There's never a good time to run out of money. But for Baffinland Iron Mines Corp., the cruel blow couldn't have come at a worse moment.

The junior mining company owns iron ore deposits on the northwestern end of Baffin Island in Nunavut. CEO Gordon McCreary knew it would be an expensive summer. Baffinland operates two sites on the island, one on the coast, where supplies are received, and one at the Mary River project site 100 kilometres inland. The warmer months offered a brief window of opportunity to sea-lift critical supplies. Dry goods, trucks and other kinds of equipment were needed. The company also decided to switch from barrelled to bulk fuels, requiring $5 million worth of investment in storage facilities. And Baffinland opted to upgrade an old winter road linking its sites.

8.5% Fixed-Rate NextStudent PLUS Loan Gives Parents Mid-School Year Option to Help Their Children Pay for College

Unlike some student loans that have application deadlines early in the fall semester, Federal PLUS Loans give parents with college-aged children a financing option that they can apply for throughout the school year (depending on the final deadline set by the school's financial aid office). With fall semester ending and families gearing up their college budgets for spring, parents of undergraduates who need a little more financial help can take advantage of mid-year application with a PLUS loan from NextStudent, a leading Phoenix-based education funding company.

PLUS loans (Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students) are non-need-based federal student loans designed to help creditworthy parents meet their undergraduate children's educational expenses. PLUS loans from NextStudent give families a low-interest option for college financing that serves as an alternative to dipping into the family savings or borrowing against a home.

Fitch Affirms Corn Products International's IDR at 'BBB'; Outlook Stable

--Senior unsecured credit facility at 'BBB'.

The ratings are supported by the company's competitive market position, geographic diversification and comprehensive product mix within the wet-corn milling industry. Corn Products' conservative financial policies and financial flexibility are also reflected in the ratings. The price of corn, the company's main raw material cost, may fluctuate based on factors such as changes in weather conditions and plantings, consumption growth and government agricultural policies. However, Corn Products' balanced geographic presence reduces operating earnings volatility in any one region. While the company does not participate in ethanol production, Corn Products benefits from the tightening of capacity utilization for the entire corn complex.

Credit Counselor Mark Foster Teaches Financial Responsibility

FAYETTEVILLE -- Young couples struggling to balance income with expenses. Families mired in credit card debt. Retirees concerned about identity theft. Teenagers without a clue how to handle their finances.Mark Foster cares about them all.As director of education at Credit Counseling of Arkansas, Foster works with a wide variety of people. He leads seminars on a host of financial topics, coordinates outreach services and acts as media liaison. He's a featured financial expert on "KNWA Today" and hosts a quarterly show on Jones Television Network. He oversees 17 employees, including several who offer services in Spanish and Marshallese."We all have money," said Foster, 39. "How do you manage it? How do you budget it? What goals do you set? How do you manage credit wisely?"With all the pressures on American families today, it is essential for people to master their personal finances to survive and excel."CCOA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people improve their financial literacy.