| Volume 17 Number 9 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Making the minimum payment on your credit card can cost you. If you have a $3,000 balance at 18% APR, paying the minimum will take 431 months to pay off and cost over $7,000 in interest. Click here to calculate the real cost of your credit cards. Click here for more.
80% of Workers Unaware of Link Between Poor Credit, Job Offers
While most people know a weak credit score can hurt their chances of getting a home loan, just 20% of your job candidates know that a bad credit score can harm their chances of getting a job. According to a new Visa USA survey, the overwhelming majority of today's job seekers have no idea that many employers have made checking a credit score part of the job application process, similar to drug testing or criminal background checks. Click here for more.
Beware of Auto Leasing Scams
There are numerous down sides to leasing a vehicle, such as the scams in leasing of vehicles. Such scams have been found to actually deceive the consumer into making a purchase on the sellers terms which more often than not ends up being much more costly in the long run. The key is to be aware of these scams, so you can head them off at the pass. Don't let someone take advantage of you, do your homework before you go to the car dealership. Click here for more.
No kids? Plan Carefully for Retirement
Whether you're a RINK (retired, independent, no kids) or a DINK (dual income, no kids), you may find that building a nest egg for the golden years isn't enough. If you don't have children, you need to ensure that someone will look out for your best interests should there come a time when your body starts to give out or you just can't take care of yourself anymore. Click here for more.
Avoiding The Most Common Rip-Offs
Identity theft, fraud and bogus offers over the phone -- these are just some of the ways crooks rip consumers off to the tune of $80 billion every year, according to the FBI. Click here for more.
Your Money
What will it take to save for a college education? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Store sued for providing receipt with card expiration date. A U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania has ruled that a customer can sue a store for including her credit card expiration date on her receipt in violation of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, even though she suffered no actual harm and the store argued it didn't act willfully. Click here for more.