Spring Break! Finally, time off from all of the chaos and hard work us students have been dealing with. During spring break, many people spend obscene amounts of money just to have a nice time. Well this year’s gonna be different. Because Alex is here to help save you money. Here are few tips that will help you have a great spring break without ending up in debt.

1. Road Trip!! – Everyone loves a good road trip with friends. Instead of spending tons of money on a flight, why not split up gas money and motel costs and travel around the country. There are so many places you can go to in a week and so many interesting things to see.

2. Camping – If you like the outdoors, find a nice camp ground in Florida and spend a few nights with nature and friends. It’s cheap, and many camp grounds have alot of stuff to do like tubing down a river or fishing.

3. Volunteering – If you like doing things for the community and you don’t have a job, there are plenty of places that are looking for help in your neighborhood. This can be a very rewarding and fun experience. Check out this website to find out more!!

http://studenttravel.about.com/od/springbreakvolunteers/qt/alternate_sprin.htm

4. Student tickets – If you do decide you want to fly somewhere new and exciting, remember to compare prices to find the lowest rates, and if you look hard enough, sometimes you’ll be able to find super cheap student tickets! You can read this website to learn more about student tickets.

http://collegeuniversity.suite101.com/article.cfm/cheap_student_airline_tickets?CFID=37846821&CFTOKEN=44493631

Well whatever you end up doing, remember to be safe and smart with money!

I am starting realize more and more how important building credit is, even though I’m still in college. Did you know that not having any credit record at all can be bad too? Having good credit is one way people review how responsible you are, for example. But before we get ahead of ourselves, it’s very important that we understand how credit works. Credit cards act as a sort of small loan that can be paid back in whole or in smaller payments. Not only do you have to pay the money you loan back, but you have to pay interest on the loan, which is like a payment to the credit card company for letting you use their money. Now you may be saying to yourself, “Sheesh! so what’s so good about using a credit card when I have my debit card?” Well first off, you can have access to money you don’t necessarily have immediately, and secondly, you build up your credit score. If you want to buy anything bigger than an mp3 player, like a house or a car, you have to have good credit. Your credit score is a summation of your bill paying habits. If you pay your bills late and find yourself getting into serious debt, you probably have a bad credit score. Which means when you go to a financial institution and ask for a loan they will look at your credit history and say, “Sorry we can’t help you, your credit is bad”. Because after all why would anyone want to loan you money if they’re not sure you can pay it back. Well anyway, if you want to learn more about how credit works check out this website or ask your local GTE branch member. http://www.youngmoney.com/creditreport/

Have you all checked out the U22 credit card? That’s right, with U22 you can have your very own credit card with a $500 maximum limit.

Also if you want to see if you know your stuff check out this U22 Credit Card Quiz to see if you’re ready for a U22 credit card. http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=u22-credit-card-quiz

Look into a GTE Federal Credit Union U22 checking account for teenagers 12 to 22 in Tampa Bay. Because learning and managing money right is important no matter what your age.

Alex here! So, I’m not very good at math and I try to avoid doing it whenever humanly possible, but when it comes to saving for my car, I have no choice. Before I got my U22 account, I had to start writing down how much I was making and how much I would be spending each week so that I could avoid wasting money. I had to save receipts just to record all of the money I was spending. And at the end of each month, I’d tally up all of the money I’d spent. From that list, I came up with things I could cut back on, so I had an estimate on how much I could spend once I got my pay checks. But now that I have my U22 account, I have replaced all of those tedious chores with the GTE FCU Money Tracker!! It’s free for U22 members and extremely easy to use. The Money Tracker informs you of exactly where you’re spending your money and what you’re spending it on. You can even create a budget plan, so all of that hard work I was doing is over!! It also gives you a monthly report on what your spending habits are. I never realized how much money I was spending each month, and since I found out, I was able to make huge cutbacks. One of the biggest areas of overspending for me was food. I usually resort to eating whatever my stomach craves, instead of cooking and buying groceries, which not only leads to me overspending, but also eating unhealthy foods. So now that I’m changing that I guess you can say that saving with the Money Tracker has been good for my health.

Check out the U22 checking account at GTE Federal Credit Union, www.U224U.com. Because learning about money is important no matter what your age!

Did you know GTE FCU is giving away Howl-o-scream tickets at Busch Gardens? Only 2 more weekends left!

Go on to your Facebook or MySpace page and become a friend of GTE FCU to enter. See our pages for details. You could win FREE Tickets, and at $50, $60 a pop, that’s an awesome giveaway!

Become a Fan:
GTE U22 Account: http://www.facebook.com/pages/GTE-U22-Account/141512079625
GTE FCU: http://www.facebook.com/pages/GTE-Federal-Credit-Union/11031481521?v=box_3#/pages/GTE-Federal-Credit-Union/11031481521?v=wall
MySpace: www.myspace.com/MyU22

Here is my insider’s scoop:
Howl-o-scream is back in action this year as they celebrate their 10th year of scaring the pants off of everyone. This year is supposed to be pretty cool too. They have a huge fashion show as you walk into the park, which seems not really that scary, until they show you their true form. There are seven haunted houses this year and if they’re anything like last year, then make sure you pack a change of underwear with you. If you’ve been to Howl-o-scream within the past 2 or 3 years then you’ll be able to recognize some of the returning houses, but the new ones are supposed to be really awesome. There is an evil toy factory this year. So if your frightened by small children, dolls, or clowns, then I would cruelly recommend this house for you. There are also 4 scare zones this year which means, “get ready to close your eyes and run”. There is also a magic show and a show called Fiends (aka a show with nurses in pink wigs). So if you’re ready to rest your heart from the scary madness, the nurses show is more entertaining than terrifying. Well I think I’ll leave the rest of Howl-o-scream up to your exploration. Your gonna have a blast! Just remember to spend your money wisely and stay away from those extremely large stuffed animals. They may be exciting to win, but they are a pain to carry around. And hey, maybe I’ll see some of you there… you’ll know it’s me by the really girly screaming…

5.) Buying groceries instead of eating out.
This is a tough one for us college students, but it really can save you loads of money. By just buying groceries for yourself instead of eating nasty fast food or pricey restaurants every day, you’ll be saving money and learning how to cook!…. I know it doesn’t excite me either, but it works.

4.) Scheduling and Planning
As much as I hate to admit it, my mom was right. Making schedules to plan out your days and weeks really does save you time and money. When I was with my old bank, I don’t know how many late fees I had to pay because I forgot to make my payments – it’s scary to think about. My hard earned cash walking right out the door! I also like to make a list when I go shopping. This way, you’re only buying what you came to get and not everything else.

3.) Look for Sales
Looking for sales in the newspaper or online is a great way to save a buck. The best thing is that there is always some store that is offering some really good deals. All you have to do is look around. Oh yea and don’t be embarrassed to cut out and use coupons. They are awesome and your mom will love you for finally realizing how cool they are. Plus, it’s fun to cut stuff out… it’s therapeutic for me… what? Don’t judge me!!

2.) Comparing Prices
This one is really important for us to learn. Although it can sometimes be tedious, comparing prices with other stores or other brand’s prices is an extremely good thing to learn. Research is key here. If you really want something or need it, then it would be wise to know all that you can about the product and the differences between brands. You’ll learn that just because it’s more expensive it does not necessarily mean it is better. This will come in handy in the future when you want to buy a house, a pet, a car, or anything for that matter. Trust me, this will save you money.

1.) Wants vs. Needs
Almost everyone will have problems with this one some time in their life. The question you should always ask yourself before you buy something is, “Do I need this? Or do I just want this?” Being honest with yourself is key for this one. Whenever I try to convince myself that I really need something, I begin to realize that if I really needed it, then I wouldn’t need to convince myself of that fact. This is soooo important to learn. And I’m very guilty of buying things that I would never need. Buying things you don’t need is the biggest waste of your money and can cause lots of financial problems for anyone. It’s not a bad thing to buy something you want. Just make sure you do it sparingly and make sure you’re going to actually use it more than once.

Wow! Well I think I’ve lectured you all enough. I hope you will take my advice and learn from my mistakes. Now go out there and start saving!!!! FOR FINANCIAL FREEDOM!!!!!!!

www.U224U.com

10). Saving your spare change
I know you’ve all probably heard this before, but it really works. Saving those quarters, dimes and nickels really add up after a while. I actually saved up about 50 dollars worth of change once. So start pulling out those piggy banks.

9). Be Creative!
This tip helps me a whole lot because I’ve been very cheap ever since I started saving for my car. All you have to do is use stuff you have lying around the house for things you normally wouldn’t use them for. For example, instead of buying a mouse pad for my computer, I use a newspaper. If you do this your kinda recycling at the same time, and if you want to go for the trifecta you can actually read the newspaper!! So you’ll be well informed and green at the same time YAY!!

8.) Eating left-overs
This tip is a challenge for me because I sometimes hate eating left-overs (especially if its rice or fries eww), but it can actually save you some money. If you divide your meal so that you have some for later, then you can enjoy two meals for the price of one! “Wow that is soo easy Alex!” I know right!!!

7.) Re-discover your old stuff
If you guys are anything like me, then chances are you have a lot of stuff you don’t use anymore. Like clothes, books, games, and all sorts of things. Well what I do is go through that big pile of stuff and see if I can use it again. Many times I buy new stuff and I forget that my old things can still have a lot of value to them. So before you go buy something new try reading that book that you remember nothing about or playing through that old video game that you used to have fun with. You never know, you may re-discover something amazing.

6.) Driving Less
This one is self explanatory. Gas is expensive so no more joy rides. Just be aware of the gas you plan on using.

Check back in for more money tips – my top ones!

Visit www.U224U.com to learn more about me and the GTE Federal Credit Union’s U22 checking account for 12 to 22 year olds!
Or friend me on MySpace – www.myspace.com/myU22
Or become a friend on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/GTE-U22-Account/141512079625

So, now that I have my U22 account, I have been learning more and more about what makes GTE Federal Credit Union’s account different. One thing for sure? The PERKS. Have you guys heard about the FREE money GTE FCU is giving to U22 members? That’s right I said FREE. Pretty cool. All you have to do is the following four things:

1. Use your debit card to make a purchase
As if debit cards are hard to slide, they’ve made it even easier! U22 debit cards use a new “contactless” checkout method, which means no swiping; no waiting; no signing! And because everyone makes mistakes you also get once-a-month overdraft forgiveness. The overdraft forgiveness thing is pretty huge. Most banks actually charge teenagers and young adults more when they overdraft. This benefit is just another way GTE FCU helps us out.

2. Log into CU@Home –online account access
CU@Home makes it so easy to find what you’re looking for and almost always saves me a trip to the branch. I can check my balance and even see when the money that Mom transferred is available. I keep my bills paid and my parents proud by using the bill-pay program that lets you schedule regular monthly payments. With GTE FCU’s financial management guidance, it should be easy to survive college and save money for my new car.

3. Log into CU2GO – mobile account access
If you’re anything like me, your phone is your best friend and MAN does GTE FCU make managing money easy! If you’re on the go and you need a fast and convenient way to transfer money or check your account, there’s no need to freak out, you can do it from your phone! You can even pay bills simply and securely in minutes!

4. Set up Money Tracker located within CU@Home
As if CU@Home wasn’t great enough, they also have a money tracker program available. It gives you an instant, complete itemized history that helps you see where you spend your money. I’ve even set up alerts so I know when I’m about to exceed my budget.

That’s it!! Then GTE FCU will automatically put $25 in your U22 account.

You were probably gonna do all of those steps anyway, so the fact that they give you money for that is seriously nice of them. Especially since school is almost back around. Twenty-five bucks is about one or two good meals at a nice restaurant…or 4 fast food meals if you’re broke and saving money like me.

I gotta admit, it’s been pretty tough saving. I find myself always wanting some new video game or new pair of sneakers that’s just a bit too expensive. I have given into temptation once or twice, but I’m still on track to that new car. I will not let myself get in the way of my goal!!

Anyway, I just want to sort of introduce myself in case you were thinking, “Who is this loser?” Well, my name is Alex, and I really AM a broke college student. My car really ISN’T a hot ride, so it’s good I’m learning more about money. The decisions I make now could really affect how much my future car payment will be when I think about it – financing and credit scores, geez. My future car though…that sounds nice, and now, I feel like it actually could be attainable! I’m a huge goofball, but I know when to be serious. I love the arts, especially music and acting. I’m originally from New York and New Jersey (went back and forth from both states) and I love the city. I moved to Florida to go to school, and I’m having a great time in college. I’m an aspiring actor and hope to graduate with a degree in fine arts. I’m not looking for fame and fortune, because they can just lead to so many problems. In the future I just hope to be doing what I love and just enjoying life. Well, I think I’ve blabbed on enough, but if you wanna know more about me, check out my bio or send me an e-mail me at Alex@asku22.com.

Check me and the U22 Account out at www.u224u.com.