Randy Haugen: Students Beware of Credit Cards

I know many students are heading off for their first year of college. Watch out for the credit card trap. It is a fact that every student is going to get hit by all kinds of credit card companies offering to give them credit. We hear all sorts of things like "you need to start building credit" or "you need a card JUST for emergencies." But the fact is, young people don't have to have credit cards. They are better off learning to manage their own money that they actually have by using debit cards. Don't rush right in to using credit. Paying cash isn't a bad thing. Yes, it may limit what you can afford but you will be glad later.

Read what Kiplinger says about students getting credit cards...

The average college freshman has $1,533 in credit card debt, according to a study by Nellie Mae, a student-loan provider. And that figure grows to $3,262 by the time he or she graduates. (Plus many have thousands of dollars in student-loan debt on top of that.) Half of freshmen carry plastic. And by the time they reach their senior year, 96% do -- with two-thirds of seniors carrying four or more credit cards.

So if everyone's doing it, it can't be that bad, right? Wrong. When the bills come due and interest charges pile up, too many students realize they took on more than they can handle. In fact, 7% to 10% of students will drop out of college due to credit problems, says Robert Manning, author of Credit Card Nation. "The initial freedom offered by credit cards may become financial shackles by the end of their college career," says Manning.

Once you start falling behind financially, you could sentence yourself to a lifetime of high rates on everything from car loans to mortgage payments to insurance premiums. That starter credit card your freshman year of college could potentially wind up costing you thousands of dollars down the road.

Read the complete article at Kiplinger.com:

http://kiplinger.com/columns/starting/archive/2007/st0808.htm

© 2007 Randy Haugan Amway Quixtar IBO Financial Common Sense. Reprint provided to Don Wilson Quixtar IBO site.

Don Wilson - The Proper Attitude for Success

I read this quote by Thomas Jefferson and it rang so true to me. Jefferson calls it the "right mental attitude." I believe what Jefferson is really talking about is our thinking. Here's the quote along with a few other success quotes...

Don Wilson - Success Quotes

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." - Thomas Jefferson

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." - Robert Collier

"The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen." - Frank Loyd Wright

© 2007 DON & NANCY WILSON, AMWAY / QUIXTAR IBO. Reprint permission given to Don Wilson Quixtar IBO site.

Don Wilson Sports: Tiger Wins Big

There is no doubt who the greatest golfer in the world is. Everybody knows it. And today, he just played like the number one player in the world. He started the day 1 back from the leader and finished the day and tournament 8 strokes better than the number two guys. What a swing. Tiger Woods continues to dominate the game of golf...

Woods erased a one-shot deficit in two holes, then buried Rory Sabbatini and the rest of the field to win the Bridgestone Invitational for the third straight year and send him to the PGA Championship with his game in good shape.

Woods holed a 12-foot par putt on the final hole that kept him bogey-free on a rainy afternoon at Firestone. He closed with a 5-under 65 for an eight shot victory over Sabbatini and Justin Rose, tying a PGA Tour record for most victories at one golf course.

It was the second time Woods has strung together three straight victories at this World Golf Championship, and he continued his dominance in these WGC events by winning for the 14th time in 25 tries.

Sabbatini again was left in his wake.

The fiery South African also lost a one-shot lead to Woods in the Wachovia Championship, then caused a brief stir by claiming later than Woods looked "beatable as ever."

Not on this course. Woods picked up five shots in a five-hole stretch along the front nine, and it was no contest after that. He joined Jack Nicklaus (Augusta National) and Alex Ross (Pinehurst No. 2) as the only players to win six times on the same course.

Read more on Tiger's latest win in the Amway Don Wilson Sports News article:

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=2962189&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

Source: ESPN

© 2007 Don Wilson Quixtar IBO site.

Don Wilson Sports News: New NFL Hall of Famers

Some new NFL players were just added in to the Hall of Fame. It is always fun to see who gets added. This article talking about the players who were just added also gave a predication of 50 current players who could make the Hall of Fame in the future. You might enjoy reading the list. Some are no doubt going to be added like the number 1 pick, Brett Favre and the number 2 pick, Tom Brady. But check out the article and their complete list of 50...

The Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomes six new members into its exclusive fraternity this weekend.

The additions of Gene Hickerson, Michael Irvin, Bruce Matthews, Charlie Sanders, Thurman Thomas and Roger Wehrli will bring the total number of players enshrined in Canton to 208.

This made us wonder which active players will ultimately walk across the stage at Fawcett Stadium wearing tacky bright yellow jackets and huge grins.

Matthews will become the 36th player from the 1985 NFL season to make the Hall of Fame. Fifty-four players from 1975 and 58 players from 1965 have been so honored. Therefore, it's reasonable to expect that at least 50 players from the upcoming season will land in Canton.

After extensive research, fact-checking, educated guessing and hunch playing, here are 50 active NFL players we predict will someday be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, listed in order of predicted Hall of Fame probability. Perhaps not everyone on this list will appear to be Hall of Fame material at first glance. Some might have to wait a few years to gain entry -- one of this year's inductees, Hickerson, last played in 1973.

Read the complete Don Wilson Sports News article at:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=halloffame/nfl1-10

Source: ESPN

© 2007 Don Wilson Quixtar IBO site.

Amway's Joe Markiewicz - The Attitude of a Winner

John Maxwell calls attitude "the difference maker." I think that is what Joe Markiewicz is saying here. All things being equal, attitude makes the difference...

It takes a lot to win at something. It takes hard work. It takes persistence. It takes commitment. It also takes the right attitude! It is true whether building our business or trying to get in better shape. We have to do the work. There is no doubt about that. Attitude alone will not do it for us. But attitude can make the difference.

We all have to work on our attitude and "check" our attitude all the time. Sometimes it takes getting someone else's perspective to help us see that our attitude isn't where it needs to be. So make a commitment to work on your attitude. Attitude is a choice.

I like these thoughts about attitude...

Joe Markiewicz - Attitude Greats

"Always look at what you have left. Never look at what you have lost." - Robert H. Schuller

"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." - Lou Holtz

"The optimist sees opportunity in every danger; the pessimist sees danger in every opportunity." - Winston Churchill

"Positive thinking won't let you do anything but it will let you do everything better than negative thinking will." - Zig Ziglar

© 2007 Joe Markiewicz Quixtar IBO. Reprint permission given to Don Wilson Quixtar IBO site.

Embrace Things That Work, Suggests Fred Harteis

People skills are so important in all areas of life. Everyone can benefit from developing their skills in dealing with people no matter what they do for a living. The book "How To Win Friends And Influence People" is one of the best books to read and study if you want to improve in this area...

“The world would be a better place if everyone would embrace the teachings of Dale Carnegie.” – Fred Harteis

Harteis notes, “The second book I read by Dale was “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” and I read and studied it during my high school days. The benefits have been astounding.”

Fred Harteis reports experiencing a real and measureable benefit from studying Carnegie’s lessons and principles.

Harteis explains, “ While in college I was elected class president three times only because of the principles followed in Dale Carnegies Books. I was a shy farm boy, but gained great confidence in public relations skills and people skills from being a student of the common sense wisdom of Dale. Business success is 87% people skill and 13% business skill. I firmly believe that the early exposure to Dale Carnegie’s writings has given me a high advantage. His principles are needed today every bit as much as when they were first written,” adds Fred.

Fred Harteis & Linda Harteis

Fred Harteis owns Harteis International, and North American business technology firm, Biznet Productions. A background in construction and agri-business laid Harteis’ business foundation. Under Fred’s leadership and vision, Harteis businesses have grown exponentially.

Harteis International is a family company. Harteis' children, Tonya, Fred and Annie, support worldwide operations.

Fred Harteis is the former President of the International Business Owners Association International (IBOAI).

Fred Harteis and his wife, Linda, live near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.


© 2007 FRED HARTEIS & LINDA HARTEIS. Reprint permission given to Don Wilson Quixtar IBO site.

Don Wilson & Jim Janz - Customer Satisfaction High

Customer satisfaction is a must in today's business world. Here's a recent update on how Quixtar and Quixtar IBOs are doing on customer satisfaction...

Jim Janz, “IBO Trade Association recently announced that in the second annual customer satisfaction seasonal edition of the Top 40, Quixtar was ranked at number five. Outstanding online experience and quality products have resulted in Quixtar being ranked the leading online health and beauty retailer and 20th overall according to Internet Retailers Top 500 Guide to the Web,” continued Jim Janz.

Don Wilson added, “With more consumers shopping online, good service is crucial. This is great news for our members, Quixtar Independent Business Owners (IBOs), whose businesses drive sales at quixtar.com.”

Background: The Top 40 Online Retail Satisfaction Index reviews categories such as Site Experience, Merchandise, Brand and Price. “With online sales projected to increase 13% – 14% during the next five years, it is important to ensure that our customers have the best possible experience finding information and ordering products,” notes Don Wilson.

“Through quixtar.com, IBOs offer shoppers exclusive brands such as ARTISTRY skincare and cosmetics, NUTRILITE vitamins and supplements, and XS POWER NUTRITION, as well as thousands of products representing brands such as Levi’s, Whirlpool, Reebok, KitchenAid and many more,” explains DON WILSON.

About the IBOAI “The official IBO Trade Association, IBOAI is dedicated to serving and protecting the interests of Quixtar powered Independent Business Owners (Quixtar IBOs) throughout North America.

IBOA leadership team includes Billy Florence, Jody Victor, Randy Haugen, Don Wilson Fred Harteis and Jim Janz. These IBOs serve and protect the business interests of independent business owners, (Quixtar IBOs) throughout North America.

The 2007 IBO Board of Directors Executive Committee Team includes Jim Janz, Chairman, Don Wilson, Vice Chairman, Bob Andrews, Brad Duncan, Kanti Gala, Randy Haugen, Bill Hawkins, and Kathy Victor. Governance and Oversight Committee includes Jody Victor and Billy Florence. Also serving on IBOAI board are Orrin Woodward, Chris Brady, Joe Markiewicz, and John Merris.

© 2007 Don Wilson & Jim Janz Amway Quixtar IBOs. All rights are reserved. Reprint permission provided to Don Wilson Quixtar IBO site.