Family Circle - April 2009

2
Q. Should I
stop using
credit cards?
8t Efk e\Z\jjXi`cp%

Jfd\ X[m`j\ij jl^^\jk

_`[`e^ Zi\[`k ZXi[j le[\i k_\ dXkki\jj

[li`e^ kfl^_ k`d\j# Xe[# `e[\\[# n`\c[`e^

X [\Y`k ZXi[ _Xj Y\Zfd\ X gfglcXi

Xck\ieXk`m\% 9lk lj`e^ pfli [\Y`k ZXi[

\oZclj`m\cp _Xj [`jX[mXekX^\jÇ]iXl[

Xe[ \iifi gifk\Zk`fej Xi\eËk k_\ jXd\ÇXe[ Zi\[`k ZXi[j ZXe Y\ gXik f] X i\jgfej`Yc\ jg\e[`e^ gcXe% K_\p ZXe Xcjf _\cg pfl \jkXYc`j_ X jfc`[ Zi\[`k _`jkfip% ÈLe]fikleXk\cp# jfd\ g\fgc\ d`jlj\ Zi\[`k ZXi[j Yp k_`eb`e^# Ê@Ëcc [f k_`j efn Xe[ ^\k dpj\c] flk f] `k cXk\i#Ë É Jkfe\ jXpj% È9lk YXcXeZ\j ^ifn# Xe[ k_\j\ g\fgc\ Xi\ `e kiflYc\ Y\]fi\ k_\p befn `k%É Jf ki\Xk pfli Zi\[`k ZXi[ Xj `] `kËj X [\Y`k ZXi[# i\Zfi[`e^ \XZ_ kiXejXZk`fe Xe[ jlYkiXZk`e^ `k ]ifd pfli YXeb YXcXeZ\% K_\e gXp pfli Y`cc `e ]lcc \XZ_ dfek_%

3
Q. How much should I have in savings?

8t 8k c\Xjk j`o dfek_j f] c`m`e^ \og\ej\j% K_\ ^\e\iXc ilc\ f] k_ldY _Xj XcnXpj Y\\e k_Xk [lXc$`eZfd\ ]Xd`c`\j j_flc[ _Xm\ k_i\\ kf j`o dfek_j f] c`m`e^ \og\ej\j XZZ\jj`Yc\ `e X jXm`e^j XZZflek \Xie`e^ Xk c\Xjk )%, 9lk ]\n\i k_Xe +' f] X[lckj _Xm\ \efl^_ jXm`e^j kf k`[\ k_\d fm\i ]fi \m\e k_i\\ dfek_j# XZZfi[`e^ kf 9XebiXk\%Zfd% 8e[ efn k_Xk k_\ \Zfefdp `j jf leZ\ikX`e# \og\ikj Xi\ c\Xe`e^ kfnXi[ j`o dfek_j% È@] jfd\fe\

cfj\j _`j afY# `kËj XepYf[pËj ^l\jj _fn cfe^ `k n`cc kXb\ kf Y\Zfd\ \dgcfp\[ X^X`e#É jXpj ;feXc[ <% N_Xc\e# X Z\ik`]`\[ ]`eXeZ`Xc gcXee\i `e 8cg_Xi\kkX# >\fi^`X% 9lk [feËk ^\k fm\in_\cd\[ Yp k_\ k_fl^_k f] _Xm`e^ kf jXm\ jf dlZ_ dfe\pÇÈc`m`e^ \og\ej\jÉ [f\jeËk d\Xe ZXj_ ]fi c\`jli\ XZk`m`k`\j% @kËj k_\ dfe\p e\\[\[ kf Zfm\i YXi\ \jj\ek`Xcj# c`b\ dfik^X^\# ]ff[ Xe[ _\Xck_ `ejliXeZ\%

Kf Y\\] lg pfli \d\i^\eZp ]le[ 1

8 J\k lg X n\\bcp fe pfli _fd\ Xe[ XlkfdXk`Z [\Y`k ]ifd Xlkf `ejliXeZ\# fi j_fg pfli Z_\Zb`e^ XZZflek Xifle[ ]fi X Y\kk\i [\Xc# `ekf X _`^_$`ek\i\jk k_\e jkfn k_\ [`]]\i\eZ\ jXm`e^j XZZflek# Xe[ `e X jXm`e^j XZZflek% `eZi\Xj\ k_\ Xdflek : N_\e pfl ]`e`j_ n_\e pfl ZXe% gXp`e^ f]] X Zi\[`k 9 IX`j\ k_\ [\[lZk`Yc\j ZXi[# b\\g dXb`e^