Archive for March, 2010
Credit Card Consolidation Exposed
Revolving credit, like charge cards, gas accounts, and department store accounts, are almost magical because they can give us the power to buy things we could never afford if we had to pay cash. That power to buy whatever we want becomes almost addictive, unfortunately, which can lead to a serious financial situation. Before you know it, the problems start to multiply:
- First you pay only the minimum payments while continuing to spend, so the balance gets larger and larger
- Eventually you can’t even pay the minimum so now additional interest and fees are added on to the balance
- Some folks compound the problem even more by taking cash out of one charge card at extremely high interest rates to make payments on another account
This can truly lead to a disastrous cycle of ever-increasing debt with, seemingly, no possible way to pay it off.
At least that’s the way it seems, until you learn a little-known secret that the banks and charge card companies never want you to learn about.
But First, Some Benefits of Consolidation
A debt management company can provide just the type of solution you need to get out from under all of your debt. There are many benefits from consolidating your debt. Here are just a few:
- You will save more money when your balances are all combined into one account compared to what you were paying all of your separate creditors.
- You won’t have to worry about all of the different due dates for all of the different statements since you will now make just one simple payment each month.
- Most credit card consolidation firms will give you a better interest rate than the average of what you are paying right now on all of your debt.
- You can use the extra money that you save on interest to pay off your balance faster.
- It’s easy to qualify for consolidation because most of the debt management companies do not check your credit rating.
Those benefits are great but the biggest benefit is the one that no one wants you to learn about.
Debt management companies have a lot of power to negotiate with banks and credit card companies because they manage so many accounts. Often they can reduce your total debt by 50%. That’s right, often they can cut your debt in half, and you can bet that no one wants you to find out about it while you are still making big payments on all of your accounts.
Do some research and compare credit card consolidation companies until you find the one that is right for you. Take advantage of the free consultation they offer to sit down and talk to an expert about your unique situation.
Credit consolidation companies can sometimes reduce your debt by 50%. Take the next step and let us help you find the right company to work with you to reduce your balances and interest rates. Click here for a free consultation or check out more information about getting help with your credit card debt.
You have absolutely nothing to lose but you could regain your financial future.
Help With Credit Card Debt: Easy Tips for Better Management
Credit cards, and revolving credit in general, can be both a blessing and a curse. It is definitely a blessing in a time of need when you are short of money and have an emergency. Unfortunately it becomes a curse if you are not able to repay it on time. There are a couple of simple things you can do to better manage your revolving debt, which includes charge cards, gas accounts, and department store cards.
Stop Adding To Your Debt
The absolute best thing you can do to manage your revolving debt is to cut all of your charge cards in half. Sound dramatic? Sure, it is, but it is one way to make sure that you stop adding on to the amount that you owe.
If you are not ready to take such a drastic step, start with leaving all of your credit cards at home. Then they are available if you really have an emergency but are not in your wallet when you are out shopping. If you make it inconvenient to use credit you are much less likely to add to your balances.
Needs and Wants
The next step is to make a list of the things you spend money on each month. Now sit down and divide the list into two columns: one side for things you really need and the other side for things you want but don’t actually need. Each month reduce the amount you spend on wants and just spend on the needs. If you do this regularly, you will be surprised by how much you are able to save.
Now that you are saving money by spending less, it’s time to use it wisely. Start increasing the amount that you are paying on your revolving debt. Also you might consider contacting a debt management company who could give you even more ideas on how to save money and reduce your debt.
Credit consolidation companies can sometimes reduce your debt by 50%. Take the next step and let us help you find the right company to work with you to reduce your balances and interest rates. Clcik here for a free consultation or check out more information about getting help with your credit card debt.
You have absolutely nothing to lose but you could regain your financial future.
Want to get rid of your debt even faster? Credit card consolidation may be able to cut your debt in half. Read more…
Credit Card Consolidation: 4 Steps to Find the Best Company
Do you need to solve your revolving debt problem? Have the bills from credit cards, gas accounts, and department store charge accounts gotten out of control? Credit card consolidation might be just the thing to solve your financial worries, but there are a few things you need to consider when you choose a debt management company to help you out. These 4 steps will offer you guidance in finding the right people to solve your financial problems.
Step 1: Put you charge cards away. Just stop using them except for the most dire emergencies. If they are not in your wallet it will be much more difficult to use them. You definitely want to avoid adding on more debt while you are trying to pay off the money you already owe.
Step 2: Research several debt management companies before choosing one. Take as much time as you need to get a good idea about what each business is offering.
Step 3: Set up an appointment to meet with a representative for the company that you have chosen. Many credit card consolidation firms offer a free consultation. If the firm you contact doesn’t offer one, contact another company.
Step 4: Be sure to ask a lot of questions during your free consultation. There are some things you definitely need to know before you decide on working with a particular firm. Among the things you will need to know are:
- details about the actual process that they will use to help you consolidate your debt
- the costs and interest rates that are involved
- if you will have a dedicated representative who you will be able to contact directly if you have any additional problems or questions in the future.
By following these steps, one by one, you will be knowledgeable and informed when choosing a credit card consolidation company to help you on the road to a totally debt-free life.
Got more than $10k in credit card debt?
You could be out of debt in 12-36 months
You may be able to settle for 50% of your debt
The more you know, the more you save
Click here for a complementary debt consultation
Help With Credit Card Debt: A Simple But Effective Tip
Sometimes credit seem like more of a curse than a blessing. I never used to think this way until I realized that even after 4 years I hadn’t been able to pay off all of my revolving debt. I still had balances on my credit cards, gas accounts, and my department store accounts. I needed to sit down and figure this problem out. I had totally forgotten about one particular factor and that was the key to the whole problem for me. I fixed that and now I am living a totally debt-free life, and you can too. Let me tell you about the simple but effective tip that will help you to get rid of your debts like I did.
Say No to Increased Credit Limits and Extra Cards
It is very tempting to accept the all of the goodies that the charge card companies, banks, and department stores offer. Sometimes the department stores even offer great discounts if you will just apply for a charge card for their store. What harm could an increased credit limit or an extra card for a yourself or a family member possibly cause? The damage will be obvious when you look at the monthly bill. It feels good to have a higher limit or to share your credit with someone else but it is a very, very bad idea. The goal is to make your outstanding balance smaller not bigger, after all.
Just say “no” when the charge card company, bank, or department store offers to increase your limit or wants you to take another card. If you can reduce temptation you will increase the chances of paying off all of the money you owe.
I know this tip seems simple but try it and you can reduce your charge card balances before you know it. And you don’t have to wait 4 years to figure it out like I did. If you take action now you will be able to reach your debt-free life soon.
Overwhelmed by Credit Card Debt?
If you have more than ten thousand in credit card debt we can help.
You could be out of debt in 12-36 months and you may be able to settle for 50% of your debt
The more you know, the more you save
Click here for a complementary debt consultation
Help With Credit Card Debt: A Fool Proof Plan
Plastic money has gone from being used exclusively for emergencies or special purchases to something to is often used to pay for everyday living expenses. Though revolving credit, which includes credit cards, gas accounts, and department store cards, can be a blessing when one is short of cash, they often turn into a curse when the bill comes due. To turn that curse back into a blessing all you need is a fool proof plan to better manage revolving debt.
Pay More Than The Minimum
If you only make the minimum payment on your revolving debt each month it will take a long time and a lot of extra money to totally pay off your total balance. For example, if you owe a total of $8000 today the minimum payment listed on your statement is around $340. When you pay that amount about $40 of your payment goes toward the interest. Let’s assume that you do not use this revolving account at all while paying the debt off. If you keep paying the minimum payment:
- it will take a total of three years to pay off the entire debt
- the amount of interest you will pay adds up to $3000
- you will have paid $11,000 to pay down an $8,000 loan.
There is an easy way to both speed up the process of paying back the money and reducing the amount of interest you are being charged. Simply make your payments a little more than the minimum amount on your bills each month. Using the example in the preceding paragraph, if you could find a way to make payments of $450 each month instead of $340 you would reduce the amount of interest you have to pay and cut down the repayment time incredibly.
Try this simple plan today and you will be on the road to a totally debt-free life!
Got more than $10k in credit card debt?
You could be out of debt in 12-36 months
You may be able to settle for 50% of your debt
The more you know, the more you save
Click here for a complementary debt consultation
Debt Consolidation Information: How to Manage Your Debt
Most people have heard of the term “credit card consolidation.” You are probably reading this because you might not have been sure exactly how it works or whether it could help you manage your revolving debt, like charge cards, gas accounts, and department store cards. Read on to get the answers to your questions.
Credit card consolidation in simply the act of combining together all of your revolving debt. Debt management companies can help you consolidate your balances and then assist you to reduce the total amount that you owe. In addition to that, they will help you set up a specific plan of action to get out of debt once and for all.
The first step to better manage your finances is to reduce the amount you spend. Find savings where ever you can. Sometimes the smallest things, like bringing a brown bag lunch and making your own coffee rather than buying a cup, can add up to the greatest savings.
The next step is to reduce or, even better, stop entirely your use of charge cards. Put them away and only use them for the most dire emergency. Seriously, put them away. If they are in your wallet it is too tempting to pull them out to buy things on a whim.
After you have taken those steps, the next thing to do is to research credit card consolidation companies. Have a meeting with the company that you are considering and bring along a list of your outstanding balances and interest rates. Once they have all the facts and figures they can help you map out the best plan of action for you.
Such companies will usually combine all of your debt and pay off the banks and credit card companies. Then you will pay them over a longer period of time and at a reduced interest rate. Sometimes the debt management company will even be able to negotiate with the banks to lower your balance. This is one of the biggest advantages of using a skilled professional to handle your financial problems.
Overwhelmed by Credit Card Debt?
If you have more than ten thousand in credit card debt we can help.
You could be out of debt in 12-36 months and you may be able to settle for 50% of your debt
The more you know, the more you save
Click here for a complementary debt consultation
Debt Consolidation Information: Make a Dent in Your Debt
It seems like everyone is trying to reduce their debt these days, especially revolving debt like credit cards, gas accounts, and department store cards. Here are a few tips to help you better manage your financial obligations and reduce your outstanding balances.
Pay More Than The Minimum
The first tip is to always pay more than the minimum amount on your monthly bill. Sometimes the minimum amount doesn’t even pay all of the interest being charged! If that is the case, you are getting into more debt every month even though you are paying the amount that the bank or financial institution is asking for. By paying more than the minimum, you will not only pay your balances down faster but you will also ensure that the lender doesn’t increase your interest rate.
Pay Your Bills Early
Be sure to always pay your bills on or preferably before the date they are due. Leave a little extra time just in case the mail or electronic transaction takes a little longer than you think it will. By waiting until the very last minute to pay you take the chance that your payment will be late, which will result in you being charged fees and higher interest rates.
Use Cash or Debit
A seemingly simple but very important tip to help you manage your credit is to use it sparingly. Don’t use your charge cards when you could pay with cash or a debit card. Your credit card does give you more purchasing power now, but the bill at the end of the month puts all of the power in the hands of the financial institutions.
The Best Solution For Many People
Lastly, credit card consolidation is often a good solution to ever-increasing debt. By combining all of your revolving credit accounts you can get a lower interest rate than the average of what you are paying right now. You will also be able to simplifiy your life by only having to remember one due date for your payments, which will reduce the chance of late payments and the fees, penalties, and increased interest rate charges that go with it.
The responsible use of your revolving credit combined with a plan of repayment will help you along the road to a debt-free life.
Got more than $10k in credit card debt?
You could be out of debt in 12-36 months
You may be able to settle for 50% of your debt
The more you know, the more you save
Click here for a complementary debt consultation
Credit Card Consolidation: Why Bother With The Hassle?
Sometimes people who are thinking about credit card consolidation wonder if it’s worth the hassle. They think, “I have a lot of debt, but I’m not behind on my bills so why should I bother consolidating my debt?” It definitely IS worth doing, and there are three big reasons why you should consider doing it.
Save Money
The number one, absolute best reason to consolidate your debt is because you will save money. Add up all of the balances of your revolving credit accounts, including charge cards, gas cards, and department store accounts. Now write down the interest rate that you are paying on each of those account and figure out the average interest rate on the total of your revolving credit. In most cases, the credit card consolidation companies can give you a much lower rate than whatever your average interest rate is right now.
Pay Off Your Debt Faster
The second best reason to consider consolidating your debt is that you will be able to pay off your total balance a lot faster. As we talked about earlier, you will be saving money on your interest rate. If you take that money that you are saving and use it to pay down your balance you will pay off the total a lot faster, which will save you even more money.
And Most Importantly…
The third reason is probably the most important one, but not for the obvious reason. When you consolidation your debt you will only have one payment to make on your revolving accounts each month. This has three enormous benefits:
- It’s more convenient
- You are less likely to forget a payment and have to pay late fees and interest
- By avoiding late fees you also maintain your good credit rating
This last point is the really important one. By making your payments on time, you not only avoid interest and late fees, you also keep a good FICO score which will allow you to get car loans, mortgages, etc, with a lower interest rate in the future.
Your next step is to do some simple research on the credit card consolidation companies. Take advantage of any free consultations and see if they are able to offer you a lower interest rate than the one that you are paying right now. If they are, accept the offer and start saving both your money and your credit rating.
Overwhelmed by Credit Card Debt?
If you have more than ten thousand in credit card debt we can help.
You could be out of debt in 12-36 months and you may be able to settle for 50% of your debt
The more you know, the more you save
Click here for a complementary debt consultation
Debt Consolidation Information: Credit Card Debt Facts
Credit cards allow us to feel strong and powerful when we are shopping. Suddenly we are able to buy almost anything we see in the store, regardless of how much money we have in our pockets or bank accounts. Unfortunately, that good feeling goes away when the bills arrive in the mailbox. Sometimes it is hard to make those payments on time, and then the interest charges and fees start to add up.
During these difficult times credit card consolidation is one of the best financial decisions you could make. Consolidating all of your revolving credit, which includes charge cards, gas accounts, and department store cards, would allow you to:
- lower the interest rate on your combined debt
- make your payment go further to pay down your debt because you are paying less interest
- reduce the chance of having late payments and being charged extra interest and fees because you only have to pay one bill each month to remember
- reduce your stress because you wouldn’t have to worry about making numerous payments each month
- reduce your anxiety about the amount of money you owe because you would know that you have taken a significant step to better manage your financial life
The first step is to add up the total balance on all of your revolving credit accounts. Find out what interest rate you are paying on each account, and then determine what the average interest rate is on the total amount. Compare the rate you are paying now to the rates offered by the debt management companies and then pick the company that is offering the deal that is best for you.
The most important thing to consider is the difference in interest rates. Though it will be more convenient to pay all of your bills in one payment on one day, it won’t help your finances unless you are able to pay less interest. Take advantage of any free or complementary consultations that the credit card consolidation companies offer to help you make the most knowledgeable choice possible.
Got more than $10k in credit card debt?
You could be out of debt in 12-36 months
You may be able to settle for 50% of your debt
The more you know, the more you save
Click here for a complementary debt consultation
Credit Card Consolidation Companies: Who Should I Choose?
This article is meant for you if:
- your credit card balance has gotten out of control
- you have delayed your payment thinking that you would pay it tomorrow, but tomorrow never seems to come
- you are up to your neck in charge card bills that you just can’t handle
If any of these situations sound like you, then you have come to the right place. Read on to find out how you can find an ally who can help you gain control of your debt and maybe even cut that debt in half.
The Most Important Factor
When you are dealing with something as important as debt management you want to make sure that you find the best possible credit card consolidation company. The most important factor in finding that company is the time you are willing to spend researching the available firms and comparing their offers.
Though there are a lot of companies who say they can get you the best deal with the banks, you have to do your due diligence to see if they can live up to their claims. Unfortunately, some of these businesses don’t live up to their hype.
Consult with a Professional Before You Decide
Don’t choose a credit card consolidation company until you have had time to talk to them about the specifics of your finances. Be sure to take advantage of any free consultation that they offer to you. Speak to their representatives and show them your whole debt situation. Once they see the facts and figures of your finances they will be able show you how they can negotiate with the banks and revolving credit companies to cut your outstanding balance and reduce your interest rate.
Only after they have a chance to see your entire financial situation will they be able to show you the best way to solve your debt problems and offer you a real solution to your dilemma.
Overwhelmed by Credit Card Debt?
If you have more than ten thousand in credit card debt we can help.
You could be out of debt in 12-36 months and you may be able to settle for 50% of your debt
The more you know, the more you save
Click here for a complementary debt consultation