Changing A Boy's World

"Money is just money." -- Tinyia Frank.

Hat's off to Tinyia Frank for making this world a better place. Woman, 19, buys LeBron basketball sneakers for grateful kid: 'Money is just money' appeared on Yahoo!

Equifax Breach

You have probably heard that Equifax, one of the main credit services, has suffered a hack of their system that might have compromised 143 million social security numbers. This means data thieves could have access to sensitive information that can be used to steal people's identity or credit. What can you do?

This Business Insider article is a life raft in a sea of turbulence. It tells you not to panic but to take wise precautions such as finding out if your data might have been exposed, using secure passwords, and monitoring your financial accounts every day.

If you are considering a credit freeze, here is some information on how to do it and some FAQs.

I have also included an article by Brian Krebs, a former reporter for the Washington Post, who urges people to initiate a credit freeze and he explains why.

I have provided an article from Consumer Reports and Yahoo! Finance about why a credit freeze may not be enough. The writer delves into health insurance, tax refunds, and your driver's license as three areas of concern and how to protect yourself.

Places You Don't Want to Live

If you want to move to another city in California, Merced probably wouldn't be the wisest choice. Unemployment is over 10% and over a third of the population lives below the poverty rate. Worst Cities to Live in Every State appeared on MSN Money.

Bad Ways to Save $

Okay, I'm big on saving money but you can take things too far. 7 Money-Saving Moves That Can Totally Backfire appeared on MSN Money.

The Mistake of Not Putting $ into a 401K

If you don't put enough into a 401K to get an employer match, it's a mistake that will cost you. The 401(k) Mistake You Can't Afford to Make appeared on MSN Money.

Thank You, Kelli!

My counseling colleague and blog partner, Kelli Turpin, is moving to North Carolina. Her last official day at City will be September 6, 2017. Kelli has worked in the counseling department at City for 17 years, and she has helped so many students. She is a dedicated counselor who has worked with active duty military at a local base and she has also guided veterans at City. She is someone I go to when I need to check the accuracy of information. In other words, she knows her stuff. But not only is she an outstanding counselor, she is a fantastic writer, editor, and blogger. If not for her willingness to give this blog idea a try, I probably wouldn't have launched it, so I give her credit for its existence. She has given of her own time to write articles for this blog, and she has an open invitation to post from out of state whenever she wants. That's how much I appreciate her writing and contributions to this blog. I hope we will continue to see her writing here.

We will miss her experience, dedication, and student advocacy. But most of all, we will miss her presence. It won't feel the same at City without her.

Raymond Wong
9-5-17

Low-Paying Jobs

The 33 Lowest Paying Jobs for College Grads appeared on MSN Money. This list doesn't bode well for counselors, social workers, teachers, and others who want to help people, but most of the students going into these fields aren't doing it for the money, right?

Teach English to Students in China by Streaming

If you like the idea of teaching, consider a country that has a lot of students who want to learn English by live streaming. Why Chinese Education Companies Are Chasing US Teachers appeared on MSN Money.

Boy Raises $15K To Buy Hearing Aids for Other Kids

You don't have to be an adult to make a difference. Just ask Braden Baker, who helped raise $15,000 to provide hearing aids to other children. Meet the Hearing-Impaired 10-Year-Old Who Raised $15,000 to Buy Ear Aids for Other Kids: He's 'So Proud!' appeared on MSN News.