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How To Clear Your Credit Card Debts

Posted by | Posted in Debt Management | Posted on 30-10-2010

These days there are so many ways to let credit get out of control that you will probably be constantly aware of the dangers of over spending. So many people have access to far more credit than they think they need or can afford, and it is a constant challenge not to let it get out of hand and fall into the trap of spending it all. For most people, credit cards are probably the most dangerous element of this situation and the one they will keep tabs on most closely. If you can get your credit card debts under control then you will have gone a good way to getting your finances and especially your spending under control. This is vital as credit card debt and other similar short term debts are one of the first places future lenders will look when assessing your credit worthiness for future borrowing.

There are a few very simple ways to go about keeping credit card debts under control. They are really just common sense but it is useful to recap over them as many people fall into the trap of thinking that there is some sort of magical short cut to clearing your credit card debts. Sadly this is simply not the case, and despite all the amazing deals on the market, such as zero per cent balance transfers, and loyalty rewards, the only way to clear your self of your credit card debts is to simply pay them all back.

The first thing you should do is cut back on your credit card use. You will have to stop spending so much so that your repayments can start to go back to reducing your balance rather than just keeping it where it is. If you think you will have trouble cutting back on your spending, then perhaps you should think about removing your credit cards from your wallet or purse, and leaving them at home. An even more drastic step is to cut them up.

You should also make sure you are making more than the minimum repayments. Making minimum repayments will never clear the debt, or at least it will take you a very very long time. What you should do is make as much above the minimum payment as you can afford, concentrating most of your repayments on the cards with the highest interest rates.

If you are having real difficulty meeting repayments, then you should perhaps consider contacting the credit card company and telling them of the situation and asking them if they can do anything to help you.

How Can Credit Card Debt Consolidation Help The Holders?

Posted by | Posted in Debt Management | Posted on 22-10-2010

Credit cards have proven to be a great help to the holders of the credit cards. These cards have provided many benefits to the population all over the world. However, things can still go wrong sometimes even with credit cards. That is why it is recommended that one should consider the option of credit card debt consolidation. This option of credit card debt consolidation seeks to eliminate all the possible risks attached with the credit cards and its usage.

Things that can possibly go wrong with the credit cards are:

•The credit card holders can over spend with credit cards and therefore, have to take the overdraft facility.

•In case the overdraft facility is taken it brings about payments of fines and interest on the amount taken as over draft. And the fines and penalties are not that small; they are relatively higher and only a select few can handle them in a manner that they ought to be.

•With credit cards from more than one bank, it can become awkward and difficult to keep track of each. This can build up debt and lead to many problems.

This small problem can bring about many serious repercussions to the holders of the credit cards. The saying “small holes sinking big ships” can certainly be applied over here.

To prevent these kinds of happenings, what experts advise is to take credit card debt consolidation. What this will do is that it will cover all what you owe to the banks with a single loan and now the borrower of the loan just has to cater to the loan and not the credit card borrowings. The other benefits of this credit card debt consolidation are that there are no fines and penalties to payoff, a borrower has same loan options that any other loan borrower may have. Also the interest rate of the loan would be either lower or at best in accordance with the rate at which the credit card overdraft had to be paid.

Another thing about credit card debt consolidation that is good is that they can be taken even when the holder is in good condition as the loan would be only of a lower interest rate. In addition, any one can take the credit card debt consolidation, be it a person with good credit history or with a bad credit one.

Applying for the credit card debt consolidation loan is pretty much similar to the approach that one requires to apply for any other loan. The difference may be in the terms that are offered with the loan. So for people with credit cards, there is some serious food for thought regarding your credit cards. Things can only get better with credit card debt consolidation.

Keyword: How to File Bankruptcy

Posted by | Posted in Debt Management | Posted on 13-10-2010

Words: 494
Keyword Density: 1.01%

Advice on How to File Bankruptcy

For people in adverse financial situations, a bankruptcy filing should always be the last resort. A record of bankruptcy stays on your credit report for ten years, affecting your financial credibility for quite some time. If you are considering bankruptcy, learn first if this option is right for you including how to file bankruptcy and make an informed decision.

Before you file a bankruptcy case, you are required by law to have a one-on-one session with a qualified credit counselor who will help you identify other options besides filing bankruptcy. If you must proceed, here are some things you need to know on how to file bankruptcy:

Bankruptcy is a legal proceeding that clears certain debt of an individual or business organization that is no longer capable of meeting financial obligations. For individuals, excluding farmers, the two types of bankruptcy that can be considered are chapter 7, in which the debtor’s assets are liquidated in order to repay credit and chapter 13, in which the debtor is given a fixed period of time to reorganize and repay his or her debt.

The new bankruptcy law requires individuals seeking to file under chapter 7 to undergo a means test, which will determine the person’s financial capability to repay debt. Debtors who file under Chapter 13 should have a regular source of income to be eligible.

Find out the specific conditions and requirements under each chapter so you can decide what is the most suitable in your situation. At this point, you may want to consider getting a lawyer who can provide assistance and knowledge on how to file bankruptcy.

When you draft and file a petition for bankruptcy, you must provide the bankruptcy court detailed information about your current income, expenses, assets and liabilities. Be accurate, thorough and completely honest when answering the forms to avoid delays or other serious consequences such as imprisonment. Be sure to include in the listing of debt all your existing debts. Official bankruptcy forms must be used in filing and they are available online or in stores selling legal stationery. Some forms even have self-help information on how to file bankruptcy.

The cost of filing a chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcy petitions is more or less $200. Lawyer’s fees may range from $600 to $1200 depending on the type of bankruptcy.

After you or your lawyer has filed your petition, the next stage is called the “341 meeting”, where you will meet with the trustee and your creditors. Under oath, you will be asked simple questions to verify the information you have provided in your petition such as your assets and liabilities. After bankruptcy filing, your creditors may not continue to collect from you. You should be relieved from wage garnishment, eviction or foreclosure notices.

There are certainly a lot to consider on how to file bankruptcy but, most importantly, you have to consider if it’s the right choice and if you are willing to accept its consequences.

Getting Out Of Debt

Posted by | Posted in Debt Management | Posted on 05-10-2010

Getting Out of Debt, The Smart Credit-Card Plan, the perfect paydown strategy

Behavioral economist Meir Statman, recently said “getting out of debt is the financial equivalent of trying to quit smoking.” Just like any bad habit, good intentions alone will not be enough. To ensure success, we need to break our underlying patterns of behavior. How is it we live in the richest most powerful country in the world, but the average American is more than £11,000 in debt. Our European friends who live by a mainly debit card system have an average savings of £13,000. On a recent visit to Germany, I was shocked to find that less than 35% of all the shops and restaurants accepted credit cards. What would we need to do to reverse this trend and get into a (plus) situation.

Plastic Surgery
If we are serious about paying off our balances. We don’t have to literally cut up our credit cards, just stop using them routinely. We should go green for our everyday spending. Try carrying around a set amount of cash to use each week. We make better purchasing decisions when we actually have to hand over the green stuff plus there’s a preset spending limit. When we run out of money, we stop spending it’s that simple. When the only way to purchase is plastic, buying online for instance, then use your debit card. Your debit card can also be used as an emergency substitute for cash should you run out.

Leave Those Cards At Home
The best way to ensure that you enforce the cooling off period on new credit purchases is by taking the cards out of your wallet. You should store them in a place that’s not easily accessible and safe. Do not let others know where you have hidden them.

Close The Accounts No Longer Needed
Having unused credit available from lenders with whom you’ve had a long relationship will help boost your credit score. Having too many will harm your credit score. As a rule, 3 credit cards is what works best and try to never spend more than 50% of the available credit on any of the cards. This will keep your score at it’s highest. You should also consider closing all your store cards, if you need to make a purchase then use your credit card and pay it off at the end of the month.

Lowering Your Interest Rates
Start by reducing what you pay in interest. We can start by calling our current credit card companies and explaining that we intend to transfer our balance to another issuer unless our interest rate is lowered. Almost all credit card companies run promotional programs with low or 0% interest. They will be willing to put you on one of those rather than risk losing your business. All you need to do is ASK.

Tackling Those Credit Card Balances
Finally we need to develop a strategy for paying off our existing credit card balances.

Gather all your credit card statements together and make a simple table listing the entire amount you owe, and the minimum payment and interest rate for each card. This will help us determine the order in which we should pay off our cards. We need to focus on the highest interest rate cards first and pay off as much as you can each month while making only the minimum payments on our other cards. When the first card is paid off, use the same strategy on the next-highest interest rate card and so on until you’re debt-free.

Late Payments
Are the number one cardinal sin of debt management. You get hit with hefty late fees and very high penalty rates that can go to 30%, plus of course your credit score will take a big hit.

We all have a responsibility to improve our financial literacy and develop the required skills and practices for effective financial management. There is a real need to get away from the “Someday things will get better in my life” or the “Someday I will be able to earn enough money to stop worrying about the bills. There is a lot more to life than that, but it has to be said and understood that the only person that can change your life is YOU. There is NO substitute for Action! With Action, you will overcome your fears and hesitations and accomplish everything you set out to do and more.

Have an opinion or a question you would like me to answer, then write me! http:www.CarlHampton.com