You're broke. You've got bills that amount to more than what you could earn in a year. Heck, it's even more than you could earn in a decade. You can't borrow from your parents, your relatives, your friends or your ex-partner. And your bank manager has personally written you a letter - sadly, it's not about the state of the weather but the state of your account. It's soooo like Becky in Shopaholic it's almost eerie. But alas, there will be no multi-millionaire named Luke to go dashing to your rescue. So what to do? Switch on the TV, of course. The nonsense pouring out from the boob tube would surely lessen the stress. And then ... something catches your eye. What's that? Oh my. Is that a sign from heaven?
Over the years, debt cosolidation has become a popular method to use to conquer those outstanding bills from credit card companies, student loans and so on. Originally, debt cosolidation started to boom with countless advertisements in the Internet but after a while, it also began to advertise in TV. Making itself a focus of attention in such a way was both a good thing and a bad thing for debt cosolidation companies.
Good because it made more and more people aware that debt cosolidation may be something they haven't considered to getting them out of the financial trouble they've found themselves in.
Bad because their aggressive marketing has made other people --- like the government --- aware that they exist. And so now, a lot of debt cosolidation companies have been targeted by a number of lawsuits over the years.
But first and foremost: what's debt cosolidation anyway? In a nutshell, debt cosolidation is adding up all your outstanding bills and bringing them to the debt cosolidation company. Then you have them talk with your creditors in giving you more time to pay off or lower the interest rates or the monthly payments. Debt consolidation companies are very careful to emphasize that they don't make your debts vanish, only tolerable and they help you to become financial worry-free, if there is such a state of being. Debt cosolidation is also now known as debt settlement and debt negotiation. Anyway, it all means the same thing.
So is it advisable to use debt cosolidation or is it a curse in disguise? It truly depends. If you try researching over the Internet, you'll surely come across articles that warn you against enlisting the help of a debt consolidation company because in the end, you'll be more financially bankrupt than you were before. But some articles say that debt cosolidation is a good thing because it's a method where you can solve all your problems in one swoop.
In the end, it's really up to you if you want to take a risk or not. If you do, then the first step you should take is to look for a debt consolidation company that you can truly trust. There are websites that list debt cosolidation companies that are worth trusting. You can also check the Better Business Bureau for their own list but some say that a good rating with the BBB basically amounts to nothing. But if you don't want to use debt cosolidation as a last resort, that's okay, because there are still other alternatives. You can talk personally with your creditors and assure them with your sincere desire to pay your loans off but requesting for a little more time. Sincerity always works. Then you can get counseling and enroll yourself under a financial fitness program or a therapy for those who are unable to control their spending.
7 Ways to Spot a Credit Repair Scam
If you've recently had an application turned down because of bad credit, you know the importance of good credit as well as anyone. Having bad credit can make life a little inconvenient. You might find yourself paying high security deposits or getting turned down for credit cards, loans, and even jobs.
Credit repair services look very attractive when your credit is damaged. Many consumers who've used these companies have found themselves out of hundreds, even thousands of dollars, with no better credit than when they started. Credit repair scams are rampant and it's up to you to recognize them. Read 7 Ways to Spot a Credit Repair Scam.
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7 Ways to Spot a Credit Repair Scam originally appeared on About.com Credit / Debt Management on Tuesday, July 27th, 2010 at 00:56:07.
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...(more)12 Reasons Your Budget Isn't Working
Are you about to give up budgeting because you can't get your budget to work? Check out these 12 reasons your budget isn't working before you throw in the towel. Usually when budgets go wrong, it's because of the method, not the budget itself.
Budgets are an essential tool to getting out of debt and staying there. So don't give up on your budget just yet. Try to figure out what's not working, fix that problem, and give your budget another try.
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12 Reasons Your Budget Isn't Working originally appeared on About.com Credit / Debt Management on Sunday, July 25th, 2010 at 02:02:18.
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...(more)Beware Email and Phone Credit Card Scams
Credit card thieves come up with more clever ways of tricking you into giving your credit card information. They like to pose as your credit card company, calling or emailing you to alert you to trouble with your account. Be suspicious any phone calls or emails you receive from someone claiming to with your bank or card company.
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Beware Email and Phone Credit Card Scams originally appeared on About.com Credit / Debt Management on Saturday, July 24th, 2010 at 00:09:39.
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...(more)The Debt Collector Could Be Checking Your Facebook
If you tell the debt collector you're about to file bankruptcy today, you probably shouldn't post pictures of your new Corvette tomorrow. Otherwise, the debt collector could use that information against you. TheĀ Arizona Daily Star report tells of a the debt collector who discovered information on Facebook and used it to confront a businessman who'd lied about his inability to pay a $17,500 debt. That confrontation got him to pay up.
There's nothing in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act that prevents debt collectors from checking your Facebook or other social networking page. Fortunately, they can't use it to reveal that you owe a debt.
The best way to keep debt collectors off your Facebook page is to make it private and visible only to people you know. Of course, telling the truth about your financial status won't hurt either.
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The Debt Collector Could Be Checking Your Facebook originally appeared on About.com Credit / Debt Management on Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 at 23:06:02.
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...(more)Could This Be the Best Cashback/Balance Transfer Card Ever?
How does this sound for a cash rewards deal? Five percent cashback on gas purchases, two percent on groceries, and one percent on everything else. What about a 4.99% interest rate on balance transfer for two years?
This is a real credit card offer, from a real bank, but I must admit, there's a catch - you must be a member of the Pentagon Federal Credit Union. The good news is - there are seven ways to join the credit union and one of them could apply to you.
Read our review of the PedFed Platinum Cashback Rewards Card to learn more about the credit card offer.
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Could This Be the Best Cashback/Balance Transfer Card Ever? originally appeared on About.com Credit / Debt Management on Thursday, July 15th, 2010 at 03:00:22.
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