Baby, You Can Drive My Car - letters

Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, May, 2001

SHOULD A TEENAGER have his or her own car? That's the question that drew the most comments from readers of the February "MoneySmart Kids" column. Our own kids-and-money expert, executive editor Janet Bodnar, answered the question in her own family by allowing son John to use the family station wagon as long as he bought his own gas. When he leaves for college next year, his sister will inherit the car keys.

KIDS AND CARS

I enjoyed "As Seen on TV" (Feb.) because 7th Heaven is one of my favorite shows and has taught me a lot about life, not just money. Your last piece of advice really made me think. You said, "Say no to a car." While I agree that buying a brand-new car is an unnecessary expense, having a car gives a kid a well-rounded taste of adult life. When my sister and I started driving, we used our mother's old car. This experience has taught me much about cars that I would never have known otherwise, and it's better to learn now than when I am on my own. I am grateful to my parents for giving me this education. --AMY HORNING, Detroit

My wife and I agree with you that teenagers should not own a car, but we feel very alone in this position because most of the high school students we know have cars. Even though it's inconvenient for us to share our car with our daughters, we feel that students should not work to support a car and that having one distracts them from their studies. --THORNTON WAITE, Idaho Falls, Idaho

IDENTITY THEFT

The advice in your March story not to keep your social security card in your wallet is all well and good ("Anatomy of a Fraud"). But as a medicare recipient, I need to carry a card that uses my social security number as a claim number. --DAVID MCNALLY, Tehachapi, Cal.

EDITOR'S NOTE: While some private insurers will issue you an ID number other than your social security number, medicare, unfortunately, will not. You're left with a choice either to carry your card and risk having it stolen, or leave it home and risk not having it when you need it. One option is to carry it separately from your wallet.

Your story about identity theft hit close to home, because I was the victim of identity theft nearly four years ago. In my case, the thieves stole a box of checks from my mailbox and had a fake ID card made so they could use them. I was completely unaware of the theft until a few days later, when I began receiving bounced-check notices from my bank. One measure I took to protect myself in the future was to rent a box at a nearby post office. Although there is admittedly a little inconvenience, I rest easier. --JAMES SUMMERS, Mobile, Ala.

RETIRE WHEN YOU WANT

As the economy goes south, it seems inappropriate to be writing about a 33-year-old who retired on her dotcom fortune ("Retire When You Want," March). In my town, it's in bad taste to show off about money, whether you're a janitor or a Ford. --ELLEN CREAGER, Grosse Pointe, Mich,

My father and his wife retired early from the state government because they had a super retirement plan. Now my father calls me from such exotic locales as Greece, Norway and the Bahamas, and ends the conversation with something like, "Every day is Saturday." It's important to set a goal early, and I'm glad Kiplinger's points this out. I'm sharing this story with my 13-year-old son. --PAUL ROBERTS, Elk Grove, Cal.

BALANCED DIET

Likening a protein bar to "a Pop-Tart with a vitamin chaser" is ludicrous ("Flunk These Bars," March). The 4030-30 diet, also known as the Zone Diet, is a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates and monosaturated fats. Zone and Balance bars do the trick and taste great as well. --RICK BAUER, Bellmawr, N.J.

Letters to the editor will be considered for publication unless the writer requests otherwise. They may be edited for clarity and space, and initials will be used on request only if you include your name. Mail to Letters Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, 1729 H St., N.W., Washington, DC 20006, fax to 202-331-7255 or e-mail to feedback@kiplinger.com. Include your name, address and daytime telephone number.