More credit.

In the worst economy we've seen in decades, you would think people would take some initiative to fix their situations. Cut back costs, pay off what they can, protect yourself as much as you can. Instead, all I hear about is people jumping off the proverbial deep ends left and right. Here I am (not hardly in the rough spot that others are), cutting back my cable bill, turning down my netflix (not off, but less), adjusting my cell phone bill, rethinking my expenditures left and right ... while I see people buying cars, throwing money around, traveling (and not cheap!), etc -- despite the layoffs in EVERY single industry.

Ok, enough about the economy and downers in general - here is the positive: more knowledge to protect yourself!

1. Companies are waiting for you to screw up. Even if you are a loyal, dutiful paying customer for an extended period of time - fall behind on ONE (yes - ONE) bill and you will be charged accordingly. Rates can be changed from low to the red zone (up to 35%) instantly.

My brother opened an old navy card to save 10% off on an item. He never recieved the first bill. From that point on, the charges went from unpaid to two years of phone calls, letter-writing, harassment, credit problems -- them attempting to go after my father (who shares the same name) -- and finally a closed, and disputed fee. Guess how much the item was? Approximately $50. After the initial unpaid bill, he was put into something called "universal default" for basically being a deadbeat. This causes high interest rates, bad credit, and lots of collection calls. OVER $50! The best way to avoid the problem is the most obvious: Pay your bills on time. Bankrate.com, a personal-finance Web site, further advises that if you have a disputed bill, resolve it before it reaches collection status. (Easier said than done in this case - since the first (and I'm sure follow up notices) never reached my brother).

2. Credit card companies are part of the identity theft problem.
Forged credit card applications, ready-made checks billed to credit cards, and bank data all contribute to the rising identity theft problems. Shredders can help avoid people following up on the credit applications sent to your house. You can also minimize the amount of applications sent to your house by registering at optoutprescreen.com.

Aside from that - monitor your accounts. Protect your passwords and your computer. If you see anything suspicious - call your credit card or bank. If you're even the least bit worried, cancel your card and ask for a new one. No harm, no foul.


3. Teach your kids about credit.

I couldn't tell you how many of my friends messed themselves up early on in college and are still not sure how to dig themselves out - financially, or with their credit.

4. Never ever use a debit card. Ever.

I worked at QVC in the fraud department for approximately 2 years. In those two years (4 days a week, 10 hours a day), I probably spent 80% of my time advising people to close their debit cards and never EVER use it again.

Debit cards resemble credit cards in all visible ways but have fewer protections for the consumer. Some debit cards offer purchase protection -- meaning you can replace a damaged item within 90 days -- but many do not.

And although unauthorized transactions are supposed to be refunded by the issuer, banks are less motivated to speedily resolve cases involving debit cards than credit cards. Why? Debit cards draw on a checking account, meaning they're essentially checks in plastic form. Credit cards, by contrast, constitute a loan -- meaning it's the bank's money, giving it more reason to protect it.

Also - another thing people can't control: if your card is stolen and your money is drained -- that is your money gone. If it draws the money on the same day as your mortgage draws from your account (or some other automatically deducted amount that could bounce) -- you could end up with late charges, bounced check fees, or worse - unable to pay your mortgage if money is tight.

5. Last, but certainly not least: Our whims are legally binding.
You may think you've signed up for a credit card with terrific incentives, a low interest rate and just the right mix of perks and fees to suit you. But don't get too comfortable. Your card issuer can alter the terms of your once-perfect agreement at any time, as long as it provides you with advance written notice -- of as little as 15 days.

Although most cardholders would say this is their biggest pet peeve (next to non-English speaking representatives), a credit purchase is an unsecured loan. It's the riskiest sort of lending available and that's why it's expensive. The banks have to protect themselves. As such, credit card lending is a highly competitive marketplace, unhappy customers are almost always able to seek alternatives, the spokeswoman adds. The best defense against this is simply - vigilance. Watch your mail from your credit card, even if it looks insignificant.

Credit *gasp*

Wow. After hearing just how many people have problems with their credit, or just how many people don't know how they got where they are - I decided to share a few choice lessons on how to protect your credit. I'm no Suze Orman -- I can't stand her voice, but the woman knows what she is talking about -- but these are things you should know to keep your credit clean. My mother is a retired business teacher and my father is a real estate broker - both are always trying to explain most of the following things to people when they can't figure out why their credit is all over the place:

1. Protect your Social Security number. This would seem like a fairly simple and smart thing to do in this day and age - but you would be surprised at the amount of people that give it out to anyone that requests it. If you use it to secure getting a cell phone account - sure to have it removed from the account information; and, request a letter in writing to verify it's been removed. If you leave it on your account, it will appear on all the paperwork generated about you. Also, the people that look up your phone number (on purpose or accidentally) who work at random kiosks, and stores access to your number. If a college or university is asking you for it - same deal. Sometimes it can be a pain in the ass -- but when they post up grades by your Social Security #, when every professor has a grade book with your name/info/# listed for anyone to see or steal, and the campus is run by students with no money - do you really want to entrust your credit to basically everyone on campus? I didn't.
   
   
2. Do not repeatedly check your credit reports online or let anyone check it that won't provide you a copy of it (especially if you are paying a fee to get it checked by all agencies). If someone is going to run your credit, they will have a copy of it - and so should you. This copy is good for at least a month, due to the nature of bill circulation, and can be used at other places that request it. See the next point for why ...
   
   
3. Every time you check your credit report - and get a score - you lower your score by a few points. This is not bad if you purchasing something: an apartment, a car, a mortgage, etc. It's when there is a tic on the report without a follow-through (ie: credit card, house or car dealership checks credit without signing up for a card, or purchasing a house or car) -- it looks like you were denied. People tend to associate debt with bad credit. If you have debt, but pay it off - your credit score will still be good. If you have a debt, but do not pay the minimum each month, it may effect your credit negatively. Check your credit when you want to move forward with something, not on a whim.
   
   
4. At a car dealership - do not allow them to take your license - unless you're buying the car there. When they ask for your license, they scan it through a machine that pulls your social security # from it (did you know it was embedded in your license?). With this - the WILL run a credit check without your knowledge (yes, it's legal) ... and see if they should continue the conversation with you. Also - to see what kinda car they should be steering you towards. Gotta love technology!
   
   
5. And last, and probably one of the best things to do: If you should apply to move into an apartment with someone that you are not legally tied to (ie: married/partner), be sure to pay the extra fee - sometimes double the cost - to have two credit reports run. Or - better yet - ask that only one name be on the lease. If you don't specify, they will run your credit with your partner/roommate/friend/etc and tie you for LIFE to this person via credit. This seems to be a frequent error at property management firms, and often - prevents people from securing loans, mortgages, etc. If you had excellent credit, and you tie yourself to someone with poor credit - every time their credit takes a dive, so can yours. Also, it can takes years for this to be removed.
   

Hopefully someone is reading this and either learning how to protect themselves or getting a wake-up call! Credit follows you and is a tricky business to control. It's better to err on the safe side, play by the rules and most of all: PROTECT YOURSELF! And for those that are wondering, yes, I did write this from experience. I do have great credit, but I have been listening to this my whole life!

Another good link: 10 Lies that Got You & Keep You in Debt

Spike TV's Giggle

Courtesy of Spike TV's website:

"This over-the-hill attention whore needs to stop trying to be controversial and realize that her time is done. Madonna needs to understand that she is no longer relevant and that the world is officially immune to her childish mind games. Take a bow, bitch."

I don't think she needs to stop making music - just stop doing tours. LOL

Your Yucky Body

After seeing the latest wave of weight-loss propaganda hitting the airwaves and new stands, I'm a little fed up and ready to respond. Not that the media is actively seeking out my thoughts, but as a person that has been on both ends of the spectrum -- struggling with both keeping my weight down, and trying to stop losing weight -- I can give insight that may save you money, time and frustration.

First off, EVERY SINGLE PERSON IS DIFFERENT. There is no diet that will definitely work for you and your friends, and your family members equally. A family member and I went to Weight Watchers with dissimilar results. I started going to the gym with a friend and stayed long after she left. Many times, the reason a diet works is simple: you f-o-l-l-o-w IT.

He may be a douche, but I agree with him on this one:

Feed your emotional problems emotionally,
not nutritionally. ~Dr Phil

Newsflash: Women and men are different, and not just by what is (or isn't) dangling between their legs! To can a popular phrase, "women eat emotionally" - men do not. You can stop this and it is fairly simply ... and hard as hell at the same time. It's all about will-power. Do not put food in your mouth without intention. If you are not eating for fuel, or on a permitted/scheduled cheat - STOP! Once you get used to a purposeful change in your eating habits, you will not find yourself as apt to 'cheat' or eat for no reason.

You cannot be a mannequin. Stop fucking trying.

WOMEN WOMEN WOMEN (and men, if you're guilty): Stop comparing yourself to everyone's best. Just stop. Mannequin's have perfect measurements - people do not. Stop internalizing the stereotypes in magazines, STUPID magazine-shows, re-ala-faux shows, and models. (For all that is holy, a model is stationary, hollow, and lifeless. Is that your goal?) You can only do what you can do. You can only be what you can be. If you want to nip or tuck, thats a personal thing - but don't do it because you need Angelina's lips or JLo's butt. Work with what you got and improve upon yourself.

EAT. I have never lost weight by starving. When I tried to work out hard and do Weight Watchers, it didn't mesh. I was either starving (and pissy) or trying to balance out some impossible 'points' sequence that never came to fruition correctly. I ended up getting a nutritionist and combining my WW lessons (portion control, picking the right foods, fiber) with more protein and MORE meals. Even now, while not quite on my game, I still inevitably end up picking a meal based around protein content, and treat meals as fuel. I am in tune with hunger and how to feed it correctly. I'm not abolishing the idea of pleasure in eating (or pleasure eating!) - just not every at meal.

Moving on. Even at my weakest, I walked. You have two legs - use them. Music is an excellent motivator if you're not feeling it. As a person with great reasons to skip work outs (note: reasons, not excuses) - if you are healthy, and able, and UNwilling, it's your fault. Get off your ass.

A few parting words ...

If you are OCD, don't weigh yourself incessantly. If you are going to focus on the number, take measurements as a marker. Sometimes the number on the scale is going to lie to you - building muscle, holding water, times that you weigh yourself, etc. Don't abandon the scale altogether, but don't jump on it every single day.


Don't give out free unsolicited weight-loss advice to everyone that pays you a compliment. It's obnoxious and it's somewhat presumptuous. Also, don't assume when someone asks you, "What's your secret?" that they really want to know either ... 9 times outta 10, they just want you to tell them there is a magic bean/drink/answer. Send them in the right direction, but don't waste a lot of your time on it. If they are just a wishful thinker, no harm, no foul. If they are genuinely interested, they'll come back. I realize that posting this blog seems to go against the grain, but c'est la vie! I'm not cornering anyone, and I'm not on any soapboxes.

For those that read this far, you're a trooper! Feel free to comment.