ON THE MONEY Surviving a Financial Crisis

SURVIVING A FINANCIAL CRISIS Learn when to get help and how to talk down your debt.

BY JENNY HOFF

Apersonal financial crisis can be as scary as a health variety of counseling services and they advertise that no one is turned crisis: You may feel very alone, very desperate and away, regardless of income level. powerless to change it yourself. The good news is, a If your credit scores are good but your debt is becoming unmanageable financial setback is not terminal. There are steps you (you may be making your minimum payment every month but accumulating can take to get out of it, and there are professionals interest), one option is to apply for a no- or low-interest card and transfer available to help you do it. your debt to that one card. It may come with an intro offer of 12-15 months

Suffering monetarily can come without interest, giving you the chance to pay off the debt in many forms, from a major dip in your credit scores due to late “” steadily over the course of many months. There will be transfer fees associated with the switch as well as a hike in payments or identity theft, an accumulation of debt that continues You need to interest once the intro period is up, but if you make a plan and pay off your debt in time, this can save you thousands in to snowball due to high interest rates or even just the sensation that avoid interest interest you would have otherwise paid. If you don’t qualify for a no-interest card, you can always at any moment, one small upset could leave you without any money like the plague, attempt to negotiate down your debt with your creditors. There are companies that will help you in to pay for your most basic needs. “If it’s causing you a lot of stress, be allergic to it. the process, but Hergistad suggests you try to do it yourself first. if you’re afraid to answer your “When negotiating down your debt you’re gonna need phone, if you dread going to the some money to negotiate with,” she says. “If you’re flat-out mailbox and seeing your bills, even if you’re keeping broke, it’s not going to help you. If you can come up with some money and up but you have this sinking feeling, you are so much say to a creditor, ‘Will you take this much instead of the full amount?’ and better off getting help now rather than later,” says show them a reason they should, they will often do that.” Sally Herigstad, author of Help! I Can’t Pay My Bills: Most importantly, Hergistad says, be wary of taking out loans, either in the Surviving a Financial Crisis. form of credit cards or car loans. “You need to avoid interest like the plague,

Credit counselors can help you manage debt, be allergic to it,” she says. Unless it’s a home, which should increase in value work on your credit scores and even make a plan to over time, pay cash for everything. That way, in times of financial downturns save up for a house. Organizations like the National you can concentrate on finding more work and building your wealth instead Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) offer a of surviving calls from creditors.

TEXAS RULES OF THE ROAD: DRIVING ETIQUETTE BY CHELSEA BANCROFT

With more and more people returning to work and driving on the roads again, Roger Beasley Mazda wants to remind Austin drivers of some important rules of the road and proper driving etiquette.

Slow Traffic, Keep Right

By Texas law, slower traffic should keep right and not drive in the left-hand lane, which is meant for passing only. If you are in the left lane and someone behind you wants to go faster, even if you’re driving the speed limit, move over. It’s the law. On the other hand, faster-moving vehicles in the left lane need to have a little patience and give slowermoving cars a moment to pass before aggressively switching lanes around them. Follow the law and be courtesy to drivers around you. Use the left lane for passing and keep right if you’re driving slower.

Tailgating

Tailgating, the act of following the car in front of you too closely, is a contributing factor in one in eight of all crashes on the road according to Highways England. As a general rule, you should keep three to five car lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you, if not more at higher speeds.

Turn Signals

Turn signals alert other drivers around you to what your car is going to do next, whether that’s changing lanes or turning. Despite being the law, failure to use turn signals causes countless avoidable accidents in the U.S. every year. In Texas, you should signal 100 feet before making a turn.

Honking

Austin traffic can be infuriating, but honking your horn repeatedly won’t change it. Excessive honking is a common factor in road rage incidents. Only use your horn in emergency situations and when necessary.

High Beams

When driving at night, high beams are beneficial to increasing visibility if a road is not well lit. Just be sure to turn them off whenever a vehicle comes from the opposite direction to avoid blinding them and making it harder for them to see. Luckily, many Mazda vehicles have automatic high beams that can detect when another vehicle is coming and automatically turn them on and off for you!

First Responders and Emergency Vehicles

If you see an emergency vehicle with flashing lights, you must yield to it. It’s the law. If there is an emergency vehicle stopped on the side of the highway, whether pulling someone over or helping with an emergency, move a lane away to give them more space and slow to 20 mph below the posted speed limit when passing.

Rubbernecking

Slowing down to look at an accident or incident on the side of the road is called “rubbernecking.” It’s a form of distracted driving and actually makes traffic backup from an accident worse! It can also cause new accidents, so do your best not to rubberneck and focus on the road ahead of you.

Bikers and Pedestrians

Austin is a very bike- and pedestrian-friendly city. Take extra care when driving to watch out for them, especially at crosswalks and downtown.

Do your best to be a kind and courteous driver. Let people merge, try not to get road rage and always be safe!