Debt help self

now! - debt and health, self-defense, budgeting - Brief Article

HOT NOW! sneer blouse

GIVE YOUR TWINSETS AND FORM-FITTING SWEATERS A REST FOR A WHILE. BLOUSES ARE TOPS FOR FALL. WEAR THEM IN SOFT, SEXY OR ROMANTIC STYLES--NOT IN THE BUTTONED-UP, CONSERVATIVE LOOK FROM YEARS PAST. PAIR THEM WITH SKIRTS, YOUR FAVORITE SUIT OR EVEN JEANS.

HEALTH UPDATE Credit Health Crunch

Bad debt not only affects financial health, it has been linked to poor physical health too. In stress tests where standard measures such as weight and the ability to perform simple tasks were taken, doctors also measured subjects' debts and compared them with their incomes. They found significantly worse health problems among those who were in over their heads.

Debt woes also reduce your life expectancy. Dr. Michael F. Roizen, an internist and expert in gerontology at the University of Chicago, says the stress of indebtedness can trigger serious illness. His advice, especially for those with a family history of ailments such as hypertension and heart disease: Spend less than you earn.

WHY NOT scribe a note?

In this digital age of E-mail and cell phones, the thoughtful and personal touch of handwritten words will warm someone's heart. So pick up some lovely stationery and send a note to a friend.

PLAN NOW ... TO SHOOT THE FAMILY PHOTO YOU'LL USE FOR THE HOLIDAY CARDS. VISIT THE PHOTO-FINISHING STORE AND CHECK ALL THE GREAT OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR CHRISTMAS AND KWANZAA GREETINGS.

KNOW-HOW defend yourself

Don't be fooled by falling crime figures. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, one out of every 33 women is likely to be a victim of violent crime. Impact Personal Safety--a national self-defense instruction organization--says criminals look for women who seem compliant. Stay on guard with the following tips:

* Trust your gut: If a situation feels dangerous, it probably is. Don't second-guess yourself; look for a way out.

* Check the vibe: Is the person near you drunk, angry or agitated? Are there people within earshot?

* Take action: Move away from a suspicious person. You should allow at least two arm lengths between you and a stranger.

* Speak up: Say "Leave me alone" or "Stop bothering me."

* Learn to hit where it hurts: Most women don't know how to really inflict pain. Use keys or even your hands, elbows or feet to hit an attacker's eyes, throat or groin.

* Take a real-life class: You can't learn how to drive by reading about it. The same is true for defending yourself. Look for a class that uses simulated attack strategies. Check Impact's Web site at www.prepareinc.com.

KA-CHING the envelope, please

Remember Grandma's cash stash underneath her mattress? Financial planner Glinda Bridgforth says the old-school trick can help get your budget back on track. Try her Envelope Plan: Once you outline a budget and determine how much money per month needs to be spent on what, put that amount in an envelope and proceed on a cash basis. For example, if you put $300 in your grocery envelope, use only those funds. No fair running to the ATM when the envelope's tapped out.

TIP OFF Make Over Your Closet

So you've got a closetful of clothes and nothing to wear, right? You don't need more clothes--you need to organize the clothes you have to make dressing easier. Here's how:

* Invest in good hangers. No wires! Plastic or wood hangers with metal hooks and swivel tops won't get tangled, plus they hold their shape and turn easily for viewing.

* Arrange your clothes by type--pants, dresses and so on. Then group them by color--neutrals, whites and brights.

* Get accessories off the floor. Install hooks to group belts, scarves and handbags at eye level.

* Double up: Increase your closet's capacity by hanging a space-saving double rod.

* Augment your storage space with baskets, boxes and bins sold in bath shops, catalogs and specialty stores.

GOOD WORKS Eyes on the Prize

When you visit your local optical shop, you know you don't see much color in the examination room. That's why Essence Eyewear and Cole Vision have awarded seven young sisters at New York City Technical College $14,000 in grants to gain the skills needed to compete in the growing $16 billion eyewear market. The college's two-year training program covers a range of spectacle know-how, from vision testing to grinding lenses. This awarding is the first of what is to be a national initiative, and a line of eyewear has been designed to fund the grants. When you purchase Essence Essentials exclusively through Sears Optical, your dollars will go to help support these career opportunities for sisters.

YOU GO! The Good Doctor

Shaun D. Biggers, M.D., a young New York OB-GYN with a thriving private practice, is concerned with much more than babies these days. The Harvard-educated doctor now doles out advice as the women's health correspondent on the MSNBC-TV show HomePage, a daily three-hour interactive blend of news and information. Biggers, who last year appeared in national ads for Anne Klein's Women of Significance campaign, warms viewers with her affable style--proving that medicine is not always hard to take.

ACT NOW Legacy of Harriet Tubman

HONOR HARRIET TUBMAN WITH A NATIONAL HOLIDAY. THANKS TO THE LOBBYING EFFORTS OF THE BLACK WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP CAUCUS, THE NEW YORK SENATE IS REVIEWING A BILL TO COMMEMORATE TUBMAN FOR LEADING LEGIONS OF SLAVES TO FREEDOM. IF YOU'RE A NEW YORK STATE RESIDENT, CONTACT YOUR SENATOR; IF NOT, LOBBY YOUR OWN STATE LEGISLATURE TO CONSIDER THE MEASURE.

REMEMBER

As kids head to school, teach them about those who paved their way. In 1957 nine Black youngsters integrated Little Rock High School in Arkansas.