(MONEY Magazine) – I'm 27 years old and have just finished reading the August article, ''Tight Times for Twentysomethings.'' I'm one of those who graduated from college with not just one but several credit cards. After a few years of running up my cards, I recently cut them all up. I still owe on them, but now I have just one -- a company credit card for business expenses only. Otherwise, I pay cash for everything. There's a big difference between wanting and needing. If I don't have the cash, I wait until I do. Elaine A. Wang San Francisco

What an eye-opener your article was for my generation. I am 25 years old, married, and both my husband and I hold full-time jobs. We have no children. Both of us are burdened by student loan repayment, but I recently applied to have mine consolidated through Sallie Mae to help reduce the outflow of cash. At one time we had all the financial naivete you found in my generation. But we have learned our lessons. Terese A. Lovelace Fargo, N.D.