LEARNING VALUABLE LESSONS FROM BAD FINANCIAL BREAKS

I'm 27 years old and have just finished reading the August
article, ''Tight Times for Twentysomethings.'' I'm one of those who
graduated from college with not just one but several credit cards.
After a few years of running up my cards, I recently cut them all up.
I still owe on them, but now I have just one -- a company credit card
for business expenses only. Otherwise, I pay cash for everything.
There's a big difference between wanting and needing. If I don't have
the cash, I wait until I do.
Elaine A. Wang
San Francisco

What an eye-opener your article was for my generation. I am 25
years old, married, and both my husband and I hold full-time jobs. We
have no children. Both of us are burdened by student loan repayment,
but I recently applied to have mine consolidated through Sallie Mae
to help reduce the outflow of cash.
At one time we had all the financial naivete you found in my
generation. But we have learned our lessons.
Terese A. Lovelace
Fargo, N.D.