| Partnerships prove Ram pride sells
While Colorado State University doesn't generally sell naming rights to its buildings and sports facilities, it's happy to rent its name and logo to everyone from jewelers to car dealers, travel agencies and credit card companies. And every time a student or alumnus signs up or buys, the university, its athletic department and alumni association stand to benefit. .
Weighing options of credit card debt consolidation effort
D ear Debt Adviser: I have consolidated all of our credit card debt onto two credit cards with APRs of 4.99 percent and 2.99 percent until it is paid off. My husband wants us to take out a loan with the bank so that we are making set monthly payments, even though the interest rate would be considerably higher, possibly around 11.25 percent. I have tried to explain to him that we would be paying more money that way, but he does not understand. Can you explain it in a way he can understand or am I somehow looking at this wrong? -- Susan Dear Susan: I can tell who's the most fun at your house. You clearly like an unstructured approach that allows for side trips when something interesting comes along. The old "ball and chain" likes a direct approach with few unknowns and a clear end to the journey.
Join Credit Union? It's Worth A Look
Consumers have a plethora of borrowing and saving options, including traditional banks, online-only banks, credit unions and investment brokerages.
And although Internet-only banks can offer the most competitive rates for saving and borrowing, credit unions offer a mix of favorable rates and personal service. They're often a good alternative to traditional banks, which still dominate the market.
Credit unions are affiliated groups of people who pool their money and lend it to each other. They don't have divided loyalties - trying to serve a customer at the same time as boosting profits and the stock price for shareholders.
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IT Services Consolidation Shows No Sign of Slowing in Q2
The number of mergers and acquisitions in the IT services space during the second quarter of 2007 was up by 23% on the same period of the previous year, as the rate of consolidation showed no sign of slowing. In the three months to the end of June, ComputerWire tracked a total of 102 M&As involving IT services vendors, up from 83 in the second quarter of 2006. In total, the first half of 2007 has seen a massive 192 deals announced, up 19% on the first six months of last year. The two biggest deals of the quarter both involved private equity firms buying credit card processing companies. In April, First Data agreed to a buyout by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts valued at $29bn. Then, one month later, Alliance Data Systems was acquired by Blackstone Group in a $7.8bn agreement, representing roughly a 30% premium on Alliance's share price.
Poll: Spitzer Wrong on Bruno, Right on Albany
This is interesting. In a Siena poll out today, 51 percent of respondents said they believe Eliot Spitzer knew what his aides were up to when they tried getting state police to gather information about Joe Bruno. But even more of them - 58 percent - say Spitzer “is committed to reforming Albany." .
Publicis Groupe: Results for the First Half of 2007
Maurice Lvy, Chairman and CEO, presented the first half 2007 financial statements and management report to the Supervisory Board, chaired by Mrs Elisabeth Badinter, at its meeting on Tuesday, July 24, 2007. Organic growth in the second quarter and for the first half as a whole, does not reflect what Publicis Groupe (Nachrichten/Aktienkurs) has regularly achieved nor its potential. In contrast to this modest organic growth, however, all other indicators again showed improvement: new business, margin, free cash flow and level of debt. This clearly illustrates the capabilities and the potential of Publicis Groupe. Organic growth is the most frequently watched indicator, although it sometimes tends to mask the weaknesses or strengths of a company.
Credit Repair Secrets
At least, that's how many hits I got when I Googled the phrase "credit repair secrets." Most of these, as far as I could tell, offered e-books or services promising quick solutions to bad credit problems. Many hinted at "secrets" that the credit bureaus "don't want you to know." As if Experian and Equifax (NYSE: EFX - News) actually delight in lousy credit ratings! (They don't care either way, as far as I know -- they just try to be accurate.) Many of the services seemed like the kind that Fool Dayana Yochim wrote about a couple of years back -- high-fee, aggressively sold "debt consolidation" services that might or might not end up helping your credit rating. One in particular stood out, though. This outfit (I'm not going to name it) offered guaranteed increases in your FICO score for an up-front fee -- 50 points for $499, 100 points for $999 -- with an ongoing maintenance fee of $10 a month.
Work to get out of debt
DEAR BRUCE: I am 21 years old and need some serious help. I am $14,000 in debt, and it seems to be getting higher every month. Last year, I decided to go to a private tech school but dropped out after three months. Now I owe $7,800 just for that one mistake! I also spent around $4,000 last year because my cat got very ill. I also have little problems like gas, food, college and the occasional trip to the mall. I really need help. I tried to consolidate but that didn't work. I would like to get out of this mess as soon as possible so I am debt-free. I make around $1,000 a month. - C.H., via e-mail DEAR C.H.: You've reached a wonderful age and have some serious problems: You're $14,000 in debt. That's a difficult number, and, in your case, is more than a year's gross income. You say that you've made just one mistake, but the school of hard knocks has a very high tuition.
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