Janis Brownlee This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Farmington Daily Times Many accumulate debt off credit cards, struggle to pay it off

   www.daily-times.com/artman/pub - [Cached]

   Published on: 1/17/2004   Last Visited: 1/17/2004

   "It's like indentured servitude," debt counselor Janis Brownlee says of credit card debt. "All you're doing is working to pay off your debt."
   
   A branch counselor at Consumer Credit Counseling Services, Brownlee says that though the average credit card debt in the U.S. is almost $9,000, the average credit card debt she sees is closer to $20,000, plus student loans.
   
   Romley-Riester says that she owes about $25,000 in student loans.
   
   As a country, our collective credit card debt nearly tripled, rising from $238 billion in 1989 to $692 billion in 2001, according to a report, "Borrowing to Make Ends Meet: The Growth of Credit Card Debt in the '90s," by Demos, a New York-based policy research and advocacy group.

2. 2. Farmington Daily Times Many accumulate debt off credit cards, struggle to pay it off

   www.daily-times.com/artman/pub - [Cached]

   Published on: 1/14/2004   Last Visited: 1/15/2004

   "It's like indentured servitude," debt counselor Janis Brownlee says of credit card debt. "All you're doing is working to pay off your debt."
   
   A branch counselor at Consumer Credit Counseling Services, Brownlee says that though the average credit card debt in the U.S. is almost $9,000, the average credit card debt she sees is closer to $20,000, plus student loans.
   
   Romley-Riester says that she owes about $25,000 in student loans.
   
   As a country, our collective credit card debt nearly tripled, rising from $238 billion in 1989 to $692 billion in 2001, according to a report, "Borrowing to Make Ends Meet: The Growth of Credit Card Debt in the '90s," by Demos, a New York-based policy research and advocacy group.

3. 3. KGUN 9 News

   www.kgun9.com/story.asp?TitleI - [Cached]

   Published on: 12/21/2002   Last Visited: 12/21/2002

   CREDIT COUNSELOR JANIS BROWNLEE SAYS, "STORES ARE DESPERATE, THEY NEED TO MAKE THIS A GOOD HOLIDAY SEASON... OR ELSE." IF THESE LINES ARE ANY INDICATION, WHATEVER THE STORES ARE DOING TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS, IS WORKING. BUT BROWNLEE SAYS SHOPPING THE GREAT DEALS CAN END UP COSTING YOU MORE IN THE END. BROWNLEE SAYS, "THEY AREN'T CONSCIOUS THAT THEY SPENT 1000 DOLLARS MORE THAN THEY MEANT TO BECAUSE IT WENT ON A CREDIT CARD - NOT OUT OF THE ACCOUNT BUT THEN IN JANUARY WHEN IT COMES DUE - ITS LIKE - NOW WHAT DO I DO?" BROWNLEE SAYS TAKE CHARGE *NOW - SO YOU DON'T CHARGE YOURSELF INTO DEBT BY NEXT MONTH. YOU KNOW HOW SANTA MAKES A LIST AND CHECKS IT TWICE? THE CONSUMER CREDIT COUNSELING SERVICE SAYS YOU NEED TO DO THE SAME THING. THEN, *STICK TO THE LIST... BROWNLEE SAYS, "THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART, TO HAVE A BUDGET TO KNOW WHO'S GOING TO BE ON YOUR LIST AND HOW MUCH YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND FOR EACH PERSON." IF YOU GO OVER FOR ONE PERSON, SPEND LESS ON ANOTHER. AND DON'T FALL FOR DEEP DISCOUNTS IF YOU DON'T PAY CASH OR PAY OFF YOUR CREDIT CARDS ON TIME. BROWNLEE SAYS, "THERE GOES YOUR DEEP DISCOUNT - YOU PAID FOR IT ON THE OTHER END OF THE HOLIDAY IN INTEREST AND FEES." INSTEAD, GET CREATIVE IN YOUR GIFT-GIVING... OFFER YOUR TIME. BROWNLEE SUGGESTS, "SOMETHING PHYSICAL THEY CAN'T DO - CLEAN THE HOUSE, CLEAN THE YARD, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE ALWAYS GREAT GIFTS FOR PEOPLE." LOTS OF PEOPLE RE-GIFT... BROWNLEE SAYS, "THEY HAVE A LOT OF THINGS PEOPLE GAVE TO THEM - MAYBE NOT QUITE THEIR STYLE OR COLOR, SO IT GOES IN A BOX AND GOES TO SOMEBODY ELSE... IT'S ABSOLUTELY OKAY - I'M ACTUALLY SHOPPING FROM MY OWN CLOSET THIS YEAR." FINALLY... KNOW WHEN TO STOP. BROWNLEE SAYS, "WHEN YOU GET TO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND YOU'VE BOUGHT WHAT YOU WANT TO BUY, STOP SHOPPING - GO HOME."
   
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