The farm crisis of the 1980s was the worst economic disaster to strike rural America since the Depression-thousands of farmers lost their land and homes, irrevocably altering their communities and, as Kathryn Marie Dudley shows, giving rise to devastating social trauma that continues to affect farmers today. Through interviews with residents of an agricultural county in western Minnesota, Dudley provides an incisive account of the moral dynamics of loss, dislocation, capitalism, and solidarity in farming communities.
Most people carry debt for most of their adult lives. Yet, most books on debt focus mainly on how to pay it all off, and live forever without it. Too often, following that advice leads only to failure. People either give up, or pay off the wrong kinds of debt. They strand themselves with too little flexibility to survive a financial crisis — and land in bankruptcy court. They neglect saving for retirement, homes, or college, and end up poorer than they might have been. For most people, it’s more realistic — and smarter — to control and manage debt effectively, rather than eliminating it completely. Debt Smart shows how. Award-winning personal finance columnist Liz Weston explains the rules and explodes the myths surrounding debt. Discover the crucial role debt can play in a portfolio, identifying debts that actually contribute to wealth and flexibility, while avoiding or eliminating “toxic” debts. Weston presents effective strategies for evaluating, monitoring, and paying every form of debt, from credit cards and mortgages to student and auto loans. She offers practical guidelines for how much debt one should take on.Find realistic (and often surprising) guidance on everything from home equity loans and 401K borrowing to small business loans.
As the cost of a college education continues to increase at a rate of about 9% annually-nearly three times the rate of inflation-more and more college students are taking out loans to cover tuition, fees, and other expenses. Median undergraduate student loan debt is currently close to $20,000, and graduate students end up with an additional $32,000 in debt upon graduation. Pile on thousands more in credit card debt, and many college students today graduate with massive financial burdens that they are not prepared to handle.
In Zero Debt for College Grads, noted personal finance expert Lynnette Khalfani provides a thorough roadmap for stress-free living that will allow recent graduates to focus on their burgeoning careers while navigating the ups and downs of their financial responsibilities.
“”Zero Debt for College Grads,”" by Lynnette Khalfani, puts into plain English what many recent college graduates need to hear: lay off the credit cards and expenses and be a bit more realistic with your lifestyle. –The New York Post





