Shis issue: ( Celebrities’ nude photo leak arouses many questions (Y Standardize the rules of job-seeking (Y Don't tease me And more! Have your voice heard! Contact: Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor M opinions@theotherpress.ca www. theotherpress.ca Plastic payoff » How credit cards can benefit you Angela Ho Business Manager ™ accountant @theotherpress.ca was recently in the checkout line with a friend when I pulled out my credit card to pay for a $5 transaction. “Why don’t you use your debit or cash?” My friend asked me later. “Don’t you pay a lot in credit card interest?” The truth is that I use my credit card anywhere that it’s accepted, even for purchases that cost a dollar or less (assuming that there are no minimum-dollar restric- tions). It’s not that I don’t have cash—although I don't like to carry cash in general—and I certainly do owna debit card. Pll be honest about one other thing: I have absolutely no idea what the interest rate on my credit card is. It could be 12 per cent or 30 per cent, and I don’t care, because I’ve never had to pay interest on my credit card purchases. There are three rules to follow when owning a credit card. The first rule is to pay off : the full balance each month : to prevent interest charges : from accruing. Secondly, I try : to use my credit card for all : my purchases, so long as I’m : able to pay the full balance : each month. Finally, Itry to : familiarize myself with the : features of my rewards cards in : : order to maximize my benefits. : : asurprise bill, you can always : log in to view your current : balance, and you can always : make smaller payments to : your credit card account before : your bill arrives. And when : your bill does arrive, make sure : to review your transactions : thoroughly. Doing so will allow : you to spot trends in your : spending and ensure your card : has not been compromised. There are a lot of “points” : cards on the market, and : the choices can be quite : overwhelming. Some cards : offer points that can only be : used with a specific company, : some points can be used for : travel, others are purely cash : back. You'll need to do some : research, because some cards : even offer bonus points if : you use them to purchase gas : or groceries. In general, you : : should aim for a card that offers : : at least one per cent back in : points. The type of points that : you choose to earn, whether it : be a cash-back card, a travel-re- : : wards card, or a company-spe- : cific points card, are personal : preference. If you're just : starting to use a rewards card, : it’s best to find one that doesn’t : have many rules, restrictions, : OF limits, as well as one that : doesn’t charge an annual fee. This time next year » New school year resolutions and the BC Teacher's strike Elliot Chan Opinions Editor © opinions @theotherpress.ca essimistically speaking, whatever the New Year’s resolution you made in January was, you've probably given up on it as we head into the latter-half of 2014. If you weren't able to reach your full potential this time around, relax: the way I see it, September is the real beginning. The mark of a new academic year is always refreshing, even though I—like many students in BC—will not be immediately attending class this autumn. : My situation, although : different from those who've : been impacted by the labour : strike between the BC : Teachers’ Federation and the : BC Liberals, still offers room for improvement. After all, : so much in terms of learning. : students need to make that : extra effort. So I bring it back to the idea of setting resolutions. : Where will you be in terms of : Never mind what the world ; around you is doing—what : can you do for yourself? And : the better question is, how : will you reward yourself next : summer wasn’t shabby, but My best advice on how : to maximize your credit card : points is to use your credit card : for all of your everyday pur- : chases, such as food and gas. : After all, you have to buy these : items anyway, and earning one : per cent back is better than not earning anything back at all. Ifyou don’t like the idea of Finally, for any credit card that you sign up with, be sure : to read all of the fine print, and : pay attention to any updates : that are sent in the mail. Credit card companies sometimes : change the rules associated : with their cards, which can : include major changes to : their rewards programs. And : always remember the first : rule of owning a credit card: ; never, ever carry a balance. : you know that if you can make } : some strides this fall, winter, : and spring, summer will : undoubtedly pay for itself. As students, I feel we : put a lot of pressure on how : well we do in the classroom : classroom settings can only do : : workplace that we are really : When it comes down to it, the : : my favourite quotes from : Mark Twain is, “Don’t let : schooling interfere with your : education.” What he means : is that the courses you take, : your goals this time next year? : : you, and the deadlines you : need to meet, should not halt : your progress towards your —: : ultimate goal, whatever it may : : : be. : summer? Let’s be honest, this : : to give up on resolutions, it’s environment, yet it’s the striving to excel in. One of the homework assigned to Not only is it common also common to get academic : amnesia, where a whole : school year would pass by : without any recollection. So : really suck this school year : smoothie dry. If you are in : class, try to apply what you : learn to something, anything. : Ifyou aren't in school—like : me—don't passively await : opportunities, but imagine : yourself a year from now. : Think of what you want to : know that you didn’t know : yesterday, and learn it on your : own merits. We often make New Year’s resolutions into ambitious, : life-changing goals. We want to lose weight, earn more : money, and perhaps achieve : something we haven't before. : All that is admirable, but : let’s make our school-year : resolution a building block : towards our New Year’s : resolution. Let’s work on : our self-discovery and our : intellectual enhancement. : That way, when January rolls : around, we can catch our : second wind and improve : from there. And it doesn’t : matter whether we are in : school or not. Learning is all about attitude. But hey, for those : kids who are out of school : because of the strike or for : those unemployed graduates, : relax and enjoy this little : break while you can before : life grinds the crap out of you. : Stick with it, and this time : next year, you'll be better.