First Draft: The Front of the Program
This is what went to print… (Front Cover)
This is what went to print… back of program
Dinner Menus!!!!
Month: May 2011
Reduce Your Student Loan Debt Class of 2011
Congratulations to the Class of 2011. That’s right, graduation season is here and for those who believe the world is going to end tomorrow, you are in luck! You see, dear ole Sallie Mae is coming for you 6 months to the day that you walk across that stage… but if the world ends, you don’t have to worry about student loans and the debt that comes with it, now do you? If I were as sure as others that the world is about to end, I would have chucked the deuces at my girl, Sallie in a heartbeat. Let me just say that student loans and the debt that comes with it are not all bad and while you could believe months from now that Sallie Mae is the devil, she doesn’t have to be. Think about it, Sallie was like your home girl, bestie, or fav from school who let you borrow a few hundred or thousand dollars here or there when you needed that new computer, housing, or were falling financially shy of your balance to register for class. She said, “Don’t worry about it; I’ll take care of it. You will pay me back someday”. Well recent graduates, someday is sooner than you think! She wants her money NOW!!!
Here are some steps that should help you adjust to the change in your relationship:
- Don’t Fall for the Minimum Payment Game. If you can, always pay more than the minimum payment. The same rules for paying the minimum of credit cards apply here. You can do this one of two ways. For an entire year, I paid my Sallie Mae bill twice (the 15th and the last day of every month). Doing so, allowed me to get my payments a year in advance so while I was not working, my Sallie Mae bill was still current. One thing I would point out, that I actually forgot during my year off from paying Sallie Mae, is that interest accrues daily. If I had the opportunity to do it again, I would still pay twice but I would apply the first payment to current bill and the second full payment to the balance. That way, I will pay the balance down without wasting extra money on interest. Plus, doing this will shorten the life of the loan.
- Find out if there is a pre-payment penalty for your loan(s). If there is no penalty, you should set aside some graduation money and start paying down your BALANCE before your official payments begin.
- Consolidate. Consolidating your student loan(s) means that you take out a new loan to cover all of your old loans.
Instead of have a bunch of different loans, you now make one payment that represents a combination of all of your student loan debt. No more multiple payments and due dates. Plus, you can take the lowest interest rate to apply to your newly consolidated loan, lower your monthly payments, and easily apply for alternate payment plans if your financial situation changes. As with most things, consolidating has its cons. Some have pre-payment penalties (mine didn’t), lowering your monthly payments could end up in extending the life of your loan, and there is the potential for more interest. Do your homework for this one- what works for one does not work for all.
- Student Loan Debt is a good thing? Yep. Paying off your student loans is an excellent way to establish good credit. If you pay on time and pay more than the minimum, you will be well on your way to good credit. Visit, here, to learn other ways to raise your credit score.
Let us end this post on a fantastic note, congratulating the graduates of 2011. If you graduated this year, congrats to you as well.
Congrats to the Following Graduates
De’Jonique Garrison
Micki Jackson
Teraneshia Nash
Jay Cuyler
Cameisha Clark
Serena Rogers
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Lauren Travis, JD
Christian Mitchell, MA
Tiffany Davenport, DPT
Akilah Bacy, JD
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Swap Party: Renew Your Wardrobe on a Budget
I have two words for you: SWAP-PARTY! For those of you who are unfamiliar, a fashion swap party is a creative and cost efficient way to renew your wardrobe and possibly clean out your closet at the same time. This Saturday, May 14, 2011 Fashion Envy, LLC and PGRDresses have joined forces to bring Atlanta the most anticipated SWAPINISTA DAY PARTY. Are you ready?
To participate you must bring at least 3 new or gently used articles of clothing and/or accessories. Think about the rules for selling to a consignment shop and apply those same rules here. Gently used… is not ambiguous so please bring your clothes to the swap party clean and in a ready to wear condition. Your items will then be ranked on a silver, gold, and platinum system that corresponds to swap bucks. Silver equals 1 swap buck and represents economy brands like Walmart and Target. Gold equals 2 swap bucks and represents department store brands. Platinum equals 3 swap bucks and represents designer label brands.
If this isn’t reason enough to grab your girlfriends for a chance to update your clothing and accessory game, please allow me to share my 3 top reasons for attending this particular swap party.
- The Vendor Suite. Discounts, freebies, samples…oh my!! Perhaps, Saturday will be the day you find out about a business you never heard of. I think this is a great opportunity to meet the represented businesses, don’t you?
VENDOR SUITE
Funky Flair Boutique
Metropolitan Frock
Sassy Mitchell
Cupcake Diva LLC
Carson Bryce Trading Company
2. The Pamper Lounge. Upon purchase of your ticket, you are given the options of spa and/or salon services. I chose the massage and I can’t wait!!
PAMPERING LOUNGE
Chair Massages by Develon Anthony
EyeBrow Threading by Baziara Campbell
Eye Make-up Application
3. The Feeling of Philanthropy. Do good feel good. Unclaimed items and a percentage of the proceeds will go to a non-profit.
See you at 2pm on Saturday at the Emerging Art Scene at Castleberry Point. For advanced tickets, click here.
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How to Get the Most Out of Coupons
Today, I will be providing information to answer an email question that was submitted to She Makes Cents via my About.Me page, which by the way you should totally check out!
I’m trying the coupon bit, can you please show me how to use them, I guess coupon 101, and how to get the most out of my coupons, I often see where folks buy $600.00- 1100.00 in value , but pay $50.00 or less, can you teach me how to do that?
First off, congratulations on making the decision to start reevaluating ways to make your money work for you and not the other way around. To be honest, I do not coupon to this degree where I buy “$600.00-$1100.00 in value, but pay [around] $50.00 or less”, but I have seen it done. If this is the level of couponing that you aspire to, then there are a few things that you must consider:
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Keep an ongoing grocery list. This helpful because it I find it easier to jot down an item I’m running low on or completely out of when I’m thinking about it. That way, it ensures that it makes it on my list. If I start a grocery list right before I go to the store, I risk forgetting something I actually need or spending money on products that I didn’t know I already had.
- You must be extremely organized. Keeping up with coupons to multiple stores can easily become overwhelming if you do not have a system in place. Reuse a folder or an old note book where you store your coupons. Find a way of filing that works for you. For example, you can store coupons by type of product (groceries, health and beauty, fashion, restaurants, etc) or by store.
- Don’t get tricked into buying things you don’t need. Stick to your list. Review your ongoing list before you actually go shopping. Then compare the list of items (including specific brands) on your list to your library of coupons you have compiled and filed away oh so neatly in your folder or notebook. Just because the coupons mentions that you have to buy three of the same products to get .75 off, doesn’t mean it is a good deal. Who really needs three containers of mayonnaise any ways?
- Know the stores’ policy about couponing. Some stores allow manufactures coupons and some don’t. In addition, some stores allow the practice of double couponing and some don’t.
- Read the small print. So this one is self explanatory, yet few people actually take the time to read the tiny print. Think about it for a second, they make it small for a reason. It’s better to know the limitations of the deal before your get to the cash register.
HOW TO SPEND $16 FOR $75 WORTH OF STUFF AT TARGET
CHECK OUT WHAT $20 AND COUPONS WILL GET YOU…YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE IT
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Cinco de Mayo!!!
It’s Cinco de Mayo; my third favorite holiday behind 4th of July and my birthday! When I think of Cinco de Mayo I think of great food, great drinks, great people, and a sense of community….oh yeah, and the Mexican’s army victory of the French. So how do you have a great Cinco de Mayo experience without killing your cash? Well it depends on where in the world you live. I live in the south of the US, so every Mexican restaurant will be offering food and drink specials. I’m too excited for words because I eat Mexican food (authentic and Americanized) at least once a week. Just remember, if you are restaurant bound, to get there early because this celebration starts early and lasts ALL night. If you live in a city where Mexican restaurants are hard to come by, NYC for example, I would suggest hosting a Tacos and Tequila Party with you and a couple of friends. It’s fun, it’s cheap, and it helps answer the daily question of “what’s for dinner (cena)?”
How to Dispute Errors on Your Credit Report
You are on the road to financial empowerment. You have printed out your spending chart. You have cut back on impulse spending. You know at least 5 ways to improve your credit score. The birds are chirping. The sun is shining and you look like you’re the happy little stranger in the middle of a Brady Bunch episode because your latest financial decisions have been uncharacteristically positive. Then is happens…(insert screeching sounds here)… something pops up on your credit history that is inaccurate. What do you do?
What is on Your Credit Report?
Your credit report reveals how you spend, the type of loans you have, your revolving credit, how you pay your bills, etc. This information is then used to decide whether you are approved for a credit card, loan, car purchase, insurance, home purchase and rental, and even employment. For potential employers, your credit report is used as a measure of your level of responsibility and can be a part of the deciding factor of whether you are offered the job or not.
How Credit Report Errors Are Made?
Mistakes can appear on your credit report for several reasons. Clerical errors are common because people make mistakes. Perhaps numbers were transposed, your handwriting was not legible, or the unfortunate situation that you have become a victim of identity theft. Check your credit report periodically for these types of errors.
How to Resolve Reporting Errors for FREE
Contact the credit bureau in writing, highlighting the information to be investigated. You will need to submit supporting documents such as a copy of your driver’s license if the inaccuracy involves a name change, change of address, or dispute of a utility bill. If your dispute is regarding your social security number, you will need to present a copy of your social security card and/or a copy of your W2. If you have your credit report number handy, this is the time to get it. Submit your credit report number and copies (not originals) of documents to be reviewed. The Federal Trade Commission recommends you “send your letter by certified mail, return receipt requested,” so you can document what the credit reporting company received. Keep copies of your dispute letter and enclosures. If you used Experian, the fastest way to challenge a dispute is online. Generally, disputes are resolved within 30 days but depending on the nature of the dispute, resolutions can take up to 45 days. If you find information on your credit report that is not accurate or doesn’t belong to you, please contact the credit bureau which produced the report.
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