For better or worse, we live in a society that thrives on credit. Almost any product can be purchased through installments. Credit cards and credit applications come through the mail on a regular basis. Unfortunately, some consumers become overwhelmed by their credit obligations. Because of a variety of reasons, overspending, illness, the loss of a job, it becomes impossible for them to pay all their bills.
If you cannot resolve your credit problems alone or need additional assistance, you may wish to contact an agency like the Consumer Credit Counseling Service or another credit counseling organization. These nonprofit organizations counsel consumers who are in debt. A counselor will try to arrange a repayment plan between the consumer and their creditors, and will help set up a realistic budget and plan expenditures. These services, are generally offered at little to no cost.
If you have a problematic credit report, there are no quick, “magic” fixes. The only way to fix your credit history is through sound management of your money. Then, continued management your finances for a long enough period of time so that your history reflects responsible spending habits.
Some consumers turn to companies, which claim to be able to fix credit problems. These companies, sometimes called “credit repair clinics,” often make misleading promises to consumers, such as promising to remove a bankruptcy from their credit report and charge high fees for doing the same things consumers can do on their own.
You need not pay someone else to learn what is in your file or to correct inaccurate information. See the Credit Reports section for more information about how to get and correct information in your credit file.
Your Credit Report will contain information about your
Identity: includes your name, address, marital status, and your date of birth, number of dependents, previous address, and Social Security number.
Employment: includes your present position, length of employment, income and previous job.
Credit History: consists of your credit experiences with specific credit grantors.
Public Record: includes civil suits and judgments, bankruptcy records, or other legal proceedings recorded by a court.
Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act , consumer-reporting agencies may keep correct and verifiable information in your file for seven years, and ten years in the case of bankruptcy. There are a few exceptions:
- if you apply for a job which pays more than $75,000 per year, the reporting agency may provide all the information it has, including items over seven years old.
- information reported because of an application for more than $50,000 worth of credit or life insurance has no time limitation;
- information concerning lawsuits or judgments against you can be retained in your file for seven years or until the statute of limitations expires, whichever is longer.
Others Who Can Obtain Your Credit Report
Any business, individual, or government agency may request a credit report for its legitimate business needs involving a transaction with the consumer. These include: credit granting considerations; review or collection of an account; employment considerations; insurance underwriting; a potential partnership; security clearance; or lease. Reports may also be issued at the written request of the consumer or a court.
Reviewing Your Credit File
You have to right to know the contents of your credit history. Upon request a consumer reporting agency must disclose to you all of its information about you and its sources for that information. This includes the names of all those who requested credit reports or other information about you in the last six months as well as anyone who obtained reports for employment purposes in the past two years. You may either make an appointment to review your file or request the information over the phone. The credit-reporting agency must provide you with a free copy of your file if you have been denied credit within the last 30 days. Otherwise, the agency may charge you a reasonable fee not to exceed $8.
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Fat Loss 4 Idiots Review
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Credit card debt is one of the most wide spread financial problems throughout many countries of the world. The convenience of using credit cards, combined with the special offers, discounts and reward systems offered by the credit card companies make this method of paying for goods the number one favorite for hundreds of millions of people. However, irrational spending or simply gradual uncontrolled spending habits can lead to a lot of accumulated debt. Preventing this is essential, as it is much easier to avoid credit card debt problems before they grow strong, instead of battling them when they are already at maximum intensity.
The temptation to use credit cards repeatedly a fact that is also supported by the reward systems and lower monthly payments - will often lead to debt problems. Here are a few tips that will help you use your credit cards more wisely and enable you to prevent the unpleasant situations of having to pay off credit card debts: Set your budget create a framework for a monthly budget, as this will enable you to get a better sense of what your earning and spending balance is. Much notice that they simply can’t stick with the planned budget in this case you should leave your credit card at home when going shopping, and use cash instead. Try to pay as much of the balance for each month. Don’t settle for the minimum payment, as that will gradually develop into credit card debt as you are loosing quite a lot of money to interest rates.
Always remember that your credit card is a cash substitute, nothing more. You can either carry a balance, which comes with a high interest loan or you can make the minimum payments. Although the amount of the minimum payment seems insignificant (it is usually around 3% of the entire balance), this approach will gradually put you in debt. The credit card company accepts such low payments because they get their money back from keeping you in debt for an unlimited period by using high interest rates.
Many studies have been carried out on the psychology of the credit card owner. We tend to spend more than we can afford, own things that are above our financial reality levels and gratify an immediate need with a debt that might take years to pay off. Try to adapt your spending habits to your life style and earnings. If you can’t pay off the balance on a monthly basis, then you are going into a vicious circle of overspending and credit card debt. Don’t use the credit card anymore, until you pay off the outstanding balance. You should also make sure to pay it off on time, as there might be late fees and different other financial penalties that will further complicate your debt problem. Your credit record will also get damaged if your payments are inconsistent and you are often late with them.
Prevent credit card debt by making sure to keep your finances simple. Use only one or two credit cards, if possible. The more cards you have the higher are the chances that you will not be able to pay them off in time. Never pay off one credit card balance with another credit card. If this happens, you need to drastically change your spending habits and come up with a good credit card management plan. Cash advances might sound attractive, but the truth is that they come with higher interest rates and you don’t get a grace period. There are also transaction fees to worry about.
The credit industry is extremely dynamic, and credit card issuers are always trying new ways to convince more people to sign up with their services. Different forms of rewards, life insurances, protection plans or point systems were created to make the credit card plans more attractive. Make sure you don’t let your emotional side dictate when you make a credit card related decision. Getting free gifts or free air miles sounds amazing, but is it really worth it? Try to base your choice on hard facts and a realistic financial plan, not on an advertising created fantasy.
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Many of us wonder even if it is this legal to do so. Well, YES, you are given the right under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), including the right to challenge inaccurate, misleading and obsolete items appearing on your credit report. Disputing items on your credit report is your legal right (see the Fair Credit Reporting Act)! This article is meant to provide important information about the possibility of having credit restoration.
For starters, you should know on what is your credit score based. Credit scoring is based on many factors that may include:
• Amount of available credit
• Payment history
• Recent requests for credit
• Amount of credit currently being used
• Length of credit history
Under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, credit scoring may not use gender, marital status, national origin, race, or religion as factors.
So, getting to the point: can bad credit be deleted? Well… YES! Negative credit listings are deleted from peoples’ credit reports each and every day! Still, you might need to get some professional support and assistance. Companies specialized in credit repair in Phoenix will use very venue available to you under the law, to help you assert these rights. When you hire professionals to help repair your credit, they will be abiding by and using all federal and regional laws regulating third party credit repair assistance.
Arizona credit help firms are working hard every day, challenging damaging and questionable credit entries on behalf of its clients. Utilizing proven and absolutely legal methods, you will have a professional organization working for you and your credit.
There are many of you who will say “OK, but how long does it take? Of course, everyone wants you to see results immediately. Most people can see progress within the first 45 days of credit repair services, although everyone’s credit history is different. Don’t ignore the fact that the majority of time is spent waiting for the credit bureaus to respond to requests. It takes great effort in getting the disputes to the bureaus as fast as possible. As a reference, the average person with 7-10 inaccurate, misleading or obsolete items on each credit report should be prepared for a 3-4 month commitment.
Maricopa Credit organizations have been helping people get rid of negative items on their credit reports, increasing their FICO score dramatically. With a higher FICO score, their clients have been able to refinance their auto and home loans, saving a considerable amount of money every single month!
Just keep in mind that you’d still have to pay your bills. When a negative credit report listing is deleted, the actual debt remains. You still owe the same amount of money that you owed to begin with. If you don’t pay the debt, the creditor or collection agency could always report the item again. So removing the listing without addressing the debt is only a temporary solution.
For even more information and real help, you should find a firm helping hard working men and women repair their credit reports. Such credit help companies help thousands of Americans repair their reports by removing inaccurate, misleading, or unverifiable items for them. From bankruptcies to charge offs, their staff have challenged and deleted such items with ease. After your own research, choose the best firm, the one with no hidden fees, offering unlimited disputes and not charging per deleted item. Whether you have one or one hundred negatives items, you must be backed by a Money Back Guarantee policy.
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Fat Loss 4 Idiots Review
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It is estimated that about a third of people fail to pay off their credit or store card balances in full every month, and therefore pay interest on the balance. If that applies to you, the chances are you could save money by applying for a new credit card which offers zero (or low) interest balance transfers.
The way this works is that you take out a new credit card offering such a deal and immediately ask them to pay off the debt on your old card. The balance on your old card then becomes zero, and the entire balance goes on to your new card instead, with its zero or low interest rate.
A number of card issuers offer these deals. Zero rate offers typically last from five to twelve months. If you are confident that you can pay off the entire balance during this time, they are a good choice for saving money.
If you think it may take longer to pay off the outstanding balance, a better option may be to apply for a card which offers a low rate for the entire life of the balance (i.e. until it is repaid). American Express™ offers a fixed, low APR for the life of the balance with its Platinum card.
If you are currently paying interest on a balance with your current card, it makes sense to transfer your existing store or credit card balance to another provider. There are a few points to watch out for, however.
1. Check if there is a charge for balance transfers
Balance transfer fees are becoming more common as credit card issuers try to recover some of the money they lose by offering interest-free periods. Fees range up to 2% of the total balance. However, there are still several card providers offering free balance transfers.
2. Remember to pay off your balance every month
Even though the card issuer offers an interest-free period, you will still have to make the minimum monthly payments by the monthly due date, or you will be charged interest.
3. Avoid spending extra on the card used for the transfer
Most credit cards pay off balance transfers preferentially, so if you incur any other debts on the card, they will not be discharged until the entire transferred balance is paid off. That means any new spending will be “trapped” on the card, accruing full interest charges. If you are using your new card to service a balance transfer, therefore, do NOT use it for additional spending as well – use another card instead.
4. Switch again when the introductory period expires
If you have failed to pay off the balance completely once the 0% introductory rate for balance transfers expires, you could apply for another card and transfer your balance again. However, if you plan to do this you should always remember, in the month the 0% deal ends, to move the debt again to another 0% offer. This means you will need to apply for another card about six weeks before the introductory period ends. You will need to be well organized and remind yourself to do this.
5. Note that your credit rating may suffer
If you apply for a number of credit cards, especially at the same time, your applications will be noted by the credit reference agencies, and your credit score may suffer. The most important preventative measure is to spread card applications out. Do this and most people with reasonable income and no bad debts will be fine, though be aware that there will be a small risk to your ability to get competitive credit in future.
Having decided on the type of balance transfer deal you are looking for, do take the time to study the market and see what is available. Do not simply fill in and return the next credit card application form that arrives in the mail. Credit card comparison sites such as www.finest-credit-cards.com can make this easier for you by listing all current card offers for you to choose from, and also have a range of articles offering unbiased advice and information.
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FatLOss4Idiots Review
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Einstein put it best when he said, “Compounding interest is the greatest mathematical discovery of all time”. Now the question you need to ask is, “Do I want this force working for me or against me?” If you own a credit card and you carry-over balances from month to month then you’ve got that amazing force called compounding interest working against you.
In this article, I’ll attempt to explain how this “force” works against you month after month after month, in the form of interest upon interest. And perhaps, by helping you to gain a better understanding of how this “force” works and how important even a small change in the interest rate you are being charged effects you and families financial future. And hopefully, it will also inspire and motivate you to do whatever it takes to pay off your credit cards and initiate some type of savings plan so you can put this “force” to work for you.
Credit Card Interest Rates are Compounded
The interest you pay on your credit card balances are compounded, which means that you pay interest on the interest from the month before. A simple example would be that if you were being charged an interest rate of 2% per month, you would not be paying 24% per year. In reality, you would be paying 26.82%. A neat little trick that credit card companies use to pick up an additional point or two of interest is to calculate interest on a monthly rather than on a yearly basis. You pay more but you don’t know you’re paying more.
A Brain Teaser
Here’s a little brain teaser based upon what you’ve already learned. Would you rather have $1 million in cash or $10,000 in some form of savings account earning you a compounded interest rate of 20 percent per year?
Hmm, let’s see how that $10,000 would grow after 10 years - $61,917 or 20 years - $383,375 or 30 years - $2,373,763 or 50 years - $563,475,143.
After fifty years, you would have over $500 million. Of course, you would have to take inflation into account and if we used a figure of 5% per year, then that $500 million would have the buying power that $10,732,859 does today. Not a bad return on your investment of $10,000 but on a side note it also exposes another lesson in how the compounding rate of inflation destroys wealth but that’s the subject of another article.
Clearly, that question was a bit tricky because there’s so many variables to take into account that would influence what decision you would ultimately make - but you get my point, the power of compounding interest and by the way… it’s the primary way credit card companies make their money is a powerful “force”. It’s also the way pensions work and the reason the prices of things seem to rise massively as you get older. Be afraid… or at the least very wary of compounding interest.
Compounding Interest Can Really Add Up
Now, let’s look at a more real world example. Let’s say you have an average unpaid balance of $1,000 on a credit card with an APR of 15 percent.
First year interest would be $150. However, this amount is then carried-over and added onto the balance and interest is charged on that. As a result, year two interest would be another $172.50 for a total of $1322.50 and it continues to build year after year. Year three, four and five would look like this - $1,520, $1,749 and $2,011.
As you can clearly see, after just five years at 15%, you would owe double what you borrowed and after 10 years you would owe four times. I know it’s hard to believe but once again this simple “real world” example dramatically demonstrates the power of compounding interest.
If you let something like that carry on long enough, you end up paying on that same amount of debt for years and years and end up paying back many times what you originally borrowed and in some instances you still may not have completely satisfied the original debt. Unfortunately, most people simply don’t take the time to think through this out and they feel that the high and never ending payments are simply their fault for spending too much money to begin with.
The Three Percent Difference
You may feel that there’s not that much difference between a credit card that charges an APR of 15% versus one that charges an APR of 12% but then again after reading this article I’m sure you’ve realized that there is and so - that’s exactly what I’m going to show you. Remember the previous example that showed you would owe over $2,000 after only five years at 15% after borrowing an initial amount of $1,000.
That same example at 12% reveals the following: Year one - $1120, year two - $1254 and years three through five - $1404, $1573 and $1762 respectively. After the same five year period you would have saved nearly $250 or almost 25% in interest from a mere 3% difference in APR. Quite dramatic and hopefully it will help you convince you to make the necessary decisions to pay-off your credit cards and start saving so that you can put, “the greatest mathematical discovery of all time” to work for you… rather than against you.
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If you’re one of those lucky people who have never missed a single credit card or loan repayment, then you don’t need to worry about the term ‘adverse credit’. In this article, we are discussing the ins and outs of the term ‘adverse credit’, something that describes people who have defaulted on credit repayments to a significant extent. The terms ‘sub-prime and ‘poor credit’ are also used to describe the same situation. What we are here to ascertain is: what do you have to do to be called an adverse credit customer, and where does the lender get their information about you?
To start off, we will discuss the credit reference agencies, companies such as Experian and Equifax who collect and store information about all your financial dealings, and sell this information to lenders. Other parties that can see your credit history are insurance companies, banks, landlords, government agencies and employers, they are allowed, by law, to see your past financial details.
They know a lot about you, you may be surprised at just how much. Apart from the obvious (your name, date of birth, social security details), they also have your addresses (past and present), records of all the jobs you have had and with who, your entry on the voter’s roll, your mortgage, credit card, loan and hire purchase details, records of any unpaid County Court judgements, and most surprisingly, details on all the loan and credit card applications you have ever made.
So where do the credit agencies get their information from? They get it from the Public Records offices and the financial institutions themselves – banks, credit card companies etc. Once you’ve got a bank account, you’re on the computer records and the credit agencies start collecting information about you.
Experian, Equifax and the other agencies also offer another service to the lenders, they have the facility to give you a credit score, using the lender’s own criteria to score your eligibility for credit. If you don’t score high enough, you may not get the credit you have requested, which is why your credit score is so important. The credit score works by matching your financial details against different criteria. You could score well for having met all your credit card repayments for example, but score badly because you have moved address or employer a number of times. In any case, the higher score, the more likely you will get the credit you asked for.
The eventual credit score is providing an estimate on your eligibility to receive the credit, making the general assumption that your future repayment habits will be the same as your past. As extra insurance, they also compare your information with other applicants with similar characteristics as you, to see how they fared. In the end, the decision whether you can be offered credit is automated, and based on statistical analysis. If your score is close to the pass level, then the lender may choose to offer you a lower level of credit, or a higher interest rate.
All the lenders have different ideas about what is and isn’t acceptable, and some will refuse your application without giving you a reason why. It’s their decision, and it is not up to the credit reference agencies, they merely collate the information in the first place. It is the lender who gives you the label of ‘adverse credit’ customer.
We have collated here a list (in no particular order) of the situations that will, either alone or with others, make it difficult for you get to credit with a lender: if you’re behind on payments for a loan, credit card or mortgage, if you have made a few late payments on the above, outstanding and unpaid County Court or High Court Judgements, if you are not on the electoral roll at the address you gave on your application form, and if you have made more than a usual number of loans and credit card applications. Two situations would normally result in automatic refusal: having had your home repossessed, and recent bankruptcy.
If you are aware of any of the aforementioned problems in your recent credit history, then don’t be surprised if your application for credit is turned down, especially by the big, mainstream lenders. Some of the mainstream lenders are a bit more forgiving about mortgages, especially if you already have a mortgage and are meeting your repayments.
This article should contain most of the information you need to know about ‘adverse credit’, and help you understand what the lenders consider to be a bad risk, and why. If the worst happens, and you find yourself unable to get credit because of an adverse credit history, then you will probably have to seek credit from a sub prime lender. If you fit their criteria, they will offer you credit, but it will be more expensive.
The most important thing to remember is: always keep up do your loan, credit card and mortgage repayments, don’t pay late or even more importantly, don’t build up arrears. The financial consequences of getting behind could be both extensive, and expensive.
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Fat Loss 4 Idiots Review
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Don’t wait until your identity has been “stolen” to worry about it. Identity fraud is a severe crime with serious repercussions that can take months or even years for victims to repair, not to mention hundreds to thousands of dollars. If someone has stolen a credit card, or has obtained enough information about you to start applying for new loans and credit cards, your credit score is going to be adversely effected. You will likely have difficulty obtaining a job (employers are making credit checks a regular part of the interviewing process), you’ll be denied credit for things you apply for. You will have a hard time, if not find it impossible, to obtain college loans, vehicle financing, credit cards, and mortgages. In some cases, identity fraud victims may even be arrested for crimes they haven’t committed, because someone else is living under their name as well.
How does identity theft happen? Most people are fairly careful with their personal information, so how can someone steal the “identity” of another human being and get away with it?
There are many ways identity thieves are able to get personal information from people. In some cases, the thieves work for companies where they have access to individual records via a computer or through paper files. Sometimes, a person doesn’t even need access to the information, they’ll just hack into the computer system and retrieve the information they need to steal someone else’s identity. One of the most traditional ways for someone to obtain your personal information is by going through your mail. Whether they steal it right from your mailbox or find it in the garbage, if someone finds bank or credit card statements, checks that have been voided but not ripped up, new credit card offers and tax related information, they usually have enough information to become “you”. People who go through garbage containers are known as “dumpster divers”, and will often be found looking for information in public trash areas and business dumpsters.
There are people and businesses in the world that have a legitimate right to access another person’s credit report. These people include landlords, employers, and businesses that must run credit reports prior to extending credit. Identity thieves often become employed at these organizations in order to obtain access to the personal information they need to do their crime.
Opportunities for thieves to find your information are endless. Identity thieves are smart; you have to be smarter.
There are a few cautionary things you can do to help prevent identity theft. After reading your mail, cleaning your desk at home or work, or cleaning out your car- do not just throw your personal items in the trash. Receipts, utility bills, bank statements, loan statements and credit card offers and statements should be completely destroyed prior to throwing away. Invest in a paper shredder and shred everything you are throwing away to eliminate the possibility of someone finding out information. Alternatively, you could burn your paperwork. When throwing away credit cards, shred them or cut them into many small pieces.
It used to be that people felt it would be difficult to use another person’s credit card. After all, you have to sign your name when making a purchase with a credit card, right? You need to protect your credit cards in the same way that you protect your cash. Merchants rarely check that the signature on the back of a credit card matches the signature that is signed on a receipt when a purchase is made.
If you have lost a credit card, or it has been stolen, report the situation to your creditor immediately. The credit card company will put a hold on the account to prevent any purchases from going through- and they can also track the location where someone has attempted to use the card. This will help in the efforts to find the thief. When you are dining at a restaurant, be mindful of paying with a credit card. Most waiters will take your card to the register to process it, and the card is out of your sight during this time. How do you know the waiter or someone else isn’t writing the numbers and name down from your credit card to use it for online purchases later on? Consider paying with cash whenever you are at a restaurant.
The biggest precaution you can take on a regular basis is to view your credit card statements and bank statements as soon as you receive them. Look for any purchases that you did not make, and call the credit card company immediately if you find something you are unsure of. If identity theft is caught early on, it can often be stopped before it gets out of hand. Also keep track of whether or not you’re receiving your statements every month. If you are missing a credit card statement, call the company to verify the address it’s being mailed to. It’s possible that someone filled out a change of address form at the post office or with the credit card company, and is receiving your statements at a different address with intent to use the information.
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Transferring balance from a high interest credit card to a new lower interest card can definitely save you money on interest, if nothing else at least until the introductory rate ends (if applicable). We all receive those infamous credit card offers in the mail, urging us to apply for a new card and transfer our high interest balance over, in order to take advantage of the lower interest rate that this new card has to offer.
This seems like a logical thing to do, right? I mean, lower interest rates on your credit accounts equals more money in your pocket, true? Yes, transferring your credit card balance from a high interest credit account to a lower one is an excellent way to save money on interest, especially if you carry a lot of debt on your credit card(s).
But how does this affect your credit rating and credit score? The answer to that question really depends on your situation, and how you go about it.
A closer look
Lets say you have $5,000 in debt on a credit card account from “ABC Credit Services”, which has a total credit line of $10,000. For this example, lets just say this is currently your only open credit card account. Since your debt takes up half of your total credit line, this would put your percentage of debt compared to your credit line, for this account, at 50%. We’ll call this your “debt percentage”.
You’re making payments to ABC with no problems and you seem happy with the account and the interest rate. That is, until one day you check your mail, and there it is, a credit card offer from “XYZ Credit Services” with a fixed interest rate set at half of what you’re paying now with ABC! Suddenly dollar signs start popping up in your head, and you start trying to figure out how much money you could save by transferring your $5,000 balance to XYZ. You then decide you’re going to apply for the account at XYZ. Your credit is good right? No problem! You receive the card in a week or so, and go ahead with the balance transfer.
So how does this affect my credit score?
How this balance transfer affects your credit rating and credit score really depends on what you do from this point on, and also what your credit line is on your new card from “XYZ”. If your credit line on your new card is lower than that of the original “ABC” credit account, then your “debt percentage” will be higher, which generally will lower your credit score. This would be true if you closed the original account at ABC, and kept your new account as your only open credit card account.
If you’ve had your “ABC” credit card for a while (maybe 2 years or more), and you have a good payment history with them, then it will most likely be in your best interest to keep that account open, even if you don’t use it. Especially if your credit line with your new lower interest card is below $10,000. Usually for the sake of your credit score, you don’t want to increase your “debt percentage”, you want to decrease it.
For example, if you keep both accounts open, you will have a total credit line of $20,000. With your $5,000 in debt on your new card, and your original account at ABC having no balance, your debt percentage would only be 25%, which is a good percentage and your credit score will reflect that.
Now reverse that and say that you closed your credit account from “ABC”, given that your credit line at “XYZ” stays the same, you would have a debt percentage of 50%, which is what you started out with in the beginning. Add to that a newly acquired credit card with little or no payment history on it, and you’re credit score would almost surely decrease, at least until you establish a longer payment history on your new account.
So for this example, it would probably be best to keep both accounts open. Your lower debt percentage could possibly offset the hit your score took from obtaining your new credit card. And looking to the future, it should look better on your credit report this way too.
Avoid increasing your debt percentage
When trying to keep your credit score as high as possible, try to avoid doing anything to increase your debt percentage. Even though the amount of debt you are carrying on your “revolving credit” is the same, it will always look better if you’re using 25% of your total credit, compared to using up 50% of it.
But don’t try too hard to decrease it either
Be sure not to take it too far by applying for more credit than you need, just because you think it will help your credit score by having an even lower debt percentage. Obtaining any new credit will generally bring down your credit score slightly, at least for a short period of time. Applying for credit too much and too often will almost always have a negative impact on your credit score, which is exactly what you don’t want. Your time would be better spent on trying to pay down this debt instead.
As with anything, being informed is the key
Balance transfers such as this can and will save you money on interest, if you do it right. Stay informed about how things like this affect your credit, and you should be just fine!
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Fat Loss 4 Idiots Review
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Please use caution when you use a ‘credit’ card on the internet. There are ‘criminal elements’ every-where, and online is no exception. I will actually go as far as to say that you should NEVER use a ‘credit’ card online AT ALL. Hear me out! I have a PayPal account and it can be quite useful for ebay or other places that accept it. To get a PayPal account you need some sort of credit card, right? WRONG! There are two main types of ‘plastic card’, the first is a ‘CREDIT’ card ( potentially very dangerous when used online ). The second card is a ‘DEBIT’ card - very SAFE to use online, if you go about it the right way.
You do not need a credit card to establish a PayPal account. ( or for lots of other online services..) A ‘debit’ card is much, much safer and I will explain why. Firstly, if you use a credit card online and you are unlucky enough to have your card details stolen or intercepted, then ALL the money that is available to that card can be lost - permanently. Can you afford that?? Even if you can afford to lose that money ( lucky you!! ) do you really want to hand it over to a criminal? My guess would be no. So don’t risk it happening! I don’t have a credit card at all, and that is largely irrelevant, but I can purchase things online.
What I use is a VISA enabled DEBIT card instead, and this is how it works. I have two bank accounts, one with all my money in it, the other is nearly always completely EMPTY. The empty account has the VISA debit card attached to it. How does that work if it is empty most of the time? Very easily. The first account has an online banking facility and I simply transfer money into the VISA account whenever I need to use it. I only transfer about ten dollars more than I think I will need to make a purchase, so that if my VISA card details are intercepted or used by any criminal organization, they can’t get at ALL my money.
Yes, online banking has potential risks as well, but with the added layers of security that a bank provides, the risk is much reduced. Also you can directly visit your bank to sort out any problems should they occur, but it is much ( very much ) harder to do that if you are dealing with an online organization that may be based a different country altogether. So, I hope you aren’t using a credit card online. (!?#!!)
Note 1 : The reason I transfer about 10 dollars more than I think I will need for any given transaction is to cover currency conversion variations and un-noticed packaging, postage, or insurance costs. I also like to leave a balance of about 20 dollars to feed my online insurance policy. ( see the paragraph below note 2. )
Note 2 : Most online banking facilities allow an unlimited number of transactions, with no transaction fees. So you can use it as much as you want to and it costs you nothing. Now that’s how much I like to pay!! Don’t forget that in some cases you can do direct bank deposits to make a purchase online. That means even less risk to you because the vendor doesn’t even have the chance to get at your card at all. They only get the money, and that’s just fine by them. If you need to set up recurring payments for a membership or subscription service, the best way is by direct bank deposit. You set it up, you control it, and ‘they’ can’t change what they charge you or add extra charges without you knowing about them 
There is a cost involved with having a second bank account and that cost is usually thought of as dead money, but if you look at that monthly ( or annual ) cost as a form of ‘pay as you go’ insurance, then it is a lot more acceptable. What I mean by pay as you go insurance is the charges ( account keeping fees ) for the usually empty second account are your insurance policy against losing the contents of your main account to an online criminal. When you look at it that way, it is really rather cheap. You also get insurance against financial loss from VISA if your card is lost or stolen in the ‘real world’- not that there would be a substantial amount available to that card if you operate it the way I have outlined above. You can use either type of plastic card on the internet, and the vendor of whatever you purchase will never know what type you are using, but I know what type of card I will always use. The debit card.
Footnote : No, I don’t have a ‘credit’ card at all, so without the services of a debit card I wouldn’t be able to purchase much online. But I wouldn’t have a credit card even if I could ‘afford’ one. I personally think that credit cards are just too big a temptation for the average person. If you have thousands of dollars available to be spent as credit, that is just what most people do, they spend it. Why is that a problem? Well if you don’t have the money to buy whatever you have bought using your credit card, where are you going to find the money to pay that credit back?? Oh, and what about the rude amount of interest that a lot of people end up paying on their credit cards? Sometimes for years.. I may be old fashioned in this regard, but saving your money by having a budget, and buying something when you can afford to do so, really does save you a lot of money in the long run.
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Staying in touch with your payments each month can help you avoid bad credit. By keeping yourself organized when your payments are due, you are on your way toward avoiding bad credit. If you do your research on the marketplace before coming to a purchasing decision, you are definitely well on your way to avoiding bad credit and repair credit hassles. You want to consider all applications, including credit cards, student loans, mortgages, and car loans carefully to avoid being overcharged.
Making the wise decision ahead of the game is the ultimate solution to maintaining good credit. Most people when taking out a home mortgage loan are not aware of the options available to them. Many will walk in the bank door, fill out the application, and accept the terms & conditions when offered to them. If you ever heard the many reports that swept the pages of newspapers, television and other advertising sources…families and individuals are filing bankruptcy because they cannot afford their homes anymore. This is because these people did not take the time to check the marketplace first and searching the options available to them. There are many options available to a lender.
As you can see, the millions reported are in debt and searching for a way to repair their credit. The solution then to avoiding bad credit and repair is to research, invest wisely, make good decisions, and budget. Being informed and educated is two of the best tools offered to us but you must allow yourself the time to do it.
There are mortgage loans that offer overpayments and underpayments and these loans include vacation packages and lump sum payments to the borrowers. There are also other loans available that offer low mortgage monthly installments and low interest rates with insurance policies attached that will pay your mortgage if you are sick, unemployed, in an accident and so on. If you have an interest in this type of loan, discuss it with your lender. Make sure there are no “hidden costs” when applying for this type of loan i.e. prepayment penalty. On the other hand, there are mortgage loans that have high interest rates, high mortgages, and balloon payments attached. When balloon payments are attached to home mortgages it is almost guaranteed in a few years you will be searching for a solution to repair your credit. Just remember that the interest on an average home mortgage can cost a homeowner almost twice (or more) the cost of the home itself. There are very few home lenders willing to tell you the truth about the variety of home loans available. Most of the lenders are making money and you are a source of income. It is important to scope the terms & agreements carefully as well as reading all fine prints on any loan contract before you sign.
If you want to avoid bad credit and repair, you want to stay on the right path. Loans are agreements that are made between two parties and attached are interest rates and other fees. If you are applying for a home loan and want to avoid bad credit, it makes sense to learn what the fees include and how much those fees will cost you. Anytime you take out a mortgage loan there are upfront fees attached. In some cases, you can get a home for little or no cost. Avoid a loan with high interest as much as possible or you will end up paying almost all interest on your home. Perform a little research before coming to a decision on any loan because searching and investigating the marketplace can save you time and money.
Some home loans offer an ‘acceleration clause’, which covers you if you miss mortgage payments. The lender will apply the clause by allowing you leniency providing you make payments the following month on time. This type of loan is great for avoiding bad credit, foreclosures, and repossessions. The marketplace is swarming with realtors and other sources that will help you get a mortgage loan affordable to you with benefits included.
Car Loans
If you are applying for a car loan, it is also important to research the marketplace carefully before agreeing to any terms & conditions. Make sure that your find the best deals affordable to you. In college I learned a golden rule that applies to everyone. This rule is that most car dealers up the fees on cars 15%. This means if you negotiate with the dealer you can get a reduction on the vehicle up to 15%.
Credit Cards
Another word of advice is when applying for credit cards you want to stay away from cards that have fees attached with high interest rates. Avoid credit card offers that have upfront fees and offer a high line of credit. If some offers look to good to be true, it probably is. Credit card companies will offer low rates to “reel” you in. This is usually good to start but read the fine print because those low interest rates will jump after a period of time. If you pay your bill in full every month the rates won’t matter but if you begin to pay the minimum amount or more…look out!
Student Loans
If you want to advance your education, you might want to consider student loans. You may be qualified for a student grant from the government. This is the first place you want to start before committing your self to a loan agreement.
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