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36
The
PLAlN TRUTH
July 1971
money. In fact, the profit derived from interest or credit
charges may in sorne cases exceed the profit from the sale of
the ítem itself.
Suppose, for example, you purchase a color television
foc
$500. On 24 monthly installments you might pay something
like $100 for finance charges. That's enough to buy a new
dress for the wife, shoes for the kids, and a shirt and tie for
Dad!
Perhaps everything can' t be purchased on a cash basis.
But it is good to avoid needless credit expenses by paying
cash when you can. Make every effort to get on a cash basis as
soon as possible. Drastically limit your credit buying.
The princi'ple is not new. As a matter of fact, it's advo–
cated by family finance consultants all the time.
One family planning guide says: "PLAN TO GET ON A
CASH BASIS as soon
as
you can."
Another says: "Most money management experts agree
that a person should not borrow un less he absolutely must.
The loan should be for a family necessity, to meet an emer–
gency or perhaps to buy a car that
is
essential to his work."
One
can
eventually put cash ahead for family necessities
and emergencies. It just seems few people discipline them–
selves to do it.
For seven points on wise money management, write for
our free booklet
Managing Yom Personal Finances.
•
Be Careful of Sunburn
Summer is here again, at least in the northern hemi–
sphere. Millions will trek to the beaches. Sorne will tan and
many will sunburn - a number will receive even second–
degree burns! That means these victims will buen so badly
that they may blister !
Contrary to popular belief, a tan can't be speeded up by
a long first exposure to the sun's rays. That will
only
result in
a terrible buen. Tanning is a gradual process, taking as long
as
19
days for skin pigmentation to adapt to the sun.
So start gradually. Spend
15
minutes under the midday
sun the first day - especially if light-ski nned - or as long
as
25
to
30
minutes under the early morning or late afternoon
sun. Add
5
to 10 minutes each day until proper pigmentation
can build up to longer exposures.
Don't let cool breezes deceive you - your skin can
still slowly cook. And remember, sorne dark-skinned or
partly suntanned people can still receive a sunbucn. Getting
overexposed and overheated in the hot sun is dangerous for
any person!
When it comes to recognizing a sunburn, the color of
your skin while at the beach is not an accurate gauge. Red–
dening doesn't reach its peak for 8 to 24 hours after
exposure.
Don' t let cloudy skies
oc
being under an umbrella trick
you. You can still get sunburned. And if you are light–
skinned, or redheaded, or blue-eyed, or freckled, BE DOUBLY
CAUTIOUS. These types seldom tan easily, but they do often
buen.
And above all - NEVER fall asleep under the burning
sun's rays !
As for suntan lotions, the market is loaded with them.
Sorne have more sun-screening, sun-refleding, or sun-scatter–
ing ability tban others. Use depends primarily on personal
preference.
Jf
you do get sunburned, a warm bath or shower will
only add to your discomfort. Take a cold bath or shower for
relief. Olive oil applied to sunburned skin will have a sooth–
ing effect, and prevent the skin from drying out.
For minor or .first-degree sunburns, a vitamin
F
ointment
is often useful for soothing and relieving the pain. A pound
of cornstarch or two cups of vinegar to a tub of batb water
also generally soothes infl.amed skin.
Second-degree sunburns can be somewhat relieved by
chlorophyll ointment which usually eases buen pain in
20
minutes or less. Third-degree burns, which cause destruction
of the full skin thickness and even destruction of deeper tis–
sues, are very serious. A doctor should be consulted in such
cases.
Remember - a sunburn is a burn. Treat it as one.
Enjoy the summer sun, but as a final warning remember
that severe sunburn causes fever, chills, and nausea; and many
notable authorities say constant overexposure to the sun's rays
causes the skin to become coarse, leathery, wrinkled and can
lead to skin diseases - even cancer.
•
Home lmprovement and
Real Estafe Fraud
Home improvement frauds cost Americans from five
hundred million to one billion dollars a year!
Beware of those promising to make your home a "dis–
play model." They daim you will get a special low cate for
the cost
of
the work, and promise bonuses when neighbors
and friends purchase similar work after seeing your "model"
home. Usually the bonuses never materialize and the cost of
the work on your home is higher than a legitimate contractor
would charge.
Do not deal with itinerant "repairmen" promising to
resurface driveways, to repair gutters, roofs or chimneys,
oc
those daiming to eliminate termites - especially if they de–
manci a deposit before doing the work. These wandering con
meo do shoddy work, or collect
a
deposit in advance then
disappear forever.
Be sure all promises of the salesman are written into the
contract. Don't be pressured into signing a contract out of
fear of losing a "bargain." Never sign
a
statement (com–
pletion certificate) stating the work has been correctly com–
pleted until the work is finished to your satisfaction.
Also, be cautious about buying land offered as "invest–
ment opportunities." Promoters can easily say land values are
rapidly increasing in the area, but land speculation is not for
amateurs. Successful speculation depends on numerous factors
which are difficult to evaluate. Conduct your own careful in–
vestigation, and seek the advice of your banker or a reputable
investor who may in turn suggest reference sources.