a devoted environmentalist, she wanted to improve the city of her birth. It turns out that Jenna is not alone among her age group in putting charity before that cool iPod or Wii.

According to Claire Gaudiani of the Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising at New York University, today's young people contribute whatever they can to their favorite causes earlier, more consistently and in more imaginative ways than their grandparents did. And of the $300 billion-plus donated last year, more and more is going to charities that focus on international affairs and the environment, according to Giving USA.

I hope this trend continues even as the economy skids into a recession and fears about our families' futures overtake everything else. An international outlook, an awareness of other cultures and societies, is not only healthy but necessary in today's global economy. I certainly plan to encourage my daughter to follow Jenna's example when the time comes for her bat mitzvah. Meanwhile, our family will continue to donate money to our college alma maters, to Housing Works, and Goodwill.