College Central^®

(COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE) -- For many college students, the fun of Spring Break is over and it's back to the grind of papers and exams.

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But this semester, it's also about landing that critical resume-building internship, locating housing for the summer, or even preparing for life after graduation. All of which require additional expenses such as the interview suit, train or plane tickets, cap and gown rental…the list goes on. So, how can you avoid overextending yourself and having all your paychecks from that plum summer job go straight to bills, bills, and more bills?

Achieve financial "smarts" by learning how to take charge of your spending before it takes control of you. Owning a credit card has its benefits, but only if you possess the know-how and support to use it wisely. Now, getting the fundamentals of credit management and answers to all your credit-related questions are as easy as checking your email.

Available from Citibank, the "Ask Anita" service is a college student's unique and free resource to financial literacy. Want to find out how to build good credit history? Confused by APRs and those other foreign terms on your monthly statement? Simply email your credit questions to anita.future@citibank.com and receive a direct reply with the answers.

Who's Anita, you ask? She stars in the comic strip series "The Adventures of Anita Future and Les Foresight" created by Citibank. Chronicling the financial adventures and misadventures of Anita and her spendthrift counterpart, Les Foresight, the comic strip sheds light on credit card issues and money management.

A Syllabus for Financial Literacy

Citibank's Credit-ED program is designed to help you acquire the dollars-and-sense savvy needed to sustain financial responsibility. An introductory course on Personal Finance Management, this program is instantly accessible by tapping into www.credit-ed.citibank.com.

This resource-packed site allows students -- and parents -- to learn and understand the fundamentals of money management. It features free tools and helpful information on a variety of credit and personal financial management issues, such as:

* Acquiring healthy credit habits
* Using credit to your advantage
* Gaining financial control
* Preventing fraud
* Easy-to-use calculators to help budget finances
* A glossary of terms defining the language of money

Plus, Citibank provides monthly statements with helpful tips and on-line account management to cardholders to help students track spending and manage their budgets.

So, whether you're a freshman glad to have survived the first year or a senior ready to take on the real world, it's not too early -- or too late -- to develop good spending habits and acquire sound money management skills.

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The views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of College Central Network, Inc. or its affiliates. Reference to any company, organization, product, or service does not constitute endorsement by College Central Network, Inc., its affiliates or associated companies. The information provided is not intended to replace the advice or guidance of your legal, financial, or medical professional.