Although TransUnion denied any wrongdoing, the settlement requires the company to sign up consumers for either six months or nine months of monitoring.   Read more...

Build Wealth, Not Debt. It All Adds Up 
From Gail Cunningham, Senior Director of Public Relations
National Foundation for Credit Counseling

Debt is a dark cloud that follows you around. It makes you fearful to answer the phone, worrying that it might be a bill collector on the other end of the line. You're afraid to go to the mailbox. You're not as good a spouse, parent or employee when debt issues are occupying your thoughts.

Consider the following when deciding if your debt level is fine or out of control:

* Do you argue about money at home? Court records show that financial problems are a leading cause of divorce.
* Do you hide purchases so that your spouse doesn't know about them? In the industry, we call this financial infidelity.
* Do you have savings? If you're living without a savings account, you are flying without a safety net.
* Do you charge things that you used to pay cash for, even the smallest purchases? This signals that you don't have the ability to pay cash.
* Do you make only the minimum payment each month on your credit cards? If so, you're the credit card company's dream customer. You're their annuity.
* Do you rob Peter to pay Paul? "Can I pay my Visa with my Master Card?" is only funny on a bumper sticker.
* Do you use balance transfers to obtain a lower interest rate, and since the rate is so low, continue charging? Moving money around isn't getting you out of debt.
* Do you open new lines of credit when you near your credit limit on existing cards? This signals you're living off of credit, and the last thing you need is another card.
* Do you skip payments or pay your bills late each month? If you're paying late fees, you're throwing good money out the window. Get organized. Move your due dates, set up automatic bill paying, do whatever it takes to avoid this penalty.

If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, it's time to take an honest look at your financial situation. Do so today, as there is nothing to be gained by delaying.

* The place to start is by seeing what you owe in black and white. Whether you stare at these hard, cold facts on a tablet or on a computer screen isn't important, but it is critical that you force yourself to own up to the amount of debt you're carrying.
* Next, vow to do something about it. A willingness to change, and a commitment to follow through, is critical to the success of your plan.
* When you're in a financial hole, stop digging. Stop charging and start paying with cash or a debit card. When you run out of money, stop spending. Yes, you can do this. It may not feel like it, but you can. And if you can't, you're in worse shape than you thought.
* Since every penny counts, you need to know where every penny is spent. Start tracking your spending. Recording the big-ticket items like rent and car payments is easy. It's the little money that is unaccounted for that wrecks budgets. Therefore, commit to writing down every purchase every day for a month. This puts you in control. When you see your actual spending in writing, just like when you saw your debt obligations in writing, it brings a sense of reality to the situation.

The bottom line is that you can't solve a problem until you define a problem. Knowing what you owe and how you spend your money is the place to start. For more help getting out of debt, call the consumer counseling service at (800) 388-2227 or visit www.DebtAdvice.org

LEGAL NOTICE

If you made a purchase or return at a TJX store, you could get benefits from a class action settlement.

Which TJX Stores? T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, T.J. Maxx ‘N More, Marshalls Mega Store, The Maxx, HomeGoods, A.J. Wright, Winners, and HomeSense (Saw this article while thumbing through Time Magazine. Posted on ezMALLing.com 5/1/08)

 
A settlement has been reached with The TJX Companies, Inc. and Fifth Third Bancorp (“Defendants”) in a class action lawsuit about the computer system intrusions into personal and financial information at TJX retail stores. The settlement provides benefits to those shoppers who may have been damages in some way.

The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts will have a hearing to decide whether to give final approval to the settlement, so that the benefits can be issued. Those included have legal rights and options, such as excluding themselves from or objecting to the settlement. Eligible Class members can submit a claim for benefits from the settlement.

The Class includes everyone in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada who made a purchase or return at a TJX Stores, believe their personal or financial data was stolen or placed at risk of being stolen from TJX’s computer systems, and think they were damaged from it. This includes those who made returns without a receipt and were previously notified by TJX that their name, address and driver’s license or military, state, or tax identification number were compromised.

Get more details: http://www.TJXsettlement.com or call 1-866-523-6770.

Rule of 72 (When does it take to double your money?)
(Posted by ezMALLing.com on 4/24/08)

The "Rule of 72" is a mathematical rule that estimates how many years it will take for an investment to double in value at a specified rate of return. Just divide 72 by the rate of return or annual interest rate. For example, at a 6% rate of return, an investment will double in 12 years (72/6=12).

You can also determine the rate of return you will need in order to double your money in a specified number of years by simply dividing 72 by the desired number of years. For example, if you wanted to compute the rate of return you would need to double your money in 8 years, you will need to earn a rate of return of 9% (72/8=9).
(Posted by ezMALLing.com on 4/24/08)The "Rule of 72" is a mathematical rule that estimates how many years it will take for an investment to double in value at a specified rate of return. Just divide 72 by the rate of return or annual interest rate. For example, at a 6% rate of return, an investment will double in 12 years (72/6=12).You can also determine the rate of return you will need in order to double your money in a specified number of years by simply dividing 72 by the desired number of years. For example, if you wanted to compute the rate of return you would need to double your money in 8 years, you will need to earn a rate of return of 9% (72/8=9).
Now you have the tool. Take a look at your investments and figure out where you should put your money to gain the maximum return in a shorter period of time.

Economic Stimulus Package (Posted by ezMALLing.com on 4/2/08)
I am sure you have heard a lot about the Economic Stimulus Package and received information about it through mail or emails. But did you dig in deeper for information? Do you already know how much and when you are getting your rebate checks? Find out the payment schedule, scam alert, FAQs, and how much you will be getting. Economic Stimulus Package

Adjust your tax withholding (Posted by ezMALLing.com on 4/2/08)
With the increasing price of gasoline, do you wish you can use your big income tax refund NOW than waiting after you file your return? How would you increase your monthly take home pay so you can improve your current financial situation?