Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Cleveland Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Cleveland

Find out more on Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Cleveland Now!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Please Help Me Get Out of Credit Card Debt

By James Johnson

A sad fact of life today is that too many individuals spend their monthly income to pay off debts. If you've been paying only the minimum on high interest credit cards all this time, you are doomed to pay a great deal more than what you spent. As disposal income diminishes and the cost of everyday necessities continues to climb, people all across the country are saying the same thing: "Help me get out of credit card debt."


If you truly wish to get yourself out of credit card debt, you must face the debt head-on, planning to pay it off as quickly as you can. What you spend now to help yourself out of credit card debt can help to save you money in the long run.


The most important thing to do for getting a handle on your finances is to make a list of your debts, including the creditor and the amount due. Devise a spreadsheet either on your computer or manually for each creditor and show the balance due, minimum monthly payment and applicable interest rate. You will refer to this "get out of debt" worksheet each month as you make credit card payments.


Once you know how much is owed, you need to get rid of the debt. You at least need to increase your monthly payment to pay more than the current minimum amount to get rid of your debt more quickly. Any "help me get out of credit card debt" plans you had in the past probably didn't work put because you didn't put more money towards your monthly payments. Its best to try for two times the minimum monthly payment.

If you have a certain amount of money each month that you can dedicate toward reducing your debt, begin by trying to pay off the credit card on which you owe the least amount of money. That will give you a big boost toward helping you get out of debt. The reason you'll wish to do this, rather than focusing on paying off the highest interest rate credit card first, is that a credit card which is paid off looks much better on a credit report than four credit card paid off only halfway.

A credit card holder must be able to learn and manage credit responsibly. Getting out of heavy debt provides a great feeling of accomplishment when you finally pay off all your outstanding loans and credit card bills. The relief from mental stress alone is worth the effort.


Stay faithful to your commitment to stop spending and pay off more each month. Within a short time you will no longer be saying "help me get out of credit card debt. You could then use your income for things that really matter.

About the Author:

The Mistake with your Billing Statement

By Paul J. Easton

In paying your debts, you always dread to look at the billing statements because of the horrible amount you are to be paying for the next decades to come. Not studying these bills actually makes you more a victim of the credit card companies. I know that there are many emotional reasons why you prefer not to look at it but consider the small changes and you can end up saving a lot of money.

By taking the time to meticulously look at your billing statements before making payments, you will attack the problem upfront. Most utility companies do their billing process electronically. But this does not mean that an error cannot be made. Sometimes, it pays to check that you are paying the right amount or find those mistakes. By inquiring to their customer support, mistakes can be taken care of and remedied. This prevents you from paying more than the supposed payment because of one unintentional yet costly mistake for your part. They can even offer something to relieve you from that inconvenience they brought due to that mistake.

Find out too what you can do with your credit card debts. Some credit card companies offer their debtors with financial assistance when they observe that you are having some problems paying your bills. If will probably offer you a plan to consolidate your loans with lower interests and free from other charges. Always read the fine print with these deals. Make certain that you are in the position of really getting out of debt instead of acquiring more.

Compare all your bills and prioritize expenses that you can maintain and are very necessary. If you can't afford it, find a cheaper alternative or just cut off the service. One of the examples for these common expenses that keep you in a debt cycle is the cable TV subscription. Is your cable TV so expensive you are struggling with paying it on time? Try a cheaper alternative that will work just fine. This package might have lesser choices but this is part of an important move you are making to get ahead with life financially later. Moreover, you can still live without that cable package, so ditch that off now.

Another thing you can eliminate to cut costs is your landline and cell phone postpaid plan. Just choose between the two to maximize its use. Find better deals with your cell phone plan provider.

By merely looking at the bills, you become conscious of what you pay for. You become more aware of the things you are expending at and you end up making the most from the services you subscribe to. This is what you call focusing yourself with what you have. Surely, if you are paying more than the things you can afford, you might have overlooked payments in your statement. So find out how to reduce your expenses today. You'll be happier when you did it finally. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here.

For information on how to get rid of debt, go to http://www.Howtogetridofdebt.net/ by Paul J. Easton.

A Couple Easy Debt Management Hints To Guide You

By Frank Froggatt

One way to look at debt management is to equate it with an obstacle towards achieving your dreams; one that you must master if you intend to move forward in life.The truth is that debts are like heavy burdens on people, and when they carry an excess of debt burden they won't move forward in life.

But intelligent people don't seem to worry too much about being in debt because such folks have mechanisms of offsetting their debts.But can you afford to go this way?

People who have accumulated huge debts must endeavor to do all they can to reduce such debts.It all boils down to how good you're at debt management.

You can greatly reduce and reduce debts if you use any of the following methods:

Scale down your expenses. You can only reduce debt by a wide margin if you adhere strictly to this.It is very simple: when you spend less, you will have more money to repay your debt.

If you adhere strictly to this, you will find it very useful in not only debt management, but in your private and business life.

Also, when you commit 10% of your earnings as savings regularly, then no debt will be too big for you to reduce.When money is put away as savings it does nothing but grow, and this can later be put to use for debt servicing or floating a business venture that would eventually start repaying your debts. The concept is christened as "pay thyself first".

This idea was postulated in the book titled "The Richest Man In Babylon" which explains that regardless of the amount you owe, you can still reduce your debt if you save judiciously. You can therefore easily invest the extra funds to increase your business capital and use it to payback your debt gradually.

You might think that the methods look too simplistic to have any effect, but if you give both a shot you will be surprised how effective they are in debt management.

About the Author:

An explanation of reverse mortgages

By Mijnadviseur

Seniors can deal with the financial uncertainty they experience by using a reverse mortgage. Retirement can be tough on the financial side, and a reverse mortgage gives them the breathing room they need to enjoy their retirement.

For seniors, the income drops after retirement compared to when they were working. Living and care costs are on the rise which sometimes leaves a very small budget per month. What many seniors do not realize, is the freedom they have to use the equity in their home for more financial space. Plus, a reverse mortgage doesn't even require monthly payments, so they get rid of the monthly payments and receive the proceeds of the reverse mortgage.

A reverse mortgage does not take away ownership of the house. The house still belongs to the senior and they are free to profit from a rise in the home value in the future. The homeowner can pay off the reverse mortgage at any time, or not at all if he so chooses. When the titleholder passes away, the reverse mortgage is paid off first by the proceeds of the sale of the house.

In order to qualify for a reverse mortgage, a senior must be at least 62 years old. There must be at least some equity in the home, in order to provide the collateral for the reverse mortgage. Current income is not important and neither is credit history. Sometimes, there is still a small mortgage left, or there is a lien on the home. Many times, these remaining debts are paid off by the proceeds from the reverse mortgage at closing.

The best thing about a reverse mortgage is that the homeowner is free to spend the money as he sees fit. Many times it's used for home improvement, travel and enjoying retirement by having extra financial possibilities. The amount of the proceeds of the reverse mortgage depends on the age of the senior and the amount of equity in a house. With no monthly payments needed, a reverse mortgage is an ideal way for any senior to supplement income in these slim times.

About the Author:

Starting a Business but don't have Enough Capital?

By Paul J. Easton

Are you starting a business but cannot raise the necessary capital to invest? Why not try to consider opening a self-directed IRA? This tool will let you finance a business with your retirement funds.

Have you heard about Guidant Financial and their offerings? Guidant Financial offers you the ability to set up and manage a self-directed IRA. In addition to that, it enables you to use your retirement funds to finance a business later. Financing a small business using retirement funds is now possible with Guidant Financial.

The popularity of self-directed IRA to finance small businesses catapulted the Guidant Financial Group from a mere start-up business founded last 2003 to a market leader in the industry of financing small business. This steady growth of the company enabled them to provide better control and services to their more demanding clients.

When looking for an instrument to invest with, Guidant Financial provides you with much greater control of your IRA using this self-directed model. A self-directed IRA model gives its policyholders complete control over where the money is invested in. Unlike most IRA where the money invested is trusted to an investment department or managers, you are given the opportunity to direct where your funds will be invested. You can venture in real estates or invest in private businesses you have already entrusted. And most certainly, you can have personal loans as well.

Guidant Financial also has an amazing product which allows you to invest your retirement funds for a new business venture. By investing them in a new startup or a franchise, they provide you more flexibility by eliminating the incurring distribution penalties. That's like working to grow your own business and have a direct positive effect on the value of your IRA.

This type of money management is not for everyone though. Many individuals especially with business background find this form of retirement vehicle more worthwhile to invest in. A lot of skeptics doubt the management of their IRA funds and they can't be blamed for that. With the proper skills and the knowledge, they believe that they are able to achieve much better interest gains in the long run. As an additional bonus, the freedom of controlling your IRA is definitely considered a great feature of this model according to most account holders. So get your IRA account in a self-directed model now.

Visit Financial Directory topics Now with FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Help tips and more plus Credit Card Debt Information

About the Author:

Should You Use A Managed Forex Account?

By Mark Alison

Forex trading is can be fun and profitable; it's nice to be able to watch your money grow as you trade currencies. Managing you Forex accounts can be problematic sometimes if you are holding down a full time job or you have many accounts that you are working with.

The one option that you can do if you want your money to work when you don't have to is the Managed Forex account. The principle is simple for a manage Forex account. You simply deposit your money and the account does the trades for you.

Behind the curtain is a professional trader who is working with your money for you and making the hard decisions. This is what people call true autopilot. It's nice to be able to just log in and see the earnings you made. The best thing is that you can control your money when you want to.

There are two camps about manage Forex accounts. Some like them and some prefer the automated Forex bots that you can buy. The people for the managed accounts like the idea that experienced people are handling their money. The people who like the bots feel that people make mistakes and that if you use a bot, there's less chance of errors or emotional buying.

If you want to get into a managed Forex account, just sign one up. You simply need to make sure it's one that right for you. If you put in the minimum deposit and try it out, you can see how it will work. Read the fine print and take into account the broker's fees.

The minimum deposit can range anywhere but is commonly about $1,000. This is one thing that turns off a lot of people for these accounts is that they require a larger sum of money than most beginner traders want to invest. If you want to be a big mover and shaker in the Forex market, it's best to spread your investments around. Use some to trade yourself, and open up a few managed accounts to let your overall money grow.

About the Author:

Getting a business loan

By WIC

A business loan used to be a lot easier to get. Because of the recent financial meltdown, banks are scared and therefore not very eager to take business loan applications into consideration. Regular loans are still a very good product for a bank, but business loans are considered 'shakier' and higher risk. This means that you will have to back up your application for a business loan.

Your application will be meticulously screened by bank employees. You will have to be able to back up your plans and goals with cold hard facts. Banks basically want to know if you will be able to pay the loan back and what they can get when you decide not to pay it back.

Collateral is one of the most important factors if you want to get a business loan. The ideal situation is to prove to a bank that you don't need the loan. But then, why would you apply for a business loan if you don't need one? That's when planning and preparation come in handy.

If you want your request for a business loan to be looked at seriously, you will have to prepare for it. Make sure that you have the collateral listed, that you can show your numbers and history and that you can back all this up with good arguments. Also, make sure you pay attention to the way you look when you go in and apply for a loan. You might be comfortable in jeans and a T-shirt, but this is one of those occasions you might want to wear a suit. Looking the part is more important than you might think.

Even when banks tighten their policies, getting a business loan is still possible. The right preparation gets you a long way towards your business loan goals.

About the Author:

Fraudsters target UK credit card users

By James Gladstone

Credit card fraud has hit new heights, with London being named as the credit card fraud capital of Britain for the second year running. Figures released by insurance company CPP showed that 38% of people had been victims of credit card fraud in 2008. In 12 months, almost three million people in the capital were affected " a third of all cases in Britain and a 10% jump on previous figures. The average amount stolen was 650, although some had lost considerably more. Often, victims were only made aware of the crime when they had been contacted by their bank and hadnt been aware up until that point that their details had been stolen.

These frightening statistics show how fraudsters are making life difficult for innocent people and just how easily they can get hold of personal details, pin numbers and credit card information. Once they have this information it only takes a very short time for them to steal money from an account and then disappear into the Internet. Online fraud is a growing problem with many people falling victim to emails pretending to be from legitimate sources such as the customers bank. Responding to these emails is a sure-fire way of running up a credit card bill very quickly or seeing a bank account drain of funds before your eyes.

However, there is a very easy way to protect yourself against this kind of attack and that is never respond to any email asking you to confirm sensitive information. No bank will ever ask you to do this legitimately either by phone or by email, so you can be sure those that do are scams. If you have any doubts, contact your bank directly. The growth of online auction sites and Internet shopping has given criminals a new route into peoples personal details, but again it is fairly easy to carry out a few basic checks to ensure that the site you are using is secure. A secure site should have a URL address that includes the prefix https and a padlock icon in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. If these are missing then the site is unsecured and so are your credit card details.

21% of credit card fraud is carried out by skimming the details electronically when a credit or debit card is used in an automatic cash dispenser. Although these methods are becoming increasingly complex and difficult to spot, any ATM machine that carries any indication of being tampered with should be avoided and the bank notified of your suspicions. A simple trick of covering the keypad with your hand whilst you type in your pin number will shield it from being picked up by any hidden cameras and check that no-one is looking over your shoulder as you type in your code.

Many people make the mistake of having one password for all their secure sites or Internet activities. Once the fraudsters know this password it is easy for them to obtain all the information they need to steal an identity. By ensuring that your passwords are secure you can make life much more difficult for opportunist fraudsters. These are all simple actions that anyone can employ to defeat the online criminal, but what about the banks? Many people worry that their details are not being kept secure by institutions and financial lenders (especially after a plethora of reports about sacks full of personal details left out casually for rubbish collection by high street banks).

After a flurry of reports about personal banking details being left in rubbish bags for refuse collection, the banks and financial institutions are now much more conscientious over the security of their customers details. They are also working much more closely with the Police serious fraud and high-tech units in an attempt to combat the rising tide of fraud and identity theft. It is a continuous battle as many of the fraudsters operate outside the UK. But by pulling together in a concerted effort perhaps the UK can shake off its reputation of being an easy target for the cyber-criminals and fraudsters and secure the general publics details from prying eyes.

About the Author:

Thinkorswim-best Commision Agent

By Walter Fox

There was a time when people have not been relaxed credit financial institutions because of its stringent conditions. The movement of the currency market is limited, despite the huge funds lying on the bank. As the neo-liberal economic policies of countries in the world, ordinary people have the opportunity to easily from bank loans.

With money in their hand, people explored new ways to invest their money and found stock option trading and currency trading to be very fruitful. More people jumped into the fray with the introduction of online option trading system. They realized the importance of trading techniques within few trading sessions.

Many new investors to help agencies, the commission set up by the experts are. Traders, trade societies and the lack of basic knowledge from different sections of the options trading hail very useful tips given by these agencies, the commission found. This is a win - win situation for both traders and brokers in the case of a successful business is for.

Along with the growth of market, new agencies are come into existence and some of them became very popular and successful. Thinkorswim brokerage is an American based broking company which offers live and online education services to its customers across the globe. They are the prominent advisers in the field of futures and option spread trading. They manage more than seventy thousand customer accounts which include individual traders and institutional users.

Option trading tips from Thinkorswim brokerage are found to be very helpful for their account holders with a very healthy success rate. They help their customers on different categories of investments including equities, exchange traded funds, bonds, futures of mutual funds. Thinkorswim has attained a slot in the top ranking list many times because of its customer satisfaction index level.

Thinkorswim customer satisfaction rate of options trading tips and their popularity of the world's other major markets in the commission and also the best in the Nasdaq has given. In an international market you so that you can earn money from your business to meet the challenges of a sufficient knowledge is required.

Agent skills and technology are important tools through which people can trade in the market. It also can buy professional advisers in the form of software products. A new comer in the market and recommendations of these tools is very important to obtain some results from their trade. AIDS can not help them survive in the market longer.

The way, in which these financial markets are growing, the chances of making profit from your hard earned money is very remote unless you are equipped with resources like tips and techniques and it is more applicable to an immature trader. The best option for a trader is to get online advice from brokers who are on the business for a very long period and make continuous research on the financial performance of the companies and their best bet is Thinkorswim.

About the Author:

Secure A Mortgage Then Choose A Realtor

By Linda Coombs

Soon after securing a mortgage you may want to choose a realotor to help with your new home purchase. Finding a mortgage is only one step in the process of buying a home.

What kinds of things should I look for when I choose a realtor? There are many Realtors out there who will bend over backwards to accommodate you and satisfy your needs.

If you have any friends, co-workers or family members who have recently purchased a home, ask them if they can highly recommend the realtor who helped them. If you are for any reason not satisfied with the realtor you've been speaking with, by all means find another

It is a good idea to work with a Realtor that is local to the area you are interested in. A good Realtor should provide you with statistical reports regarding appreciation as well as be able to suggest the best local schools.

They should be trying to determine what your wants and needs are for the new house. A Realtor should ask you lots of questions when you meet them for your initial consultation.

What area do you want to live in? What type of home are you looking for? Do you have children that will be attending school in the area? How long do you plan to live in the home?

Look for a Realtor that responds quickly to emails and phone calls. Waiting hours or days for a response can add too much stress to the home buying process.

If you get a recommendation of a Realtor from your mortgage professional and you are not happy with that Realtor, by all means let the mortgage professional know. Customer service cannot be made better if people are not aware of a situation.

A seasoned realtor will have the history of your neighborhood and information about a given area, which can help you determine the true value and likelihood of appreciation in a purchase.

With a sale of a home, a seasoned realtor will be able to truly assess the value of your home and have a better understanding of how to increase the potential of your home for sale

About the Author:

Credit Repair

By Darren Cason

The term "bad credit" really means a poor credit rating. A credit history that is less than ideal can result in the rejection of an application for a loan, especially with the more conservative lenders such as banks. However, bad credit does not have to be a hindrance any more because there are lenders out there who are willing to offer packages to assist people in financial difficulties. It is possible that you won't even have to offer any security to obtain the loan. If you are in this situation, it may just mean that you have to pay a higher interest rate to offset the risk that the lender is taking with you.

There is a solution to your problems now, even if you are unable to make a payment at some stage. It is possible to repair your credit, but to do this you have to work out what resources you have to assist you in the repayment of the loan. There are some kits available in the market to help you with this dilemma and there are also resources in certain libraries that you can research. You should be able to make photocopies of any relevant information. This information will also assist you with any negotiations you will make with your prospective lender. Most kits will guide you step by step through the process.

Your intial step should be to obtain copies of credit reports from the credit agencies. Clear up any discrepancies or false information as this will be of benefit to you in the future when you are establishing your creditworthiness.

Once you have obtained the reports, carefully examine your credit score and evaluate your financial situation and if you are finding it difficult to meet your minimum payments, consult with your lenders to decide upon a mutually satisfactory solution. Most lenders will be more than happy to work with you as they realize that it is better to have some repayments happening than none at all. Explain your situation in detail; don't try to embellish the truth so you can have honest suggestions on how to improve your credit score.

Once you have made the first difficult step in repairing your credit rating, it is important to maintain your rate of payment to transform a "bad" credit into an "excellent" one.

About the Author:

The Importance of Retirement Planning Expense Worksheets

By Michael Geoffrey

When you reach your retirement you will still have expenses. Now while you are planning for your retirement you need to try to plan a budget for those expenses. An expense spreadsheet for your retirement can help.

Retirement does not mean that you will not have to maintain your finances. The key to using retirement planning expense worksheets is project how much money you have today and how far that money can take you in ten, twenty, or thirty years from today. Retirement planning expense worksheets can educate you to how much your money can grow if you invest it in different ways.

A retirement planning expense worksheet will help you with your finances even now. It can help you organize and manage your finances today while you plan for tomorrow. There is no need to guess at how to handle your finances or how to plan for the future. With a good expense worksheet you can have total control with no guesswork.

A good spreadsheet helps you stay clear about what your financial situation is. If your goal is to maintain the same standard of living in your golden years as you are enjoying right now your expense worksheet can show you how to do that. It will help you identify areas where you may need to adjust your spending so that you can stay on track with your retirement goals. It gives you a clear view of the money you have coming in and what you are spending.

The benefits of planning ahead

It is nave to think that things will not change in the future. Inflation is a fact of life. The financial world is ever changing. A good expense spreadsheet will help prepare you for these changes and will teach you how to adjust your plan if you find yourself falling behind.

By planning ahead you take control of your finances and eliminate many unwanted surprises. You will be educated on how to handle the changing market and you will know how to adjust your finances accordingly. You will be planning for a happy, stress free financial future.

It is important to start now so that you can build a strong retirement plan. You do not want to be like so many people who reach the age of retirement unprepared and have to return to work just to take care of their necessities. With some planning and forethought you can avoid that outcome.

About the Author:

How To Set a Strong Financial Example for Your Kids

By Steve Collins

Do you grit your teeth when you give your children their allowance and it right away vanishes on candy and CDs? Do you feel like your kids have no idea of the value of a dollar or the importance of saving? Do you wish your children would learn to set a goal, such as putting aside their money for a big purchase? Family budget counseling could give you the edge you need. With family budget counseling, you will set a good example for your children. If they are old enough, you may even include their input in the counseling process.

There are so many issues to address in family budget counseling. Whether your children are tiny or ready to drive a car, their needs figure highly in family budget counseling. The basic expenses such as food, clothing, school and medical care are always a factor, but as children age they seem to be more expensive.

Your family budget counseling should include starting a column for saving money specifically for the big ticket items that are still far down the road: a car, insurance, college tuition, a wedding. By creating a reasonable and responsible budget, you will be making sure your familys resources are used in the most financially sound way.

By participating in family budget counseling, you will also be demonstrating to your children the best way to handle their money. You will show them the importance of planning your spending ahead of time as well as the value of knowing where your money goes to. You will model saving money and the fun of anticipating a big purchase only when you can afford it. And it might even be nice to sit down with your children and create kid budgets, encouraging them to set some spending categories of their own. Remind them that a percentage of their money should be saved each week, even if they do not have an exact purchase in mind.

Family budget counseling leads to healthier financial behaviors for everyone in your home and takes the guesswork out of your spending habits. It lets you to plan for the future. And if you do your job well, your children will grow up to be responsible consumers who know how to manage their own finances.

About the Author:

Safe Investments with Self-directed IRA

By Paul J. Easton

More investors as of now want a safe yet innovative option to invest for their retirement in the near future. With the baby boomers having the most influence in the economy today and they are retiring soon, this market of investment-seekers are going to grow dramatically even with the gloomy financial outlook.

Guidant Financial, as the leader in providing self-directed IRA services today, allows investors the control to make alternative investments in real estate, franchises, and businesses. The company, along with most financial services firms, anticipated the significant downturn in their business. But the trend in their business analysis shows that the traditional financial turmoil appears to encourage many investors to consider other platforms of investments for their security in their retirement. People have been traumatized by the meltdown in the real estate market and the volatility of the stock markets. With the instability in these markets, many people are avoiding the traditional securities markets altogether. People are more intelligent right now with their money and wanted a new and secure way of controlling their assets. This is probably the driving force behind the staggering growth of the Guidant Financial Group.

More investors are afraid of investing further and some are deciding to transfer their retirement savings out of the stock market. These investors are looking for other asset classes offering better control and monitoring for their money. They found that self-directed IRAs offer them the chance to control their investments without first committing to a specific investment. This concept, though had been there for a long time, was not very much promoted due to the absence of middleman profits for financial companies. Now, it has steadily gained some popularity since last year.

Guidant Financial Group's self-directed IRA is a form of retirement account where the investor has the ability to invest in both traditional and non-traditional assets. Most Guidant clients prefer to invest in rental properties or private loans. Similarly, they also considered private stock and tax liens with a little education in these fields. These alternative investments generated cash-flow opportunities making them a very attractive option for those retiring soon.

With more direct form of management, they have saved a few thousand of dollars from holding and administrative fees. They also monitored personally where their money is invested. This is peace of mind for most of them. This is the major reason behind the unexpected growth in Guidant's self-directed IRA business.

For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here.

About the Author: