European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 8, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Paying with plastic Money is in. Few pay attention to the interest that they Are charged it pays to shop for credit stories by Mary Neth consumer editor a afe5 customers May be thrilled that rom now on they la be Atile to shop wit credit cards their enthusiasm however in t shared by some army Community service financial advisers we already Are seeing people who Are Ler Nefy in  says Dianna Burlado of Wiesbaden Many use an excessive amount of credit As it is " she also Points out that her clients seemingly Don t Calne Hal by using credit cards they Are often paying a High Price in interest if Hoy Uso the cafes deterred payment plan. Hoy Only pay 12 percent interest the interest on some visa cards is 22 percent she says Hal most of her clients acquire credit cards blindly oblivious to the tact Hal it pays to shop around a Survey in april by bunk credit card observer a consumer news Luller. Lound thai us out of 10 americans did not know credit card interest Rales vary irom Bank to Bank at a acc Cal symposium conducted by the newsletter stall and reported by the associated press it was also pointed out that three quarters of All Bank cards Are Isuzu us by Only 25 Banks and they generally have annual interest Rales higher than or equal to the National average of 13 6 percent a random Survey of 59 Hanks nationwide uncovered Hal half failed to mention annual percentage rates on their App cations Consumers dealing with these Banks Don t learn what interest Rale they Are paying until their cards arrive it also was found Hal a third of All the Banks surveyed did not give information about annual ices compilation methods Cash Advance Rales transaction fees and Grace periods. In Many cases Consumers Aro unaware they can apply Lor credit cards irom Oul of state Banks Hal May offer lower interest rates said rep Charles Schumer  a participant in the symposium. Slate Rogul aled interest rates in Arkansas Are As Low As 11 5 percent and the cards can be used anywhere other Bank cards Are honoured a list of credit card interest Rales is available Foi is try writing to the bankcard holders of America. 333 Pennsylvania ave s e. Washington d.c., 20003. Huf Lado says Hal credit or anything other than an automobile should not to used by anyone in the army tallow the rank of e-5 she also recommends Hal a sizable Down payment be Madu in purchasing that automobile. Unfortunately too Many people in the military according to Burlado. Are Irving Loday on Inhat they a ill Corn tomorrow i i i i Minim budgets Lik if you be decided 1h.il you Are sick and tired Onever having Savinar take a tip from Debbie Mornson american express the key la ,in on i budget is being  Sayf. Morn  \ \ the customer service coordinator for the  Hank s Northern Dis incl in tie Minny when plan Quiri to i nil no to indent. Many people  ii nor Norci a i. In in n they fail to live up to Lair .  Nui in Mont sets in and Tolu hurtful Iii -. Nut Lac in. Much like Iho of i n it indoor re diet the thing Ludo  be positive a i Urbiet should be viewed in. I pc. In in to glom from Money to fies not a fio Multi. Pending Here Are four tips i a i icel of your monthly Lake Home pay your of i in limit old Bio to reduce the amount of debts particularly Elioso requiring monthly payments the  in big in to Stop buying on credit without planning Alu id is Ait a spending  i or a Shoil Limo make note o the amount you arc Spurno in Only and what you spend it on financial expert Iii re Fiat most budgets Are sabotaged by or Scellin Nuj expenditures look Lor leaks you la he  How lunches soft drinks pocket Money for tin kid  fare magazines Etc add up once you  th.1 excesses you can set Oul to trim them Andrji vat Hal Cash to More meaningful items consider inflation ii is pan of our lives and a budget that  not consider it is doomed. Inflation Rales vary with area and Type of item review available figures and see How you Iii the a Ciacio picture and adjust your budget accordingly give savings top priority. This is vital to any financial plan. A budget is designed id help you get ahead and it is hard to stay on one unless you have visible signs Hal in is working. Make savings a fixed expenditure like a Cal or insurance payments a savings account pays 5 i percent interest a year on the account s average daily balance of s50 or More customer service representatives at Community Banks can help you set up a savings plan. David Pond acting manager of the military Bank s Northern District Points on that based on recent banking Industry statistics Many of the Lees and service charges Aro lower than cling red by Seal Side Banks the Community Banks also of Sci Heller foreign Exchange Rales than most stateside and local Economy Banks. The foes charged to notes Aro outlined in a Dop Arlmon of defense Dod contract. American express operates Iho military Hanks under a fixed fee plus Cost contract in other words income made and costs incurred do nol represent income or expense to american express sometimes poo pie complain Hal the american express military Banks overseas do not Orlef checking accounts in the country s currency ii is not possible Lor them to do so for example says Pond in Germany the sofa nato status of forces agreement restricts Banks under contract with Dod to business transactions which cannot be undertaken by German enterprises. The american express military banking division is a unique animal we Are not connected with the european american express Banks or the travel Ollices the Banks can Only offer services to Active duty . Military personnel and their dependents and us civilian employees Wilh departments agencies and no appropriated Lund instrumental ties carrying on functions on a Dod installation the fact thai we Are limited in who we can serve can cause some  says Pond. Every once in a while a Parent who Banks with american express in the United states comes Over to visit a son or daughter in the service. They try to Cash stateside checks with us. They Ere very perturbed when they Are unable to do so. In they make a chock payable to a military person then we can Cash it. Otherwise they should go downtown loan american express travel service office. They will have to have their american express credit card with them. It acts As a credit backup " . Page 14 the stars and stripes