Key Protection

Ladies, when you are out running errands, shopping, walking, etc.,
always wear clothing with pockets. Always keep your house and car keys in
your pockets, not your purse. If someone snatches your purse, at least
you can drive your car and get into your home because you still have
your keys.

This tip was put to the test when my mom got knocked down during a
purse snatching in a discount store parking lot. She wasn’t seriously hurt
(thank goodness) and was able to drive home afterwards. She didn’t have
to call me to pick her up and drive her home, where she’d have been
forced to ask the apartment manager to let her into her place. When
you’ve just been mugged, you want as few hassles as possible!
Pam in Arkansas

Foreclosure filings nearly doubled in the past year but declined 8.4 percent in September compared to August, according to data company RealtyTrac.

The company reported 223,538 foreclosure filings — including default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions — in September, which represents a national rate of one foreclosure filing for every 557 households.

RealtyTrac last month reported 243,947 foreclosure filings in August, which was a record since the company began the monthly foreclosure reports in 2005 — the September total was the second-highest on record. In August, the number of foreclosure filings was up 115 percent compared to August 2006.