(NC)—When 25-year-old Mariatu Kamara started speaking, her voice was faint. People leaned forward in their seats, straining to hear her words. Though she has told her story many times, it still takes her some effort to get started. Mariatu is a survivor of the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone. At the age of 12, [...]

(NC)—Holiday parties are over, gifts are unwrapped and the Christmas tree is at the curb. Now it’s time to tackle a daunting pile of bills. Follow these three steps to avoid a debt spiral in 2012. 1. Get financial advice A financial advisor can help you pull together a plan to budget and pay off [...]

(ARA) – Teens are always dreaming big around the holidays, and see this time of year as the perfect opportunity to put big-ticket electronics or sought-after concert tickets on their wish lists. So, for many parents, holiday shopping for their teens can seem a bit daunting. How can you give your teens gifts they really [...]

(ARA) – Buying U.S. Savings Bonds for loved ones has been a holiday tradition for more than 75 years and is a unique part of our nation’s history. Whether gift-givers are parents helping their children save for their first home, young couples celebrating their newborns’ first holiday season, or grandparents helping their grandchildren save for [...]

(NC)—Finding the perfect gift for those picky family members can be exhausting. Instead of worrying about individualized presents, why not invest in a home renovation project that will benefit the whole family. For example, by simply renovating your basement into a livable space you not only create more room, you also help establish an area [...]

(ARA) – Nothing says how much you value a person more than a personalized handcrafted card or gift. And making your own can be far easier on your budget than buying from the store. So consider putting your creative skills to the test this year. Where to start? No need to be a computer guru [...]

(ARA) – With the holidays approaching, shoppers are making their lists and checking them twice. Undoubtedly, there are some blanks, as buying for grandparents often stymies children and grandchildren alike. Today’s grandparents are a unique bunch, with a number of traditional apple-pie bakers, knitters and chess players that are just as likely to be tech [...]

(ARA) – When you were a kid, the high-tech items on your back-to-school shopping list probably consisted of nothing more exotic than a pocket calculator and the latest leading-edge running shoes. Times have changed, and back-to-school technology has kept pace. Today, technology is an integral part of school life for students from kindergarten to college. [...]

For years I would kill myself trying to find all the loved ones on my Christmas list their perfect gifts.  I would drag myself all over town and fight horrible traffic and long lines.  That was until last year when I discovered the ease of giving gift cards! I love to receive gift cards so [...]

(ARA) – Buying holiday gifts can be a fun and easy experience when you go to the right place, and there is a certain joy that you get when you see someone opening a gift they’ve been waiting for all year. No matter the age of the person you’re buying for, there is one kind [...]