OWn COURSE - USAA

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winterU.25A magazine for young adult USAAmembersEditorCarol BarnesDesignKym Abrams Design Inc.ContributorsJohn DiConsiglio, Alexandra Levit,Sean McCollum, Roger SlavensU.25 Editorial BoardAmy Anderson, Derrick Baylor,Derek England, Alana Herro,Sarah Hitchcock, Amanda Hoff,Emily O’Dell, Bill Oram,Jeanette Prather, Katherine Raney,Josh RhotenProductionDavid Gunn, Lisa SeversonYouth Media DirectorJulie FinlayU.259800 Fredericksburg Road, E-1-ESan Antonio, Texas 78288-0264Telephone: (800) 531-8013Fax: (210) 498-8754E-mail: U25@usaa.comOn the Web: usaa.com/u25.07 FINANCIAL CRISISUSAA experts answer your questions.ON THE COVER - Andrew Campos. PHOTOGRAPHY by rick dahms ©2008RUMOR HAS IT.03 bits.bytesUp-to-date news youcan use.06 career.coachAnswers to your questionsabout work life.22 start.smartUSAA programstailored for youPhotography by Istock photo and corbisGAS ISCHEAP?Though it changesconstantly, theaverage gas price isaround $3 a gallonnationally. If you thinkgas is pricey, lookat what some otherliquids would cost ifyou purchased themby the gallon.GASOLINE$3 per gallonWant to receiveU.25 at a differentaddress?E-mail your new address to U25@usaa.com. Please include your nameand USAA member number..12 Steering myown courseLeaving the past behind.17 Sick just thinkingabout healthinsurance?It’s time to take action.PRICES PER GALLONVisit U.25 online atusaa.com/u25.U.25 is published four times a year for young adult USAA members. USAA also publishes U Mag for young members, U-TURN magazine and a weekly podcast for teen members, usaa.commagazine for members beginning their financial journey, and USAA Magazine for adult members. USAA is a member-owned financial services group that provides a complete line of insurance,investment, banking, and other services to millions of members worldwide. Material in this magazine may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by anymeans (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise) without permission from the publisher. Copyright ©2008 by USAA. All rights reserved. U.25 is a registered trademark of USAA. Toorder additional copies, submit writing samples, or request reprint permission, contact U.25, USAA, Attn: Youth Media,9800 Fredericksburg Road, E-1-E, San Antonio, Texas 78288-0264; (800) 531-8013.ICED TEA$9.52SPORT DRINK$10.17MOUTHWASH$84.48COUGH SYRUP$178.13BLACK INK CARTRIDGE$4,294.58.02 U.25winter2008 U.25winter2008 .03
LOANSWITH ACARPOOLCHECKL ISTIf you’re having trouble getting astudent loan, you might be temptedto go through a peer-to-peer loan site.With phrases like “financeeducation the easy, affordableway!” and “get student loans frompeople who believe in you,” siteslike fynanz.com and greennote.commake offers from private lendersthat seem too good to be true.While traditional governmentstudent loans have mandateddollar limits that fall short ofreal-world education expenses,these college lending sites boastno dollar limits. The downsidecould be a higher interest rate. Ifyou’re considering using one ofthese sites, take the followingsteps before you commit:• Know your credit score.Like many private lenders,the interest rate you may beoffered will vary based on yourcredit score.• Check to make sure the loanhas a fixed interest rate.That means the rate won’tchange throughout the lifeof the loan.• Know when the loanpayments will become due.Some loans may require youto make payments whileyou’re still in school, whichmay be hard for you to pay.Other loans may not become due until six monthsafter you graduate, which should give you time tosecure a job and a paycheck.• Know the consequences of missing payments.If you’re unable to repay the loan on time, youraccount could be turned over to a collectionagency, which will ding your credit score and makeit harder for you to get credit in the future.With gas prices unpredictable,carpooling with co-workersor other students couldbe an option. To make theride smooth, iron out thefollowing details beforedriving off.Whose car will be used? Will theparticipants switch cars periodically?Will the carpool have more thanone driver?How much will each person pay? Factorin fuel/mileage, parking, tolls, insurance,and vehicle maintenance costs.What are the rules? Who choosesthe radio station? What about talkingon a mobile phone, eating, drinking,and smoking?Stories ofdorm stalkers andpranks that went too farare as much a part of campuslife as books and bad cafeteria food.Variations of college urban legendshave been around at least since folkloreprofessor Jan Brunvand was a student inthe 1950s. He became so fascinated byRUMOR HAS ITcollege tales that he’s made a careerout of researching and teachingAmerican folklore and legends.It’s easy to spot the telltale signsof an urban legend, says Brunvand. Ifthe story is too good, scary, or funnyto be true, or if your friend heard itfrom a friend of a friend of the guy’sex-roommate, well, you decide.How long will riders wait if the driveris late?What’s Plan B? What does everyone doif the driver is sick or has car trouble?TIP:If you’re looking for a carpool to work, check withyour human resources department. To helpemployees get to work in an economical way, manycorporations are partnering with online ride-matchingservices like NuRide. By taking advantage of theseservices, you also can earn rewards like discounts atrestaurants and retail stores..04 U.25winter2008U.25winter2008.05
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