Letters to the Editor

Kick credit debt in 2011

Another new year is here, and many of us are already thinking about the positive changes we want to make in 2011. Topping the list of resolutions for many consumers will be paying off credit cards and getting out of debt.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average cardholder had $5,100 in credit card debt in 2009 and that figure is closer to $6,500 in 2010. Just like every other resolution on your list, eliminating credit card debt requires focus and commitment. CredAbility offers the following tips to help consumers:

Stop using credit cards. It may seem simple, but if you are used to buying everything on credit, it is a tough habit to break. Cutting up your credit cards is one way to ensure you won’t use them. Another would be to secure your cards in a safe deposit box at your bank or other hard-to-reach location to make impulse purchases much harder.

Resist the temptation of credit card offers. Open your mailbox on any given day and there is likely to be another offer for another credit card. Shred these offers without opening them, and you will be less likely to be tempted. Further reduce these offers by requesting that your name and credit information not be provided to financial institutions by calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT or online at www.optoutprescreen.com.

Create a repayment plan. Look at all of your credit card debt and make a plan for how you will pay off the balances. While you need to make at least the minimum payment on all of your cards, prioritize the order in which you will pay the cards off, such as starting with the one with the highest interest rate. Paying those off first may provide you with a sense of accomplishment and help keep you on track. Document your plan to help you stay focused.

Pay more than the minimum. It is not uncommon for consumers to pay three times the original purchase price when interest and other charges are factored in. Use bonuses from work or other unexpected gifts of money to reduce your credit card balances. Your credit card statement is now required to include how long it will take you to pay off your balance making the minimum payment.

Can’t give up credit cards altogether? Limit yourself to two or three cards and choose those with the best terms, including low rates, no annual fee, and reasonable interest terms, such as a 25-day grace period before you begin paying interest on a purchase. Be sure to read and understand the terms of your credit card agreement — be aware of hidden fees that might impact you.

Remember, you don’t have to solve your financial problems alone. CredAbility, a nonprofit credit-counseling agency, has trained and certified credit counselors who offer budget and credit counseling confidentially for free. For more information, call 1-800-251-2227 or visit www.CredAbility.org

—Richard Schram

CredAbility interim regional president

Organic foods: behind the label

A new year is sometimes seen as an opportunity to implement healthier eating habits. Many families have jumped on the “organic” bandwagon in recent years, and you may be considering joining them. Once the specialty of health food stores only, an increased quantity and variety of organic foods are now on shelves throughout major food stores.

You may be wondering what the difference is between many organic foods. And what do labels touting foods as “sustainable”, “natural”, “free-range” or “grass-fed” mean? The following tips will help you understand what’s behind the label.

Defining organic

If a food is labeled “organic,” it meets the organic standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is grown without pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, herbicides, antibiotics, bioengineering, hormones and ionizing radiation.

Organic animal products — meat, poultry, eggs and dairy foods — come from animals that are fed 100 percent organic feed products, receive no antibiotics or growth hormones and have access to the outdoors.

If a product is labeled “organic,” it means that a government-approved certifier has inspected the farm where it was produced to ensure that the growers followed all the rules necessary to meet the USDA’s organic standards. Farmers producing organic foods use renewable resources that conserve the soil and water for future generations. And any company handling or processing the food on its way to the grocery store must be certified organic, too. Foods labeled “organic” are either:

-100 percent organic: Completely organic or made of all organic ingredients

-Organic: At least 95 percent organic.

-Made with organic ingredients: The food contains at least 70 percent organic ingredients, but can’t be labeled as “organic.”

Sustainable foods

Another term you might hear is “sustainable food.” Sustainable foods are grown locally, using techniques that don’t harm the environment, are seasonal and preserve agricultural land. Sustainable practices are humane to animals, pay growers fairly and support local farming communities by distributing their food through farmer’s markets and other local venues.

You might also see:

-Cage-Free or Free Range: Seen on eggs or poultry products, these terms can be misleading. “Cage-free” implies that birds were not housed in cages, but is not a guarantee that they had access to the outdoors — or to roam freely — and it isn’t verified by any third party. For eggs to be considered “free range”, producers must demonstrate that poultry has been allowed open-air access. The USDA has no requirements as to the amount of time spent outdoors, nor the size or quality of the outside range.

-Grass-Fed/Open Pasture: “Grass-fed” signifies that the livestock received a diet of natural forage outdoors, but sometimes cows are fed grass while indoors or in a pen or only for the first few months of their lives. So “grass-fed” can — but doesn’t always — mean “pasture-raised” or “open pasture.” Pasture-raised animals roam freely outdoors where they can eat the natural grasses and other plants.

Natural foods

Natural foods are minimally processed and remain as close as possible to their original state. Natural foods don’t have to adhere to the same rigorous standards organic foods do. However, the term “natural” generally means a product has no artificial ingredients or preservatives and that meat or poultry is minimally processed and free of artificial ingredients. Natural foods can be organic, but not all are. If you want to be sure that what you’re eating is organic, look for the “organic” labeling.

Getting more information

Understanding these terms and their meanings can be confusing. The USDA is now developing consistency standards for labels such as grass-fed, pasture-raised and others that will be subject to USDA inspection. Also, many individual food producers, dairies, farms and orchards have websites you can visit to find out more about their standards.

For more information on organic eating, visit KidsHealth.org

—Suzanne Sheres

Registered dietitian at Nemours Children’s Clinic