Community Magazine September 2012

defeating debt Norman Balassiano, Angel of Debt post-debt strategies If you’ve recently settled your debt, now is a great time to begin building up your credit and savings to help make sure that you stay debt free for the long term. Start with these steps: • Apply for a secured credit card to help you rebuild your credit. You will make a deposit in an account that will be equal to your credit limit. Only use one credit card and pay your bill in full each month. Use your debit card for most transactions. • Increase your retirement contribution, or start one. The great thing about a 401k is that you don’t really feel the deduction since it’s automatically taken from your paycheck, and most companies will match a percentage. This is a long-term investment you’ll be glad you made when it comes time to retire. • Add a long-term savings account. Set up a monthly automatic transfer for as much money as you can spare, from your checking to your savings account so you’re not tempted to spend money just because you have it. Once you have a few thousand dollars, you can invest it in a CD or a fund to get a better interest rate. Although interest rates aren’t great right now, you’ll make a few extra dollars and have better investment opportunities once the economy improves. • Increase your emergency fund. Having been in debt, you probably know how quickly fortunes can change. Try to set aside enough money to live for six to eight months without income. garage gab Ralph Czeisler, Emil’s All Tire - Edited by Rachel Dayan avoid dishonest Mechanics •Find a good mechanic by asking your friends for recommendations and choose a mechanic who has built a reputation of honesty and fairness. •Use a website like www.repairpal.com to gauge average estimates on repair jobs, so you know if you’ve been given a fair quote. •For an expensive job, consider getting a second estimate. •Finally, if you’re suspicious about whether repairs were actually performed, ask to see the parts that have been replaced (brakes, belts, etc.), mechanics are required by law to keep all replaced parts from the job until you leave. They are the trained professionals, experts in their fields and masters of their domains. Community magazine’s savants share their best tips on how you can make your life a bit simpler, more economical, and more efficient. Are you a savant in your field? Email your hints and advice to editor@communitym.com . tech know Morris Massry, Technology Partners Assoc. app of the month Google Translate Whether at the Canton Fair or the Kotel, you may find yourself in a situation where you need to communicate with the locals, but don’t know the language well enough. That’s where Google Translate is going to come in handy. The free app can translate 64 languages (including Hebrew, of course), has voice recognition, and can translate text from billboards, signs, and dinner menus using the camera on your Android, iPhone, or iPad device. For those trying to learn a new language, Google Translate will speak back the translation to you in whatever language you select. Savan 74 Community magazine