• gojitterbug.com - cell phone for seniors
• fireflymobile.com - cell phone for kids
• samsclub.com - affordable health savings

If you have aging parents and want them to have a cell phone for emergencies, there aren’t many viable options out there. Today’s seniors didn’t grow up with cell phone technology, so they have trouble dialing and seeing the screen. Now there is an option for seniors that could save them in an emergency. It’s called the “Jitterbug.” The phone has an extra large screen with large letters and only three buttons on the phone. So, seniors only have to hit one of three buttons and they can see the screen. It’s not cheap. The first year of use is $299 and includes the phone. After that, it’s $180 a year. So, it’s pricier than most plans, but it may be worth it to you. Check it out at gojitterbug.com. On the other end of the age spectrum is the Firefly. It too has very few buttons and is designed for kids who need to call Mom, Dad or an emergency number. It’s sold at Target and looks like a little video game. There are pre-paid plans and monthly plans you can check out at fireflymobile.com. So at what age should a child have a cell phone? Tell us what you think on our latest poll.

For the past few years, Clark has been pulling his hair out over the number of people taking out “option payment loans.” Unfortunately, they are one of the most popular loans out there because people don’t know enough about them. They just hear about the ultra low monthly payment they’ll have. Lenders convince people to take one out because of that low payment. But what they don’t tell you is that your balance will go up over time instead of going down. That’s because no money is going toward the principal of the loan. In addition, the rates on option payment loans skyrocket over time. Banks and lenders love these products because they make so much money off of them. But it’s poison for your wallet. Federal regulators have been freaking out over these loans because so many people are at risk of foreclosing on their homes because of them. New federal rules require that lenders disclose all of the terms of the loan to you, not just what the monthly payment is. In addition, the bank must make sure that you can pay the loan. Stick with regular, vanilla loans that are legitimate. Clark is referring to 30-year, and 15-year fixed loans or 5-1 and 7-1 ARMS. Make sure you know what you’re getting into before you sign the paperwork.