I to I. Peer to Peer. Good Advice for College Freshman.
This week, I decided to sit back and let the college seniors do the talking!

There’s no doubt it’s tough for incoming college freshmen to avoid the temptations of campus life – new quarters, new rules and the new found freedom of being away from home! It’s an exciting time in their lives that requires some restraint to avoid getting off to a very bad start.

The first temptation is the evil credit card. Sure it looks cool with your own design and your name gleaming on it. But be wary. While new reform limits credit card companies’ from issuing credit to 18-20 year olds, many freshman still have access to credit cards. They want, they buy and they owe with a plan to pay off balances when they graduate. What they may not realize is that carrying balances and paying the minimum monthly throughout these four years is both costly and affects their credit score. Plus, if you don’t land that job with the dream income right away, how will you pay the bills?

The second temptation will be peers. College students come from all walks of life. There are ‘haves’ with seemingly limitless spending and ‘have-somes’ which makes up the majority. [There are also ‘hads’ which are those who caved into the pressure and are deeply in debt].

Life costs money, it’s a cruel reality so budgeting is key.

Some tips from college seniors to incoming freshmen, “Be smart and get creative.”
• Buy your clothes at home, not at college. The prices are typically higher in college towns.
• Get in the habit of setting money aside for savings and major purchases so you don’t rely on a credit card.
• Go with the school meal plans. There are lots of choices and the cafeterias have the best prices in town.
• Go in on purchases with friends. This is great for dining out or buying necessities in bulk.
• Check out the fees at the ATMs and keep your usage at a minimum.
• Utilize online banking to avoid overdrawing your account. That $35 average overdraft fee can add up and it will show up on your financial record.
• Don’t hang out with big spenders. The pressure to spend is too much for many.
• Plan for the unexpected, because something will happen that costs you money, [you know… like a speeding ticket or going over your cell phone minutes].

Fortunately GTE-FCU’s U22 account offers free online bill pay, email balance alerts, and mobile phone account access, plus once-a-month forgiveness for a debit card overdraft, their free personal financial management program AND you can earn points on your debit card to get cool stuff!

Recently, I have been working on a play called Eurydice. It is the re-telling of an old Greek play of the same name. It’s a very interesting play about love, loss and adventure. I play Little Stone who is one of three stones that live in the Underworld. The stones are weird creatures that love to tease and play with Eurydice as she struggles to regain her memory and leave the Underworld. We’ve all been working really hard on this play and it has been a lot of fun to work on. Everyone should come check it out! It opens May 14th at 8pm, and runs every Thursday to Sunday through May 31st. It’s at the Shimberg Playhouse in Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. I hope everyone comes out to see it and if you do come remember to use your GTE Federal Credit Union U22 account to buy the tickets!

Hello,

I recently posted some of my top reasons for encouraging my kids to get a Summer job – Part 1.

I was talking to my girlfriend recently, and her daughter just applied to work at a clothing store in the mall. She was really surprised at the interview questions that she had and the number of applicants they were sifting through; competition even for part-time jobs in retail – there’s a lot of people ready to fill those positions! Employers like to see a work history, and there’s no “easier” time to get started then during the Summer in high school!

So, why should your Teen get a Summer job? Here’s my reasons 6 through 7.

6. They gain new skills that will benefit their future career. While in high school, on-the-job experience gives teens the insight they need to discover their true interests. Their experiences will provide invaluable guidance when it’s time to select a college.

7. They’ll have a better understanding of the business world. Surprise, surprise. Life is not how it’s depicted on television. The business world has challenges, rewards and pitfalls. Better for them to learn about it now than after you’ve invested thousands on their college education.

8. Working teens gain maturity at a faster pace. There’s no substitute for hands on experience. Teens like to be challenged and recognized for a job well done. Work teaches responsibility, resourcefulness and provides a sense of accomplishment.

9. It looks good on their resume to future employers after college. It takes more than just good grades to land the big job. College graduates who can demonstrate responsibility have a real advantage. Employers are impressed by a graduate’s contribution to their own education and real world experiences through work, volunteerism and internships.

10. They are more responsible during off-work hours. Perhaps they’re tired. More likely they have a greater appreciation for their personal time. Working teens dedicate their spare time on chores, catching up with friends, sharing their work experiences with others and just plain relaxing.

Hey everybody!

This year I was in a show at the University of South Florida called The Shaughraun. It’s an Irish comedy that was written almost 150 years ago. I had a ton of fun working on the play, and although it was not easy, I learned so much from the experience. What’s pretty interesting is how much money and effort goes into making a production like this. First, the school picks a play they would like to see put on. Then they have to hire a set of people to be in charge of overseeing its production. So they hire a director, designer, and a technical crew. The director and his staff are usually in charge of choosing actors and is in charge of the overall vision of the play. The designer comes up with the overall look of the play from costumes to the set of the play. The tech crew are responsible for actually creating the set from the designs that the designer made. Just to hire these people can cost quite a bit of money for a company, or in this case USF, especially if you are using highly trained professionals.

Also, depending on what the play is, a lot of money needs to be spent on the materials used to make the costumes and the set. In this play, the school spent a ton of money on a giant fiber glass cow that was to be the main piece of the set. Publicity and advertising of a play is extremely important, but can also cost a fortune.

USF spent thousands of dollars on putting this play together, but after knowing that many people laughed and enjoyed it, I’ve realized that it was well worth the money. Because money isn’t everything and having memorable experiences are priceless. That’s what the arts are all about, so go out and see a play at USF or any other theater!

Winning the GTE Federal Credit Union U22 Open Casting Call has really motivated me to become a better actor. I know this is what I’m supposed to do in life. I like to think I’m on my way!!!

Suite Caroline Jamming Out

Sooo, I am super excited! The design for the Suite Caroline U22 card just came out, and man do I love it. It matches all my other web sites, which is really cool.

The U22 card is a Master Card/Debit Card. So, what exactly does that mean???

It is more flexible than I even knew!!

Every time you use it, the amount is deducted from your checking account. But there are 2 ways you can make a debit card purchase. You can enter your pin (debit) or sign the receipt (credit). Don’t ya love choices?

Here are the differences between which option you choose. With credit, you can dispute charges on the account, but on debit there are limits to that. The credit option is free while debit is 25 cents. With credit, you sign the receipt, but do not enter your pin number. (A pin number is a super secret 4-digit number assigned to you when you get your account.) With debit, you don’t have to sign anything, but you do have to enter your pin number. You can earn rewards points on some MasterCard charges, but not if you use the debit option. Just ask the cashier if you can run your card as credit! It’s that easy.

I love having my U22 card! (PS-Stay tuned for really cool stuff that’s coming up in the near future with the is card!!!)

Hey Ya’ll,

Alex here! Well it’s that time again – Final Exams. For us students, this can be one of the most stressful times of the year. Why? These exams are usually worth a HUGE percentage of our total grade and will make or break our overall success in the class – eh, no pressure. Every semester it’s the same thing, sweaty palms, restless nights, and stomachaches. What’s worse is that because we get so stressed out our immune system is weakened and we get sick, and if the stress is bad enough, it could lead to ulcers. Getting sick means spending money on medicine or taking time off of work, and we broke college students can’t afford that. So this semester I’ve come up with some things to help me avoid most of the stress. Hopefully, it will help you save some energy, time, and money.

1. NO PROCRASTINATION!!!
This is a big one for me because I love waiting until the last minute. But if I can just study a little bit each day ahead of time, I can avoid the ulcers.

2. Get plenty of sleep
A big reason why we get sick is because of lack of good sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep really does help you focus better. And, I don’t know if you’ve checked out the prices on over-the-counter medicines for cold symptoms lately – but whoa!

Cold Medicine – $5.49
Nasal Decongestant – $8.49
Cough Drops – $1.99
“Decent” Tissues – $2.29
Gotta have Chicken Noodle – $1.59
Grand total = $19.85 + tax
A cold could cost you like $20.00 – That’s almost 2+ hours of work!
ps – got my pricing from www.walgreens.com

3. Make sacrifices
This is another big one. I love to hang out with friends, party, and all that fun stuff, but my grades will suffer if I don’t sacrifice a few parties for studying.

4. Eat breakfast!
This might sound like a stupid one, but you’d be surprised what a good hearty breakfast will do for your body and mind. Toast, cereal, waffles, eggs – these are all pretty inexpensive.

5. Prepare the night before
I can’t recall how many times I woke up to go to an exam and I couldn’t find anything I needed. I’ve been late to tests because I couldn’t find my calculator or keys.

Good luck to my fellow hard-working students!!! May good grades and good habits be in your future!

Summer is fast approaching! Thus . . . the teenager/parent Summer job debate is right around the corner.

My teens look forward to this time of year when they break away from the day-to-day routine of school, homework and rules just to sit back, relax, play video games and hang out with their friends.

While they look forward to this time of year, I am desperately seeking ways to occupy their time: summer jobs, chores, camps, responsible recreation. Let’s face it, teens are expensive and, at times, challenging. This year, I’ve decided it’s time for them to be responsible, contribute to their own wants and build their savings account. So I did some research and have compiled a list of the top 10 reasons for teens to work in the summer.

1. They gain a better understanding of what life costs. Parents have rules when it comes to opening their wallets. Therefore, when teens start to work for their money, a sense of controlled freedom sets in. The result? Teens place a higher value on ‘their’ money and become more selective ‘spenders.’

2. They can start learning how to budget and save their money. Teens love money just as much as they love to spend it. Create a ‘matching dollars’ reward system and your teens are on the road to understand saving vs. spending.

3. They’re more likely to keep out of trouble. They can’t loiter, text, IM, surf the web, etc. when they’re working. Bottom line.

4. Working teens save parents money. Teens that work become more independent by nature. Therefore, as your teens stop asking for movie money, you can consider depositing those dollars into their college or after-college savings accounts.

5. They’ll gain real life experiences in dealing with other adults. The boss, customers and co-workers are far less forgiving than parents. That’s life. Better that they learn it now rather than later when they’re on their own.

Check back in for the remaining Great Reasons for Teens to Get a Summer Job.

Suite Caroline Talks about Expenses

I have had 4 TEETH PULLED in the past few months. It is so painful. It also makes it hard to sing because I have to get used to new spaces in my mouth! It is all part of making my teeth pretty . . . eventually . . . I’m sure braces will be involved here soon. I heard my mom talking to the doctor about it and I couldn’t believe how much they cost!

Check out these crazy stats from 2004 – yea like 6 years ago and it’s still crazy!!! We’re talking thousands for braces! TOTAL SHOCK! http://www.archwired.com/HowMuchDoBracesCost.htm

We also went to a wedding over the weekend. And I heard the mother of the bride talking about how much the flowers cost. I couldn’t believe that either!

Just because I was curious, I also looked up wedding flowers! Again – it’s pretty nuts. http://weddings.lovetoknow.com/wiki/How_Much_Do_Wedding_Flowers_Cost

So, now this has got me thinking about all of the expenses I will be facing one day. When I went to the mall yesterday, I decided not to buy a new shirt. I thought that maybe if I think about all of my purchases that way, then I’ll have more money saved for important expenses in the future.

And besides, I want to have pretty flowers at my own wedding one day.

Free Often Comes with a Fee.
Teaching Teens How to Avoid Unnecessary Costs.

Let’s face it, life is not free. Banking and managing money is a service that consumers have to pay for. Take my teenagers for example. They hadn’t a clue of what life really costs until we opened their own saving and checking accounts, and they had to start paying for themselves.

What they’ve discovered is along with financial freedom comes the responsibility aspect, which in this case, I used fees to help demonstrate how better management, preparation and knowledge in regards to their accounts can pay off. For example, at my credit union, we are charged a small fee for debit card transactions. Every bank, credit union, and financial institution charges fees, either boldly in your face or in very small legal print. This fee really represented a great learning opportunity for my kids:

1. READ YOUR NOTICES! My credit union regularly sends out notices to their members regarding account updates. My kids receive these notices and often discard them or neglect to read them. If they had read them, they would realize that to avoid debit fees, all they would have to do is pay with credit and sign for their purchase versus typing in their PIN – a great option that they can use almost everywhere! And, they earn rewards points by signing.

2. PLAN AHEAD! Moreover, they can plan ahead and budget. My kids were tapping into their accounts sometimes 10 times per day! Minimizing their transactions by forecasting their week’s activities helped them spend less.

In the years to come, most money gurus have predicted that fees will only continue and perhaps even rise as banks and financial institutions try to compensate for the new credit card legislation. For the future, kids need to better understand fees, learn about them and even accept them. The whole idea of “Fees aren’t fair” – well my response . . . “Life’s not always fair.” You can either huff and puff or learn some stuff.

As was in my kids’ case, just by being more educated about their account, they avoided a fee completely!

I will never think of strawberries or strawberry jam the same again!!! As for the strawberry jam, that was the name of the contest that GTE Federal Credit Union put on to find a super talented kid to perform with me at the Stingray Chevrolet Tent at the Strawberry Festival 2010.

The winner was Matt W. from Bradenton, Florida, and we had a great JAM last weekend!! It was fun getting to play a duet, and he did awesome for his first big performance – didn’t seem to have any major nerves at all!!!

As for strawberries, well, what can I say about the FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL??? WWOOWW~!!

I got to the stadium really early in the morning the day of my concert, and as soon as I rounded the corner to do sound check I saw my U22 Billboard looking right back at me! I dropped my jaw, and started jumping up and down! I knew it was going to be a great day!! AND IT WAS!!!! Lots of you got to use your preferred seating tickets from the GTE FCU branches. And that was great to look out into that huge crowd and see so many of you that were there to be a part of my big day!! I think the concert went great, but I think the biggest hit was the U22/Suite Caroline guitar pics that I threw out from the stage!! I am still getting requests for those, but they are ALL gone!!! And did you see the awesomely cool ATMs all over the festival grounds? Yep, I was on those too. I have to say that little cartoon of me makes me smile. So thank you GTE FCU, U22 and all the really nice people at the Strawberry Festival. I like to sing about DREAMING BIG, and this was a big one come true!!