Happy New Year!

Well, get ready…2010 is going to be incredible!

We’re looking forward to having you on a really great ride with us!

Yours to your best year yet,

Tips to Be Debt Free, Part 1

It seems like Debt is something many of us, including those all around the world, struggle with.

As a result, we often want to know how to be debt free.

Nowadays, you can’t afford to just buy things will nilly, and sometimes you may have to use a credit card or get a loan. But if the unexpected happens and you’re not able to pay back those debts, you can find yourself in an out of control, downward spiral.

Many’s the time you might find yourself in more debt than you can handle because of an unexpected illness, or time away from work or even an unexpected household repair or a water heater than just expired two seconds before you were to take your shower.

Such calamities might require you to use your credit card and as a result put you in a position with more debt than you can reasonably handle.

There are many options available to you such as debt counseling services, debt consolidation and even bankruptcy. But before you do anything that drastic, take some time to try to fix your debt situation on your own.

It is possible, even without adding income, to pay off your debt.

It will take time, though, and it will take discipline but if you are committed to living a life without any debt you can do it.

Now, and tomorrow, I’ll discuss some tips to help you become debt free.

Here are a few tips to help you get rid of

1) Make yourself a detailed list of all your debt. Add everything; even the smallest of debts should be added to this list. Your list should include your monthly household bills (such as house payments, insurance, utility bills, etc etc etc) in one column and your debt in another column.

Come back tomorrow to pick up the remaining two tips. In the meantime, you can start making your list now, as mentioned above.

Yours in working to keep debt free,

P.S. You can read more tips on debt consolidation and keeping debt free here

FTC Guidelines

Today the “new” FTC Guidelines become effective.

In view of this and in the interest of disclosure and “transparency” and for the purposes of the new FTC Guidelines, I state that I am an Affiliate for some of the products promoted at this site.

This means I will have the opportunity to receive from the manufacturers, book authors, and similar resource entities, etc., a percentage of the sales based on sales those specific companies garner from customers’ purchases from that business from links to the seller from this site.

Read more about this here.

Guest Blogging

I’m thrilled to let you know I’ll be a guest blogger on Steve Thomas’s blog, Life Change For You.

Steve was a guest at my blog, Kreative Ramblings, yesterday, October 22, and so I traded a post with him that will be published at his blog tomorrow.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes tomorrow to stop over to see what else Steve has. There’s great video there, too.

Yours in learning through guest blogging,

Sudden Debt…Now What?

Unfortunately, sudden debt can crash unexpectedly into the lives of almost any of us at any time. We can be going along through life quite happily and then bang! Without warning we find ourselves in debt and it’s well… so sudden! Debt is also something that many of us have heard often since childhood is a bad thing. And so that just adds to our woes.

Here you are, unexpectedly in a traumatic situation and you get hit by the double whammy of sudden debt and guilt!

If you think it will never happen to you don’t be too sure.

Think of something as simple as an accident; it doesn’t even have to be your fault, and you get hospitalized for a couple of months. Do you think while you’re laid up there in your hospital bed it’s just possible that making the payment for your credit card bill might get forgotten?

And what happens when you forget your monthly credit payments? Those nice friendly guys at the loan company who wanted to increase your credit card limit only last month now turn into Don Corleone and the boys from Mob! They start to slap on late charges, and the exorbitant interest now starts to attract interest on itself and, and… Well you get the picture.

So what do you do when you find yourself facing sudden debt?

The first thing is..Don’t panic! I know that’s easy enough to say but it really isn’t going to help. Just stop and think of a plan of action.

Before you do anything else, contact the companies you owe the money to. Explain the situation you’ve found yourself in and ask what they can do to help. They may be willing to freeze the interest, especially if you’ve always had a triple A credit rating in the past.

Now, lets take a worst case scenario here and just assume your creditors aren’t helpful. If you find this is the case, then start to look at some of the options.

*Do you have a family member that can lend you the cash to pay off what you owe?
*If not, what about your bank?
*Ask them for a loan that you can repay over a period of time you feel comfortable with.
*That way you begin to take control over the situation and you will soon begin to whittle away at that sudden debt.

Yours in dealing with debt,

P.S. Take a few minutes to stop by Konceptuality to sign up for our ezine, On the Bright Side. You’ll also find a few more tips and tricks and helpful articles on managing your debt here

3 In 1 Credit Report

- Getting A Copy Of Your Credit Report And Seeing What Needs To Be Improved

If you are concerned about identify theft or regular credit monitoring, you likely understand the importance of obtaining a copy of your free personal credit report.

And if not, come to our house; my husband regularly monitors his numbers and his report!

So, heed this! Neglecting to monitor your credit may prove damaging in the long run. It does not take long for a person to access your information and begin opening accounts in your name. For this matter, consumers are advised to obtain a 3 in 1 credit report every six months.

Benefits of a Credit Report

Aside from protecting yourself against identify theft, credit monitoring is essential for improving your credit rating. Although lenders use credit reports to judge a loan applicant’s creditworthiness, credit reports are also beneficial because they keep us informed of our credit standing. Thus, we can know our odds of obtaining a home loan, auto loan, etc.

Further, in recent years, employers are also using credit reports to determine an applicant’s “suitability” for employment.

How to Get a Copy of Your Credit Report

Getting a copy of your 3 in 1 credit report is simple. Furthermore, because reports are viewable online, there is no valid reason not to check your report at least once annually. Every city across the country has a local credit agency that will issue copies of your credit report from all three bureaus. However, if you prefer the convenience of the internet, there are various Web sites that offer 3 in 1 reports for a small fee.

But even better, one of the local credit unions to which I belong included in this month’s newsletter that we are able to obtain our credit report from them for free once a year. So, if you belong to one, you might want to check with your local credit union to see if they also provide that service.

In the meantime, to obtain a copy of your personal reports, you must provide information such as name, address, social security number, etc. Once your information is verified, credit reports are either sent via email, or viewable from the Web site. Your entire credit history will show before your eyes.

Why Obtain Copies of a 3 in 1 Credit Report?

If you are hoping to improve your credit rating, obtaining a 3 in 1 credit report should be the first step you take. This way, you know exactly what needs improving. The report will list all creditors, current balances, and you account standing. Moreover, you should review your report for errors. If inaccuracies are present, contact the bureau and discuss how to correct the matter.

In addition, credit reports include a credit score. This 3 digit number carries a lot of weight. Low scores indicate bad credit, whereas high scores equal good credit. If the goal is to improve credit score, it may be wise to improve in certain areas. For example, avoid late or skipped payments, reduce debt to income ratio, settle collection accounts, and limit your number of credit inquiries.

Yours in getting your credit report,

Tips for Improving Your Credit Score Some More

Yesterday, I started my post on 5 Tips for Improving Your Credit ScoreScore. Since I was including a lot of great information, the post got a little long and unwieldy. So I’ve split it into two days’ of reading.

Here are the last of the five tips on “Ways to Improve Your Credit Score”. Starting with number 3…

3. Understand how your credit score is determined.

Your credit score is usually based on the answers to these questions:

** Do you pay your bills on time? It’s very important how you answer this question. For instance, if you have paid bills late, have had an account referred to a collection agency, or have ever declared bankruptcy, this history will show up in your credit report.

** What is your outstanding debt? Many scoring models compare the amount of debt you have and your credit limits. If the amount you owe is close to your credit limit, it is likely to have a negative effect on your score.

** How long is your credit history? A short credit history may have a negative effect on your score, but a short history can be offset by other factors, such as timely payments and low balances.

** Have you recently applied for new credit? If you have applied for too many new accounts recently, that may negatively affect your score. But if you request a copy of your own credit report, or creditors are monitoring your account or looking at credit reports to make pre-screened credit offers, these inquiries about your credit history are not counted as applications for credit.

** How many and what types of credit accounts do you have? Many credit-scoring models consider the number and type of credit accounts you have. A mix of installment loans and credit cards may improve your score. However, too many finance company accounts or credit cards might hurt your score.

Visit the Federal Trade Commission’s publication on credit scoring at their Web site.

4. Learn the legal steps you must take to improve your credit report.

The Federal Trade Commission’s “Building a Better Credit Report” has information on correcting errors in your report, tips on dealing with debt and avoiding scams—and more.

5. Beware of credit-repair scams.

Sometimes doing it yourself is the best way to repair your credit. The Federal Trade Commission’s “Credit Repair: Self-Help May Be Best” explains how you can improve your creditworthiness and lists legitimate resources for low-cost or no-cost help.

Now, if by some chance you missed yesterday’s post with the beginning two tips, all you need to do is to scroll down below this post and read away! Or, you may just want to click to here and here for more interesting and helpful reading right here at this site.

Yours In Improving Your Credit Score”

Stress Breakers

Do you go with the flow?

Or does anxiety keep you on edge, holding you away from enjoying life? To a great degree, our personality determines how we deal with the stress in our lives. But I have some things to help you keep your stress under control:

Today and tomorrow, I’ll post five very popular suggestions:

1. Sleep more. It’s very common in our society to “exist” on less than 6 hours of sleep a night! And that’s about what it is, when it’s less than 6 hours!

But experts keep saying we need at least 8 hours! Not just to rest our bodies, but to rejuvenate our minds. “Tired” and “cranky” seem to go hand in hand. Don’t use your bedroom to watch the news or finish up some work from the office. Make that room your haven, a place to relax and escape the day. Have a hot cup of tea, take a warm bath, or read a paperback to help you unwind.

2. Have faith. Saying a short prayer in times of stress can give you a sense of calm, especially when the situation is one you really have no control over.

Studies have shown that people who trust in a higher power have lower blood pressure. Being able to forgive people can also affect your blood pressure.

Holding a grudge is not good for your health!

Just watch the daily news for testimony!

Now, so as to not cause more undue stress, I invite you to stop back here tomorrow to read the rest of our tips for “busting” stress!.

And in the meantime, “practice, practice” today’s tips.

To consolidate debt or not to consolidate

When it comes to eliminating and rising above any debt that has taken over your life, there are several options to consider. One of the best and often the most popular is debt consolidation. In this article, we’ll talk a bit about the top ten reasons to consider debt consolidation over any other form of debt relief method available.

Consolidate Your Debt #1 – Lower Your Interest Rates

One of the best things about debt consolidation is that more often than not, you will have a chance to LOWER your INTEREST rates. And, instead of several different interest rates, you will have one interest rate that is far lower than the many of the others combined!

Typically, when you consolidate your debt, you keep that same interest rate as well; it does not tend to fluctuate as your original debt interest rates may.

Consolidate Your Debt #2 – Lower Your Stress Levels

Just the word DEBT alone can cause a great deal of erratic feelings and afflictions, often in the form of both personal and mental levels. As a result, when debt begins to take control of your life, instead of the other way around, many things can and do happen. To name a few:

Thus, Debt consolidation will enable you to focus more on your life than on your debt.

Consolidate Your Debt #3 – Improve Your Life

When you consolidate your debt, you are taking the necessary steps to improve your life overall. You will find that your health is better, your relationships are better, you feel better, and best of all, your credit starts to improve, and more doors will open for you. When you are making an effort to get yourself out of debt, more people are willing to give you a chance. Therefore, you may be able to finally purchase that home you have been wanting or even find a better place to live, within your means of course.

Consolidate Your Debt #4 – One Payment

Perhaps one of the reasons debt is so stressful and hard to manage is because of the various different payments you must make each month. These payments are often generally different dollar amounts, due on different days, which alone can be enough to throw you for a loop. With debt consolidation, you have the opportunity to combine all of your payments into one affordable, easy-to-manage and easy-to-remember payment.

You’ll find that that one payment really is so much easier to handle each month than many payments. And you’ll see that when you start making these payments on time, every month, life becomes easier and, more importantly, stress-free.

Consolidate Your Debt #5 – Learn From Your Mistakes

Many debt consolidation programs offer a variety of other services, such as debt counseling, budgeting, and financial management. Once you have consolidated, it may be wise to take advantage of these other services; they are typically free. You can then start on the road to a new, debt free, and financially stable lifestyle.

So there it is in a nutshell!

We all make mistakes; so learning from them and knowing how to manage your finances properly is the best way to make sure you never dig that debt hole again.

And since more and more debt is a part of every day life, knowing how to manage it and living within your means can be one very positive aspect of debt consolidation.

Is there a blog in your future

There is, if you click on the links in this blog post.

Here’s the great news!

My friend, Traci Knoppe at Genesis Blogging is launching a “Beginning Blogger” 4week e-course Monday, June 1, 2009.

This is a great opportunity for you to learn how to blog.