Salary Negotiation:

Yeah, I appreciate the help guys -- one of the things I want to do immediately is max out an IRA every year. I had a business English class where the teacher educated us a bit about money management -- it was amazing how fast they can grow.

I really appreciate the help. Interviewing is not a strong point for me so I'm hoping I can knock this one out. Hard to market yourself when you have no experience!

Yeah, I appreciate the help guys -- one of the things I want to do immediately is max out an IRA every year. I had a business English class where the teacher educated us a bit about money management -- it was amazing how fast they can grow.

I really appreciate the help. Interviewing is not a strong point for me so I'm hoping I can knock this one out. Hard to market yourself when you have no experience!

Good call on the saving money thing. Socking that away early will save you SO MUCH in the long run. It could make the difference between retiring at age 67 or at age 62. Or it could make the difference between having money to travel for a week overseas every year in retirement or not. Or it could make the difference between having the dough for season tickets, or not!

The two smartest financial moves you can make:
- Start saving money TODAY (it's never too late, and definitely never too early)
- STAY OUT OF CREDIT CARD DEBT

Not only that, check out a savings account online that's going to get you at least four percent.

I have one from Emmigrant Direct that's making me 4.5% a month. Compounded daily.

ING direct has great interest rates on savings accounts and they have interest bearing checking accounts as well.

Yeah, to be honest the salary doesn't really concern me that much -- it's answering the question I'm afraid of -- I think I'm going to say 40-50K, thats a broad range and hopefully good. I'll still try to avoid the question if possible, but we'll see!

Don't do that - you've just told them that you will take $40k, thank you very much. What others are suggesting is to aim in the middle, but make it clear that this is a negotiation, not a firm offer on your part. You do that by saying something like:

"I think, given X and Y, that $ZZ,000 is an appropriate salary. However, I understand that there may be considerations on your side that I am not aware of, and I would be interested to hear what you think would be appropriate given my background."

ING direct has great interest rates on savings accounts and they have interest bearing checking accounts as well.

They're definitely good. If you look around, you can even find some that'll give you 6%...

If you know the approximate salary range, don't be afraid to throw that out there and say something like "based on the research I've done the range for this position appears to be X amount to Y amount (at that point you could ask if they agree with said range), and I'm comfortable discussing a figure in this range".

I would definitely avoid getting pinned down to an exact figure.

This really is the best advise you can get. I have seen several people get backed into a corner and now they make less than thier co-workers with the same position as they have.
I would also suggest saying something along the lines of, "well I would expect that I would be compensated along the same lines as others in this position." (assuming you won't be the only one). You say that even though you don't have any experience. If you had experience, you'd say the same thing but add that you expect to be paid what the other experienced employees are getting paid for the same position.
Usually they will let it go, then when it comes hiring time, then negotiations hit full swing. They already want you, so all you have to do is hit thier pre-determined range, and you're set. Most companies have guidelines on salaries arranged by the CEO or board of directors etc. As long as you're within the range, you're golden.

The two smartest financial moves you can make:
- Start saving money TODAY (it's never too late, and definitely never too early)
- STAY OUT OF CREDIT CARD DEBT

Absolutely true! That's great advice for someone.
It's not just about saving either, it's about saving wisely. Make your money work for you. I know that is cliche, but it's true. Why put your money in a low 1% savings account, when you can put it in an IRA that yields 10-13% annually?
If you don't know how to invest or save, speak with a financial consultant. Edward Jones type people that know how to maximize your money.

About Credit Card debt...that will destroy most families. The debt is almost permanantly stuck to you unless you pay it completely off. It takes like 47 years to pay off at just paying the minimum payment. Best advice is to not buy something unless you have the cash. I know that's tough sometimes, so at the very least, do not borrow on a revolving account (that's a CC type account) borrow on an account that has terms like X amount of monthly payment for 3 or 4 years...like how you woud buy a car. Credit cards may seem better cause of the low monthly payment, but after all is said and done, you've been bent over a barrel.

Ask them what they pay people who hold the same position in the company. Never give a specific number, throw the range at them. Never take the low number unless your really like the job (let them know you're taking the low number because you like the job). If they press you for a specific number say "It depends on the benefits but xxx sounds like a reasonable number." If this is your first interview don't bring up salary discussion, let them do it. You don't really have experience so if I were you I would ask for 52K. Whatever you do don't seem desperate, nobody likes that.

Whatever you do, don't walk in dressed in a velvet sweatsuit, whip out your package and lay it on the table, and proceed to ask how much will they give you to remove said package from the table. I heard that's frowned upon.