Getting Your Money's Worth with Judith West

Getting your money's worth advises: be careful when filing for student aid. Understand that nearly everyone, regardless of circumstances, is eligible for aid from the $8,000 plus program. Tips for applying: apply early in January. It's not necessary to file income tax first. An accurate estimate of adjusted gross income is acceptable. Reminder: adjusted gross income is not taxable income. Be mindful of deadlines. States, colleges, federal government -- all have different dates. Don't count your house. Your primary residence isn't considered an asset for student aid purposes. Neither is a family-owned business with fewer than one hundred employees. And, lastly, be accurate. Check and double check. Common errors are transposing numbers, mistyping. List your name exactly as it appears on social security card.

We're told that our economy is in a slow recovery. I guess that's akin to being off "life support". But lots of us are still angry. Angry that all the people in finance and government that should have been watching, didn't. No one watched out for John or Jane Citizen. But we are told in a book out by Michael Lewis about a small group of folks who did see what was happening. Among them was a twenty-two year old Harvard student who left Julliard to study economics at Harvard. After interning during her junior and senior years at an investment bank, she wrote her thesis on mortgage securities. She discovered what everyone else chose not to see: in no way could those undocumented, no money down loans be repaid. All that purposefully "complicated financial paper had as it's foundation loans that would never be paid back. This young woman graduated Summa Cum Laude with an "A" in economics. She now works as a financial analyst. When asked, "Why?" She answered: how will Wall Street ever change, if the people that work there don't change.

Warren Buffett, America's most famous investor, is confident. And he's on a buying spree. He used the past eighteen months to pick up value. He made a wise statement for stock purchases. When you see value and when it's raining gold, reach for a bucket, not a thimble. Buffett did have strong words for leaders whose companies created disasters, but who still themselves live in grand style. They need to be held accountable and they should pay a heavy price. Speaking of price by the way, anyone who invested $2,000 in Berkshire Hathaway in 1965, would today have $80 million. Buffett's rule for investing? Rule number one: Never lose money. Rule number two: Never forget rule number one.

Just say "no" to an extended product warranty. They are a bad deal. If you still are tempted, watch for high shipping costs. Also, for how long it takes to make repairs. If it's your refrigerator, you need that. On computers, usually the warranty is likely to cost more than most repairs. Laptops falling aren't covered. Especially avoid extended warranties offered by third parties who frequently go out of business. A much better alternative, recommends BOTTOM LINE, is to self-insure: Ask how much the warranty costs. Put that amount into a savings account. Use that to pay for repairs. If nothing breaks, you saved some extra money.

There are more job hunters than jobs. So during an interview avoid even a minor slip of the tongue. Instead of the word: Crisis. Use the word, Problem or Challenge. Crisis makes you sound like someone who blows things out of proportion. Stop with "I'm a people-person". It's overused and sounds like you have no real skills. Be a mediator or a coordinator. Don't use "irrigardless". It's not a word. The word is "regardless". Never say, "fired". Say, "your position was eliminated", or that you were laid off in a reduction. And, finally, avoid negative words like can't, no way, impossible. Negativity is a big turn off.

I don't know if you noticed, but of late, more and more emails have those smiley faces showing up in the message. Maybe those symbols are okay on a handwritten note, but if you're depending on them to make a statement in business or to resolve any kind of dispute, "forget it". Let's just say it: "conveying emotions through e-mail sucks." Never engage in disagreements -- personal or business -- electronically. And, if possible, not even by phone. Nothing replaces face-to-face. Younger folks, who have grown up with email and Text, may think I'm nuts. But email allows misunderstandings to ratchet up. In person, you can see how someone is reacting. You can pause, re-assess and adapt. You can even say, "I'm sorry", eyeball to eyeball.

February is the month for lovers. So this is a wife's "to do" list for her husband. I call this, secrets to a happily married man.

• tell your wife you adore her

• do your share of child care

• do your part with chores

• listen without judging

• praise her

• support her interests

• say, "I understand"

This is about your owing money, lots of it. According to our city comptroller, you are in debt to the tune of seventy-seven hundred dollars. That's your share of New York City's debt. Your share of New York State is three thousand. Our state comptroller says; it's like somebody ran up your credit card and gave you the bill. But according to the NEW YORK TIMES, your share of federal debt is over one-hundred thousand dollars. Yet, no need to stay up all night worrying. There's a story about a fellow pacing all night. His wife asks him, "What's wrong?" He says I owe Williams ten-thousand dollars and I don't have it. She replies: "You don't have it. So come back to bed. Let Williams worry."

For too many years, too many people bought too much house. How to avoid? Ron Liber in the NEW YORK TIMES offers advice. Put twenty percent down. This is the way it always was before banks threw out the rules. Get a fixed rate mortgage. Your monthly housing bill will remain stable. Don't spend more than thirty five percent of your pretax income on mortgage tax and insurance. Banks may not care if you spend more, but you should. Think through the expense of owning. Maintenance can easily creep over five percent of cost annually. And, best advice: always fall back on the eight-hour test. Whatever the size of your mortgage, you should be able to sleep soundly. If you're reaching for Ambien, it's a good sign the loan is too much.

Ruth McBride Jordan died in the early days of January. Her name may not ring a bell, but her son's book, A BLACK MAN'S TRIBUTE TO HIS WHITE MOTHER, was on the NEW YORK TIMES best seller list for 100 weeks. Ruth, an Orthodox Jewish woman, was twice married to a black man. Her first husband died leaving her with eight children. She raised those eight children for fifteen years alone, arranging for them to be bused to better schools. With her second husband, she had four more kids, prior to his death. All twelve children graduated from college. Two are doctors, two professors, two teachers, two engineers, a finance director, a social worker, a nurse, and a journalist, make up the dozen. Mother McBride, herself, earned a social work degree from Temple University at 65. Questions about racial identity were always answered the same. Mom would only say, "I'm light skinned." She ignored stares, snide comments and cackles. All that really mattered to her was her kids and their education. There is no power greater than the force of a mother's will and a strong public education system.