Kissing goodbye to 2012 knowing 2013 will cost more

By Dian Vujovich

With the New Year only hours away, I’m very happy to see this year come to an end. One reason: I didn’t turn out to be one of the newly minted millionaires created this year. Nope, try as I may to find that one stock to carry me there or a  bazillionaire to adopt or marry me, it just didn’t happen.

Neither was I lucky enough to find some ole rocker to write my name in as beneficiary on one of his life insurance policies, or, provide me with enough gold bobbles and bars to secure a future for me guaranteed to be beyond rosy.! Oh well, truth be told, I really didn’t try very hard in that department.

As for what’s to come in  the New Year for investors, expect it to be a rewarding year and your odds of that actually happening are greatly increased. Spin is everything.

One of  the bright spots ahead is that there will be a  growing number of  millionaires roaming around.  According to a  recent CNBC report from Robert Frank, the number of millionaires is likely to hit nine million. That’s close to an all time high.

As for where they will be spending some of their cash, listen up Worth Avenue merchants. Frank reported it’s likely to be the high-end retailers—like Hermes—that bring in the big bucks in the New Year. Leave that Avenue and head home, word is that those multi-million dollar digs are the ones that will trade hands leaving more than one real estate broker smiling all the way to the bank.

Speaking of banks, Bank of America wound up to be a big winner re Dow dog stocks. For those who read previous blogs of mine, took heed and bought BAC for no other reason than  the fact that it was cheap cheap cheap —and trading under 10 bucks a share— there were rewards of more than 100 percent to be had. Closing at $11.61 today, within the past 52- weeks it had traded as low as $5.62 a share.

Next year will no doubt bring with it many financial rewards for those willing to play the market. And, of course,  there will be losses, too. Some smart money says that markets outside of the U.S. could wind up to be more rewarding than money invested here at home. Perhaps. Then again, it all depends upon your picks.

A few things are certain, though. One is that there will be more people who will fall into poverty next year even though the minimum wage is going up in some states. Florida happens to be one of them with an increase of 12 cents an hour bringing the minimum wage to $7.79 beginning Jan1.

Another, employees will be taking home fewer dollars in their pay checks as Medicare premiums are going up $5 a month fiscal cliff problems resolved or not.

So as I read the tea leaves for 2013, yes money will be made on Wall Street, Main Street and all points in between. There always is. But, too few people able to reap those rewards.

Life has gotten very expensive for those in the lower and lower-middle classes. And while an increased cost of living impacts everyone from those with little to those with plenty, when the little gal can’t spend, save or invest for her future that translates into problems for the economy in general. And our economy is already facing huge problems. Problems that few elected officials really want to face. Or, worse yet, know precisely how to fix.

Which brings me back to getting to that millionaire status. I’m hoping that 2013 brings with it a comfortable lifestyle for you and yours and more zeros in your coffers than you’ve ever expected or imagined.

But more importantly, may the New Year bring you a supreme dose of what counts more than money—real joy and true happiness, close friends and a bucket filled with common sense.