Today, Oprah featured some of her guests who received $1,000 to help others in need. She called it her favorite giveaway and it got me thinking what I would do if I had an extra $1,000 laying around.
Well, I’d go to my alma mater and find two students who can’t afford to go home for the holidays. Not only would I buy their tickets home, I’d also help them buy gifts to bring to family and friends. I can’t tell you what it feels like to show up with no gifts for your loved ones. There are no words, especially when they have been so generous and you have nothing to give back except a “thank you.” That was me for all of my college career and the gifts that I did bring home were those I had to put on an ever-increasing credit card debt.
There are no doubts about it, living with credit card debt can often feel overwhelming. One of the biggest factors affecting your credit score is the amount of debt you owe on your credit card. When your credit score drops, you may end up paying higher interest rates on any other credit cards or loans you apply for. Low credit scores may also affect your apartment rental applications. In most cases, the landlord would conduct a thorough credit report evaluation with the help of AAOA (see the company website for more information) or other similar agencies to assess your financial stability. Also, bad credit can negatively impact your insurance premiums, phone plans, etc.
However, nowadays there are some brilliant debt relief companies out there that can help you to consolidate your debts so that you can get your personal finances in a better position. If you would like more information about some of the different debt-relief options, you can try this website where you can also find plenty of useful debt-related resources.
Some of my friends also tried other methods to try and help them consolidate their credit card debt and this was by taking out a loan. For them, it was the less stressful option and helped them to pay it back in more sizeable chunks without incurring too much interest. The loan that is often chosen is secured loans, where people can get help to work out whether they would be able to pay off this loan efficiently with what they have.
Now let’s say I had $2,000. I would go to Girls, Inc. to get a list of materials they needed and then come back a few hours later with a van-full of stuff. This is why I’m selling signed copies of Hot Tamara and In Between Men on eBay. You can buy as many copies as you’d like, give me the names of people you would like for me to sign it to and then get it time for the holidays. Not only will you give a fun gift, you’ll also give the gift of empowerment, education and opportunity to the young ladies who come to Girls, Inc.
To purchase a personalized copy of Hot Tamara, go here
To purchase a personalized copy of In Between Men, go here
Happy Holidays,
Mary