U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Faris of Honolulu recently visited Keaau High School, spending a day with students and presenting a program titled CARE: Credit Abuse Resistance Education.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Faris of Honolulu recently visited Keaau High School, spending a day with students and presenting a program titled CARE: Credit Abuse Resistance Education.
Faris was assisted by county Deputy Prosecutor Mitch Roth and bankruptcy attorney Barbara Franklin of Honokaa.
“Think of credit as a tool,” Faris advised the students. “It can make your life better, but if you use it the wrong way, it’s like hitting your thumb with a hammer.”
There are three important questions to ask yourself before going into debt, the judge said.
— What do I want to buy?
— Why am I buying it?
— How am I going to pay for it?
“Use credit wisely,” he told the students.
Among other things, this means using credit cards for only the few essentials you need, and paying the entire balance off each month, said the judge.