kristadodson@empirecollege.com

kristadodson@vom.com

Hi, Fellow Students!

This web page contains images of amazing sunsets—both real and my own painted ones—to fill your heart and nourish your soul, as well as links to helpful websites containing information on personal finance and consumer rights. How are sunsets related to finance and consumer rights, you might ask? The answer is that by making wise choices and informed decisions along the journey of life, one’s financial resources will remain safe and will continue to grow—which means that in addition to life being filled with limitless possibilities and dreams coming true, someday you’ll be viewing sunsets like these while enjoying dream vacations in a beautiful tropical paradise!

A good website that’s an important resource for the consumer is http://www.clarkhoward.com/. In the words of consumer advocate and radio show host Clark Howard, he and his website are “dedicated to empowering the consumer through advice, education, and problem resolution.” His website contains summaries of recent radio shows as well as useful consumer links. He educates his listeners on how to complain effectively and how to cut through the “red tape” of bureaucracies. Whether the issue involves tenant-landlord disputes, debt problems, product recalls, or consumer rights, Clark Howard educates and guides consumers through the steps to resolve the problems and get results.

Another website is http://www.abclocal.go.com/kgo/news/7oys/index.html. You may have seen consumer advocate Michael Finney on TV (ABC) or listened to his weekend call-in radio show on KGO (810 AM). He imparts important information and actively solves problems for consumers.

If it’s legal information you need, try going to http://www.lentillem.com/ and discover the wealth of information on his website. Len Tillem is an attorney who resides in Sonoma, and in addition to a legal practice specializing in Estate Planning and Elder Law, he can be heard on his weekend call-in radio show on KGO (810 AM). He is a colorful radio personality, answering legal questions in easy-to-understand, simple language. His website also contains legal forms of all kinds that can be downloaded, including Advance Health Care Directives.

Finally, I’ve created a link to the website of personal finance expert Suze Orman at http://www.suzeorman.com/. You may have seen her on public television, or listened to her radio shows, or noticed her books in bookstores. (Her newest book is The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous, and Broke.) Don’t be put off by the “sales” look of the website. Reading her book may be the best investment of your life—next to Empire College, of course! Suze Orman’s approach is straightforward, and her advice is age-specific. Her newest book is geared to those in their 20s and early 30s, a population that has been largely ignored by other financial advisors. She provides answers to questions about personal finance, FICO scores, student loan debt, and more—everything one needs to know for planning a financial life of success.

By developing a personal finance “blueprint” and by making wise, informed decisions along the way (with the help of books by experts like Suze Orman), someday you’ll be viewing sunsets like these while enjoying a dream vacation in a beautiful tropical paradise!

Hope you’ll enjoy these images, as well as the websites.

Warmly, Krista

Paintings (below) by Krista Dodson

Acrylic on Hand-Scored Metal