(NAPSI)—Money can be a stressor for many—but you don’t have to be among them. Creating a game plan and understanding five key terms can help improve your financial health:

Credit Score

A credit score is a three-digit number that represents your general creditworthiness, calculated based on your personal financial history. Lenders use this number to assess your ability to repay a loan, establish your credit line and to determine your interest rate. A good credit score can help you save money on loans, credit cards and insurance, and can also make it easier to rent an apartment, buy a car or purchase a home.

Credit Cards: 

General Purpose vs. Store Cards

Credit cards have become an indispensable part of financial life, with 82% of American adults—and nearly all people with incomes of $100,000 or more—owning at least one credit card, according to 2022 data from the Federal Reserve. With the convenience, security and rewards that today’s credit cards offer, many consumers now see the value in using multiple cards. Indeed, the average U.S. consumer has three to four credit cards, according to a 2021 report by Experian.

But credit cards are not all the same. General-purpose credit cards work at most locations in the world where credit is accepted and often come with rewards, promotional financing or introductory offers. However, an individual who is new to credit cards might need to build a credit history before being approved for a general-purpose card.

Many people start building their credit score with a store credit card, which can be used only at one specific store, or a group of stores, such as a furniture or department store. These cards are often available to those who have a lower credit score, limited or no credit history and can offer the chance to build good credit in a relatively short time. Store cards traditionally have lower credit limits, given you can only use them with that specific retailer, which also helps you manage your credit exposure. They may also offer low or no annual fees, which some traditional general-purpose credit cards charge, but sometimes higher annual percentage rates.

Synchrony is a premier consumer financial services company that has hundreds of thousands of partnerships with retailers offering store credit cards. “Our cards offer consumers financing with top brands to bring them more choices, flexibility and convenience,” said Max Axler, Chief Credit Officer at Synchrony. “Store credit cards are a powerful option to take advantage of special offers, promotional financing and perks while shopping at your favorite retailers.”

Interest Rates 

A credit card’s interest rate is the amount you will be charged on your unpaid credit card balance that is due. The interest rate is calculated as a percentage of the outstanding balance. For example, if you charge $1,000 on a credit card that does not have any outstanding balance and pay it off before the monthly due date, you typically won’t incur any interest charge. You’d simply pay $1,000, and the balance would be satisfied. However, if you didn’t pay it all off—or paid any amount that was less than the full $1,000—you would be charged interest based on your average daily balance.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

The yearly interest rate charged on your balance due is called the Annual Percentage Rate. You pay this interest rate on any balances not paid in full each month—in other words, if you don’t pay your bill in full when it’s due every month, the amount you do not pay is subject to interest. It’s important to note that your credit card may have more than one APR: One rate for purchases, another for balance transfers and yet another for cash advances.

Understanding these terms can empower you to manage your finances in the best way to meet your needs and borrow responsibly, and properly managing your credit can lead to higher credit scores and more access to credit for your financial needs.

Learn More

For more information and to discover financing options to fit your lifestyle, visit www.synchrony.com.

(NAPSI)—Addressing climate change is an all-hands-on-deck undertaking. It requires a smarter, stronger, and cleaner energy grid that provides affordable, reliable power when and where people need it. The grid of the future will have to be at least twice the size of what it is today—most likely even bigger.

That means jobs—thousands and thousands of them across a wide variety of industries, from manufacturing technology, such as batteries and wind turbines, to electric vehicle construction and maintenance to consumer sales. The impacts on the workforce across the state and nation, and the economic effects on local communities, will be significant.

According to a 2023 U.S. Department of Energy (USDO) employment study, the energy workforce grew by nearly 300,000 jobs over the previous year—a faster rate than the overall U.S. workforce. Clean energy jobs specifically grew by 114,000, with every state seeing growth.

These new jobs present an opportunity to diversify the energy workforce and open doors to individuals who might not have previously considered the sector for a career. Women made up more than half of the energy jobs added last year, according to USDOE, and veteran employment outpaced that of the overall U.S. economy.  Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—Whether you’re feeding your family or entertaining guests, a delightful way to keep things cosy yet special during the cold weather season is with a delicious dish such as this one, made with Trusted Veal from Europe.

Pastrami-Spiced Veal Burgers

Yield: 6 servings 

INGREDIENTS

12slices Smoked Gouda, sliced thinly

2cups Sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

¾cup Mayonnaise

1oz Fresh breadcrumbs

4 oz Milk

2tsp Salt

2lbs Ground veal

2tsp Black peppercorns

2tsp Coriander seeds

½tsp Mustard seeds

1tsp Sweet paprika

1tsp Onion powder

½tsp Garlic powder

1tsp Brown sugar

½cup Whole grain mustard

INSTRUCTIONS Continue reading →

(NewsUSA)  – The United States is at the opening of a critical window in time: between now and 2030 a constellation of emerging technologies including AI will continue to transform our national security, economy, and society. Is America ready?

Be part of the conversation at the second annual Ash Carter Exchange, an event concurrent with the first-ever AI Expo for National Competitiveness.

The Ash Carter Exchange honors the impact of Dr. Ash Carter, who served as Secretary of Defense from 2015-2017. Dr. Carter’s visionary recognition of technology’s role in national security guides our preparation for the emerging challenges. The event is hosted by the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) and Mrs. Stephanie Carter, and is designed to promote the exchange of ideas. This year’s Ash Carter Exchange takes place in Washington, D.C., on May 7 and 8, and is set to continue the extraordinary discussions and connections made during last year’s unforgettable gathering. Continue reading →

A Natural Alternative to Weight Loss Drugs

(NewsUSA)  – Weight loss drugs are proving to have serious side effects, and they are not a long-term solution.  When the injections stop, the weight loss stops. But who wants to go back to dieting?

Laurel Mellin, PhD, a health psychologist, nutritionist, and New York Times bestselling author, is the founder of Emotional Brain Training (EBT).   She has written a new book, 1-2-3 JOY! to show readers why the missing link in treating obesity is to switch off the stress causing the cascade of internal chemicals that increase appetite, causes cravings, and blocks weight loss. Using the skills of EBT, they can lose weight naturally.

Dr. Mellin says, “I wrote 1-2-3 JOY! because of the increased use of weight loss drugs, as they have serious side effects including nausea, muscle wasting, stomach paralysis, and increased risk of kidney, pancreas, and thyroid problems. I wanted more people to have a healthy alternative to these weight loss drugs and diets.” Continue reading →

4 Tips for Introducing a Family Calendar to Your Kids

(NewsUSA) – When your morning starts off with questions like, “do I have school today?” or “how many more sleeps?” it may be time to introduce a family calendar.

A family calendar can be utilized by children as early as age two if it includes pictures of the activities. Around age three, children’s growing executive function and working memory skills expand, which means words like “yesterday” and “today” now have meaning for your little one.

Knowing what’s coming next can allow a child to better self-regulate emotions as they’ll know what to expect. Check out these four tips for introducing a calendar for your family: Continue reading →