Posts Tagged ‘ credit ’

Five Tips for Avoiding Consumer Debt in College

16/03/2012
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consumer debt in college

Although some people are able to fund college entirely with their own money and grants, most people graduate with at least a little student debt. Paying off student loans can take years and set you back financially when you enter the workforce. You don’t want to compound the problem by adding consumer debt to the mix. Credit cards have high interest rates and can easily seduce shoppers into living beyond their means, causing major financial strain. Here are a few tips for getting through college without relying on credit: 1. Understand how interest works. It’s hard to appreciate just how ruinous credit card debt can be without knowing how interest is compounded. Take some time to learn about credit cards and see how the interest can quickly multiply a purchase beyond its original price. Seeing actual figures will really help to put things in perspective. 2. Make a budget....

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Got No Credit? Want To Build Some?

13/12/2011
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No Credit

Building up your credit can take time – but what if you have no credit to begin with? How do you build credit when you are just starting out? If you are just beginning, you’ve probably run into the problem of being denied credit because you have no credit. How are you supposed to build credit if no one will give you a chance? It’s an age-old problem. The key is to start small, remain consistent and over time, you can develop a financial profile that will make it easy to obtain credit. For those looking to establish credit, one of the easiest ways is to obtain a secured credit card. A secured card is one that you by depositing a certain amount of money. You are then allowed to use the card up to that amount. In other words, if you get this type of card and deposit...

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Why small businesses need a physical security deposit box?

09/09/2011
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After small businesses have shopped extensively for the most competitive, business insurance quotes one of the first purchases they should make is a physical security deposit box. In an ideal world, the smart business owner, when making their business plan, would go out and purchase a security deposit box with the same bank or credit union they received an approval for a business loan. To legally protect new business owners from tax audits or the destruction of important information, the new business owner would store their business plan and insurance premium paperwork in the security deposit box divided into organized files along with countless other legal paperwork. While there are several online companies providing digital asset management services, basically an online form of a physical security deposit box, it makes the most sense to either acquire a box through a bank or credit union close to your business or...

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Are you using the wrong credit card?

20/07/2011
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You may be thinking a credit card is a credit card, so there’s really no difference between two squares of the same plastic. This cannot be farther from the truth. Credit cards, like anything else in life, have a certain quality to them and your current card may be completely wrong for your lifestyle and financial situation. As our lives change, our needs change and this is certainly true with credit cards. The low-balance card we may have started out with after high school graduation is not the same type of reward-laden card we crave in adulthood. Throw any notions of brand loyalty out the window. Staying with the same credit company forever can hinder you from pumping up your credit score. With that said, keeping an old credit account open will show you have a long history of good credit and can improve your credit score. But before...

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4 Ways to Get a Good Deal on a Credit Card

25/03/2011
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credit-card

Best Deal on a Credit Card It seems like a fact of life; the better your credit rating is, the better offers you’re going to get from credit card companies. But what if you’re not getting those great offers? What if your credit rating just isn’t good enough? It can take months or even years to fix your credit, so does that mean you are out of luck in the meantime? Absolutely not! If you want to get a good deal on a credit card, follow these 4 tips: 1. Ask your credit card company for a better rate Remember, credit card companies are in the business of making money. They want your business, because it means more profits for them. Simply asking the company for a better rate may just get you one – especially if the company thinks they’re going to lose your business over it. 2....

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Selecting the Right Debt Settlement Attorney for Debt Settlement

01/03/2011
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settlement-of -your-debt

Are you tired of weekly collection calls, little sleep, and a spiraling debt burden that is pushing you further and further behind your ideal life? With the current economy, today is a perfect time to present your creditors with a debt settlement offer. Let go of some unnecessary stress. A debt settlement attorney is specially trained to help you navigate the legal system and settle your unsecured debt for less. What Is Unsecured Debt? First off, what kind of debt qualifies for assistance? An unsecured debt is simply a financial obligation where the lender does not hold any collateral. Most credit card debt, department store debt, personal loans, and medical bills are unsecured and can be settled for less than you owe. Examples of bills that are NOT eligible are mortgages, car loans, student loans, alimony, and tax debt. You may have other options for renegotiating these obligations, but...

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Should I Trust My Lawyer’s Advice on a Bankruptcy Counseling Firm?

20/12/2010
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Bankruptcy Counseling vs. Debtor Education When a person files for bankruptcy under the bankruptcy code, he/she is required to participate in a pre bankruptcy counseling course called credit counseling. After a bankruptcy has been filed, the person must then go through a course called debtor education in order to prove to the bankruptcy court that he/she is committed and has the proper financial education to turn it all around and not end up in the same mess in the future. Oftentimes, when filing for bankruptcy, your bankruptcy attorney will recommend a certain company or non-profit organization to put you through these courses. In some cases, it may be appropriate to go with the advice of your attorney and take the bankruptcy counseling course through the recommended third party company. However, there are often drawbacks to this. Some things you may want to consider before simply agreeing with your attorney...

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