Zahra’s Bookstore Meet & Greet

This Saturday, April 3rd I’ll be signing copies of Money Matters: The Get It Done in 1 Minute Workbook. Come by between 2pm – 4pm.

Bring your teens!

Youth development speaker and author Shay Olivarria will discuss the 5 things we should be doing now to master our money. Lecture will be followed by a Q & A session and book signing for Money Matters: The Get It Done in 1 Minute Workbook.

This free event should not be missed.

Zahra’s Books N Things in Inglewood from 2pm – 4pm.

Shay Olivarria has worked with Upward Bound, Orangewood Children’s Foundation, and several other youth organizations and universities. Her second book, “10 Things College Students Need to Know About Money” will be out May 2010.

Books available online at: Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, and Powells.
Books available in store at:

Zahara’s Books
900 N. La Brea
Inglewood, CA

Smiley’s Books
22709 Avalon
Carson, CA

The Dock Bookshop
6637 Meadowbrook Dr
Fort Worth, TX 76112

Nubian Bookstore
2445 Southlake Mall
Morrow, GA

Malcolm’s Reading Room
404 17th St. North
Birmingham, AL

Your Credit Score Matters

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people tell me that monitoring their credit score isn’t important. I’ve heard everything from, “I don’t use credit anyway” to “mine is already bad, so whatever”. Folks don’t realize that though we usually think of credit cards when we think of credit, our credit scores are used to dictate many areas of our lives.

Utility deposits – many utility companies will want to run your credit score in order to turn your services on. You may be asked to provide a deposit if your credit score isn’t up to snuff. We all need electricity, water, gas, etc. Keeping your credit score up lowers your total moving costs by not requiring deposits.

Jobs – employers have been known to run your credit and conduct a background search. More and more often that stack of papers in your application packet will include a request you pull your credit scores. Employers think that if you have a low score you might be tempted to steal or might be distracted from working. Having education and experience is great, but in this day and age it might not be enough to land a great job.

Loans – the interest rate that you will be offered on car loans, home loans, credit cards, etc. is based, in part, on your credit score. The higher the score the lower the interest rate. The lower the interest rate, the more money you save.

It’s important to monitor your 3 credit reports. Make sure that your reports are error free and that you’re taking proactive steps to keep your scores as high as possible. Read more about how to maintain stellar credit scores in Money Matters: The Get It Done in 1 Minute Workbook.

PEACE