All I want to do right now is compose a love letter to Robert Downey Jr. Instead, I have to slaughter his new movie, Due Date, so that you lovely people don’t waste your money on it. But afterward, I fully plan on writing a Taylor Swift-esque ode to an aviator-clad Robert Downey Jr.

It’s lucky for me that the plot can be summed up in one sentence, because it makes my job oh-so-easy. Unfortunately, that’s not so lucky for the audience of this film. After an airport mishap, Peter (Downey Jr.) is forced to travel across the country with Ethan (Zach Galifianakis) in order to make it to LA in time for his child’s birth… and nothing funny ensues. It’s Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, minus the comedy.

I laughed out loud twice – seriously, twice – which is pretty bad for a movie that delivers one-liner after one-liner and unrealistic situation after unrealistic situation. There is a clever line or two in there, but not clever enough for me to remember what they are off the top of my head. People may say that I sound like a bitter film critic, but I’m talking about a movie that INTENTIONALLY parallels itself to Two and a Half Men. They had it coming, and they freaking knew it.

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It’s easy to throw down your MasterCard and forget about how much your text books cost for the semester; it’s just as simple to open a tab at Happy Hour and let the Bud Light flow.  We all eventually realize, however, that college flies by in the blink of an eye, and before you know it, you’ll be on your own.

With the economy in peril, now is an especially good time to start keeping an eye on your credit score so you don’t find yourself denied when you try to open new bank accounts, get a new apartment, condo, or house, or reward yourself for landing your dream job by buying your first brand new car.  Maintaining a good credit score doesn’t have to be harder than next Tuesday’s cumulative Calc exam, though– here are five simple steps to stay on top of your financial game. Read More »

Picture this: You’re thirty-five, and still paying for your Sophomore Spring Break to Cabo. It sounds crazy, but it’s a reality for many cash-strapped graduates who maxed out their cards during their college years. Most college students boast a wallet full of plastic, and will spend years paying off the balances.

College cards are often a necessity (ranking right up there with tequila shots and coffee) during your four years, unless you have a big fat trust fund or a wealthy eccentric uncle. A multitude of costly expenses fall outside your tuition bill. Some are necessary, like food, books and transportation, while others are luxuries, like clothes, alcohol, trips and concerts. Here are some tips to avoid the debt trap that so many students fall into.

Compare offers

Be as choosy with what you put in your wallet as you are about which boys you let sleep in your bed (Editor’s Note: When alcohol isn’t involved). There are tons of credit card offers out there – don’t just take the first one you stumble upon.

Do your research: check out the finance charge, annual fee, cash advance fees and late payment fees. The finance charge can be as high as 25 percent on the unpaid part of your bill, and the annual fee can suck up a hundred bucks each year. For cash advances, most cards charge a scary amount and high interest. Read the fine print, and look at what a late payment can do to your rate (hint: just one late payment increases your interest rate). Try sites like credit.com or bankrate.com) to compare cards and score the best deal.

Screw the free-t-shirt

Forget the free-t-shirt/ water bottle/ random-crappy-thing-that-you’ll-never-use-again. Don’t apply just to score free gear. With every application, an inquiry is made into your credit history. This can pull down your credit quicker than a drunken frat guy drops his pants (or yours). Push through the crowd of over-eager credit card pushers – its okay to say no. Read More »