Entering the real world? Here’s some advice on credit cards and other consumer issues from the book “How to Survive the Real World” (Hundreds of Heads Books, www.hundredsofheads.com, $13.95), straight from people who’ve done it:
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“When buying a car, you’ve got to be willing to walk away, because sometimes that’s the only way to get what you want. The dealership was trying to charge me an extra $150 handling fee, and I said forget it and turned to leave. Suddenly, the guy started chasing me down. Guess what? They waived the fee.”
— Randy Freitik, Peoria, Ill.
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“I don’t think I’ve ever bought clothes if they weren’t on sale, and I rarely use my credit card. I made a conscious decision not to have credit card debt in my life, so I will only purchase something if I know I can pay for it.”
— Mariana, San Francisco
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“If you’re ever in the position to buy a house and a car at the same time, pick the house first because it’s a much better investment.”
— Shannon Hurd, Highlands Ranch, Colo.
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“You should always keep enough money in your savings account to last you at least a month. You never know when you will find yourself out of work. I ended up quitting my first job after about a year when my boss asked me to do something that I thought was unethical. I was unsure for a while if I was going to be able to collect unemployment or not. Luckily I had a nest egg tucked away to sustain me. Otherwise I would have had to move back in with my parents.”
Bill Studena, Florence, Ky.
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“It pays to pay off debt, especially when you make just enough to get by. What is starting to help me pay it down is switching credit card companies. Look in the mail for credit card offers that give you zero percent interest for 12 to 16 months. I asked a financial adviser about this, and he said that as long as you have an OK credit score, this won’t hurt you to do every year or so. Just keep shopping for the zero percent interest until you can pay it off.”
— Jeralyn, Austin, Texas
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“ ‘Smart Couples Finish Rich’ by David Bach is the best money book I’ve ever read. It walks you step by step through every part of the financial planning process, and it doesn’t use fancy terms.”
— S.A., Lake Forest, Calif.
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Hundreds of Heads Books’ survival guides offer the wisdom of the masses by assembling the experiences and advice of hundreds of people who have gone through life’s biggest challenges and have insight to share. Visit www.hundredsofheads.com to share your advice or get more information.
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© 2007, Hundreds of Heads Books, Inc.